• 12hrs. 37mins. 100miles
    Jan 26 2026

    Most of us would struggle to drive a car for 12.5 hours without losing concentration. Caitriona Jennings ran for that long—averaging a blistering 7:34/mile pace to shatter the 100-mile World Record. In this episode, Bruce sits down with the 2012 Olympian and new ISESA board member to discuss one of the most remarkable feats in Irish endurance history. We explore how she balances her C Suite role (Vice President in Aircraft Trading) with elite ultra-running, often flying straight from a race finish line back to the office. We also revisit the heartbreak of London 2012, discussing how finishing last on a stress fracture became the foundation for the mental steel required to excel in the ultra-running world.


    Key Topics Discussed:


    • The World Record: Breaking down the 12:37:04 run at Tunnel Hill—pacing strategy, fueling with high-carb gels, and the mental battle of the "figure of eight" course
    • The "Dual Career": How Caitriona manages 100-mile training weeks while holding down a high-pressure corporate role in aviation leasing
    • Resilience: Why the trauma of London 2012 ultimately prolonged her career and prepared her for the pain cave of ultra-running
    • Training Philosophy: How a mature athlete manages volume, avoids injury, and uses the weekend for "compounding" long runs
    • What's Next: The hunt for the "Green Number" at the Comrades Marathon 2026.


    Links & Resources:


    ISESA Website


    Register for our January Webinar

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    50 mins
  • Beyond 20/20: Why "Perfect" Vision isn't Enough in Elite Sport
    Jan 12 2026

    We spend hours training the heart and the muscles, but what about the primary sensor that drives every decision an athlete makes? In this episode, Bruce is joined by Dr. Fraser Horn, Professor at Pacific University College of Optometry and a world-renowned expert in Sports Vision. Having worked with Nike and collegiate athletics, Fraser challenges the idea that "20/20" is the gold standard, explaining why elite athletes often operate at 20/15 or better and why 20/20 might actually mean you react slower on the pitch


    We discuss the difference between "hardware" and "software," the critical role of contrast sensitivity when tracking a sliotar against a grey Irish sky, and how nutrition acts as "internal sunglasses" for performance. Fraser also breaks down concussion management, explaining why a "blown pupil" is a myth and how to use "resistance training for the brain" to improve anticipation.


    Key Topics Discussed:

    • The 20/20 Myth: Why 20/20 is just "average" and how better visual acuity buys you reaction time
    • The Sliotar in the Sky: Understanding why contrast sensitivity is key for Irish field sports
    • Resistance Training for the Brain: How stroboscopic glasses force the brain to anticipate movement, and how to mimic this using simple tennis ball or bean bag drills
    • Concussion & Baselines: Why every athlete needs a baseline eye exam (pupils & tracking) and the prevalence of visual symptoms post-concussion
    • Travel & Screen Fatigue: Why athletes should consider "Comfort Readers" or specific contact lenses to reduce stress during travel and film review
    • Nutrition: The role of carotenoid supplements (Lutein/Zeaxanthin) in improving processing speed and contrast


    Links & Resources:

    • Dr. Fraser Horn’s Profile
    • Sports Vision Pros: https://www.sportsvisionpros.com/
    • Nutritional Research Centre Ireland (NRCI)

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    44 mins
  • Sport Science 3.0: The Return of Heart Rate
    Dec 8 2025

    With the 2025 season approaching, Bruce chats with Dr. Shane Malone (TU Dublin) about all things pre-season for the team sports. We discuss Shane’s brand new research (co-authored with Martin Buchheit) which suggests we may have become too reliant on GPS, marking the return of heart rate as a critical monitoring tool. Shane reveals why the traditional aerobic slog might be working for your midfielders but failing your explosive corner-forwards due to diminishing returns. Also discussed:


    • The New Rules: How the "solo-and-go" and the 2-point arc might spike high-speed running demands this year
    • Sport Science 3.0: Why combining Internal Load (Heart Rate) with External Load (GPS) is the future
    • The Research: A breakdown of the 2025 "Dose-Response" paper—Endurance vs. Hybrid vs. Speed profiles
    • Practical Coaching: How to stop the "January Spike" in injuries and why you need to treat your speed merchants differently


    References:

    • Malone, S. & Buchheit, M. (2025). Dose-Response of Heart Rate Load and Performance in Gaelic Football.

