Podcast

Human Performance Outliers Podcast with Zach Bitter

Zach Bitter

Welcome to the Human Performance Outliers Podcast. Your host Zach Bitter, will take you through a series of interesting topics around health, fitness, endurance, running, hybrid athlete training, ultramarathon, and nutrition. Join in for interviews with folks exploring their outer limits and research in a wide variety of sports, fitness, and nutrition.

Episódios

My 100 Mile PR - Why I Will Break It

19 out 2026 · 33 min

I will be taking a big swing at Desert Solstice Track Invitational on December 19th where I plan to establish a new 100 mile personal best. In this episode, I highlight why I am confident I can do it, and share some details on my approach going into my 100 mile peaking phase. Episode Sponsors: LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase) deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (25% O...
Run The News | Moab 240 Cancellation & Chicago Marathon

13 out 2026 · 1 h 19 min

Allison Mercer joined the show to recap two very different running stories from the past week: the Moab 240 cancellation amid flash flooding, mudslides, and serious safety concerns in a remote area, and the Chicago Marathon with its mix of stories. We dig into the growing risks and responsibilities around 200+ mile events (experience levels, communication, support crews, and protocols), contrast t...
Run The News | Road Ultras Need Hype & Money In Ultras

06 out 2026 · 1 h 33 min

Allison Mercer is an ultramarathon athlete who has competed at both 50km and 100km World Championships, Tunnel Hill, and Strolling Jim. She joined me to unpack why the World 100 KM deserves more attention, and what ingredients make ultramarathons grow. Allison: @onewomandanceparty | Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/18552474 Episode Sponsors: LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with p...
Last Soul Ultra Steals The Show | Kim Gottwald

25 set 2026 · 54 min

Kim Gottwald is a German ultra runner and content creator who went from law student to backyard-ultra standout by documenting extreme projects in public, including a co-win at Go One More in Texas, and a 449 km Last Soul Ultra victory at home. He co-founded the running brand Rappid, became BPN's first German athlete, and now hosts Germany's Last Soul Ultra. He has big plans for expanding Last Soul...
Backyard Ultra Records & Recovery | Phil Gore

22 set 2026 · 1 h 14 min

Phil Gore holds the World Best mark for the Backyard format, completing 119 "yards" for a total of 495.83miles. He recently completed a personal project, called Project 168, where he aimed to see if he would be able to last 168 yards (700 miles). He ended up tapping out at 152 yards (633.75 miles). We discussed this project, what the limiters were, how they have created a longer recovery, and what...
First Double Amputee To Finish Leadville 100 Mile Run | Brian Reynolds

10 set 2026 · 1 h 19 min

Brian Reynolds is a Brooks-sponsored double below-knee amputee runner who, in 2026, became the first athlete in that category to finish the Leadville Trail 100 — on his fourth try, in 28 hours 55 minutes. He lost both legs at age four to meningococcemia, a rare bacterial infection with grim survival odds. For years he hid the amputation and stayed off the trails. A Grand Canyon hike cracked that o...
Run The News | Phil Gore Shocks Backyard World & Meg Eckert Targets Men's 6-Day American Record

07 set 2026 · 24 min

Phil Gore holds the World Best Backyard record with 119 yards (495.87 miles). In an effort to see what he could actually do, he set up a project targeting yards/hours. Meg Eckert may be the most underrated ultramarathon athlete in the game right now. She is currently on pace to break her own women's 6-day World Record, and also the outright American Record. Finally, I touch on some thoughts around...
The Truth Behind Run Slow To Run Fast | Thomas Nobbs

03 set 2026 · 1 h 12 min

Thomas Nobbs is a professional marathon athlete with a 2:09 PR, and endurance coach. His progression to 2:09 speaks for itself, and his public strava profile shows how he has balanced lots of low intensity running and key quality sessions. Thomas is currently training for the Chicago Marathon, where he plans to once again improve his marathon PR. Thomas: teamrunrun.com/coach/tom-nobbs | IG: @nobb...
RED-S & Body Composition | Dr. Trent Stellingwerff

28 ago 2026 · 1 h 12 min

Dr. Trent Stellingwerff joined the show to discuss the topic of relative energy deficiency syndrome (REDs) in endurance athletes, and body competition management. Trent includes working with the Women's Health, Sport & Performance Institute (WHSP) in Boston Trent is the Chief Performance Officer (CPO) at the Canadian Sports Institute. Trent has developed many national and international collaborati...
Run The News | Mark Dowdle Goes Crazy At Last Soul Ultra

