Olivia Affuso is an exercise scientist, ultrarunner, running coach on VDOT O2 and Chief Wellness Officer of the Black Magic Trail Sisters. 

She works as a physical activity researcher and Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UAB School of Public Health. She received her PhD in nutritional epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a postdoc at the University of Miami in Exercise Science. Olivia is also a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

In this episode we discuss how Olivia got into running, her work as an ambassador for youth running and increasing participation in the sport amongst African Americans. We also get into the causes and misinformation about obesity, the problem of BMI and her nutritional advice for athletes. We close with why she feels she is stronger than ever at age 51 and how she’s stayed injury free training for ultras during the pandemic.

Listen to other episodes of Conversation Pace and follow on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Connect with Olivia at oliviaadventures.com.

Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn