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As 2025 winds down, Gareth, Mike and Ross reunite to look back on a packed and fascinating year in sport and sports science in a bumper Year-end show!
We pick through the highs and lows, heroes and villains, innovations and failures, revisiting the moments and stories that stood out — and those we’d rather forget. Along the way, we debate the best athletes, the greatest achievements, the biggest let-downs, and our own favourite podcasts and sports science stories of the year.
We rarely agree on our picks, but through lively discussion, our definitive, decisive, utterly unmissable and questionably authoritative show brings insight, perspective and (occasionally) clarity to the world of sport in 2025!
If you have enjoyed 2025 along with us, and want to show your support, you can become a Member of our Science of Sport Supporters Club by making a small monthly pledge at Patreon - think of it as buying us a cup of coffee once a month. You also get access to Discourse where you can read, or engage, with fellow listeners and point out all the great sporting achievements we missed this year!
Happy holidays, and see you all in 2026!
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The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is the body established to oversee drug testing and other integrity issues within the sport of athletics and road running around the world.. Established in 2017 in response to the deepening credibility crises within International Amateur Athletic Federation (now World Athletics) doping processes, the AIU is an independent body designed to oversee drug testing among the top tier in the sport. Brett Clothier is the current head of the AIU and, in this wide-ranging interview, explains the mandate and jurisdiction of the AIU, how doping cases are investigated, how testing is done and why the recent increase in Kenyan positives is a good thing.
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Show notes
Today, we focus on three news pieces from last week that reminded us of other stories we covered during 2025. The first two concern weight loss and management in elite sport, beginning with a look at the GLP-1 agonist issue (28:27). This was triggered by reports in the UK advising people that they must continue to exercise, specifically weight train, in order to combat the loss of lean mass that has been observed on the drug, which some have equated with aging a decade. Elite sport, meanwhile, will have to consider whether to ban such drugs as potentially performance-enhancing or harmful.
On the subject of harm, we stay on weight issues to discuss RED-s (40:10), in the light of a remarkable and candid announcement by elite cyclist Veronica Ewers that she's taking time away from the sport to address issues that she explains go back over a decade. Her story highlights all the traps - control and thoughtfulness about discipline, obsession over measurement and gadgets, disordered eating, intense training, positive validation in competitive environments, the remarkable ability of the body to tolerate this punishment, but ultimately, the sacrifice of health in a misplaced pursuit of performance. We talk about the lessons we can all learn, thinking back to Pauline Ferrand-Prevot's victory in the TDFF, which was a success story for weight periodization.
We also cover precocious talent, after a three-year old Indian prodigy earned a chess ranking (1:00:40). That reminded us of Malcolm Gladwell's "compression of adolescence" concept, and we talk about the inefficiencies sport accepts in its pursuit of the next champion, highlighted numerous times this year, with the realization that the system is broken and won't be fixed unless there is a collective will be fix it.
Also in this show, a more light-hearted look at the Football and Rugby World Cup draws (2:54) has us bemoaning the dilution of quality and the dearth of competitive matches early in those tournaments. And we chat about a super-fast Valencia marathon (10:43), that threw up fast winning times and nine national records, leading to a chat about globalization of the sport, the dominance of African runners, the slowest marathon nations (with some reasons), and the density of men's and women's top performers.
Plus Gareth remembers that Curacao is both a drink and World Cup finalist, and Ross defends Ghana's football honour!
Other links
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Show notes
Today on the Spotlight, we kick off with a chat about whether your running shoes are causing injuries (4:24). This, after a former elite runner has sued Nike for an injury she claims was the result of running in carbon fiber plated footwear. Ross and Gareth talk about the complexity of running injuries, why proving a single cause is a near-impossible task, but why the claim is not necessarily a total no-hoper, given what we know about injury and these particular shoes. We look back at some precedents, sort of, where shoe companies have settled after claims, but with some very important subtle differences.
We then shift to Track and Field for a pair of stories (32:29). World Athletics crowned their Athletes of the Year this week, with Mondo Duplantis and Sydeny McLaughlin-Levrone taking the overall honours. We throw some praise Mondo's way, and not because he's virtually unbeatable and playing with the World Record. We also discuss Grand Slam Track, which is surely in its final days after the depth of its latest financial hole were announced, and Track and Field Athletics, whose supposed demise may have been greatly exaggerated (37:23)
We finish with a couple of contact sports stories. Ross co-authored a paper he thinks could transform how Rugby Union handles contact training to minimize head impacts (47:40). And we spotlight listener Petulant Skeptic, whose insights on infections and hand-washing in hospitals shed light on Guardian caps and reducing concussion risk (58:39).
