Sweat Elite Podcast

Sweat Elite
  • 4.0 (136)
  • Running
  • Updated Weekly

Interviews with Elite Athletes, Professional Coaches, Sport Scientists and Thought Leaders in the Sport of Running.

  1. 1d ago

    Lactate Gels: The Secret Fuel of Elite Endurance Athletes? w/ Dr David Lipman

    Matt is joined by Dr David Lipman to discuss one of the newest and most talked-about supplements emerging in elite endurance sport: lactate gels. Train with Matt Fox: https://sweatelitecoaching.com/matt-fox/ Sweat Elite Supporters Club: https://sweatelite.co/supporters-club/ Matt Fox on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Matt Fox on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6248359 Contact Matt: matt@sweatelite.co Dr David Lipman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdavidlipman/ Dr David Lipman's Website: https://www.drdavidjlipman.com/ The conversation has gained attention around the Tour de France, with companies including From Lab to Field, Enervit and Santa Madre developing lactate-based products. Unlike glucose and fructose, which rely primarily on SGLT1 and GLUT5 transporters in the gut, lactate uses monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). This potentially provides athletes with another pathway to absorb and utilise energy alongside traditional carbohydrate fueling. The concept isn't completely new, but delivering meaningful amounts of lactate without creating gastrointestinal or taste problems has historically been difficult. From Lab to Field is developing a patented hydrogel designed to improve lactate delivery and tolerance while producing a less acidic product. Early prototypes have reportedly combined around 5 g of lactate with 40 g of carbohydrate. There are also interesting possibilities beyond simply providing additional energy. Lactate can be used as fuel by the muscles, heart and brain and also acts as a signalling molecule. Researchers are investigating whether supplementation could influence glycogen replenishment, recovery and metabolic responses during exercise. There are already some impressive performance claims circulating, including improvements in power output and reductions in fatigue, but the evidence remains preliminary. Much of the exciting data appears to come from research connected to the companies developing the products and still needs independent replication. One particularly interesting possibility is that lactate supplementation may have different effects below versus above the first lactate threshold. Elite athletes reportedly using lactate alongside very high carbohydrate intakes of around 90-120+ g/h have described positive experiences, but exactly how much additional benefit lactate provides remains uncertain. The discussion also compares lactate with exogenous ketones, another alternative fuel that has generated significant interest in endurance sport. Ketones have produced mixed performance results, although emerging research suggests potential benefits in areas such as heat tolerance, recovery, altitude exposure, sleep and resilience to heavy training. Both lactate and ketones may eventually have applications outside sport because of their roles as fuels and signalling molecules, particularly in the brain. Overall, lactate gels represent an exciting new area of endurance nutrition, but they're still at the beginning of the research cycle. The potential is significant, but athletes should distinguish promising early findings from benefits that have been independently and consistently demonstrated. Episode Chapters: 00:00 Lactate Gel Buzz 00:19 Who's Making Them 01:16 How Lactate Fuels 02:53 Hydrogel Delivery Breakthrough 03:58 Legality and Doping Questions 05:20 Performance Claims and Evidence 06:42 Real World Use and Cost 07:43 Beyond Sport Applications 08:56 Ketones Update and Research 11:25 Personal Ketone Use Cases 12:44 Conflicts and Wrap Up

  2. Aug 9

    IMO 37 - Losing Weight to Run Faster Updates, Dynafish Going Crazy In China and Attempting The Marathon World Record in Jeans

