View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview:Herman is a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University, where he focuses on the evolution of human energy expenditure and metabolism. He is also the co-founder of the Human Evolutionary Ecology Lab, where he and his team study the effects of diet, physical activity, and modern environments on human health and disease.Herman’s latest book, "Burn: The Misunderstood Science of Metabolism," explores the latest research on metabolism and challenges long-held beliefs about weight loss and metabolism. His work has been featured in numerous publications and media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NPRAndrew Best is a biological anthropologist and Assistant Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; he is also a respectable endurance athlete in his own right. Ancdrew is currently conducting a research project on ultramarathon and ultra endurance athletes that further tests the limits of the human metabolic scope. Episode highlights:(15:23) The hypothesis: when you exercise you expend less energy to inflammation, stress, hormone regulation(25:18) Reevaluating performance: energy expenditure may be the limiting factor in ultramarathons, if so training can be structured to target metabolic scope(51:37) Training applications: strategically exceeding your metabolic ceiling during important moments in training and repaying metabolic debt when it matters leastAdditional resources:Contact for Andrew-Website: www.therunningprimate.comInstagram: @therunningprimate Twitter: @RunningPrimate Strava: The Shreddy ProfessorBuy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or AudibleInformation on coaching-www.trainright.comKoop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview:Øyvind is the director of the Centre for Elite Sports Research at the Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyHis research aims to improve the understanding of sport performance, by investigating integrative physiology and biomechanics, the effects of strength and endurance training, as well as the utilization of new technology to gain further understanding of these aspects in real-life environments. He also teaches these topics in Bachelor, Master and PhD courses, as well as the top coach education program.Episode highlights:(31:46) Quality over concentration: an argument against block periodization, examples(41:02) Koop on targeting athlete weaknesses: takeaways for elite and non-elite athletes(54:12) Øyvind’s takeaways for athletes: caveats, learning how to optimize key sessionsAdditional resources:Paper discussed Buy Koop’s new book on Amazon or AudibleInformation on coaching-www.trainright.comKoop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview:Coach Koop discusses how athletes are Complex Adaptive Systems and how subjective feedback can be integrated into training. Episode highlights:(14:23) Athletes as complex adaptive systems: humans have nonlinear responses, context is key(20:32) Physical context: comparing the context of training camps with daily life(43:37) Long-term skills: improving subjective feedback, contextualizing feedback in the long term, examplesAdditional resources:Paper discussedBuy Koop’s new book on Amazon or AudibleInformation on coaching-www.trainright.comKoop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview:Luca Filipas a PhD researcher and coach out of Milan, Italy. Re-Release of episode 113 from January 2022.Episode highlights:(27:17) Why pyramidal to polarized athletes were most successful: peaking for races, adaptations from high intensity(33:57) Koop on peaking for longer distance events: least specific to most specific training architecture(41:34) Takeaways: race specificity, modulating intensityAdditional resources:You can find Luca’s work here- https://www.lucafilipas.com/Luca on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/lucafilipas Luca on Twitter- https://twitter.com/LucaFilipasPaper discussed- Effects of 16 weeks of pyramidal and polarized training intensity distributions in well-trained endurance runnersBuy Koop’s new book on Amazon or AudibleInformation on coaching-www.trainright.comKoop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview: In this episode, AJW speaks with three legends of ultrarunning, John Medinger, David Horton, and Scott Mills, to discuss the current state of the sport and their thoughts about what the future holds for the next generation of Ultrarunners.Episode highlights:(26:57) Scott on Western States in 1982: waist belts, running with Aunt Jemima bottles, power bars, aid stations, how access to runner support leads to faster race times(35:46) The Barkley Marathons: “impossible” pre-1995 Barkley format, learning the Barkleys year after year, difficulty in comparison to Hardrock, David’s role in the final lap directional rule(58:07) Small races in America: run your local races, differences between the U.S. and EuropeAdditional resources:John:  Facebook @johnmedinger David Facebook @davidhortonScott Facebook @scottmillsInformation on coaching-https://trainright.com/Koop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoopBuy Koop’s new book onAmazon-https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MYVR8P6Audible-https://www.audible.com/pd/Training-Essentials-for-Ultrarunning-Second-Edition-Audiobook/B09P38S2PR?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-290525&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_290525_rh_us

