The Endurance Lab

In this episode we cover what his new paper actually claims about muscle glycogen versus blood glucose, why he now believes 120 grams of carbs per hour works — and why the mechanism is not what anyone thought, the difference between fueling your metabolism and stimulating your brain, why recreational runners may be unknowingly developing pre-diabetes, the central governor theory updated, and his single most important training recommendation for every endurance athlete.

Prof. Tim Noakes is a South African sports scientist, physician, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Cape Town. He is the author of the landmark book Lore of Running, one of the most comprehensive references in endurance sport ever written. He ran the Comrades Marathon nine times. He pioneered research on hyponatremia in endurance athletes that has saved lives worldwide. He developed the Central Governor Theory of fatigue. And he has spent decades challenging mainstream thinking on carbohydrates, muscle glycogen, and what actually limits human performance.

Professor Tim Noakes has spent nearly 50 years studying endurance performance. He helped build the science of carbohydrate loading. He championed low carb for athletes. And in this conversation, he changed his mind — live — about something he had argued against for years. This is one of the most scientifically dense and genuinely surprising conversations in the history of this podcast.

The carbohydrate paper:
"Carbohydrate Ingestion on Exercise Metabolism and Physical Performance" by Prof. Tim Noakes and colleagues
https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/47/2/191/8432248?login=false

The best impact paper:
"Carbohydrate ingestion eliminates hypoglycemia and improves endurance exercise performance in triathletes adapted to very low- and high-carbohydrate isocaloric diets" by Prof. Tim Noakes and colleagues
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpcell.00583.2024

The debate paper:"Does a low-carbohydrate diet impede endurance sports performance? Debate Consensus" by Prof. Tim Noakes and Prof. Louise M Burke
https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(26)00080-8/fulltext

0:00 Prof. Tim Noakes changed his mind
1:11 His new paper on carbohydrates and performance
9:44 Two glucose pools — muscles vs blood
17:11 Muscle glycogen vs blood glucose explained
21:34 Low glycogen fat burning and carbs during exercise
26:09 Does 120 grams per hour actually work
33:07 Practical carb strategy by athlete type
37:34 Should you carb load the liver
42:27 Practical advice for masters runners
53:06 The central governor theory updated
59:36 Mistakes runners will make after this conversation
1:02:18 The Norwegian method — final takeaway
1:07:23 What endurance means to Prof. Noakes

In this episode Matt breaks down exactly why recreational runners become their own ceiling, what he learned training alongside professional runners half his age in Flagstaff, why the 80/20 rule does not need to change as you get older, the carbohydrate debate that is dividing the endurance world right now, and the psychological edge that separates athletes who reach their potential from those who never do.
If you want to run your fastest marathon after 40 this is the conversation you need to hear.
Matt Fitzgerald's books - https://mattfitzgerald.org/books/
Dream Run Camp - https://dreamrun.com/
Matt Fitzgerald Coaching - https://mattfitzgerald.org/coaching/

0:00 Fastest marathon after 40
3:31 Time as a limiter
6:06 Training with elites
9:00 More moderate intensity
10:51 The carb debate
18:05 Carbs per hour
21:15 Carb periodization
28:36 80/20 for masters runners
32:52 Low volume and 80/20
35:46 Hyperpolarized training
39:07 Psychology of endurance
47:46 Toughness vs smart racing
50:23 Mental lessons from elites
53:47 Dream Run Camp
1:01:47 What runners take home
1:04:26 What Matt is figuring out

Most runners think getting injured comes down to weak glutes, bad form, or worn out shoes. But physiotherapist Brody Sharp says the real reason is almost always something else entirely — and most runners over 40 are missing it completely.
In this episode, Brody breaks down the load versus capacity model that explains 90% of running injuries, why strong and weak runners get injured at exactly the same rate, how to use carbon shoes and minimalist shoes as tools to build a more robust and durable body, and the one training ratio that could keep you running injury free for the next decade.

