Endurance Unleashed: Lipscomb Graduates’ Enerza Redefines Pre-Workout

In the world of athletic performance, two ambitious Lipscomb University alumni have emerged as trailblazers, channeling their passion for fitness into a groundbreaking venture known as Enerza.

Fueled by their passion for endurance sports, the innovative minds of graduate student Nick Regas and alumnus, Grant O’Callaghan, are rewriting the playbook on pre-workout supplements, specifically tailored to propel long-distance athletes to new heights.

From many different prototypes, failures, and eventual successes, the co-founders of Enerza are on a mission to redefine the limits of athletic achievement.

According to its website, “Enerza is a first-of-its-kind pre-workout supplement, which transforms a product typically used in gyms for lifters into a formula optimized for longer-lasting energy, specifically tailored for endurance athletes.”

Enerza’s “winning ingredients” are all-natural ingredients and include, caffeine, l-theanine, amino acids, electrolytes, and Rhodiola Rosea.

According to research from the National Library of Medicine, these ingredients are found to “increase blood and oxygen flow, aid muscle flow, and provide alertness among other things, all while lowering performance anxiety and protecting the gut from radical damage.”

On January 15, Enerza became “Inform Sport certified” which a testing regimen to ensure supplements are healthy and safe for athletes.

Enerza users who used to drink coffee or other energy drinks feel that they have felt improvements in their workout routines since switching to Enerza.

Andy Smith, an Enerza user who graduated from Lipscomb in 2020, stated he “used to only drink coffee but Enerza has changed his pre-workout routine entirely and has elevated his performance.”

Co-founder Grant O’Callaghan, a former cross-country athlete, who graduated in 2022, had been working on creating an endurance pre-workout for about three years before transferring to Lipscomb.

O’Callaghan said “he always had a problem with mediocre workouts and struggled in the afternoon after a hard day of class.

He felt “burnt out and that his performance was suffering.”

Upon a few more months of struggles, his coach recommended he take pre-workout and from that point, he was hooked. He was able to go longer in workouts and his performance improved. 

Unfortunately, the pre-workouts came with side effects. According to O’Callaghan, he dealt with “everything from migraines, gastrointestinal problems, to anxiety.” 

From that point, he strived to create his own pre-workout formula that would provide all of the same great benefits, but without the terrible side effects.

The winning formula was found over time. Many early prototypes saw disappointing results. O’Callaghan struggled with stomach issues in his first race at Lipscomb due to a bad prototype.

Yet, this only led to growth for his product. O’Callaghan worked on perfecting his fuel, and his pre-workout mix eventually helped propel him to a berth in the 2021 NCAA XC Championships.

O’Callaghan at a Lipscomb pitch competition in 2023

When co-founder Nick Regas stepped onto the scene a year later, he saw the immense potential of Enerza.

Regas, a graduate student, getting his masters in business from Canton, Ohio stated, “I recognized that Grant had created something special. At that point, they talked about their vision for the product and saw that their views aligned well, deciding to team up to bring Enerza to life as a finalized product.”

As of January of 2024, Enerza officially launched as a company, starting sales.

O’Callaghan (left) and Regas (right) at the testings for Enerza

According to Regas, “Enerza is now being taken by professional athletes all over the country. We are already in one retail location and are in the process of going into two more this month (February).”

Enerza’s website states that it has “implemented over 1,000 prototypes to perfect its formula, working with athletes from various backgrounds.”

For the future of Enerza, the goal is simple.

O’Callaghan (left) and Regas (right) on Enerza launch day (1/15/24)

“Grant and I have a poster in our office that says, ‘Enerza at every race.’ We want Enerza to be something that becomes so common that you see it at every major marathon, every track meet, and then eventually beyond to events such as basketball and soccer games,” Regas says.

“O’Callaghan and Regas are determined to help as many athletes as possible achieve their goals. Enerza is off to a promising start in the athletics world.

To stay updated with the brand, follow its Instagram @enerzafuel or visit the website at Enerzafuel.com.”