The Insolvent Athlete: Why "Normal" Iron Levels Lead to Cellular Shutdown in the Long Sprint

In high-performance athletics, being "Normal" is a state of active failure. I use the term "Insolvent" because it is the scientific-adjacent reality for many athletes; quite simply, they are "biochemically broke." The 400m/800m is a financial problem—you have a specific "Oxygen Currency" required to finish the race. When your labs fall into the "Normal" trap (Ferritin 20-30 ng/mL), your body's internal auditor, the mTOR pathway, detects a deficit and shuts down the engine. This paper explores the logistics of moving from Insolvency to Optimization.

How to Prevent Bone Stress Injuries (BSI): The Role of Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin D in Stress Fractures

Stop treating bone stress injuries as just a fueling problem. If you’re eating enough but still breaking, you have a Logistics Problem. Learn how the 'Iron Gatekeeper' (Hepcidin) and nutrient timing—like taking Calcium in the morning and Iron at bedtime—can finally open the gates to successful bone remodeling and optimal athletic performance.

The Silent Thief of Performance - Ferritin Deficiency

Summary: Biology (menses), Impact (hard foot strike), and Clinical Ignorance (normal lab range). Longitudinal Case Study: from 1992 - 2026. First blooddraw ferritin level of 6. Last blooddraw 153. This paper explores the disparity between clinical 'Normal' and athletic 'Optimal' iron levels. Through the case study of a female elite runner, we demonstrate that a targeted nighttime iron protocol can move an athlete from a state of chronic deficiency (Ferritin 6) to elite saturation (Ferritin 153), resulting in a 15.5 g/dL Hemoglobin and a 46.2% Hematocrit. We conclude that for the female runner, Ferritin is the primary ergogenic lever, and its mismanagement by the medical community represents a significant barrier to performance and health.

Case Study: Does Urolithin A improve cellular energy, muscle strength & endurance in an elite masters middle distance runner?

Having a healthy supply of mitochondria could go a long way to improving both strength & endurance.

Why wear a 2 piece race kit?

Le't’s talk about 2 piece race kits, core body temperature & wearing what makes you comfortable.

The Simple, Yet Effective Practice of Strides

If you want to get faster or just have more fun with your running, you should add strides into your weekly training!

Are You Feeling Tired?

Back in October I shared a valuable blog article going through the many nutrients that are essential to running performance. Two of those nutrients stand out above all others and the ones that are so easy to remedy. A simple blood draw checking for serum ferritin & vitamin d are easy in ruling out deficiency that are common when runners experience fatigue. Most often deficiency in both are found together.