Managing life-load versus training load

If you’re an ultrarunner who wants to get faster, train smarter, avoid burnout, and actually reach your potential, this episode is a must-listen.

Dr. Alyssa Olenick — exercise physiologist, hybrid athlete, 17-time ultramarathon finisher, and creator of The Lyss Method — joins the show for one of the most insightful, science-backed, and refreshingly honest conversations we’ve ever had on the podcast.

Alyssa doesn’t just talk theory. She lives this stuff: running ultras while running a business, earning her PhD, navigating injury, rebuilding her speed, and transforming her mindset through some of the most demanding seasons of her life.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The counterintuitive strategy that made Alyssa dramatically faster

• Why most ultrarunners are leaving huge performance gains on the table

• How ultras reshape your identity — and why that matters for training

• The “life-load” mistake almost every busy runner makes

• The neuroscience of going long

• The hidden cost of being a high-performing runner

• How to design a race season that builds fitness instead of destroying it

• The mindset shift that separates long-term healthy runners from burnt-out ones

If you’re training for a big goal, trying to balance real life with big mileage, or simply want to understand the science and mindset behind becoming a stronger, more resilient runner — this episode will change how you train.

Huge thank you to Alyssa for coming on the show!

SHOW LINKS:

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Follow Alyssa on IG: https://www.instagram.com/doclyssfitness/

Alyssa's Social Links: https://doclyssfitness.com/insta/

Learn more about The Lyss Method and Work with Alyssa: https://www.thelyssmethod.com/

Alyssa's Website: https://doclyssfitness.com/

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