The Women's Running Podcast

Ep 297. Sophie Power and realistic goals

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:57:40 GMT

Welcome to episode 297 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Pace

Today, Holly is feeling humbled by the paces that she’s been given to achieve a pretty speedy 5K goal, which leads us to talk about goals all round – what makes a good one?

Sophie Power

We interrupt our own gassing to introduce a very special guest in the shape of the brilliant Sophie Power. Sophie, as I’m sure many of you will know, is an incredible ultrarunner who has represented Great Britain, who rose to prominence after a photo of her taken at the UTMB while she breast fed her baby at an aid station went viral. She has used her resulting platform for good, setting up SheRACES with a goal to educate races to be more inclusive to female athletes. We talk to her here about her new book The Power Within, which delves into the key life lessons Sophie has learned through running. She talks to us about That Photo, her road to running stardom, and why and how she came to write the book. Make sure you pick it up, it’s amazing!

Get the mag!

If you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine. Hop along to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to subscribe to the best running magazine there is and to bag yourself a tasty saving with a third off. That’s womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad.

Ep 296. Feminism, heckling, summer running

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 296 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Ladeez

This episode, we talk about whether we prefer to be called ladies or women, and why it is that some races and runners prefer the term ‘lady’. We also wave our feminist flags about different distances in cross country. We know this is a contentious subject, so send in your thoughts!

Running & safety

We also talk about running and safety in the summer. Holly’s had some horrible experiences recently while running – we hope you’ve all been avoiding crap like this in your running; but if not, do please let us know what’s been going on, and how you’re dealing with it.

Join the gang!

Ep 295. Skin health and menopause

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 295 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Mole and skin checks

We are talking skin health! I know, not really our bag in the past, but definitely our bag moving forwards. I have a PSA about checking your moles and protecting your skin as you run outside this summer. I had a full body check with The Mole Clinic, and I thoroughly recommend it for all runners – all the info here, including whether or not to wear your best pants.

Menopausal runners

In the middle, we have a treat in the shape of the lovely Dr Juliet McGrattan. Juliet has written her third book, and again it’s something we all need on our bedside tables – The Runner’s Guide To Menopause. She talks about what prompted her to write it, and we have many deeper questions about menopause itself

We come back afterwards to talk about maintenance running, and why it’s sometimes everything that our soul needs after working towards a huge goal.

If you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine (our current issue has an exclusive interview with cover star Em Clarkson, which is worth the cover price alone). Hop along to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to subscribe to the best running magazine there is and to bag yourself a tasty saving with a third off. That’s womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad.

Ep 294. Sab Pace-Humphreys and faster running

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:13:44 GMT

Welcome to episode 294 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Running faster

At the start and finish, we talk about running faster and how Hol’s running is going now, and I come back afterwards to talk about how my recovery is going, as well as to posit the theory that maybe we should all be running three times a week, and NO MORE.

Bath Half event

In the middle we have a little treat for you in the shape of our chat with Sabrina Pace-Humphreys that we did during our event the night before the Bath Half. We took the opportunity to pick her brains about why she loves the Bath Half, as well as tips and tricks for half marathon running. Do make sure you pick up her new book, Start Where You Are!

Pick up the mag!

If you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine (our current issue has an exclusive interview with cover star Em Clarkson, which is worth the cover price alone). Hop along to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to subscribe to the best running magazine there is and to bag yourself a tasty saving with a third off. That’s womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 30%
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 293. Bath Half event and debrief

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:47:37 GMT

Welcome to episode 293 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Bath Half debrief

We’ve got a huge debrief for you – last weekend we had our live event, and that was followed the next day by Holly running the Bath Half alongside a bunch of Pod Squadders. And, without wanting to give anything away, we had a brilliant weekend! We chat through the thrills and spills of the Saturday event, which we LOVED doing, and Hol takes us step by step through her Bath Half. Listen out for a spectacular story that involves a banana – I shall say no more.

Get the mag!

Also if you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine. Hop along to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to subscribe to the best running magazine there is (even if we don’t have Harry Styles on the cover) and to bag yourself a tasty saving with a third off the cover price. That’s

womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad

Other lovely bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 30%
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 10. Half Marathon Bootcamp: Recovery

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:32:35 GMT

Welcome to episode 10 of a new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Check out the brand new Wahoo KICKR RUN Smart Treadmill - it's the only treadmill we've run on that feels completely natural! Use the code WOMENRUN when you order yours, and you’ll bag yourself a FREE heart rate monitor worth £79.99. offer expires 31st March. Run your run, with Wahoo.

This is your half marathon bootcamp! And it’s for everyone who’s signed up to their first half marathon, or is attempting to get a better time next time round. In this series of 10 episodes, we will be covering everything from demystifying the types of running that will actually get you the results you want, to preventing niggles from cropping up along the way. We want to get us all to the start line with a smile on our faces!

Rest and recovery

In this last episode, we’re talking recovery. The bit that’s often left off your training plan. You’ve done a LOT of hard work, you’ve got through race day, and (hopefully) you’ve found a lovely space to show off your medal. But! The work isn’t quite over. Now it’s time to concentrate on everything you can do to support your body and mind in the hours, days and weeks post-race to make sure you come back even stronger. We’ve got everything you need right here.

We’ve loved doing this series, and we hope you’ve enjoyed listening to it just as much. Please join us over on our main pod, if this is where you’ve discovered us, for more chat about running (and not actually running). Meanwhile, we’re plotting our next 10-episode series, so let me know your preferred topics for that at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk – nutrition? Strength? Running faster? Running further? Drop us a line and we’ll get on to it. Right now, it’s on with the show!

Extra bits

Thank you for listening.

If you want more support with your running, make sure you subscribe to Women’s Running magazine. Hop along to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to subscribe to the best running magazine there is and to bag yourself a tasty saving with a third off the cover price. That’s womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad.

womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad

We’d also recommend joining our Patreon if you want to chat to other runners just like you. From total beginners to everyday experts, we’ve got a properly diverse group chat where you can ask any burning questions, show support and feel the love. Head to patreon.com/womensrunning to subscribe now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 292. Heart rates and menopause

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:25:52 GMT

Welcome to episode 292 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Bath Half

It’s the week before the Bath Half Marathon, and we are both very excited about this – although by excited, I mean Holly is super nervous and I’ve got super FOMO! But other than that we are definitely excited. In the middle of all of that, we are joined by the wonderful Kate Rowe-Ham, the founder of Owning Your Menopause, to chat about – guess what? – menopause! We chat through exercise in midlife, educating our younger sisters, and how to live longer.

Heart rates

We come back afterwards to chat about heart rate – Hol has been looking into hers after getting a sports watch and making herself feel all weird about it. We then talk about our children’s TV heroes, and never has there been a bigger generational divide.

Get a ticket QUICK!

