The MicroCast

If you've ever thought "I'm not dieting, I'm optimizing", this episode is for you.We're dropping this one from the Your Diet Sucks vault because we think it belongs in the feed of every endurance athlete. We brought in coach TJ David, former professional skier and elite endurance athlete, and Sean Van Horn, elite athlete, Kylee Van Horn's husband, and someone who spent six years not telling a single person he was struggling, because the way it shows up in men doesn't look like what we're trained to recognize.It looks like discipline. It looks like being serious about your sport. It looks like The Rock's morning routine and Chris Froome dropping weight before the Tour. From the outside, and often from the inside, it looks like exactly what you're supposed to be doing.That's the trap.We get into the data (it's stark,and most of it is probably still an undercount), the cultural pipeline from GI Joe to fitness influencers to the manosphere, why the diagnostic tools were literally designed for someone who is not you, and what coaches and training partners can actually do when they see it in someone they care about. Sean also shares his own story, which takes guts, and is worth your full attention.You don't have to identify with any particular label to get something out of this one. If you train hard, care about performance, and have ever used food or exercise as a way to feel in control of something, this conversation was made for you.

Meet coach Kyle Jones, a master's athlete dedicated to helping other runners achieve their biggest goals, no matter their age. See more and book a free consultation call at microcosm-coaching.com.Every few months, a new training idea goes viral, and suddenly it's everywhere. Zone 2. Cycle syncing. Ketones. Heat suits. Ninety grams of carbs an hour. The science behind most of these things is real. That's not the problem. The problem is that real science is getting stripped of context, flattened into a hot take, and sold to athletes who haven't built the foundation that makes any of it matter.In this episode, Zoë and TJ break down five ideas that are genuinely overhyped, not because they don't work, but because the way they're being applied and marketed almost always skips the part where they actually become useful. They cover the five-zone model and why zone obsession can accidentally produce the worst possible training distribution, the booming female-specific training industry and what the 2025 research actually says about cycle syncing, performance supplements like creatine, sodium bicarb, and ketones and where the hierarchy breaks down, the ninety-gram carb protocol and why it's solving a problem most recreational athletes don't have, and heat training protocols and how fitness alone outperforms heat exposure for the vast majority of athletes.The through line across all five: marginal gains are real, but they sit on top of a foundation. And if the foundation isn't there, no intervention is going to save you. Sleep, consistent training, fueling the work, and getting your brain right, those are the levers worth pulling first.

Running twice a day sounds serious, but is it actually right for you? This week, Zoë and TJ dig into the full science of doubles: what they are, what they're definitively not, and how to know if you're actually a candidate. Plus, a round of listener-submitted Hot or Nots and a great question about why early morning runs feel so much harder.First up, meet Coach James Nance, a multi-sport specialist who coaches cyclists, runners, and skiers through big goals without burning them out. He's based in Fort Collins and has a knack for athletes navigating injury cycles, overtraining, and RED-S. If any of that sounds like your situation, reach out at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com.Then, a deep-dive Hot or Not round featuring listener submissions: inversion tables (the effects last minutes, not months), muscle scraping (the original theory has been pretty much debunked), CBD and THC cream (weak evidence, real anti-doping risk), and Superfeet insoles (a rare instance where the research actually delivers, prefab orthotics perform as well as custom at a fraction of the cost).Before the main topic, TJ answers a listener's question about why Zone 2 feels brutally hard at 5 a.m., and it turns out it's not just you. Core temperature, sleep inertia, cortisol, glycogen state, darkness, and cold all compound to inflate your RPE before you've even hit the first mile. There's real science here, and real solutions.Then: doubles. An elite running a morning threshold session and an afternoon shakeout is doing something fundamentally different than a recreational runner cramming two hard efforts into a day. Zoë and TJ break down the physiology of why doubles work when they work (hint: PGC-1α, mitochondrial biogenesis, and aerobic signaling), who's actually a candidate, the gray zone trap, the ego trap, and why energy availability is non-negotiable if you're going to add volume this way. Bottom line: doubles are a tool, not a trophy.

