Fitter Radio: Triathlon, Endurance, Nutrition

We welcome back Dr. Phil Skiba to the show to discuss his latest book, "Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes," and in particular his work with Critical power/W Prime. W Prime (also known as Anaerobic Work Capacity), is the amount of work you are able to do above your Critical Power (CP) and is measured in joules (J) or kilojoules (KJ). A world-renowned expert in elite athletic performance, Dr. Philip Skiba is the Medical Director of Sports and Musculoskeletal Medicine for Advocate Aurora Health, where he leads both the Human Performance and Biomechanics Laboratories. He is also the head primary care sports physician for the NCAA Division 1 University of Illinois – Chicago (UIC). He has extensive experience in covering mass-participation events, including the NYC and Chicago marathons, ITU Triathlons and the Soldier Field 10-Miler. Dr. Skiba has personally trained a number of Olympian, national champion and world champion athletes, including world-record holders. His work on the mathematics of high

Bevan and Tim review the racing from the Calley Homes Mount Festival of Sport at the weekend. Plus we ask, should all events have an Open Category? We discuss Dr Phil Skiba’s work in the area of critical power and the W prime model and its importance in training over traditional FTP workouts and share excerpts from our interview with Dr Phil Skiba, out tomorrow. (0:00:00) – Calley Homes Mount Festival of Sport. (0:03:49) – Fitter Radio “Best triathlon podcast for raising your IQ” – Triathlete Magazine (0:06:39) - Infinit Nutrition 10% discount for all listeners with the code FITTER10 (0:06:50) - ULTRO Earbuds 15% discount for all our listeners with the code ULTRO15  (0:07:04) – PTO World Series announcement January 30th 2024 (0:10:15) – News from Race Ranger (0:12:21) – Should all events have an open category (0:19:15) – Calley Homes Mount Festival of Sport race review (0:29:16) – Sprint finishes. W/Prime and an introduction to Dr Phil Skiba (0:32:33) – Excerpts from our interview with Dr Phil Ski

The term 'gut training' is thrown around a lot these days, but what does this actually mean?  We share excerpts from the podcast “The Long Munch: Fueling Endurance - Nutrition podcast for runners, cyclists & triathletes” where sports dietitians Steph Gaskell & Alan McCubbin take us through what we mean by gut training, why would runners, cyclists or triathletes want to do it, what is the evidence that it works and how you go about gut training. Clive Asplen won the free entry to IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong. We find out more about him. We chat to professional triathlete and 2 x Olympian Aaron Royle about his swim training. Aaron shares with us his weekly load and details the specific work and consistency required to maintain and improve your swim including stroke rate, force production and feeling comfortable in the water. (0:00:00) – Tim’s training for the IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo in March. (0:01:52) – The Moreghetti Fartlek Session (0:04:16) – Wollongong to host the World Champs final in 2025 (0:06:05) – Our

Dr. Guillaume Millet is a professor at Jean Monnet University in Saint-Etienne.  His general research area investigates the physiological, neurophysiological and biomechanical factors associated with fatigue, both in extreme exercise and in patients. This week on the podcast Mikki speaks to Dr Guillaume Millet about the endurance athlete. They discuss what creates fatigue, how we might train to be better athletes and how to build resilience against fatigue. We hear from Lionel Sanders and Sam Long about their 2023 seasons plus some of the decisions they’re having to make this year around their race schedules. Lastly Race Ranger – will IRONMAN now have to consider introducing it into their events in order to compete with the PTO? Bevan and Tim discuss the likelihood. (0:00:00) – Tim is out training on his new TT bike for IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo in March. (0:11:09) – Infinit Nutrition 10% discount for all listeners with the code FITTER10 (0:11:19) - ULTRO Earbuds 15% discount for all our listeners with the cod

Rachael Cunningham won the free race entry to IRONMAN New Zealand. We find out more about her. We explore the crucial role of mental fitness in endurance sport and its significance for both performance and recovery. We discuss how athletes handle pre-race anxiety and stress differently and the mental resilience required in elite adventure racing where cognitive stamina and decision-making under duress are as crucial as physical ability. We share insights from an episode of That Triathlon podcast with certified psychologist Stuart Holliday, who specializes in working with endurance athletes. Stuart discusses the o of self-talk and the need for athletes to conduct a robust self-assessment, examining their psychological approach before, during and after races.  We introduce Matt Fitzgerald's book "How Bad Do You Want It?" as a resource for understanding and improving mental toughness in the face of adversity. We examine key concepts such as the central governor theory by Tim Noakes, discussing the role of th