Oh, And Finally, Ross has a tale about a mattress that will do things you simply won't believe. Or at least, you shouldn't!
Links to some articles
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07:35 - XC at the Winter Games?
17:40 - UK Athletics and the cost of FACT
22:35 - Mediocre Male Beats Strong Women
29:55 - Do Guardian Caps work?
39:55 - And Finally - Fine margins in sport & 2 day tests
Show notes
Today on Spotlight, a news show that begins with a brief look at our recent interview with Travis Tygart, the USADA CEO. Gareth raises an interesting question about USADA's partnership with its athletes and perceived impartiality, and Ross reflects on some of Tygart's strong views.
Sebastian Coe is trying to get Cross Country running into the Winter Olympics. It's not on snow or ice, so the Winter Games family are not all that enthusiastic. It would bring new nations to the medal table, but where should the Games draw the line at expansion?
Then it's on to some news from the always controversial world of sex in sport. UK Athletics have encouraged all their female athletes to get the SRY screen done to ensure eligibility for women's sport. A good step, but one that comes at a financial cost to the athlete.
it's a cost that many would consider worth incurring to protect women's sport, as demonstrated by this week's controversial victory, and then disqualification, of a male in the World's Strongest Woman event in Texas. We pick up on some views expressed by listeners to discuss the relevance of this story, and how Official Strongman, the organization in charge, reacted swiftly and decisively to correct the wrong.
Onto the NFL next, for a brief chat about Guardian caps. Promoted as reducing concussion risk by 50%, these soft-shell devices don't appear to have a plausible mechanism by which work, based on recent published research. This leads us to talk about the dilemma faced by sports authorities, who often throw everything they think works at the problem, but can't do robust, quality science to know what might, or might not, be working
And finally, we speak about the tiny margins between success and failure, sliding doors moments in sport, and take a brief look at why Test cricket just isn't what it used to be!
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Travis T. Tygart is one of the most outspoken and controversial figures in anti-doping. As the Chief Executive Officer of USADA (the United States Anti-Doping Agency), Tygart has played a significant role in bringing athletes like Lance Armstrong to book, worked alongside federal authorities to investigate the international steroid bust during Operation Raw Deal and uncovered the international doping conspiracy involving the BALCO laboratory in San Francisco. Tygart also led the investigation into the U.S. Postal Service pro-cycling team doping conspiracy and spearheaded the publication of the Reasoned Decision in the Armstrong case. Tygart has also led the international effort to advocate for justice and reform in the aftermath of the Russian state-sponsored doping scheme. Tygart has worked for USADA for over 22 years, and his ongoing war of words with WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) has frequently been reported in international media.
In this wide-ranging interview, Tygart breaks down USADA's role in policing doping offenders in the United States and around the world, and explains how the US anti-doping system works and differs from those of other countries. Tygart also explains how the passing of the US's Rodchenkov Act - which grants broader powers to anti-doping officials - has been a game-changer, how doping investigations are handled, why WADA is not doing enough to fight the good fight and why it also needs to re-examine the levels at which some drugs are measured to ensure that innocent athletes are not caught up in the net.
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In this Spotlight, we pick out some of the sports science topics that our listeners are sharing in our Discourse community.
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(00:00) We begin with a look at some of the reaction to our most recent podcast on Endurance, and the Central Governor. Listener reaction and accounts of their experiences stimulate conversations about the hostilities and fights in academia, the difference between "belief" and "knowledge", failures of pacing leading to heat stroke, and how to recover from a pacing mistake when it happens in your races and training. We also learn about how physiology, for many years, views performance through a 'failure' lens, rather than regulation, and what this means for how we understand training and performance.
(46:09) A new research study has again confirmed that high carbohydrate intake is the way to go, improving our running economy and unlocking potential performance gains similar to those of super shoes. We link pacing and regulation to this paper by pointing out that carbohydrates are not working by delaying fuel depletion, or sparing carbohydrates, but rather changing exercise intensity and our ability to run higher paces for longer.
(57:53) Our Supporters Club have also been sharing thoughts about the challenge of endurance sports in the heat, which affects not only body temperature, but also fuel use (more carbs) and compromises carbohydrate delivery to the muscles. A triple challenge, confirmed by a new study that shows that we tolerate and extract fewer carbs in the heat.