We brought in the person we trust with our own training. Cliff Pittman is the Director of Coaching at Carmichael Training Systems, which means he's essentially a coach of coaches, overseeing the education and development of CTS's entire coaching staff. He's also, full disclosure, our coach. So we wanted to have an honest conversation about what coaching actually is, what it isn't, and the massive gap between what athletes see and what goes on behind the scenes.Cliff walks us through the three pillars of good coaching: personal connection, evidence-based training, and data-informed decision making. We get into the invisible daily work that most athletes never see, why individualized coaching matters so much more than a static plan, and when a good coach should say "that's above my pay grade." We also dig into scope of practice, the uncomfortable gap between what athletes expect coaching to cost and what it actually costs, and how to find a coach who's the right fit for you, not just the most credentialed person on paper.Whether you're currently coached, thinking about it, or coaching athletes yourself, Cliff brings a perspective shaped by a decade in the military, executive coaching, and now leading one of the biggest coaching organizations in endurance sports.Plus, a quick introduction to Microcosm coach Zack Russell at the top of the show.

Is your watch making you a worse runner? We dig into two powerful books — The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg and The Score by C. Thi Nguyen — to unpack how metrics, Strava segments, and training scores can quietly hijack your motivation and identity as an athlete.We also tackle a wild listener question: a 23-year-old running 30 hundred-milers a year. We break down the real physiology — rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, endocrine suppression — and the psychology of the attention economy, dopamine loops, and identity fusion.Plus Hot or Nots on running onesies, ankle weights, and legs up the wall. And meet Microcosm coach Kristin Layne, who specializes in multi-sport coaching for busy athletes.Key topics: value capture, intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation, the 4 phases of competence, running by feel vs. running by data, RPE, and defining success on your own terms.Books discussed:The Way of Excellence — Brad StulbergThe Score — C. Thi NguyenWant coaching? microcosmcoaching@gmail.com | microcosm-coaching.com

Wired article on the Enhanced Games: https://www.wired.com/story/enhanced-games-freestyle-record-las-vegas-steroids/You've got a distance that sounds impossible — maybe it's a marathon, maybe it's a 100-miler. The process for preparing to go longer than you ever have is more similar across distances than you might think. TJ and Zoë break down the physiology, psychology, and practical strategies behind training for longer distances, from glycogen depletion and fat oxidation to the central governor theory and how to build your long run without getting hurt.Plus: Meet Microcosm coach Kristin Layne, and a new batch of Hot or Not — the Enhanced Games, face glitter, stair steppers, and smart shoes.Topics covered:Why your body enters a different metabolic reality after 90–120 minutesThe glycogen ceiling, fat oxidation, and mitochondrial densityWhy connective tissue adapts 6–12 months slower than your cardiovascular systemHow to build your long run gradually (and why it shouldn't exceed ~30% of weekly volume)Time-based training vs. mileage-based trainingThe central governor theory and training your brain to go furtherFueling for long efforts: 60–90g carbs/hourWhy back-to-back long runs are smarter than one mega-long runRPE guidelines for long runs (stay at 5–6)Strength training for durability at ultra distancesJoin Foothills: microcosm-coaching.com | Code: FOOTHILLS10Contact: microcosmcoaching@gmail.com

