St. George Sizzles as Iconic Race Says Goodbye

TOGETHER WITH ADDRA LABS

Good morning everyone,

After a big race weekend in St. George I’m doing all I can to recover from a massive effort. And a key part of my recovery is protein - which, coincidentally, is a major theme of today’s newsletter.

Today’s conversation with sports nutrition expert Eric Zaltas was incredibly informative. And after reading our interview I feel like I have my PhD in Protein! Key takeaways include:

• The biggest mistakes athletes make with post-workout nutrition.

• Why protein is so crucial for endurance performance. And why you might not be getting enough!

• And why Leucine is an absolute gamechanger for your endurance performance and recovery!

I hope you enjoy the interview. And if you want to learn how much protein you really need, than Eric’s nutrition company, Addra Labs, has created an awesome Protein Calculator.

• Fill it out, learn how much Protein you need, and enjoy a free sample of their High Performance Protein Bar!

In today’s edition:

• 🔥 St. George sizzles as iconic race says goodbye.

• 💪 Why leucine is the key for your best recovery.

• 🏃‍♂️ And the benefits of running strides!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free.

ONE BIG THING

St. George Sizzles as Iconic Race Says Goodbye

What is it: The final edition of the ever-popular IRONMAN 70.3 St. George took place this past weekend in St. George, Utah. And after sixteen years of racing, plus two World Championships, the athletes had one last chance to take on the beautiful and challenging St. George course.

Pro performances: Mirroring last month’s 70.3 in Oceanside, Lionel Sanders (CAN) and Paula Findlay (CAN) took home the final pro victories in St. George.

• After an exceptional swim, Sanders laid down a course record bike and a blazing 1:11:49 run to take the win.

• Findlay parlayed a solid swim into an even stronger bike/run combo that saw her break the tape with a 3 minute gap to second.

Full race results

Tempo’s take: I also had the privilege of competing in St. George for the final edition. Leading into the race there was a heightened attention coupled with undertones of sadness. But also an overwhelming sense of appreciation for those who had the chance to compete one last time.

And based on what I witnessed, the event appeared to be an overwhelming success. Even amongst the savage 35C/95F heat! A huge thank you to all the volunteers who were out in those conditions making it happen ❤️

So why is an event that’s clearly a commercial success for IRONMAN, and deeply beloved by athletes on its way out? A combo of politics, logistics, and economics.

For years, Utah has been one of the fastest growing states, and between 2010 and 2020, St. George saw the third-fastest growth of all US metros with a 30.5% growth rate.

• And driving around pre-race, it appeared as though everything had been built in the previous five years!

Compared to many races, the St. George course has a massive footprint that cuts a wide swath through the community. It’s what makes it unique, but it also requires significant investments in road closures and traffic management, which ultimately, the city didn’t want to continue to pay.

“Costs are going up…and it just got to where the county and the cities that IRONMAN goes through got together and said we’ve done our share, and we’re ready to move on.” - St. George Mayor Michele Randall.

• Many local businesses also complained about the disruptions brought about by the race.

So is the loss of St. George simply a one-off affair? Or is IRONMAN, and other triathlon organizers at risk of losing marquee events?

From Science to Fuel: How Eric Zaltas and ADDRA Labs are Transforming Endurance Nutrition

Eric Zaltas is a sports nutrition entrepreneur and lifelong endurance athlete with over 30 years of experience in the field. He is the co-founder of ADDRA Labs, a company focused on evidence-based recovery nutrition for endurance athletes. Eric holds graduate degrees in human nutrition and sports nutrition, and has led R&D at major sports nutrition brands.

• A former U.S. National Champion road cyclist, he continues to compete in endurance events and brings deep expertise in fueling, performance, and recovery strategies tailored for triathletes.

Eric, what are the most impactful insights you’ve learned from decades of studying human performance and sports nutrition?