It’s also your last chance to get a ticket for our event before the Bath Half this Saturday! It’s going to be a super fun evening, with lots of silliness, as well as a special guest in the shape of Sabrina Pace-Humphreys. And we have managed to blag 10 free places for the 2027 Bath Half, which we’re going to be giving away on the night! Search Women’s Running live event to find it (or just go here)

Subscribe!

womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad

Lovely extra bits

Get a third off the magazine by going to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad
Use the code RUNNING20 at Owning Your Menopause for 20% off the first month on a monthly membership, 20% off the first 6-months on a 6-month membership, or 20% off the first year on an annual membership
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 9. Half Marathon Bootcamp: Race Day

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:45:49 GMT

Welcome to episode 9 of a new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Race Day!

In this 9th episode, we’re talking about race day! Yes, we’re here at last! You’ve done all your training, you’ve fuelled like a professional, tapered like an athlete, and now you’re minutes away from your victory lap. Here’s what to expect.

Extra bits

If you want more support with your running, make sure you subscribe to Women’s Running magazine using the exclusive code WRTRY6 at the checkout. You’ll get six issues for just £6 – an absolute bargain to get you started on your running journey. Head to our website and use code WRTRY6.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 10. Start to Run: Races [RERUN]

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the final episode of the Start to Run podcast series. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’ve been re-sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving, and you can find all episodes out now wherever you get your podcasts. Whether you’re a newbie or an old hand, welcome to the gang – let’s get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

Do I need to race as a runner?

This week, we’re talking about races and, first off, it goes without saying that you absolutely don’t need to be a race-day diva if that’s not what floats your boat. We both find them a fantastic motivator and a good opportunity to put our training to the test, but if you don’t like them then definitely don’t force yourself.

How to find the right race for you

That being said, there are SO many races out there that you’re bound to find something that you do enjoy. We share our top tips for finding what’s right, along with the key things we’re looking out for before booking.

How do I prepare for race day?

Finally, we dig through the kit that we keep in our race day bags. Esther’s got plenty of advice for travel, accommodation and keeping warm on the start line, while my advice mainly revolves around avoiding thrush.

Thanks for joining us on the Start to Run journey, and massive luck with your running going forwards. Please share this series with a pal if you know anyone who’s considering lacing up their trainers for the first time, and we would LOVE you to rate and review us if you’ve enjoyed this series. If you haven’t, maybe just bitch about it to your mum or something because we’re sensitive souls.

If you want more support with your running, join our Patreon where you can chat to other runners just like you. From total beginners to everyday experts, we’ve got a properly diverse group chat where you can ask any burning questions, show support and feel the love. Head to patreon.com/womensrunning to subscribe now.

And make sure you subscribe to Women’s Running magazine using the exclusive code WRTRY6 at the checkout. You’ll get six issues for just £6 – an absolute bargain to get you started on your running journey. Head to our website and use code WRTRY6.

We’ve also got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 291. Sports watches, stats, anxiety

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:27:10 GMT

Welcome to episode 291 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Sports watches

We indulge ourselves by having an episode all to ourselves. Holly has *finally* fallen in love with a sports watch. 10 days and counting, she’s officially obsessed. Meanwhile I’ve been getting back in the saddle, but MY sports watch is telling me off about it. We have a big old chat about watches and anxiety and stats, and how we’re managing all of that stuff. On top of that, Hol has been on her travels and has lots to say about that, and we also have hot chats about linguistics. Because of course we do.

Our event

And this is your last call for our event we’re holding the evening before the Bath Half on Saturday 14th March – just a few tickets left now (only a tenner!). It’s going to be a super fun evening, with lots of silliness planned, as well as a special guest in the shape of Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, who will be signing her new book after the talk. Our other big news is that we have managed to blag 10 free places for the 2027 Bath Half, which we’re going to be giving away on the night! Come along to see if you can pick up a free space! Search Women’s Running live event on Eventbrite to find it.

Get the mag!

Other lovely bits

Get a third off the mag womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad

If you’re in Bath for the Bath Half in March, come along to our event, we’d love to see you!

If you could be incredibly kind and fill out this quick survey we will be INDEBTED:

http://bit.ly/thewomensrunningpodcast-survey

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 8. Half Marathon Bootcamp: The taper

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 8 of a new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

In this 8th episode, we’re talking about some runners’ favourite bit, and some runners’ least favourite bit of the whole shebang: the taper. Love it or hate it, we’ve discovered it’s an essential part of training, and it’s the one thing that’s going to ensure you take your place on the start line feeling confident. So let’s get into it!

Extra bits

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 9. Start to Run: Female health and periods [RERUN]

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to another Rerun episode of the Start to Run podcast series. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’re re-sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving, and you can find the first 8 episodes now wherever you get your podcasts. Whether you’re a newbie or an old hand, welcome to the gang – let’s get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

How do I manage my running around my period?

This week, we run through the basics of our cycles. What does the 28-day cycle look like? And how should we be approaching our training in the different phases? Spoiler alert: it’s pretty subjective, as long as we’re arming ourselves with the right info.

Endometriosis, PCOS and RED-S

We also cover some of the conditions that might need a bit of extra consideration when it comes to your training. Endo, PCOS and RED-S girlies, we’re looking at you.

Lovely extras

We’ve also got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 290. Imo Boddy & new goals

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:57:19 GMT

Welcome to episode 290 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

We’re talking about What’s Next? Hol has her half marathon goal coming up in March, and she’s already looking beyond that to work out what she’s going to do after then. I’m staying tight lipped about my own bumpy journey as I can’t quite look round the next corner yet, let alone the next training block. Mid way through our ramble we are joined by the incredible Imo Boddy.

Imo Boddy

Imo has taken on some of the biggest challenges in the UK at a ludicrously young age. She chats through her huge running feats, how she’s done them, the support she needs, and why she thinks ultras are the best distance!

Running controversies

We come back after chatting to Imo to talk about a controversy I read about in the press: in terms of relationship breakdowns, is running an ultra the ultimate red flag? And we also have a listener question on postnatal pelvic health, which I become enraged about. Do send us your thoughts to wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Come to our event!

There are a handful of tickets left for the event and race debrief we’re holding the evening before the Bath Half on Saturday 14th March. We’ve got a special guest in the shape of Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, who has run the Bath Half a billion times (give or take) and will be sharing her wisdom. Our other big news is that we have also managed to blag 10 free places for the 2027 Bath Half, which we’re going to be giving away on the night! Come along to see if you can pick up a free space! Search Women’s Running live event on Eventbrite to find it.

Join the pod squad!

By the way, lovely listeners – brace yourself because this episode is absolutely PACKED with ads. We need the ads to survive – that’s how it works. However, if you leap on to our Patreon, you can listen without these irritating interruptions. £2 a month for ad-free listening and access to our exclusive Pod Squad forum, too. Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning to find out more.

Links

Great advice on how to strengthen your pelvic floor, and when to start impactful exercise after having a baby.

A bit more solid advice from Bupa, here.

Follow the incredible Imo Boddy

Get one of the last tickets to our event the night before the Bath Half

Book your running holiday with Contours Holidays. Visit contours.co.uk or call 01629 821900, and use code 30FOR30 when booking your next adventure to get £30 off per person (offer expires 28th February, terms and conditions apply).

