How Poor Sleep Destroys Performance with Dr. Logan Sherman | s5/e22 | The Running Explained Podcast

This week, I’m joined by a runner who brings a ton of insight and real-world experience to the table: Dr. Logan Sherman, sports chiropractor, marathon champion, and chairman of the BMW Dallas Marathon. We get into a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime in performance circles: SLEEP. Not just “get more of it,” but why it matters, what it actually does for your body, how to use it as a training tool (not just a recovery tool), and how your wearable data might be telling you more (or less) than you think. Logan shares his journey from being an overweight middle schooler nicknamed "Jelly Roll" to becoming a sub-elite marathoner and 2015 Dallas Marathon champion, and how his relationship with running, racing, and recovery has evolved through different seasons of life. We talk about: Why sleep is foundational for performance, recovery, and injury prevention How to adjust your training when your sleep is trash (without panicking) What HRV and breath rate can tell you about your recovery Using data without obsessing over it (yes, even when your Whoop says you're 50% recovered on race morning) The emotional side of race day, sleep anxiety, and learning to let go of perfection And why it’s okay if your fueling sometimes looks like mac & cheese off your kid’s plate If you’ve ever struggled with balancing sleep, life, and training, Logan's perspective is one you're going to appreciate! Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Logan Sherman 08:13 The Rise of Younger Distance Runners 10:17 Introduction Questions for Logan 17:12 The Importance of Sleep 20:08 What Role does Sleep Play in Training and Performance? 23:04 How to Adjust Workouts with Poor Sleep 25:37 Overcoming Negative Self-Talk 28:20 Sleep Throughout the Training Cycle 31:37 Parenting and Sleep Deprivation 34:52 Poor Sleep, Insomnia, and Sleep Hygiene 37:58 Wearables and Sleep Metrics 44:19 Sleep as a Health Indicator 50:43 The Role of Sleep in Injury Recovery 01:00:01 Pre-Race Sleep Strategies 01:03:15 How to Take the Pressure Off on Race Day 🔗Links & Resources 🌐 Website: http://www.RunningExplained.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningexplained/ 🎧 More Podcast Episodes: http://runningexplained.co/podcast 👟Coaching Services 🏃1:1 Coaching: https://www.runningexplained.com/runcoaching 👫Group Coaching: https://www.runningexplained.com/groupcoaching ✨ Exclusive Content & Support 🎙️ Bonus episodes & behind-the-scenes: https://www.patreon.com/runningexplained 📬 Join The Weekly Stride newsletter: https://www.runningexplained.com/newsletter 🏅Road to Race Day: Philadelphia: https://www.runningexplained.com/roadtoraceday