One of the biggest takeaways is that training alone doesn’t improve performance— adaptation does! Nutrition is the trigger for that recovery and adaptation, and protein—specifically leucine—plays a central role in supporting that process.

• For endurance athletes, this is especially critical since the repeated stress of training breaks down muscle tissue, enzymes, and even immune function.

Most endurance athletes aren’t taught this in school, and they’re left navigating a sea of trend-based advice. Years ago, we saw under-fueling with carbs for the same reason: the science took time to filter into practice. Now, protein is going through the same lag.

Recent work, including studies by Dr. Dan Moore at the University of Toronto, shows that optimal protein needs for endurance athletes are higher than previously believed—and leucine plays a key role in activating muscle recovery and rebuilding.

• That’s why we created a Protein Calculator that not only helps you dial in your specific protein needs, but also gets you a free sample of our high performance protein bar!

👉 Try the free Protein Calculator + Claim Your Free Sample!

What are the biggest mistakes you see athletes make with their post-workout nutrition?

Historically, recovery for endurance athletes has focused almost entirely on replenishing glycogen and fluids—carbs and electrolytes. And while those are absolutely important, they only cover part of the recovery equation.

• Protein, and especially leucine, is essential for muscle repair and long-term adaptation.

The big miss is in leucine dosing. Research shows you need around 3g of leucine to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis post-exercise (Churchward-Venne et al., 2020).

Most recovery snacks fall short. Even whey protein needs a 25–30g dose to hit that target. Most plant-based proteins fall further behind, and collagen has almost none.

• If athletes aren’t intentional about getting leucine-rich protein after training, they’re leaving recovery gains on the table!

Protein is having a moment right now. Why is it so crucial for endurance performance and recovery?

Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders. Endurance athletes experience muscle breakdown, oxidative stress, and immune suppression from long-duration training—and protein helps rebuild all of that. It's involved in everything from repairing muscle fibers to building enzymes and supporting mitochondria.

Protein, and especially leucine, helps maximize the body’s adaptive response to training. When you hit those evidence-based protein targets, you’re not just repairing damage—you’re building a better endurance engine!

• But again, most athletes are still catching up to this science. That’s part of our mission at ADDRA: bringing advanced, evidence-based recovery tools directly to the athletes who need them.

Do you think endurance athletes are getting enough protein? What are easy ways to up their intake?

The short answer is: No.

Many endurance athletes fall short of the updated protein recommendations. Research shows average intake among this group is around 1.2–1.5g/kg/day, while newer science recommends closer to 1.8g/kg/day or more, especially during periods of heavy training or calorie restriction.

Plant-based athletes face even more of a challenge. Plant proteins tend to be lower in leucine and may be less bioavailable, so they often require a higher overall intake to get the same effect. One easy strategy is to aim for 20–30g of protein per meal or snack, and make sure each of those doses includes 2.5–3g of leucine to fully activate the muscle-building signal!

Why is leucine so important for optimizing your recovery?

Leucine is a triple-threat for endurance athletes!

First, it’s the primary trigger for muscle protein synthesis, activating the mTOR pathway that flips on your body’s repair system. Without enough leucine—around 2.5–3g per serving—you don’t get the full recovery signal.

Second, it’s an essential amino acid, meaning your body can’t make it. You have to consume it through diet.

And third, it’s the most oxidized amino acid during endurance exercise—your body actually burns through it for fuel. That means replacing it post-workout is absolutely critical to rebuilding and adapting. It’s not just about muscle—it’s about your whole recovery system!

What was behind the drive to start ADDRA Labs? What are you doing that other sports nutrition companies are missing?

We started ADDRA because there was a clear gap between what the science says and what athletes are actually consuming. I’ve spent my career in sports nutrition R&D, and I kept seeing products that were under-dosed, over-marketed, or just not built for serious endurance athletes.

Most companies focus on either taste, macros, or price. We focus on outcome. We formulate to hit key physiological triggers—like the 3g leucine threshold per serving—because that's what the data says drives recovery. And we believe endurance athletes deserve that level of specificity.