Butcombe Beer are sponsoring the Bath Half, and if you haven’t got a spot in the race yet, they’re giving away two entries to the (now sold out 2026) race. Enter here, and good luck!

If you’re in Bath for the Bath Half in March, come along to our event, we’d love to see you!

If you could be incredibly kind and fill out this quick survey we will be INDEBTED:

http://bit.ly/thewomensrunningpodcast-survey

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 7. Half Marathon Bootcamp: Fuel & hydration

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:11:19 GMT

Welcome to episode 7 of a new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Check out the brand new Wahoo KICKR RUN Smart Treadmill - it's the only treadmill we've run on that feels completely natural! Use the code WOMENRUN when you order yours, and you’ll bag yourself a FREE heart rate monitor worth £79.99. offer expires 31st March. Run your run, with Wahoo.

Fuel and hydration

In this 7th episode, we’re talking fuelling and hydration; in other words, food and drink. We chat through our inexpert fuelling in our first half marathons, and what we do now to keep ourselves well watered and fed, and how we avoid hitting the wall.

Extra bits

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 8. Start to Run: Nutrition [RERUN]

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to another Rerun episode of the Start to Run podcast series. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’re re-sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving, and you can find the first 7 episodes now wherever you get your podcasts. Whether you’re a newbie or an old hand, welcome to the gang – let’s get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

What do I eat before and after a run?

This week, we’re talking the basics of nutrition. We share all the things we wish we hadn’t had to work out for ourselves, including the best pre-run breakfasts, how long to wait for everything to digest and how much protein we need to be eating afterwards.

How much water do I need to drink before a run?

We also cover some hydration basics. When do we need to be taking water out on the run with us? What on earth are electrolytes and how do we make sure we’re getting enough of them? It’s all going on today.

Here’s the handy nutrition guide written by an expert that we mention a few times in the episode: https://www.womensrunning.co.uk/health/nutrition/nutrition-for-beginner-runners/

Lovely extras

If you want more support with your running, join our Patreon where you can chat to other runners just like you. From total beginners to everyday experts, we’ve got a properly diverse group chat going where you can ask any burning questions, show support and feel the love. Head to patreon.com/womensrunning to subscribe now.

We’ve also got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 289. Tough training and happy yoga

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:30:39 GMT

Welcome to episode 289 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Tough training

Holly is getting to the ouchy part of her training, with huge amounts of mileage and a dose of gloom that I try to help with. However I don’t help anywhere near as much as Hannah Barrett does, who joins us halfway through.

Yoga happy

Hannah is the founder of Yoga Happy. We met Hannah last year and immediately clicked. Her take on life, stress and yoga are hugely relatable. We got her on to talk about how we can use her practice to both help our running and reduce our stress in everyday life. She offered up some simple breathing techniques that we will definitely be taking to our next races…

Bath Half giveaway!

Don’t go away afterwards, though, as we need to talk to you about the event we’re holding the evening before the Bath Half on Saturday 14th March. It’s all coming together! We’ve got a special guest in the shape of Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, who has run the Bath Half a billion times (give or take) and will be sharing her wisdom. Our other big news is that we have also managed to blag 10 free places for the 2027 Bath Half, which we’re going to be giving away on the night! Come along to see if you can pick up a free space!

Join the pod squad!

By the way, lovely listeners – brace yourself because this episode is absolutely PACKED with ads. We need the ads to survive – that’s how

it works. However, if you leap on to our Patreon, you can listen without these irritating interruptions. £2 a month for ad-free listening and access to our

exclusive Pod Squad forum, too. Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning to find out more.

Ep 6. Half Marathon Bootcamp: Injury prevention

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:53:52 GMT

Welcome to episode 6 of a brand new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Injury Prevention

In this 6th episode, we talk about injury prevention! We chat about our own niggles and injuries, and what we could have done to prevent them. Then we tick off all the things you need to have in your injury prevention toolbox, which is everything from the strength training we do to the food we eat.

Extra bits

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 7. Start to Run: Injuries [RERUN]

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to another Rerun episode of the Start to Run podcast series. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’re sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving, and you can find the first 6 episodes now wherever you get your podcasts. Whether you’re a newbie or an old hand, welcome to the gang – let’s get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

Before we get into it, we’d recommend joining our Patreon if you want to chat to other runners just like you. From total beginners to everyday experts, we’ve got a properly diverse group chat where you can ask any burning questions, show support and feel the love. Head to patreon.com/womensrunning to subscribe now.

What do I do if I get a running injury?

This week, we talk through the process of recovering from a running injury. Who do you speak to? How do you get in touch? And do you have to stop running altogether? We’ll help you with where to start.

How do I know if I have an injury?

The good news is you may not be injured at all – as well as chatting through the injury big-hitters, we also share some tips on how to know when you’ve just got a bit of muscle ache.

Lovely extras

Plus, we’ve got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 288. Race organisation, training tips, shakeout runs

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 288 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Race organisation

Today, we’re talking about race organisation, or lack thereof – and race start lines that we’ve enjoyed and not quite so much.Holly is heading full steam ahead to the startline of her next half marathon, and she has lots of thoughts and worries.

Training tips

We chat to lovely Emma Powell, one of Coopah’s expert coaches about injury and downtime, and how to adjust your training if life has thrown a spanner in the works. We quiz her on training, tapering and whether we actually need to do that controversial shakeout run…

Signing up to races

After we’ve chatted with Emma Powell, I come back to have a little whingeroo about the back situation. Yes, it’s still going on, and yes it’s been about 17 months. I talk through plans for the next couple of months while I recover, and what I do in the gym, if anyone’s interested in that! But also a very silly thing I’ve signed up to in case I don’t make it to the start line of the London Marathon

Join the pod squad!

Ep 5. Half Marathon Bootcamp: The Long Run

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 10:51:22 GMT

Welcome to episode 5 of a brand new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

The long run

In this fifth episode, we talk about the long run, and how it makes you feel like a superhero. We talk drop-down weeks, tapers, and strategies for getting you through those endless miles.

Extra bits

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 6. Start to Run: Strength [RERUN]

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to another Rerun episode of the podcast series that we’re calling Start to Run. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’ll be sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving. Whether you’re a newbie or an old hand, welcome to the gang – let’s get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

Why do I need to do strength training?

Notoriously, us runners avoid strength training like the plague. But we absolutely need to be doing it. And the good news is, there are numerous ways you’re going to see the benefits in your running in no time. We take you through the reasons we need strength sessions, share our own experiences and highlight the target areas to work on.

What strength exercises should I do?

We talk you through a basic plan that we both used to get started, how to progress as you get stronger, as well as the equipment you might want to invest in.

Lovely extras

Plus, we’ve got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

We’d also recommend joining our Patreon if you want to chat to other runners just like you. From total beginners to everyday experts, we’ve got a properly diverse group chat going where you can ask any burning questions, show support and feel the love. Head to patreon.com/womensrunning to subscribe now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 287. Hyrox, Coopah coaching, NRS

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:01:04 GMT

Welcome to episode 287 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

National Running Show

We are fresh out of the National Running Show, and are giddy with it. We’ve had the best time, met so many of you, and feel completely lifted up by our community. So we have lots of chat about that before we eventually start talking injuries. Ugh. Bear with us.

