Podcast
The Fueling Forward Podcast
Hosted by Maddie Alm · EN
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!
35episodes
Episodes
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32. Ali Feller
1w ago00:58:12Tap to summarizeToday'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 sportHer 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 thatWhat it has been like dealing with an inflammatory bowel condition that impacts running, and how she has navigated that over the yearsHow she created Ali on the Run and what it's like being at the finish line of major marathonsHow her cancer diagnosis has impacted her ability to run, and how the running community has rallied behind her with supportYou can find Ali's podcast, The Ali on the Run Show, on all major platforms and you can find Ali on Instagram @aliontherun1.
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Q&A With Maddie - 29
2w ago00:45:11Tap to summarizeThis 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 SeriesFall Marathon Group Nutrition Coaching ProgramHealing Your Relationship With Food
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31. Natalie Rizzo (Greenletes)
3w ago00:51:55Tap to summarizeThis 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 raceNatalie's winding path to finding nutrition as a career after originally going into salesHer decision to become vegetarian and how she learned about plant-based sports nutrition through her own experiencesMyths around plant-based eating for athletesHow to navigate fiber intake as a plant-based athletes, and ideas for lunches for runners training in the afternoon/eveningTop nutrition recommendations for plant-based runners and tips for anyone who is interested in becoming plant-basedIf 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
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Q&A With Maddie - 28
4w ago00:47:23Tap to summarizeThis 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.
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30. Bailey Kowalczyk
Apr 1701:05:54Tap to summarizeToday’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 schoolHer transition to collegiate athlete at Clemson, where a last minute coaching change led to a less than optimal environment for herBailey’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 sportHow that break allowed her to re-discover her love of running and that ultimately led her to the trailsWhat is different about trail running, and how fueling has played a key role in her successWhy coaching is so important to her, and why she encourages her athletes to find life balance while chasing their goalsYou can learn more about Bailey’s coaching services on her website HERE.
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Q&A With Maddie - 27
Apr 1000:43:08Tap to summarizeThis 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.
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29. Special Episode with Maddie & Alexa
Apr 301:04:34Tap to summarizeThis 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 1500How Maddie went from a walk on to an All-American while at the University of ColoradoWhat Alexa struggled with as a pro athlete that led her to discover the field of nutrition and pursue a career as a dietitianHow working with a dietitian in college helped Maddie learn the importance of fueling for performance, and the changes that inspired her to become a dietitianWhat 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 performanceOur 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
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Q&A With Maddie - 26
Mar 2700:46:08Tap to summarizeThis 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.
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28. Jessica Dorrington
Mar 2001:10:03Tap to summarizeThis 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 DakotaWhat she learned navigating injuries and how this inspired her to become a physical therapistThe overlap between physical therapy and nutrition when it comes to preventing, managing, and treating injuries in runnersWhat pelvic floor PT is and why pelvic health is important for runners of all ages, genders and levelsHow Jess balances fueling with a busy life schedule, and her tips for runners to help them stay on top of their needsHer 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 postpartumYou can learn more about Jess and her services as a PT HERE and you can find Jess's book Strong as a Mother HERE.
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Q&A With Maddie - 26
Mar 1300:47:34Tap to summarizeThis episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners.Questions for today’s episode include:My husband and I are both former collegiate athletes and have noticed our bodies shifting as we enter our 30's. Is this normal, and if so can you explain the science behind why this might be happening?I recently learned that calcium can block iron as well as other things. How do you recommend splitting it up at meals and with other supplements?My daughter has to take thyroid medication in the morning and can't eat for 30 minutes before she runs. I don't want her to train fasted and she doesn't want to wake up earlier to take it. Is there anything we can do?I lift a lot and have gotten bulkier in the off season, and I'm worried this will prevent me from running a PR during track. Do you have any advice on race weight?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.If you're interested in our free Zoom webinar that will take place on Wednesday 3/18/26, you can register for that HERE.
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