American Record Holder Zach Bitter on Carb Experiments, DNF's, and Learning From Failure
The Strength Running Podcast
Jason Fitzgerald
4.7 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 8 January 2026
⏱️ 72 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Why did American Record holder Zach Bitter fail at his goal of besting his own 100-mile record? Was it his new embrace of high carb fueling instead of his tradition low-carb approach?
In this episode, former WR holder and current AR holder Zach Bitter joins us to discuss how he navigates failure, what led to his DNF at his recent 100-mile record attempt, his experiments with fueling and carbs, and a lot more.
Don't miss Zach's amazing podcast, Human Performance Outliers or his website ZachBitter.com. You can also listen to him in 2024's Endurance Episode.
If you have not yet, please follow or subscribe to the Strength Running Podcast!
Thank you 2Before!
We are supported by 2Before, a powerful sports supplement made from New Zealand Blackcurrant berries designed to increase endurance, manage inflammation, support immunity, and promote adaptation. 2Before helps to boost performance by increasing blood flow, making it more efficient for the body to pump oxygenated nutrient-rich blood into the muscles.
Just like beetroot powder but more effective, 2before uses the powerful vasodilation benefits of blackcurrant berries to prime you for hard work. If you're getting ready for a big workout or race, their caffeinated version is a must try! You'll get the oxygen boosting benefits of blackcurrants, plus the performance benefits of caffeine.
So, if you want to try to boost your performance and immune system, use code JASON for 30% off 20 packs and multi-serve packs at 2Before.com.
Thank you to 2Before for supporting Strength Running!
Thank you Gut & Green!
Previnex's new Gut & Green Superfoods powder is my new go-to. It has organic barley and oat grass, alfalfa, spirulina, chlorella, kale and broccoli… and that's it. Simplicity is powerful and Gut & Green delivers on what I care most about: doing one thing really well.
Their ingredients are backed by clinical data and contain three specific gut fibers that help promote GI health, digestion, reduced inflammation, and a better microbiome. As someone who doesn't always eat all of their vegetables, this is important to me.
With twice of the fiber of my last greens mix and a better flavor, it's a no brainer. Gut & Green Superfoods is like insurance against my diet (which isn't always as good as it should be) so I can feel my best throughout the day.
Try it for yourself here at previnex.com and be sure to use code "JASONGREENS" to save 15% off your first order. Don't tell anyone, but if you put Gut & Green Superfoods powder in your cart, then the 15% off discount will work for anything else you add into your cart as well. Thanks Gut & Green!
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Ready, set, go! |
| 0:04.4 | This is episode 440 with the former world record holder and current American record holder |
| 0:10.9 | in the 100-mile distance, the current American record holder in the 12-hour event, and four-time |
| 0:17.3 | national champion, Zach Bitter. |
| 0:30.0 | Welcome to the Strength Running podcast. |
| 0:34.4 | I'm Coach Jason Fitzgerald, and I want to help you become a better runner. |
| 0:38.6 | Don't miss our award-winning website at Strengthrunning.com or our YouTube channel with more than 100,000 subscribers. Or you can always feel free to connect with me on |
| 0:43.6 | Instagram at Jason Fitz 1. My singular goal is to help you become a better runner. So if there's |
| 0:49.8 | anything I can ever do to help your running, please let me know. All right, we are starting |
| 0:54.9 | 2026 strong with the podcast. We have consistently ranked as the number three running podcast in the |
| 1:01.5 | country recently, and I want to thank you for all of your support in making that happen. |
| 1:06.4 | And it's not just a one-time jump. This is a sustained push that pretty much always keeps the |
| 1:11.9 | Strength Running podcast in the top five running shows in the country. If you want to share |
| 1:17.1 | your good taste with your running buddies, shoot them a link to the show and share the good word. |
| 1:21.9 | And if you love the podcast, support us by taking advantage of the offers provided by our |
| 1:27.0 | partners. |
| 1:29.4 | A big thanks to Two Before. |
| 1:36.5 | Get yourself a whopping 30% discount on their 20-pack and multi-packs at Two-Before.com for their all-natural, scientifically proven pre-workout with code Jason. |
| 1:42.1 | Two-Before, which is the numeral two, followed by the word before, is made from |
| 1:46.8 | New Zealand black current berries, which improves vasodilation or blood flow, just like beetroot. |
| 1:52.8 | But they also improve recovery after exercise by managing oxidative stress through their |
| 1:58.1 | unique ratio of antioxidants, which also have a nice side benefit |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jason Fitzgerald, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Jason Fitzgerald and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.