Coopah coach

We interrupt the negative Nelly talk, with a chat with lovely Emma Powell, one of Coopah’s expert coaches. Coopah prides itself – quite rightly – on enabling all of us to have access to a real-life coach 24/7, and Emma happens to be one of those coaches! We speak to her about getting a bit faster, whether old dogs can learn new tricks, and some race day tips – absolute gold dust if you’ve got a date in the diary!

Hyrox

We come back after our chat with Emma to talk about Hyrox. Are we mental to even consider doing this? Answers on a postcard…

Ad-free listening

Links

If you’re in Bath for the Bath Half in March, come along to our event, we’d love to see you!

Get expert coaching with the Coopah app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING for two weeks free, plus 20% off a year’s coaching. Just head to coopah.com/womensrunning

Butcombe Beer are sponsoring the Bath Half, and if you haven’t got a spot in the race yet, they’re giving away two entries to the (now sold out) race. Enter here, and good luck!

If you could be incredibly kind and fill out this quick survey we will be INDEBTED:

http://bit.ly/thewomensrunningpodcast-survey

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 4. Half Marathon Bootcamp: Speed

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:13:57 GMT

Welcome to episode 4 of a brand new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by the Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Running faster

In this fourth episode we’re addressing one of the trickiest topics in this whole series: and that’s speed. We’re talking about how to get faster in your training and on race day – and by faster, we mean faster for you. The only comparing we’re doing here is with our past selves!

Extra bits

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 5. Start to Run: Training plans [RERUN]

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to another Rerun episode of the series that we’re calling Start to Run. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’ll be re-sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving. Whether you’re a newbie or an old hand, welcome to the gang – let’s get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

What kind of training plan should I use?

Esther and I are talking training plans this week – what are they, what do they look like and how do you know which one to choose? Never fear, we’ve got a few answers for you – from intricate personalised plans designed by a coach to your classic Couch to 5K numbers, there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Just stick with it and make sure you’ve got a reasonable goal.

Tempo runs, threshold, steady runs and more explained

Even a relatively simple walk/run plan involves some interval running – well done, you’re already getting those technical runs in! But sometimes we’re guilty of using a bunch of jargon to describe what really are pretty standard sessions, so we break down a few key terms for you.

Lovely extras

Plus, we’ve got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 286. More Eilish, injury updates

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:10:51 GMT

Welcome to episode 286 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Injury update

In this episode, we have even more of an injury update, which I hope will be useful for anyone out there who’s picked up something nasty in the middle of training.

We have our last special chat with Eilish in the middle of everything, and we come back afterwards to chat traitors.

Female health and running

With the lovely Eilish, we’re talking about training around our cycles, but also about women-specific nutrition and hydration. We love the fact that fuelling *during* a run is new for her – as it will be for many of us. In many ways, we’re all like Eilish. Apologies in advance for some slightly dodgy Zoom quality in this section – Eilish was calling in from Dubai where she was acclimatising ahead of her race in Japan. let me make it up to you by revealing that the brilliant Eilish is not only doing sterling work with Coopah, she’s also gearing up for the London Marathon this year. We cannot wait.

Get rid of the ads!

Ep 3. Half Marathon Bootcamp: strength

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:08:42 GMT

Welcome to episode 3 of a brand new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by the Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Check out the brand new Wahoo KICKR RUN Smart Treadmill - it's the only treadmill we've run on that feels completely natural!

Strength training

In this third episode we’re talking strength! Not just popping biceps, but functional strength that keeps us upright, and enables us to get to the finish line of our chosen race feeling fit and happy. We talk through the muscle groups to concentrate on, and the moves that we’ve started doing down the gym, and at home.

Extra bits

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 4. Start to Run: Kit [RERUN]

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to our another Rerun episode of the series that we’re calling Start to Run. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’re re-sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving. If you’ve missed the first couple of episodes then don’t stress – you can find the first three episodes out now wherever you get your pods. We’re not following a specific plan together, so set yourself whatever goal you want to achieve – we’ll be checking in and catching up each week to support you as we get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

What shoes should I wear for running?

This week, we’re talking kit! You really don’t have to spend a bomb on your running, but the one thing you should invest in a little bit is a good pair of running shoes that work for you. We share a few tips to help you get this right, from gait analysis to where to find the best deals. And I mention a cheap running shoe list online – it’s here!

What sports bra should I wear for running?

The other thing we have to prioritise as women who run is a decent sports bra – you don’t want to give yourself two black eyes. We talk cheap ones, extra supportive ones, ones for big boobs – take your pick.

Lovely extras

Plus, we’ve got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 285. Injuries, Eilish McColgan

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:00:32 GMT

Welcome to episode 285 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Injury update

We have some updates on our various niggles and training disappointments. The good news is that we’ve both sought medical advice, rather than relying on Dr Google. So we’re being good girls, and doing what the doctors have ordered. But is it paying off?

Special guest Eilish for Coopah

We interrupt our usual gasbagging to bring you a celebrity guest in the form of the actual Eilish McColgan. Yes! Eilish McColgan! Eilish has recently joined Coopah’s roster of talented coaches, helping to devise training plans to turn us all into our own version of Olympians. We wanted to get her on to quiz her on – what else? – injuries. She talks to us about how to manage injury, as well as how she’s coped with her own injury time over the years.

We come back after the break for more waffly bits, so don’t switch off after Eilish has!

By the way, lovely listeners – brace yourself because this episode is absolutely PACKED with ads. We need the ads to survive – that’s how it works. However, if you leap on to our Patreon, you can listen without interruptions. £2 a month for ad-free listening and access to our exclusive Pod Squad forum, too. Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning to find out more.

Ep 2. Half Marathon Bootcamp: sessions

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 13:00:31 GMT

Welcome to episode 2 of a brand new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by the Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Check out the brand new Wahoo KICKR RUN Smart Treadmill - it's the only treadmill we've run on that feels completely natural!

Running sessions

In this second episode, we are talking about the different kind of running sessions you might find on a half marathon training plan. We chat about the different kinds, what we think of them, and why they’re hard but good! These are the ones that’ll get you the results you want, so worth paying attention to.

Extra bits

Thank you for listening.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 3. Start to Run: Motivation [RERUN]

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:54:33 GMT

Welcome back to another Rerun episode of our Start to Run series. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’ll be re-sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving. If you’ve missed the first couple of episodes then don’t stress – you can find episodes one and two out now wherever you get your pods. We’re not following a specific plan together, so set yourself whatever goal you want to achieve – we’ll be checking in and catching up each week to support you as we get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

How do I motivate myself to run?

This week, we’re talking motivation. If your willpower to get out there and pound the pavements has taken a dip, you’re not alone – but we’ve got plenty of tips to keep you going. From what we really should officially call ’The Cream Egg method’, to where to find support, to how to jazz up your sessions – we’re discussing it all today.

What happens if I’m struggling to reach my goals?