Is fasted running sabotaging your performance? Are you accidentally under-eating on your hardest training days? This week, we break down the seven most common nutrition mistakes runners make, from calorie restriction at the wrong time to blindly copying elite protocols, and explain why the science says you probably need to eat more, not less.We cover why your gut issues might actually be a training problem, not a food problem. We talk about why "clean eating" is often just restriction in disguise. And we explain why doing what Kipchoge does probably isn't what you should be doing.Plus, we answer listener questions on accountability and whether high-carb fueling causes diabetes (spoiler: it doesn't). And Coach James Nance joins to talk about coaching multi-sport athletes, helping runners recover from overtraining, and his TrainingPeaks hot take that might surprise you.In this episode:Why restricting calories on training days backfiresThe truth about fasted running and morning workoutsHow to actually fix gut issues during exerciseWhy "clean eating" can become problematicWhat 90-120g of carbs per hour actually means for recreational runnersHow to evaluate nutrition advice and follow the moneyStudies and resources mentioned are linked below.Get involved: Join our Foothills coaching community—one-on-one coach access, twice-monthly roundtables, and a supportive crew of runners. $10/month with code FOOTHILLS10 at microcosm-coaching.com.Questions? microcosmcoaching@gmail.comREFERENCES:Burke, L. M., Ross, M. L., Garvican-Lewis, L. A., Welvaert, M., Heikura, I. A., Forbes, S. G., Mirtschin, J. G., Cato, L. E., Strobel, N., Sharma, A. P., & Hawley, J. A. (2017). Low carbohydrate, high fat diet impairs exercise economy and negates the performance benefit from intensified training in elite race walkers. Journal of Physiology, 595(9), 2785–2807.Costa, R. J. S., Hoffman, M. D., & Stellingwerff, T. (2019). Considerations for ultra-endurance activities: Part 1 – Nutrition. Research in Sports Medicine, 27(2), 166–181.Cox, G. R., Clark, S. A., Cox, A. J., Halson, S. L., Hargreaves, M., Hawley, J. A., Jeacocke, N., Snow, R. J., Yeo, W. K., & Burke, L. M. (2010). Daily training with high carbohydrate availability increases exogenous carbohydrate oxidation during endurance cycling. Journal of Applied Physiology, 109(1), 126–134.Loucks, A. B., & Thuma, J. R. (2003). Luteinizing hormone pulsatility is disrupted at a threshold of energy availability in regularly menstruating women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 88(1), 297–311.Melin, A. K., Heikura, I. A., Tenforde, A., & Mountjoy, M. (2019). Energy availability in athletics: Health, performance, and physique. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 29(2), 152–164.Mountjoy, M., Ackerman, K. E., Bailey, D. M., Burke, L. M., Constantini, N., Hackney, A. C., Heikura, I. A., Melin, A., Pensgaard, A. M., Stellingwerff, T., Sundgot-Borgen, J. K., Torstveit, M. K., Jacobsen, A. U., Verhagen, E., Budgett, R., Engebretsen, L., & Erdener, U. (2023). 2023 International Olympic Committee's (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(17), 1073–1098.

How do you keep training when life gets stressful? Whether you're navigating a new job, new baby, a big move, or personal loss, your body processes all stress the same way—and that changes everything about how you should train.In this episode, we break down the science of stress and running performance, including how the HPA axis works, why your "stress bucket" has a finite capacity, and why the same workout that built fitness last year might dig a hole this year. We share six practical principles for training through life transitions without burning out or losing the fitness you've built.We also tackle Hot or Nots on splitting your runs (why two 4-milers isn't the same as one 8-miler) and running in extreme cold (when to embrace the treadmill). Plus, we debunk that viral Noakes study claiming you only need 10 grams of carbs per hour—spoiler: it's a cherry-picked narrative review from low-carb advocates with ketone patents.What you'll learn:– How cortisol and the HPA axis affect your training and recovery– The "stress bucket" model and why your capacity changes during transitions– Why RPE increases at the same pace when life stress is high– How to flip your training hierarchy so life leads and running follows– The detraining timeline (it's slower than you think)– How to set "conditions of enoughness" for your current season– Why frequency beats volume during chaotic periodsAlso in this episode: Meet Coach James Nance, who specializes in multi-sport athletes, injury cycles, and RED-S recovery.microcosmcoaching@gmail.com | microcosm-coaching.com | Join our Foothills community for $10/month

Taking time off from running, whether from injury, illness, or life—doesn't have to derail your progress. In this episode, we break down the actual physiology of detraining and give you a science-backed framework for returning smarter, not just faster.We cover what happens to your body during time off (spoiler: it's not as catastrophic as your brain tells you), why connective tissue is the real limiting factor in comebacks, and how to use RPE and walk-run protocols to rebuild safely. Plus, we get into the mental game of accepting where you are versus where you were.Also in this episode: We weigh in on Burrito League (not hot), Strava's AI workouts (also not hot), and whether plyometrics belong in your training. And Zoë asks TJ a question from her own training log about whether running faster on good days is actually worth it.

