Human Endurance

Your zone 2 at the start of a ride is not your zone 2 at the end. Zones are a model. Feel is the skill. In this Expert Series episode, we talk with Dr. Thomas Mortelmans, a scientist who coaches. Thomas holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Basel and works as a Sr. Scientist at Johnson & Johnson. He coaches cyclists, triathletes, and runners through ESQ Coaching, writes the...

A high VO₂max can be a sign that you are inefficient, not that you are fit. That is one of several ideas Marco Altini takes apart in this episode. Marco is co-founder of HRV4Training, an endurance coach, an advisor at Oura, and a guest lecturer at VU Amsterdam. He holds a PhD in data science and master's degrees in computer science engineering and human movement sciences. He is also Bruna'...

Two runners can look at the same race stats, the same distance, the same elevation gain, and finish hours apart. Ido Dassa has spent a decade learning why. In this Expert Series episode we talk with Ido, a pro ultra-trail runner and CEO of RacePace. He is the Israeli 100 km champion and national record holder, a member of the national trail team, and a The North Face athlete. He has raced backyard...

Pain shows up late. By the time you feel it, the process has usually been running for months. In this Expert Series episode we sit down with Martin Kumm, a sports chiropractor who has spent the past five years with WorldTour cycling team EF Education-EasyPost, alongside years working in ice hockey and track and field. He is a lifelong athlete himself, from national level basketball to triathlon to...

Bevan McKinnon has coached triathletes for over 20 years, hosts one of the sport's longest-running podcasts, and won his age group at Kona in 2016. We talk with him about what changed in his coaching when he stopped starting with the workout. Bevan makes the case that the objective data most of us build our training around tells us very little on its own. A flat CTL can hide an athlete who is...

In this Guest Series episode, we sit down with Ronja, a 23-year-old from the canton of Lucerne who came back to Switzerland in 2024 after a football scholarship in the US and started running almost by accident, mostly to clear her head. Within a year she had won her debut marathon (SwissCityMarathon Lucerne, 2:43:38) off a longest training run of just 26K, and later run 2:38:48 for second at the Z...

What changes when you stop chasing the number and start running on feel? Amanda Martin spent eight years chasing the US Olympic Trials marathon standard. This spring she taped over her watch at the Eugene Marathon, ran the entire race blind to her pace, and crossed the line in 2h34, an eight-minute personal best and comfortably under the qualifying time. Amanda is a marathoner and a neuro rehab ph...

What does it actually take to line up at your first trail ultra and not just survive it, but do it right? In this Expert Series episode, we sit down with Ash Daniels , Level 3 Athletics Australia accredited coach, AUTRA endorsed coach, and Australian national 100km team manager, to get into everything road runners need to know before making the jump to trails. Ash starts where most coaches don&#39...

In this episode, we sit down with Pascal Rüeger , the Swiss ultra runner who ran 100km in 6:18:27 earlier this year, beating a record held since 1985 by almost 9 minutes and winning the race by over 30 minutes. Pascal only started running competitively in 2018, in his late thirties. Today he holds the Swiss national records at 100km, 6 hours (91.6km), and 12 hours (161.2km), plus the M45 world rec...

What separates an age-grouper who keeps improving from one who plateaus? It often isn't the next training method or the latest gadget. It's how they think about their training as a whole. In this episode, we sit down with Mikael Eriksson , founder of Scientific Triathlon and host of That Triathlon Show . With nearly nine years of full-time coaching experience and an engineering background,...

What happens when you stop thinking of yourself as "just a runner" or "just a cyclist" and start training like a complete athlete? Peter Glassford and Molly Hurford from The Consummate Athlete join us to break down why cross-training might be the most underrated tool in endurance sports. Peter is a Registered Kinesiologist and endurance coach with 20+ years of experience, and M...

What happens when the sport you've dedicated your life to suddenly gets taken away from you? At 17, Nina Derron was a Swiss Junior Champion in triathlon, duathlon, and the 10km. And then chronic back pain stopped everything... What followed was nearly 3 years away from competition, a PhD in Clinical Science from ETH Zurich, and one of the most remarkable comeback stories in triathlon. In this epis...

