What valuable race-day lesson could a runner possibly learn from a gastropod mollusk AKA snail?

On this mini episode we share the tale of a determined little snail with big dreams of finishing a marathon. After months of training, doubt clouds the snail's mind on the eve of the race. The moral of this slimy yet uplifting tale will resonate with anyone struggling to stay the course.

The journey of this ambitious snail will warm your heart and give you the motivation to slug it out, step-by-step.

On this episode, we explore a topic often underestimated but vital for endurance sports – sleep. In a world where nutrition and exercise usually claim the spotlight, we're here to shed light on the underrated role that sleep plays in optimizing health and fitness.

But why focus on sleep? Have you ever considered that sleep might be more influential than both food and exercise combined? The renowned Shawn Stevenson, a nutritionist and former collegiate track athlete, suggests just that.

To help explain how sleep impacts your endurance journey. we brought together Dr. Lori McGee Koch, an occupational therapist and lead coach for CES's run program, and Dr. Elise Toth from Align Modern Health, a functional medicine provider known for a holistic approach to health. Your host, Ryan Caturan, CES's lead coach at Lincoln Square and Director of Community Partnerships with Aligned Modern Health, guides this discussion.

As an endurance athlete nutrition is a crucial aspect of our preparation as it provides the energy we need for running, triathlons, and other endurance sports. In this episode, we'll be focusing on nutrition for long-distance running, but fear not, the insights we share can be applied to various endurance sports like triathlon, swimming, and cycling.

We are delighted to have an exceptional group of experts joining us for this conversation. From Align Modern Health, we welcome Dr. Lexi Mikrut and Dr. Blake Butler and representing Chicago Endurance Sports, we have the pleasure of having Coach Ryan and Coach Amanda on board. Together, their expertise promises to enrich our discussion on endurance athlete nutrition.

If you're ready to elevate your athletic performance through the right nutrition strategy, tune in to this episode for expert advice, practical tips, and inspiring stories from athletes who've been where you are. Together, we'll embark on a nourishing journey to reach your endurance goals.

Thank you all for joining us today. Let's kick off this episode and fuel your athletic aspirations! Stay tuned for a power-packed session!