A valid question! We’ve got some tried and tested advice here that involves creating some ‘mini goals’ – a bit like mini eggs, but not quite as moreish. Listen in for more on that…

Lovely extras

Plus, we’ve got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 284. January blues

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:35:01 GMT

Welcome to episode 284 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING for two weeks free, plus 20% off a whole year’s expert coaching. Just head to coopah.com/womensrunning

And if you’re in Bath for the Bath Half in March, come along to our event, we’d love to see you!

January pah

We’ve got a bit of January blues here, I’m afraid. Both of us have had some niggles, which have erupted into fullscale hurty bits. Don’t worry, we’re both getting some help, but we’ve got very gloomy – what does this mean for our training? What should we do about our A goals? And how do we go about preparing for a Plan B that’s just as exciting as our original Plan A.

New podcasts

Another big fanfare for our two new podcasts this year – Start To Run is a repeat of last year’s 10-episode series, which will be coming out on Mondays. On Wednesdays, we’re launching a new 10-part series, which is going to be exclusively about running and training for a half marathon. And on Fridays, we’re going to be releasing this baggy old podcast, that you know and love. Lots to listen to for the next couple of months!

Lastly, I have a quick ask of you all, please! If you’ve got a spare minute, could you fill out a super quick survey for us – link in the shownotes – it’ll help us get better, less annoying, and give you all the stuff you like the best! Thank you so much!

Ep 1. Half Marathon Bootcamp

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 1 of a brand new series of podcasts from us at the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by the Wahoo. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Check out the brand new Wahoo KICKR RUN Smart Treadmill - it's the only treadmill we've run on that feels completely natural!

Bootcamp begins!

In this first episode we ease ourselves in with our tales of our first ever half marathon: what our training was like, what the race day was like, and what we’d do different now, with a bit more experience under our belts.

Extra bits

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 2. Start to Run: Pace and distance [RERUN]

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:20:36 GMT

Welcome back to another Rerun episode of our Start to Run series. As part of the Women’s Running podcast, we’ll be re-sharing these special episodes every week to help you get yourself moving. Whether you’re a runner who’s been around the block a few times or this is all completely new to you, these episodes should have all the tools you need to make running feel simple. Each week, we’re tackling a different FAQ as we get back to basics, cut through the crap and make running simple again.

How fast should I be running?

This week, we get into the much discussed topic of pace – how quickly should we be running? We share our very favourite bits of advice on the rate of perceived effort which, in our humble opinion, is a much more important metric than how many minutes a mile you’re running.

How far should I be running?

We also get into distance and share our own tips on how to measure a run and what sort of length you should be aiming for at the beginning.

Lovely extras

Plus, we’ve got a little email series to give you extra support too – weekly emails checking in and sharing some top tips. Sign up for these here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 283. New year, old us, zero resolutions

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:27:01 GMT

Welcome to episode 283 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Get expert coaching with the Coopah app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING for two weeks free, plus 20% off a year’s coaching. Just head to coopah.com/womensrunning

We're back!

We’re back after our Christmas break and SHOCK HORROR we’ve got a lot of running chat to get through before we even mention the new series of Traitors, so hang on to your hats. We talk about festive running, the trouble with winter run kit and various health-related issues. Big shout out to the NHS app btw – do please make use of it if you don’t already.

New podcasts!

And a big fanfare for our two new podcasts this year – Start To Run is a repeat of last year’s 10-episode series, which will be coming out on Mondays (the first episode came out this week). On Wednesdays, we’re launching a new 10-part series, which is going to be exclusively about running and training for a half marathon. And on Fridays, we’re going to be releasing this baggy old podcast, that you know and love. Lots to listen to for the next couple of months!

Lastly, I have a quick ask of you all, please! If you’ve got a spare minute, could you fill out a super quick survey for us – it’ll help us get better, less annoying, and give you all the stuff you like the best! Thank you so much!

Lovely extra bits

Get expert coaching with the Coopah app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING for two weeks free, plus 20% off a year’s coaching. Just head to coopah.com/womensrunning

If you could be incredibly kind and fill out this quick survey we will be INDEBTED: http://bit.ly/thewomensrunningpodcast-survey

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 1. Start to Run: walking [RERUN]

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:36:07 GMT

Back by popular demand, we’re re-releasing the Start to Run series from the Women’s Running Podcast, where we’re making running simple again. Every week on Start to Run, Esther and Holly will cover a common myth, frequently asked question or tricky topic and get back down to basics. Whether you’re a seasoned runner returning from some time off or a total newbie, we’re here to help you get moving and to remind you that running doesn’t have to be complicated.

Walking, ‘Jeffing’ and taking it slow

Are you still a runner if you take walk breaks? In short, you obvs are. But in this episode we’re explaining why walking is such a fantastic run strategy and overall fitness tool. Long live Jeff, is all we have to say.

Couch to 5K, yay or nay?

We also share our thoughts on the oh-so-popular Couch to 5K app; which bits we love, and which bits we don’t love so much. Plus, we share our own beginner running tales and the things we wish we’d known.

Lovely extras

If you want more support with your running, make sure you subscribe to Women’s Running magazine using the exclusive code WRTRY6 at the checkout. You’ll get six issues for just £6 – an absolute bargain to get you started on your running journey. Head to our website and use code WRTRY6.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 282. Lisa Jackson

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 14:41:09 GMT

Welcome to episode 282 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

In this episode, we were lucky enough to speak to the glorious Lisa Jackson - writer, author, runner, ambassador – a woman who is proud to have come last in 25 marathons (of which she has now run over a hundred). Lisa is an extraordinary woman who has suffered some horrific losses over the past few years, but has emerged phoenix-like, with a book and an unmatched energy: if you’re out there listening to this and not sure if you’re a runner, then Lisa is the woman you need to listen to.

Lisa’s book Your Pace or Mine is the best book for new and slower runners. And her latest book, Still Running After All These Tears, is available to preorder and out on the 8th January in all good book shops.

Now, if you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join our forum and listen to podcasts ad-free. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! Just head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

OTHER THINGS

Get expert coaching with the Coopah app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING for two weeks free, plus 20% off a year’s coaching. Just head to coopah.com/womensrunning

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 281. Kathrine Switzer

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 281 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Kathrine Switzer

This is a very special Christmas Day episode, that we’ve been secretly waiting to launch on you for weeks now. In this, we talk to the legendary Kathrine Switzer, famously the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an officially registered competitor in 1967. She tells us the story of that day, including how she coped when she was nearly pulled off the route by the race manager, and the highs and lows of a historic achievement that has paved the way for so many of us. We absolutely love Kathrine, and hope you enjoy this incredibly special podcast.

Join us!

Now, if you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join our forum and listen to podcasts ad-free. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! Just head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

Get expert coaching with the Coopah app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING for two weeks free, plus 20% off a year’s coaching. Just head to coopah.com/womensrunning
Find out more about 261 Fearless, the organisation set up by Kathrine
And take on board her brilliant marathon training tips
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 10. Am I Nuts... for worrying about Christmas2

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the last episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

In this series, we wanted to explore some of the things that we’ve talked about on our big podcast – that’s the Women’s Running podcast – that don’t necessarily have anything to do with running. Hol and I are natural born worriers, and we’ve realized that in almost every episode, we talk about at least one of those worries – and we also realized that with many of them, we’ve thought we were the only ones. We thought we were nuts.

