285. The Strange Uncertainty of Hemoglobin A1c in Athletes, Thyroid Function and Fueling, Elevated Heart Rate, and Running Form 101!
Some Work, All Play
David Roche and Megan Roche
4.8 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 18 November 2025
⏱️ 89 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We thought deeply about the societal implications of Paw Patrol before this amazing episode! The main science discussion involved a pair of strange, counter-intuitive wrinkles of physiology. The first was the sometimes paradoxical finding of higher hemoglobin A1c in many elite athletes. The second involved a new paper addressing a connection between suppressed thyroid hormones and low energy availability.
Both phenomena demonstrate how physiology is a complex system. Also, it’s possible that concerning bloodwork means one thing... or the polar opposite. We have fun breaking it all down!
And this one was full of great topics! Other topics: Megan’s Just Say No To Rhabdo training run, David’s first treadmill workout on the comeback trail, a follow-up on bowls and buckets, the winter training plan, findings jobs in running, the pardon of Michelino Sunseri, running form 101, altitude tents, structuring training weeks, prepping for Survivor, fueling winter races, what to do about elevated heart rate, and lots more.
This one is full of nuance. And after you listen, you’ll realize that “full of Nuance” should be in the back room and cost extra.
We love you all! HUZZAH!
-David and Megan
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Woo! |
| 0:01.0 | Welcome to the Some Work All Play podcast. |
| 0:03.0 | We are so happy to do with you today. |
| 0:04.0 | Happy Tuesday. |
| 0:05.0 | It's Tuesday. |
| 0:06.0 | And I'm ready to set a timer on this Tuesday. Set a timer. What are you talking about? I'm talking about kids. Oh, yeah. Talking about the fact that we use a timer as currency for everything. Have you thought about that? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's like a track workout at our house with we're just like stop watching every single little thing for our toddler Leo. And he's pushing the limits of it. He's like another timer, another timer, another timer. It's not really working too well for us. Yeah, I agree. And my brain went exactly to the track workout component of it because every time I do it, every time I set an interval, I'm like 35 seconds. I'm like, we got another 200 of Paul Patrol on deck. It's like my brain can't stop doing runner math with these timers. Oh my gosh. The kid life, Megan. Yeah, yeah. It's been wild. We've had so many timers. I mean, it's basically like to end Paw Patrol. It's like six by 400. I have so many |
| 0:55.1 | thoughts on Paw Patrol. I'm not sure if our listeners want to hear them. Actually, you gave me a real spicy one yesterday. Am I allowed to say this in the first 45 seconds of our podcast? Probably not. I don't remember it. I have so many thoughts going on. My brain is a jumbled mess. It was one of the most fantastic Strava titles propositions you've ever given me, which is that you think that Mayor |
| 1:13.5 | Humdinger might be in the F. my brain is a jumbled mess. It was one of the most fantastic Strabo titles propositions you've ever given me, |
| 1:11.5 | which is that you think that Mayor Humdinger might be in the Epstein files. |
| 1:16.2 | That is like so spot on. |
| 1:19.0 | For anyone who has ever seen Paw Patrol or those who can imagine if you haven't, that is fucking hilarious. |
| 1:23.9 | But you know what's even worse? |
| 1:25.4 | What? |
| 1:25.9 | Chocolatas in them. |
| 1:32.0 | Sorry. We're going to keep going to do that? Oh, for sure. Megan vetoed that Strava title. I mean, Strava is different. |
| 1:38.6 | The podcast gives it context. So much context. So much context. Already been 90 seconds in. I'm sure our sponsors will just |
| 1:45.7 | adore that. What was my Strava title instead of that? Oh, it was lyrics from diaper money by the |
| 1:51.7 | Lonely Island. I got that diaper money because my kids need to shit. So I stay on my hustle to keep |
| 1:57.1 | those pocketbooks thick. It was a good replacement. A lot of people thought it was just coming from me. |
| 2:01.7 | I know. |
| 2:02.5 | From my brain, that that was like wisdom. Which actually fair. That should be a big honor to you. As I feel like I see that Shavitad, I'm like, David would come up with that. Perfect. Okay. The timer is up on this intro, so let's get to the episode. Is it really? Can we hit another 200? |
| 2:16.3 | No. |
... |
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