Aet Kiisla, a lecturer in social sciences at a university, shares her journey into running, which she only discovered five years ago. Despite her active lifestyle, including gym workouts and Nordic walking, running was a new challenge for her. She progressed from marathons to ultramarathons, completing three 24-hour races and is now preparing for a grueling six-day race in Hungary.

Her exploration into nutrition for athletes led her to experiment with a keto diet and carb loading. However, she experienced common issues like muscle soreness and feeling inflated post-race, despite frequent gel use during runs. Seeking better solutions, Aet listened to podcasts and followed ultra-runner Zach Bitter's advice on periodized eating, which alternates between high and low carb intake.

This search for improved performance and recovery brought her to Vespa and Optimized Fat Metabolism (OFM). She noticed a significant difference in her training, particularly during intensive sessions. Vespa seemed to provide her with stable energy levels and a vivid sense of vitality, akin to the transition from black and white to color television.

Remarkably, Aet experienced rapid recovery post-race, particularly after a 24-hour race where she followed a low-carb diet for several months. She woke up the next day feeling surprisingly energetic and pain-free, a stark contrast to the usual post-race fatigue. This recovery was a significant turning point for her.

Aet emphasizes the independence and freedom she gains from being fat-adapted, which allows her to focus more on running itself rather than relying on aid stations or energy gels. This newfound autonomy in her running exemplifies how personalized nutrition and training can revolutionize an athlete's performance and overall experience in their sport.