The Hobby Jogger Podcast · Hosted by: WeeViews & Branch Sauce

E51 | Fueling for Endurance: The Science of Carbs, Recovery, and Performance

·39 min·2 clips
Rachel Lehman says the goal for ultras is roughly 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, not “all the carbs you can take in.”
1. The Hobby Jogger Podcast episode on endurance fueling centers on Rachel Lehman’s advice for carbs, recovery, and performance. 2. Rachel Lehman appears as the guest, while the hosts include Rob Myers and the show’s unnamed main host, and Lehman matters because she is described as an ultra marathon coach, dietician, personal trainer, and strength coach. 3. The episode asks what endurance athletes should actually do for fueling and recovery instead of following social-media nutrition trends. 4. Rachel says the recent “all the carbs you can take in” message needs to be reined in because fueling should stay individualized. 5. She gives roughly 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour as a starting point for ultras and events over four hours. 6. She says athletes should practice that fueling in training as long runs get longer. 7. She adds that some runners can tolerate 120 grams per hour if they have practiced it. 8. Rachel says body weight matters, using 135 pounds and 205 pounds as examples of athletes with very different needs. 9. She says weight affects both carb loading and what someone should eat on race morning. 10. She answers a question about morning caffeine by saying some athletes tolerate Red Bull better than coffee because coffee can upset the stomach. 11. Rachel says fueling choices are highly individual, and she compares this to athletes who can eat Chipotle or large pizzas the night before a race while others would avoid them completely. 12. She says she has counseled many athletes who want keto or low-carb approaches and usually starts with education rather than confrontation. 13. Rachel says some athletes change their minds over time after a few bad workouts or after building trust in training. 14. She says some athletes only ate more carbs before their longest long runs and before race day, which leaves open the question of whether they could have performed better. 15. Rachel says she likes carbohydrates because they support running and recovery, while the hosts joke about being “team pizza before race.” 16. On recovery, Rachel says eating and drinking within the first half hour after a run is usually ideal and that protein plus carbs matter after workouts and lifts. 17. She describes the show’s tone as conversational, with jokes about White Claws, Red Bull, stretching, and mango chili LMNT. 18. The format mixes coaching advice with back-and-forth listener-style questions, and Rachel’s answers stay practical and calm. 19. Runners who like sports nutrition, ultra training, and strength work will get the most from it. 20. Runners looking for a single supplement fix or a quick performance hack may skip it.
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