Dr. Teddy Bross on Future of Athlete Healthcare, Running, and Recovery

Dr. Teddy Bross is a practicing family medicine physician at Highpoint Direct Care where he focuses on the treatment of athletes and active adults in Colorado and select surrounding states. He is an avid mountain ultra trail athlete, husband and father. Happiest in the company of friends and indulging in small joys, Dr. Teddy is a seeker of wild flowers, avid reader and consumer of poetry, and frequent DIY project manager, including the building of a dreamy Finnish basement sauna.

In this episode, Teddy and Jon talk about the massive gaps that exist in traditional medicine for endurance athletes and why so many runners are struggling with fatigue, low energy availability, recurring injuries, and burnout without getting meaningful answers.

They dive into the realities of modern healthcare, why most runners wait too long to seek help, and how Teddy approaches athlete care differently through direct primary care. The conversation also explores ferritin and iron deficiency, underfueling, GI issues in endurance sports, why so many athletes are chronically exhausted, and how curiosity plays a role both in medicine and in running.

Teddy also shares stories from pacing David Roche at Leadville, witnessing the emotional moment at Foresthill during Western States, and what excellence really looks like behind the scenes.

This episode is a deep look at athlete health, performance, consistency, and the systems that either support or fail runners trying to stay healthy long term.

Stay connected:

Learn more about Highpoint Direct Care: https://www.highpointdirectcare.com/aboutus

Dr. Teddy Bross on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/run.doctor/

This episode is supported by:

Precision Fuel & Hydration - Dial your fueling in this year. Use code “LONGRUN26” for 15% off your first order at www.precisionhydration.com.

Boulderthon - Our favorite Colorado race event with a variety of distances. Use code FTLR2026 for $20 off the marathon or half marathon when you register at www.boulderthon.org.

Good Ranchers - Better training starts with better inputs. Good Ranchers delivers high-quality, American-sourced meat and seafood so you can stay consistent with your protein and iron. We heard you! The code IRON is now worth $40 and offers the ability to try out a box before subscribing, but if you want to jump in on a subscription you get $100 off the first three months (total) plus a free bonus protein. Visit goodranchers.com to start shopping!

Tifosi Optics - If you've been curious, now's a great time to try them. Head to tifosioptics.com and use code FTLR2026 to tell ‘em i sent you!

If you’re in Boulder for BolderBoulder week, come hang with us at two community events:

• Thursday, May 21 at Skratch Labs Table: free shakeout run with Chelsea Sodaro and the MomForward Movement benefiting For All Mothers, followed by a live FTLR panel with Chelsea and Kara Goucher. Raffle prizes from On, Coros, Rapha, and Oiselle. Learn more here: https://www.movemint.cc/events/momforward_movement_unlockingyes

• Friday, May 22 at Otto and Co on Pearl: “Fueling the Long Run,” presented by ProBio and FTLR with Hillary Allen, Charlie Sweeney, and Dr. Marc Bubbs. Shakeout at 6:30 p.m., panel at 7:15 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Colorado Athletics Project. Learn more here: https://www.movemint.cc/events/probio-fueling-the-long-run