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Join Coaches Leif Godberson and Nikki Larochelle for our September installment of Ask Evoke, where they answer training questions submitted by members of the Evoke Endurance community. To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:21 Carb loading and cramping 00:05:48 Training without a heart-rate monitor 00:13:45 Minimum volume to maintain uphill running fitness 00:20:01 Tracking downhill running capacity 00:28:47 Training for an objective with no specific date  00:34:51 Importance of a long training day weekly 00:41:23 Structuring maintenance training between objectives 00:45:45 Training prescriptions for double thresholds 00:55:27 Training a one-arm pull-up

Join Coaches Andy Reed and Kylee Toth for our August installment of Ask Evoke, where they answer training questions submitted by members of the Evoke Endurance community. To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:53 Role of plyometrics training in ultra-running 00:05:18 Improving down-hill resilience  00:12:22 Scheduling around an inter-block break from training 00:15:14 Evoke methodology relevant to cycling  00:22:25 Aerobic deficiency and adding weight  00:24:55 Chronic Training Load’s relationship to volume 00:28:25 Favorite workouts 00:29:40 Pre-race capstone runs  00:34:20 Back-to-back long runs  00:36:57 Utilizing zone 1 for fast athletes 00:38:30 An elite’s staple workouts for 100 mile runs 00:43:38 Improving at running hills  00:46:36 Beginner tips for improving aerobic capacity 00:48:05 Day-to-day heart rate & RPE variation   00:53:12 LT1 speed vs LT2 speed  00:53:55 Training muscular endurance on Zwift 00:54:48 Mitochondrial function 00:55:39 Thoughts on stretching 00:59:45 Muscular endurance benefits for flats 01:01:10 Rucking in zone 2 01:02:02 Choosing specific races 01:03:57 Thoughts on agility  01:05:15 ME training and tapering 01:08:07 Recent Tour de France outcomes 01:12:31 Tempo vs. threshold training for ultras 01:16:19 Strength training for marathons 01:22:18 Outro and thanks

Join coach Larry Goldie for a conversation with Jam McManus. Jam is a high-altitude mountaineer who recently summited Lhotse without the use of supplemental oxygen, making him the first Irish person to do so. He has now set his sights on becoming the first Irish person to climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, in 2027. Earth’s Edge Guides: https://earths-edge.com To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:25 Jam’s early experiences with climbing   00:10:50 First experiences climbing in the Himalayas 00:12:36 First no oxygen 8000 meter peak attempts 00:15:14 Lessons learned from climbing without supplemental oxygen 00:24:34 How being above 8000 meters without oxygen feels 00:34:23 History of altitude exposure quickens later acclimatizations 00:41:22 Attempting Lhoste instead of Makalu in 2026 00:44:35 Jam’s training and preparation for Lhotse 00:52:20 Mental training 00:58:34 Risk calculations while guiding 01:03:15 Learning from failure 01:06:11 Big picture lessons from climbing and training 01:11:43 Outro and thanks

Join Coaches Maya Seckinger and Seth Keena for our July installment of Ask Evoke, where they answer training questions submitted by members of the Evoke Endurance community. To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:34 Tracking and qualifying fatigue 00:09:44 Improving aerobic base with limited training time 00:11:30 Managing down-hill volume 00:14:46 Does zone 1 training create a positive training stimulus 00:18:19 Training down-hills for a specific race 00:19:27 Aging well 00:20:05 Intensity runs during a base phase 00:22:42 Training zone 2 & intensity in the same day 00:25:03 Best trail running home towns 00:27:01 Using stair climber machines for aerobic base work 00:28:50 Usefulness of nose breathing vs. MAF 00:32:19 VO2 max vs. lactate threshold for predicting performance above 8k meters 00:36:06 Increasing durability and fatigue resistance for a 59 year old 00:39:00 Finding down-hill race pace & tactics 00:42:39 Key to aerobic base training 00:43:48 Speed during aerobic base work 00:44:57 Managing training load for both mountain biking and running  00:47:25 Physical preparation for a professional guide exam 00:52:55 Using TrainingPeaks training stress metrics 00:56:41 Outro and thanks

