New v4.1 Base Builder Plan for 45+ Masters Cyclists
v4.1 21-Week BASE BUILDER Plan for Competitive MASTERS Cyclists w/ Daily HRV Readiness Modifiers
As 45+ Masters cyclists we can still train as hard as we may have in our younger days… the difference now at 45+ years of age is that we need more recovery between workouts and more time across the progression (ie. lower ramp rates) to allow for effective adaptation.
The other big difference at 45+ years is that we are losing muscular strength & Vo2 max at rapid rates! It is critical to put extra emphasis on strength training & high-intensity training, in the right doses, to slow down the sarcopenia.
Our Masters Base Builder Plan achieves these goals by reducing the total bike volume allowing for more strength training, high-intensity rides, and “cross-training” to reduce the effects of aging to continue to get faster as we get older!!
Our 21-week Masters Base Builder plan takes the proven progression of our 14-week Base Builder to focus on low-intensity aerobic fitness while layering in progressively higher intensity work as the plan progresses; all inline with the POLARIZED TRAINING philosophy.
The weekly structure includes twice weekly energy system specific session (higher intensity), a structured Aerobic session, and a weekly endurance ride. Strength training along with optional “cross-training” is encouraged up to three times per week in addition to the riding.
If you’re 45+ years of age and not interested in slowing down, this plan can set you up with appropriate training loads and intensity progressions, recovery, and CTL ramp rates that can build your most effective base fitness for your 2024 cycling season.
You can now FIND THE PLAN on Training Peaks.
In addition, Waite Endurance coaches, Cody & Kathy, will be launching season Season 4 of the Waite Endurance Podcast this Fall that will guide our Masters listeners through this very training program with insightful information (with plenty of information for our younger cycling friends too!), and personal experiences of our own 45+ masters athlete hosts, as they follow the plan themselves towards their 2024 season.
Get the plan for yourself and follow along through your 2024 base season!
2024 WE Development Program Application Window Opens Now!
With our 9th & 10th National Championships added to the WE Development trophy cabinet, we’re eager for the 2024 WE Development program!
Coaches Cody & Kathy Waite are putting together an ever-improving program for developing the next generation of XCO mountain bike racing in the United States. Entering its 6th season, WE Development is eager to reach the goal of getting more US riders to the biggest events in Europe and across the globe!
For 2024, we will continue to offer the highest level of junior development for 15-16 USAC juniors, 17-18 UCI juniors, and U23 racers; totaling 30 riders across the age groups and genders. This will allow us to continue to offer the best coaching and training we’ve become known for; as well as expand our equipment and race day support to allow for maximum performance across the entire XCO season.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Applications to join the WE Development program are available through September 20th. Team selection occurs in early October, with training for the 2024 season beginning in November.
Use Code WAITEENDURANCE10 for 10% discount.
Proceeds go to the WE Development Junior Development Team.
Shop the 2023 WE Team Shop through January 15th.
Episode 84: Our New v4.0 Plans, part 4: Race Prep
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Episode 83: Our New v4.0 Plans, part 3: Base Builder
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Episode 82: Our New v4.0 Plans, part 2: Base Prep
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Episode 81: Our New v4.0 Plans, part 1: Overview
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Episode 80: 2022 Review & 2023 Preview
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NEW Body Comp Booster Plan
Work with a dietitian and optional continuous glucose monitor this off-season enhance your diet to become a fat-burning machine and improve your body composition!
NEW FOR 2023:
OFF-SEASON BODY COMP TRAINING PLAN.
As we head into the off-season, we’re already dreaming of longer days and PRs at our next season’s “A Event”.
More so than any training program, interval sessions, increased volume, or lightweight equipment you could attain, your biggest time gains in an endurance cycling event come from improving your body composition. Put more directly, unless your percent body fat is already in the single digits (or mid-teens for females), losing fat mass will make you faster, period.
SLOW DOWN TO GET FASTER.
In between seasons is the time to make changes to better yourself. Because you don’t have to perform in the off-season, there is room to be far from a peak performance; this allows you to slow down your training intensity to develop your fat-oxidizing energy system and emphasize lean-tissue development through resistance training.
TRAINING THE OXIDATIVE SYSTEM:
“Low-Intensity Structure” is the key to igniting your fat oxidizing aerobic energy system. Each week includes training your aerobic system through a combination of short, structured Aerobic Threshold sessions (perfect for mid-week trainer sessions), slightly longer “zone 2” indoor or outdoor rides, and optional cross-training activities on the weekends. This is the off-season after all, and training loads should be kept to a minimum with fat-burning at a maximum during this time of the year.
