World Records, Marathons, and Fuel for an Extreme Athlete

Zach Bitter in his natural habitat. (Photos from Instagram: @zachbitter)

A quick word about motivation.

Sometimes you have it, sometimes you don’t.

Some days you wake up with the gusto of a pack of sled dogs. With a fierce fortitude that says, “I was built for this and no one can stop me. I am the master of ALL I INTEND TO ACHIEVE!”  

Other days you’re lucky if you make it to the “I put on pants today” stage. 

At Kettle & Fire, we have discovered that motivation comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms. It varies from day to day – and that’s okay.

When we’re really not feeling it, we try to learn from those who seem to come by it naturally. Those who wake up every day and hit the ground running. Literally. 

Take Zach Bitter, for example…

Making a Run for It

Here’s a guy who has more motivation in a single shoelace than I have in my whole body. 

As an extreme endurance athlete, he’s been competing in marathons and ultramarathons for a combined 11 years – and has the stories, the scars, and the swag to prove it. 

With a list of achievements longer than the walking directions from Austin to Oklahoma, he makes my motivation look like an afternoon at the beach. 

Zach Bitter is the definition of motivation. 

How else would you describe a world record holder, who smashes world records like the Fastest Trail-Certified 100-Mile? 

But, despite his impressive resume, there are days where even a go-getter like him feels challenged. 

Days where he’s not putting his best foot – or, feet – forward.

One of the biggest challenges he encounters is during the summer months; he feels depleted before upcoming workouts and sometimes has a hard time recovering from an intense schedule or training program. 

He’s also limited in what he can eat and drink as a way to nourish his body. But these limits are for good reason: Zach chooses to follow a keto lifestyle with minimal carbs. 

So, we asked what most people want to ask, according to him: What fuels you? 

And we didn’t just mean on a motivational level. We wanted to know what actually keeps his body going when he’s pushing it further, faster, and longer than anyone we know. 

SIPPER SPOTLIGHT: ZACH’S BONE BROTH STORY

“Most people are more curious than anything. They want to know what I eat, when I eat it, and why.” 

His answer gave us more insight into the life of an athlete:

“As an endurance athlete that follows a high fat diet it is important to stay on top of hydration and electrolytes.”

And what does he use to achieve that? 

Here’s his response:

“Having bone broth as a way to stay on top of this – as well as create great slow-cooking recipes –  has been a big part of my training program.”

He also mentioned the other things that are important to his performance, such as preventative measures to improve recovery from joint and tendon issues. (Thankfully, he doesn’t currently experience chronic pain, but he knows it’s a real concern in general; especially for those who engage in repetitive activity and use of those body parts.) 

Zach’s go-to bone broth is Kettle & Fire (whoo hoo!), but we wanted to know some real ways he uses it: 

1. Post run: “Add a pinch or two of sea salt to 6-8 oz of broth” 
2. Mid-Day: “As an alternative to soda or sports drinks when thirsty.”
3. Dinner: “One container of K&F in a slow cooker with a 2 lb roast and cook on slow for 6-8 hours”

We were honored to hear him talk about the quality of our ingredients and his appreciation for the simplicity of having it readily-available when he travels or after long races.

Catch up with Zach

As an athlete and a coach, Zach doesn’t pass on an opportunity to inspire people on levels other than running. 

Just by virtue of being an awesome guy, he motivates others to do the same. (What can we say? His good energy kinda rubs off on people!) 

If you want to keep up with this extraordinary athlete, you can catch him all over the web, but most notably on: Instagram, Twitter, or his website. You can also snag his favorite bone broth here for yourself – or try the soups if you haven’t already!