Human Performance Outliers Podcast with Zach Bitter

Latest Episodes:

Episode 483: Arizona Monster 300 Course Record | Mike McKnight Apr 17, 2026

Show notes

Mike McKnight is an ultramarathon athlete, coach, and former Triple Crown of 200s record holder. He is a trailblazer for 200+ mile trail events, and on a mission this year to win as many as possible. He recently won and set the course record at the Arizona 300 Mile, and has his sights on Cocodona 250, Tahoe 200, Hardrock 100, Bigfoot 200, and Moab 240 this year.

Mike: greatwesternadventures.com | IG: @mikejmcknight

Episode Sponsors:

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Wahoo KICKR Run: wahoofitness.com Code: OUTLIER (free HR monitor with purchase)

Podcast Details:

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

Episode 482: What Performance Fueling Shows Us | Dr. James DiNicolantonio Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Dr. James DiNicolantonio is a cardiovascular research scientist and Doctor of Pharmacy and has worked with professional athletes across sports. We cover the topic of fueling sport, and what to make of the extremes often discussed online.

James: drjamesdinic.com | IG: @drjamesdinic | X: @drjamesdinic | YouTube: @dr.jamesdinicolantonio2215

Episode Sponsors:

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Wahoo KICKR Run: wahoofitness.com Code: OUTLIER (free HR monitor with purchase)

Podcast Details:

Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

Episode 481: Multi-day & Backyard Ultras | Mark Dowdle Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

Mark Dowdle specializes in long multi-day and backyard ultramarathons. He shares his experience coming from a non-running background. We discuss what makes multi-day ultras and backyard ultras unique and how the variables impacting performance shift compared to shorter ultras and endurance events.

Mark Dowdle: www.mark-dowdle.com | IG: @mark.dowdle | YT: @mark.dowdle

Episode Sponsors:

LMNT: https://drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: https://deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

ProBio: https://www.probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Endurance Training Simplified Series: https://zachbitter.com/endurance-training-series

Support HPO:

Website: https://zachbitter.com/hpo

Patreon: https://patreon.com/HPOpodcast

Coaching: https://zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Newsletter: https://substack.com/@zachbitter

Episode 480: Has Endurance Fueling Bonked? Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

For this episode, I dive into some of the extremes we often see with respect to fueling strategies in endurance sports, both on the high and low end of carbohydrate consumption, and what we can make of it all.

Wahoo KICKR Run: wahoofitness.com Code: OUTLIER (free HR monitor with purchase)

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Episode 479: Is Low Carb Performance Misplaced? | Jonah Rosner Mar 13, 2026

Show notes

Jonah Rosner is a sport scientist, performance coach, and the founder of Marathon Science, a platform dedicated to translating cutting-edge endurance research into practical insights for runners and hybrid athletes. Jonah previously worked in the NFL and now focuses on helping endurance athletes train smarter through evidence-based training, nutrition, and performance strategies.

Jonah: @rosnerperformance | Newsletter: marathonscience.beehiiv.com

Free resources for audience from Jonah

1. The Gel Cheat Sheet - breaks down race-day fueling strategy, gel timing, and the carbohydrate recommendations we discussed. Exactly the kind of practical takeaway your audience can use immediately. https://marathonscience.beehiiv.com/new-gel-guide

2. The Foot and Calf Strength Plan - a free gym program targeting the musculature below the knee that we touched on when talking about BFR and neuromuscular durability for endurance athletes. Covers calf raises, single-leg work, and progressive loading. https://marathonscience.beehiiv.com/foot-calf-strength-guide-new

Episode Sponsors:

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Episode 478: 100 Mile Record Redemption | Raj Pannu Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

Raj Pannu recently won and set the course record at the USATF 100 Mile National Championships. Raj was determined for redemption this year after being DQ'd last year due to his shoes not meeting USATF guidelines. In this episode, we discuss his trajectory through the 100 mile distance and steady improvements over the years.

Raj: @lightningraj

Endurance Training Simplified Series

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Wahoo KICKR Run: wahoofitness.com Code: OUTLIER (free HR monitor with purchase)

Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

Episode 477: Cocodona 250 Ultra Champ | Rachel Entrekin Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

Rachel Entrekin is a 2x Cocodona Champion, and course record holder. She joined me for an in-depth interview discussing her transition to professional running, training methods, multi-day race strategy, and the evolution of ultrarunning.

Rachel: rachelentrekin.substack.com | IG: @rachel__entrekin

Endurance Training Simplified Series

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

Episode 476: Carbohydrate Fueling Strategies For Runners | Claire Shorenstein Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

High carb fueling has been gaining momentum over the past few years. Claire Shorenstein shares some things to consider around this process to make it more sustainable and long lasting. Claire is a sports dietitian who hosts Eat for Endurance. She is a Board-Certified Sports Dietitian (MS RD CSSD) with over a decade of experience helping active people achieve their nutrition, health, and fitness goals. I'm also a longtime endurance athlete, with a passion for trail and ultra running.

Claire: eatforendurance.com | IG: @eatforendurance

Endurance Training Simplified Series

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Wahoo KICKR Run: wahoofitness.com Code: OUTLIER (free HR monitor with purchase)

Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

Episode 475: Are Multiday Ultramarathons Soft? Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

The sport of ultramarathon is growing! With that, we have much more exposure to the wide range of events that fall within the ultra category. With growth, we see increased competitive pressure, but not always in a uniform manner. Let's discuss what this means for the different disciplines within ultramarathon, and what we will likely see in the coming years.

Endurance Training Simplified Series

Episode Sponsors:

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

Episode 474: 3:58 Mile to Ultra | Everett Smulders Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

Everett Smulders is an American distance runner, coach, and entrepreneur. He became an NCAA All-American and achieved a personal best of 3:58.93 in the indoor mile (2021), going sub-4:00, along with strong marks like 1:48.31 in the 800m and 3:42.86 in the 1500m. After college, he transitioned into ultra running and endurance events. He is the founder and CEO of WesFly Athletics (or WesFly Training Systems), a running media and coaching brand.

Everett: wesflytrained.club/apply? I IG: @coachsmulders

Endurance Training Simplified Series

ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Training Peaks: https://bit.ly/4bN041t Code HPOPOD (free 14-day trial)

Wahoo KICKR Run: wahoofitness.com Code: OUTLIER (free HR monitor with purchase)

Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter