Questioning the Limits of Human Performance and Endurance with Alex Hutchinson, PhD
Dr. Chris Stout
LinkedIn Top Voice | Best Selling Author | Adventurer | Startup Whisperer | (Accidental) Humanitarian | APA's "Rockstar" Psychologist | éminence Grise
Have you ever questioned your “limits?” Maybe it was doing something athletic, or perhaps in your work or even personal life. I think no matter who you are, where you are, or what you do, pushing up against some type of limit is part of what makes a human a human. Some limits may be external or situational. But what about those that we self-impose? What about those we learned or believe to be true—but what if they were not?
Well then enter Alex Hutchinson, PhD, and his work, experience and latest book, the New York Times best seller, ENDURE: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance. Rich Roll said, “Alex’s examination of limits is not restricted to physical performance. Defined broadly as ‘the struggle to continue against a mounting desire to stop,’ Alex suggests that endurance is best understood as surprisingly universal, applicable to essentially every challenge we face, be it athletic, academic, professional or emotional.” Hear, hear!
I had the pleasure of meeting Alex at 29029 and in this episode we explore both the physical and the psychological components of human performance and endurance—what are the ingredients that lead to breaking a record versus throwing in the towel??
Alex is the longtime “Sweat Science” columnist for Outside Magazine, and was also a columnist for Runner’s World. He is a National Magazine Award-winner and regular contributor to The New Yorker, The New York Times, and he authors the biweekly “Jockology” column in the Toronto Globe and Mail. He was one of only two reporters granted access to “Breaking2” Nike’s formerly top secret training project to break the two-hour marathon which we learn more about. He’s also a senior editor at Canadian Running. His primary focus is the science of endurance and fitness.
Alex was also a two-time finalist in the 1500, at the Canadian Olympic trials, and has represented Canada internationally in track, cross-country, road racing, and mountain running competitions.?
Interestingly enough, Alex actually started out as a physicist, with a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. He spent a few years as a postdoctoral researcher with the U.S. National Security Agency, working on quantum computing and nano-mechanics. During that time, he competed as a middle- and long-distance runner for the Canadian national team. From there he went on to Columbia University and earned his master’s in journalism.?
We do go wide into the worlds of endurance athletes, and we do go way deep into running, but I suspect what you’ll learn in this episode will transcend any particular category. Alex lives his life to the fullest, and does so with a curious mind and scientific eye that benefits us all.?
Listen?on iTunes?or?download here. You can also listen on?Overcast,?SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play Music, and iHeartRADIO as well. Please subscribe on your favorite platform and never miss an episode. Here are the?show notes.
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6 年question: will A.I. be permitted to violate intellectual property rights?
Managing Partner at Champion Legal Group
6 年I got a question that may you can be answered. We race horses and on race day we pull their water because it actually slows a horse down. But on humans we push them to hydrate. I cannot find any research that shows where we should be hydrating before human races (except for fear of dehydration). Could we be actually slowing our runners down by over watering them?
Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA at City University of New York
6 年Great artical