IMPROVE YOUR DIET WITH A PRO.
We’ve partnered with a registered dietitian, specializing in metabolic efficiency, to include personal support to assist you in optimizing your eating habits for improved body composition and performance.
Through the optional use of a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) and four private video-consultations you’ll learn how to manage your diet & nutrition to support your training efforts leading to improved lean body composition and PRs race days!
Christine Zimmerman
MPH, RDN, CDCES
Christine is a registered dietitian/nutritionist (RDN), certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES), Metabolic Efficiency Training Specialist, and Certified Intuitive Eating™ counselor in Colorado. She has a Bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and Master’s in Public Health from UNC-Chapel Hill. Christine provides Diabetes Self Management Education, Medical Nutrition Therapy services, and Metabolic Efficiency Training for endurance athletes through her private practice in Morrison, Colorado.
YOUR OFF-SEASON TICKET TO RACE DAY SUCCESS!
Improve your diet while emphasizing aerobic fat-burning training and lean tissue promoting strength training to improve your body composition. Utilize your off-season to get leaner, healthier and faster in 2023!
- Four Consults with a Dietitian
- Optimize Your Diet Strategies
- Utilize a Continuous Glucose Monitor (optional)
- Increase Lean Body Mass
- Improve Aerobic Function
- Gain Off-Season Structure
- Improve Metabolic Health Before Next Season!
Once payment is made, we’ll be in touch via email within 48-hours to deliver your training plan via Training Peaks & Train Heroic, and schedule your metabolic efficiency video-consultations.
Episode 78: Building BIG Fitness for your A-Events
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EPISODE 77: Our Race Prep Phase Progression
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Episode 76: Spring Peak and Race Prep Transition
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Episode 75: Building BIG Fitness (CTL)
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Our 2022 Race Prep Program Begins in April!
Spring is in the air and event season is right around the corner! Are you prepared?
Get your 2022 race preparation dialed in with our Race Prep Program. With your base fitness established we’ll work from high intensity out towards longer and lower intensity energy systems that you will rely on come race day. Our 2022 coach-led Race Prep Program will get you prepared for long steady power events like gravel, fondo, and marathon & ultra marathon MTB events.
Our program includes a custom plan designed around you and your event & life schedules, along with:
- Optimized training loads to meet your volume goals
- Structured cycling workouts delivered via Training Peaks
- In-season strength training workouts delivered via Train Heroic
- Coach-led bi-weekly ZOOM calls to discuss training related topics & education
- Special guest Dietician to assist in nutrition planning
- Bi-weekly podcasts providing additional insights
- A group forum app to allow for unlimited Q&A throughout the process
- Special discounts from partnering brands
- Opportunities for Leadville meet-ups in July & August as you prepare for your big day!
Our program revolves around the Leadville 100 MTB race, but easily applies to any/all mid-Summer endurance events including gravel races (like SBTGRVL, Gravel Worlds, etc.), Gran Fondos, and endurance MTB events (Breck Epic, Park City, Telluride 100, etc.).
Train, learn, interact and succeed with our 2022 Race Prep Program for a peak performance this summer!
Episode 74: Revisiting Deep Nutrition
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Episode 73: Reviewing Progress with Data
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Episode 71: Revisiting Sleep Strategies
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Episode 70: Our 3 Key Base-Building Rides
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Episode 69: Systems, Zones and Testing
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Train With Us From Base to Race For Leadville 100
Here are the quick details:
BEGIN WITH BASE…
- Begins January 3rd (we’ll have a pre-kickoff zoom call the week before on Monday, Dec. 27th @ 6:00pm MST)
- Runs 15 weeks through April 10th
- Includes cycling workouts via Training Peaks & strength workouts via Train Heroic
- Training Program is optimized to your fitness and goals
- LOTS of education on all things training
- Weekly ZOOM coaching calls (Mondays @ 6:00pm MST)
- Group Forum for Q&A via Slack
- Partner discounts TBA
FINISH WITH RACE….
- We’ll focus on the Leadville 100 and Lifetime series qualifiers (but any endurance events in mid-summer can be compatible)
- a CUSTOM Training Plan built for your event schedule and fitness
- Optimized training loads included as part of the customization
- Bi-weekly zoom coaching calls (more frequent as we get a month from Leaville!)
