The Eat for Endurance Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Athlete Nutrition Profile - Elite Ultrarunner Coree Woltering Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 46 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast! It has taken me WAY longer than planned to get this show back into action, so thank you for your patience. I'm very pleased to finally be recording again and to bring you today's Athlete Nutrition Profile, featuring elite ultrarunner Coree Woltering.
You may be familiar with Coree from World's Toughest Race - Eco Challenge Fiji (streamed on Amazon) - he was one of the athletes on Team Onyx, the first all-black team to compete in expedition racing. Or you may have read one of the many features on him as a black and openly gay ultrarunner living in the Midwest (not a typical home base for a trail runner), and how he is promoting racial and geographical diversity in the sport. Or perhaps you’ve seen the viral pictures of him racing in his signature Noodle Bagz bathing suit.
If you’re not at all familiar with Coree, then you’re in for a treat. He’s a formidable athlete, but he’s also a fun, down to earth guy, with SO many amazing stories to share.

Here are a few of the things we cover in today's show:

Growing up in Ottawa, Illinois from a nutrition perspective
Juggling a variety of sports (track, XC, swimming, and eventually triathlon) from middle school through college, and his struggles with and recovery from disordered eating
Discovering and falling in love with ultra running - early nutrition mishaps and later success once he got his nutrition dialed in
Eco Challenge Fiji - a race nutrition story that will make you cringe
Pandemic FKT on the Ice Ace Trail - what does nutrition look like while running 1,147 miles in 21 days when everything is shut down?!
Coree's everyday eating routine as well as his favorite sports nutrition products
Cake 365 - Coree's 2022 resolution to enjoy a baked good every single day

And of course, much much more. Thank you so much Coree for your time and the many many laughs we shared. I know you'll enjoy this episode!
Links & Resources:

Follow Coree on Instagram and Facebook
Watch a video on Coree's Ice Age Trail FKT
Some articles featuring Coree on diversity in running: RW and iRunFar

Announcements:

Please subscribe to and rate/review the show if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
You can also support me by visiting my Amazon storefront
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Athlete Nutrition Profile - Ultrarunner Veronica Leeds Oct 23, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 45 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring ultrarunner, mother, and former private nutrition client of mine, Veronica Leeds.
I first met Veronica when she reached out to me back in 2018 when she was relatively new to the sport of ultra running and was seeking help with her everyday and performance nutrition. She had a young son and had started running as a way to literally escape the challenges of motherhood (ahem, I think I can relate to that one!!!). We worked on healing and strengthening her relationship with food and body, while helping her become a more competitive, resilient athlete. After about four months of working together, she was ready to continue on her journey on her own.
Fast forward to August 2021, when I was browsing Instagram and her smiling face came across my feed in an article for Ultra Running Magazine about her recent training and attempt to win Eastern States 100 miler. I was so impressed by how far she had come as an athlete. Even though Eastern States did not go as she had hoped, she has had so many successful events, placing 1st (or at least top ten) female in many races in the last couple of years. She has been training hard and has ambitious goals, and I immediately thought - I have to get her on the show!
We cover a lot in this episode, including her recent bike crash (which resulted in a TBI - thank goodness she is okay, and is slowly returning to running), her many years as a competitive equestrian show jumper, her struggles with food and body image, how she entered the sport of running and her rise to becoming a highly competitive athlete, and how being a mother to her 6 year old son has played into all of this.
Veronica is such a joy to talk to and I hope you enjoy this episode. Thank you so much, Veronica, for spending time chatting with me, and I wish you continued healing and a wonderful 2022 racing season!
Announcements:

Please subscribe to and rate/review the show if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
You can also support me by visiting my Amazon storefront
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

