Run Long Run Healthy

Ventilation Training Explained: Is Breathing Rate a Better Metric Than Heart Rate?

Heart rate, pace, and power are the metrics every endurance athlete tracks, but they're all proxies for what's really happening inside the body. In this episode, Brady sits down with Arnar Larusson, co-founder of Tymewear and the mind behind the VitalPro device. Arnar makes the case for ventilation as a more direct, more stable window into internal workload and fitness. Custom insoles made with supershoe foam: visit kilarun.com and use code “RLRH” to get $50 off your first order.

• Chapters

Carb Loading Before a Marathon: Science or Old-School Advice?

Carb loading before a marathon is one of the most "accepted" rituals in distance running, but does it actually improve race performance? In this episode of Run Long Run Healthy, Thomas Watson and Brady Holmer break down a brand-new meta-analysis that finally asks the question nobody had rigorously tested: does carbohydrate loading work if you're already fueling properly during the race? If you've ever wondered whether you really need to stuff yourself with pasta the night before your marathon, this episode has the answer. 00:00 Introduction: Revisiting the Carb Loading Orthodoxy 00:32 What Is Carbohydrate Loading? (Glycogen Science Explained) 03:27 The Original Protocol & Old-School Traditions (Pasta Parties, Grandma's Marathon) 06:10 The New Meta-Analysis: Does Carb Loading Even Work? 08:00 Placebo, "Nocebo," and the Study's Limitations 13:32 Sponsor: Kila Insoles 15:55 What This Means for Everyday Marathon Runners 19:49 Brady's Recommended Carb Loading Protocol 28:19 Race-Day Fueling & the Breakfast Debate 32:30 Final Takeaways: Do You Actually Need to Carb Load?

Bringing the Cycling Data Revolution to Running: Wahoo on Data, Speed & the Future of Indoor Running

Wahoo Fitness spent 15–20 years becoming the data leader in indoor cycling and now they're bringing that same obsession with precision to running. In this episode of Run Long Run Healthy, Thomas Watson and Brady Holmer sit down with Joe Justice and Mac Cassin of Wahoo Fitness to break down the KICKR RUN treadmill, a machine they rebuilt from the ground up instead of just copying what already existed. We get into why cycling data (power, cadence, FTP) doesn't translate cleanly to running, how Wahoo is tackling grade-adjusted pace, vertical oscillation, and ground contact time, and why "durability" and physiological resilience are the next frontier in runner data. Joe and Mac also walk through the three non-negotiable design principles behind KICKR RUN (run feel, speed/acceleration control, and simplified controls), the treadmill's 4-minute-mile top speed, Run-Free adaptive pacing mode, terrain mode, and the Bluetooth headwind fan. Plus, how thermoregulation changes when you take a run indoors. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction: Wahoo enters the treadmill game 1:04 Why Wahoo built a treadmill from scratch 2:03 The cycling-to-running data gap 4:00 GPS accuracy & grade-adjusted pace 6:20 Individualized metrics vs. population averages 7:55 Physiological durability & resilience scoring 10:24 Sponsored by Kila custom insoles 12:37 Turning treadmill data into actionable feedback 14:43 Inside KICKR RUN's 6–7 year development story 16:39 The 3 non-negotiable design principles 19:35 Why treadmill speed limits held runners back 21:24 Run-Free mode, terrain mode & the headwind fan 26:16 The case for precision in indoor training 27:33 Reframing the treadmill as a tool, not a fallback 29:58 Thermoregulation, sweat & heat adaptation indoors 33:57 Reducing mental load to stay motivated 38:13 The next 10 years: AI, wearables & training data 44:07 Explaining Wahoo's 3DP/4DP performance models 50:09 Will AI ever replace a running coach? 55:42 Integrating cycling into your run training 58:53 Where to demo the Wahoo KICKR RUN Custom insoles made with supershoe foam: visit kilarun.com and use code “RLRH” to get $50 off your first order. Check out the KICKR RUN Treadmill: https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/running/treadmills/kickr-run-buy

We’ve Got Marginal Gains All Wrong

Could the best runners of the 1960s have beaten the sub 2-hr marathon if they had 2026 level sports science, gear, and training protocols? That’s what Thomas is looking to answer today - and why our understanding of Marginal Gains is, at times, flawed. Chapters: 00:00 Could old-school runners have broken 2 hours? 01:31 Derek Clayton's old-school gear, diet & training 02:32 Stacking modern marginal gains onto Derek 05:42 Were old-school runners just tougher? 06:36 Origin of "marginal gains": Team Sky 07:30 The Team Sky doping controversy 08:29 Debunking the marginal gains myth 11:20 Ceiling effects and the Atomic Habits graph 13:04 Marginal gains = avoiding bad outcomes too 14:00 Back to Derek: what the real data says 18:05 Why Derek would still trail today's best 19:45 Verdict, and a message to Derek Clayton 22:03 Two real takeaways for your own training Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Shop Marathon Handbook merch: https://store.marathonhandbook.com

The New Science of RUNNING ENDURANCE: Durability, Fatiguability, Repeatability, Resilience