Resources:
Run Smarter Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-run-smarter-podcast/id1494778818
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe
Website and online coaching: https://runsmarter.online/
Run Smarter Book: https://www.amazon.com/Run-Smarter-Evidence-based-Guidance-Opinions/dp/0645520705

0:00 Why runners over 40 keep getting injured
2:42 Early warning signs of injury
7:46 What runners get wrong about injuries
10:05 Load vs capacity explained
13:40 How to measure your training load
17:59 Carbon shoes and injury risk
21:03 How to transition into carbon shoes
28:35 Barefoot and minimalist shoes
31:37 Protocol for transitioning to minimalist shoes
37:10 Heel striking — is it actually a problem?
39:15 Does prehab actually prevent injury
43:45 What to do when injured
48:38 Injury and mental health
51:50 The 80/20 rule for masters runners

Most runners train to improve their lactate threshold. But what if improving it is actually making you slower? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Peter Tran — sports medicine PhD, 1:14 half marathoner, and co-founder of Athyx — to break down everything runners over 40 need to know about lactate, how to actually use it to guide training, and why most of what you've heard about lactate threshold training is wrong.
We also get into fueling strategies, the truth about high carb versus low carb for endurance athletes, and the future of continuous lactate monitoring — including Peter's new wearable device that could change how runners train forever.

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Get 10% off the Athyx Flux 1
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To receive your discount, you need to create an account on the Athyx website.

The Endurance Lab Training Plans (5K, 10K, Half & Full Marathon)
👉 http://theendurancelab.run/training-plans

Check out all of the exclusive discounts from Partners of The Endurance Lab
👉 https://theendurancelab.run/exclusive-discounts

0:00 Why lactate matters
4:39 LT1 and LT2 explained
11:22 Lab vs real world testing
17:52 Maximal lactate steady state
24:11 Using lactate to guide training
29:48 One test tells you nothing
32:06 Shifting the lactate curve
36:29 Lactate data over time
39:42 Lactate vs heart rate
45:04 High carb vs low carb and lactate
50:46 Continuous lactate monitoring
56:15 Athyx Flux One

#LactateThreshold #RunningScience #MastersRunners #EnduranceTraining #Zone2Training #LactateTraining #RunFaster #MarathonTraining #RunningOver40 #ContinuousLactate #Athyx #RunSmarter #EnduranceLab #FatAdaptedRunning #HighCarbRunning #TrainingLoad #RunningPerformance #VO2Max #LT1LT2 #NorwegianMethod

Jeannie Rice is one of the most remarkable masters runners in the world. In this conversation, she shares how she is still breaking world records in her late 70s, from the 1500m all the way to the marathon, and what really matters if you want to stay fast, healthy, and competitive as you age.
We talk about the real reasons behind her longevity in running: consistent mileage, simple training, smart recovery, staying injury-free, disciplined sleep, healthy nutrition, and the mindset that keeps her improving decade after decade. Jeannie also breaks down her weekly training, how much speed work she still does, why she recovers so quickly, and what runners in their 40s and 50s should prioritize now if they want to still be performing at a high level later in life.
If you’re interested in masters running, marathon training, longevity, injury prevention, recovery, VO2 max, world records, and what it actually takes to keep running strong into your 70s, this episode is packed with lessons.

The Endurance Lab Training Plans (5K, 10K, Half & Full Marathon)
👉 http://theendurancelab.run/training-plans

Check out all of the exclusive discounts from Partners of The Endurance Lab
👉 https://theendurancelab.run/exclusive-discounts

Follow Jeannie Rice - https://www.facebook.com/jeannie.k.rice

Chapters00:00 Intro
00:23 World records in her 70s
05:04 What makes Jeannie different
11:14 Jeannie Rice’s weekly training
18:08 Recovery, durability, and staying injury-free
22:41 Sleep, nutrition, and race fueling
30:44 What to prioritize in your 40s and 50s
40:12 Genetics vs training
45:48 Racing younger runners and aging performance
50:33 Jeannie’s race calendar and goals
55:13 What endurance means to Jeannie Rice