- Q&A out the wazoo
- LOADS of education on all things endurance racing
- Partner discounts TBA
COST:
Episode 68: Optimizing Your 2022 Season
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Episode 67: 2022 v4.0 Plans & Program Previews
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Episode 66: Cody’s 6:46 Leadville 100
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Episode 65: Race Prep Training Variations (+ WHOOP review)
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In-Season Strength Maintenance
Strength Training, that is training with weights in the gym (or at home), has become more widely accepted in the endurance sport world over the last 5+ years. There are still some hold-outs on the subject, but most athletes and coaches will agree there are valuable benefits to be gained from lifting heavy weights within an endurance sport training program. Improving your strength from season-to-season only occurs if you perform Strength Maintenance sessions year-round.
The intent of this article is not to spew out the benefits of Strength Training (you can read a previous post that covers all those points); rather my intent with this article is to point out the value of YEAR-ROUND strength training. More specifically, focus on lifting weights within your competitive racing season.
Don’t Lose your Gains, Bro
If you’ve gotten this far, I’m going to assume you’re on board with Strength Training, at least as part of your off-season training program. The majority of endurance athletes do some form of strength training in their off-season. Then what seems to be very common is many athletes cease their Strength Training program once their competitive race season begins. The reasons I hear for dropping the strength training from their training programs are often:
- Wanting to spend more time on their primary sport (“get more miles in”)
- Lifting weights makes them slow (“legs too sore/tired”)
- Don’t want to gain weight (“too much muscle”)
- Getting bored with the strength training (“same old routine”)
I’m here to encourage you to not stop your Strength Training once your race season begins. In fact if you do stop, I can tell you you’re leaving performance gains on the table!
You may be thinking, “Whoa! Hold up. You want me to lift weights during my race season?!”
Yes I do! And here’s why…
When you Strength Train for 2, 3 or even 4 months of your off-season, you spend the first few weeks working through the soreness of training the muscles. Only then do you begin to make some gains in actual strength of movement. These improvements to your health & performance as an athlete include:
- Increased muscle fiber recruitment (use more of the muscles you have)
- Increase top-end power (raise the ceiling of your power curve)
- Increased anabolic hormone production (balance the catabolic nature of endurance training)
- Improve range of motion/activation (offset imbalances)
- Improve the overall “durability” of your body
Episode 64: Race Prep Series #6 – Mid Season Break
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Episode 63: Race Prep Series #5 – Mental Fortitude
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Episode 62: Race Prep Series #4 – Race Fueling
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Episode 61: Event Prep Series #3 – Race Warm-Ups
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Episode 60: Event Prep Series #2 – Race Week Strategies
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Our Two-Phase Approach to Peak Performance
WE at Waite Endurance prefer to use a TWO training phase model to reach a peak performance for an “A” race. We call them: Base Builder & Race Preparation.
Base Builder Phase
Base Builder (or your base phase) is about establishing a general aerobic & strength foundation of fitness. Our Base Builder Plans are 12-24 weeks in duration. The duration is dependent on time until your next “A” race. Our Base Builder progression goes from low-intensity to high-intensity. Building through the six major energy systems in a block periodization format with 2-4 week blocks based on duration of plan and intended rate of progression:
1. Aerobic Endurance
2. Aerobic Threshold
3. Anaerobic Threshold
4. Vo2 Max
5. Anaerobic Power
6. Peak Power
Overall volume is dependent on rider age, experience, time availability and level of goals. More experienced, higher level athletes will carry moderately-high to high levels of volume within their Base Builder; where as lower level riders and/or time constrained riders will carry lower levels of volume. Regardless of total volume goals, volume will gradually increase (at low intensity) over the course of the riders Base Building Phase.
Power Testing occurs at the beginning of the Base Build to set baseline training targets. Within the Base Builder testing reoccurs approximately every 8 weeks to check for progress and reassess training targets. Lighter recovery weeks typically occur concurrently with testing weeks to de-load fatigue and reload the enthusiasm.
On the strength training side of things, the first half of Base Builder Strength focuses on developing maximum strength (while aerobic intensity is at its lowest). The second half of Base Builder shifts towards a stability & power focus in the gym as intensity ramps up on the aerobic side.
The goal upon completion of your Base Builder phase is to be “generally fit”, able to handle a high training load, and ready to focus on becoming more “specifically fit” for your target event.
Race Preparation Phase
The Race Prep phase picks up where Base Builder phase leaves off. This time working backwards down the “ladder” of energy system model (above). The duration of the Race Prep phase is event dependent. Shorter, higher intensity events (such as criteriums, XC mountain bike) require a shorter Race Prep phase, moving only a few energy systems down through to the energy systems most used in the event. Longer, lower intensity events (such as road/gravel races, endurance mountain bike races) require a longer Race Prep phase to move down through to the lower intensity energy systems (the dominant systems used in the target events).
