Human Performance Outliers Podcast with Zach Bitter

Kilian Korth joined the show to have a discussion around ultrarunning's growing professionalization without sophisticated regulated drug testing, the limits and trade-offs of WADA/USADA-style regimes, and why "doping" as a blanket term obscures intent and severity. We unpack gray areas such as THC thresholds, TUE complexity for common medications, transparency vs backlash, influencer incentives, and the future pressure regenerative medicine and technology (e.g., super shoes) may place on sport rules.
Kilian: IG: @runtoughmindset | Substack: https://substack.com/@runtoughmindset
Sponsors:
LMNT: https://drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)
deltaG: https://deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)
True Nutrition: https://truenutrition.com/hpo Code: HPO (20% Off)
Episode Summary & Notes: Zach Bitter & Kilian Korth on PEDs, incentives, and doping in ultrarunning
Context & framing
Conversation is the third appearance by Kilian on Zach's podcast; shifts from traditional training/racing episodes toward current events in running.

Sparked by recent doping-related controversies (Cam Hanes / Sage Canaday online conflict, Mike McKnight's discussion of BPC-157 use on Hanes' podcast).

Both emphasize moving beyond narrow focus on specific peptides/cases to broader structural issues.

Activism, incentives & tribalism
Skepticism of modern activism: good causes often get distorted by perverse incentives (attention, platform growth, organizational self-preservation/mission creep).

Online environments (especially short-form social media) reward polarization over curiosity or truth-seeking.

Parallel drawn to low-carb diet advocacy: movement shifted from exploration of pros/cons toward dietary supremacy and identity attachment.

Both hosts value changing one's mind with new evidence and prefer evolving conversations over tribal "debates" aimed at winning.

Core problem in ultrarunning
Rapid professionalization and financial incentives exist, but sophisticated testing (especially out-of-competition) is essentially absent.

Honor-code system + high rewards creates conditions in which some athletes near the top are likely to use PEDs.

Contrast with Olympic sports (e.g., swimming) where positives occur even with lower financial stakes.

"Doping" is an unhelpful blanket term that equates intentional, high-impact cheating (e.g., EPO) with gray-area or accidental cases.

BPC-157 and gray areas
BPC-157 is an experimental peptide with very limited human data (one small study of 12 people among 36 total studies reviewed).

Anecdotally has been used for tendon/muscle healing; on the WADA banned list at all times (no TUE pathway currently).

Gray areas exist in WADA criteria themselves (performance enhancement potential, health risk, "spirit of the sport").

THC example: banned in-competition with a relatively high threshold; removed alcohol from the list is an example of changes over time.

Distinction between letter of the rules vs. moral/cosmic fairness; between intentional advantage-seeking and medical/recovery use.

Testing realities & practical challenges
Full USADA/WADA-style regimes require whereabouts reporting, out-of-competition testing, and significant lifestyle constraints (conflicts with the free-spirited, remote nature of trail/ultrarunning).

Even gold-standard systems have loopholes (missed whereabouts, remote camps, short-acting substances timed around sleep windows).

Half-measures are expensive, burdensome, and unlikely to deter determined cheaters.

Middle-of-pack and age-group athletes face different calculus; many use legitimate medications (inhalers, etc.) that may or may not require TUEs depending on type and dose/threshold.

Possible paths forward discussed
Transparency and honesty should be encouraged rather than punished (both hosts respect that Hanes and McKnight disclosed BPC-157 use).

Practical ideas:

Optional "non-competitive / open" checkbox so athletes using regulated substances can still participate without affecting results/records.

Tested vs. non-tested divisions (bodybuilding-style model).

More education needed around legitimate medical use (TUEs, Global DRO checks).

Focus should prioritize the small professional/elite tier where financial and competitive incentives are highest over age-group minutiae.

Future regenerative medicine and longevity interventions will force further adaptation; sport has already accepted large performance gains from technology (super shoes) more readily than internal/medical ones.

Influencers & broader culture
Influencer economy adds complexity: financial incentives to promote products or share experimental practices; difference between sharing personal experience vs. recommending use.

Transparency with clear caveats is preferred; pure anecdote-driven advice remains problematic.

Societal issues (tribalism, algorithmic incentives, low scientific literacy) make clean solutions difficult inside a small niche like ultrarunning.

Closing notes
Both stress nuance over black-and-white absolutism

Conversation aims to push the sport toward honest discussion of incentive structures rather than endless case-by-case outrage.

Kilian's Substack article ("The Run Tough Mindset") and upcoming documentary Forged in Failure are referenced as related material.

Josh Kerr shattered the mile World Record, running 3:42.66. Everett Smulders has run 3:58 in the mile, and follows the sport closely, so he joined me to discuss everything surrounding this historic day. We dive into what made this such a mainstream attention grabber, what made it stand out from similar accomplishments, and a variety of other topics. 
Everett: wesflytrained.club/apply? I IG: @coachsmulders









Episode Sponsors:
True Nutrition: truenutrition.com/hpo Code: HPO (20% Off)
ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Podcast Details:
Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo 

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

There was recently some controversy at the Biotropica Backyard Ultra where both the men's and women's world bests were broken. After the event concluded, it was revealed that some violations occurred, causing all results from the event to be disqualified, including the top performances. Mark Dowdle joined me to discuss what happened, along with other related topics around rules in the sport of ultra marathon. 
Mark Dowdle: IG @mark.dowdle | YT @mark.dowdle
Episode Sponsors:
ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Podcast Details:
Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo 

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

Lotti Brinks is a rising star in the sport of trail ultramarathon. She has improved year over year, which recently resulted in finishing 5th at the 2026 WSER 100. She joins the show to discuss history with the sport of running, introduction to the sport of ultramarathon, becoming a professional athlete with Hoka, the growing trend of race day optimization with team training camps, and how she has shaped her mindset to stay balanced in life outside of being a professional runner.
Lotti Brinks: @lotti_brinks | https://www.strava.com/pros/25210246
Episode Sponsors:
ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

True Nutrition: truenutrition.com/hpo Code: HPO (20% Off)

Podcast Details:
Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo 

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter

The Comrades Marathon is one of the most competitive ultramarathons on the planet. The 99th running of the historic point to point course recently saw both the men's and women's course records go down. George Kusche was the men's and overall winner with a time of 5 hours 15 minutes 56 seconds over the 85.77 km net uphill course. 
George Kusche: @kuschegeorge
Episode Sponsors:
ProBio: probionutrition.com/endurance Code: Endurance (20% Off)

LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO (free sample pack with purchase)

deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20 (20% Off)

Podcast Details:
Support HPO: zachbitter.com/hposponsors

HPO Website: zachbitter.com/hpo 

Zach's Coaching: zachbitter.com/coaching

Zach's Journal: substack.com/@zachbitter

Find Zach: zachbitter.com | IG: @zachbitter | X: @zbitter | FB: Zach Bitter | Strava: Zach Bitter