Join Coaches Scott Johnston and Vince Paikowski for a deep dive on strength training for the endurance athlete, with an emphasis on muscular endurance training. See episode guide for topics covered.  Learn more about muscular endurance: https://evokeendurance.com/resources/muscular-endurance-all-you-need-to-know/ To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:42 Vince’s discovery of the importance of strength training 00:03:23 Evoke’s applied methodology 00:05:09 Discovery of the effectiveness of muscular endurance 00:11:25 Science is downstream of anecdotal evidence 00:18:22 Indicators of poor muscular endurance 00:22:23 Definition of terms: strength; power; muscular endurance 00:26:08 Applications of muscular endurance 00:29:11 How strong is strong enough? 00:42:26 Specificity and muscular recruitment  00:50:40 Muscular endurance is not the end state, specificity is  00:59:40 Muscle fiber types and the physiological ‘dimmer switch’ 01:13:47 What is missing from an individual athlete’s training? 01:19:57 Training tools and use-cases 01:24:27 Muscular endurance training methods 01:36:06 Perceptive cues common to muscular endurance stimulus  01:45:45 Conflating elite athletes' recent training with event success 01:58:03 Final Thoughts

Join Coach Scott Johnston for a conversation with Paul Booth, who works alongside Scott as a Performance Nutritionist on the teams of 2025 UTMB 1st-place finishers Tom Evans and Ruth Croft. In this discussion, they explore how metabolic processes are measured in the lab, and look at the latest research on carbohydrate fueling and fat utilization in ultra runners. See episode guide for topics covered.  To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:27 Can metabolism be measured through calorimetry? 00:04:31 Are VO2 Max tests capable of measuring metabolic equilibrium? 00:10:57 Applying lab derived energy usage to variable terrain 00:16:58 Recent study of carbohydrate utilization in ultra running 00:31:34 Does carbohydrate introduction shift substrate utilization? 00:33:22 Is high carbohydrate intake inhibiting fat utilization? 00:42:43 Fat utilization vs. carbs during races 00:46:01 Does high carbohydrate intake cause carbohydrate dependence? 00:53:32 Pitfalls of reliance on widely available metabolic testing machines 01:03:27 Tips for feeding between and during runs 01:16:16 Final thoughts

Join Coaches Maya Seckinger and Nikki Larochelle for our April installment of Ask Evoke, where they answer training questions submitted by members of the Evoke Endurance community. To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:58 Time in zone 2 vs. even more time in Z1/low-Z2 00:10:27 Training while raising children 00:13:38 Optimal heart rate zone range for a long hike 00:15:56 Training during transition periods between seasonal events 00:19:48 Is there an upper limit for high-volume days? 00:23:28 General advice for pacing a first 50k race 00:30:57 General signs of fatigue vs. fitness improvements 00:34:30 Integrating aerobic base work as a tri-athlete  00:36:34 How attentive to heart rate spikes does a beginner athlete need to be? 00:40:50 Recovering from over training and overcoming aerobic deficiency  00:46:50 Outro and thanks

Join coach Leif Whittaker and his guest, Garrett Madison, as they take you through the step-by-step process of climbing Mt. Everest, and Lhotse. As the founder of Madison Mountaineering, Garrett has guided hundreds of clients on the world's biggest peaks, and is one of the most experienced high-altitude guides on the planet. To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Learn More about Garrett and Madison Mountaineering: https://www.instagram.com/madisonmtng/ https://madisonmountaineering.com/ Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:55 Garrett’s nineteenth expedition to Everest 00:06:46 Selecting a guide service/climber’s personal resume 00:20:38 Training and preparation 00:28:51 Arrival to Katmandu and acclimatization trek to basecamp 00:35:15 Altitude simulators for preacclimatization/staying healthy 00:49:52 Basecamp and technical review 00:54:32 First Rotation: Through the Khumbu ice fall to Camp III 01:05:44 Summit rotation 01:15:22 Final summit push 01:23:15 Summit attempt, and descent 01:31:47 Camp IV to Lhotse summit push and back to Camp II 01:41:41 Back to Basecamp 01:42:14 Final thoughts