40th Birthday Type 2 Fun - Sean O'Brien Trail Marathon Race Recap Oct 10, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 44 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, highlighting my 40th birthday trail running adventure down in Southern California with my husband, Eric. With all the major marathons happening so close together, I figured it was a perfect time to post our recent experience running 26.2 (well, technically 27+ miles, but hey, that’s a trail marathon for you!).
I don’t know how you guys like to travel, but for me the perfect trip includes is a bit of relaxation, plenty of active adventures, and of course, good food. So, when Eric asked me how I wanted to celebrate turning 40 years old (!!!!!) in September, I immediately started to look for trail races, hikes, and whatever else sounded like an epic way to get older.
Initially, I was determined to go to the Grand Canyon (never been!) and check the Rim to Rim off my bucket list, but unfortunately we weren’t able to make it happen with childcare. I went back to the drawing board and saw that Sean O’Brien, a classic race down in Malibu Creek State Park, was the day after my birthday, so we signed up for the marathon! They also had a 50k that day (and 50 and 100 milers in October ), but with our less-than-ideal training, and such a difficult course with tons of elevation gain, we knew the marathon would be hard enough.
This was my first marathon since running Big Sur back in April 2016, before having kids! I was super excited to get back to the long stuff, and to explore some new trails in my home state.
Much like with our Big Basin trail running podcast episode, Eric and I recorded our thoughts before the race while we chilled out in Cambria, a small beach town a couple hours south of Santa Cruz. Then we gave a detailed recap hours after finishing the race, from our Air BnB in Topanga, lying in bed! It was a very challenging but super fun day out, and I highly recommend the race. Very well organized and a beautiful course. I’m hoping it’s my first of many longer trail races in the months and years to come!
Thanks for listening, and if you’re interested, Eric made an awesome action camera video documenting the entire thing! I’ll post it on Instagram (@eatforendurance) soon.
Hope everyone is enjoying the Fall racing season, and best of luck to all my friends and clients running Chicago and Boston this weekend!
Other Announcements:

Please show your support by leaving a rating and/or review on iTunes
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - eatforendurance@gmail.com.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

"High Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes" with Sports Dietitian Lauren Antonucci Jul 22, 2021

Show notes

In episode 43 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I’m joined by Sports Dietitian Lauren Antonucci, RDN, CSSD, CDE, CDN, to dive into Nutrition for Masters Athletes.

Lauren was first on the show back in 2019 to discuss fueling young athletes, and now, with the release of her book High Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes, we’re shifting the focus to athletes aged 35 and up (also known as “Masters Athletes”).

Lauren’s book is packed with valuable insights for anyone interested in optimizing their nutrition for better performance, whether you’re in the Masters category or not. It’s a comprehensive resource that combines research-backed advice with practical strategies.

Lauren is the Director and Owner of Nutrition Energy, a private practice based in Manhattan. She is a certified specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Certified Diabetes Educator, a busy mom of three, and a lifelong athlete herself, having completed 13 marathons, 3 Ironman triathlons, and numerous other races in running and triathlon.

In this episode, we explore topics such as:

How what worked for you as a younger athlete might no longer serve you as you age
The key nutrition changes to make as we get older, supported by the latest research
Why carbs are crucial for both health and performance, yet many athletes fail to consume enough
The importance of protein - how we need more of it post-workout and throughout the day as we age
Changes in hydration and thirst response with age
Training your gut for better performance
The challenges of eating disorders and underfueling in older athletes
Chronic disease risks among older athletes and how nutrition can help

Even if you’re not yet in the Masters age category, you’ll still find this episode packed with useful takeaways to help enhance your performance and nutrition, no matter your age!

Please note: We experienced some occasional sound/volume issues during this recording. I apologize for any inconvenience, but I hope it doesn’t detract from your listening experience too much!

