The Fueling Forward Podcast

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.