We do blood testing with RYTHM: Rythm is offering our listeners 15% off your first month and free shipping at https://RYTHM.HEALTH/RLRH Brought to you by ProBio Nutrition - your all-in-one daily supplement for runners. Get 40% off with code RLRH (and an additional 10% off + free shipping with a subscription) ➡️https://bit.ly/ProBioRLRH Brady and Thomas break down the new viewpoint paper on endurance whose co-authors include Michael Joyner: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/japplphysiol.00343.20250:00 Introduction – The 4 Components of Fatigue Resistance0:39 What Is Durability? (The Joiner Model Revisited)4:00 Sponsor: ProBio Nutrition5:12 How to Use These 4 Terms to Find Your Weaknesses5:57 #1: Durability – Holding Your Physiology Together at Constant Pace8:32 How to Train for Better Durability11:30 #2: Fatiguability – Performance Loss Under Variable Intensity14:38 Sponsor: RYTHM Health (At-Home Blood Testing)17:11 #3: Repeatability – Can You Hit the Same Splits Every Interval?18:36 How to Train for Better Repeatability22:37 #4: Resilience – Performing Under Unexpected Conditions23:55 Amby Burfoot's 1968 Boston Win: A Case Study in Resilience26:47 How to Train for Resilience (Steve Magnus's Secret Tactic)28:31 The Danger of Being Over-Optimized on Race Day29:52 Thomas & Brady's Own Strengths and Weaknesses35:45 Resilience: The Last Unmeasurable Variable in Endurance Sport37:04 Wrap-Up

Ranking Carbmaxxing, Nomio, BPC-157, and more! The Latest Running Trends, Supplements, and Snake Oil

We do blood testing with RYTHM: Rythm is offering our listeners 15% off your first month and free shipping at https://RYTHM.HEALTH/RLRHBrought to you by ProBio Nutrition - your all-in-one daily supplement for runners. Get 40% off with code RLRH (and an ad

The Real Reason Your VO2 Max Isn't Improving

Brady and Thomas discuss VO2 Max; why runners should be interested in training it, and how the best ways to improve it areWe do blood testing with RYTH: Rythm is offering our listeners 15% off your first month and free shipping at https://RYTHM.HEALTH/RLR

Why A Higher VO2 Max Won't Make You Faster

We do blood testing with RYTH: Rythm is offering our listeners 15% off your first month and free shipping at https://RythmHealth.com/RLRHBrought to you by ProBio Nutrition - your all-in-one daily supplement for runners. Get 40% off with code RLRH (and an

VO2 Max for Runners: What It Is, How to Measure It, EYKTK!

Brady and Thomas discuss VO2 Max - what it is, why it's important for runners, and why it's seen as a marker for longevity: Brought to you by ProBio Nutrition - your all-in-one daily supplement for runners. Get 40% off with code RLRH (or 50% off + free sh

What Runners Can Learn From Viktor Frankl

Thomas talks to Mark Lane-Holbert Mark  - an educational psychologist (PhD), run therapist, certified logotherapist, USATF-certified running coach, and He is a Galloway run-walk-run Training Program Director. The IART (International Association of Runnin

Norwegian Method Masterclass: Double Threshold, Golden Zone, EYNTK!

Thomas talks to Marius Bakken, former elite runner and pioneer of the Norwegian Method, and author of the new book - The Norwegian Method Applied: BUY NOW: The Norwegian Method Applied https://amzn.to/4ci7w3C Brought to you by ProBio Nutrition - your al

Antioxidants for Runners: Helpful or Harmful?

Brady and Thomas delve into antioxidants, reviewing the ISSN's recent position statement on antioxidants: benefits, drawbacks, and reviewing supplements by efficacy Brought to you by ProBio Nutrition - your all-in-one daily supplement for runners.  Get 4

The Hidden Role The Brain Plays In Running and Recovery (New Research)

Brady explains a new study that looks at the effect that endurance exercise has on the brain, both during and after exercise - and the potential implications for how runners should think about the post-run window. 00:00 The brain’s role in running 02:00

Why Runners Get Stomach Problems (And How to Fix It): Dr Marc Bubbs

Brady Holmer sits down with Dr. Marc Bubbs — performance nutritionist, author, and creator of ProBio Nutrition — to break down everything runners need to know about gut health. From identifying food triggers to fueling on race day without GI disaster, Dr.

Does Running Too Much Wreck Your Heart?

Thomas and Brady discuss the potential negative effects of long-term running on your heart, and the potential increase in mortality risk.  How worried should regular runners be?  Brought to you by ProBio Nutrition - your all-in-one daily supplement for r

The power - and limits - of HRV data (Heart Rate Variability), with Marco Altini

Thomas sits down with Marco Altini, prominent researcher in HRV, advisor to Aura, and dedicated ultrarunner, to discuss one of the most talked-about metrics in the running world today: Heart Rate Variability. Marco's Substack: https://marcoaltini.substac

The Future of Endurance and AI's role in coaching with Dirk Friel

Brady sits down with TrainingPeaks founder Dirk Friel discuss the future of endurance science, how coaching is evolving with technology, why AI can assist coaches but not replace them, and what is coming in the next 12 months.00:00 Dirk's background05:50

The Key To Running Success Is...Ergodicity.

What is ergodicity and how can it help you plan for longevity in your running? That's the topic Thomas is exploring in today's episode, where he looks at how it can apply to single races, seasons, or your whole life - and why you should be more like Haruk

You're Fueling Less Than You Think During Marathons

In this episode, Brady and Thomas discuss a new study that showed marathon runners were consistently consuming less carbohydrates during their race than they either planned or perceived; why this is happening, why it’s important for runners to be aware of

The Consequences of Neglecting Strength Training For Runners

Jason Fitzgerald is one of the best known and best regarded running coaches online. As the founder of Strength Running, he is an expert in strength training for runners, injury prevention, overcoming plateaus, and longevity. Today we have a pretty wide-r