For our Boxing Day episode, we’re delighted to be able to bring you a chat with Laura (Sid) Siddall and Sonia Bracegirdle-Moerloose. Sid and Sonia discuss their experiences participating in the extreme triathlons Patagonman and Fodaxman. An inspirational discussion during which they both share their motivations for taking on these challenging races and the preparation involved. We hear about their experiences of both races, for Sonia as a participant at Fodaxman and as support crew for Sid doing the Patagonman. The unique challenges and atmosphere of both races, the unpredictable weather conditions and the stunning landscapes. LINKS: Infinit Nutrition 10% discount using the code FITTER10 at  https://www.infinitnutrition.com.au/ Note: For the code to work you need to have created an account and be logged in. ULTRO Earbuds 15% discount using the code ULTRO15 at https://www.ultroaudio.com/ FODAXMAN Extreme Triathlon at https://www.fodaxman.com.br/ PATAGONMAN Patagonia Xtreme Triathlon at https://www.pata

Dr Nicky Keay is an Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Medicine at University College London and previously Research Fellow in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Durham University. She conducts clinical research in sports/dance endocrinology, resulting in a range of research publications and awards. Dr Keay is a member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine and the British Menopause Society. She is also the author of ‘Hormones, Health and Human Potential: A guide to understanding your hormones to optimise your health and performance”. In this podcast we discuss the importance of hormones in achieving our full potential in terms of both health and exercise performance. We explore the connection between hormones, training, nutrition and recovery in relation to athletic performance. We learn how hormones play a crucial role in driving positive adaptations and how our behaviors and lifestyle can affect their effectiveness. We emphasize the importance of finding the optimal balance

Helen Guillaume is back on the show to talk about the new WILD.AI Coach Dashboard. An initiative designed to help coaches understand, support and maximize the potential of their female athletes. We share excerpts from Jonny Brownlee’s interview with Super League. Jonny reflects on his glittering career and admits he’s coming to terms with the fact that ‘it won’t last forever’. We hear about what the future holds for him. We have a free race entry to the IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong to give away in our Coffee Club! Competition details in the newsletter. Dr Nicky Keay is an Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Medicine at University College London and previously Research Fellow in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Durham University. She conducts clinical research in sports/dance endocrinology, resulting in a range of research publications and awards. Dr Keay is a member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine and the British Menopause Society. She is also the author of “Hormones, Health an

Bevan and Tim review the racing from IRONMAN 70.3 Bahrain and IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo. Plus, we talk about course management and what that IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo Worlds course might look like. Brad George won the free race entry to IRONMAN Western Australia. We find out how it all went. We discuss bike pacing on undulating courses and how to manage energy output using the Alan Couzens models of the 50/40/30/20/10 rule and power pacing calculator. We share excerpts from Georgia Taylor-Brown’s interview with Super League. An honest and open chat in which Georgia shares her experiences with injury and personal issues.  We have 2 free race entries to give away to the Whakatipu Legend – you choose the distance you’d like to enter. The Competition:  Email in to [email protected] the answer to the following question…  The Whakatipu Legend has an event called The Combo Challenge. What is the total distance that swimmers will swim at this event?'  The answer can be found on their website at www.thewhakatipulegend.co.n

Kiwi triathlete Simon Cochrane has won the iconic Ultraman World Championships in Kona smashing the previous race record by an incredible 44 minutes. Travelling over 515km in three days of racing, the event starts with a 10km ocean swim followed by a 145km cycle. Day two a challenging 276km cycle and Day three 85 kms of running (a double marathon). We chat to Simon about his previous victories leading in to the World Championship – the Ultraman Australia race and Ultraman Canada, where he dominated the competition and secured his spot at the World Championships. He talks about his mindset going into the race and his strong performance on each day, including a challenging swim and a solid lead on the bike. As an experienced athlete and coach, Simon shares his approach to training and how he has consciously worked on developing mental strength. We discuss the significance of choosing more challenging options in training and how this translates to confidence on race day. Simon reveals his strategies for me

