Brain Power: Overcoming Brain Fog and Fatigue with Katherine Boere

If you’ve ever felt mentally foggy or struggled with decision-making during or after a long training session, this episode is for you.Dr. Sara Gross and Dr. Erin Ayala sit down with Katherine Boere, a Ph.D. candidate in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Victoria, whose research explores how the brain recovers from cognitive depletion—especially under the demands of endurance sports.With a background in biomedical engineering and personal experience recovering from brain injury, Katherine brings a unique lens to how physical exertion impacts cognitive resilience, decision-making, and mental recovery.Her research shows:The real cognitive toll of fatigue—particularly in high-performance environments How low energy availability affects brain function, especially in female endurance athletes Why fueling and hydration are essential for mental performance, not just physical outputThe cognitive benefits of outdoor exercise over indoor settingsHow mindfulness and decision delegation can reduce mental strain during training and racingSimple, everyday strategies to support brain health and cognitive recoveryWhether you're an athlete, coach, or someone curious about boosting brain performance, this conversation offers research-backed strategies you can use right away.Join us at Feisty Fest - September 18-20th, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performanceVisit the Feisty website at https://feisty.co/ for info on all of our events and podcastsSupport our Partners:Use code PERFORMANCE for 20% off at http://cozyearth.comMomentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first orderWahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByRTifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/