Zach Bitter's Blueprint for Running Faster for Longer and How to Have Longevity in Ultrarunning
Everyday Ultra
Pacing: data versus intuition
Zach contrasts pace-based intuition with heart rate and how he paces track versus non-track hundreds.
Zach Bitter is one of the most experienced and dialed-in 100-mile athletes in the sport — and in this episode, he breaks down the training, fueling, pacing, and mindset strategies that have kept him performing at a high level for more than a decade.
This isn’t just a recap of big races. It’s a deep dive into the decisions, experiments, and principles that shape Zach’s approach to ultrarunning — and the lessons any runner can pull from someone who’s spent years testing what actually works.
Here’s what we dig into:
How Zach approaches pacing 100 miles — and how to find your own sustainable rhythm
The fueling strategy that helped him consistently take in nearly 96g of carbs per hour
Why he shifted to a high-carbohydrate approach after years of doing things differently
The value of running intuitively instead of being glued to data
How he structures big training blocks to stay consistent long-term
How he decides when to push, when to hold back, and how he manages risk on race day
The project driving his motivation now: completing 10 sub–12-hour 100 milers
What he’s learned about longevity and staying competitive over time
This episode offers a ton of insight into what really goes into improving, adapting, and staying in the sport for the long haul.
About Zach Bitter
Zach Bitter is one of the world’s top ultramarathon athletes, best known for breaking the 100-mile world record, running multiple sub–12-hour 100 milers, and holding the 12-hour world record.
With more than a decade of elite performances on the track, trail, and road, Zach combines deep experience with a highly analytical approach to training, fueling, and performance — making him one of the most respected voices in the sport today.
Huge thank you to Zach for coming on the show!
SHOW LINKS:
Register for our race, The Desert Peak Ultra 100K + 50K at desertpeakultra.com
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Everyday Ultra YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUelKGeptWZivD6yRIDiupg
Follow Zach on IG:
https://www.instagram.com/zachbitter/
Zach's Website: Zachbitter.com
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