Links:

Lauren’s Website: https://www.nutritionenergy.com
Lauren’s book: “High Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes”
Join my new monthly membership service, Fuel for Life Crew, for just $30/month (cancel anytime)
Check out my free nutrition downloads
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Support the podcast with my Skratch affiliate code EATFORENDURANCE20
Join my Patreon community
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Athlete Nutrition Profile - Recreational Ironman Triathlete, Kenny Brighton Jun 18, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 42 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring recreational triathlete, Kenny Brighton. This is my first Recreational Athlete Nutrition Profile since Episode 16 (!!), and I’m excited to bring you more episodes like this one in the months to come.
Kenny and I first connected when he got in touch with me back in the Fall of 2019. He was training heavily at the time for an event called the EpicDeca, which is 10 140.6 distance triathlons (i.e. Ironman) on 10 unique courses in the Hawaiian Island in 10 days, and understandably needed some assistance with sports nutrition. I was extremely pregnant with my second daughter, so I referred him to a colleague, but we kept in touch as I wanted to hear how this certainly epic event would unfold for him!
Fast forward to early 2021, when Kenny and I finally got a chance to catch up. At this point, he had been training for 10 IM events in 10 days for two years straight, because the 2020 EpicDeca was cancelled and the 2021 August event was delayed, both due to Covid. Unfortunately, Kenny couldn't participate in the rescheduled 2021 event, but for a wonderful reason - he’s becoming a first time Dad this Summer, and wants to focus 100% on his daughter!
But after all that training, he had to know - could he complete 10 Ironman events in 10 days? He created his own event on his own timeline near his home in Florida to find out. Have a listen to our pre- and post-event chat to learn all about Kenny, if he was able to complete his longtime goal, and the nutrition, training, and life lessons he learned along the way.
Thank you so much Kenny for sharing your experiences with us so openly! It was such a pleasure chatting with you. Wishing you and your wife all the best with the birth of your daughter!

Learn more about Kenny:

Follow Kenny on Instagram
Article about his event

Other Announcements:

Please show your support by leaving a rating and/or review on iTunes
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or do YOU want to be on my show? Email me - eatforendurance@gmail.com.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Athlete Nutrition Profile - Elite Skyrunner, scientist, coach, and author, Hillary Allen May 28, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 41 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring elite skyrunner, Hillary Allen.
Hillary is such a fascinating, multi-dimensional person and athlete. In addition to establishing herself as one of the best mountain ultra runners in the world (hence her trail nickname of "Hillygoat"), she is a scientist and teacher, with a masters degree in neuroscience, physiology and structural biology, a trail running coach, a gravel cyclist, and now also an author.
Her book, Out and Back: A Runner’s Story of Survival Against All Odds, shares her story of survival and recovery after she had a life threatening accident during a 50k Skyrace in Norway. She was nearly halfway through the race when she fell 150 feet off an exposed ridge, breaking two ribs, fracturing her back, rupturing a ligament in her foot, and breaking both wrists. It's a miracle that she was alive, and that she did not injure her head or suffer from other more severe outcomes. She was told she would never run again, but after a lot of rehab and mental fortitude, Hillary made a full recovery and returned to elite level racing.
Hillary and I did not rehash the details of her accident , as she has done that plenty of times already. However, it’s an incredibly powerful and amazing story - so if you are not familiar with Hillary or even if you are, I encourage you to read or listen to her book, and/or check out some of her other podcasts interviews that she has done that deep dive into all the details of her accident and recovery. I loved her two episodes (Episode 49 and 168) on The Morning Shakeout with Mario Fraioli, and Science of Ultra had a great one too (she has been doing the podcasting rounds lately for her book, so you can find her all over).
Instead, as you’d expect from my Athlete Nutrition Profile Series, we focused on the nutrition side of her story - how it has evolved throughout her life and the role nutrition has played in her extensive and ongoing recovery process - with a few detours along the way (Bugs as food anyone? Yep, we go there!).
Hillary, thank you for chatting with me! You are such an inspiration and I hope to see you in Santa Cruz during your book tour. I'd take you for a run in the redwoods, but even with you coming back from an injury, there's no way I'll be able to keep up with you!
Links & Resources:

Hillary’s Website
Follow on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
Hillary’s book - Out and Back

Announcements:

