Welcome to the Endurance Eats podcast! This is your go-to safe space to learn about all things nutrition and endurance performance. Get ready for a journey packed with science-backed strategies, practical tips, and inspiring guests to revolutionize the way you think about fueling your body. Whether you're a seasoned triathlete, a newbie runner, or a veteran cyclist, this podcast is for you.
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You can know exactly what you’re supposed to do as an endurance athlete… and still get it wrong.
I’m a dietitian, but I’m also human first. And after years of triathlon, running, gravel racing, and now mountain biking, I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. So have Hanna and Mary.
In this episode of the Endurance Eats Podcast, Team HAM is back! Hanna, Alex, and Mary are looking back at years of training and racing to answer one question: If we could do it all over again, what would we do differently?
We’re talking about everything from running a first marathon on basically no fuel (yes, really) to underfueling Ironman training, learning how to fuel a finicky gut, and realizing that sometimes the biggest thing holding you back has nothing to do with fitness.
Because endurance sports teach you a lot. Fueling matters. Recovery matters. Mental preparation matters. But so does knowing when to push, when to back off, and how to keep the sport you love actually enjoyable.
What You’ll Learn
What I would completely change about how I trained and fueled for Ironman Wisconsin
Why knowing how to fuel and actually practicing your fueling are two very different things
How endurance fueling has changed since our early racing days
Why Hanna once felt like taking fuel during training was almost “cheating”
The fueling mistake that can happen when you’re feeling too good during a race
Why your recovery nutrition can determine what you get out of your next workout
How Mary learned what works for her finicky gut through years of trial and error
Why Hanna says her biggest do-over might actually be mental preparation—not nutrition
How we think about training during busy, stressful, or ridiculously hot seasons of life
Why “maintenance is a win” can be one of the smartest approaches to long-term training
The importance of focusing on what you can control on race day
Why preserving the joy of your sport might matter more than forcing yourself through another training block
And yes, somehow we also get into mountain biking, slow walkers, candy corn, and whether mellowcreme pumpkins count as endurance fuel. It’s Team HAM. What did you expect?
Want to fuel your training and racing with more confidence? Explore Alex Larson Nutrition programs and one-on-one support: https://alexlarsonnutrition.com
Connect with Me:
Follow along for more practical sports nutrition and fueling support: Instagram: @alexlarsonnutrition
Click that follow button to stay updated on future episodes packed with actionable insights and expert advice for endurance athletes. Leave a quick review to help more endurance athletes find the show
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
72: Is Stress Wrecking Your Training? What the Data Says and What to Do About It
Season 4 · Episode 72
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 44:01
Stress is higher. Life feels heavier. And if your training, recovery, nutrition, or patience feels different lately…you’re probably not imagining it.
In this episode of the Endurance Eats Podcast, I’m sitting down in person with returning guest Erin Ayala of Skadi Sport Psychology to talk about what increased stress actually does to us as athletes and why trying to simply “push through” isn’t always the answer.
Erin and I recorded this one during a mini work-and-riding retreat in Cuyuna, Minnesota, after putting in plenty of miles on the bike (and after I got a very unexpected new max heart rate on some beginner singletrack 😅).
But the real reason I wanted to have this conversation is something I’ve been noticing in my own work: this year feels different.
I’ve seen more athletes dealing with stress, uncertainty, disrupted routines, and situations that make nutrition and training harder than usual. Erin has been seeing it too.
So we’re digging into what happens when life stress piles on top of training stress and, more importantly, what you can actually do about it.
We talk about adjusting expectations during high-stress seasons, why self-compassion isn’t the same as “going soft,” and how social connection can play a major role in resilience.
Then we nerd out on heart rate variability (HRV): what it actually measures, why you shouldn’t compare your HRV to someone else’s, and how Erin is using HRV biofeedback and breathing techniques to help athletes train their nervous systems.
If you love data, endurance training, recovery, or understanding why your body is doing what it’s doing, you’re going to love this conversation.
What You'll Learn
Why increased life stress can change how you show up in training, nutrition, work, and relationships
71: Iron Deficiency in Female Endurance Athletes with Dr Cory Dugan
Season 4 · Episode 71
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 43:54
Your labs came back “normal”… but you’re exhausted, your training feels harder than it should, and something still feels off.
Iron deficiency is incredibly common in female endurance athletes and if ferritin isn’t being checked, you could be missing a really important piece of the puzzle.
Today on the Endurance Eats Podcast, we’re talking about iron deficiency in endurance athletes, particularly female athletes.
I’m joined by Dr. Cory Dugan, a postdoctoral research fellow at the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center and a researcher in iron deficiency and women’s health. Cory earned his PhD from the University of Western Australia, where his work focused on iron deficiency management and treatment in active females.