Join Coaches John Frieh and Leif Godberson for our February installment of Ask Evoke, where they answer training questions submitted by members of the Evoke Endurance community. To submit your own training questions, or if you would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, visit our Reddit forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/, or contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:13 Possible limitations to heart rate drift tests 00:05:31 Should a drift test be performed when fatigued or fresh? 00:07:17 Best protocol for determining ventilatory thresholds? 00:12:15 Optimal weekly aerobic base training duration? 00:16:17 Altering Evoke’s stock mountaineering plan for a busy schedule 00:20:13 How do other sports fit into a yearly endurance training plan? 00:26:34 Blending martial arts with endurance training? 00:29:43 Training for fire fighting and endurance sports? 00:35:21 Balancing ultra marathons and mountaineering objectives 00:39:58 Training for fast and light alpinism 00:53:19 Modulating stair climber training in Evoke’s stock plans 00:56:16 Is heart rate important for recovery workouts? 00:57:11 Outro and thanks

Join Coaches Leif Godberson and Seth Keena for our January installment of Ask Evoke, where they answer training questions submitted by members of the Evoke Endurance community. To submit your own training questions, or if would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:39 Moving from WI4 to WI5 00:07:49 Differences in training between uphill touring and ice climbing 00:12:30 Thoughts on stretching  00:16:31 Improving movement efficiency below aerobic threshold 00:21:47 Downhill vs Uphill legs for skiing 00:25:09 Training for FKTs with 4th and 5th class terrain 00:39:00 Training downhill running for ultras 00:45:51 Outro and thanks

Join coach Larry Goldie for a conversation with Dr. Sue Goldie. Sue is a triathlete, Harvard professor, and public health researcher. In 2021, Sue was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Since her diagnosis, she has continued to compete in Ironman triathlons while maintaining her academic and research career and raising public awareness for those living with Parkinson’s.  To submit your own training questions, or if would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, contact us here. Learn more about Sue in the links below: Sue is working on education initiatives with the Davis Phinney Foundation - https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/ New York Times Article About Sue: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/13/us/sue-goldie-parkinsons.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2U8.Fsoa.l7nSqV4lLyrR&smid=url-share Sue’s Bio: https://hsph.harvard.edu/profile/sue-goldie/ GHELI (Global Health Education Learning Incubator): https://gheli.harvard.edu/ CHDS (Center for health decision science): https://chds.hsph.harvard.edu/ NPR Interview with John Branch: https://www.npr.org/2025/10/18/nx-s1-5575741/for-four-years-she-hid-her-parkinsons-diagnosis-then-she-let-a-reporter-follow-her-journey Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:02 Sue’s early experiences in endurance sports 00:19:57 Sue’s Parkinson’s diagnosis 00:24:44 Modifying training after Parkinson’s diagnosis 00:29:14 Learning to train with Parkinson’s  00:36:08 Training for injury prevention 00:39:08 Tracking medication efficacy while training 00:43:02 Sue’s unique challenges during race transitions  00:48:17 Tips for fitting training into a busy lifestyle  00:54:44 Sue’s partnership with her coach 01:01:34 Experiences racing and embracing the ‘pain cave’ 01:10:44 Facing danger and the life lesson it gives 01:11:44 Broader understanding of Parkinson’s and Sue’s future projects 01:19:05 What’s next for Sue