And Finally (1:03:15), Ross is planning his own heat challenges, having entered a mountain bike race in the peak of South Africa's summer. With temperatures expected to soar above 40C, heat adaptation and fuelling will be tested, and he discusses his general approach and promises to share more in the coming weeks!
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Show notes
A midweek whip around the world of sport, with some sports science and management insights on stories making headlines this week. We cover:
Other links
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In today's show, we run the Spotlight over news stories from the past week, including:
Links
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Endurance has been one of the most hotly debated topics in sports science for over three decades. From early research in the 1930s to the ground-breaking 1996 address by Prof. Tim Noakes to the American College of Sports Medicine, understanding the principles of what keeps the body going during prolonged exercise is more complex than you think. In this episode, Mike and Ross take a look back at the often controversial history, Ross's own research journey and experience with Noakes and find out if it really is possible to push beyond our own endurance limits.
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SHOW NOTES
Tim Noakes' original JB Wolffe Lecture, that kicked it all off in 1996
The response by Bassett & Howley
Tim’s response to that rebuttal
By 2000, Noakes’ thinking had evolved, and he presented models for fatigue, published here
A paper by St Clair Gibson and Noakes on fatigue as a way to avoid “catastrophe"
The final chapter on Anticipatory Regulation in Ross’ PhD Thesis, published as a paper in BJSM
The really cool Amman study of fentanyl and performance
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A Spotlight dedicated to the news, as we split the Spotlight show into a news segment and a science segment. Today is the news segment, which covers:
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Discourse
Support the show by becoming a Patron, which means a monthly pledge that is equal to buying us a cup of coffee! That gets you access to our Discourse community, where listeners share views and tips on sports science, health and training, and the chance to become part of the Sports Science conversation!
Show notes
In this Spotlight, we kick off with three doping stories in Discourse Digest. Ruth Chepngetich got a three year ban, up from two, then down from four, and keeps the marathon world record nobody believes in. We discuss why her case is so frustrating for sport. Imogen Simmonds has been cleared to compete despite an Anti Doping Rule Violation, after she convinced a panel that her positive test was the result of contamination by her partner during intimate contact. And Oier Lazkano has been provisionally suspended by the UCI for athlete biological passport (ABP) abnormalities that date back to 2022. Ross explains the biological passport principles, why a suspension based on the ABP is so rare, and why it might have taken this long to bring the case against Lazkano.
In Centre Stage (42:23), two papers on metabolic costs of exercise were published last week, with contradictory findings. We first explore a paper that proposes a metabolic limit of 2.5 our basal metabolic rate, and where that study fits into our understanding of exercise and metabolism. Then we consider another paper that contradicts that understanding by refuting the idea that our bodies constrain certain metabolic functions when we exercise in the equivalent of what Ross calls 'physiological austerity'. We try to explain why these studies contradict one another, the importance of energy balance in metabolism, and why there's a bit of truth in both models on opposite sides of the issue.
Our Listener Lens (1:10:12) is inspired by a question from Leon, who asks about using heat as a way to increase cardiovascular stress without overloading his legs. We discuss how heat may be beneficial even without that cardiovascular benefit, why HR may not be the best metric to judge intensity against, and how the approach might be a handy hack, but only part of the approach with a few words of caution.
And Finally (1:20:52), Gareth wonders whether the sub-2 hour marathon is more impressive than the sub-11 hour 100 mile record?
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In this week's show, we tackle intriguing physiological questions raised by listeners, explore whether different types of exercise interfere with one another to undermine training benefits, and run the Spotlight across stories from the sports world.
In Digest this week (10:02):
Our Center Stage topic (45:19) is a paper that explores a phenomenon called "the interference effect", where different types of exercise aimed at endurance or power/strength, have been thought to cancel each other out, undermining the adaptations from training. We explain the origins of that theory, and explore why things are not necessarily as simple as they seemed, with some practical advice for all those who like to mix their training types.
In Listener Lens (1:08:33), Ali Robinson showcases what Discourse has to offer, making a fantastic observation about our most recent guest, cyclist Andrew Feather, and his physiological capacity. He introduces us to concepts of anaerobic capacity, or the W prime, and Ross explains how we can all use this concept (runners too!) to understand our performance limits, and design effective interval training sessions, including a challenge to Gareth to test his capacity and design training.
