S3|E11 - DEEP DIVE - The Balancing Act of Endurance Running with Dr Jordan Leppan

Making A Runner

"We have to learn to bend before we break,"...

What started out as a finish line conversation after a particularly gruelling marathon (in one of Durban's finest displays of humidity), resulted in what you'll hear today. With those words, Jordy nudged us towards a reality that few are prepared to acknowledge, and ultimately forced the question to be asked: what are the limits of endurance?

Today is a deep dive and exploration into the human body and how it responds to endurance training with a special focus on HORMONES!

Thanks to Jordy's personal experience in covering ultra-distances and his medical training as a doctor, he is able to break down and help us understand how to tread the fine line between exercise being a helpful tool in the pursuit of health and longevity and when we may be short changing ourself and pushing boundaries at the potential risk of, serious and irreparable damage...

Today we learn about:

• What are hormones and why are humans ultimately "hormone puppets" governed by them.
• How hormones are created and how body fat, digestive health and nutrition are all intimately linked.
• The 'exercise paradox' and using exercise as a form of medicine/drug.
• The dark-side of training/or not being able to train and how it relates to our mental health.
• Training, ageing and longevity in the sport.
• Learning how to appreciate the plateaus and shifting the goal post when performance-based goals are no longer an option.

As you'll hear, Jordy is a master of his craft, both on 'the field' and in the office, he is also a fantastic story teller and will have you rethinking your 'why' when it comes to running - which is always a great idea to revisit and realign with.

We hope that today's conversation leaves you feeling both inspired and empowered about your running and your health.

Let us know if you enjoyed this 2 part conversation and make sure to share with a running buddy so that we can ensure that we are all able to run stronger for longer.

Enjoy!