52. Work, Life, and Ultra-running: How Jesse Haynes Masters the Balance

OFM - Why Metabolic Health Matters

In today’s podcast, our guest, Jesse Haynes, shares his remarkable Life journey of balancing his career as a construction project manager, husband and ultramarathon trail runner at the elite level. Jesse’s life has no shortage of daily challenges, ones which require him to access,adapt and act as part of the job. Naturally, OFM plays a key role, enabling him to stay at the top of his game in work, life and on the trail.

Most of all this podcast offers insights into how OFM can enhance your journey. Whether we realize it or not, everyone is entered in that one ultra-endurance event called Life and Jesse’s commitment to a healthy lifestyle serves as both an inspiration and example for all of us. His experiences shed light on how to overcome the daily challenges faced by those in physically and mentally demanding jobs which often lead to bad habits and breakdown of both mind and body typically seen in construction. I know because in a former life I was in the same profession and position as Jesse.

Key Points:

• Jesse works in construction as an on-site project manager. This requires him to ‘do it all’ from planning and scheduling to setting grade and even hopping on a piece of equipment. It requires decision making and people skills ranging from working with his crew of operators to sub-contractors, inspectors and consultants. In this high stress environment, construction work takes a toll on health due to long hours, an ‘on the go’ diet often rife with processed foods, caffeine and nicotine and high-stress levels. Jesse offers an alternative path, one where the stress of the job makes him more confident and capable of handling Life’s challenges.
• Even with the physical demands of his job, Jesse races at the elite level of ultra trail racing and recently achieved a second-place finish at the competitive Leona Divide 50 Miler at the age of 50.
• Like your own Life Journey Jesse shares how he transitioned from mountain biking to road cycling then finally developing a love for trail running.
• Jesse talks about his partner Keira, how they met and the races she organizes and directs. Highlighted is her passion for getting people outdoors, promoting health, and creating accessible races for runners of all levels.
• Jesse’s OFM transformation came on the heels of his close friend, Jeff Browning’s, OFM transformation in 2016. Jesse immediately noticed Jeff as a leaner version of himself who went on to dominate his first Vespa powered race, the 2016 HURT 100 miler. Not only did Jeff win but both Jeff & Jesse were blown away by the recovery the very next day where Jeff was walking without a limp in his gait and had none of the severe edema (swelling) in his feet and legs that is considered normal after an ultra-endurance event.
• Fat adaptation: Jesse discusses how adopting Vespa and OFM aligned with his natural eating habit as he never felt good consuming copious amounts of carbohydrates.He emphasizes getting plenty of fat and protein in his diet with just enough carbs to give him that performance edge.
• Improved recovery and reduced calorie intake: the positive impact of Vespa and fat adaptation on his race performance and recovery. This includes experiencing shorter periods of soreness and being able to resume running within a few days, despite consuming fewer calories.
• The demanding job and its impact on training time: The various ‘Hats’ Jesse wears daily, which highlight the demands of his job which is also coupled with a long commute. . . . the early morning wake-up and commute translate into time constraints for training during the workweek. While most of his training occurs on the weekend, stretching, intervals or strength training make up the workweek training…..that is, when he can.The take home: OFM allows Jesse to maintain a high level of fitness in spite of the constraints to his training.
• Incorporating Strength Training and Interval Training: Jesse talks about shifting his weekday training to focus on strength, stretching, and intervals to maximize time and improve performance.
• Balancing Time Commitments: the challenge of balancing time between work, personal life, and running and the vital role OFM plays in facilitating Jesse to thrive in all aspects of Life.
• The importance of Hydration, especially Electrolyte Supplementation for performance level fat adaptation: Fluid and electrolyte intake are critical during training and racing. Jesse emphasizes this by discussing how he consumed 21 grams of Sodium/Salt during his recent 50 mile race and 2nd overall finish.

As you can see Jesse is no different than you . . . he prioritizes his health and performance through his adoption of OFM which provides the individual with all the tools they need to construct a sustainable Lifestyle in all aspects of Life so you can attain “Higher Health & Peak Performance”.....just like Jesse!