    Welcome back to another unstructured In My Opinion episode. Matt shares an update on losing weight to run faster, the explosion of Chinese super shoes and Dynafish, a potential marathon world record attempt in jeans, HYROX plans, coaching updates and why he has backed away from frequent sauna use. Be coached by Matt: https://www.sweatelitecoaching.com/coaching-2026 Join the Shareholders Club / Private Podcast Feed: https://www.sweatelite.co/shareholders Matt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Matt Training Log - Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6248359/ Contact Matt: matt@sweatelite.co Matt opens with updates on the Sweat Elite Podcast, including changes to the private feed, a new weekly subscriber hangout and a small number of coaching opportunities becoming available. The main discussion centres around losing weight to run faster, prompted partly by Josh Kerr's visible change in body composition alongside his recent performances. Matt reflects on his own marathon career, including a period where gaining roughly 3.5 kg coincided with slower marathon performances before intentionally losing around 4 kg and returning to consistent sub-2:20 racing. Matt explains the simple approach he has personally used - maintaining a modest calorie deficit on most days while prioritising high-volume, satiating foods, then aggressively increasing carbohydrate intake around important training. Rather than trying to remain perfectly fuelled every hour of every day, he discusses using roughly 12-hour windows before major sessions and races to maximise carbohydrate availability, followed by substantial refuelling afterwards. He also discusses why he avoids obsessing over daily scale weight, instead looking at longer-term trends and carbohydrate cycles. Matt believes intentional weight-loss phases should generally be relatively short - around 6 to 12 weeks for most athletes and rarely beyond 20 weeks - rather than becoming a permanent part of training. The conversation also tackles the stigma surrounding weight loss in endurance sport, RED-S, disordered eating and the potential danger of becoming obsessed with numbers. Matt stresses that this approach is only relevant to runners who genuinely have weight they can healthily lose and that improving performance should never come at the expense of long-term health. Later in the episode, Matt shares updates from the Chinese running shoe world, including upcoming laboratory testing of several Chinese super shoes and the rapid growth surrounding Dynafish. He discusses distribution delays, demand in China and plans for bringing more shoes into international markets. Matt also considers racing the Sydney Marathon in jeans and potentially attempting the marathon world record for running in jeans, before discussing his future racing ambitions, interest in trying HYROX and whether an Ironman is something he would ever consider. Finally, Matt explains why he has stopped frequent sauna sessions after noticing increasing fatigue and deteriorating training quality, despite initially introducing sauna as part of his marathon preparation. Topics: 00:00 Welcome and Setup 00:27 Topics and Context 02:46 Pro Podcast Changes 03:46 Subscriber Hangouts 06:05 Coaching Spots Open 07:12 Why Weight Matters 08:18 Josh Kerr Example 09:45 My Marathon Weight Shift 14:41 Stigma and Pushback 20:08 Simple Weight Loss Framework 24:34 Carb Timing for Workouts 28:59 Risks and Obsession Trap 30:38 Carb Cycles Not Scales 31:44 Avoid Number Obsession 32:47 Who Should Cut Weight 35:46 Coaching And Stigma 37:36 Chinese Shoe Lab Tests 39:39 Dynafish Distribution Plans 43:36 Sydney Jeans Marathon 45:40 Weight Loss And Future Goals 50:55 HYROX Versus Ironman 52:31 Sauna Fatigue Lesson 57:25 Wrap Up And Next Steps

  3. Aug 6

    Diabolically Hard Run Workouts w/ Jack Kelly

    Jack Kelly from The Triathlon Hour returns to the Sweat Elite Podcast for a fun challenge - ranking six running workouts from manageable to completely diabolical. Along the way, we debate stop recoveries versus float recoveries, discuss whether marathon pace should be guided by effort or pace, explore the biggest differences between training for running and triathlon, and explain why some workouts are far harder mentally than physically. We also share how weather, fueling, terrain and fatigue should influence the execution of key marathon sessions. The episode finishes with the hardest workouts either of us has ever designed. Jack unveils a brutal 29.6 km session combining marathon pace with repeated half-marathon-pace intervals, while Matt shares a relentless 25 km progressive run that finishes faster than goal marathon pace. If you're looking for new training ideas or simply want to hear two coaches dissect what makes a great workout, this episode is packed with practical insights and plenty of debate. Jack Kelly / The Triathlon Hour Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackkellytri/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gjZJMzMev7LvylirVjIGD?si=b3f1e6f64841417d YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetriathlonhour Matt Fox / Sweat Elite Coaching: https://www.sweatelitecoaching.com/matt-fox/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6248359 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SweatElite Timestamps 00:00 Welcome Back Banter 00:53 The Hat Story 02:48 Six Workout Challenge 06:02 Stop Rest Debate 07:57 Workout 1 - Most People Could Do 10:21 Workout 2 - Moderate 15:10 Workout 3 - Challenging 21:59 Workout 4 - Hard 29:36 Level 5 - Really really hard 36:56 Level 6 - Diabolicaly hard! 43:51 Fueling Weather Logistics 46:27 Wrap Up Next Rivalry Tease These workouts are discussed for educational and entertainment purposes. Adjust the volume, intensity and recovery to suit your experience, current fitness and training goals.

  4. Aug 3

    Is Lighter Always Faster? Weight Loss, RED-S, and Fueling Risks for Runners - Dr David Lipman