In this episode, we’re considering whether we’re nuts to worry about Christmas, and I think we answer that before we’ve even begun. We talk about the emotional load of present buying, organising, food preparing and cooking, party hosting, and the stress of planning for one solitary day. Are we nuts? No we are not.

Thank you so much for listening to us!

Am I Nuts has been brought to you by the Women’s Running podcast – do please check it out wherever you listen to your podcasts for longer episodes to keep you company while you run. And if running is your thing, or you’d like it to be your thing, check out Women’s Running magazine – right now you can save up to 50% off the cover price. Just go to shop.womensrunning.co.uk to find out more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 280. Christmas, icks, training fails

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:31:32 GMT

Welcome to episode 280 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Injuries and icks

This is the final episode we’re recording in 2025, which is kind of exciting because we’re very ready to put our feet up. After controversies involving red cabbage, we eventually get on to our running, you’ll be relieved to hear. We talk about impact injuries, general icks, and our high and low points in 2025. Have a very lovely Christmas if you celebrate it, enjoy your time off if you get it, and we wish you all a relaxed and peaceful new year. We have treats for you over the next couple of weeks with exclusive interviews with Kathrine Switzer and Lisa Jackson, so listen out for them on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day respectively.

Join us!

Now, if you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! Just head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely links

Get expert coaching with the Coopah app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING for two weeks free, plus 20% off a year’s coaching. Just head to coopah.com/womensrunning

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 9. Am I Nuts to worry about... losing weight?

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:38:12 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the ninth episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Should we worry about losing weight?

In this episode, we wonder if we’re nuts to worry about weightloss. There’s a lot to cover here, from our own relationships with our bodies, as well as what’s going on in wider society in terms of the body positivity movement, and the rise in popularity of weightloss drugs. How do we feel about all of those things? And how do you feel about it? If you have thoughts on this, or any other subject we’ve talked about this series, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 279. Christmas, marathons, 10K PB, January reveal

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:49:25 GMT

Welcome to episode 279 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Running & the juggle

We’ve got a bit more Christmas overwhelm to begin with. But we cheer up and start talking about running on Christmas day, which Holly is particularly joyful about. Even better than that, we have an update on Hol’s 10K PB attempt – a good one – and then we’re into our training and expectations for the Bath Half and the London Marathon, and doing all that while juggling all this Christmas nonsense. And we have news for January! Lots of exciting things are happening on this very podcast, but we need you to help us shape it – listen in right to the end and get back to us with your thoughts on Patreon, Discord or over email on wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Join us!

If you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! And we have our Christmas special all booked in for December 15th – do come along to our very silly quiz. Just head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

OTHER THINGS

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 8. Am I Nuts... for worrying about cleaning

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 18:55:38 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the eighth episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

In this episode we’re talking about the thing that prompted me to want to do a second series in the first place: are we nuts for worrying about having a tidy home? From Marie Kondo, to sparking joy, we are on a mission to remove the stress and hard relate to everyone here, specifically just before Christmas!

If you have thoughts on this, or any other subject we’ve talked about this series , then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 278. Christmas chaos & gifts for runners

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:15:52 GMT

We launch straight into Christmas stress and then we’re on to my exciting weekend at the footie, followed by some actual run content. Wish Hol luck for her 10K PB attempt this weekend! Eventually, we get on to our 2025 unofficial Christmas Gift Guide – links below.

Do join us on Patreon for £2 and you can come along to our Christmas special on December 15th. Just head to patreon.com/womensrunning.

CompressSports Jacket / BAM yoga top / BAM Contour / BAM fleece / Ronhill Tights / Bimble & Bolt leggings / B&B advent calendar / Step One pants / Nixi pants / Maaree Empower bra / Coopah membership (use WOMENSRUNNING) / Absolute mugs, NB FuelCell Rebel / NB Fresh Foam 1080v14 / Mizuno Neo Vista 2 / Veja Condor 3 / PF&H marathon taster pack

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Ep 7. Am I Nuts... to worry about having kids?

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 17:11:12 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the seventh episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Having kids

Trigger warning: in this episode we discuss pregnancy and miscarriage.

In this episode we want to find out if we’re nuts to worry about having kids. There’s a lot of huge topics here; so many we think we could do a whole series on this. There’s a lot to unpack and worry about: the societal (and familial) pressure to have kids at a certain age, the concerns and struggles with fertility, the question of how to tell people you have chosen not to have kids, the conversations about miscarriage, and the prejudice around fertility, motherhood and women in general.

If you have thoughts on this, or any other subject we’ve talked about this series , then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

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Thank you so much for listening. Do please like and subscribe, so that you’ll be first to know when the next episode in this special series drops

Helpful links

Tommy’s – the pregnancy and baby charity

NCT – the UK’s leading charity for parents

Maternity Action – the UK’s maternity rights charity

The pregnancy page on the NHS website

Maternal Mental Health Alliance

Gingerbread – the single parent charity

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Ep 277. Awards, Raynaud's, Hidden Race, Gift Guide

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 18:58:01 GMT

Welcome to episode 277 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

First up, we have some exciting news about awards, and some honest thoughts on the wine we were served. Then we talk about The Hidden Race, produced by SportsShoes.com and Hoka that's all about the crews behind the runners.

Raynaud's syndrome

We talk to Louise Parker from the Raynaud’s Clinic. We ask all the questions to find the answers – how can we keep warm, is it dangerous, what can women who run do to help themselves, and how does it affect us as we get older. Also, she confirms that one treatment path does include a well-known blue pill…

Gift guide

Do continue to listen in to the second half of our general chat, as we also have the start of our gigantic Pod Gift Guide. All the links to some brilliant products are in the show notes below.

Lovely extra bits

Watch The Hidden Race here
Check out the Raynaud's Clinic for more info, and fyi you can self-refer...

Our Gift Guide top picks

Black Friday Women’s Running deal! Save a whopping 62%! It's MADNESS!
Gym+Coffee Industry Fleece, £80
Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro, £399
Petzl SWIFT® LT, £53
Monkey Sox Classic Quin Sports Socks, £17
Garmin Forerunner 570, £459.99
Asics Novablast 5, £134.99
Higher State Allover Reflect Women's Hooded Jacket, £39.99

PLUS:

Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

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Ep 6. Am I Nuts... to worry about UPFs

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:52:49 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the sixth episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Ultra processed foods

We’re talking about ultra processed foods, otherwise known as UPFs – are they the devil incarnate? Can we avoid them? Should we be as worried as the media is making us?

Thank you so much for listening. Do please like and subscribe, so that you’ll be first to know when the next episode in this special series drops

Links

Find out more about the food you’re buying at Open Food Facts – you can download the app Holly talks about there.

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Ep 276. The Hidden Race

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:23:09 GMT

Welcome to episode 276 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Find out how you can bag 20% off the annual subscription with us!

