#17: The Power of the Heat and Sauna | Ashley Paulson & Bill Gifford

When it gets hot, most of us hide indoors with the AC cranked, the workouts moved inside, and the thermostat parked at 72°F all summer long. But humans evolved in the heat, and the new science says we can still use it to get stronger, healthier, and (maybe most surprisingly) happier. In this episode, Michael Easter sits down with two of the best people in the world on the subject of heat.

Ashley Paulson, the Badwater 135 course record holder (a 135 mile race through Death Valley), finished in 21 hours and 44 minutes, beating the old record by 2.5 hours. She shares what 120°F at 11 p.m. actually feels like and the mindset that lets her thrive in it.

Then Bill Gifford, author of Hot Wired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger, talks about how your body adapts in 4 to 5 sessions of sauna treatment. Michael closes with a hydration playbook and the 1960s WHO research that nailed the perfect summer drink.

Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.

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Chapters:
00:00 — Cold open: 11 p.m., 120°F, and the 40% depression stat
00:54 — Welcome to 2% and what this episode is
02:28 — Ashley Paulson and the Badwater 135
04:41 — Starting a 135 mile race at 11 p.m. in 120°F
05:13 — Breaking the course record by 2.5 hours
06:34 — What running in 120°F actually feels like
07:24 — How to heat-train (and why she trained in the sauna)
11:11 — The all-liquid fuel plan (ketones, protein, 70 to 90g carbs an hour)
13:36 — The pants confession
16:31 — Cheating accusations and the camera that proved her record
24:26 — Heat training advice for the rest of us
28:50 — 100 miles on a treadmill in 12:47
33:11 — Why you have to be willing to suck before you get great
36:30 — Rapid fire: Alpha Flys, punk rock, and an ice table for dinner
39:30 — Bill Gifford and *Hot Wired*
40:25 — The Blister Boys in Tampere, Finland
43:51 — The Las Vegas garage gym (and how heat adaptation works)
47:25 — The 4 to 5 sessions that change your physiology
48:44 — Hydration, thirst, and the 19 hour desert march study
51:50 — The sauna study that cut depression by 40%
54:01 — Dry sauna versus hot tub: there is no difference
55:13 — The runner who used his car as a sauna
56:32 — Why ice baths are mostly a fad
59:17 — Stop drinking Gatorade Zero this summer

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