    Is getting lighter always the answer for runners chasing faster race times? Matt Fox is joined by Dr David Lipman for a short, sharp discussion about weight loss, performance, RED-S and the risks of taking leanness too far. Dr David Lipman Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdavidlipman/ Website: https://www.drdavidjlipman.com/ Listen to David's Podcast For more conversations exploring the science, psychology and hidden stories behind sport, check out 1% Better - Hidden Stories in Sport, co-hosted by Xylon van Eyck and Dr David Lipman. Matt Fox Links Coaching: https://sweatelitecoaching.com/matt-fox/ Supporters Club: https://sweatelite.co/supporters-club/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6248359 Email: matt@sweatelite.co Matt and David explore why being lighter does not automatically make an athlete faster. Although reducing excess body fat may improve running economy and performance, there is a lower limit where continued weight loss can begin to compromise health, recovery and long-term performance. Matt shares his own experience of becoming faster after losing weight, while David explains why the human body cannot be treated like a simple machine. Some body fat may provide an important energy buffer because the absorption and use of fuel can vary between athletes and from day to day. They examine Ryan Hall's experience as a cautionary example. Hall initially improved while becoming extremely lean, but his performance and health eventually declined after taking the process too far. This temporary improvement can create a dangerous "more is better" mindset, where athletes continue restricting food because the early results appear positive. The conversation also breaks down Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, commonly known as RED-S. Rather than viewing RED-S as the result of one isolated mistake, David describes it using a stress bucket model. Training load, inadequate fueling, poor sleep, work pressure and other life stressors can accumulate until the athlete's ability to recover is overwhelmed. Matt and David discuss carbohydrate periodization and carb cycling, including when lower-carbohydrate training may have a place within an endurance program. However, they stress that these strategies do not eliminate the risks of chronic under-fueling. Athletes still require adequate carbohydrates, protein and dietary fat to support performance, recovery and overall health. They also cover behaviours associated with disordered eating, the spectrum between structured nutrition and unhealthy restriction, whether runners should deliberately lose muscle mass, and the difficult tradeoffs that can exist between short-term performance and long-term health. Episode Timestamps 00:00 Is Lighter Always Faster? 00:43 Fat Buffer and Absorption 01:31 Ryan Hall Cautionary Tale 02:38 When Leanness Backfires 03:28 RED-S and the Stress Bucket 06:27 Carb Cycling and Risk 08:43 Macronutrients and Carb Periodization 10:29 The Disordered Eating Spectrum 12:13 Muscle Mass vs Running Goals 13:20 Health and Performance Tradeoffs 14:28 Wrap Up and Thanks This conversation is provided for general educational purposes and is not individual medical or nutritional advice. Athletes concerned about RED-S, disordered eating or persistent under-fueling should speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

  5. Jul 25

    The Secret Marathon Workouts YOU Need To Know w/ Jack Kelly

    Jack Kelly joins the Sweat Elite Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on massive weight loss, injury prevention, marathon training, running performance for triathletes, heat adaptation, recovery, and the small "one percenters" that can make a big difference. Follow Jack Kelly / The Triathlon Hour: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetriathlonhour/ Jack Kelly with Elliot Jenkins - Heat Training: Listen on Spotify Follow Matt / Sweat Elite: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/3152859 Sweat Elite Supporters Club: https://www.sweatelite.co/supporters/ Jack is the host of The Triathlon Hour and a coach working with professional triathletes. In this episode, we discuss his transformation from around 125kg down toward 80kg, the unconventional approach he used to lose weight while staying injury-free, and why walking, varied movement and high-frequency training may be underrated tools for endurance athletes. We then go deep into marathon training, breaking down some of our favourite sessions including 25 x 600m, 1K on/1K float, progression long runs, 2K repetitions, long marathon-pace intervals and the classic 2 x 10K marathon dress rehearsal. We also discuss sleep consistency, post-workout carbohydrate intake, creatine, Nomio, sauna and heat adaptation, occasional "hero sessions," energy drinks, and the importance of considering heart health when using stimulants. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Jack Kelly Joins 00:27 Japan Detention Story 02:49 Weight Loss Turning Point 07:57 Andorra Reset Plan 12:18 Walking For Resilience 16:55 Secret Injury Proofing 25:25 Coaching Career Highlights 27:51 Ari Klau Progress 30:18 Triathletes Running Fast 35:49 Marathon Million Dollar Hypothetical 36:26 Fastest Triathlon Marathon 38:08 Kristian Marathon Potential 39:14 Gustav Motivation Question 39:50 The Secret Marathon Workouts You Need to Know 01:36:12 The Six 1%'ers You Can Focus On To Imrove 01:39:51 Japan Detention Sleep Reset 01:41:02 Irony of Gummies and Jail 01:42:23 Sleep Aids and Insomnia 01:43:35 Recovery Fuel After Training 01:46:15 Creatine Water Weight Explained 01:47:52 Nomio Supplement Deep Dive 01:54:17 Sauna and Heat Adaptation 01:57:37 Hero Sessions Superman Cape 02:01:12 Monster Energy Pre Race Ritual 02:03:25 Heart Health and Stimulants 02:05:00 Wrap Up and Where to Follow Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. Always consider your individual health circumstances and seek appropriate professional advice where necessary.