What does it take to start triathlon at 28, coach yourself to a pro license within a year, and then break a cycling world record? Meet Jonathan Guisolan , whose unconventional path is rewriting the rules of what's possible in endurance sports. Jonathan didn't grow up as a competitive athlete. He started cycling at 22 while studying Exercise Physiology, turned pro in cycling, then transitio...

Swiss pro triathlete Leana Bissig joins the Human Endurance Podcast straight from her season high finishing top 20 in T100. Inspired by Nicola Spirig's Olympic gold, Leana worked her way up from junior swimming to racing on triathlon's biggest stages, all while completing a master's in health sciences at ETH Zurich. In this episode, she opens up about balancing studies with 20-hour tra...

What does it really take to coach elite triathletes to world-class performances? Reto Braendli, Swiss triathlon coach and former performance lab specialist, joins us to share the individualized approach behind some of pro triathlon's most remarkable recent results. Reto coaches Sara Svensk (8th Kona 2024 with sub-3hr marathon), Anne Reischmann (back-to-back Ironman wins at Cozumel & South Afri...

What does it take to become a World Champion while balancing medical school? Meet Samuel Studer, the 2025 IRIONMAN 70.3 Age Group World Champion who's rewriting the rules on what's possible when you refuse to choose between your dreams. In this inspiring Guest Series episode, Samuel takes us through his incredible journey from competitive swimming to finding his true calling in middle-dist...

What does it take to complete 31 Ironman races and coach endurance athletes for over two decades? In this Expert Series episode, we sit down with Joserra, a Spanish triathlon coach, Ironman team member, and sports science professor who has been shaping the endurance sports landscape since 2001. With credentials including an Ironman Certified Coach certification, a Master's in Applied Medical S...

In this episode, we sit down with Stu Holliday, a chartered sports psychologist with 12 years of experience working at the highest levels of sport. Stu currently serves as the GB Olympic Swimming Psychologist and has worked with GB Archery, England Netball, and Liverpool Football Academy. He's also the co-author of "The Psychology of Running" and founder of Endurance Mind Coaching, where he brings...

In this episode, we sit down with David Tilbury Davis, one of triathlon's most respected coaches with nearly 30 years of experience. David has coached world champions, Ironman podium finishers, and record-breakers including Sky Moench's American Ironman record at Florida 2023. We dive deep into David's evidence-based coaching philosophy, and what that means in practice. David shares insights on th...

In a sport that often glorifies pushing through the pain, could a softer approach be the secret to unlocking your true endurance potential? In this episode of the Human Endurance Podcast, we sit down with Brian, a 2h44 marathoner and the founder of Great Day coaching. Brian challenges the "hustle harder" mentality and introduces his powerful philosophy: the "soft approach to hard go...

In this episode of the Human Endurance Podcast, we sit down with professional ultra runner Jazmine Lowther, fresh off her impressive ninth-place finish at the OCC. Jazmine shares practical training tips for people aiming to give trail running a try. We dive into transitioning from road marathons to trail running, training methodologies, the importance of mental toughness, and the unique challenges...

What happens when a world-class swimmer turned professional cyclist discovers that her biggest performance barrier wasn't training - it was nutrition? In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Dani, an accredited practicing dietitian and professional cyclist who competed at 4 World Championships and 2 Pan Pacific Games as a swimmer. After struggling with recurring injuries, illnesses, and the...

Meet Hans Troyer: the 25-year-old trail running sensation who's rewriting the rules of what's possible in ultrarunning. In just two years, Hans went from unknown collegiate runner to 8th place at the legendary Western States 100, but his journey includes a dramatic near-death experience that would have ended most careers before they started. After suffering complete kidney failure and spen...

Tobias Haumann is an exceptional triathlon coach with over 15 years of experience and a notable athletic career. In this episode we discuss his coaching philosophy, balancing data and feel, essential nutritional and swimming advice, and personalized training approaches. Tune in to learn about the importance of sustainable training, overcoming limitations, and the future of triathlon training. Usef...

Vic Johnson is a sports dietician specialising in mountain endurance athletes—from ultra runners, to mountaineers, skiers, and triathletes. Vic provides essential advice on hydration, carbohydrate intake, and the impact of diet on performance and health. We delve into the complexities of nutrition, exploring topics like glycogen stores, fat metabolism, and the differences between male and female n...