Hey Scientist Built:

Hope you don't mind, but I have a question for you...

In my look into Cortisol, I have learned a lot. And please correct me if I am wrong.

Cortisol literally converts muscle tissue to proteins for conversion into glucose. This is your body’s way of producing energy when all readily available energy (glucose) and stored forms (glycogen) of energy have been expended.~ To compensate for this depletion of energy your body will go into a process called gluconeogenesis to produce glucose from amino acids in the liver. The end result of this process? Hard earned muscle used as energy, and all potential gains becoming null and void.

Basically, I understand that Cortisol is triggered when the body runs out of glycogen and experiences stress. But what if the body doesn't go anaerobic, thus keeping a supply of glycogen, even after the end of the event?

I understand the importance of keeping distance running down to an hour or less (depending on your cardiovascular fitness level), because Cortisol release seems imminent for most people and definitely imminent for almost all runners after 3 hours.

I also understand that well-trained century riders can go 3 hours or more, without the risk of a Cortisol release.

But for shorter workouts, if the body doesn't go anaerobic, thus keeping a supply of glycogen, isn't a Cortisol response avoided?

Thanks,

Jeff