Best David Roche and Megan Roche Podcasts (2025)

1
287. Quad Dipsea Course Record! “No Secrets” on Megan’s Racing, Training, and Postpartum Journey 1:36:53

1d ago1:36:53

1:36:53

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 bu…

1
How the Fitness Industry Began: Exploring 200+ Years of Training Evolution with Professor Conor Heffernan 1:01:00

18m ago1:01:00

1:01:00

How did we transition from a society with no "sports" or competition, to one where they're ubiquitous? Learn the history of the fitness industry: how weightlifting and running emerged, early versions of equipment, how people trained 200+ years ago, and more. Dr. Conor Heffernan explores the main themes from his book, When Fitness Went Global. If yo…

1
286. Why Passive Heat May Improve Performance, A Batman Study, Influencers, JFK 50 Mile, and Cool Persistence Hunting Science! 1:29:05

8d ago1:29:05

1:29:05

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 eco…

1
Long Run Strategy, Balancing Intensity vs. Volume, Heavy Lifting, & More (Q&A with Jason) 41:29

40m ago41:29

41:29

Listen in on a Team Strength Running coaching call, where Jason takes questions from the community about training, long runs, workout strategy, and more. To join one of these calls, join the team here. We discuss: Long run strategy (related podcast with David Roche!) The value of lifting heavy weights (start here) How to balance speed and mileage T…

1
285. The Strange Uncertainty of Hemoglobin A1c in Athletes, Thyroid Function and Fueling, Elevated Heart Rate, and Running Form 101! 1:29:01

15d ago1:29:01

1:29:01

We thought deeply about the societal implications of Paw Patrol before this amazing episode! The main science discussion involved a pair of strange, counter-intuitive wrinkles of physiology. The first was the sometimes paradoxical finding of higher hemoglobin A1c in many elite athletes. The second involved a new paper addressing a connection betwee…

1
How to Learn From Any Injury (So You Stay Healthier) with Physiotherapist Brodie Sharpe 1:10:26

14d ago1:10:26

1:10:26

Brodie Sharpe is a physiotherapist, the host of the Run Smarter Podcast, and author of Run Smarter. As a Physical therapist who specializes in endurance runners, Brodie Sharpe takes a holistic approach to injury prevention. He helps runners learn how to correct mistakes and work with their bodies to get healthy. Brodie emphasizes the importance of …

1
284. Game-Changing Study on High Carb, Iron Levels and Energy Intake, New World Records, Race Week Nutrition, and Offseasons! 1:31:30

22d ago1:31:30

1:31:30

We chocolatized our life before this amazing episode! The main topic was a new study on elite marathoners measuring responses to different carb intakes, finding a 2.6% lower oxygen cost at 120 grams per hour compared to 60 grams per hour. It showed massive carb oxidation rates at high outputs. In 10 years, we might look back on this study as a game…

151
Isometrics vs. Strength vs. Plyos: What's Missing in Your Strength Training with Dr. Matt Silver 1:03:27

27d ago1:03:27

1:03:27

Dr. Matthew Silver is a physical therapist, author, and owner of Alpha Project Phyzio and Performance in Maryland. His book Built to Run is now available. While he set his college's 8k record and made the all-conference team, injuries prematurely ended Matt's career, sparking his interest in physical therapy. In today's conversation, we're talking …

1
283. Fatigue Resistance in Marathons, High Carb in Road Racing, Science Debate on Ketones, Doubles, and Uphill Treadmill Introduction! 1:29:49

29d ago1:29:49

1:29:49

We stretched the ketones-as-robot-butt metaphor to its limits for this awesome episode! The main topic was a new study measuring fatigue resistance in marathons. Athletes completed lab tests prior to a marathon, with final results correlating with different attributes. Unfortunately, the athletes weren’t fueling during the protocol. What is this, 2…

1
Atlantic CEO Nick Thompson on Master's Training, Motivation, and Breakthroughs 52:41

1M ago52:41

52:41

Nick Thompson has been running and racing for 35 years. He's the 40-44 age group American record holder in the 50k with a 3:04 finish time (that's 5:56 per mile for 31 miles), and was previously the world's top ranked runner in his age group in the 50-mile. He's now the CEO of the Atlantic Magazine and his new book is now available: The Running Gro…

1
282. Javelina 100! Golden Ticket Back to Western States...With A Twist Ending 1:34:20

1M ago1:34:20

1:34:20

This weekend, we stepped into the fire at the Javelina 100 Mile to chase a golden ticket back to the Western States 100. This episode is the full story of the race, which ended with a golden ticket in 2nd place (behind Will Murray’s astounding course record), 27 minutes faster than last year’s win. The main discussion is about why the golden ticket…

1
Movement, Strength, and Injuries: Dr. John Rusin on How to Run Pain-Free 1:03:05

1M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

Dr. John Rusin is a physical therapist and trainer who's worked with nearly every professional sports league as well as Olympic athletes. His new book, Pain-Free Performance, is now available. Our conversation focuses on movement, coordination, and building efficiency. We discuss: common mistakes in the weight room how to structure better strength …