View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview:Stephanie Case is a well-known figure in trail/ultra running, not just for her success in crazy, tough races (Tor de Glaciers, Hardrock, The Barkley Marathons), but for her outspokenness about women’s rights. Stephanie spearheads tough conversations concerning inclusivity for women in our sport- pregnancy deferrals, quotas for women in races/lotteries, and more. If she couldn’t be any more admirable, Steph also works in conflict zones as a Human Rights Advocate.Episode highlights:(26:39) Free to Run: creating female leaders in areas of conflict through visibility in the outdoors space, creating societal change in patriarchal societies(31:56) Gender inequality in ultras: microaggressions, reasons for including the top 10 women at UTMB, providing for women’s health at races, there are more barriers for women(59:05) How race directors can promote inclusivity: offering women’s products and childcare stations as symbols of an inclusive spaceAdditional resources:Free to Run: https://freetorun.org/IG: https://www.instagram.com/theultrarunnergirl/?hl=enStephanie Case Trail Runner Article: https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/stephanie-cases-secret-weapon/https://www.outsideonline.com/health/running/why-cant-pregnant-women-defer-race-entries/https://www.outsideonline.com/health/running/western-states-transgender-athletes-policy/Information on coaching-https://trainright.com/Koop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoopBuy Koop’s new book onAmazon-https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MYVR8P6Audible-https://www.audible.com/pd/Training-Essentials-for-Ultrarunning-Second-Edition-Audiobook/B09P38S2PR?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-290525&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_290525_rh_us

Race directors Candice Burt and Jason Green talk about the current state and future of ultrarunning. They discuss challenges faced by event organizers during the pandemic, the importance of community in ultrarunning, the influence of Candice in Western States race, and plans to improve events and increase runners while maintaining a small, community-oriented feel.

View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview:Still in his 30s, Dylan Bowman has enjoyed a remarkable ultra-running career. During the past 10 years, Dylan has had ample experience being coached by Koop. In this episode, he shares some of the ups and downs of the past decade and looks ahead to a promising future in the sport.Episode highlights:(18:06) Deconstructing the DNF: satisfaction and goal setting, motivation, health, respecting the race(29:08) Koop’s guidance for DBo: international racing, gaining experience, testing yourself(40:35) Feedback in athlete-coach relationships: listening to your body, Ultra Trail Mount Fuji anecdote, communicating with your coachAdditional resources:Instagram: @dylanbo Twitter: @dylanbo Website: https://freetrail.com/Information on coaching-https://trainright.com/Koop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoopBuy Koop’s new book onAmazon-https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MYVR8P6Audible-https://www.audible.com/pd/Training-Essentials-for-Ultrarunning-Second-Edition-Audiobook/B09P38S2PR?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-290525&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_290525_rh_us

View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview:Kaci Lickteig, known to many as the Pixie Ninja, is one of the most popular personalities in Ultrarunning.  Her incredibly positive spirit is infectious. In this episode, you will learn all about her 8 Western States finishes, her challenges with injuries over the years, and her incredible relationship with her coach, Jason Koop.Episode highlights:(18:08) Western States 2017: challenges, stress, deciding not to quit, “get in the boat”(24:56) Kaci’s experience with injury: running with a torn hamstring, getting surgery, crutches to 100 miles in six months(40:05) Kaci’s relationship with Western States: personal experiences, why the race is so specialAdditional resources:Instagram: @ultrarunnerkc Twitter: @runner_kc Facebook Kaci LickteigInformation on coaching-https://trainright.com/Koop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoopBuy Koop’s new book onAmazon-https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MYVR8P6Audible-https://www.audible.com/pd/Training-Essentials-for-Ultrarunning-Second-Edition-Audiobook/B09P38S2PR?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-290525&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_290525_rh_us

View all timestamps and show notes on the KoopCast website.Episode overview:Jessie discusses her rise in cross country skiing to become the most decorated US cross country skier in the history of the sport, what her training is like, why she loves being a professional athlete, and how the US women have shattered the glass ceiling in cross country skiing. We also talk about her eating disorder and how it changed her life path when she sought out help. Lastly, Jessie talks about being a winter athlete in a changing climate and the importance of her work with Protect Our Winters, an organization focused on climate legislation for the Outdoor State. Episode highlights:(20:44) Building a strong women’s team: camaraderie, mutual support, sportsmanship(38:56) Nutrition and injury: micronutrient deficiency often leads to injury, food is good, toxic diet culture, you need more calories than you think(50:11) Protect Our Winters: informed advocacy, using your voice, avoiding placing blame on individuals, making changeAdditional resources:Buy Koop’s new book on Amazon or Audible.Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.comKoop’s Social MediaTwitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop