Hosted by Maddie Alm, sports dietitian and elite runner, The Fueling Forward Podcast is the place to go for all things running and sports nutrition. Learn from other runners as they discuss their own experiences with nutrition and performance and learn from Maddie, a registered dietitian and runner. Through these conversations, we will bust common nutrition myths and misconceptions around fueling for performance, so you can find an approach to fueling that will allow you to feel and perform your best without taking short cuts. Here at Fueling Forward, we believe in fueling your body for the long run!
While Maddie is on maternity leave, Alexa Gusman, the newest dietitian at Fueling Forward, is taking over to answer your questions! This episode is a Q&A episode where Alexa answers questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: I'm going to be a runner in college next year, and I had a stress fracture this spring and an inconsistent period. My body fat percentage is a little high, and I'd like to lower it for optimal health/fitness. Do you have any tips or suggestions to lower my body fat percentage, regain my cycle, and stay healthy for college athletics? I'm a college runner who is struggling with getting good quality sleep. I've been taking melatonin and magnesium before bed; are there any other nutrition tips to help with sleep quality? I have a hard time knowing when I'm full and tend to have portions that are too big. How do I know when I've eaten enough, and how do I portion meals? I'm a high school cross country coach. What advice would you give to the parents of high school athletes to help their high schooler stay healthy, have fun in the sport, and fuel themselves well? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
This episode is an interview with app developer and marathon OTQ hopeful, Maryann Gong. Maryann is an NYC local and California native. She went to MIT where she got her bachelor's degree in computer sciences and her master's degree in AI. While at MIT, she ran on the track and xc team, becoming an All-American and a D3 champion in the indoor 3k. She struggled on and off with fueling and an injury cycle after her junior year, and her experience with this inspired her to create a training app for runners called Toga. She found her way to the marathon and is currently a member of Central Park Track Club chasing an OTQ in the marathon at Chicago this fall. In this episode, we talk about: How Maryann got into the sport of running in high school after transitioning from soccer What it was like transitioning from high school to running at an academically rigorous school like MIT, and why D3 was a good fit for her Her struggles with fueling that led to episodes of bulimia and an injury cycle, and how she found her way back from that to focus on fueling for performance Her new AI powered app for runners, Toga, and why it was important to her to include a feature that helps hold runners back to reduce risk of injury or burnout How she discovered high carb fueling during runs, and why she feels like it has changed the game for her to get 120g of carbs per hour during training and marathons If you would like to keep up with Maryann, you can find her on Instagram at @maryanngong. If you are interested in Toga, you can follow them on Instagram at @trainwithtoga and you can try it out free for 30 days using the code FUELINGFORWARD. You can find Toga in the app store HERE .
While Maddie is on maternity leave, Alexa Gusman, the newest dietitian at Fueling Forward, is taking over to answer your questions! This episode is a Q&A episode where Alexa answers questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: I'm a high school track and cross-country athlete and definitely have a sweet tooth. My training load is relatively light compared to many other distance runners, and as the postseason approaches, my family has been encouraging me to cut back on sweets. What are your thoughts on this? I'm recovering from an eating disorder and working to get my period back. Since gaining weight, I've been struggling to hit my usual times on the track and have lost some of my motivation and enjoyment for running. Is this more of a mindset shift I need to work through, or could I still be experiencing physical effects from my past restriction? What tips would you give a high school athlete who wants to start fueling during long runs? How do you navigate the belief that "thinner equals faster," especially when that message is coming from your coach? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
This episode is an interview with former elite Canadian runner, Rachel Cliff. Rachel is the former Canadian record holder in the marathon and half marathon, and she also represented Team Canada at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships in the 10k and 5k respectively, the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the 10k, the 2018 NACAC Championships (she was the bronze medalist in the 10k), and the Pan Am Games (she was the bronze medalist in the 10k). She is currently the elite athlete advisor for Hettas and mom of 2. In this episode, we talk about: How she discovered running as a kid growing up in Canada, and how the Canadian high school running scene differs from the US What it was like growing up with a mom who was a dietitian, and how her mom stepping in when she lost her period in high school played a big role in her long term health in the sport Her transition from high school to collegiate running, how she struggled for a bit running slower than she did in high school while her body shifted, and how trusting the process allowed her to come back stronger Why periodization and prioritizing weight gain in the off season has been key for her, and how she found herself struggling in the years she didn’t do that Her transition to elite running, and how getting left off the Olympic team led to her going all in on training How pushing herself too hard towards her Olympic dream led to a mysterious career ending injury, and how she had to advocate for herself to get to the bottom of it If you would like to keep up with Rachel, you can find her on Instagram at @raecliff
This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: How do you know if you’re eating enough when you’re recovering from RED-S? Is getting your period back the only way to know, or will there be other signs? I’m a marathoner and have a family history of Type 2 diabetes. My A1C has been increasing, and I’m not sure how to balance managing my A1C and weight with fueling for performance. Do you have any advice? I just finished my high school senior track season and am getting ready for cross country in the fall, but I have a break between seasons. Should I fuel differently during this time or should I keep my intake up? I’ve been struggling with chronic IT band issues. Do you have thoughts on some nutrition changes I could make to better address this issue? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
This episode is an interview with professional runner for Saucony, Vanessa Fraser. Vanessa grew up in Northern California where she discovered and fell in love with running through Girls on the Run. She went on to run at Stanford University where she became a 10x All-American and the PAC-12 champion in the 10k. While at Stanford, she received her bachelor's degree in symbolic systems and her master’s degree management science and engineering. After college, she went on to run professionally, signing a contract with Nike and joining Bowerman Track Club right out of college. Vanessa has competed in multiple US championships in the 5k and 10k, and has a 5k time of 14:48. In addition to running professionally, she also works full time as a partnerships manager at a health care tech company. In this episode, we talk about: How she found the sport of running through Girls on the Run and what her progression looked like How an assignment to track calories from a middle school health teacher led to hospitalization, and what she learned from the experience What it was like going through periods of weight restoration and why she’s thankful her coaches, parents and doctors put her health first How she ended up running for Stanford, her dream school, despite not earning a scholarship right away Her transition to becoming a pro runner and advice for being patient during periods of lack of progress and injuries How increasing her carb intake has been instrumental to her success, and why fueling on long runs has been a big part of that Why working in addition to being a pro runner has helped her mindset around the sport and finding life balance You can keep up with Vanessa on Instagram or TikTok @nessafraser.
This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: As a pre-med student, I feel like I’ve turned to running and training as a coping mechanism to handle stress. How do you know if a training load is too high and inching towards overtraining? I’m a high school senior who runs track and xc and I’ve been working on getting my period back for over a year. I’ve gotten one cycle, but haven’t had any since. I feel like I’m doing all the right things, but also feel like I can’t stop gaining weight. Do you have any tips or advice for how to get and keep my period? I’m a high school track athlete and mostly compete in field events, but I will also do the 800. How would my fueling differ from an endurance runner? I’m a former collegiate runner and current dietitian working in an athletic department with the track/xc teams. My body has changed over the past year since I’m no longer training at a high level, and I find myself struggling with comparison and body image. Do you have any advice on how to navigate this? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
This episode is an interview with the food blogger and recipe developer behind Recipe Runner, Danae Halliday. Danae grew up in Arizona, where she discovered running through her older sister. She ran throughout high school, but found herself burnt out and took a break from the sport when she went to Arizona State University. When her sister started training for marathons, Danae found herself inspired to pick it up again and fell in love with the longer distance. Despite her love of food and recipe developing, Danae found herself struggling with an eating disorder. This led to a vicious injury cycle that she couldn’t find her way out of. She eventually reached out for help, and has been in treatment and active recovery since 2022. She hopes to get healthy enough to line up to race again soon! In this episode, we talk about: How her sister inspired her to start running in high school Why she took a break from the sport in college and how she found her way back to running How a comment from a coworker about her body led to restriction around food that resulted in an eating disorder Why she finally decided to seek help and what that has looked like for her Advice on how to be there for someone in your life struggling with an eating disorder Why it’s important to approach recovery and treatment from a way that works for you How she founded Recipe Runner and why developing recipes has been a healing tool for her throughout her eating disorder recovery You can keep up with Danae on Instagram at @reciperunner, and you can find her recipes and food blog on her website https://reciperunner.com/ ***A trigger warning for this episode: we do talk about an active eating disorder and eating disorder behaviors. If you are not in a place to hear that, you may want to skip this episode***
This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: A running influencer that I follow recently got a stress fracture but blamed it on biomechanics. This got me wondering if bone stress injuries are ever not related to fueling and overtraining in some way? Do you have any thoughts on this in the running culture? I’m a collegiate runner running 50-55 miles per week and am trying to put on weight. I’ve been drinking ensure drinks, but do you have any other tips for meals and snacks for weight gain? I recently experienced my first bone stress injury and I’ve also been dealing with chronically low ferritin. I’m in a healthcare system that is reluctant to provide more care than they deem necessary. How do I make sure that I’m getting all of the information I need to treat my injury with limited access to tests and treatment? How do I know which tests are important and worth advocating for? What are your thoughts on meal kits and how to navigate healthier options? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
This episode is an interview with sports psychologist and former professional runner, Lennie Waite. Lennie grew up abroad, where she primarily played soccer. She was recruited to play D1 soccer at Rice University, but after her sophomore year ended up switching to running and became a 2x All-American. She went on to run post-collegiately and represented Great Britain at 3 Commonwealth Games, the World Championships in 2017, and the 2016 Olympic Games in the steeplechase. Lennie did all of this while completing her PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. She currently works with athletes and is also the chief science officer at Hite EQ, while being a mom to her 2 daughters. In this episode, we talk about: What it was like growing up abroad and how different the rhetoric is around food and sport How being good at a sport from a young age automatically creates pressure and expectations, and how she dealt with this Why she decided to pursue soccer instead of running initially in college and what led her to make that shift Her tips for helping athletes navigate pressure and comparison when it comes to racing What she sees athletes struggle with when it comes to fueling as a sports psych and some tips to work through those emotions If you would like to learn more about Lennie's and her services as a sports psychologist, you can go to her website HERE .
This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: In college I experienced a stress fracture, and since then I’ve been stuck in an injury cycle. Can you talk more about the science behind fueling to help heal injuries? What are your go to meals and snacks for track meets? I don’t have many resources at the meets and I’m someone who often runs 3 distance events. Is there a connection between motivation and energy levels, especially in a race? I notice lower motivation on days I don’t fuel as well, could these be related? You mentioned in a previous podcast that high cholesterol can be a sign of RED-S. What would you recommend for an athlete who tests high in cholesterol? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
Today's episode is an interview with Ali Feller of Ali on the Run. Ali discovered running when she was living in NYC as a way to be social, and ultimately fell in love with the sport. She created her blog, Ali on the Run, that eventually evolved into podcast and ultimately led her to become a race announcer and broadcaster. Ali completed the 2023 Eugene Marathon, after which she discovered a lump in her breast that led to a breast cancer diagnosis. Ali has been navigating life with stage 4 cancer while continuing to be a force in the sport, and has so many inspiring things to share. In this episode, we talk about: What it was like when she discovered running, and how she found herself falling in love with the sport Her relationship with food growing up as a dancer in the 90's, and how a diagnosis of Crohn's disease at the age of 7 impacted that What it has been like dealing with an inflammatory bowel condition that impacts running, and how she has navigated that over the years How she created Ali on the Run and what it's like being at the finish line of major marathons How her cancer diagnosis has impacted her ability to run, and how the running community has rallied behind her with support You can find Ali's podcast, The Ali on the Run Show, on all major platforms and you can find Ali on Instagram @aliontherun1.
This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: I’ve been struggling to get through an entire year healthy. I always make it through the fall and winter, then struggle with soft tissue injuries in the spring. Do you think this might be nutrition related or are these just things that come with running? What is your take on bicarb? Does it really make a difference and do you recommend it for high school athletes? I’m a high school swimmer and I’ve been struggling with GI issues immediately after races. This never happens during training. Can you think of anything that might be causing this and is there anything that might help from a nutrition standpoint? What advice would you give to an athlete that is struggling with fatigue, soreness that doesn’t go away, and is struggling in races? As her coach, how can I help an athlete recover from LEA/RED-S mid season? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com . You can find the links to the waitlists for the Fueling Forward programs below: High School Summer Boot Camp Series Fall Marathon Group Nutrition Coaching Program Healing Your Relationship With Food
This episode is an interview with NYC based RD, Natalie Rizzo. Natalie is the owner of Greenletes, a plant-based sports nutrition company, and she works primarily with plant-based athletes to help them learn how to fuel for health and performance on a plant-based diet. She has her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and is the author of the cookbook Planted Performance. Natalie has been a vegetarian herself for over 15 years, and has completed 2 marathons and over 20 half marathons. She's also a mom to 2 boys. In this episode, we talk about: How Natalie found running later in life and caught the bug after finishing her first race Natalie's winding path to finding nutrition as a career after originally going into sales Her decision to become vegetarian and how she learned about plant-based sports nutrition through her own experiences Myths around plant-based eating for athletes How to navigate fiber intake as a plant-based athletes, and ideas for lunches for runners training in the afternoon/evening Top nutrition recommendations for plant-based runners and tips for anyone who is interested in becoming plant-based If you're interested in working with Natalie, you can learn more on her website https://greenletes.com/ and you can find her on Instagram @greenletes
This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: I prefer not to weigh myself or know my weight, how do I go about telling my doctor I don’t want to be weighed or see my weight? I’m a high school runner and I haven’t PR’d since my freshman year. I still have my period and feel like I’m getting stronger, so I question whether or not it’s fueling related. Do you have any advice? I’m a collegiate heptathlete and was wondering if you have suggestions on how to fuel during a heptathlon? I struggle with knowing how much to eat during my taper weeks with a lower training volume and get anxious about eating too much. How do you recommend approaching this for peak performance? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
Today’s episode is an interview with Boulder local and professional trail runner for Nike, Bailey Kowalczyk. Bailey grew up in upstate New York where she discovered her love for running. She committed to running for Clemson in college, but right before her arrival the coaching staff underwent a complete change that ultimately ended with her struggling as a collegiate runner. Bailey ended up leaving Clemson and moving to Boulder, where she became a full time student at CU and put running on the back burner. She re-discovered her passion for the sport after some time away, and ultimately went on to find success on the trails with a win at the US trail half marathon championships and a top 5 finish in the Golden Trail series. Bailey is also a run coach, and focuses on helping athletes find life balance while chasing their goals. In this episode, we talk about: How Bailey discovered running, and how she considered herself to exclusively be a middle distance runner in high school Her transition to collegiate athlete at Clemson, where a last minute coaching change led to a less than optimal environment for her Bailey’s experience with RED-S that led her to seek help from a multi-disciplinary team, move to Boulder and take a break from the sport How that break allowed her to re-discover her love of running and that ultimately led her to the trails What is different about trail running, and how fueling has played a key role in her success Why coaching is so important to her, and why she encourages her athletes to find life balance while chasing their goals You can learn more about Bailey’s coaching services on her website HERE .