1
281. The Facts on Lead in Protein Powder, 22 Hot Topics in Endurance Sports, Weird Science of MRI Findings, and Increasing Carbs! 1:26:11

1M ago1:26:11

1:26:11

We loved recording this episode! The main topic was the article that rocked the athletic world last week, which asserted that many protein powders had unsafe amounts of lead contamination. We broke down the numbers to reach a much more nuanced conclusion that should help you feel better about it all. And that led to a broader discussion on the peri…

1
How to Build Physiological Resilience in the Marathon with Coach John Davis, PhD 1:09:05

1M ago1:09:05

1:09:05

John Davis holds a PhD in Biomechanics, coaches elite marathoners, and is the author of Modern Training and Physiology for Middle and Long Distance Runners. His newest book is a masterclass on marathon preparation: Marathon Excellence for Everyone. It includes new research on training theory, elite-level training plans, and guidance for every type …

1
280. Science of Energy Availability and Adaptation, “Just Say No To Rhabdo” Runs, Hot Takes on Poles and Active Heat Training, and the Evolution of Taper Theory! 1:37:16

2M ago1:37:16

1:37:16

We had so much fun with this episode (probably because it was a break from potty training)! The main topic was a study that found a correlation between energy availability and performance across a season in collegiate runners. It was a powerful, objective look about what happens when the body is underfueled. You know it’s a good study when it makes…

1
Super Shoes & Form: How New Shoe Tech Alters Running Form with Chris Napier, PhD 59:23

2M ago59:23

59:23

Chris Napier is the author of Science of Running, a professor of physical therapy, practicing physiotherapist, 2:33 marathoner, and medal winner at the Canadian Track & Field Championships in 1996 and 1997. He is also a scientific advisor to Avelo, the world's smartest running shoe (I'm also an advisor!). Today's focus is on super shoes and how the…

1
279. Strava v. Garmin Lawsuit, Uphill Treadmill Threshold, New Study on Low Carb v. High Carb (and Caffeine), and Max Heart Rate Problems! 1:29:12

2M ago1:29:12

1:29:12

1
Cross-Training Masterclass: Coach Megan Flanagan on How to Add Other Sports to Your Running 59:30

2M ago59:30

59:30

Megan Flanagan is a former collegiate athlete and writer for Outside Magazine, a certified running coach and personal trainer, and a Spartan Elite podium athlete. She has a bachelor's in Psychology & Nutrition, a master's in Public Health, and has finished four 100-mile races. Megan is a multi-faceted athlete and works with a variety of runners in …

1
278. The High-Carb Life, The Best Performances (of all time?) at World Champs, Vitamin D Intake Study, Strava’s IPO, and Short-Term Heat Acclimation! 1:32:42

2M ago1:32:42

1:32:42

Our watches gave us some harsh (but necessary) feedback before this amazing episode! The main science topics were quick hitter studies on massive one-time Vitamin D intake, short-term heat acclimation protocols, and sodium bicarb. If you combine all of the protocols at once, that’s what we call a PARTY. We also talked about the World Trail Champs, …

1
Leadville 100 Documentary “Nothing To Lose” Commentary, Hot Takes, and Behind The Scenes! 1:06:09

2M ago1:06:09

1:06:09

The documentary “Nothing To Lose” is out today, telling the behind-the-scenes story of the 2025 Leadville 100! And we thought it was a great time to try something new. In this episode, we do a rewatch, providing commentary and hot takes throughout. You can listen to this episode as a standalone good-vibes celebration. OR, you can watch the document…

1
How to Build Fatigue Resistance with the Coach of Both UTMB Champs, Scott Johnston 1:08:58

2M ago1:08:58

1:08:58

Scott Johnston is one of the top coaches in the world, especially in mountain and high alpine sports. He's worked with Killian Jornet and recently coached both winners of the most prestigious trail race on Earth, UTMB (Tom Evans & Ruth Croft). He's also author of one of my favorite training books, Training for the Uphill Athlete and founder of the …

1
277. New Science on Fatigue Resistance, Leadville 100 Documentary, Our Fears About The Enhanced Games, A Cross Training Guide, and Timing of Strides! 1:38:23

2M ago1:38:23

1:38:23

We had such a blast recording this great episode! The main science topic was a new study on improving fatigue resistance, which performance-matched athletes with different training approaches to see what led to better outcomes. The conclusion is a direct prescription for athletes looking to have better endurance. Being who we are, we throw some sci…

1
10x National Champ Sara Hall on the Secrets to Running Longevity for Decades 49:33

2M ago49:33

49:33

Sara Hall has been competing at the highest level for nearly 30 years. She was the 2000 high school national cross country champion before earning 7-time All-America honors at Stanford University. Not only has she won 10 US National Championship titles, but she's the only American to win national titles in both the mile and the marathon. Her incred…

1
276. Run Rabbit Run 50 Mile WIN! Megan’s Nutrition, Training, Mindset, and Journey Through Adversity 1:37:09