The Hidden Race

Apols for the start of this podcast which is very scatological, as you’ll soon find out. Moving quickly on, this episode we have a special guest in the shape of Hannah from Hoka, a field experience rep. She’s talking to us about The Hidden Race, a film that’s been created in collaboration with SportsShoes and Hoka to focus on the crew behind the runners. This is where you find all the love and support that fuel the people who run these big races like UTMB. Hannah has crewed for her partner Darren, and she explains how she got into doing that, what you have to do as a crew member, and how she ended up featuring in this film, and what we can expect when we watch it this weekend – it airs for the first time at the Kendal Mountain Festival, but will be available to everyone on the SportsShoes Youtube channel.

After the interview, we’re back in the room to talk about how rubbish we’d be at crewing (obviously). Right at the end, we talk about a controversial race that never happened…

Am I Nuts?

Don’t forget to listen to Am I Nuts on a Monday – this week we’re talking about whether we should be worried about getting married, and it is all kicking off.

Join us on Patreon

If you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! Just head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

Get 20% off an annual subscription to Coopah with Women's Running!
Find out more about SportsShoes and Hoka - we'll link to the film next week when it's released
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 5. Am I Nuts... to worry about getting married?

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:28:08 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the fifth episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Are we nuts to worry about getting married?

In this fifth episode, we wonder if we’re nuts to worry about getting married. We talk about the societal pressure, the peer pressure, the conformity of it, and the struggles with gender norms and expectations.

Am I Nuts has been brought to you by the Women’s Running podcast – do please check it out wherever you listen to your podcasts for longer episodes to keep you company while you run. And if running is your thing, or you’d like it to be your thing, check out Women’s Running magazine – right now you can save up to 50% off the cover price. Just go to shop.womensrunning.co.uk to find out more.

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Ep 275. Ultras, 10Ks, Traitors

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 12:57:37 GMT

Welcome to episode 275 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Parenting woes

First a shout out to all parents navigating the November/December schooltime panic, which I’m getting my knickers in a twist about. Then we catch up on what you’ve been saying about how to get to the start of your first ultra.

Traitors

Before a whacking great spoiler alert, cos of Traitors. We talk about the final a LOT, which we both loved.

Training load

Then we’re on to current training load – Hol’s on the road to a 10K PB (wish her luck!), while I’m on the road to injury (also wish me luck)

Don’t forget to listen to Am I Nuts on a Monday – this week we’re talking about flexibility, next week we’re moving on to booze.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 4. Am I Nuts... to worry about booze?

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 11:44:10 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the fourth episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Are we nuts?

Alcohol

In this fourth episode, we wonder if we’re nuts to worry about booze. Trigger warning here: we’re talking about alcohol and addiction. Do we drink too much? What does alcohol do to our bodies? How does that change as we age? What do we think about sobriety? In this episode we’re talking about our own relationships with booze and how that’s changed over the years – there is no advice or judgement. I’ve listed a few brilliant places to go online in the show notes for support and advice if you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol.

Pick up Women's Running

Thank you so much for listening. Do please like and subscribe, so that you’ll be first to know when the next episode in this special series drops

Find support here

Drinkaware offers support and advice for you or someone you care about

Booze

Alcoholic Anonymous offers free and confidential advice

AlcoholChange offers lots of tips about cutting down alcohol, as well as menopause and fertility

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Ep 274. Traitors and 10Ks

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 15:31:50 GMT

Welcome to episode 274 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Viral load

Holly’s got a stonking cold, but struggles through this regardless. Apologies for the sniffling. She talks about even in the depths of the cold, she’s still carrying on her training, and how her 10K plan is making her feel like an elite runner.

Traitors!

And then we’re on to the main event – not marathons, not ultras, not 10Ks. It’s Celebrity Traitors. Big old spoilers here if you’re watching on catch up, or watching in different countries – maybe skip from about 19 minutes to 38 minutes.

Ultra accessibility

We then talk about my current bugbear, which is the inaccessibility of ultra marathons in terms of geographical location. Please let us know how you’re getting to the start of these things!

Am I Nuts?

Don’t forget to listen to Am I Nuts on a Monday – this week we’re talking about flexibility, next week we’re moving on to booze.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 3. Am I Nuts... to worry about flexibility?

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the third episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

In this second episode, we’re getting worried about stretching and mobility. Basically, should we all be doing more yoga? And what does it mean to be mobile in any case? Why is it good to be mobile? There’s a lot to think about!

Thank you so much for listening. Do please like and subscribe, so that you’ll be first to know when the next episode in this special series drops

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 273. Busy running + The Best Email Of All Time

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 273 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Actual running content

Hold on to your hats here, cos we’re actually talking about running (sorry about that) with a bit of a recap of our recent running, and the stats we’re served afterwards, and what it all means.

Training adaptability

We also talk about how to flex our training when life is getting busy, and also how we’re coping with shorter days and darker evenings and mornings. While we get ourselves a bit cross and shouty here, don’t be put off and listen right through to the end for the mother of all emails – in terms of fun pod stories, we believe we have a gold medallist.

Join us

If you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 2. Am I Nuts... to worry about strength training?

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the second series of Am I Nuts. This is the second episode in a series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Strength training

In this second episode, we’re getting our knickers in a twist about strength training. Should we all be doing it? Are we doing enough? And what should we be doing if we’ve never done it?

Pick up the mag!

Thank you so much for listening. Do please like and subscribe, so that you’ll be first to know when the next episode in this special series drops

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Ep 272. Runners and depression

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 16:01:21 GMT

Welcome to episode 272 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Traitors!

We’re talking about the most important thing on our minds at the moment, and that’s obviously Celebrity Traitors. Spoilers are here, if you’ve been saving it up to watch at another time, so be warned. But then we start talking about the running we’re doing and the races we’re looking forward to. I fancy taking on a huge race next year – who’s with me?

Depression and running

Then we’re on to a contentious subject that I’d read about: is depression more prevalent in runners who complete multiple marathons? If so, why? It’s a headline designed to get us cross, but we have a lot of thoughts about it. Pretty sure you will have too – get in touch at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with your take on it all.

Am I Nuts?

We also mention the release of Am I Nuts series 2, which we’re very excited about, and we get it completely wrong! While yes, the series is out this week, we are NOT talking about strength training, we’re talking about protein! Do please go and have a listen to it and tell us what you think

Patreon

If you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

The Guardian article that started our conversation

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 1. Am I Nuts... to worry about protein?

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:55:01 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the first episode in our second series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Are we nuts?

Are we eating enough protein?

In series one, we talked about everything from cancer to sugar. This series, we’ve got another mixed bag. If you have something you think we should talk about, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

In this first episode, we’re dealing with a biggie, and we’re pretty sure we’re not alone here. Are we nuts for worrying about not eating enough protein?