📧 ⁠microcosmcoaching@gmail.com⁠🌐 microcosm-coaching.com💬 Foothills Community: $10/month (code FOOTHILLS10)Does cross-training actually help runners, or is it just a distraction from the main thing? We break down the research on what transfers to running performance and what doesn't, covering AlterGs, curved treadmills, ellipticals, cycling, swimming, yoga, and Pilates.The key finding: VO2 max transfers between modalities, but running economy does not. Runners who replaced all running with elliptical for five weeks maintained their aerobic engine but got slower. We dig into who actually needs cross-training (masters athletes, injury-prone runners, those at their volume ceiling) versus who should just run more.Plus: Hot or Not rapid fire on cross-training equipment, including the truth about weighted vest walking and why curved treadmills make you work 30% harder for worse results.

Happy New Year! Welcome to our first episode of 2026.We kick things off with our Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon race recap—Zoe ran an 8-minute PR after 4 years of training (that's 30 miles per second of improvement), while TJ ran his worst time ever and learned some valuable lessons about mental performance and showing up when things don't go your way.Then we answer a listener question: Does shoe cushioning actually matter for injury prevention? The 2024 research from Malisoo et al. might surprise you—it's not about how soft your shoes are, it's about something else entirely.Our main topic: 5 signs your easy runs aren't easy enough. This is the single most common mistake we see as coaches, and fixing it might be the highest-leverage change you can make to your training. We break down the physiology of why slow running makes you faster, what the 80/20 research actually says (including a 2025 meta-analysis), and give you 5 concrete signs to watch for.In this episode:• Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon race recap• The math behind 4 years of training for an 8-minute PR• How to compete hard even when having a bad day• Shoe cushioning research: perception vs. mechanics• The physiology of aerobic vs. glycolytic training• What 80/20 polarized training really means• 5 signs your easy runs aren't easy enough• How Kipchoge's easy pace compares to recreational runnersStudies referenced:• Rosenblatt et al. 2025 (Sports Medicine) - Polarized training meta-analysis• Jong et al. 2025 (Applied Sciences) - Sleep and injury risk in runners• Malisoo et al. 2024 (European Journal of Sports Science) - Shoe cushioning perceptionConnect with us:Email: microcosmcoaching@gmail.comWebsite: microcosm-coaching.comJoin Foothills group coaching ($10/month with code FOOTHILLS10)

Your off-season choices today determine your race day results tomorrow.Most runners get the transition season completely wrong—they either hammer through on their way to burnout or disappear entirely and spend January rebuilding from scratch. In this episode, we break down what actually works for year-over-year improvement.We cover why taking zero time off after race season is a recipe for injury and plateau, the science of post-race recovery (CNS fatigue, hormonal reset, glycogen restoration), and why detraining fears are almost always overblown. We play Hot or Not with common off-season approaches so you know what to keep and what to ditch, discuss frequency goals vs. volume goals and why the switch changes everything, and talk about building accountability systems that don't rely on motivation.The bottom line: rest is part of training—make this a core belief in 2026. You can cut volume in half for 4-6 weeks and only lose 5-10% fitness. Simpler plans are more likely to be followed. And your January determines your July.Before spring hits, take 2-4 weeks of intentional rest after your last A-race, complete a full season assessment to identify 2-3 specific pain points, set frequency goals for transition season, build at least one accountability system into your training, and schedule monthly low-key events to stay engaged.Connect with us:Email: microcosm.coaching@gmail.comWebsite: microcosm-coaching.com

