Fast Talk
Fast Talk Labs
The Fast Talk podcast offers the best guides to cycling performance and endurance sports training from world-class experts.Cohosted by cycling coaches and sport scientists Trevor Connor and Rob Pickels, Fast Talk episodes feature fascinating conversations with world-class experts discussing the endurance sports topics they know best: the best ways to train, effective workouts, questions on polarized and interval training, sports nutrition, physiology and recovery, and sport psychology.Fast Talk guests and regular contributors include Dr. Stephen Seiler, Joe Friel, Dr. Asker Jeukendrup, Sebastian Weber, Jim Miller, Dr. Andy Pruitt, Dr. Timothy Noakes, and elite professional athletes like Kristin Armstrong, Sepp Kuss, Brent Bookwalter, Kate Courtney, and many more.Fast Talk is part of Fast Talk Laboratories, a new endurance sports knowledgebase for endurance racers and adventurers.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 4, 2025 • 1h 19min
400: The Past, Present, and Future of Sport Science with Drs. Louise Burke, Stephen Seiler, and Iñigo Mujika
For our 400th episode we invited three of the most prominent names in exercise physiology to discuss where we are and where we’re going in endurance sports science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
15 snips
Nov 27, 2025 • 48min
399: Potluck Discussion - Is There a Ceiling, Value of Wintering, and Alternative Training
Jeff Sankoff, a seasoned coach and frequent contributor, joins the discussion on athletic potential and off-season strategies. They debate whether athletes have innate ceilings or are held back by mental barriers. The conversation explores the value of 'wintering' for mental resets and building stronger relationships. Practical tips emerge for cross-training, emphasizing the importance of joy in movement and injury prevention. Jeff offers insights on careful running progression for cyclists, aiming for balance and longevity in athletic pursuits.
Nov 20, 2025 • 1h 18min
398: Creating Nutritional Training Plans, with MetPro’s Angelo Poli
Angelo Poli, the Founder of MetPro and a seasoned nutrition coach, shares insightful strategies for optimizing athletic performance through nutrition. He emphasizes the importance of planning meals like training, contrasting reactive dieting with preparation. Preparation is key, as it drives adherence more than willpower. Angelo also discusses metabolic profiling and how individual needs vary. With practical meal prep strategies and tips for fueling workouts, he highlights how tailored nutrition can enhance athletes' performance!
Nov 13, 2025 • 38min
397: Fast Chats: Rethinking Injury Risk and Longevity—Evidence That Defies Convention
Two new studies challenge common assumptions: intensity may matter more than volume for healthy aging, and triathlete injury patterns aren’t what most coaches would predict. We unpack what this means for training prescription, and why neuromuscular and strength work belong in every plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 6, 2025 • 1h 19min
396: Neck Pain in Cyclists - Mechanics, Fit, and Clinical Insight
Experts in medicine, biomechanics, and physical therapy join Dr. Griffin McMath and Trevor Connor to decode the causes of neck pain in cyclists and the strategies that keep athletes strong, steady, and pain-free over the long haul. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6 snips
Oct 30, 2025 • 1h 7min
395: The Difference Between Efficiency and Economy, and Why You Should Care
Dr. Ray Browning, an exercise scientist and biomechanist who co-founded Biomodem and played a key role in Nike's Breaking2 project, dives into the crucial distinction between efficiency and economy in sports. He explains efficiency as energy output versus input, while economy focuses on energy required per velocity. Browning shares insights from the Breaking2 project, highlighting how footwear innovations enhanced running economy. He also discusses the importance of improving economy for better performance and offers actionable strategies to optimize training.
Oct 23, 2025 • 1h 16min
394: Teaching Parents to Better Support Their Child-Athletes
We talk with Dr. Jennifer Harris about the critical role that parents play in junior athlete development, and why that role is too often ignored or left undefined. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 16, 2025 • 37min
393: Fast Chats - How Endurance Athletes Cope with Pain
Dive into the fascinating world of endurance sports and discover how ultra-athletes manage pain. Learn how interoception and mental toughness bolster resilience. The hosts reveal mindfulness and visualization techniques that help athletes finish races stronger. Explore the intriguing comparison of elite athletes and those with chronic pain. Unpack the strategic use of painkillers and how reframing pain can enhance performance. Plus, uncover the role of confidence and stoicism in overcoming challenges. Equip yourself with practical pain coping strategies!
Oct 9, 2025 • 36min
392: Potluck Discussion - Altitude Downsides, Fatigue Weeks with Limited Time, and the Auto-Pause Debate
Explore the challenges of returning to sea level after training at altitude, including individual responses and the risks involved. Delve into how life stress impacts training, particularly during fatigue weeks, and discover strategies for optimizing workouts under time constraints. The debate over using auto-pause on bike computers heats up as hosts weigh the pros and cons of accurate ride metrics against potential data inflation. Learn how to find the right routes for uninterrupted riding to enhance training efficacy.
10 snips
Oct 2, 2025 • 1h 11min
391: How to Use Physiological Data to Determine the Work You Should Do
Jared Berg, an experienced physiologist with over 20 years in athlete testing, shares insights on using lab and field data to optimize training. He discusses the significance of specificity in interval training and how running and cycling adapt differently. Jared explains VO2 max and lactate testing, highlighting how these metrics inform athlete profiles. He emphasizes the importance of endurance work and how to use lactate feedback for interval control. Finally, he touches on common training mistakes and the next frontier in precise physiological control.
