Primal Endurance Podcast

Please enjoy a great conversation and in-person show here in the Sacramento studios of the B.rad/Primal Endurance podcast with my good friend and sprinting mentor Cynthia Monteleone, coming to you all the way from the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii. We had a long, wide-ranging discussion on health, fitness, peak performance, and longevity—especially in Cynthia’s area of expertise, acti...

In this episode, I call out some dangerous and misguided fitness advice floating around on social media—like a post from a PhD in exercise physiology suggesting that everyone should go run for 45 minutes in 100-degree heat to boost their VO₂ max. Sure, the science on heat training is interesting and real, but context matters. For elite athletes training for world championships, carefully man...

I take you through the incredible story of Hicham El Guerrouj, the Moroccan middle-distance legend who was virtually unbeatable for nearly four years, only to face heartbreaking defeats at the Atlanta Olympics. I walk through the agony of those losses, the silver medal at 1500 meters, and the mental and physical toll of carrying the expectations of millions while chasing perfection. We get into ho...

Get ready listeners for a most unusual and heavy and unique show with my old friend Tom Hodge! Tom is an endurance adventurer living an interesting dream life of enjoyable but extensive endurance exercise every day, traveling the globe for major events, mixing with top athletes and watching them perform, and being on this amazing journey that he's going to tell you about in this episode. You will...

Formerly anonymous Arizona high school running coach Mike Scannell has become a sensation in the American distance running community with the amazing success of his runner Grant Fisher, the undisputed king of American long distance running! Grant had a sensational Paris Olympic Games, winning bronze medals in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. These are events where only a handful of Americans have ever...

In today’s episode I welcome track star Sue McDonald to the show! Sue is no ordinary track star—she is shattering world records in the masters track and field arena going where no human has ever gone before in her age groups and putting out unbelievable times at 61 years old! This mother of three from Santa Barbara, California, is virtually on world record watch every time she competes, and I had...

In this show, we’re focusing on what easy workouts and rest days really mean for us mere mortals trying to improve our performance—not only in endurance sports, but in all manner of athletic endeavors. Tune in to hear me discuss the great Eluid Kipchoge and some stunning revelations that have come forth from detailed analysis of his training logs that he has published for all to scrutinize. If you...

It’s time to talk about polarized training—a popular training concept often referred to as the “80/20 principle.” Unfortunately, many athletes have misinterpreted and misapplied this strategy, so we will be reviewing this training philosophy in this episode. Tune in if you want to learn what polarized training truly entails and the benefits of this practice, the research behind the effects of 80/2...

Endurance athletes are back with an assortment of interesting questions and fabulous success stories to share! Questions and stories like: The importance of doing a bit of warm up before your micro-workouts; a young runner wins the state title honoring the Primal Endurance principles of monitoring heart rate carefully, avoiding processed food, getting tons of sleep, adding some strength training,...

I welcome Tawnee Gibson, longtime host of the Endurance Planet podcast, to the show for an honest, open conversation that takes us on a timeline through her own experiences as an athlete, her struggles, and what she has learned from health journey. Some of Tawnee’s revelations will be particularly relevant to female athletes, and some others—such as not feeling ready to correct course even when yo...

In this Q&A, I share the story of an ultra-endurance athlete who improved their health and lowered blood pressure by adding meat to their diet, if we need to consume fat (bacon and avocado!) during ultramarathons (short answer: no!), and whether or not I recommend eating fruit and high protein every day, regardless of athletic goals? I also share the story of a couple who lost lots of excess b...

Having noticed the Ironman Corporation is looking for a new CEO, I decided to record an episode sharing what I would do if I were tasked with the job. This is of particular interest to me as I attended the 1989 Hawaii Ironman World Championships, which used to be held annually in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. My time of 8:57 is still the USA record for the 24 and under age group, so I haven’t had to return...

I’m so pleased to welcome Mark Allen back to the show! Mark, “The Grip,” is also the greatest triathlete of all time, and he’s here today to share many of his unique insights and spiritual approach to grueling endurance sports. Mark, a contemporary of mine from the triathlon circuit, is now one of the most prominent coaches in the triathlon scene today. Get ready for a wide-ranging conversation th...

I’m bringing you a lively conversation with Brian Keane today, host of the Brian Keane Podcast, author of two best-selling books, The Fitness Mindset and Rewire Your Mindset , and a former teacher turned one of the top online fitness coaches in Ireland and the UK, who has transformed thousands of lives and physiques in the process.  In this show, we talk about how our mindset often gets in the way...

Re-introducing Primal Endurance Online Mastery Course!   Host Brad Kearns introduces the Primal Endurance Online Multimedia Mastery Course - everything you need to succeed as a Primal Endurance athlete. Ditch carbohydrate dependency and become a fat burning beast with this comprehensive educational experience consisting of over 120 videos, the Primal Endurance eBook and unabridged audio book, and...

Welcome to the final installment in this eight-part series covering the 115 things you need to know as a Primal Endurance athlete. In the previous seven shows, we discussed aerobic training and how to build your aerobic base, using the method of periodization to minimize the overall stress load on your body, how to escape Active Couch Potato Syndrome, and more, and in this episode, it’s all about...

It’s been YEARS since we did a Q&A show on Primal Endurance (including the podcast being on pause from 2019 to 2022). We have some excellent and widely relevant questions, including: Can I raise my MAF training heart rate if I feel comfortable? A listener asks about ketogenic endurance training—yes, it can prompt quick benefits in metabolic flexibility and escaping carb dependency, but can it...

In part seven of this multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, we’re talking about a very important (but often neglected) part of performing, recovering, and preserving your health—complementary movement and lifestyle practices. As you will hear, the centerpiece of these practices is of course, sleep, but in this show, I present the idea that getting a...

This episode is a syndicate from the B.rad Podcast where I catch up with the legendary Dave Scott! Dave is a 6-time Hawaii Ironman world champion and respected coach, and in this show, we talk about endurance training, savoring the small victories and not just the big ones, the importance of having hobbies and other interests, how to know when you need to cut back on training and the mental toll i...

I’m so pleased to introduce a very interesting guest to the show, my old friend Gordo Byrn. A prolific blogger and Tweeter on his favorite subjects, family, fitness, and finances, Gordo also writes two newsletters: Gordo Byrn’s Endurance Essentials (focused on training, anti-aging, peak performance, longevity, being strong and fit physically and mentally) and True Wealth (family, parenting, being...

In part six of this multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, we focus on the category of strength training and sprinting—an area many devoted athletes tend to fall short in, despite their importance and effectiveness, as they can deliver tremendous performance improvement in a relatively short time—if done properly. But when you disregard them, this le...

If you want to learn from the best, you can’t get any better than Eliud Kipchoge. In this episode, I deconstruct the marathon world record and training patterns of the greatest long-distance runner of all time, the greatest marathon runner of all time, and one of the greatest endurance athletes and humans of all time. I talk about how Eliud balances consistency and discipline with consciously tryi...

In this rebroadcast episode I catch up with the legendary Dave Scott, 6-time Hawaii Ironman world champion and respected coach of both elite professional and amateur multisport enthusiasts. Dave brings his knowledge of the science of nutrition and exercise physiology to give you incredible insights into cutting-edge science and the competitive mindset of a champion athlete. You’ll hear Dave descri...

Welcome to part 5 of a multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, divided into six categories: Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery. You can access the whole list by downloading a free eBook at PrimalEndurance.fit, and in this episode, I continue down th...

In the final part of this three-part presentation on all aspects of overtraining, you will learn tips for returning to training with a refreshing new outlook and approach, how to heal, and how to ensure that this never happens again! As you will hear, the key is adopting a new process—a fully intuitive approach. Yes, this entails “listening to your body” but it also means applying high-level reaso...