We have 2 free race entries to give away to the Whakatipu Legend – you choose the distance you’d like to enter. The Competition:  Email in to [email protected] the answer to the following question… “The Whakatipu Legend has an event called The Combo Challenge. What is the total distance that swimmers will swim at this event?'  The answer can be found on their website at www.thewhakatipulegend.co.nz  The competition will be drawn in 2 weeks – on Sunday 17th December - and the winner announced on the podcast the following week.” Bevan and Tim review the racing from IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells La Quinta and IRONMAN Western Australia plus we hear from IMWA winners Daniel Baekkegaard and Fenella Langridge at the finish line. Alex Bees won the free race entry to the Calley Homes Mount Half. We find out more about him. Athlete turned coach, Matt Bottrill of ‘Matt Bottrill Performance Coaching’ has not only had an incredible career as a cyclist but has also coached athletes to world records. In this segment Ma

Coach Tim Brazier and Dr Kate Baldwin of Endurance Movement discuss the common injuries faced by triathletes, including achilles and calf injuries, hip issues and bone stress injuries. They emphasize the importance of understanding the multifactorial nature of injuries and how to prevent or manage them. The role of bone health, particularly before the age of 25, is also highlighted, along with how previous sports or training can affect an athlete's risk of injury. We discuss how to catch and treat bone stress injuries before they worsen. Practical tips are provided for identifying and addressing these injuries plus we highlight the importance of getting an MRI or CT scan for accurate diagnosis. We highlight the importance of nutrition and proper training in avoiding injury, as well as the role of biomechanics and muscle strength. We recommend a well-rounded rehab program, including cross-training and a gradual return to running, to prevent future injuries. We also touch on the concept of loading days an

We have a free race entry giveaway to IRONMAN New Zealand. Bevan and Tim review the racing from Challenge Canberra plus we hear from winners Daniel Baekkegard and Els Visser at the finish line. Anna Dungey won the free race entry to the Challenge Wanaka Half. We find out more about her. Henri Schoeman discusses his recent battles with injury and we get an insight into his plans for the future. We discuss bone stress injuries and ways in which to prevent and manage them and share excerpts from our full interview with Dr Kate Baldwin, out tomorrow. We also look at the role that nutrition can play and share excerpts from the ‘We Do Science’ podcast in which Professor’s Kirsty and Craig Sale discuss their research study paper ‘Nutrition and Athlete Bone Health’. Lastly, we highlight recommended nutrient guidelines for bone health and repair. Calcium – 1000-1200 mg/day - Vitamin D – 600-800 int units/day - Vitamin K – 90-120 micrograms/day - Magnesium – 310-420 mg/day - Phosporous – 700 mg/day (0:00:00)

Tim Podlogar BSc, MSc, PhD is an applied researcher primarily working at the University of Birmingham where he conducts research in the field of sports nutrition and carbohydrate metabolism. He is also one of the nutritionists for Bora-Hansgrohe World Tour cycling team, Head of Development at Nduranz sports nutrition brand, Head of Science at the Human Performance Centre in Slovenia and a visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Primorska, Slovenia. In this podcast we discuss his journey from a low carb back to a high carbohydrate diet, his experience in nutrition for a World Tour Cycling Team, and his research into carbohydrate metabolism. Dr Podlogar shares his research into the importance of carbohydrates in both recovery and performance plus we touch on classical carbo loading for athletes and the need for multiple day glycogen loading protocols. We explore the implications of energy deficit and the need for carbohydrates to sustain the workloads of athletes. We discuss the differences betw

Shay McLeod of Symmetry Physio won the free race entry to IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne. He was unable to finish the race due to a calf injury but shares his expertise as a Physiotherapist on how he plans to rehabilitate his calf before his next race in December, IRONMAN Western Australia. We have a free race entry giveaway to the Tarawera Ultra. We review the recent Outdoor Magazine article highlighting the revolution of carbohydrates, the now greatly increased ability to digest larger amounts of carbs plus their importance in an athlete’s diet. We also discuss the trend for low carb or fasted training and where it might still have its place in a training program.  We share excerpts from our interview with Bora-Hansgrohe World Tour cycling team Nutritionist Dr Tim Podlogar, out tomorrow. Dr Sam Impey of Hexis tells us about their new coach’s desktop initiative ‘Coach Hub’. (0:04:13) – Tim and Kate Baldwin have recorded a segment about managing injuries. The first one is around stress fractures. (0:06:24) – I