We also have broader aspirations: we want ADDRA Labs to become the go-to brand for innovative sports nutrition solutions for endurance athletes. We launched with protein bars because, frankly, there were no properly formulated bars designed for this audience.

• Most use inferior proteins low in leucine, or they go ultra low-sugar and sacrifice taste and palatability. On the flip side, some bars are overloaded with sugar.

While endurance athletes absolutely need carbs, we believe they should choose where to get them—perhaps from real food around workouts—not necessarily bundled into their recovery protein.

That’s why ADDRA bars start with 20g of high-quality plant protein and are boosted with leucine to reach the full 3g per serving—a dose aligned with the latest research on muscle protein synthesis and recovery.

• We are the first to build a bar specifically for endurance recovery at this level, and we don’t plan to stop there. Expect more firsts in the future!

ADDRA’s flagship product is the High Performance Protein Bar. Why the bar? And what sets it apart?

The bar was a strategic choice—both scientifically and practically. Physiologically, recovery isn’t a simple light switch—it’s a dimmer switch.

• You need the right leucine dose—about 3g—to turn the signal up to full strength and most bars miss that mark.

But just as importantly, as athletes ourselves, we understood the lifestyle. You finish a long session and head straight into work, family, or travel. You need something portable and effective.

• ADDRA bars fill that gap: clean ingredients, strong flavor, 20g plant protein and the leucine dose that the science supports. Nothing else does that.

👉 Try the free Protein Calculator + Claim Your Free Sample!

Is there an ideal post-workout recovery window?

Yes—and it’s especially relevant for endurance athletes. Because they’re prioritizing carbs before and during exercise, post-workout is the main opportunity to focus on protein.

• Strength athletes can spread protein across the workout window; endurance athletes have to make that post-session count.

The first 30–60 minutes post-exercise is when your body is most responsive to nutrients. While most timing data comes from resistance training, the rationale applies here too.

The sooner you hit that 3g leucine threshold, the sooner you start rebuilding. That’s why ADDRA bars are portable—so athletes can recover immediately, even if they’re racing to their next obligation.

Let’s rewind to your days as a National Champion cyclist. How did your post-workout recovery look like then? And what would it look like now?

Ha—well let’s just say it was a while ago! Back when I was racing, the wheels were still made of stone and cavemen were our soigneurs! 😂

Seriously though, recovery back then was a lot more about reward than optimization. I remember always craving salty, savory foods after long rides—chips, pretzels, maybe a Reuben sandwich.

• And yes, chocolate milk was a staple, but more because it was convenient and tasty than for any scientific reason.

We just didn’t have the understanding we do now about protein timing, amino acid thresholds, or even the concept of triggering muscle protein synthesis. Today, recovery would look completely different: 20–30g of protein, 3g of leucine, then a solid meal.

• Now we can use nutrition to amplify the adaptation process—not just survive the training. That’s a huge shift, and a big part of why we built ADDRA!

Want to dial in YOUR specific protein needs AND enjoy a free sample pack of ADDRA’s high performance protein bar? Then Try ADDRA’s Protein Calculator here! 

FAVORITES

🪒 Clean speed: Thinking your hairy legs and/or beard don’t make a difference with aerodynamics on race day? Well, the folks at GTN just burst that bubble. Check out the crazy watt savings that a clean shave provides. [GTN]

🍟 Low carb, low performance: If you’re training multiple times daily, what’s is the best option for snacking or eating in between? According to this infographic from Yann Le Meur, it definitely helps to have something with a high amount of carbs! [YLM Sports Science]

🏃‍♂️ Benefits of strides: We often have “strides” as a part of our running training. But why are they important for you? And are there different methods? This video explains everything you need to know about strides, and why the different types can provide you with unique benefits! [Strength Running]

REEL TIME

A bike that looks like a Cheetah?!? Be honest, would you race on this beast?! 🤔😱

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