Elyse Kopecky is a chef, author, nutrition coach, runner, and proud mother. Her friendship with Shalane began on the cross-country team at the University of North Carolina. After graduation, both moved to Portland, Oregon, to work for Nike—Shalane as a professional runner, and Elyse as a digital marketing producer.

Elyse’s career took her abroad, where she took cooking classes throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. Armed with amazing recipes from around the world, Elyse began cooking to fuel her athletic endeavors. She discovered that by incorporating more fats into her diet, she was stronger, healthier, and happier than ever before. She quit a successful marketing career of 10 years for the chance to help others eat right and moved to New York City to study at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts.

Once back in Portland, Elyse reunited with Shalane over a home-cooked meal, and their conversation quickly shifted toward the detrimental fad diets pushed on female athletes. Elyse’s infectious enthusiasm for teaching other women the importance of “indulgent nourishment” inspired Shalane. That night, the idea for Run Fast Eat Slow was born between two friends with a shared passion to educate and coach athletes to nourish themselves for the long run.

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