Last month, with 228.8 pounds pressed over her 5-foot 2-inch, 117-pound frame, Melanie Roach solidified the dream of a lifetime. After earning her place on the women's U.S. Olympic weightlifting team in Atlanta, Roach is poised to take on the world at the games in Beijing.

As one of the strongest women on the planet it's no wonder that Roach has gotten so far. After suffering the agony of a serious spine injury that prevented her from participating in 2000 games in Sydney, her journey to the Olympics is particularly astounding.

Roach attributes much of her success to a sound nutrition and exercise program. Part of her regime includes daily consumption of ribose. Bioenergy D-ribose, made by one of Roach's corporate sponsors, stimulates the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an essential energy compound found in every cell in the body. ATP is critical to health and maintaining normal energy-related body functions, and ribose is the essential component in the making of ATP.

"I find if I do all the little things right, the big stuff becomes easier and the weight feels just a tiny bit lighter," she says. "Ribose is one of those things. It helps keep my energy level up in a healthy, natural way, both in the gym and in my real job as a busy mom. It's an important part of my daily routine."

Sustaining her energy is a critical strategy for Melanie. "My events don't allow much recovery time and, before I started using ribose, my second lift was always weaker. Ribose allows my second lift to be as strong as the first," says Roach. "Plus, my muscles recover much more quickly, so that I have the sustained energy I need for peak performance."

Roach's daily routine often begins before the sun comes up with preparing lunches, serving breakfast, and getting her kids off to school. Helping her to juggle it all-including the energy she needs to help her son, Drew, who is autistic-is her husband, Dan, a Washington state representative.

"My time in the gym is hard. But it's also very peaceful and actually high quality 'me' time," says Roach.  "To a large extent, it's a luxury and a dream all rolled into one."

She also attributes her success to a comprehensive support network, including her family, coach, her faith, and a cadre of people cheering her on to the 2008 Olympic games. Roach also knows how important it is to
maintain her energy.  "I do whatever I can to sustain my energy," she says.

"Since August, when I first started using ribose, I haven't noticed a drop in energy. This is critical for an Olympic weightlifter, especially with the 35-45 minute lag in between competitive lifts."