24 ago 2026 · 1 h 01 min

Mark Dowdle arrives 15 minutes before the start of Last Soul Ultra, but still wins with nearly 400 miles. Should we have more unsupported ultra running events? Badwater 135 lack of streaming and interesting shoe policy. Jeff Garmire joins me to discuss and share his upcoming documentary. Jeff Garmire: freeoutside.com | IG: @thefreeoutside | YT: @Freeoutside Episode Sponsors: LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/H...
2:59 to 2:18 Marathon | Matt Fox - Sweat Elite

20 ago 2026 · 1 h 29 min

Matt Fox joined me to chat about his interest in the marathon after coming from a National class middle distance background, his trajectory with content creation, the Chinese running shoe market, and his power weight ratio journey. Matt Fox: sweatelite.co | IG: @mattinglisfox Episode Sponsors: LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase) deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (2...
Blood Clot Defeated & Return To Training

13 ago 2026 · 26 min

I reached the end of my journey with the blood clot I discovered at the end of June. I learned a lot through the process, along with information about my personal risk for blood clotting. I unpack all of that and share my return to training. Episode Sponsors: LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase) deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off) Kila Insoles: kilarun.com...
Fueling Your Ultra: Strategies & Challenges | Vic Johnson

07 ago 2026 · 1 h 09 min

Vic Johnson shares the practical limits of high-carb strategies, discusses how carbohydrate needs can exceed what the gut can absorb, especially under heat and high intensity. Vic shares typical successful ranges, why hotter races and faster pacing worsen digestion, and emphasizes consistent intake over large boluses that can trigger GI issues. They discuss individualizing targets for mid-pack run...
Performance Enhancing Drugs In Ultramarathon | Kilian Korth

29 jul 2026 · 1 h 55 min

Kilian Korth joined the show to have a discussion around ultrarunning's growing professionalization without sophisticated regulated drug testing, the limits and trade-offs of WADA/USADA-style regimes, and why "doping" as a blanket term obscures intent and severity. We unpack gray areas such as THC thresholds, TUE complexity for common medications, transparency vs backlash, influencer incentives, a...
Run The News | Josh Kerr Shatters 27 Year Old Mile World Record

20 jul 2026 · 1 h 14 min

Josh Kerr shattered the mile World Record, running 3:42.66. Everett Smulders has run 3:58 in the mile, and follows the sport closely, so he joined me to discuss everything surrounding this historic day. We dive into what made this such a mainstream attention grabber, what made it stand out from similar accomplishments, and a variety of other topics. Everett: wesflytrained.club/apply? I I...
Run The News | Backyard Ultra Records Disqualified at the Biotropica Backyard Ultra

17 jul 2026 · 1 h 02 min

There was recently some controversy at the Biotropica Backyard Ultra where both the men's and women's world bests were broken. After the event concluded, it was revealed that some violations occurred, causing all results from the event to be disqualified, including the top performances. Mark Dowdle joined me to discuss what happened, along with other related topics around rules in the sport of ult...
Developing As An Ultramarathon Runner | Lotti Brinks

13 jul 2026 · 1 h 02 min

Lotti Brinks is a rising star in the sport of trail ultramarathon. She has improved year over year, which recently resulted in finishing 5th at the 2026 WSER 100. She joins the show to discuss history with the sport of running, introduction to the sport of ultramarathon, becoming a professional athlete with Hoka, the growing trend of race day optimization with team training camps, and how she has...
Comrades Champion | George Kusche

05 jul 2026 · 49 min

The Comrades Marathon is one of the most competitive ultramarathons on the planet. The 99th running of the historic point to point course recently saw both the men's and women's course records go down. George Kusche was the men's and overall winner with a time of 5 hours 15 minutes 56 seconds over the 85.77 km net uphill course. George Kusche: @kuschegeorge Episode Sponsors: ProBio: probionutri...
Run The News | Did WSER 100 Highlight A Missed Pacing Advantage?

