SOUP Out

Thank you, thank you, thank you...on we go!

Hello, endurance athletes. I’m really happy to share this episode with you. I’m also a little sad about it…but mostly excited!

Science Of Ultra Podcast began in September of 2015. My main goal, and its main purpose, was to share valid, reliable, and actionable information with you from those who know it best…scientists who study it, coaches who implement it, and athletes who practice it.

The majority of podcasts out there provide entertainment. They can be SO engaging, but are generally forgettable…a way of passing the time. Some are more informational and educational. I wanted my podcast to bring you some entertainment while focusing on information you can return to and use. In some ways, it’s been like building a resource library…or a textbook…rather than a novel.

And now, just passed September of 2021 - six years after I started - the collection of Science Of Ultra podcasts give you everything you need to know to become your ultra best in endurance running. We’ve covered all the critical and relevant aspects of how to sleep well, think well, eat well, and move well. We’ve covered training and racing. 

Sure, studies are being published every week and month that give us slightly new insights but they’re adding drops of water to a very big pond. On that topic - you’ll notice that I interviewed the world’s leading experts on the state of the field in respective disciplines. This is because any single study is generally inaccurate at worst and incomplete at best…it takes many studies over many years, to reach reliable conclusions. So, I generally interviewed experts on careers of insights and not single studies. 

For me to continue this show, I’d have to repeat prior episodes in different ways or begin bringing you more ‘topic of the month’, ‘workout of the week’, ‘one-off studies’, or extrapolation and speculation. That may be entertaining but it’s not my style, and you can find all of those in many other podcasts.

This is the final episode of Science Of Ultra Podcast. I’m turning greater attention now to my writing…I’ll be putting more time into writing posts on critical topics and topics of interest on the scienceofultra.com website - you can get those by signing up for my newsletter on the main page at sciencofultra.com. I’m also working more on my own research - I have several studies in the publication pipeline on endurance training and performance, including collaborative reviews of ultra-marathon physiology, training intensity distribution, and pacing in 100-milers. I also want to devote more time to providing the best coaching I can to the athletes I coach, and I’ve re-opened the coaching inquiry forms on my website. 

Though I won’t be putting out more podcast episodes, the Science Of Ultra is still going strong…I just feel that I’ve accomplished everything that I set out to accomplish with the podcast. Now, Science Of Ultra will expand in other content delivery forms through blog posts, articles, some other writing projects - including a sort of ‘how to coach yourself’ booklet, and more. So, if you want to read my articles, and continue to get content from me, sign up for my newsletter on the main page at scienceofultra.com

Thank you so much for joining me these six years in this audio format. It’s your engagement that put Science Of Ultra in the top 1% of all podcasts - that’s right, the top 1% of ALL podcasts, globally. I hope the next chapters of your journey are filled with joy, and please continue to follow what I’m doing on twitter (@scienceofultra), on the website, and through the newsletter.

On we go! And remember: how you sleep, think, eat, and move all play a role in helping you become your ultra best.

Shawn Bearden