3M ago1:37:09

1:37:09

Megan ran 8:21:51 to win the Run Rabbit Run 50 Mile, in one of the fastest times ever! This episode is a celebration of a wild and unexpected journey. She had only done one 50-mile race before, back in 2017. Then there was a heart issue, a hamstring surgery, pregnancy with Leo and Ollie, and so much more that the world will never see. She kept show…

1
How 'Coach of the Year' Sean Brosnan Revolutionized Newbury Park's Cross Country Team 53:32

3M ago53:32

53:32

Coach Sean Brosnan turned around a struggling Newbury Park high school cross country team that hadn't qualified for a State Championship in 25 years. Soon, they had won three consecutive National Championships. How did he do it? Sean shares the psychological and physical strategies he used to instill belief, develop fitness, and build the bond betw…

1
275. Why Higher Calorie Needs May Stack Across Training, Heart Rate v. Feel, Muscle and Liver Glycogen, Treadmill Workouts, and Pacing! 1:25:54

3M ago1:25:54

1:25:54

We had a shocking change of feelings about shockingly ugly shoes before this amazing episode! The main topic was a pair of studies on energy expenditure and replenishment. The first was a case study that found massive energy needs beyond base metabolic rate for a full week after an ultra. We zoom out to discuss what that could mean for energy needs…

551
The 7 Best Recovery Strategies (Learned From 15 Years of Coaching) 29:04

3M ago29:04

29:04

What are the most effective recovery strategies for runners? In this episode, Jason distills his 15+ years of coaching and 27 years of running experience into the most important lessons about the recovery process. Hindsight is 20/20! For more on recovery, download our free Little Black Book of Recovery & Prevention and you'll hear advice from 9 eli…

1
274. UTMB Takeaways, How Low Carb Studies Miss the Mark, Passive Heat Training, Engaging the Glutes, and a Supershoe Rundown! 1:40:02

3M ago1:40:02

1:40:02

We loaded up on sympathy baguettes for UTMB racers before recording this great episode! The main topic was digesting everything from UTMB week, including Jim Walmsley reinforcing his GOAT status, Courtney Dauwalter reinforcing hers, the coolest coaching story ever from Scott Johnston (who coached Ruth Croft and Tom Evans to UTMB wins), training tak…

1
How to Improve the 3 Running Thresholds (Z2, LT, and VO2 Max), with Phil Batterson, PhD 1:19:16

3M ago1:19:16

1:19:16

Phil Batterson is a competitive runner, former running coach, and the founder of Critical Oxygen. Phil has a PhD in human bioenergetics and a love for all sorts of endurance sports, from rowing to track and field and ultras. His goal with Critical Oxygen is to teach athletes and coaches how to optimize their physiology to maximize endurance perform…

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273. Q+A on Leadville 100 Pain Cave, Stealth Mode, Training Changes, Shorter Tapers, Pacing, and Obliterating Yourself (with Love)! 1:47:13

3M ago1:47:13

1:47:13

This was one of the most fun episodes ever, answering all the questions on the science and vibes of the Leadville CR! As always, we didn’t hold back with any secrets... sometimes to a fault. Before that, we reviewed a new study abstract on colon cancer risk in runners, which could have implications for routine screening recommendations. We will kee…

1
How to Create a Marathon Breakthrough: A Coaching Call on Massive Marathon Improvement 1:10:43

3M ago1:10:43

1:10:43

Dan joins us on the podcast today: a runner who recently improved his marathon from 3:38 to 3:08. In this conversation, Dan shares what he did to improve by a massive 30 minutes over 26.2 miles. But what if he wants to keep going? What if Dan wants to run another 30 minutes faster and start flirting with a sub-2:40 marathon? We'll cover what traini…

1
272. Leadville 100 Mile Record, Again! The Full Story of An Impossible Dream Day 1:50:43

3M ago1:50:43

1:50:43

New course record at the Leadville 100 Miler in 15:12:30, 14 minutes ahead of last year. What just happened?! We are still processing it all, and this episode shares every detail while it’s all fresh in our sleep-deprived minds. 2 weeks ago, David said there was zero chance that he was going to race Leadville. He was still processing the very publi…

1
The Path to Going Pro: How Annie Rodenfels Went from D3 to Elite Runner 51:20

4M ago51:20

51:20

Andrea (Annie) Rodenfels is a 7x All-American in the steeplechase and 5,000m, national champion, Drake Relays 3,000m steeplechase champion, and 2x Olympic Trials qualifier. Annie is also one of the few pro runners to come from a Division III school. In this episode, we discuss her path to going pro: The evolution of her career from college to now H…

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271. High Carb and Performance, Wild Science on What Causes Injuries, Bicarb Breakthroughs, Overload Training, and Kilian’s Next Project! 1:37:18

4M ago1:37:18

1:37:18

We conquered the WOOHOO yips before this amazing episode! The main science topic was on a new study that examined the causes of injuries in a 5205-athlete sample. The headline finding was relatively intuitive, but the sub-finding was so shocking that we are still picking our jaws up off the floor. We break it down and discuss how it may clarify tra…

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David Roche And Megan Roche Podcasts

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