  6. Jul 22

    The Truth About Losing Weight to Run Faster

    Race Weight and Carb Cycling: Losing Weight to Get Faster Without Sacrificing Key Workouts Welcome back to another short, sharp sub 15-minute episode. Today, I discuss the relationship between race weight and endurance performance, using examples including Josh Kerr, the new mile world record holder, Comrades Marathon winner George Kusche, and Olympic triathlon champion Kristian Blummenfelt. I explain how losing weight has helped me improve my own marathon time from 2:35 to 2:18, while also addressing the risks of aggressive dieting and underfueling. This episode is not intended for anyone with a history of eating disorders, and I am sharing my personal experience rather than professional nutritional advice. I break down how I use a moderate calorie deficit on most days while carb cycling around important workouts. The goal is to fuel heavily with carbohydrates for approximately 12 hours before and three hours after key sessions, then return to lower-calorie, filling foods during easier periods. Matt's Links Coaching: https://sweatelitecoaching.com/matt-fox/ Supporters Club: https://sweatelite.co/supporters-club/ Email: matt@sweatelite.co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6248359 Episode Timestamps 00:00 Elite Weight Clues 02:05 Podcast Setup and Warning 03:55 My Race Weight Journey 06:04 Critics and Risk 08:14 Calorie Deficit Basics 10:21 Carb Cycling for Workouts 12:52 Foods That Keep You Full 14:11 Resources and Wrap Up

  7. Jul 17

    Sprint Training for Faster Marathons

    Recording from Beijing International Airport during a delayed Air China flight, I share a short, single-topic episode exploring the "speed gap" and why pure speed can be a major limiter for marathon and half-marathon performance. Using examples such as breaking three hours in the marathon and my own goal of running 2:19, I explain why runners need enough speed at shorter distances to make marathon pace feel sustainable. I also discuss why many runners and coaches place too much emphasis on mileage and threshold training while neglecting speed development. I finish the episode by sharing three practical ways to improve speed without dramatically changing your training: short max-effort hill sprints, regular strides after easy runs, and strength training focused on squats, hamstrings and calves. Links Coaching: https://sweatelitecoaching.com/matt-fox/ Supporters Club: https://sweatelite.co/supporters-club/ Email: matt@sweatelite.co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6248359 Episode Timestamps 00:00 Airport Podcast Setup 00:40 The Speed Gap Idea 01:36 Performance Versus Fun 02:43 Marathon Goal Example 05:13 My Own Speed Limits 07:31 Why Runners Avoid Speed 09:19 Hill Sprints Prescription 10:20 Strides And Mechanics 11:02 Gym Strength For Speed 11:36 Wrap Up And Next Episodes

  8. Jul 15

    Allie May on Her 2:36:22 Gold Coast Marathon Debut, Even Splits, and Transition from Surf Lifesaving to Road Racing

    Eight days after her outstanding marathon debut at the Gold Coast Marathon, Allie May joins the Sweat Elite Podcast to break down her 2:36:22 performance, her journey from elite surf lifesaving to road racing, and the lessons she learned from her first marathon. Allie May Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allieeemay/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/52067205/ Matt Fox Coaching: https://sweatelitecoaching.com/matt-fox/ Supporters Club: https://sweatelite.co/supporters-club/ Email: matt@sweatelite.co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6248359 Allie shares how she executed an almost perfect even split of 1:18:11 for both halves, why she targeted a 2:35 debut, what surprised her most over 42.2km, and how she recovered in the days after the race. She also reflects on her background in the Ironwoman Series and the Coolangatta Gold, explains how those endurance events prepared her for the marathon, and discusses her transition to road racing after having children. The conversation also covers her training environment, nutrition and fueling strategy, overcoming previous struggles with disordered eating with the help of a dietitian, shoe choices, strength training, racing alongside Reenie Ringe, and what's next after an impressive marathon debut. Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Allie May 00:30 Even Split Breakdown 01:46 Recovery After Gold Coast 02:26 Surf Lifesaving Roots 03:52 What Is Surf Lifesaving 06:14 Early Running and Training Load 09:02 Switching to Road Racing 11:36 Marathon Fear and Respect 14:25 Chasing a 2:35 Debut 16:13 First Marathon Block Lessons 17:32 Team Training and Balance 20:20 Nutrition and Fueling Mindset 25:52 Fueling Matters Most 26:25 Race Day Nutrition Plan 28:54 Shoe Rotation Choices 30:49 Carbon Shoes Debate 32:07 Elite Start Experience 35:13 Doubts and Dark Patches 38:31 Next Goals and Races 41:21 Strength Training Add On 42:39 Wrap Up and Where to Follow

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About

Interviews with Elite Athletes, Professional Coaches, Sport Scientists and Thought Leaders in the Sport of Running.

Information

  • Creator
    Sweat Elite
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2020 Sweat Elite
  • Show Website
    Sweat Elite Podcast

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