73 - Vespa, OFM & Ultra Endurance Gravel Grinding: Lessons from Badlands 800K

Episode Summary
In this episode of the OFM Podcast, Peter Defty, Tony Konvalin, and John Rutherford discuss a variety of topics related to OFM and Human Performance in the context of John’s recent EPIC accomplishment of finishing 10th overall at the Badlands 800 Kilometer gravel bike in the Andalusian Deserts of Spain. This event has taken on legendary status in just a few short years  attracting the best gravel cyclists from across the globe to challenge themselves against the terrain and elements as well as each other. 

John shares his incredible experiences as an elite cyclist, Marine Corps F-18 fighter pilot, ultrarunner, IronMan Triathlete then coming back full circle to his first love of cycling culminating most recently with Badlands. 

John was an early, early adopter of OFM beginning in 2010 by first using VESPA. Like so many people pursuing endurance sports John was suffering from GI issues and bonking. While VESPA made a huge difference in John’s fueling, his full adoption of OFM in the fall of 2010 has had profound long term benefits which are part of the conversation. 

Key Highlights:

1. John Rutherford’s Journey

• John ‘chased the dream’ of being a professional cyclist following the conventional high carb diet & fueling recommended at the time which resulted in ever increasing swings in both energy and weight which impacted his ability to perform consistently. 
• Recognizing the costs associated with pursuing a career in Pro Cycling were not worth the benefits, John punched out of the USA Cycling Development Team and went to school and graduated from UC Davis then immediately into the Marine Corps to become an F-18 Pilot with multiple combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. During this time John’s ‘sports’ were confined to basic PT onboard an aircraft carrier or base.
• While in the Marine Corps as an F-18 pilot John was nominated and selected to become the White House Liaison to the Secretary of the Navy which seeded the bug to become a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. It was at this point John took up endurance running which transformed into ultrarunning.
• After going all in on OFM John had several successful 100 milers before transitioning to competing in Half and Full IronMan triathlons including qualifying for and competing at the Kona IronMan World Championships. While posted in Belgrade, Serbia for the State Department during COVID John’s rekindled his love for cycling. 
• His selection as the foreign service officer to NATO in Brussels, Belgium has further fuelled the cycling bug, especially gravel racing. Though he continues to run regularly for cross training, his focus since COVID has been on ultracycling events including winning the Liege-Chimay-Liege 500 Kilometer Road Cycling Event overall beating the 2nd place finishers (a 2 person Team) by over 2 hours.   .

The Badlands Experience

• A firsthand account of tackling the infamous Badlands 800k race, including its brutal terrain, lack of support, unrelenting heat,  grueling climbs and treacherous descents…..all of this balanced by the incredible beauty, resilience, camaraderie and, ultimately, the triumph of a top ten finish.
• How John secured a top-10 finish despite zero recon or training on course, gravel specific conditioning challenges, and competing against highly prepared, supported athletes.

Metabolic Efficiency/Flexibility and OFM

• The benefits of OFM: reduced calorie intake, performance, endurance, mental clarity/focus/executive function and avoiding the “gut bombs” of traditional fueling.
• John’s experience as the top fat-burner in the FASTER study and how he sustains long efforts with minimal carbs yet uses them when he needs to.
• John articulates how easy the dietary aspects of  OFM are in terms of daily life due to his experience on both ends of the spectrum. Prior to VESPA and OFM, John was High Carb/Low Fat/Low Protein and after finding OFM and the publication of “The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance”, John moved to a more Keto level of carbohydrate restriction for a few years before starting to re-introduce carbohydrates back into his diet and fueling per OFM’s “Strategic Carbohydrates” protocols.

 

1. Lessons Learned and Future Goals

• The importance of VESPA and strategic carb use for high-intensity efforts. 
• The importance of event specific training, including training with gear and conditions mimicking the event one is training for.
• Balancing a demanding career with a family and ultra-endurance sports.

Discussion Topics:

• Adapting a low-carb diet for endurance sports.
• Fueling strategies for ultras: water, salt, Vespa, and strategic carbs.
• Wisdom and self-awareness gained from years of racing.
• The role of OFM in high-level performance and Metabolic Efficiency/Flexibility.

Closing Musings:

This episode showcases the transformative power of OFM for endurance athletes over the long term. John Rutherford’s journey . . . 

• High Carb Pro Cyclist
• F-18 fighter pilot 
• 100 Mile Ultras (where he found VESPA & OFM) 
• Kona IronMan 
• Winning the prestigious 500K Liege-Chimay-Liege Road Race
• 10th place Badlands 800K 

. . . highlights how OFM supports a person to consistently show up and be the best version of themselves no matter what the challenges of ultra-endurance events, including Life! Remember, along with being the Foreign Service Officer for the US Department of State assigned to NATO (John reports directly to the US Ambassador to NATO &  he is fluent in Russian), John has a wife and two boys. 

Hopefully John’s long term OFM journey will inspire you to reassess whether the conventional wisdom of high carb dieting and fueling (which is, essentially, “too much sugar”) and whether it really makes sense while exploring how the OFM program and protocols offer a roadmap back to your native physiology and in alignment with our evolutionary heritage. 

Doesn’t matter whether you're an elite athlete, age grouper or simply looking to be the best version of yourself in all aspects of life, John’s journey there are nuggets to glean for everyone including how to enjoy the ride, because, remember, whether you know it or not we are all signed up for that ultra-endurance event called Life!