Looking the part did not mean they could switch fueling systems
Same VO2max. Same body fat. Only the insulin-sensitive men could switch fuels when more fat hit the bloodstream. Fasting insulin split them, not fitness. Mine went from 6.3 to 2.5 after I quit the nightly Mint Explosion pints.
The Athlete’s Paradox: Fit Muscle, Sick Blood Work
Your legs can be insulin sensitive while your fasting insulin tells a different story, and only one of those shows up on a lab report. Masters riders who train hard and eat poorly off the bike are the ones most likely to get blindsided by metabolic dysfunction at 60.
The Pint and the Saddle
On Monday 17 August I donated a pint of blood after a hematocrit of 60 percent, and I moved my saddle forward the same day. Claude went through the Strava files. Same speed. Heart-rate cost per watt down 5.8 percent on the steady laps. Here is the method, including the parts that did not work.
Deep Sleep Is a Training Zone, and You’re Getting Locked Out of It
You track power and intervals. The training zone you are probably not protecting is deep sleep. After 50, slow-wave sleep shrinks, growth hormone drops, and Tuesday's hard work stops sticking the way it should.
Vitamin D is your missing performanc lever.
You track your power. You probably track HRV. You might even know your last cholesterol number. But ask a room full of Masters cyclists what their vitamin D level is, and most of them will go quiet. That silence is the problem, because for a rider over 40, few numbers touch as many of the systems that decide whether your training actually turns into fitness. Here
Your Blood Work Looks Fine. So Why Are You Getting Slower?
A note for competing athletes: DHEA and testosterone therapy, discussed below, are prohibited in sanctioned competition under WADA rules, both in and out of competition. The protocols described in this article are appropriate only for athletes who do not race under a sanctioning body. If you compete under USADA, UCI, or similar rules, your Longevity Audit recommendations are screened against the current WADA Prohibited List.Most
How a Rollfast Blog Post Solved a Heart Mystery
After battling burnout and mysterious heart palpitations, Tom Tokarcik sought answers. He found them not just through a Rollfast Longevity Audit, but directly from a Rollfast blog post that exposed the hidden culprit: oxalates. This is Tom's powerful story of resolving chronic pain, stabilizing his heart rhythm, and discovering why 'normal' isn't enough when you're pursuing optimal health and performance as a Masters athlete.
The Carb Conspiracy: Why Your “Performance” Fuel Is Making You Slower (and Sicker) After 35
Two Saturdays ago, Rollfast coach Matt Tanner was taking 10-minute pulls at 350 watts on an 80-mile loop, fueled by just three LMNT drinks and two dates. This wasn't luck—it was metabolic plasticity in action. This post, inspired by Dr. Andrew Koutnik's groundbreaking research, challenges the conventional carb-loading dogma. Discover why your "performance" fuel might be making you slower and sicker after 35, and how
The Day Everything Clicked: My Longevity Audit Results at 52
At 52, Rollfast coach Matt Tanner thought he was doing everything right — until a training camp breakdown and an E. coli infection exposed the hidden truths in his bloodwork. This is the story of his comeback, driven by data-backed protocol changes that redefined his definition of "optimal." Discover why "normal" isn't enough for masters athletes, how a personalized Longevity Audit uncovers the real reasons
