Thanks for the shout outs and being thrown under the bus, on this thread – wouldn’t expect anything else on Letsrun.
There are just so many misconceptions in this thread- let me make a bunch of comments:
1) My case study is just that: a case study- it is however, still peer-reviewed. I would STRESS, in elite sport we need more case-study published to showcase what is actually done with elite athletes! Has anyone actually read it yet? Read the paper for tons of references to double-blind cross-over studies examining “low carbohydrate availability training”.
2) “Low carbohydrate availability training” is NOT Atkins diet or chronically low carb. Prof. Louise Burke, who I have collaborated with, talks about that in this interview:
http://www.inigomujika.com/en/2013/08/interviews-with-the-elite-louise-m-burke-i-am-always-suspicious-when-new-dietary-crazes-hit/
and my study showed that even 5 continuous days of low CHO decreases the body’s ability to use CHO in the mitochondria (see:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16188909
) which is NOT what you want. In fact, Noakes himself showed a decrease in performance with chronic low-carb diets (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Noakes+T+%2B+Havemann ). Which I then don’t understand why Noakes is so pro-Atkins for athletes?
3) This approach is periodic (only a few times per week) undertaking training in a low-CHO availability state….there are several ways to do this….read the case-study to see how/more:
http://www.runvictoriamarathon.com/pdf/Stellingwerf-MarathonCaseStudy.pdf
It involves both fasted running and running twice in 1 day with the second run on low muscle glycogen.
4) This is NOT about adapting the body to utilize more fat as a fuel during the marathon! (major mis-conception of this thread). Elite glycogen loaded and well-fueled marathoners will burn nearly 100% CHO during the race, with nearly 100% of that carbohydrate (both glycogen and glucose) being oxidized aerobically in the mitochondria (aerobic glycolysis).
5) We have known since 1920 that the body is more efficient per liter of oxygen consumed at burning CHO as a fuel than fat (see:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1263890/
). In fact it is about 5.5% more efficient- in other words, by burning 100% CHO while running you improve running economy by ~5.5% compared to burning 100% fat.
6) This approach is about providing the body with the stimulus during the bulk of training to MAKE MORE MITOCHONDRIA! This is what Keith Baar’s review is on- it is complex in the muscle:
https://secure.footprint.net/gatorade/prd/gssiweb/pdf/115_Baar_SSE.pdf
7) It is also about mimicking the demands of the last 10km of a marathon without having to run 32km first!
8) Also, given pacing and glycogen stores , even with the best fueling program in the world, an aggressive pace or goals will push the very limits of glycogen! So you need to have as much adaptation to oxidize glycogen in the mitochondria as possible (for ever glycogen unit in the mitochondrial you get 36 ATP, for ever glycogen unit reduced to lactate = 3ATP. Would you rather have 36 miles to the gallon or 3 miles to the gallon?).
9) Again, read the case study, we do NOT emphasize this in the last phase before competition, at this point, you want to maximize your body’s ability to use CHO as fuel, but ideally within the mitochondria (that you have stimulated from both training hard, training volume, but also for elites who are HYPER adapted, periodic low CHO availability training).
10) Do some athletes already do this naturally – for sure….but, it is much smarter to have a calculated training strategy around this, instead of just hoping for the best.
11) Finally, this is NOT about depleting your glycogen stores before Carbohydrate loading. I would not recommend that, as this is based on 1960’s science. The newest studies show you only need to have a proper taper with a high CHO diet and you’ll be all set.
12) Anecdotally a lot of African athletes do a lot of long/hard running nearly fasted. Pro cyclist have done this for 30 yrs...concept isn't that new, the science is catching up with practice.
13) And I would also do high quality session with lots of fuel in the tank/muscles to ensure quality (e.g. mile repeats etc).
I hope this clarifies some mis-conceptions…I’m sure I’ll get slammed by the desk scientist and the, obvious, plethora of world-record and Olympic medalist coaches that all have come onto this thread ;)
Cheers, Trent