The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Join Discourse - our Supporters club is awesome, and it's yours for the price of a coffee every month. Or a gel. Become a supporter and get twice the value after the show, and a chance to influence it too!Show notesIn today's Spotlight, a spin around the world of sports news, and some listener questions answered:A look back at the World Relay Championships from Botswana, featuring some of the greatest relay performances ever seen, including from some unheralded namesLondon Marathon statistics, courtesy a pair of analyses that shed light on how we pace marathons, and how few actually get it rightThe fine line between regulating and strangling innovation in sport, after Coe speaks about super shoes in runningSpeaking of innovation, do the Enhanced Games count? We look ahead to that event with some thoughts from Sean Ingle's latest articleWe tell you why we think Paul Seixas going to the Tour de France is the right decision and discuss the risks people had offered against itListener JRB asks a question about training with carbohydrates, and whether there's any merit in a 'train low, compete high' high approach when it comes to carbs?Still on the subject of carbs, what's the deal with fructose? Listener Phillip asks about its role in the carbohydrate model, and we explore some theory and practical adviceA smaller ball is being trialled in women's rugby - at least one player is very unhappy about it. We discussIn the AFL, teams will be mandated to employ psychologists full-time in response to an incident featuring a player. Is that the right call? In some ways, but Ross has some reservationsLinksLondon Marathon statistical analysisSebastian Coe speaks on Super Shoes and innovationSean Ingle's articles on the Enhanced Games - the questions he'd ask them if he could goSeixas to the Tour"The worst decision someone has ever made" - Harrison is not pleased about a smaller ball in women's rugbyThe AFL mandates that clubs employ full time psychologists

How reliable is Artificial Intelligence (AI) when it comes to health, wellness and training advice? Writer, educator and Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Dr Nick Tiller, recently led a research study entitled "Generative artificial intelligence-driven chatbots and medical misinformation: an accuracy, referencing and readability audit." which focused on the feedback and information given by AI in this vital space. Tiller and his team looked at the technology behind AI, how information is delivered and then tracked the validity of the information based on sound, scientific evidence. The results were disturbing, but Tiller still has some advice on how best to use AI when it comes to our own health.Tiller is a research associate at the Lundquist Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre and is the author of two books: The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science (Taylor & Francis), which was named one of Book Authority's "Best Sports Science Books of All Time," and The Health and Wellness Lie (Bloomsbury), described as "the systematic dismantling of a trillion-dollar con."​​​​With a master's in kinesiology, Tiller worked as a performance physiologist on the UK’s Olympic programme before earning his doctorate in Applied Physiology from Brunel University London. He has since held academic posts in the UK and Los Angeles, where his research at the prestigious Lundquist Institute focuses on exercise physiology, respiratory medicine, and the science of extreme exercise - a field he knows firsthand as an accomplished ultramarathon runner. His recent work examines health misinformation and questionable research practices.​​​​A prominent voice in science communication, Tiller writes for Skeptical Inquirer and Ultra-Running Magazine and serves as associate editor for the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. He's authored more than 150 general-audience articles and is a frequent guest on television, radio, and podcasts. In 2023, he was named a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry for his commitment to promoting science literacy and critical thinking.SHOW NOTESNick Tiller and his colleagues' paper on the performance of AI in response to health and exercise questionsThe BBC story based on Tiller and Co's PaperDr Nick Tiller's Website

Support The Real Science of Sport - if you love what we do, and if you want to be part of the community and share views that will add even more insight to sport, a small monthly pledge is all it takes!Show notesSebastian Sawe's astonishing 1:59:30 marathon world record is in the spotlight today, as Gareth and Ross go deep into the physiology, technology and history of running to explore every angle. How was the race actually run, and what do the splits tell us about Sawe and predict about the future? How did Sawe shatter a barrier that had seemed impossible for so long? What role did the latest super shoes play, and how did they make fools of historical predictions by many, including Ross? To what extent is this performance credible given Sawe's proactive AIU doping initiative? How did the protagonists fuel their efforts? And what next for Kejelcha and Kiplimo, whose extraordinary performances were diminished by Sawe's shadow, and for the marathon over the coming year? If you're looking for the full picture, our Spotlight will reveal all of it.Also: Carlos Alcaraz is injured again and will miss the defence of his Roland Garros title. Is this the shape of a future derailed by injury, and what does he need to change to build the durability of those before him? Plus, Allyson Felix is eyeing a comeback at LA 2028; we discuss her chances.LinksLetsrun article on their 2013 prediction and how it was disproven by the recalibration in the marathonSean Ingle's views in the aftermath of the breakthroughMichael Joyner on the perfect physioloyg for a sub-2 hour marathonRoss' own dismissal of the sub-2 as imminent, before the game was recalibrated by the shoesA look at Sawe's fuelling strategy from Marathon HandbookKejelcha's fuelling from Chris ChavezAlcaraz out of the French OpenAllyson Felix has her sights set on LA 2028