Please subscribe to and rate/review the show if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Athlete Nutrition Profile - Elite Ultra-Runner and Coach, Lisa Smith-Batchen Apr 09, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 40 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring elite ultra-runner and coach, Lisa Smith-Batchen.
I have been trying to get this episode recorded for AGES, and am so excited that our schedules finally aligned for this interview and I am able to share it with you all.
Lisa is beyond inspiring - not just because of the incredible things she has accomplished athletically across many decades (a very very long list that includes adventure races, Ironman events, and ultra-marathons), but also because she is a trailblazer for women in endurance sports. She was one of the first to demonstrate that women can compete alongside men and even win endurance events outright. Lisa was the first American to win the Marathon des Sables 150 mile stage-race through the Moroccan desert and has twice won the Badwater Ultramarathon (135 miles through Death Valley). Lisa also is the only person to run from Las Vegas, NV to the summit of Mt. Whitney, covering 306 miles, the first female to complete the “Badwater Quad,” covering 584 miles in about two weeks, and the first and only person to run 50 miles in 50 states in 62 days!
At 60 years young, Lisa is a role model for longevity in the sport of running and balancing her passion for running with other priorities in her life. She has two daughters, runs Dream Chasers Outdoor Adventures with her husband, and is passionate about sharing her love of fitness as a teacher and coach. She also is committed to turning her “passion into purpose” by raising money for those in need through her athletic pursuits. As she got older and retired from racing, her runs got longer and she raised an impressive sum of money for charity. Many of her amazing feats of endurance were accomplished in her 50s!
We all have so much to learn from Lisa. And believe me, she drops many pearls of wisdom during this interview, so you may want to take notes!
Lisa, thank you so much for being so generous with your time and for sharing your athletic and nutrition story. I know I’m not alone when I say, we can’t wait to read your book! ;)
Learn More About Lisa:

Lisa’s Website: https://dreamchaserevents.com
Follow on Instagram and Facebook

Announcements:

Please subscribe to and rate/review the show if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
You can also support me by visiting my Amazon storefront
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport - A Discussion with Kristin Duyn, MScN Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 39 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, during which Kristin Duyn, MScN joins me to tackle the very important topic of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). Please note that Kristin is a Certified Sports Nutritionist, NOT a Registered Dietitian. I usually only feature fellow dietitians, but she had a really valuable story to share and we had a great discussion, so I hope you enjoy it.
What is RED-S? The International Olympic Committee introduced the term in 2014 (think of it as a more inclusive version of the Female Athlete Triad) to include both genders and describe a wider array of negative health and performance outcomes that can result from chronic under-fueling (i.e. low energy availability).

Energy availability (EA) is the amount of energy the body can use to perform normal, necessary functions after accounting for the cost of physical activity, which includes both training and other daily activities. Low EA (and eventually, RED-S) results when the body does not have enough fuel to meet its many energy demands. This may happen unintentionally as training volume increases, or intentionally, from trying to control weight, for example.

This is a key sports nutrition topic because meeting athlete’s increased energy requirements is essential to optimizing health and sports performance. Many athletes understand this, but still may struggle to fuel appropriately, and that is what I hope to help you with today.
Please note that like with Eating Disorders, RED-S doesn’t have a specific “look,” in terms of body weight or composition. Athletes may experience the repercussions of under-fueling while maintaining the same weight, so please look beyond the scale.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:

Who is at risk for RED-S? What are some warning signs?
Kristin’s personal experience with RED-S, chronic injuries, and missed sporting opportunities,
How can we make sure we are eating enough, without obsessively counting calories or macros?
The tricky topic of weight and performance, esp in the context of minimizing risk of under-fueling
Amenhorrea (loss of period) - why it happens, why it’s not normal or okay, and getting it back
Male specific issues related to RED-S and under-fueling
Recovery after bone injuries

Thank you so much Kristin for chatting with me all about RED-S and putting up with my long, not always well-thought out ramblings on the topic! Clearly this stuff gets me fired up.

