002 - Michele Santihano

What Moves Her – Episode 2: Michele Santilhano

In this inspiring episode, host Ania Wronski sits down with Michele Santilhano — a pediatric oncology nurse, ultra-endurance athlete, and one of the rare people to have both swum the English Channel and completed it as part of a full triathlon (arch to arc: run, swim, cycle from London to Paris). Michele shares her journey from growing up in Cape Town, South Africa, to becoming one of the most accomplished multi-sport ultra-endurance athletes in the US, including completing solo cycling's Race Across America (RAAM), 200-mile trail runs, and open-water channel swims. The conversation covers injury recovery, training philosophy, fueling strategies, mental resilience, and her ambitious goal of one day completing the Iditarod Trail Invitational in Alaska.

Key Takeaways

• "If you can't go fast, go long." Michele's endurance career was born from the realisation she had endurance genes over speed genes — a mindset that fuelled an extraordinary athletic journey.
• Community is everything. Whether crewed by triathlon teammates, paced by a patient, or supported by friends across thousands of miles, Michele attributes much of her success to the people around her.
• Injury doesn't mean stopping. After snapping all four quadricep muscles off her patella mid-race in 2024, Michele immediately shifted focus to upper body training and was swimming within two weeks, returning to running within months.
• A great coach makes all the difference. Michele uses Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) and credits having a coach who listens, adapts to your lifestyle, and balances training with life as essential to longevity in the sport.
• Fueling is non-negotiable. The key formula: drink every 5 minutes, eat something solid every 15, and target 60–90 grams of carbohydrates per hour during endurance events.
• Running mechanics matter. Proper form — shoulders over hips, over knees, over ankles — and a gradual return-to-run protocol (start with walk/run intervals) are critical for injury prevention.

Resources Mentioned

• 📘 Training Essentials for Ultrarunning by Jason Koop (Carmichael Training Systems) — The benchmark book for ultramarathon training, covering evidence-based methodologies for runners of all levels. Michele wrote to the author, who connected her with her current coach.
• 📘 The Feed Zone Cookbook by Dr. Allen Lim & Chef Biju Thomas — Wholesome, athlete-friendly recipes for endurance fueling; Michele references "the Alan Lim book on fueling on the go".
• 📘 The Lost Art of Running by Shane Benzie — A deep dive into natural running mechanics and biomechanics from a movement coach and anthropologist; Michele recommends Shane Benzie for learning proper running form.
• 📱 Fuelin App (F-U-E-L-I-N) — A nutrition app Michele recommends for athletes to dial in the right amounts of protein and carbohydrates without the fuss.
• 🏋️ Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) — Michele's current training and coaching platform, specialising in endurance sports including ultra-distance trail running.