My goal with this episode, along with my three-part ferritin series on Substack, is to give you the knowledge and language you need to better advocate for yourself at your doctor’s office.
We’re breaking down what ferritin actually tells us, why hemoglobin alone doesn’t give us the full picture, why female endurance athletes are especially vulnerable to low iron stores, and what we actually know about iron deficiency, fatigue, and athletic performance.
Because being exhausted all the time shouldn’t automatically get written off as “normal.”
What You’ll Learn
The difference between iron deficiency, iron deficiency without anemia, and iron deficiency anemia and why knowing the difference matters
Why your hemoglobin can look completely normal while your iron stores are already running low
Why ferritin is one of the most important numbers to understand when you’re looking at iron status
Why there’s still so much disagreement around what counts as “low” ferritin
Why Cory advocates for looking beyond the traditional ferritin cutoff, especially in athletes
How hard training and inflammation can affect ferritin and potentially make your results harder to interpret
70: What’s Not Being Said About Women’s Sports (ft. pro athletes Dakotah Popehn, Chelsea Sodero, Cécile Lejune)
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 • Duration 16:10
What does it actually mean to be a woman in endurance sports right now?
I’ve been thinking about this episode for more than a year, and I knew I didn’t want it to be another conversation focused only on the challenges women face. So I asked three incredible professional female endurance athletes the same four questions and their answers went in directions I think we all need to hear.
Because what our bodies can do is a whole lot more interesting than what they look like.
In this special episode of the Endurance Eats podcast, I’m bringing together three professional athletes from three different corners of endurance sport: Olympic marathoner Dakota Popane, 2022 IRONMAN World Champion Chelsea Sodaro, and professional gravel cyclist Cecile Lejeune.
We talk about what they love about being women in sport, how they wish we talked about female athletes differently, the conversations our sports still aren’t having enough, and what they want the next generation of girls and women to know about performance and body image.
We also get into the media’s fixation on female athletes’ bodies, the need for more women-specific sports research, motherhood and professional sport, athletic longevity, and why preserving the joy of sport matters.
These are three very different perspectives and that’s exactly what makes this conversation so good.
What You’ll Learn
Why getting beaten by a woman should never be treated as an insult and what that attitude says about the way we still view women’s performance
What Dakota, Chelsea, and Cecile genuinely love about being women in endurance sports
Why the conversation around female athletes needs to move beyond weight and appearance and toward performance, preparation, tactics, and mindset
What the coverage of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes revealed about the way we talk about women’s bodies in elite sport
69: The Food and Sleep Connection: What the Science Says
Season 4 · Episode 69
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 43:40
What if eating better could actually help you sleep better and sleeping better could make it easier to fuel your body well?
It turns out these two things are way more connected than most athletes realize. And if you’ve ever noticed that you’re absolutely ravenous after a terrible night of sleep…there’s a reason for that.
In this episode, I’m joined by nutrition and sleep researcher Marie-Pierre St-Onge to dig into the fascinating, bi-directional relationship between sleep and nutrition.
Marie-Pierre’s background is in nutrition, and her research explores how sleep duration, diet quality, meal timing, and other lifestyle factors influence energy balance and cardiometabolic health. She’s also the co-author of Eat Better, Sleep Better.
And I loved this conversation because it confirms something my team and I see with our endurance athletes all the time: when we improve how an athlete fuels during the day, sleep often improves right along with it.
We talk about what happens to hunger when you’re sleep deprived, why eating more earlier in the day may benefit both sleep and metabolic health, and what athletes with evening workouts can do when training and bedtime are uncomfortably close together.
We also get into magnesium, tart cherry juice, melatonin, sleep trackers, women’s hormonal changes, and why your watch’s sleep score shouldn’t necessarily dictate how you feel about your day.
What You’ll Learn
Why sleep and nutrition have a bi-directional relationship, meaning poor sleep can change how you eat, while what you eat may also affect how well you sleep
What happens to hunger and satiety hormones when you’re sleep deprived and why you may legitimately feel hungrier after a rough night
Why overeating after several nights of poor sleep isn’t necessarily a willpower problem and what I want you to get curious about instead
What researchers found when people restricted their sleep by about 90 minutes for six weeks
68: Losing Weight During Race Season? What These Sports Dietitians Think
Season 4 · Episode 68
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 41:04
If your stomach always seems to betray you on race day, your gel might not actually be the problem.
GI issues can come from how hard you're racing, what you ate the day before, dehydration, caffeine, nerves, travel, hormones, or even how you're carrying your fuel. In this episode, we’re breaking down the surprisingly long list of things that can send your gut sideways—and what you can do before race day to lower the odds of an emergency porta-potty stop.