5. Anaerobic Power
4. Vo2 Max (crits, CX, often end here)
3. Anaerobic Threshold (XC MTB, time trials, short road races here)
2. Aerobic Threshold (3-6 hour endurance events end here)
1. Aerobic Endurance (ultra 6+ hour events go to here)
A typical strategy is move through these energy systems in 2 week blocks. Often we’ll allow for more focus on the higher intensity work through additional intervals, or sets of intervals, compared to the equivalent Base Builder block from the previous phase. As intensity lowers from block to block the volume will typically rise to extend endurance as needed for longer events.
Peak & Race
Upon completion of your last energy system block within Race Prep, we often wrap things up with a testing week to identify progress. Follow that with a Taper Week and final Race Week of training to “sharpen the sword” for race day. This allows for shedding of accumulated fatigue, while maintaining the high power output capabilities you’ve trained for.
Following race day is a recovery week of little to no training to allow for a mental & physical break. From there what you do is dependent on what’s next in your season… Another build towards an “A” race. Or perhaps a second week off for transitioning between seasons and then back to Base Builder training.
Episode 59: Event Prep Series #1 – Early Season Racing
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The Waite Endurance Race Preparation Plans
With Spring around the corner it’s time to think about Race Preparation. Most athletes are putting the final touches on their off-season Base Builder training. Following our Base Builder Plan Programming, athletes have gone through an extensive strength building program in the gym combined with a progression through the six primary aerobic energy systems we utilize on the bike; from lowest intensity to highest intensity:
- Aerobic (all day power)
- Aerobic Threshold (2-4 hour power)
- Anaerobic Threshold (32-64 minute power)
- Vo2 Max (8-16 minute power)
- Anaerobic Power (1-4 minute power)
- Peak Power (5-20 second power)
Depending on when they got started with their Base Builder training and how much time available for building Base, athletes went through a 12, 18 or 24 week progression; in 2, 3 or 4 week blocks dedicated to each energy system mentioned above. Regardless of your exact base training protocol you may have followed, as you come to the end of your base phase you may be asking yourself this question:
With my Base now built and general cycling fitness established, what comes next?
Race Preparation Training
Where Base Building is general fitness development; Race Preparation is specific fitness development for your A-priority event(s) of the year.
Episode 58: High Intensity Aerobic Training
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Episode 57: Testing, Fatigue Rates & Training Zones
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Episode 56: 2021 Motivation & Goal Setting
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Episode 54: (more) Aerobic Threshold Insights
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Episode 52: Low-Intensity Aerobic Training
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Episode 51: Determining Optimal Base Training Load
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Episode 50: Base Builder Cycling Progressions
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Episode 49: Our Base Builder Strength Preview
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Welcome to Season 2 of the Waite Endurance Podcast!
Season Review Strategies
(ed. Listen to the Waite Endurance Podcast: Season Review Strategies episode 48 for the related discussion on this topic)
As the current season winds down and you enter your end-of-season ‘transition period‘, it’s time for season review. Make the most of the downtime with these season review strategies while your past season is fresh in your mind. During the review process you want to take a look at what you accomplished from a training and performance progression standpoint; along with the training volume you accomplished, your consistency in training, and what went well for you and where you could improve upon for next season.
Season Review: Performance Manager Chart
A great place to begin your season review is to take a look back at the work you’ve put in over your past season. This can be easily achieved by looking at your Performance Management Chart within your Training Peaks app. If you’re not a Training Peaks user, most training-log applications offer some version of this chart that displays the work you’ve accomplished over a selected time period.
Chronic Training Load
Your Chronic Training Load (CTL) is represented by the blue line on the chart. This graphically displays the progression of your fitness as days, weeks, and months accumulate. It is common to see a ‘saw-tooth’ pattern in the line. Ideally your CTL increases over the course of several weeks and months with minimal dips along the way. The gradual growth indicates consistency in training, and the small declines indicate recovery days and recovery weeks.
Acute Training Load vs. Freshness
The pink line represents your Acute Training Load (ATL). This indicates your level of fatigue; whereas the yellow line represents your freshness or readiness to perform. These lines are inverse of each other. To put simply, the harder you train the more tired your legs get and the less able are you to hit a peak performance. Vice versa when you recover a bit your fatigue comes down and your freshness or ability to put out a great effort increases.