English sports psychologist Dr Josie Perry delves into the mental challenges that often hold sportspeople back from success. From the role of our own mental threats to the traits that are present in successful athletes. Perry offers a fascinating insight into the psychology of performance. The team also delve into the prevalence of ADHD in top-performing sportspeople, why mental toughness may not be a good thing, how training can help us overcome mental blocks and the role of techniques like visualisation and mantras. Perry is a chartered psychologist working with top performers in sport, on stage, and in business. Perry has a background in communications and behaviour change, having worked for many years in journalism, marketing, public relations and crisis communications across private corporations and government. She has an MSc in Communications, an MSc in Psychology and an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology. She also has a PhD in Political Communications.She is a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a member of the Association of Applied Sports Psychologists (AASP). She is registered with the Health Care Professions Council. She writes features for sports magazines and websites and is regularly quoted in the media on how athletes and other performers can use applied sports psychology to enhance their performance.Check out more on Dr Perry HERE

Kenya's Sabastian Sawe has absolutely obliterated the two hour marathon barrier, winning the London Marathon in 1:59:30. In this emergency podcast, Mike and Ross talk about a truly historic day that saw two men go under two hours, We discuss a performance that is astonishing not only for the final time, but the matter in which it was constructed, with never seen before splits over 5km, 10km and half-marathon. We also talk about the credibility of the performances, given Sawe's documented funding of a more intensive anti-doping programme, and wonder whether this will open the door to many more sub-2 performances in the future?Show notesThe article on Sawe's more intensive anti-doping programmeSean Ingle's article on Sawe's performance

Become a Science of Sport Supporter and show your appreciation for the pod, while also having your say and correcting Gareth and Ross' errors! A small monthly donation is all it takes!Show NotesThe Spotlight today is heavily focused on an historically fast Boston Marathon, which saw an incredible 2:01:52 for defending champion John Korir. It obliterated the course record, with the podium all going under Geoffrey Mutai's 2:03:02 from 2011. It's been called one of the "truly great" marathon performances, but Ross isn't so sure. We try to put it into context, given Boston's occasional propensity to produce exceptional conditions, with a tailwind that not only cancels out the impact of its hills, but overcomes them to create freak times. We dive into both the men's and women's performances, discuss some of the remarkable stats of the day, and ponder exactly where Korir's performance lies?Also out of Boston, Tim Noakes watched the race, and because he didn't see Korir or Sharon Lokedi, the women's winner, take in any carbohydrates during the race, the obsession with carbs is misplaced, and elites don't use them the way we are told. We discuss that theory, offering a grain or two of truth, based on what we actually saw the elites do in the race, to point out that "science by TV watching" is a pretty bad idea, unless you want to show how little you care for facts.Also in the show, England's Red Roses Rugby team dominate the sport more than perhaps any other team in history. But this has become a potential issue for the growth of the women's game, and we wonder how any other nations will catch up given Englands enormous first-mover advantage in the professionalization of the women's game?There's a fascinating doping story emerging in women's tennis, where former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova revealed the she refused a doping test last year because of a combination of the Doping Control Officer failing to identify himself, and anxiety and an acute stress reaction. All is not necessarily as it seems, and we look back at that incident in the light of Vondrousova's own telling of it last year. On the subject of anxiety and mental health, AFL player Elijah Holland had a mental health episode leading up to, and during a game last week, and is now receiving treatment. We wonder how such cases occur in elite sports environments where the player's are so closely monitored, and what it means for duty of care of athletes?And finally, Gareth has some observations about robots that now run half-marathons faster than humans, and Ross has thoughts on tech use in sport, drawing from some great innovation in fencing.TimestampsBoston - 01:52Fuelling - 23:10Womens Rugby - 42:39Doping 52:25AFL Duty of Care - 01:06:35And Finally Some Tech - 01:14:17LinksLetsrun discuss the wind, and how the elite men made the most of it to run extraordinary times in Boston 2026Letsrun analysis of the men's race. And the women's race. Both full of interesting stats as discussed in the showThe tweet that sparks the analysis of what elite runners actually did during the race, and why "science based on TV watching" is a pretty bad ideaArticle on the dominance of the Red Roses: Great for them, not so good for the global gameFor supporters only: Discussion of the Vondrousova doping caseHow was Elijah Holland allowed to keep playing?Record breaking robots. But can they do it on the cobbles...?