In this episode, Hanna, Mary, and I dig into why athletes experience nausea, reflux, cramping, loose stools, and other GI problems during endurance events and how we troubleshoot them with our athletes. We talk about everything from pre-race nerves and racing harder than you train to carb loading, fiber, caffeine, hydration, travel, hormones, and underlying physiological issues.
Most importantly, we explain why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Your best defense is practicing your strategy, paying attention to patterns, and creating a race-day plan that works for your gut.
What You'll Learn
Why your race pace—not your sports nutrition—might be behind your GI issues
How nerves and adrenaline can completely change your appetite and ability to tolerate food
Why B and C races—or full race-day simulations—can expose fueling problems before your A race
How to practice fueling during hard efforts instead of always taking nutrition during recovery periods
Why carb loading can backfire when fiber, fat, or fructose gets too high
The surprisingly important connection between coffee, caffeine, and your pre-race bathroom schedule
Why dehydration can wreak havoc on your gut during longer endurance events
How travel, time zones, late race starts, and disrupted routines can change your digestion
Why blindly copying a pro athlete’s caffeine or electrolyte strategy can be a recipe for trouble
67: DIY Sports Fuels: Make Your Own Hydration Mixes, Gels & Electrolyte Drinks for Less
Season 4 · Episode 67
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 19:49
Sports fuel has come a LONG way, and we love that endurance athletes have more options than ever. But if you’re training for long-course triathlon, cycling, running, or another high-volume endurance sport, you also know how quickly those gels, drink mixes, and hydration products can add up.
So… can you just make your own?
In this episode, Alex Larson is joined by sports dietitian Mary Wirtz to nerd out on all things DIY sports fuel. We’re breaking down what actually goes into high-carb drink mixes, why the ratio of glucose to fructose matters, and how athletes can customize their own fuel based on carbohydrate and sodium needs.
We also talk about one of the biggest reasons athletes are experimenting with homemade sports nutrition: cost. One athlete they work with calculated his homemade mix at just $0.85 per 100 grams of carbohydrates, compared with several dollars per serving for many commercial sports fuel products.
But cheaper doesn’t automatically mean better. DIY fuel takes planning, accurate measuring, and a good understanding of your individual fueling needs. Sometimes paying for the convenience of pre-made packets is absolutely worth it, especially on race day.
In this episode, we cover:
What to look for in high-carb sports drink mixes
Why combining glucose and fructose can help athletes absorb more carbohydrates
How the wrong carbohydrate balance may contribute to GI issues during long endurance events
Why some athletes combine high-carb mixes with electrolyte products
How to DIY a sports drink using maltodextrin or dextrose, fructose, and sodium citrate
The 2:1 and 1:0.8 glucose-to-fructose ratios
Why you’ll want a food scale if you’re making your own sports fuel
How much money DIY sports nutrition could potentially save
The pros and cons of homemade fuel versus pre-packaged products
66: Why Your Stomach Hates You On Race Day, And What To Do About It
Season 4 · Episode 66
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 • Duration 25:41
GI issues can derail a race fast, but your gel isn’t always the problem.
In this episode of Endurance Eats, Alex Larson is joined by Team ALN dietitians Mary and Hanna to break down the many factors that can contribute to race-day stomach issues, from nerves and pacing to hydration, caffeine, fiber, travel, and hormones.
They share real athlete examples and explain why practicing your full race-day routine can help you troubleshoot issues before your A race.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How race-day nerves can impact appetite and digestion
Why racing harder than you train can cause GI issues
How fiber, fat, caffeine, and hydration affect your gut
Why carb loading should be practiced before race weekend
How travel, hormones, and changes in routine can play a role
When persistent GI issues may be about more than nutrition
The takeaway: before blaming your sports fuel, look at the full picture. Your pacing, hydration, pre-race nutrition, nerves, and routine all play a role in how your gut performs on race day.
00:00 Introduction to Race Nutrition and Gut Health
00:40 Anticipating Race Day Issues and Outliers
01:19 Race Day Simulation and Carb Loading Tips
02:08 Personalized Nutrition and Managing Nervous Stomachs
03:25 Handling Race Day Anxiety and Expectations
04:43 Process Goals vs. Outcome Goals in Racing
05:57 Managing Gut Issues During High-Intensity Efforts
07:19 Gut Training and Hydration Strategies
65: Training for Life: Dr. Rachel Goldman on Stress Management, Body Image and Getting Out of Your Own Way
Season 4 · Episode 65
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 48:38
What if becoming a better athlete had less to do with pushing harder and more to do with changing the way you think?
In this episode, Alex Larson sits down with clinical psychologist and author Dr. Rachel Goldmanto explore the mental side of endurance sports. From perfectionism and body image to stress, flexibility, and the pressure athletes place on themselves, this conversation dives into the psychology that shapes both performance and well-being.
