Everything we're working through, one at a time. Narrow it down by sport or by topic if you like — but you don't have to: a lot of it applies to every endurance athlete.
One's done, the rest are out in the open. The first deep-dive is live — the super shoes. Below it is everything else we're working on: what's next, and what's further down the road. We'd rather show you the plan than fake a full library.
“Carbon-plate shoes make you 4% faster.”
The 4% is real — and the most misunderstood number in running. What the labs actually measured, why it isn't 4% off your time, and the runners who gain nothing at all.
Read the deep-dive“Zone 2 is the base every engine needs.”
The most-repeated training advice of the decade. We'll look at what the polarised-training research really compared, whether the magic is the zone or simply the volume, and what happens if you have eight hours a week instead of twenty.
“You need 90–120 g of carbs per hour.”
Fueling advice went from 60 g to 120 g in a few years. We'll trace where those numbers come from, what they were tested on, and where the ground gets soft and the gel marketing starts.
“Aero socks are worth 8 watts.”
Tunnel numbers are real numbers — but they come with a yaw angle, a speed and a rider position attached. We'll check what survives when those assumptions meet your actual ride.
“Caffeine is the most reliable legal boost there is.”
Probably the best-backed thing in the sport — which makes it a good test of our own method. How big is the effect really, does habituation kill it, and does the dose on the label make sense?
“Your wearable knows when you're recovered.”
Readiness scores turn a noisy overnight measurement into a confident-looking number. We'll check whether those scores predict anything about your next session — and what they can't see.
“Train fasted to teach your body to burn fat.”
Fat oxidation does shift. Whether that shift makes you faster on race day is a different question — and the one that usually gets skipped.
“A wetsuit makes everyone faster.”
Buoyancy helps — but how much depends on your body composition and stroke. The interesting part is who gains most, and who barely gains at all.
“Beetroot juice buys you free watts.”
Nitrate supplements have a real mechanism and a pile of small trials. We'll see whether it still holds up once you're properly fit — the group that keeps shrinking it.
“Cold plunges speed up your recovery.”
Through the performance lens only: does the ice bath get you ready for tomorrow's session — and does it cost you some of today's training adaptation?
“Heat training is the poor man's altitude camp.”
A promising protocol with a plausible mechanism and a small thin backing. Exactly the kind of promise that deserves a careful reading before it becomes gospel.
“Ketone drinks cut your recovery time.”
Expensive, popular in the pro peloton, and backed by a surprisingly thin set of tests. We'll lay out what's actually been measured.
“180 steps per minute is the optimal cadence.”
One observation at one Olympic final turned into a universal rule. We'll check what cadence research says about economy and injury — and whether one number can fit every runner.
“Lower tyre pressure is faster.”
Rolling resistance on smooth rollers and rolling resistance on real roads are different animals. We'll check where the crossover point actually sits.
“Brick workouts are essential.”
Nearly every triathlon plan includes them. We'll look at whether the run-off-the-bike adaptation is trainable, and how much of it is habit.
“Paddles build swim-specific strength.”
Or do they mostly change your stroke mechanics — and your shoulder load? We'll see what the pool testing actually found.
“Poles save you energy on the climbs.”
They shift work to your upper body — but "shifting" isn't the same as "saving". We'll look at the energy-cost testing and where poles pay off over a long day.
“You can train your gut for ultra fueling.”
Gut training is one of the more plausible ideas in endurance nutrition. We'll see how well it holds up outside the lab, and how long the adaptation lasts.
“Altitude tents work at home.”
Live-high-train-low holds up reasonably well in its original form. A tent in your bedroom is a much weaker version of that dose — we'll check what's left.
“Sleep is the best legal performance enhancer.”
The claim nobody sells you anything for — which is exactly why it's worth checking properly. How big is the effect of sleep extension, really?
Nothing in that corner yet — but there's plenty on the list that applies to every endurance athlete.
The list isn't fixed. If there's a promise you keep hearing and nobody ever looks into properly, tell us on X — the ones that keep coming back move up.
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