Key Points to Reference:
- How successful were you in building your fitness over the ‘base training’ months?
- How many weeks of training were implemented for your growth in CTL?
- What kind of ‘ramp rate’ did you achieve? Was this successful or stressful for you?
- What was your peak CTL value at the end of Base?
- What did your CTL drop to within your race preparation training prior to a peak performance?
- Did you achieve a peak performance?
These values can be helpful in designing your Annual Training Plan for the next season. With some experience, you can begin to determine what values ‘work for you’ in terms of building fitness & fatigue, and where you are likely to achieve peak fitness and a peak performance.
PMC Example
I’ll use my 2020 Performance Manager Chart as an example of the season review thought process…
The first half of my 2020 season was dedicated to base building. Eight weeks of easy fall base miles progressed CTL from around 70 to a little over 80 before a recovery week (ramp rate of 5/month). In the four months that followed, I built CTL from around 70 to 110 (ramp rate of 10/month). At this point fitness was high, as was Acute Training Load (ie. physical stress). A week off the bike was planned (family vacation); but that was followed by me catching influenza-A and needing another 2 weeks to return to health… CTL plummeted to around 75!
In the second half of my season, my motivation was high (following the flu) as the COVID-19 lockdowns escalated and racing was cancelled. It was decided to return to base training with Aerobic Threshold & Anaerobic Threshold training blocks. Ramp rates were much steeper (indicated by blue CTL line) since months of base fitness were recently built prior to illness. Following the Anaerobic block of training, fitness was high (end of May) and freshness was on the rise (yellow TSB line)… leading to ‘peak performances’ in testing and Strava KOMs in early June.
A mid-season break occurred in mid-June. Freshness returned and allowed for another 12-week round of aerobic miles, Aerobic Threshold and Anaerobic training blocks; we dubbed it our Season Salvation Plan. This solid training took CTL from 85 to 115 (peak of season) over 8 weeks building high levels of fitness & fatigue. During the final high-intensity block, freshness returned and was soon followed by a second ‘peak’ indicated by further PRs in testing efforts and more Strava KOMs!
I can now determine that building fitness to around 110-115 over stretches of base-building blocks, followed by high-intensity training blocks allowing CTL to drop into the 90s and freshness to rise, I can expect some solid performances. This is valuable information I can incorporate as I plan my 2021 season.
Season Review: Weekly TSS
Another valuable chart to reference in your review is the Weekly TSS Total. This chart depicts your weekly training load achieved through weekly Training Stress Scores and Intensity Factor (averaged for the week). This provides a graphical view of the overall load of each week and related level of intensity. Again, you want to identify your peaks, valleys, and consistency in your training over the previous months.
Key Points to Reference:
- Your average weekly TSS for the season (indicated by dashed line)?
- Peak TSS weeks per training block?
- Maximum TSS week for your season?
- Consistency in your weekly training progressions… Did you organize effective training blocks?
- How many recovery weeks did you take? Was there enough? Was there too many?
These values will again assist you in creating your training loads for your next season. If things went well this year, then you can model your next year after these numbers – perhaps even consider increasing your loads a small amount from year to year. If your season progressions or performances did not live up to your goals, try to identify where you went awry… too high of training load, not enough recovery, not enough consistency, or ineffective training blocks are frequently the issues cyclists encounter.
TSS Example
Using my 2020 season again as an example, we can easily view the consistency in training, placements of recovery weeks, and the loading progressions within the training blocks…
Average weekly TSS was 600. Peak loads were progressive between training blocks: around 800 for the fall base miles, 900 for winter base building, 1000 for the early summer blocks, and a max TSS week for the year was almost 1100 at the end of my final build.
The consistency in training appears effective with the exception of the visible early March influenza-A interruption. Otherwise, training blocks were consistent and recovery weeks well placed within the year. The lack of racing due to COVID-19 for 2020 allowed for ideal training progression throughout the entire year. In a normal year, with frequent racing from March through September, I would not normally see the visually appealing structured training blocks. This lack of racing allowed for ideal training; as a result, PRs in testing efforts and KOMs on Strava were achieved.
The next objective will be to use this information to design next year’s training progressions in similar fashion with the peaks in fitness to line up with A-priority events in the new season ahead. As interesting as an experiment this 2020 season has been, let’s all cross our fingers for a ‘normal’ 2021 season full of events!
* For further discussion on the Season Review topic, listen to our podcast episode 48 where we go through the review process in full detail.
Episode 46: “Deep Nutrition” Discussion
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