173. Elite Ultrarunning on a Vegan Diet + Injury Prevention with Dr Stefanie Flippin

This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is with professional ultrarunner and board-certified physician and surgeon Dr Stefanie Flippin. Stefanie just completed lululemon’s FURTHER event, running an epic 6-day ultramarathon in the name of science and research into women’s sport. We discuss her career path as a surgeon, as well as her recent decision to step away and prioritize her running and coaching careers. Stefanie shares her athletic background, beginning as a ballet dancer before finding running and now competing as an elite ultrarunner. She talks about how her medical training informs her approach to injuries and coaching, and the ways stress and grief have recently influenced her physical health. We discuss some key factors influencing injuries: nutrition, training, and strength. Stefanie follows a vegan diet and we dive deep into how and why she made the transition, meeting her nutrition needs as a plant-based elite athlete, and common myths about getting enough iron and protein. Stefanie gives listeners great advice on finding vegan protein sources, as well as tips for people wanting to eat more plant-based. We chat about Stefanie’s racing and training nutrition, including avoiding high fiber foods close to race day, and consuming carbohydrates and gels on the run. We finish off with our end of the podcast questions, hearing more about Stefanie’s diverse athletic background! 
TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:
10:00 Dr Flippin: Stef’s medical background as a surgeon; from ballet to running 
14:10 The impact of stress and grief on injuries
18:00 Knowing when to run vs rest, when to push through 
21:00 Injury prevention: addressing nutrition, training, and strength 
25:00 Going vegan as an elite athlete 
30:45 Vegan fueling myths: iron and protein deficiencies 
34:45 Protein on a vegan diet
38:35 Tips for eating more plant-based 
41:45 Nutrition is part of training 
44:50 Race day nutrition advice: fiber and carbohydrates
48:20 Career changes: choosing athletics over medicine 
57:20 End of the podcast questions
For more on Stefanie, check out stefanieflippin.com 
Follow Dr Stefanie Flippin on Instagram @stefanieannflippin and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 
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