The Road to My Best Race Ever – Injuries, Metformin, 75 Hard, and What Actually Worked

In 2023, I ran my second best time at the California International Marathon. This was shocking because I knew I was carrying extra weight and I had managed to hobble to the start line. I felt pretty banged up. In fact, I had my left quad taped up in hopes that it would make it through the race without too much pain. I was shocked at my time and chalked it up to a good training plan and coaches (Thank you Karyn and Javier!) 

Taped up but smiling 
(close to the finish line)

Feeling motivated from my success, I decided to sign up for my first 50k. I took a week off after CIM for a bit of recovery for my thigh and jumped into a 50k training plan. Three days in, my right hip was in so much pain, I could barely walk let alone run.

The next four weeks consisted of Zwift rides and walks with my dogs (and a couple of swims because I knew I had to start training for IRONMAN® California eventually). The rest of January 2024 continued on the same. I started adding easy runs back in and I competed in the Dirty Duathlon (couldn't let my relay partner down) but as the race date for the Jed Smith 50k drew near, I had to make a decision. I contacted the race director and asked to change from the 50k to the half marathon. It was probably the smartest decision I could have made...actually, the smartest decision would probably have been not to run yet, but I didn't want to back out.

The following Monday, I started the 75 Hard challenge. The basic rules are for 75 days to stick to a diet, two workouts a day, read 10 pages of a motivational book (Bible OK), progress pic every day, no alcohol, drink a gallon of water, skip a step = start over. I decided to re-visit my prescription for Metformin. Since I wouldn't be drinking, it would be the perfect time, plus I hoped it would help me shed some of the extra weight.

NOTE: I had started taking Metformin at the beginning of my marathon training in August, but was not consistent and really didn't notice any changes. I even ordered a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) to gain more insight, but nothing stood out as being the cause of my weight or injuries.

As the days of the challenge went by, I did start to drop some weight. I assumed it was a combination of the diet and exercise, and maybe the Metformin. I was pleased with my progress, but something in the back of my mind was bothered by the fact that I was taking a daily medication...one that I didn't want to have to keep taking. Besides, I wasn't sure if it was actually doing anything for me.

There are a lot of "may"s in there

In order to make an informed decision about continuing with Metformin, I did a deep dive on Google. A lot of the results mirrored the standard benefits listed on the label. However, I started seeing more and more results that made me start to rethink this drug. I found studies that said that Metformin could negatively affect an increase in my VO2max — one of the main things that all of my training was trying to improve!

Adding Metformin to exercise blunted subjects' increase in VO2max by 50% compared to 10 weeks of exercise alone. Subjects also reported greater perceived exertion than controls while exercising and taking Metformin, which further indicates a reduction in cardiovascular improvement. These reduced improvements in aerobic fitness were associated with blunted improvements in muscular insulin sensitivity. https://www.crossfit.com/essentials/impact-of-metformin-on-exercise-induced-metabolic-adaptations-to-lower-type-2-diabetes-risk

Other articles pointed to Metformin affecting mitochondria:

Metformin inhibits mitochondrial adaptations to aerobic exercise training in older adultshttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6351883/

I sent my doctor an email asking about the negative effects on my training and did not receive a reply. I decided to stop taking Metformin. I was already not thrilled to be taking a prescription drug. Reading that it may be working against my goal of improving my time at IRONMAN® California made the decision even easier. I was going to do this the natural way — exercise and nutrition.

NAD, NMN, AND THE BIOHACKER RABBIT HOLE

Once I started researching NAD and its role in energy and recovery I couldn't stop. NAD — nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide — is essentially the fuel that powers your cells, and it declines naturally as we age. For a middle-aged athlete trying to train for a full distance triathlon while holding down a job and a life, that felt very relevant.

My NAD journey actually started back in 2019 when I first tried Tru Niagen — so I was ahead of this trend before it became a mainstream longevity conversation. In April 2024 I picked back up with NAD Regen by BioStack Labs, which takes a different approach than most — instead of just flooding your system with NAD precursors, it combines NAD3® with spermidine and resveratrol to both boost and protect your NAD levels. Then I moved to Qualia NAD+, which uses three different NAD+ precursors along with resveratrol, B vitamins, magnesium, and a small amount of natural caffeine from coffee fruit extract. I am currently on my second month of WonderFeel Youngr NMN, which combines 900mg NMN with resveratrol, ergothioneine, and vitamin D3.

Do I think any of them made a difference? Honestly, I'm not sure. I think WonderFeel has helped my energy and recovery but I also have to be honest — I am not currently training for Boston or IRONMAN® California, so maybe that's why I have more energy. LOL

The honest answer is that nobody definitively knows which NAD supplement is "best" yet. What seems to matter more is consistency — taking any of them daily over time versus sporadic use of whichever one has the best marketing that week. What I can say is that once I went down this rabbit hole I couldn't unsee the research. NAD declines with age, mitochondrial function declines with age, and recovery takes longer with age. Whether supplements meaningfully offset that for a recreational triathlete is still an open question for me personally. But I'll keep experimenting.

As always — I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice, and your mileage may vary. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you are taking other medications.

UPDATE — April 2026

I wrote the original draft of this post in November 2024, right around the time I had my best IRONMAN® California race ever — 11:49:29, 6th in my age group at 56, one spot from the podium and a Kona qualification slot. Then I ran a PR at CIM. Then Boston happened. Then another IRONMAN® California 2025. Then 40 days off social media and a completed first draft of my novel — which Hot Stuff is currently reading and has given two thumbs up, though he is only on chapter two so I reserve the right to update that endorsement.

Struggling through Boston

The injuries haven't gone away. My right Achilles is still barking and I walk like Frankenstein every morning until things loosen up. I've also developed a Haglund's bump on my right heel — a bony growth that is as delightful as it sounds. I've been experimenting with different shoes to find what helps rather than hurts, which may become its own blog post because the rabbit hole is real.

My current race calendar is appropriately humble. My big spring event is the Fair Oaks Chicken Run on May 3rd with my grandchildren — which I am treating with the same seriousness as any other A race. My actual A race is the 2026 California International Marathon. My goals are to lose some weight, run my best, and maybe earn a redemption trip to Boston.

Some things heal slowly. Some things are worth the wait.