This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: I’m a collegiate runner and want to know how to fuel for 3k, 5k and 10k races. Do you have any tips, especially when it comes to hydration as I tend to get a sloshy stomach before my races? I’m a collegiate runner and recently learned that I’ve been under fueling. I usually eat when I’m hungry, but now I know I need more fuel than that. Do you have a fueling structure or schedule you recommend to help with this? I’m a 40 year old active female who lifts and runs regularly. I’ve been using creatine but haven’t noticed a big difference. Should I increase my dose and if so at what rate? I’m going through the process of RED-S recovery and I’m really struggling as a runner. I haven’t had my period for 6 years, I have low ferritin, and all of my runs feel awful. Is this just part of RED-S recovery, or do you have any advice for overcoming these issues? Will I ever be able to perform the way I used to? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
This week is a special episode of The Fueling Forward Podcast where you get to hear from the Fueling Forward dietitians, Maddie Alm and Alexa Efraimson. After a listener asked to hear our stories, we decided to interview each other so you can learn more about the dietitians behind Fueling Forward. In today’s episode we talk about: How Alexa got her start in running, going pro right out of high school and running the American junior record in the 1500 How Maddie went from a walk on to an All-American while at the University of Colorado What Alexa struggled with as a pro athlete that led her to discover the field of nutrition and pursue a career as a dietitian How working with a dietitian in college helped Maddie learn the importance of fueling for performance, and the changes that inspired her to become a dietitian What each of us hope to change when it comes to nutrition for runners, and the runners we work with to help them learn how to fuel for health and performance Our answers to the end of episode rapid fire questions! If you would like to learn more about Fueling Forward and the services and resources we have to offer, you can head to our website at www.fuelingforward.com
This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: I’ve been struggling with a bone stress injury since June 2025 and have been mostly cross training. I’m struggling with body image and acknowledging that I still need to fuel. Do you have any advice? I know I should fuel with carbs before a run, but should I also be fueling before strength training sessions? If so, what would be a good example? I’m a high school runner trying to dial in my nutrition. I have an hour commute after practice, should I be fueling during this window? If so, what should I be having? I’m a collegiate athlete and have been struggling to fall asleep at night. Is there anything I can do from a nutrition standpoint to try to improve this? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com .
This episode is an interview with runner and pelvic floor PT, Jessica Dorrington. Jess grew up in North Dakota, where she fell in love with running and went on to run at the collegiate level. Through her experience with injuries, she was inspired to pursue a career in physical therapy. She went on to get her Master's in Physical Therapy, and became a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist and Certified Manual Physical Therapist. Throughout her time as a PT, she discovered that she was passionate about pelvic floor health and became Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certified, a certification that only 150 practitioners have nationwide. She is now the Director of Physical Therapy at Therapeutic Associates Bethany and Rock Creek, where she works with everyone from recreational to pro runners to help them manage injuries and a wide scope of pelvic health related issues. On top of her incredible career as a PT, Jess has also finished 10 marathons and has run a sub 3-hour marathon twice, most recently at Chicago in 2025. She's also a mom of 2, and her experience with pregnancy and postpartum and working with athletes going through this phase inspired her to co-write the book Strong as a Mother with former professional runner Shannon Rowbury. In today's episode, we talk about: How Jess got her start with running and what the running and nutrition scene was like in North Dakota What she learned navigating injuries and how this inspired her to become a physical therapist The overlap between physical therapy and nutrition when it comes to preventing, managing, and treating injuries in runners What pelvic floor PT is and why pelvic health is important for runners of all ages, genders and levels How Jess balances fueling with a busy life schedule, and her tips for runners to help them stay on top of their needs Her book, Strong as a Mother, and why she hopes it will help empower women to find the balance between staying active and listening to their body throughout pregnancy and postpartum You can learn more about Jess and her services as a PT HERE and you can find Jess's book Strong as a Mother HERE .
