Sophie Herzog’s academic background has focused on biotechnology. This, together with her keen interest in sport and how the body can be trained to reach peak performance, was what led Olav Aleksander Bu to invite her to join the team at Santara as a Performance and Technology Analyst. In this episode Sophie discusses the concept of allostatic load and its impact on athletes' performance. She shares her personal journey of experiencing ‘unexplained underperformance’ and how it led her to explore the topic. The conversation highlights the importance of considering both physical and psychological stressors in an athlete's life and the energetic cost they impose. Sophie also emphasizes the need for athletes to have a balanced energy budget and be aware of the cumulative wear and tear of allostatic processes. The discussion provides valuable insights for athletes and coaches in understanding and managing allostatic load. Sophie reflects on her experience of dealing with unexplained under performance as an endurance athlete and discusses the importance of managing allostatic load. She emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to addressing underperformance, considering factors such as nutrition, training intensity, sleep and emotional stress. Sophie also highlights the potential impact of hormonal fluctuations on female athletes and the need for further research in this area. Sophie shares her personal strategies for managing stress, including journaling and disconnecting from devices during training. We also hear about her upcoming business, which aims to provide consulting and educational resources for athletes experiencing underperformance. LINKS: Sophie’s Substack – “Understanding Allostatic Load in Athletes: The Unwanted Energy Thief” at https://sherzog.substack.com/p/understanding-allostatic-load-in “The energetic cost of allostasis and allostatic load” - Natalia Bobba-Alves, Robert-Paul Juster, Martin Picard at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030645302200292X Marco Altini “The Ultimate Guide to HRV” t https://www.marcoaltini.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-heart-rate-variability-hrv-part-one Fitter Radio Episode with Dr Peter Stirling at https://www.fitter.co.nz/fitter-radio/2024/8/19/episode-579-im-frankfurt-race-review-dr-peter-sterling More about Santara Tech at https://www.santaratech.com/