How Ultrarunner David Roche Uses Science to Break Records

Greetings!David Roche is a decorated trail runner, coach, and co-founder of SWAP Running. He's a two-time national champion and a three-time Team USA member, and he recently set the course record at the Leadville 100 trail run with a time of 15 hours, 26 minutes, 34 seconds.David and his wife, Megan Roche, M.D., offer coaching that blends science, training theory, and a philosophy of joy and long-term growth for all athletes. Megan just launched a website—Huzzah—“to empower female endurance athletes by providing accessible sports science knowledge and fostering a love for sport through content, insights, and scholarships, with a focus on supporting overall health, education, and competitive edge.”I’ve become a bit obsessed with how David thinks about running and how invested he and Megan are in reading and implementing the science of training and racing. So I needed to nerd out with him on some topics.In this interview, I picked David’s mind about his scientific approach to training, and we detail several of the training practices he used in his buildup to the race, including:Sodium bicarbonateDownhill runningHigh-carb fuelingSuper shoesPost-exercise exogenous ketonesHeat training/hot water immersionCaffeineHeart rate zonesAnd more!Relevant linksFor more details about David and SWAP Running, visit their About Us pageFollow David on X @MountainRocheWatch the documentary about David’s record: Leadville 100 Ultramarathon & David Roche's Run for The Impossible Record This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.physiologicallyspeaking.com/subscribe