Follow Kristin on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kdnutritionist/

Announcements:

Please SUBSCRIBE to and rate/review the show if you're enjoying these episodes!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
You can also support me by visiting my Amazon storefront
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Ask Me Anything #3 (plus a personal announcement!) Mar 16, 2021

Show notes

Hey guys! I’m excited to bring to you my third (and very overdue) Ask Me Anything episode! I just realized that the last time I did one of these was when Isla was 7 weeks old…and she’s now 17 months old. Yikes! Better late than never though, and I thank you for all the great questions you submitted.

As usual with these Ask Me Anything episodes, it’s completely unedited, recorded in one-go and off-the-cuff - so please forgive my rambling. :)

ALSO, I kick off the episode with a personal announcement (I’ll give you a big hint - I’m moving in TWO weeks!). Have a listen to get all the juicy details.
Here are some of the questions that I answer in this episode:

How often should I recalibrate my sports nutrition plan?
I’m training for my first 50k trail run. What are good examples of pre and post run foods?
What is the best breakfast before a long run?
I’ve been diagnosed with osteopenia as a 30 year old runner, found from abnormal bloodwork. General tips? (FYI - my next podcast episode goes into way more detail on this!)
What are easy healthy recipes I can make in the crock pot / ninja pressure cooker for meal prep? (I only own an Instant Pot, but I try to help out as much as I can!)
How does an active person determine the amount of protein they actually need?
As a vegan, what should I be careful of?
What is your perspective on cheat meals / days? (Hint - I don’t recommend them)

Thanks again for your questions! And remember, the best nutrition advice is individualized, so don't hesitate to reach out to me (or another) RD if you need more assistance! And please keep sending me questions, whenever they pop up, and I’ll be sure to add them to my next episode (which hopefully won’t take me over a year to do).

Announcements:

Please help me grow the show by SUBSCRIBING if you're enjoying these episodes, and rate/review if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
You can also support me by visiting my Amazon storefront
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Jessie Diggins on Nutrition for Joy Resilience, Longevity, and Olympic Gold Feb 05, 2021

Show notes

“Healthy, happy and balanced athletes are the ones that make it across the finish line again and again throughout a long career and leave a legacy” - Jessie Diggins

In Episode 37 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I’m honored to be joined by cross-country skier and Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins. She is not only dominating her sport, but also using her platform to promote healthy fueling, body positivity, and the importance of enjoying food without restriction.

Jessie first made history at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, where she and her teammate Kikkan Randall won the first-ever American gold medal in cross-country skiing after an unforgettable, nail-biting sprint to the finish.

More recently, Jessie won the Tour de Ski, a grueling 10-day, 8-stage event in Switzerland and Italy that's part of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup season. Her win was groundbreaking, as she is the first American to ever claim this prestigious title. In fact, she was still in the Italian Dolomites recovering when we recorded this interview!

Beyond her athletic achievements, Jessie is a passionate advocate for eating disorder awareness and recovery. She struggled with bulimia as a teenager, and credits her treatment through the Emily Program with saving her life and enabling her to reach her full potential as an athlete. She shares her journey of resilience and self-discovery in her inspiring book, Brave Enough.

One thing that Jessie called out in our discussion is how too many endurance athletes get hung up on body size before a race. She reminds us that "Skinny doesn't win races. Fast wins races. It's who gets from point A to point B."

Instead of focusing on getting as lean as possible right before an event, she recommends asking yourself, "What do I need to have the energy to succeed here?...It's about showing up to the start line energized, positive, focused on what you can do" and being your healthiest, most confident self.

Jessie's message is a powerful reminder that fueling well, prioritizing health, and embracing joy are essential to both athletic success and overall well-being. Her relentless drive and commitment to her sport continue to set records and redefine what’s possible for U.S. cross-country skiing.

🎧 Tune in now for this inspiring conversation!

Learn More About Jessie:

Jessie’s Website: https://jessiediggins.com
Jessie on Instagram

Announcements:

- Join my new monthly membership service, Fuel for Life Crew, for just $30/month (cancel anytime)
- Check out my free nutrition downloads
- Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
- Support the podcast with my Skratch affiliate code EATFORENDURANCE20
- Join my Patreon community
- Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

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