The Real Science of Sport Podcast

How reliable is Artificial Intelligence (AI) when it comes to health, wellness and training advice? Writer, educator and Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Dr Nick Tiller, recently led a research study entitled "Generative artificial intelligence-driven chatbots and medical misinformation: an accuracy, referencing and readability audit." which focused on the feedback and information given by AI in this vital space. Tiller and his team looked at the technology behind AI, how information is delivered and then tracked the validity of the information based on sound, scientific evidence. The results were disturbing, but Tiller still has some advice on how best to use AI when it comes to our own health.

Tiller is a research associate at the Lundquist Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre and is the author of two books: The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science (Taylor & Francis), which was named one of Book Authority's "Best Sports Science Books of All Time," and The Health and Wellness Lie (Bloomsbury), described as "the systematic dismantling of a trillion-dollar con."

​​​​With a master's in kinesiology, Tiller worked as a performance physiologist on the UK’s Olympic programme before earning his doctorate in Applied Physiology from Brunel University London. He has since held academic posts in the UK and Los Angeles, where his research at the prestigious Lundquist Institute focuses on exercise physiology, respiratory medicine, and the science of extreme exercise - a field he knows firsthand as an accomplished ultramarathon runner. His recent work examines health misinformation and questionable research practices.

​​​​A prominent voice in science communication, Tiller writes for Skeptical Inquirer and Ultra-Running Magazine and serves as associate editor for the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. He's authored more than 150 general-audience articles and is a frequent guest on television, radio, and podcasts. In 2023, he was named a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry for his commitment to promoting science literacy and critical thinking.

SHOW NOTES

Nick Tiller and his colleagues' paper on the performance of AI in response to health and exercise questions

The BBC story based on Tiller and Co's Paper

Dr Nick Tiller's Website
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Show notes

Sebastian Sawe's astonishing 1:59:30 marathon world record is in the spotlight today, as Gareth and Ross go deep into the physiology, technology and history of running to explore every angle. How was the race actually run, and what do the splits tell us about Sawe and predict about the future? How did Sawe shatter a barrier that had seemed impossible for so long? What role did the latest super shoes play, and how did they make fools of historical predictions by many, including Ross? To what extent is this performance credible given Sawe's proactive AIU doping initiative? How did the protagonists fuel their efforts? And what next for Kejelcha and Kiplimo, whose extraordinary performances were diminished by Sawe's shadow, and for the marathon over the coming year? If you're looking for the full picture, our Spotlight will reveal all of it.

Also: Carlos Alcaraz is injured again and will miss the defence of his Roland Garros title. Is this the shape of a future derailed by injury, and what does he need to change to build the durability of those before him? Plus, Allyson Felix is eyeing a comeback at LA 2028; we discuss her chances.

Links

Letsrun article on their 2013 prediction and how it was disproven by the recalibration in the marathon
Sean Ingle's views in the aftermath of the breakthrough
Michael Joyner on the perfect physioloyg for a sub-2 hour marathon
Ross' own dismissal of the sub-2 as imminent, before the game was recalibrated by the shoes
A look at Sawe's fuelling strategy from Marathon Handbook
Kejelcha's fuelling from Chris Chavez
Alcaraz out of the French Open
Allyson Felix has her sights set on LA 2028
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English sports psychologist Dr Josie Perry delves into the mental challenges that often hold sportspeople back from success. From the role of our own mental threats to the traits that are present in successful athletes. Perry offers a fascinating insight into the psychology of performance. The team also delve into the prevalence of ADHD in top-performing sportspeople, why mental toughness may not be a good thing, how training can help us overcome mental blocks and the role of techniques like visualisation and mantras. Perry is a chartered psychologist working with top performers in sport, on stage, and in business. Perry has a background in communications and behaviour change, having worked for many years in journalism, marketing, public relations and crisis communications across private corporations and government. She has an MSc in Communications, an MSc in Psychology and an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology. She also has a PhD in Political Communications.
She is a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a member of the Association of Applied Sports Psychologists (AASP). She is registered with the Health Care Professions Council. She writes features for sports magazines and websites and is regularly quoted in the media on how athletes and other performers can use applied sports psychology to enhance their performance.
Check out more on Dr Perry HERE
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Kenya's Sabastian Sawe has absolutely obliterated the two hour marathon barrier, winning the London Marathon in 1:59:30. In this emergency podcast, Mike and Ross talk about a truly historic day that saw two men go under two hours, We discuss a performance that is astonishing not only for the final time, but the matter in which it was constructed, with never seen before splits over 5km, 10km and half-marathon. We also talk about the credibility of the performances, given Sawe's documented funding of a more intensive anti-doping programme, and wonder whether this will open the door to many more sub-2 performances in the future?

Show notes

The article on Sawe's more intensive anti-doping programme
Sean Ingle's article on Sawe's performance
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Show Notes

The Spotlight today is heavily focused on an historically fast Boston Marathon, which saw an incredible 2:01:52 for defending champion John Korir. It obliterated the course record, with the podium all going under Geoffrey Mutai's 2:03:02 from 2011. It's been called one of the "truly great" marathon performances, but Ross isn't so sure. We try to put it into context, given Boston's occasional propensity to produce exceptional conditions, with a tailwind that not only cancels out the impact of its hills, but overcomes them to create freak times. We dive into both the men's and women's performances, discuss some of the remarkable stats of the day, and ponder exactly where Korir's performance lies?

Also out of Boston, Tim Noakes watched the race, and because he didn't see Korir or Sharon Lokedi, the women's winner, take in any carbohydrates during the race, the obsession with carbs is misplaced, and elites don't use them the way we are told. We discuss that theory, offering a grain or two of truth, based on what we actually saw the elites do in the race, to point out that "science by TV watching" is a pretty bad idea, unless you want to show how little you care for facts.

Also in the show, England's Red Roses Rugby team dominate the sport more than perhaps any other team in history. But this has become a potential issue for the growth of the women's game, and we wonder how any other nations will catch up given Englands enormous first-mover advantage in the professionalization of the women's game?

There's a fascinating doping story emerging in women's tennis, where former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova revealed the she refused a doping test last year because of a combination of the Doping Control Officer failing to identify himself, and anxiety and an acute stress reaction. All is not necessarily as it seems, and we look back at that incident in the light of Vondrousova's own telling of it last year. On the subject of anxiety and mental health, AFL player Elijah Holland had a mental health episode leading up to, and during a game last week, and is now receiving treatment. We wonder how such cases occur in elite sports environments where the player's are so closely monitored, and what it means for duty of care of athletes?

And finally, Gareth has some observations about robots that now run half-marathons faster than humans, and Ross has thoughts on tech use in sport, drawing from some great innovation in fencing.

Timestamps

Boston - 01:52
Fuelling - 23:10
Womens Rugby - 42:39
Doping 52:25
AFL Duty of Care - 01:06:35
And Finally Some Tech - 01:14:17

Links

Letsrun discuss the wind, and how the elite men made the most of it to run extraordinary times in Boston 2026
Letsrun analysis of the men's race. And the women's race. Both full of interesting stats as discussed in the show
The tweet that sparks the analysis of what elite runners actually did during the race, and why "science based on TV watching" is a pretty bad idea
Article on the dominance of the Red Roses: Great for them, not so good for the global game
For supporters only: Discussion of the Vondrousova doping case
How was Elijah Holland allowed to keep playing?
Record breaking robots. But can they do it on the cobbles...?
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