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • More Than Just a Kickabout: Transforming Men's Health via Social Football
    Nov 24 2025

    In this episode, we explore the powerful intersection of social enterprise, sport and exercise science and health promotion. Steve O'Connell, founder of The Football Cooperative, and Dr. Paula Carroll, Senior Lecturer at SETU and Principal Researcher on the Football Co-operative projects join me in studio to chat about their amazing collaboration. We discuss how a simple game of pick up football has evolved into an award-winning social enterprise. We dig into the reality of recreational football as a tool for physical and mental health and Paula breaks down the incredible data behind it, including the staggering €17.60 social return on investment for every €1 spent.


    Our talking point include:


    • Where it all began: How Steve turned a personal need for flexible football into a nationwide movement
    • The research: Paula explains how they measure "social value" and validate the impact of community sport
    • Wide ranging benefits: not just for men's health, but family, relationships and the wider community
    • Scaling and developing: how the research has helped secure funding and scale a grassroots idea into a national project


    You can find out more here:

    • Football Co-Operative website
    • Football Co-Operative on LinkedIn
    • Paula Carroll @ SETU

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    56 mins
  • Science Week 2025: Why Choose Sport and Exercise Science?
    Nov 10 2025

    This episode is a re-release from last year to coincide with Science Week 2025. Our vision at the Irish Sport and Exercise Science Association is to enhance the health, well-being and performance of individuals through sport and exercise sciences. With that vision in mind and looking to the future, we thought it would be a good idea to put out an episode aimed at anyone who might want to know more about studying sport and exercise science - from current secondary students, to parents, teachers and guidance counselors or someone considering a return to 3rd level education - this is the episode for you. In this short form episode, we will give you the broad strokes of what studying sport and exercise science at 3rd level is all about, what the university experience might entail and importantly, what career opportunities are out there for graduates.


    Sharing this episode is particularly important. We would love to reach as many schools, guidance counsellors, teachers, students and parents as possible, so please send this episode to anyone you think might be interested!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    17 mins
  • Standing in the Hall of Fame
    Oct 27 2025
    Lynne Cantwell is inductee number 174 in to the World Rugby Hall of Fame. With 86 appearances in green, Lynne is still Ireland's most-capped women's rugby player. In an international career that spanned 13 years, she appeared at no less than four Rugby World Cups and one Rugby Sevens World Cup. As a player, Lynne was integral to Ireland’s most iconic achievements, including their 2013 Six Nations Grand Slam and their magnificent victory over New Zealand at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Now working as the Head of Women’s Strategy for the IRFU, Lynne continues to be a guiding light in the Women's Game.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    53 mins
  • Racing Ahead: My Career Fast Track
    Oct 13 2025
    Niamh O’Brien is the Lead Performance Analyst for the Irish Para Swimming Team. She has just returned from working at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore where the Irish Team secured an astonishing 7 medals. Niamh is a really interesting guest - she is a relative newcomer in the world of high performance sport and only recently graduated from her undergrad in Sport Science and Health in TUD. This hasn't stopped her from making a strong impression on those around her which has resulted in her capitalizing on all opportunities and becoming somewhat of a trailblazer in her own career. In this episode we discuss the work of a performance analyst and Niamh's impressive career trajectory, making it of particular interest to current undergraduate and postgraduate students who are wondering how to get a foothold in their own career.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    53 mins
  • Getting Marathon Ready with DCU
    Sep 28 2025
    In this episode, expert from DCU's School of Health and Human Performance present their take on how best to prepare for the Dublin Marathon. Dr. Brendan Egan discusses nutrition Dr. David Nolan extolls the virtues of strength & conditioning for runners, Dr. Aoife Bourke chats about injury prevention when training for a marathon and Dr. Anna Donnla O'Hagan talks about Psychology when Racing.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    58 mins