Are ‘Hybrid Athletes’ Too Good to Be True?
Muscular runners dominating endurance races have become a staple of fitness feeds—and a hot topic for debate. There may be more to their training regiments than meets the eye.
Nick Walker started functional bodybuilding in earnest during the pandemic. As a former NCAA D1 baseball player, he had to eat constantly to put weight on his smaller frame. But after spending four years “hammering,” trying to build muscle, he has developed the superhero-esque build you might associate with a true gym rat: developed pecs, a chiseled six-pack, capped shoulders, defined biceps, meaty legs. Oh, and he’s into long-distance running too. As he prepares for the Leadville 100, one of the toughest ultramarathons in the country, he’s maintained his weight by following a regimented exercise schedule in which he lifts heavy and runs long–often in the same day. “I haven't lost anything, and I've been training since January,” he says. “I'm still 235 pounds.”