And Finally, we introduce a paper on a metabolic ceiling that limits endurance athletes, with a promise to explore it in a future Spotlight edition
Show notes
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Forty-year-old lawyer Andrew Feather hit the news headlines recently when he 'beat' Tadej Pogacar in an exhibition handicap uphill cycle race. Even though Feather may not have actually ridden the Pogi challenge faster than the world number 1 (he won by three minutes after getting a six minute head start with the rest of the amateur field), his performance was still staggering given that he is an amateur with all the pressures of a full-time job and a family eating into his time. Feather is arguably one of the most celebrated non-professionals in the world and, as a four-time British Hill Climb champion, has the palmares to prove it. In this interview, Feather shares his insights into training, racing and dropping weight when it matters.
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Support us on Discourse
As Gareth mentioned, Discourse is our "sponsorship", our sole source of income. But it's way more than that - it's a community of experts and enthusiasts who share knowledge on everything sports science related. To become part of that, become a Patron of the site and join the conversation
Show notes
This week on Spotlight, we dive DEEP into the world of physiology, pacing, fatigue and the brain. Using some enthralling races from Kona and Chicago at the weekend, and your Discourse questions and comments, we explore how pacing 'errors' happens, and the physiological consequences of those mistakes. We kick off of with our Discourse Digest segment (00:00) and news that Femke Bol will take a swing at the 800m next year. An exciting development, but what will it involve in terms of training and tactics, and what can we expect from the Dutch star?
We then move on to the Chicago Marathon (15:56), won by Jacob Kiplimo, emerging as a real star of the Marathon. His success contained a very specific type of "failure" though, as he was on course to break the World Record right up to 35km, and then...physiology hit. Ross explains how fragile pacing is for elite marathoners, and why physiology collected on its 'loan' for Kiplimo. Another physiological "failure" happened in the Kona Ironman (29:26) where Lucy Charles-Barclay and Taylor Knibb raced so aggressively that they first rode and then ran each other to the point of proverbial physiological destruction. We explore how pacing in the context of a warm day caused those dramatic scenes.
In Centre Stage (44:57), it's all about the carbs. Tim Noakes has a paper arguing that you need only 10g/h of glucose during exercise. He uses his "Central Governor" model to explain how the brain is monitoring and regulating blood glucose level to protect the brain, such that the 90g per hour or more being consumed by elites is wasteful and unnecessary, part of an 'old model'. We don't see it the same way, and Ross explains concepts of regulation of performance by the brain, a subject he did his PhD thesis on. We discuss heat, altitude, and fuel, to unpack how the truth behind fatigue, performance and pacing regulation, unlocking more insight on those pacing implosions in Chicago and Kona.
In Ross Replies (1:06:59), listener Ian asks a great question about using data from a specific test where you lie down then stand up, and use HR to tell you how recovered you are. Ross explains why that test exists, its limitations, and offers tips for how to make more of data, while avoiding some traps.
And Finally (1:21:31), we see again that cycling is allergic to the truth, Gareth learns the truth about NZ Rugby Representation, and we tip our hats to Natalie Grabow.
Links
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Discourse
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Show notes
It's a Bro-Science discussion today, as listener David inspired debate with a post on his epic Zone 2 indoor ride, and got us thinking - how do we spot Bro Science? Is it all bad? What are the alarm bells that should make us cautious, and how can we learn from the experiences and anecdotes of other people while staying credible. That's our Center Stage topic (47:45).
Before that, we whip around the world for a Discourse Digest (1:38) that looks at NCAA 'trafficking' in Kenyan athletes, a win-win, but also maybe a loss for some. We talk Caster Semenya's off-now-on case to fight for inclusion into women's sport, and explore why it's about male advantage, not natural advantage. We also visit rugby, where head impacts and concussions are the focus of a big new study, a new player load guideline, and a link with neurodegenerative diseases in the wake of sad news of Lewis Moody's MND diagnosis.
In Ross Replies (1:05:45), Gareth asks about training when fatigued, inviting discussion about the body's physiological resource budget, and how we spend it on stress as opposed to recovery. Listener Lens (1:11:41) fields another listener question, this time from Gianni, about the importance, or necessity, of breakfast before training. And Finally (1:14:52), Tua Tagavailoa has been advised that to prevent concussions, he needs more carbs. It's an idea detached from both reality and theory, but we discuss how it might have come about, and how ideas without basis become entrenched by unquestioning media and public.
Link
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Show notes
In Spotlight this week, we look back at a packed weekend of sports action and offer insights on the big events. We kick it off with the AFL (1:39), where the Grand Final was played, and where listener Josh sent in an article exploring how the body shape and size of players have evolved over the years. Gareth wonders whether the players adapt to the game, or whether the game adapts to the athleticism of its players, and Ross explains the physiological equivalent of 'form follows function'.
Then we move to Rugby (9:56), where England were crowned World Champions at the weekend, crowing an unbeaten World Cup cycle in which they've averaged 50 points a match and not lost a single match. The final wasn't exactly smooth sailing, and Gareth and Ross share some thoughts on what impressed us, and where Canada may have fallen short, with hopes for continued growth in the game.
From Rugby to cycling for a brief last look back at the Rwanda World Champs (23:10), but where off-bike news in the form of the UCI back-pedal on handlebar widths and other policy changes are the main focus of conversation.
Cycling gives way to golf (38:48), and the Ryder Cup, which looked like a foregone conclusion until it wasn't, and one of the year's great sports spectacles unfolded in New York. We learn how Europe used data analytics and simulations to optimize its foursome and fourball combinations, and wonder when data becomes a hinderance as opposed to a helper in sport?
In response to a spate of serious ACL injuries in the NFL and in football (51:58), Gareth wonders whether something is happening, perhaps related to the training and conditioning of athletes, or the turf, to increase ACL injury risk? Ross is less sure, explaining how rare injuries can throw up misleading 'patterns', compounded by media bias.
We wrap up with some doping stories (55:52), including the CAS decision in the case of Erriyon Knighton, who was initially cleared of doping when he was able to show contamination of an oxtail meal he consumed. But CAS didn't see it the same way, and he got a four year ban because of their interpretation of the pharmacokinetics and the relative levels of the banned substance in the oxtial compared to in his urine. We also go to Kenya, where an athlete admitted not only to taking EPO, but explaining how he obtained it. Whether it's a truthful account is anyone's guess.
And finally (1:03:16), the NFL came to (Dublin) town last weekend, and the juxtaposition of some high profile rugby players and the NFL kicked off a conversation comparing the two sports. We end with a semi lighthearted look at the helmet and pad culture of American Football, and offer thoughts on why rugby's lack of protective equipment doesn't necessarily make it more dangerous.
Links
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The 2025 UCI World Road Cycling Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, delivered plenty of drama and debate, and SOS host Mike Finch was there to witness the action first-hand and ask if this was the best championships of the century. We also have the post-race interviews with the big stars and discuss whether Remco Evenepoel can really upset the two-time World Champion Tadej Pogacar at the upcoming European championships on October 5 and the season-ending Il Lombardia a week later.
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Spotlights are our weekly show that wraps up the news and the topics that you, the listener, are discussing in our VIP Discourse community. To become a member, to join the conversation, learn from the best online sports science community, or simply to show your support for the pod, you can make a small monthly pledge at Patreon.
Show notes
The Spotlight is back! This week, our Discourse Digest kicks off the show with a look back on a hugely successful Rugby World Cup, and a look forward to the weekend's final between England and Canada. Ross picks England by ten, Gareth thinks Canada pull off a heist in the home of English Rugby. Who is your pick?
We also discuss an article by Sean Ingle, that revealed that between 50 and 60 athletes with DSDs had been identified by World Athletics since 2000. Ross explains how these athletes were identified, what they were required to do in order to compete, and why their number supports the introduction of screening of all athletes who enter women's sport.
In Center Stage (29:08) we look back at Tokyo's World Championships one last time. We nominate our best athletes, best performances, biggest surprises, best events, most impressive comebacks, and 'winners and losers' from a championships that we both scored very highly for entertainment and intrigue.
Ross Replies (1:00:26) remains focused on Tokyo, and a question from Neil about the rarity of 400m-800m doubles in elite athletics, and how the 800/1500m combination seems to have been replaced by a 1500m/5000m pairing. Ross discusses the physiological differences, with some fascinating insights on pacing strategies in 800m world records, a limit to how fast the second lap can be run, and how shoes and changes to qualification criteria may have tilted the balance in favour of the 1500m athletes against the track distance specialists.
And Finally (1:12:09), celebrities who run marathons end our show, with a recent impressive Berlin sub-3:00 performance the catalyst. We wonder who the most recognized name is in the world who has run a sub-3 marathon?
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