081: Zach Bitter – What a World Record Breaking Ultra Runner Eats

Episode #081
What a World Record Breaking Ultra Runner Eats

Have you ever wondered what an ultra runner eats to stay fueled for 50-100+ miles? We talked to world record-breaking endurance athlete Zach Bitter to answer that question and more. Tune in now!

Guest

Zach Bitter

When things are going well, the difference between having a great day and a solid day is I can push past those weird little things like, ‘Oh my quads are hurting’. Share on X

He’s a world and American record holding endurance athlete with three National Champion wins and three Team USA World 100km wins under his belt.

And his next 100+ mile race is just a few months away.

To say Zach Bitter is an amazing human is an understatement.

As I mention in this episode where we chat about the fuel and mindset needed to run 50-100+ miles, Zach is at the peak of his game and he’s an absolute animal.

He has no problem running for 12 straight hours on a track.

So how does he do it?

You’ll find out in this episode.

We dive into that plus how Zach used to fuel with a high-carb diet, why he switched, what he does now, and the results he’s seen since doing so.

You’ll also learn more about what it takes to keep your mind going through an ultra long race and what Zach uses for fuel during one. 

When I switched to a high-fat diet, I started sleeping through the night consistently. Share on X

For those that don’t know Zach, on top of everything I mentioned earlier, Zach is also a coach and public speaker with over 50k social media followers.

He’s made it his mission to find his limitations and help others find theirs.


When you tune in, you’ll hear all about

  • Zach Bitter’s background and how he started running and eventually switched to doing ultra runs of 50-100 miles or more
  • What is an ultra run?
  • The sweet spot in miles he prefers to run each week
  • How many miles Zach averages each year
  • If you can run a marathon, can you run 50+ miles or more?
  • The tools Zach used to get better at running
  • How Zach felt through the transition from high-carb to high-fat
  • Why Zach first considered trying a high-fat diet
  • The biggest change Zach noticed when he switched his diet
  • What Zach’s routine and pre-race nutrition looked like when he was high-carb and what that looks like now
  • How his race fueling changed from high-carb to low-carb
  • The stages of Zach’s nutrition and where he sits now
  • Zach also shares whether or not he trains everyday
  • How he gets through an ultra-distance run
  • Did Zach know he was about to break the world record?
  • Where Zach is headed to next and what he’s training for
  • How many miles Zach ran before he could run 100
  • Here’s what else Zach focuses on aside from nutrition

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