Endurance Innovation

About Endurance Innovation

Endurance Innovation examines the technology, science, and engineering shaping modern endurance sport. Each episode features a focused conversation with researchers, coaches, and industry practitioners working in areas such as cycling aerodynamics, triathlon equipment, performance modeling, training science, biomechanics, and data analysis. Rather than speculation or trend-driven commentary, the show emphasizes evidence-based methods and practical applications for athletes and coaches across cycling, triathlon, and other long-course disciplines. Topics include aerodynamic testing, cooling, running and cycling performance, endurance nutrition, training strategies, and the tools that support both high-performance and age-group athletes. New episodes are released periodically.

Publisher

Andrew Buckrell and Michael Liberzon

Category

health & fitness · sports · technology

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

16 May 2019

Latest episode

14 Apr 2026

Latest episodes

177 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Apr 2026

   John Buckley: Real-World Tire Testing and the Breakpoint Debate

   **CORRECTION** John asked us to note that he gave incorrect figures for the wattage standard deviations during the episode. The best outdoor tests currently achieve standard deviations of approximately 0.8 W, while indoor testing has achieved a standard deviation of 0.3 W. John Buckley of Streamlines returns to discuss the outdoor tire rolling resistance testing he conducted with cyclist and Escape Collective contributor Ronan Mc Laughlin — covering the methodology behind measuring CRR with an aero testing rig, the temperature sensitivity finding that nearly sank the dataset before it began, and what the data actually shows about tire pressure, width, and the widely-cited breakpoint theory. Key Points * Streamlines' method establishes CDA on baseline runs, then holds it fixed and solves for CRR as the energy remainder. Repeating baselines are the integrity gate for any outdoor tire test * Tire CRR sensitivity to temperature is approximately four times larger than published literature suggests, and the relationship is nonlinear at low temperatures. * Once vertical stiffness is equalized across widths, rolling resistance on smooth tarmac is nearly identical regardless of tire width. * John has never observed the pressure breakpoint in any of his field data. His critique is both theoretical — the mechanism requires a sudden onset of vibrational losses not supported by the data — and empirical: pressure sweeps consistently show gradual, small differences rather than a hockey-stick curve. Links & Resources * Streamlines: https://streamlines.aero [https://streamlines.aero/] * Streamlines in the field — aero testing with Mattie Dodd: https://streamlines.aero/blogs/news-insights/position-data-and-a-blustery-november-aero-testing-with-mattie-dodd * Contact / inquiries: info@streamlines.aero * Ronan Mc Laughlin's Escape Collective tire testing article: https://escapecollective.com/introducing-escape-tyre-testing-get-ready-to-rethink-accepted-wisdom/ * BicycleRollingResistance.com — GP5000 multi-width comparison: https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/grand-prix-5000-comparison * John Buckley on Endurance Innovation (August 2022): https://zencastr.com/z/h0CqHZy5

2. 

   19 Nov 2025

   Ingmar Jungnickel on AiRO and Scalable Aerodynamic Testing

   Sports aerodynamicist Ingmar Jungnickel joins the show to discuss AiRO, a new CFD-based aero analysis tool built for bike fitters and coaches. He outlines why traditional wind-tunnel and field-testing approaches struggle with cost, complexity, and repeatability, and explains how recent advances in computing and AI now make high-fidelity CFD practical at the fit-studio level. The discussion highlights AiRO's emphasis on breadth of exploration—rapidly testing wide parameter ranges—rather than pursuing ever-higher fidelity in isolated conditions. Key Points * Ingmar's background spans wind-tunnel work, velodrome testing, CFD development, and elite projects with Specialized, the German Cycling Federation, and U.S. Speed Skating. * Conventional aero tools—wind tunnels, track testing, field testing, PIV, and ultrasonic tomography—are limited by scalability, environmental control, rider repeatability, and cost. * AiRO's core components include: a parametric human model fitted from simple photographs and basic anthropometrics, a digital-twin rider posture controlled through ~18 intuitive sliders, fast, cloud-based CFD simulations. * AiRO's strategic focus is breadth over depth: enabling broad parameter sweeps, positional permutations, and large-scale exploration that would be infeasible in a tunnel or on a track. * Digital repeatability eliminates rider-movement noise, one of the main sources of error in physical aero testing. * Current limitations include the absence of textured-surface modelling (aero socks, advanced skinsuits) and single-yaw simulations, though both are technically feasible as compute economics improve. Links & Resources * AiRO: https://airo.app [https://airo.app/] * Contact Ingmar Jungnickel: ingmar@airo.app * AiRO Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airo_app/

3. 

   11 Nov 2025

   Coach Russ Cox on Qualifying for the Ironman World Championship

   Michael welcomes UK-based triathlon coach and data analyst Russ Cox to unpack Ironman's major overhaul of its World Championship slot allocation system. Drawing on his 14 years of statistical modeling and 16 years of coaching experience, Russ explains how Ironman's shift from participation-based to performance-adjusted qualification is reshaping who gets to Kona — and what that means for athletes, coaches, and the broader triathlon community. * The origins of Coach Cox's Ironman results database and its evolution from manual HTML scraping to modern race analytics * Key environmental and geographic factors influencing Ironman course speed (heat, humidity, elevation, wind, road surface) * The 2024–25 transition from the legacy slot allocation system to Ironman's new performance-adjusted ranking model * How adjustment factors are derived from the top 20 % of Kona finishers by age group * Implications of a single combined men's/women's pool and early evidence of gender and age-group skew * Why 50–54-year-old men have disproportionately benefited, and how that may (or may not!) self-correct over time * Effects on athlete race choice, qualification strategy, and how coaches can advise under the new framework * Practical guidance on interpreting adjusted times and using Russ's online tools to benchmark Kona qualification potential. * Coach Cox Website – Ironman Stats & Qualification Tools [https://coachcox.co.uk/] * Coach Russ Cox on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/coachrusscox/] * Ironman Rules for Qualifying [https://www.ironman.com/about/age-group-qualification]

Who has been a guest on Endurance Innovation

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Joe Staunton
• Sam Barley
• Ronan McLaughlin
• Miranda Tomenson
• Marinus Petersen

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

27 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 58 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

95

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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