Fueling Endurance - Nutrition for Runners, Cyclists & Triathletes

Over the last two episodes we’ve been discussing the ‘high carb trend’ - taking in very large amounts of carbohydrate during exercise. Today we’re looking at this topic through the lens of the road marathon, an event where access to your own nutrition products is limited. In this episode I speak to marathon runner, running coach and co-host of the Inside Running Podcast, Brady Threlfall. Brady’s s...

In the last episode we investigated the ‘high carb trend’ - taking in very large amounts of carbohydrate (>100g/hr) during exercise.  In this episode we speak to Aussie pro cyclist Jack Haig to get an athlete's perspective. Jack’s professional career to date spans both sides of this high carb trend with almost perfectly symmetry, and so he has a great insight on how this approach took hold in t...

You’ve probably come across discussions in the last year or so about the ‘high carb trend’ - taking very large amounts of carbohydrate during exercise, often well over 100g per hour. These levels are significantly greater than official sports nutrition guidelines, so what’s behind the trend? Is it based on new science, product marketing, or is it just another fad that will come and eventually go?...

In the final episode of this T -12 podcast series, we catch up with our guest athlete Brad, just over 2 weeks after racing the Chicago Marathon. We find out how the race went for him, as well as how our planned strategies for accommodation, carb loading, and everything he’d worked on in the 12 weeks prior to race day turned out. We review what worked well in hindsight, what didn’t, Brad’s key lear...

We’ve often talked about periodised nutrition on this podcast, adjusting the carbs you eat across the week based on your training schedule. But in the down periods, how do you achieve this without being ravenously hungry? And on the flipside, when you do need to load up for a big training session, sometimes it's hard to do this without feeling uncomfortably full and bloated. In this episode we dis...

Brad's now into the taper for the Chicago Marathon. Here we discuss the nutrition aspect to this, the flight from Melbourne to Chicago and coping with jetlag, last minute nutrition logistics, and what to do if things do go south mid-race. If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutri...

Brad has done a couple of attempts at a full nutrition dress rehearsal for the Chicago Marathon. We review how it went, finalise his race nutrition plan, discuss some travel logistics and important considerations for his nutrition, and come up with a Plan B for race day. If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same...

Brad has just completed an all-important test of his fluid tolerance, to see how far he's come. We also plan his upcoming nutrition dress rehearsal for Chicago. If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations. Back for its second season, T-12 is a brand new, unique pod...

Guest Brad White is back after his trip to Queensland for the Sunshine Coast Marathon. We review how it went, what he did the day before the race, and use this to plan his carb loading strategy for Chicago. If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations. Back for its...

We check in with athlete guest Brad White. We discuss his progress in scouting out places to eat before the race, his current carb intake in training and planning ahead for race day, and estimating his sweat rate for race day and what to do with this information. If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principl...

In the first episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we meet our athlete guest Brad White and begin the process of preparing him for the Chicago Marathon in 12 week's time. We discuss his previous marathon experience and what's gone wrong, his daily training nutrition, and start with a look at race logistics - travel, accomodation, and aid stations. If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Mar...

Are you someone who’s never quite sure what to do nutrition-wise in the final week before a race? When do you start carb loading? Do you load up on fluids, electrolytes, or both? Do you avoid gluten, lactose or FODMAPs? Should you be adding or removing supplements from your usual routine? On today’s podcast we’re going to cut through the confusion and provide you with a simple strategy you can use...

How many times have you had a nutrition goal for your training or race day, researched what to do, made a plan of action, and then…nothing. It’s one thing to know what to do, but something altogether different to actually do it. So in this episode we’re going to look at one important aspect of this - goal setting for your nutrition. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand why so many athlete...

It’s pretty much assumed nowadays that pickle juice is a sure fire remedy for cramping. But why pickle juice? What’s in the pickling brine that’s supposed to work? How is it meant to work? And most important of all, does it actually work? In this episode we welcome back a past guest Prof. Kevin Miller, a world expert in exercise associated muscle cramping and the researcher behind perhaps more pic...

What’s the deal with cluster dextrin, super starch, hydrogels, and multiple transportable carbohydrates? Why are some companies claiming that ultra slow delivery of carbs into the blood is advantageous, when others are marketed on the basis of rapid absorption? And how do these ingredients affect gut issues, the body’s ability to use carbohydrates during endurance exercise, and ultimately performa...

It’s an area where recommendations have evolved rapidly in the last few years with new research. In this episode, we speak to Dr Alannah McKay, one of the researchers whose work has led to these changes. You’ll learn whether it’s better to take tablets or liquid iron, the formulation of iron in supplements that’s most effective, the optimal dose and timing of supplementation, and the role of train...

In this bonus episode for the T -12 podcast series, we catch up with our guest athlete Brett, less than 48 hours after completing the 100km Ultra Trail Australia. We find out how the race went for him, the ups and downs on the day, as well as how our planned strategies for accommodation, eating the day before the race, and the gut training he’d worked on in the 12 weeks leading up to race day, all...

It's one thing to talk about the theoretical needs of nutrition for altitude, but what does it actually feel like? In this episode we chat to US pro triathlete and sports dietitian Megan Foley, who experienced relocating from her home town near sea level to a much higher altitude, and then going even higher for training.   Podcast Guest: Megan Foley - pro triathlete and sports dietitian.   Fuelin:...

In the final episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we catch up with our athlete guest Brett Kone last time before the 100km Ultra Trail Australia. We focus on some final preventative strategies to reduce the risk of gut issues, how to troubleshoot if things go wrong on the day, and Brett discovers a gem of an idea for carrying your drink mix powder.  T-12 is a unique podcast series that f...

In the fifth episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we catch up with our athlete guest Brett Kennedy in his preparations for the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA). We review Brett’s "dress rehearsal" of his race nutrition plan, and discuss taper nutrition for the final 2 weeks before race day.  T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for...

Whether you're travelling to altitude to train, or using an altitude tent at home, nutrition can make a big difference to how much benefit you'll get from the lower oxygen environment. In this episode we're joined by Beccy Hall, a sports dietitian and researcher who’s worked with, and studied, elite athletes before and during altitude training camps. We’ll look at the key nutritional issues with a...

In the fourth episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we check in with our athlete guest Brett Kennedy in his preparations for the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA). We review Brett’s progress with his sweat rate testing and gut training, his run-through of eating the day before the race, and start to lock in his race day nutrition plan as we enter the last month before race day. If you're...

In the third episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we check in with our athlete guest Brett Kennedy less than 8 weeks out from the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA). We catch up on his attempts to collect sweat rate data, and how he's gone with his gut training. We then focus on planning nutrition for the day before his race, and the pre-event meal. If you're racing UTA or another event i...

Supplements contaminated with banned substances are an athlete's worst nightmare. In this episode we’ll understand how much risk there actually is of testing positive from nutrition supplement use. And if you’re not an elite athlete and don’t think this is relevant to you - think again. We’ll hear how this applies to ALL athletes competing in organised sport, no matter what level, and how to minim...

In the second episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we check in with our athlete guest Brett Kennedy 10 weeks out from the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA). We review the changes made to his daily training nutrition, his progress on trying the race-provided producst, get him started on collecting sweat rate data for his hydration planning, and get the ball rolling on some gut training. I...