My name is Maddie. I'm a sports dietitian on a mission to get science-backed nutrition info into the hands of your athletes.
As a coach myself, I'm constantly trying to help my athletes navigate problems. From how to get through a tough workout to what to pack for a whole day at the track, it's amazing to watch what sticks over the course of several seasons. I think back to so many small moments with my former coaches and how those moments shaped my view of myself and the sport. While most would argue that nutrition isn't that important when it comes to running or that Google will cut it when it comes to information for runners, I have to disagree. Some of the nutrition decisions I was encouraged to make mostly likely had life-long impacts on my bone density and I've met far too many male and female athletes whose "healthy habits" would be considered a risk factor for an eating disorder. The great part is, you don't have to become a registered dietitian to know how to help your athletes fuel, you just need to consult one.
My goal is to change the narratives that I heard constantly during my career by empowering coaches with both evidence-based nutrition practices and strategies for different athlete mindsets and situations. Once I finally figured out how to fuel my body properly, I was able to go from never once competing at NCAA's to being 12th at USATF Indoor National Championships. Part of this was knowledge, another part was having a great coach in my corner who pushed me to fuel more, rather than weigh less.
Professional Bio
Maddie Riley MS, RD
Maddie completed her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science at Creighton University in Omaha while competing as a Division I cross country and track athlete. Her pursuit of athletics continued as she worked on her Masters in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and ran for Elevated Performance, a semi-professional team in Boulder, Colorado. Following her education, Maddie has been a speaker for numerous high school cross country teams both virtually and in-person. She is a proud coach of the Yokota Middle and High school cross country and track teams, an experience that has helped her to learn the difficulties coaches and parents face when trying to teach their teams about nutrition.
As a Registered Dietitian, Maddie is board certified and maintains credibility through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a member of the American Sports and Performance Dietitians Association and is currently on track to receive her International Olympic Committee Diploma in Sports Nutrition.