Join Coaches Maya Seckinger and Mark Postle for our October installment of Ask Evoke, where they answer training questions submitted by members of the Evoke Endurance community. To submit your own training questions, or if would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:06 Key differences between weighted hikes and gym-based muscular endurance 00:06:21 Training for an 85k running race while cycling primarily  00:11:30 Increase ability to run uphill late in a run 00:15:08 Stair master or stairwell for vertical gain accumulation 00:19:08 Most efficient way to build aerobic base 00:25:06 Methods for adding weekend volume for a time-constrained athlete  00:30:54 When does flat speed work outweigh uphill tempo? 00:36:08 Acute muscle stiffness and soreness after stairs  00:39:12 Muscular endurance substitutions for zone 4?  00:45:18 Recommended threshold work and muscular endurance for VK race 00:49:05 Is considerable DOMS normal after a muscular endurance session? 00:53:11 Do heart rate zones matter for strength training?  00:54:49 Book recommendations  00:59:51 Stretching recommendations  01:01:13 Best ways to learn about training for sport?  01:03:16 Pros, benefits, and cons of VO2 max intervals 01:08:34 Upper body muscular endurance training for cross-country skiing? 01:11:25 Final Thoughts

Join Evoke Coach Seth Keena for an interview with Seb Pelletti, and Ethan Berman to discuss their recent first ascent of Shooting The Moon, on the South East Pillar of Ultar Sar, located in the Karakoram range of the Himalaya, in Pakistan. See Episode Guide for topics covered. To submit your own training questions, or if would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:01 Hunza Region Overview 00:04:23 History of the South East Pillar 00:09:04 2024 South Pillar attempt 00:26:36 Background of the team 00:36:09 Ethan's first formalized training 00:42:47 Seb's training and preparation 00:48:07 Unique physical demands of South East Pillar 01:01:15 Specific aspects of mental and physical training 01:09:07 The team's muscular endurance training 01:22:11 Improvement aspects for the future 01:34:12 The naming of Shoot The Moon 01:35:56 Final Thoughts

Join Coach Scott Johnston for a conversation with Joseph Mestrallet, who works alongside Scott on the team of 2025 UTMB 1st-place finishers Tom Evans and Ruth Croft as a data analyst for running performance metrics. In this discussion, they explore the pacing strategies and analytical tools used for Tom and Ruth, and how Joseph’s experience both as a runner and a mathematician provide a unique skill set to approach the pacing challenges of ultra-distance races. See episode guide for topics covered.  Joseph’s company, Enduraw Performance Science: https://enduraw-data.com/ To submit your own training questions, or if would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:49 Joseph’s background 00:03:58 About Enduraw 00:08:57 Emergence of data-driven performance 00:14:34 Applying data analysis 00:22:45 “Digital Twin” data modeling 00:30:19 Ruth Croft’s 2024 UTMB pacing 00:38:03 Using grade-adjusted pace 00:49:34 Tools for amateur and elite runners alike 01:01:42 Data + training builds confidence 01:09:19 Final thoughts

Join Coach Scott Johnston for a conversation with Paul Booth, who works alongside Scott as a Performance Nutritionist on the teams of 2025 UTMB 1st-place finishers Tom Evans and Ruth Croft. In this discussion, they explore the fueling strategies and testing used for Tom and Ruth, examine how nutrition influenced their UTMB performances, and share tips and strategies for amateur and elite runners alike. See episode guide for topics covered.  To submit your own training questions, or if would like to learn more about the Evoke Endurance community, contact us here. Episode Guide 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:39 Paul’s experience and educational background 00:04:57 Testing for and optimizing fueling strategies 00:14:57 Causes of GI upset 00:17:11 Effects of dehydration 00:19:29 Strategies for training your gut  00:20:99 Fueling for running vs. cycling 00:28:38 Fat for fueling and fat adaptation 00:38:48 Glycogen depletion stimulus strategies 00:45:05 Pre-race gut training 00:46:59 Nutrition should support training load 00:49:54 Paul’s thoughts on Kilian Jornet’s fueling strategies 00:52:02 Work capacity of world-class athletes 00:59:40 Respiratory Exchange Rate explained 01:01:58 Carbon-13 isotope testing for measuring carbohydrate metabolism 01:10:44 The gamble of fueling and training approaches 01:16:20 Model for the future of trail running 01:18:09 Final thoughts