EP241: How an Endurance Athlete Physically and Mentally Prepares for a Race with Zach Bitter

If you have ever wished for first-hand tips and strategies from a world-record-holding endurance athlete, your wish has come true. Drew’s guest, Zach Bitter, is an endurance athlete and coach. He is a three-time national champion, a world, and U.S. record holder, and a wealth of knowledge on endurance racing. During this podcast episode, Zach shares every facet of what he does to prepare for a race including his nutritional needs and mental prep, how he physically and mentally recovers from a race, how he modifies his keto diet to include carbohydrates before a race, and the biggest hurdles ultra-marathoners face before, during, and after a race. He also answers questions from Drew’s Instagram followers. 

 

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Key Takeaways:

 

[4:52] Zach was bitten by the running bug in middle school but it wasn’t until he earned an entry to the Western State that he developed a strategy for his runs.  

 

[11:37] Zach describes how he trains his body and his mind for a 100-mile endurance run. 

 

[16:12] How Zach transitioned into a keto diet and how he uses it for performance. 

 

[28:29] It is important to stay positive when mentally preparing for a 100-mile race. 

 

[34:24] Does Zach take supplements or exogenous ketones during a race? 

 

[38:01] Zach’s pre and post-race routines. 

 

[43:29] What is Zach Bitter’s preferred ultra footwear and why? 

 

[47:33] Staving off dehydration during an endurance run. 

 

[50:10] Zach shares examples of when his body just wouldn’t go during a race and how he stays mentally tough. 

 

[56:16] How Zach trains for runs and how he builds strategies for clients. 

 

[1:01:19] Recovery strategies and biohacks. 

 

[1:06:37] Zach shares his career strategy and what’s next on the horizon.  

 

Sponsors: 

 

Complete Wellness Supplements — Shop Drew’s hand-formulated, high-quality, pre-workout greens, Keto Meal Replacement with grass-fed collagen, MCT Oil soft-gels and now a keto meal with Birthday Cake flavor. Some products are available through Amazon Prime.

 

Dry Farm Wines — You can have alcohol on the ketogenic diet. Use this link for a bottle of wine for $.01 with any order

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Zach Bitter

Zach Bitter on Youtube

@zbitter on Twitter

@zachbitter on Instagram 

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