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Sports & Recreation

The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Mike Finch

World-renowned sports scientist Professor Ross Tucker and veteran sports journalist Mike Finch break down the myths, practices and controversies from the world of sport. From athletics to ru...

Episodes

20 of 361 episodes

Lactate: Fuel or Fiction? / Kona Lessons on Carbs and Pacing / World Rugby Cracks Down on the Hip Drop Tackle

Become a Supporter for less than the price of one lactate gel a month, and get ad-free shows, a members-only Applied show every week, and Di...

1:25:46Oct 22, 2026

How To Raise a Champion in 2026

SHOW NOTES From the evidence on early specialisation to the formula most likely to produce a champion sportsperson, talent specialist Stuart...

1:35:44Oct 19, 2026

Why Did the Kona Ironman Leaders Collapse? Heat, Fuel and Failure / Chicago Marathon’s Underwhelming Fast Times

Become a Supporter for ad-free shows, a members-only Applied show every week (durability, this week), and Discourse, where Ironman collapses...

1:16:02Oct 15, 2026

Should Grand Tours Be Shorter? The UCI's Future of Cycling Report / Can We Believe Tigst Assefa / Are Athletes Asked to Play Too Much?

Become a Supporter for ad-free shows , a members-only Applied episode every week, and Discourse, where Steve Hennings asked one of this week...

1:15:08Oct 8, 2026

Diabetes in Exercise and Sport

Episode guest Dr Ian Gallen is an award-winning Consultant Endocrinologist at Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading. He is a consultant physicia...

1:22:05Oct 5, 2026

Inside the Mind of Jakob Ingebrigtsen: The Guardian's Sean Ingle on Talent, Obsession and a Record-Breaking Track Season

To hear the Ingebrigtsen conversation in this podcast, and every Applied show, become a Supporter. It costs about the price of a coffee a mo...

49:12Oct 2, 2026

Assefa's Achilles "Rupture" and a Near-Miss Marathon World Record / Vollering and McNulty Win the Road Worlds / UCI Crash Data on Road Cycling

Become a Supporter and you'll get Friday's VIP member exclusive half of our Sean Ingle interview on the training and philosophy of Jakob Ing...

1:02:50Sep 30, 2026

How Jakob Ingebrigtsen Was Beaten on the Roads / Why Sprinters Love Altitude and Milers Don't / Pacing the 800m / A 13-Year-Old Asian Games Champion

Become a Supporter for the price of a gel (or half a sachet of lactate ), and get ad-free listening, the weekly Applied show, and Discourse,...

1:29:57Sep 23, 2026

The Athlete's Heart: Can You Really Exercise Too Much?

In a groundbreaking study - commissioned by the British Heart Foundation and published in July 2025 (see details below) - Dr Peter Swoboda l...

1:12:11Sep 22, 2026

Why We Were Born To Run

More than most other species, humans are perfectly adapted to endurance running. We may not be the fastest or strongest, but our ability to...

1:20:24Sep 14, 2026

Ultimate Championship Day 3 Recap / Jefferson-Wooden in 21.47 / Kerr in Control / Dos Santos Delivers / Broadcast Underperformances

Our members are picking this apart on Discourse right now, and not always kindly! Join them for the price of a coffee a month, with ad-free...

1:01:40Sep 14, 2026

Ultimate Championship Day 2 Recap / Kebinatshipi's 43.39 with a New Race Plan / Werro Controls the 800m to Cap a Dominant Season

Join us for the last night! Our members watch live together on Discord and pull it apart on Discourse afterwards, all for the price of a cof...

56:05Sep 13, 2026

Ultimate Championship Day 1 Recap / Ingebrigtsen Reigns Supreme / Masai Russell's World Record Season

Watch it with us! Our members call the races live on Discord, and a small monthly pledge gets you the community and a bonus Applied show eve...

1:07:02Sep 12, 2026

Incentives, Toxic Cultures and Doping in School Sport / “Cowards” and “Losers” on Track / It’s Too Damn Hot at the Vuelta

Become a Supporter and the Applied show lands in your feed every week , plus Discourse, where two of this week's arguments are already runni...

1:26:10Sep 9, 2026

Two World Records in Zurich: Alison dos Santos and Masai Russell / Femke Bol's Fascinating 800m Transition / Cycling We Haven’t Seen for Ten Years in The Vuelta

Become a Supporter of the podcast, for the price of a coffee ! You'll get ad-free listens, and our exclusive Applied show, including our upc...

1:19:31Sep 2, 2026

Inside The World of Sports Broadcasting

Briton Tony Davies has pretty much seen it all when it comes to television sport broadcasting. With over 20 years' experience in broadcast T...

1:33:22Aug 24, 2026

How can a 10,000m Runner Outsprint an 800m Runner? / Werro tops Hodgkinson, Again / Ansah's Missed Doping Test / Swimming World Record Watch

Not yet a member? Ad-free listening, the Discourse community, and a members' show every week, all for less than you spend on gels . Show not...

1:17:40Aug 19, 2026

The Science-Backed Truth About Peptides

Everywhere you look people are talking about peptides. But what exactly are they, how do they work and how safe are they for human consumpti...

1:20:33Aug 17, 2026

Kasia Niewiadoma's Mont Ventoux Masterclass / The Physiology of Losing a Yellow Jersey / A Doping Ban That Fits a Familiar Pattern

Become a Supporter of The Science of Sport for about the price of a coffee, or a gel, and help us keep the lights on, and Gareth's candle bu...

1:23:19Aug 12, 2026

What Causes a Stitch When You Run? / Josh Kerr's Mile Dominance / Pogačar's VO2max of 100 / Another SA Schoolboy Doping Ban

Become a Supporter of The Real Science of Sport , and you get ad-free listening, an Applied Science bonus show every week, plus a seat at th...

1:17:01Aug 5, 2026