With so many supplements marketed to runners, it's easy to wonder what's actually worth taking. In this episode, we cut through the noise and focus on a few supplements that have strong research behind them—while emphasizing that no supplement can replace consistent training, good nutrition, quality sleep, and proper recovery.

We break down the Three Cs: Carbohydrates, Creatine, and Caffeine.

First, we discuss why many runners are underfueling and how carbohydrates play a critical role in performance, recovery, and endurance. Next, we explore creatine monohydrate, one of the most researched supplements available, and its benefits for strength, recovery, and overall health. Finally, we cover caffeine, including how it can improve performance, common dosing guidelines, and why personal tolerance matters.

We also briefly touch on vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3s, and collagen, and discuss when they may be worth considering.

In This Episode:

• Why supplements should never replace the fundamentals
• How carbohydrates support performance and recovery
• The benefits of creatine for runners
• How caffeine can enhance endurance
• When other supplements may be helpful
• Avoiding the optimization trap and keeping things simple

03:53 The Three Cs

09:59 Fueling During Runs

14:29 Carb Targets And Gut Training

20:16 Women Over 40 And Carbs

25:03 Adjusting Fuel To Effort

28:31 Creatine Explained

41:14 Monohydrate and Daily Dose

43:25 Caffeine Performance Basics

46:23 Dosing and GI Timing

47:33 Metabolism and Jitters

50:29 Sleep and Tolerance Tradeoffs

54:12 Race Day Caffeine Rules

56:54 Vitamin D Testing

59:34 Magnesium for Cramps

01:03:38 Omega 3 Benefits

01:05:26 Collagen Versus Protein

Gain access to my new secret podcast, Unbreakable: The Runner's Guide To Injury-Proofing Your Body After 40. Click here: https://www.realliferunners.com/secret

Join the Team! --> https://www.realliferunners.com/team

Thanks for Listening!!

Be sure to hit FOLLOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one!

Come find us on Instagram and say hi!

Don't forget: The information on this website is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition or to provide medical advice. It is intended for general education in the areas of health and wellness. All information contained in this site is intended to be educational in nature. Nothing should be considered medical advice for your specific situation.

Have you ever found yourself wondering if you're doing enough?

Should you be tracking your sleep more closely? Monitoring your glucose? Taking more supplements? Investing in another recovery tool? Finding one more way to optimize your health and performance?

In today's world, it's easy to feel like there is always another metric to improve, another score to chase, and another strategy promising better results.

In this episode, Kevin and I take a closer look at what happens when the pursuit of optimization starts working against us.

We explore the rise of the "optimizer" identity and how many runners and health-conscious individuals are being pulled into a culture that encourages constant measurement, analysis, and self-improvement. While data can absolutely be helpful, we discuss what happens when metrics become the goal instead of a tool.

We dive into how wearables, sleep scores, recovery scores, continuous glucose monitors, and other tracking technologies can sometimes create more anxiety than awareness. We also unpack concepts like orthorexia and orthosomnia—conditions where the pursuit of healthy eating or perfect sleep can actually become unhealthy.

From there, we shift into one of the most talked-about sporting events of the year: the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas.

Marketed as a revolutionary athletic competition where performance-enhancing drugs were permitted, the Enhanced Games generated headlines, controversy, and millions of dollars in investment. But beneath the flashy marketing and bold promises lies a much bigger story about optimization culture, shortcuts, and the business of selling peak performance.

We break down what actually happened, why many of the promised outcomes failed to materialize, and what the event reveals about our modern obsession with finding the fastest path to better results.

Throughout the conversation, we keep coming back to a simple truth:

The basics still work.

The runners who make the greatest long-term progress aren't usually the ones chasing every new biohack. They're the ones consistently sleeping well, fueling appropriately, training progressively, building strength, managing stress, and recovering intentionally.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by all the health advice, gadgets, supplements, and performance metrics competing for your attention, this episode offers a refreshing reminder that you don't need to optimize everything to become a healthier, stronger runner.

04:45 When Metrics Mislead

06:25 Orthorexia and Clean Eating

09:02 Orthosomnia and Sleep Anxiety

10:56 Fragility vs Resilience

12:52 Health Obsession Identity

15:05 Gamifying Glucose Tracking

18:40 Optimization Industry Exposed

23:47 Supplements vs Foundations

26:35 Enhanced Games Explained

31:31 Gladiators and Reality Check

33:08 Clean Athletes Win

33:59 Enhanced Games Recap

34:19 Super Suit World Record

35:29 Weightlifting Hype Fizzles

35:47 Wellness Complex Exposed

38:39 Why Athletes Underperformed

43:17 Foundation Beats Shortcuts

46:06 Recovery Tools vs Basics

49:15 Sleep Over Supplements

50:24 Metrics Without Anxiety

51:41 Marketing Tricks and Pink Tax

55:07 Mental Strength Matter

Gain access to my new secret podcast, Unbreakable: The Runner's Guide To Injury-Proofing Your Body After 40. Click here: https://www.realliferunners.com/secret

Join the Team! --> https://www.realliferunners.com/team

Thanks for Listening!!

Be sure to hit FOLLOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one!

Come find us on Instagram and say hi!

Don't forget: The information on this website is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition or to provide medical advice. It is intended for general education in the areas of health and wellness. All information contained in this site is intended to be educational in nature. Nothing should be considered medical advice for your specific situation.

It Doesn’t Look Like Anything Yet: What Building a Vanity Teaches Us About Training

Have you ever been in the middle of building something and thought, How is this ever going to come together? That’s exactly what happened when Kevin and I spent three hours putting together our 13-year-old daughter’s new vanity. Somewhere between scattered parts, a cracked panel, and a backwards drawer track, I realized… this feels a lot like training.

In this episode, we share why building a strong runner isn’t about one workout or one great week. It’s about putting the right pieces together over time and trusting the process, even when progress feels invisible.

We talk about:

• Why skipping foundational work often catches up with us later
• How base building creates support for everything else
• Why sleep, fueling, strength, mobility, and recovery are not optional extras
• How setbacks and small problems mirror the challenges that show up in training
• Why correcting course early matters more than pushing through
• Learning to trust the process, even when it doesn’t look like much is happening yet

The question I want to leave you with is:

What piece of your training are you leaving out right now?

Because every piece matters, and sometimes the thing you’re overlooking is the thing holding everything else together.

03:41 Unboxing The Vanity Chaos

07:21 Skipping Steps Risks

10:28 Teamwork And Coaching

13:21 Right Plan For You

20:40 Recovery And Big Rocks

26:14 Setbacks And Fixing Mistakes

29:41 Fix It Before It Breaks

34:30 Adjusting for Life Stress

35:54 Trust the Slow Progress

46:18 Overnight Success Myth

49:10 What Piece Are You Missing

Gain access to my new secret podcast, Unbreakable: The Runner's Guide To Injury-Proofing Your Body After 40. Click here: https://www.realliferunners.com/secret

Join the Team! --> https://www.realliferunners.com/team

Thanks for Listening!!

Be sure to hit FOLLOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one!

Come find us on Instagram and say hi!

Don't forget: The information on this website is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition or to provide medical advice. It is intended for general education in the areas of health and wellness. All information contained in this site is intended to be educational in nature. Nothing should be considered medical advice for your specific situation.