Listener Q&A: Your Trail & Ultra Running Questions AnsweredHoliday grab bag episode! We answer your most-asked questions about ultras, gear, and training.What We Cover:Road marathon to ultra transition: drop bags, poles, navigation, aid stationsHow to choose your first 100 milerTrail shoe buying guide + our current favoritesGPS watches: what you actually needSupplements: sodium bicarbonate vs creatineMasters athlete training tips for 100K+When to add more volume (and when to hold steady)Hot or Not: trampolines & decline treadmillsContact:📧 microcosmcoaching@gmail.com🌐 microcosm-coaching.com

We break down the five most important running studies of 2025 and give you a framework for deciding which science actually deserves your attention, and what's just expensive distraction. Plus, we debunk the hype around ketone supplements and Norwegian double threshold training.What We Cover:The "Should I Care" framework for evaluating new researchWhy strict 80/20 polarization isn't magic for recreational athletesHow strength training improved time-to-exhaustion by 35%The fueling gap: marathoners averaged just 22-35g carbs/hour vs. the 60-90g recommendedWhy poor sleepers are 1.78x more likely to get injuredThe single-session spike that increases injury risk by 128%Resources:Tom Ralph's fueling tracking app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fuelflow/id6755150914Training PeaksHRV for Training appStudies Referenced:Rosenblatt et al 2025 (Polarized Training)Zanini et al 2025 (Strength Training)de Jong et al 2025 (Sleep)Franson et al 2025 (Injury Risk)Work With Us:One coaching spot available with TJ! Don't wait until January 1 reach out today. Microcosm-coaching.com

We're back after a quick Thanksgiving break to share the running wisdom we wish someone had told us years ago. Drawing on interviews with experienced runners and our own coaching insights, we break down five lessons that could save you years of frustration, injury, and wasted effort.What We Cover:Why the most important quality in an athlete isn't talent, it's showing upHow to incorporate skiing and winter activities into spring race trainingThe truth about consistency vs. intensity (spoiler: consistency wins every time)Why defining yourself by your pace is a trapRecovery isn't optional, it's where adaptation actually happensThe problem with cookie-cutter training plansFinding the balance between passion and obsessionListener Question:"I'm training for a spring 50K but live in Colorado. Can I swap runs for ski days or will I lose my running fitness?"Announcements:Boston Marathon Webinar Series with coaches Skyler and James starting in January. Free for Microcosm clients. Details at microcosm-coaching.com.Connect:Website: microcosm-coaching.comEmail: microcosmcoaching@gmail.comFoothills Community: $10/month (code FOOTHILLS10)

What separates athletes who reach their potential from those who plateau? In this fan-favorite episode, Coach TJ and Zoe break down 11 guiding principles that form the foundation of sustainable athletic growth—from knowing your why to controlling the controllables.But first, we settle the important debates: Pop-Tarts vs. Fig Newtons, why watermelon at aid stations is basically a psy-op, and which race day foods are actually worth reaching for.The 11 Principles:Know your whyCreate your visionCommitment to excellenceGoals as stepping stones (not leaps)Focus on the basicsEasy days easy, hard days hardShift from proving to improvingPractice patience and non-judgmentFeelings can be more informative than numbersStress is stressControl the controllablesCoaching announcement: Multi-sport coaches Zach Russell and Kristin Lane currently have roster spots open. Learn more at microcosm-coaching.comConnect with us:microcosm-coaching.commicrocosmcoaching@gmail.com

Training harder but not getting faster? Dealing with recurring injuries? The problem might be your fuel.Before Thanksgiving, I'm sharing an episode from Your Diet Sucks about RED-S, the energy mismatch that's quietly destroying athletic performance and causing injury after injury.When you chronically undereat for your training load, your body can't adapt. You're doing the work, but not getting the gains. Studies show athletes with RED-S are 4.5x more likely to get bone injuries and miss significantly more training time.Signs You're Underfueling:Training harder but getting slowerStress fractures or injuries that won't healConstantly exhausted despite rest daysLost period (or loss of morning erections in men)Frequent colds and illnessYou can't out-train a calorie deficit. Adequate fueling is how you honor your training. Going into the holidays: eat the food, recover hard, and come back stronger.In this episode: What RED-S is, how it shows up in male athletes (often overlooked), why it prevents adaptation, and how to fuel for actual performance gains, not just more miles.Listen before your holiday meals. Food is fuel. Recovery is where you get faster.