Dr. Rachel shares why so many endurance athletes get caught in all-or-nothing thinking, how chronic stress impacts both the mind and body, and why learning to adapt, rather than striving for perfection, can help you perform better over the long term. Together, Alex and Dr. Rachel discuss practical mindset shifts that can help athletes navigate training through busy seasons of life without losing sight of what matters most.
Whether you're training for your next race, balancing family and work, or simply trying to build a healthier relationship with food and exercise, this episode offers practical tools to help you move forward with greater confidence and compassion.
Why endurance athletes are especially prone to all-or-nothing thinking
How chronic stress affects performance, recovery, and overall health
The difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset in training
Why flexibility often leads to greater long-term success than perfection
How social media influences body image and athletic identity
Practical ways to reframe comparison and quiet negative self-talk
Why fueling for performance requires both physical and psychological flexibility
How to define your own "healthy, happy weight" instead of chasing a number on the scale
The importance of viewing food as fuel while maintaining a balanced relationship with eating
Why "training for life" may be the healthiest approach to both sport and everyday living
64: Elevated Blood Sugars in Endurance Athletes: Is It Pre-Diabetes or Under-Fueling?
Season 4 · Episode 64
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 • Duration 22:28
Blood sugar has become a hot topic, but what does it actually mean for endurance athletes? Should you be worried about glucose spikes, or are they simply part of fueling well for performance?
In this episode of Endurance Eats, Alex Larson and Team ALN dives into the science of blood sugar regulation in endurance athletes. They explore how exercise changes glucose responses, why blood sugar isn't something to fear, and how athletes can make sense of the growing popularity of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs).
You'll also learn when blood sugar data can be useful, when it can be misleading, and why context matters when interpreting glucose trends. Rather than chasing perfectly flat blood sugar, this conversation highlights how strategic fueling supports both performance and overall health.
Whether you're curious about CGMs, managing energy during long training sessions, or simply want a better understanding of how your body uses carbohydrates, this episode offers practical, evidence-based guidance.
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
Grab your merch from the shop with saying that endurance athletes just get!
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Click that follow button to stay updated on future episodes packed with actionable insights and expert advice for endurance athletes. Leave a quick review to help more endurance athletes find the show
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
Why female endurance athletes have so many overlapping risk factors for iron deficiency, including menstrual blood loss, GI blood loss, sweat losses, foot-strike hemolysis, and exercise-induced changes in iron absorption
And if you’ve ever been told your labs are “fine” while you’re still wondering why you feel so tired, this is an episode I really want you to hear.
Click that follow button to stay updated on future episodes packed with actionable insights and expert advice for endurance athletes. Leave a quick review to help more endurance athletes find the show
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
If you’re experiencing chronic GI issues and can’t figure out what’s causing them, consider working with our team or another sports dietitian experienced in endurance nutrition: https://alexlarsonnutrition.com
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
How to make DIY sports gels using high-carb drink mix, maple syrup, or other options
Creative hydration ideas including electrolyte popsicles, cherry recovery soda, and a frozen electrolyte “margarita”
Why your fueling strategy should ultimately be customized to your training, sweat losses, intensity, and individual tolerance
Whether you’re trying to bring down the cost of fueling a huge training block or you simply love experimenting with your nutrition, this episode will give you plenty of ideas to start exploring.
And remember: more DIY doesn’t necessarily mean more complicated. The goal is finding a fueling strategy that gives your body what it needs while actually being practical enough to use consistently.
If you need help figuring out your carbohydrate, hydration, or sodium needs for training and race day, the sports dietitians at Alex Larson Nutrition can help you build a strategy that works for your body and your sport.
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
11:19 Hormonal and Physiological Factors Affecting Digestion
13:20 Caffeine's Role in Race Day Gut Issues
15:14 Adjusting Nutrition for Hormonal Changes
17:23 Psychological Aspects of Race Nerves
19:43 Structural and Physiological Causes of Gut Problems
22:29 Race Day Planning and Routine Optimization
24:45 Hydration and Fueling Logistics
26:43 Winging It vs. Planning in Race Nutrition
27:38 Working with Healthcare Professionals for GI Issues
28:40 Structural Causes of Reflux and GI Problems
29:29 Closing Remarks and Future Topics
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
05:51 Stress Management and All-or-Nothing Thinking
08:38 Navigating Life's Challenges and Flexibility
11:27 The Impact of Stress on Performance
14:10 Reframing Goals and Expectations
17:24 Training for Life: Preparing for the Unexpected
20:19 Body Image and Comparison in Athletes
28:01 Body Diversity in Athletics
30:45 Reframing Body Image and Performance
33:30 Food as Fuel: The Athlete's Perspective
37:26 Bridging the Gap: Knowing vs. Doing
41:34 Managing Setbacks: Injuries and Identity
46:26 Practical Tools for Change: Insights from the Book
This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
