Tread Lightly Running Science Podcast

Recovery tools have proliferated in the running world over the past few years: red light therapy, ice plunge buckets, peptides, and more. However, the expensive price tag does not guarantee efficacy. In this episode, we look at the data behind various recovery tools and if they actually work - or if they just come with a powerful placebo effect.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ How the placebo effect interacts with recovery tools
✅ If pulsed electromagnetic field mats improve recovery
✅ How red light therapy can be used for injury healing
✅ If peptides are safe to use
✅ If Whoop and Garmin accurately estimate your training readiness and recovery
✅ The effective drivers of recovery

Thank you to Our Sponsors:
✨ Join Amanda on the Japan Running Retreat: https://www.wildexplorers.travel/tours/wild-japan-running-retreat-with-amanda-brooks
✨ Use link to enter Run to the Finish Fall Training Support Giveaway, featuring podcast sponsors Mizuno, Title Nine, and more: https://runtothefinish.com/fall-training-support-giveaway/

Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris. Media kit available to interested sponsors upon request.

References
🔬PMID: 27141153
🔬https://www.yourdietsuckspodcast.com/your-diet-sucks-podcast/why-is-everyone-using-peptides
🔬PMID: 40756949
🔬PMID: 40789979
🔬PMID: 41742004
🔬 PMID: 39476109
🔬https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-behind-the-peptide-craze/

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like:
🎧 What to Do the Week After a Half Marathon or Marathon (28 Aug 2026)
🎧 What to Eat Before Runs, Recovery Nutrition, and Low Energy Availability (26 July 2024)

Let’s stay connected:
➡️ Tread Lightly Running Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightlyrunning/
➡️ Laura Norris Running on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/
➡️ Subscribe for weekly evidence-based newsletters, straight to your inbox, on https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/
➡️ Run to the Finish on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runtothefinish/?hl=en
➡️ Thousands of running gear reviews and training guides: https://runtothefinish.com/

Are broccoli sprout shots the secret to your next PR? Will U-Can gels help you manage weight? And are greens powders a scam or magic bullet? We sit down with registered dietitian Alex Larson, the founder of Alex Larson Nutrition. She answers all our questions on GLP-1s, cortisol-reducing supplements, lactate gels, if Laura can make her own Nomio at home, and more.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ The difference between GLP-1 medications and “GLP-1-like” supplements
✅ Are superstarch gels worth the money?
✅ Do cortisol reducing supplements work?
✅ Are greens powder a scam or worthwhile?
✅ Are broccoli shots the secret to a PR?
✅ If lactate gels are the next big thing

Thank you to Our Sponsors:
✨ Use link to enter Run to the Finish Fall Training Support Giveaway, featuring podcast sponsors Mizuno, Title Nine, and more: https://runtothefinish.com/fall-training-support-giveaway/
✨ Join Amanda on the Japan Running Retreat: https://www.wildexplorers.travel/tours/wild-japan-running-retreat-with-amanda-brooks

Connect with our Guest:
🔗 https://alexlarsonnutrition.com/
https://alexlarsonnutrition.substack.com/
https://alexlarsonnutrition.com/podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/alexlarsonnutrition
Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris.

Let’s stay connected:
➡️ Tread Lightly Running Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightlyrunning/
➡️ Laura Norris Running on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/
➡️ Subscribe for weekly evidence-based newsletters, straight to your inbox, on https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/
➡️ Run to the Finish on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runtothefinish/?hl=en
➡️ Thousands of running gear reviews and training guides: https://runtothefinish.com/

Zone 2 is the magic bullet for improved health and endurance fitness - or it is overrated and spikes your cortisol. You have likely encountered both claims on social media, and neither are correct. In this episode, we dive into the science of zone 2 for runners. We discuss how to set your zone 2 correctly, who should use it, who should ignore their heart rate zones, and what happens if you run slower than zone 2 on your easy runs. Whether you are a new runner or a marathoner, you will learn something from this episode!

In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ How to use zone 2 correctly
✅ Is zone 2 a waste of time for low-volume runners?
✅ Should female runners train in zone 2?
✅ Do new runners need to use zone 2?
✅ Do you get benefits from training in zone 1?
✅ What to do if you feel you cannot run in zone 2

References
🔬PMID: 40225831
🔬PMID: 40560504
Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris.
If you enjoyed this episode, you may like:
🎧 The Benefits of Using the Run-Walk Method (17 Oct 2025)
🎧 Why You Need All Training Zones to Improve as a Runner (29 Aug 2025)

Let’s stay connected:
➡️ Tread Lightly Running Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightlyrunning/
➡️ Laura Norris Running on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/
➡️ Subscribe for weekly evidence-based newsletters, straight to your inbox, on https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/
➡️ Run to the Finish on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runtothefinish/?hl=en
➡️ Thousands of running gear reviews and training guides: https://runtothefinish.com/

Slower summer runs lead to fast fall races - so you have heard. But as you slog through another humid, hot long run, you may be wondering: is there truth to this adage? In this episode, we discuss ideal fall racing temperatures, all the variables that contribute to fall race performances, and how long heat adaptations actually last.

Thank you to our sponsors:
✨ Tailwind: Complete sport nutrition made simple, including hydration mixes, high-carb sport drinks, endurance fuel, and recovery mixes. Use code TREADLIGHTLY20 at https://tailwindnutrition.com/TREADLIGHTLY for 20% off your first purchase.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ How long do heat adaptations last?
✅ Other variables that contribute to fast fall races
✅ Could summer training impair your fall goals?
✅ Should you heat acclimate for fall races?
✅ Does your watch’s VO2max predict your fall race time?
✅ What are the ideal racing temperatures?
✅ Can you run a fast fall race if you train in mild temperatures?
Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like:
🎧 The Science of Running in the Heat and Humidity (22 May 2026)
🎧 Heat Acclimation Strategies (29 May 2022)
🎧 Gut Training for Runners with Claire Shorenstein (10 July 2026)
Let’s stay connected:
➡️ Tread Lightly Running Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightlyrunning/
➡️ Laura Norris Running on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/
➡️ Subscribe for weekly evidence-based newsletters, straight to your inbox, on https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/
➡️ Run to the Finish on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runtothefinish/?hl=en
➡️ Thousands of running gear reviews and training guides: https://runtothefinish.com/

Post-race recovery is not the avoidance of training. Rather, it is a crucial component of a well-periodized training plan, especially for a marathon or half marathon. In this episode, we first examine the physiological impact of racing a marathon or half marathon on the body. Then, we detail how to approach a recovery phase, including what can enhance or impair recovery after a race.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ What happens to your body after you run a marathon
✅ Should you do a recovery run after the race?
✅ How to structure a recovery phase after a half marathon
✅ How to recover after a marathon
✅ How to improve your post-race recovery
✅ Health risks during the recovery phase
Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris.

References
🔬PMID: 42298171
🔬PMID: 39094181
🔬https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01244-7
🔬PMID: 41101781
🔬 PMID: 31045685
🔬 PMID: 42299359
🔬PMID: 27338452

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like:
🎧 Tune Up Race Formula (14 August 2026)
🎧 Do You Need to Cool Down after a Run? (13 June 2025)

Let’s stay connected:
➡️ Tread Lightly Running Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightlyrunning/
➡️ Laura Norris Running on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/
➡️ Subscribe for weekly evidence-based newsletters, straight to your inbox, on https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/
➡️ Run to the Finish on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runtothefinish/?hl=en
➡️ Thousands of running gear reviews and training guides: https://runtothefinish.com/