About this episode

Alex Osberg discusses key training science truths for competitive runners, focusing on iron deficiency, mental stress, ice baths, and the biology of training.

JOIN MY TEAM & SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE: https://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/en/teams/5Nrld5?join=1 Every runner has a mental checklist of what's holding them back. Iron deficiency, life stress, ice bath mythology, and the gap between ambition and biology probably aren't on it—but after this episode, they will be. Alex Ostberg is back for the Rundown Recap, and he starts where most coaches start when an athlete is underperforming: iron. They discuss why iron is so central to the oxygen transport system, what symptoms to watch for before things get serious, and how to get tested without a physician's order. The conversation then shifts to something harder to quantify: stress. Alex makes the case that mental load isn't separate from training—it modifies how the body adapts to it. He and Dominic dig into how elite runners like Grant Fisher and Jess McLean actually use added life structure to their advantage, and what high schoolers stacking SATs on top of race days can learn from Coach Milt's approach to finals week. From there, the ice bath episode. Alex isn't anti-ice:he's anti-misunderstanding. The recovery oil study alone will make you rethink one of the most entrenched…

People in this episode

Host: Dominic Schlueter

Guest: Alex Osberg

Topics covered

• iron deficiency
• mental stress
• ice baths
• training science
• competitive running

Keywords

• iron deficiency
• stress
• ice baths
• training science
• competitive running

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NIKE

More episodes of THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

• How Joey Miuccio Ran 111 Miles at the BPN G1M Ultra on 8 Weeks of Training — Pacing Strategy, Mindset, Why His Body Broke at Mile 100 and the Dilemma of the High Achiever · April 27, 2026 · 1h 1m
• 58 Hours. 241 Miles. First Loss. Kim Gottwald on the End of His 14-Month Winning Streak & Why He'll Be Back to Win the BPN G1M Ultra · April 23, 2026 · 41 min
• Dr. Lyndsay Centrowitz On The Locker Room "Badge Of Honor" Quietly Ending Female Running Careers, The Body That Keeps Score, And Why Your Chronic Injury Probably Might Not Be About Your Body At All · April 22, 2026 · 1h 1m
• From 4:36 as a Freshman to 4:00 as a Senior: Caden Leonard on Chasing Sub-4 In The Mile, Being Coached By His Dad, and Why He Refuses to Visualize Losing · April 21, 2026 · 39 min
• Martin Dugard — NYT Bestselling Author Behind 12 Million Books Sold on the 50-Year Revolution That Built the Sport You Run and Why Running Is the Fastest-Growing Sport Nobody's Talking About · April 20, 2026 · 53 min
• How To Kill Doubt, Generate Evidence, And Leave Every Race An Honest Man — Alexander Lingaur On Overcoming His Demons And Running For 37 Hours Straight / 154 Miles At BPN G1M Ultra · April 18, 2026 · 1h 18m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST podcast page.