Sleep Strategies for Ultramarathon with Borja Martinez Gonzalez | Koopcast Episode 133
Episode overview:
Borja Martinez Gonzalez is a Research fellow and Adjunct professor at the University of Bologna. After graduating in Sport Science and Physical Education at the University of Leon (Spain) in 2013. He subsequently completed an MSc in Sport Science for Optimal Performance from the University of Kent (UK) in 2015. He successfully passed his PhD Viva in 2022 at the same institution. He joined the University of Bologna as Research fellow (2021) and Adjunct professor (2022). His main research interest is to explore strategies to improve endurance performance, with a focus on fatigue, psychobiology, and sleep.
He has also provided sport science support not only for various athletes competing at international endurance events including Ironman World Championships and Marathon Des Sables, but also teams such as Drone Hopper - Androni Giocattoli Professional Cycling Team, Gillingham Football Club, Honda Team Rally Dakar, and Team England Touch Rugby. He has done some consultancy work for companies, such as ASICS and Scarpa.
Episode highlights:
(33:05) When to use caffeine: boosting caffeine at night, avoiding intake 2-4 hours before sleep
(52:47) Advice to avoid sleep deprivation: caveats on sleep deprivation training, sleep banking, caffeine, and race strategy
(58:51) Just run fast: the impacts of sleep deprivation training on training fitness, experiential benefits, and is it worth it?
Our conversation:
(0:00) Introduction: Borja’s background and PhD study overview
(2:05) Borja’s journey into ultramarathon research: from a degree in Sports Physiology to triathlon coaching and PhD research at the University of Kent
(7:53) Introduction of methods: measuring sleep habits during the 268-mile Spine race
(12:42) Sleeping the first night: reasons athletes avoid sleep
(16:55) Statistics during The Spine: time until sleep, total duration, and frequency
(18:45) Planning sleep during The Spine: race checkpoints and the environment
(21:11) General tips for sleeping during ultras: complications with research and sleep banking
(25:37) Advice for specific events: logistics, routine, and caffeine
(28:08) Using caffeine: caveats, studying soldiers, appropriate dosage, genetics
(33:05) When to use caffeine: boosting caffeine at night, avoiding intake 2-4 hours before sleep
(36:34) Reaction times, sleep deprivation, and caffeine: creating a race strategy
(38:54) Research anecdote: athlete sleep during Tor des Geants
(41:16) Optimizing sleep strategies for performance: sleep at night, observations from the field
(43:45) Building a sleep deficit: sleep exhaustion versus fatigue, observations from The Spine
(46:46) Strategies for elite versus amateur athletes: caveats, event duration, goals, commitment
(49:03) Developing backup plans: trying to cheat sleep, training logistics
(52:47) Advice to avoid sleep deprivation: caveats on training sleep deprivation, sleep banking, caffeine, and race strategy
(57:29) Creating backup plans: the dangers of winging it, needs for additional research
(58:51) Just run fast: the impacts of sleep deprivation training on training fitness, experiential benefits, and is it worth it?
(1:03:18) Sleep deprivation research: protocol for testing soldiers, future research, impact on life outside of training
(1:07:04) The cost-benefit analysis: comparing sleep deprivation training with other training interventions
(1:09:02) Wrap-up: where to find Borja’s research
(1:13:22) Outro: key takeaways, closing remarks
Additional resources:
Borja’s Curriculum vitae
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