Don't spend millions on a podcast, like AI did recently. Rather spend the price of a coffee and become a Supporter of The Real Science of Sport. Click the link, make a monthly pledge, and get access to the conversations that happen before and after the podcasts!Show notesThis week, we kick off in Roubaix, where Wout van Aert and Franziska Koch won the prestigious cobbled Monuments. For van Aert, in particular, it was the culmination of a "life's work", in a dramatic, very fast, and very eventful race that featured multiple technical issues for leading contenders. We look back on the races, and at the tech issues that befell the riders, and the tech that was disallowed from even being used. Staying on cycling, the UCI threatened podcaster Benji Naesen with the possibility of 'criminal action' for posts and comments they suggested were injurious to them, without specifying those posts. We discuss the letter, and why the UCI's actions have backfired so badly, with thoughts on how engagement with the community should and could look for constructive dialogue.We then shift gears, and chat briefly about Rory McIlroy's Masters defence, and some data on performance and physiology that lay behind his victory. Weather doping comes up because once again, Ramona produced record-breaking discus performances, and in Australia, Gout Gout (and six other men) used perfect conditions in the final of the Australian 200m championships to run PBs, Gout leading the way with an exceptional 19.67s. We talk about that time, and why everyone may need to calm down and manage expectations despite the expected breakthrough from sprintings teen phenom.We end on the roads, as Boston looms large and London follows on, to discuss the elite fields, and one athlete in particular - Sebastian Sawe - who has made it a personal mission to restore credibility to his performances by requesting and funding much more regular drug testing.And finally, an amateur turns elite to chase a swimming time set by his fathere in 1976. We discuss Adam Wilkie's campaign, and wonder what the chances of success are?LinksWhy did the UCI ban Visma's tyre inflation technology?Benji Naesen gets a letter from the UCI with a not-so-friendly warning to rein in the criticismsPerformance analysis of McIlroy's Masters win, despite way worse than average drivingSome of McIlroy's Whoop data from the final round at AugustaGout Gout runs 19.67s, but any reasonable discussion seems impossibleA good Letsrun analysis of Gout's performance and progressionAnother good Letsrun article on Sawe's self-funded doping controls and pursuit of performance credibilityAdam Wilkies' son attempting "the impossible"

Norway is one of the most advanced sporting nations in the world, thanks to a unique structure which allows athletes to access the latest science and coaching. The team speak to Oyvind Sandbakk, the Sports Director at the Norwegian School of Elite Sports and a Professor at the School of Sport Science at the UiT The Arctic University of Norway. A former World Cup cross-country skier himself, Oyvind has worked with many of Norway's top athletes in Nordic sports and talks in detail about the famed 'Norwegian Method', how the best minds combine to produce some of the best sportspeople in the world and what the future of sports training may look like.SHOW NOTESSTUDY: Training session models from Norwegian coachesSTUDY: Best Practice Training Characteristics Within Olympic Endurance Sports, As Described By Norwegian World-Class CoachesSTUDY: The Evolution of World-Class Endurance Training: The Scientist’s View on Current and Future TrendsSTUDY: Perspectives of World-Class Endurance Coaches on the Evolution of Athlete Training and PerformanceSTUDY: A paper Oyvind did on double-day training compared to single session

Become a Science of Sport Supporter by making a small monthly pledge. You'll show your support, help us stay "athletic-greens-free", and get access to our world-class discussion forumsIn this Spotlight, we start on the cobbled roads of Belgium to explore why riding on cobbles is so hard, and how not so good vibrations compromise mechanical power, cost more energy and require more exertion to produce the same power output. It's Pogacar vs van der Poel, Round 3 this week on the cobbles of Roubaix, and we wonder whether smart tactics will be enough to overcome the Slovenian's firepower, and whether van der Poel's larger size may tilt the balance in his favour?We discuss Jimmy Gressier's return, in Decathlon's own version of a super-shoe, as he runs an exceptional 5k road time. Speaking of Decathlon, a good week for the brand with Paul Seixas continuing his rise, this time with dominance in the Tour of the Basque Country, and hope for a challenger to Pogacar.A new research paper suggests doping prevalence among University students of 13.7%, but it uses novel statistical methods to get there, after only 3.4% of the athletes admit to PED use. We discuss that study, and what it means for anti-doping knowledge. Less covert (but only a little) about doping are the athletes of the upcoming Enhanced Games, recently valued at $1.2 billion, but now being transparently spoken about as a 'product launch' for longevity and performance enhancement drugs. The recently disclosed peptide stack of one competitor, world's strongest man Mitchell Hooper, is the basis for a chat about the grift those Games.Finally, our teen phenom watch list has two more names, 14-year old girls who broke 23s last week. Ross and Gareth wonder if the gap between adults and children is narrowing, or whether we're just caught in a cycle of noticing more and more such performances.LinksStudy on the effect of vibrations on physiology during cyclingAnother study simulating vibrations, this time showing how much oxygen cost goes upArticle on Gressier, including his struggles with chocolate after his World title last yearWorld Athletics concept on the Marathon as a standalone eventThe Performance Enhancing drug survey that inspired our Bayesian stats discussionZero positives in the 2026 Olympics - the clean games?Mitchell Hooper's peptide stackForbes article on The Enhanced GamesWADA's prohibited list