29 jun 2026 · 41 min

WSER 100 2026 was defined by large improvements in finishing times across both the men's and women's top finishers. What does the historically cooler temps help tell us about the next big performance boosting strategy for ultramarathon races? Nick Coury joins me to discuss the pacing variable that may still yield big improvements at races like WSER 100. Episode Sponsors: ProBio: probionutrition...
Run The News | Downhill Treadmill & Heat Training

26 jun 2026 · 14 min

Some eye catching training techniques have recently been highlighted in the running world. These included what appears to be an excessive degree weighted downhill treadmill work, and heat train maxxing. I give some thoughts on both, and what they mean for the average runner. Episode Sponsors: ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off) LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free s...
My Blood Clot Diagnosis

24 jun 2026 · 18 min

I was recently diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a blood clot. I was traveling for a race when symptoms presented. This is a timeline of the events that led to me getting checked and confirmed. DVT is a situation where if you don't act soon, it can get very bad. Getting checked when symptoms present is very important, and I hope to highlight that with my story. Episode Sponsors: ProB...
Run The News | Enhanced Games Failure? Fuel Abundance Signaling, Comrades Marathon

15 jun 2026 · 24 min

On paper, the Enhanced Games was a massive failure, but was success the real goal or something bigger? Hyper carb fueling strategies are all the rage right now, but is there more to this approach than gut training on race day? The Comrades Marathon produced course records on both the men's and women's side of the event. Episode Sponsors: ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20%...
The Art Of Ultrarunning | Ian Sharman

12 jun 2026 · 1 h 17 min

Ian Sharman is a legend in the ultramarathon space, finishing top ten at WSER 100 nine times, four wins at Leadville 100 mile, and a wealth of knowledge with respect to training theory and the variables that make for successful ultramarathon results. Ian recently published a book, "Art of Ultrarunning: Tried & Tested Strategies for Long-Distance Runners." We spent some time covering what he has le...
Multiday Ultramarathon Performance Insights | Keven Goldberg

05 jun 2026 · 1 h 28 min

Multiday Ultramarathons are growing in popularity, but offer a high bar to be successful. Kevin Goldberg is the host of the "Distance To Empty Podcast" where they dive into the specific variables surrounding multiday ultras. We discussed what he has learned from experts along the way, as well his own participation in this style of ultramarathon. Kevin: https://linktr.ee/distancetoemptypod | IG: @d...
Walmsley Deserves WSER Entry & Policing Non-Professionals | Brian Peterson

29 mai 2026 · 1 h 07 min

Brian Peterson (Wolfie's World) joined me to discuss Jim Walmsley's entry into WSER through sponsor spot, and what to make of all the discussion around policing non-professional runners in sport. Brian: @wolffrunner | Wolfies World Podcast Episode Sponsors: ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off) LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase) deltaG: deltagketone...
Ultramarathon Problem Solving | Kilian Korth

22 mai 2026 · 1 h 30 min

Kilian Korth finally cracked the code for a successful race at Cocodona 250 on his forth attempt. It didn't come without challenges and unpredictable hurdles to clear. Kilian is one of the best problem solvers in the sport. We discuss his approach, problem solving, and what makes Cocodona and multiday events so appealing in the modern ultramarathon era. Kilian: IG @runtoughmindset | Substack: http...
Run The News | Is Fair Sport Fantasy?

19 mai 2026 · 16 min

Recently, Sage Canaday called into question Cameron Hanes participation in running events by pointing out some of the products he has openly discussed using. The topic raises questions about what the best process is for maintaining clean sport. I discuss what I believe both of their broader points include, and potential options to minimize the divide. Episode Sponsors: ProBio: probionutrition.com/...
Rachel Entrekin | Cocodona 250 Course Record

14 mai 2026 · 1 h 10 min

Rachel Entrekin recently cemented her legacy in the growth of multiday trail ultramarathons with her outright course record and third win at the Cocodona 250. We talk about how her race played out, her life has changed since going pro earlier this year, and what her performance has taught us about the many variables to success at multiday ultramarathons. For a full picture of Rachel's transition...
Run The News | Cocodona 250 Leveled Up

11 mai 2026 · 23 min

Cocodona 250 Mile had all the ingredients to go viral beyond the world of running. I dive into the variables that led to it, what we are learning around the weight of certain performance variables like running ability and durability, and why the event has a polarizing aspect to it. Episode Sponsors: ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off) LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sampl...
Inside The Pro Running World | Jacob Thomson

08 mai 2026 · 1 h 11 min

Jacob Thomson is a professional marathon runner for Under Armour. He recently raced Boston in a time of 2 hours 9 minutes 51 seconds. He co-hosts the Out and Back Podcast with Rory Linkletter. We discuss elite training, innovative shoe tech, the role of high in race carb fueling, doping influence on professional sports, and how to navigate the world of influence and sponsorship in running's modern...