👍 Subscribe for weekly evidence-based training advice💻 Learn more about 1:1 coaching: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/microcosmcoaching/Want to run healthier, stay consistent, and finally stop the cycle of overuse injuries? This episode breaks down the five most science-backed strategies for injury prevention, in a way that’s actually useful for real runners balancing work, family, and life. Coaches Zoë and TJ take a broad but evidence-based look at what actually keeps athletes durable: smart load management, strategic strength training, real recovery (not just vibes), targeted mobility, and neuromuscular training.They also cover why foam rolling feels good but isn’t a cure-all, whether gait analysis is worth the money, the truth about minimalist shoes, and how to safely return to training after getting sick. If you’ve been dealing with recurring niggles, you’ll walk away with clear, practical steps to train with more intention and fewer setbacks.Timestamps:00:32 — Intro, snacks, carved-up energy02:10 — Episode overview + why injury prevention matters04:00 — Hot or Not: Foam rolling06:15 — Hot or Not: Knee straps & patellar bands10:40 — Hot or Not: Gait analysis15:30 — Hot or Not: Minimalist/barefoot shoes20:55 — Listener Question: Training while sick + missed workouts32:45 — Introducing Skyler & Kyle (Masters specialists at Microcosm)36:20 — Injury Prevention Strategy #1: Progressive Load Management48:00 — Strategy #2: Strength Training (what actually works)58:45 — Strategy #3: Recovery & Sleep1:06:20 — Strategy #4: Targeted Mobility1:12:10 — Strategy #5: Neuromuscular Training1:17:00 — Putting it all together + hierarchy of what matters most

Want to train smarter, run stronger, and stop second-guessing your training? This episode dives into one of the biggest pitfalls we see as coaches: overthinking. From obsessing over pace and metrics to chasing “perfect” plans, Zoë and TJ break down how overthinking sabotages performance, and how to get back to feeling good, recovering well, and actually getting faster.🎙️ In this episode:The “Overthinking Hall of Fame”: Pace Police, Data Collectors, and Plan PerfectionistsWhy more data doesn’t mean better trainingHow to use RPE and interoception to build true awarenessThe science of simplicity and the power of the minimum effective doseReframing your mindset from proving to improving💻 Learn more about 1:1 coaching with Microcosm Coaching: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com📸 Follow us on Instagram: @microcosmcoaching🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Want to train smarter, fuel better, and understand what your body actually needs? This episode unpacks the real science behind endurance training and fueling—no pseudoscience, no gimmicks. We start with a quick announcement about our Boston Marathon 2026 prep webinar (covering pacing, fueling, and course strategy from Hopkinton to Boylston), then move into a “Hot or Not” segment on popular running recovery tools: KT tape, dry needling, cupping, and stretching versus mobility.Next, we tackle a listener question on calf cramps during long races—what causes them, how to respond in the moment, and how to prevent them through smarter training and fueling.Finally, we close with a deep dive into metabolism for runners: ATP production, the limits of fat oxidation, how and why the “crossover point” matters, and why fasted or low-carb approaches can increase injury risk and reduce performance—especially for women.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro & Boston 2026 webinar invite04:00 – Hot or Not: KT tape, dry needling, cupping, stretching vs. mobility22:00 – Listener Q: Calf cramps—on-course fixes and long-term prevention40:00 – Metabolism 101: fat vs. carb fueling, crossover point, LEA/RED-S risksSubscribe for more evidence-based endurance coaching.Learn about 1:1 coaching at microcosm-coaching.com and follow @microcosmcoaching on Instagram.