Some Work, All Play

We realized the perils of a hurricane-force tailwind before this amazing holiday episode! To celebrate the season, we opened up the mailbag to answer listener questions on all sorts of topics.Topics this week: what we’d save from a fire, a hot-tub experiment follow-up, Megan’s exciting news, whether we’d ever try triathlon, a vest that ejects gels, heat training submersion levels, hemoglobin A1C and REDs, iron supplementation, uphill treadmill effort and timing, scheduling rest days, a supplement hypothetical, Nomio v. sodium bicarbonate, cycling metrics, running power meters, running form changes, tart cherry juice hacks, training on a through-hike, limiting aid station support, and a beautiful listener corner message.Thank you so much for being here in 2025! May your holidays be like the water in our hot tub: ELECTRIC.We love you all! HUZZAH!-David and MeganGet 40% off your first order and $10 credit for every $100 spent at The Feed here: thefeed.com/swapBuy Janji's amazing gear: https://janji.com (code "SWAP")The Wahoo KICKR Run is the best treadmill on the market: https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/running/treadmills/kickr-run-buy (code “SWAP”)For training plans, weekly bonus podcasts, articles, and videos: patreon.com/swap

We are still recovering from the laughs at the end of this episode! Before getting to that story, this one had a great training discussion on improving threshold performance. We dug down into why it’s more complex than just doing threshold workouts, and how you can put it into practice.There was also a new study on VO2 and its relation to aerobic and lactate thresholds. We broaden it out to address recent conversations on VO2 and longevity. David went for a joke that almost ended the podcast altogether. You know, the usual.And this one was full of great topics! Other topics: the hot tub science experiment, Megan’s inclusion on the Singletrack list for course records of the year, the most hilarious year-end list, David’s fueling realization, the continuation of the shoe saga, a study on breakfast and metabolic health, the Roast My Strava app, self-care gifts, how to run strides, peeing in longer races, overpronation and shoe choices, dressing in winter, rowing as cross-training, and the most beautiful Listener Corner message.It ended with a story that we have been holding in for a full year. Stick around to the end for a treat. We love you all! HUZZAH!-David and MeganClick "Claim Your Sponsorship" for $40 free credit at The Feed here: thefeed.com/swap  Buy Janji's amazing gear: https://janji.com (code "SWAP")Follow the meme account we mentioned: https://www.instagram.com/maxjolliffeunsolicitedmemes/ Check out Roast My Strava: https://roastmystrava.com/ The Wahoo KICKR Run is the best treadmill on the market: https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/running/treadmills/kickr-run-buy (code “SWAP”)For training plans, weekly bonus podcasts, articles, and videos: patreon.com/swap

We had one of the most fun sports-watching weekends of our lives before this great episode! The main science topic was a new study on Kilian Jornet at Western States, breaking down his fueling, the metabolic demand, and lots more. Kilian is also the 2nd author on the paper! We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: In a world of external monitors, be the rectal thermometer.We also talked about the amazing saga of USA Skimo’s Olympic qualification, featuring trail runners Anna Gibson and Cam Smith. This story needs to be a movie! In the meantime, a podcast will have to do.And this episode was full of amazing topics! Other topics: David’s bad experience at the track, when data and belief conflict, Courtney Dauwalter’s blazing fast marathon time, a shoe review rant, what it means to improve VO2 max, why effort is cool, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, training through colds, and the perils of NCAA running and short-term incentive structures.This episode finishes with the most joyous time of all: A PERIOD PARTY. We love you all! HUZZAH!-David and MeganClick "Claim Your Sponsorship" for $40 free credit at The Feed here: thefeed.com/swap  Buy Janji's amazing gear: https://janji.com (code "SWAP")The Wahoo KICKR Run is the best treadmill on the market: https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/running/treadmills/kickr-run-buy (code “SWAP”)For training plans, weekly bonus podcasts, articles, and videos: patreon.com/swap

On Saturday, Megan broke a 15-year-old course record at Quad Dipsea! This episode shares everything about the journey in a “no secrets” style.The record was set by Caren Spore in 2010, back when Megan was playing field hockey and her biggest runs were wind-sprints. Years later, when Megan was in medical school in the Bay Area, the Quad became a bucket list event. But it never happened—a 28 mile race with 9000 feet of vertical gain and approximately three billion steps was just too much at that stage of her life.Then came the heart issues and 2 kids. This weekend, she got back on the brutal, stair-filled trails and WENT PRIMAL. We break it all down, featuring listener questions and hot takes on training, strength work, nutrition, heart rate, stairs, and so much more! Thank you all for being here for the wild ride. Come for the story about how we almost Home Alone’d the bicarb. Stay for the reminder to watch where you sit on Southwest.We love you all! HUZZAH!-Megan and DavidClick "Claim Your Sponsorship" for $40 free credit at The Feed here: thefeed.com/swap Buy Janji's amazing gear: https://janji.com (code "SWAP")The Wahoo KICKR Run is the best treadmill on the market: https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/running/treadmills/kickr-run-buy (code “SWAP”)For training plans, weekly bonus podcasts, articles, and videos: patreon.com/swap

We got way too invested in dog food models before this amazing episode! The main topic was a new study on passive heat training (like the hot tub or sauna) that acts as a missing link between theory and real-world proof. The study found that 5 weeks of hot tub training increases hemoglobin mass and VO2 max, which coincides with improved running economy. WOW! We break it all down.And this one was full of incredible topics! Topics: a date night game that should have stayed in date night, Hans Troyer and Jade Belzberg’s wins at the JFK 50 Mile, hard hill strides to break through neuromuscular lulls, questions on heat training, unexpected events and prosocial behavior (including a study involving Batman), a 47-year study on athletic aging, persistence hunting science (and how that relates to human responses to heat), influencers, traveling with gels, stacking training plans, pre-wedding advice, and lots more!If there’s one takeaway from the science in this episode, it’s this: BATMAN. It will make sense soon.We love you all! Huzzah!-David and MeganClick "Claim Your Sponsorship" for $40 free credit at The Feed here: thefeed.com/swapFind all of the amazing Black Friday deals here: https://thefeed.com/collections/bfcm 30% off Janji's amazing gear: https://janji.com/ (code "SWAP")25% off the Wahoo KICKR Run: https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/running/treadmills/kickr-run-buy (code “SWAP”)For training plans, weekly bonus podcasts, articles, and videos: patreon.com/swap