This week's episode was such a joyful treat! The main training topic involved understanding training intensity in the context of heart rate drift, where the heart rate rises across an activity. That's especially important for improving aerobic threshold over time, a key to performance at all distances! We also talked about our new FAVORITE STUDY OF ALL TIME, on how the microbiome may influence motivation via dopamine levels in the brain. It's a mouse study that could have profound implications for how we understand human health in the future, including gut health practices. You know we're all about that RAT NEWS. Other topics: a study on Strava as a social network, a fascinating analysis of what led to underperformance in a world-class athlete and how they rebounded out of that valley, the adaptation importance of balancing stress and eating enough always, "The Last Of Us" showing how athletic supplements can turn people into zombies, why it's fine to drop lots of balls in life, and 3 parenting reflections coming up on 3 months.

We also unveil the most important snack revelation you'll ever hear. BUTTER TUBS FOR ALL!

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