Jason West has become known as one of the fastest runners in the sport of triathlon. His goal is to win an IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships and he is currently having a lot of success, winning several races and landing on the podium in many others. In our chat with Jason we talk about his triathlon journey and his strategies for racing success. We look at Jason’s performances at the PTO Open and the Collins Cup plus his approach to training and how he's improving his skills on both the bike and the run. He shares how he works towards consistent improvement and how he’s evolving, including the lessons he feels he learned from his mistakes last year and how they've informed his approach to training and racing this year. We talk about the significance of maintaining a balance between training, racing and enjoyment and how Jason has managed to stay at the top of his game whilst still enjoying the process. We look back at the PTO race in Milwaukee and his incredible run from the back of the race to finish

Bevan and Tim review the news and racing from the weekend. We discuss and share excerpts from Mikki’s interview with Dan Plews where he talks about energy expenditure, calories and training load.  Olav Aleksander Bu, coach with the Norwegian Triathlon Olympic team, talks about Maximal Sustainable Energy Expenditure and his work with Kristian Blummenfelt. Hayden Wilde and Amelia Watkinson take the wins at IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne at the weekend. We hear from them post-race. Jason West has become known as one of the fastest runners in the sport of triathlon. Jason’s goal is to win an IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships and he is currently having a lot of success, winning several races and landing on the podium on many others. We share excerpts from our interview with Jason, out tomorrow. We have a free race entry giveaway for the Calley Homes Tauranga Half at the Mount Festival of Sport. (0:01:50) – Excerpts from Mikkipedia interview with Dan Plews. (0:03:56) – Infinit Nutrition 10% discount for all listener

Brad started racing as a professional triathlete in 2012, focusing solely on XTERRA racing. He won his first African Championship and European Championship in 2016 and claimed his first XTERRA World Championship Title in 2017. Since then Brad has dominated the world of off-road triathlon, winning a further 2 African Championships, multiple Asia Pacific Championships, European Championships and claimed his second World Championship Title in 2019. In 2018 Brad made the progression to on-road racing, with the goal of maintaining dominance off-road. In 2019 he won his first IRONMAN 70.3 Championship race in South Africa, followed by another IRONMAN 70.3 Championship win in Taiwan and a top 10 in his inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships later that year. We discuss Brad’s transition through from XTERRA racing to IRONMAN, his penalty at the World Champs in Nice and his ability to regroup and manage his emotions despite the missed opportunities. He shares his experiences of training with Jan Frodeno and h

We chat to Bec Burns, Partnership Manager for FulGaz, about their brand new group ride feature to help make indoor sessions even better, FulGaz Chat. The chat feature is available in the latest update to all users, and riders can now socialise with others on group rides or use the FulGaz app in chat mode on a mobile device. Bevan and Tim review the racing from the Noosa Triathlon plus we chat with Richard Kingsford, winner of the free race entry, to find out how it all went. Joe Skipper was a last minute DNS at IRONMAN Florida. We share excerpts from Joe’s YouTube video explaining what went wrong. Brad Weiss started racing as a professional triathlete in 2012, focusing solely on XTERRA racing. He won his first African Championship and European Championship in 2016 and claimed his first XTERRA World Championship Title in 2017.  In 2018 Brad made the progression to on-road racing and a year later won his first IRONMAN 70.3 Championship race in South Africa. This was followed by another IRONMAN 70.3 Champion

Ciara Feely has a BSc. in Mathematics and Statistics and an MSc. in Sociology and Data Analytics. She is currently working towards a PhD investigating the use of recommender systems to support physical exercise, particularly in the field of marathon running. Ciara specialises in the analysis of large runners' datasets for injury prediction and explanation. In this episode, we explore her work with a focus on the impact of running-related injuries. We discuss the impact of training disruptions on marathon performance and how it varies between genders. Plus, we explore further the role of machine learning and AI in the sports sector, discussing their potential benefits and inherent challenges. We look at the ability of AI to extract useful insights from extensive datasets, and the relationship between human coaching and technology-based interventions. Lastly, we highlight the repercussions of training disruptions on marathon performance and the potential of technologies like Strava to analyse and prevent