Thank you so much for listening. Do please like and subscribe, so that you’ll be first to know when the next episode in this special series drops

And if you want a fantastic guide to protein, including 30 simple high protein recipes, you can still buy 30 Days to Increase Your Protein for just a smidge under a tenner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 271. Olympian training, cocktails, holidays

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 08:57:53 GMT

Welcome to episode 271 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Body Holiday

Holly has been on her very exotic travels to the Body Holiday in St Lucia, and she has many tales to tell. Many. Honestly, she only gets off the plane at about 20 minutes in because of all the new friends she’s made. We all know what she’s like, right? So she’s had a jolly old time, training with an Olympian and is giddy with it all. Even unsociable me is desperate to go, especially now it’s gone full-on UK winter weather. Shall we all go next year….?

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

· Holly had an incredible stay at The Body Holiday in St Lucia, training with Julien Alfred

· check out Maaree’s lovely range of bras, specifically the Empower in a beautiful pink, from which they’re donating 10% of the profits to Coppafeel

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 270. Coverstar Lavina, marathon recovery

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 270 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Poo chat

Holly is actually in St Lucia this week, but we pre-recorded so you don’t have to worry about missing her lovely voice. We have an update on the whole plumbing situation, which we know you must be very worried about. This leads into some nasty poo chat, so be warned.

Cover star Lavina

But the main event in this episode, is our October cover star, Lavina Mehta MBE. We talk to her about her book, The Feel Good Fix, and her mission to encourage everyone to move a little more – in fact, for just 11 minutes a day through something she calls ‘exercise snacking’, which we really like the sound of. We talk squats while the kettle boils, calf raises on zoom calls, and perimenopause when you least expect it.

Recovery

We come back afterwards to talk about marathon recovery, specifically about lung function. It has occurred to me that running long distances can really affect my asthmatic lungs, and my spot of google research has underlined this.

Join us

If you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

· Pick up Lavina’s book The Feel Good Fix

· Also check out Maaree’s lovely range of bras, specifically the Empower in a beautiful pink, from which they’re donating 10% of the profits to Coppafeel

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 269. Trail Escape marathon debrief

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:44:15 GMT

Welcome to episode 269 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Plumbing issues

Apols to all for a slightly scatalogical start to the pod, but I’m a tiny bit traumatised by my plumbing (not a euphemism), so you’ll have to bear with.

Marathon debrief

Eventually I get into my race report – I ran the Trail Escape Bristol to Bath marathon at the weekend and I have a LOT of thoughts about it. It was absolutely brilliant!

Pod Squad!

One thing I fail to mention in my report is a podsquadder I met at the finish line – so a quick shout out to the lovely Rosie, thank you for coming to say hello. She was a total hero who had signed up to the event, had become ill, and decided to volunteer for it instead – the best kind of person.

And Holly is off on her travels next week, on a very exciting trip indeed. She talks about training with Olympians and bikini-shopping. We’ll find out more in a couple of pods’ time.

Please vote for us!

Before I forget, do please vote for us in the Running Industry Awards – there are lots of categories and lots of brilliant people to vote for, including us, so it’s worth hopping on to the site to register your vote for everyone you love (not just us). But if you *did* find yourself there and wanted to vote for us, we would be thrilled, honoured, and would hug you all. (um, that’s the Running Industry Awards, link in the show notes, or just a swift google should bring up the page, google fans).

Lovely extra bits

PLEASE vote for us in the Running Industry Awards
I ran the Trail Escape Bristol to Bath. Sign up for next year!
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 268. Easy 20 miles; hard perimenopause

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 15:49:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 268 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

20 mile trot

I’ve come back from the Circuit of Bath, which is organised by Bath homelessness charity Julian House. This was 20 miles circumnavigating the city, taking in all the beautiful sights, and let this be a lesson to us all: 20 miles at a slow trot is WAY easier than 13 miles in a race!

2026 goals

But speaking of races, we get on to our 2026 goals – what on EARTH is Hol going to do? That’s the question on everyone’s lips.

Weird perimenopause

I talk about a couple of bizarre perimenopausal symptoms that I’ve been experiencing, one of which has completely blown my mind as I would never have realised it was anything to do with menopause without deciding to google it. Ugh. Please let me know your weirdest menopausal symptoms.

Join us!

If you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods (we've got one next week)! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

· I ran the Circuit of Bath for Julian House

· I’m also going to be running the Trail Escape Bristol to Bath

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 267. Kathrine Switzer & tech hacks

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 11:16:06 GMT

Welcome to episode 267 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Today we’re talking about university life, and how it has changed from when we were there. We talk about empty nesting, and the heartache as well as the small blessings that it affords. Lots of love to all of you going through this right now.

Kathrine!

Hol has been doing a sterling job at the Take the Baton conference interviewing the legendary Kathrine Switzer and getting lots of behind the scenes knowledge about that day in Boston.

Watch hacks

We get back on to the thorny subject of when we stop our Garmins / Strava when we’re racing – do let us know your thoughts. What I’m trying to say is that I feel like I’m somehow cheating if I stop before the finish line, but also that I want to show off about the distance – so if I stop at 26.2 but run 27.2, did that final mile even count?

Patreon

Lovely extra bits

· I’m going to be running the Circuit of Bath for Julian House

· I’m also going to be running the Trail Escape Bristol to Bath

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 266. Race debrief and a huge PB

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:36:05 GMT

Welcome to episode 266 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Westonbirt Half

We are debriefing our half marathon at Westonbirt with Relish Running. I’d started my race weekend on the wrong foot, by going to a beer festival the night before, which might have had a slight impact on my performance.

We talk about that and all our little mishaps en route to the start line. But from that slightly ropey start, we’re then on to the race itself, how we had prepared for it (very differently) and how it felt along the way. Hol fesses up about her actual race goal.

Watch etiquette

Also – big question: do you stop your watch when you reach the end of the race, or when your watch tells you you’ve run the distance? Big old controversy ahead here!

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

· Get your tickets to the Get the Baton conference, so you can witness Holly chatting to the legendary Kathrine Switzer on 13th September

· Check out the races on offer from Relish Running

· I’m going to be running the Circuit of Bath for Julian House

· I’m also going to be running the Trail Escape Bristol to Bath

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 265. Holidays & race prep

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:01:09 GMT

Welcome to episode 265 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

We need to discuss a lot of things this episode cos we’ve not seen each other for a fortnight and we’ve missed each other! So, obviously, we begin with some silly stuff about Joe Wicks.

And then we’re on to holidays, festivals, awful toilets, dog-sitting, and the correct way to eat a Jaffa cake.

We eventually move on to the race that we’re doing this weekend – the Westonbirt Half with Relish Running. Neither of us feel fully prepared, but we are determined to have a good time. Race report next episode!

And one last thing! Holly is interviewing the legendary Kathrine Switzer at the Take the Baton conference just outside of Oxford on 13th September. It’s an not to be missed event, and there are only a few tickets left. Grab yours from 261clubuk.co.uk or follow the link in the show notes.

Lovely extra bits

Check out Relish Running for more gorgeous races in the south west, with very well stocked aid stations.
Get your tickets to the Get the Baton conference, so you can witness Holly chatting to the legendary Kathrine Switzer on 13th September
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 264. Aimee Fuller & toenail trauma

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 264 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

We’re prepping for our September races with a healthy chunk of maranoia and shoe concerns.

Aimee Fuller

We perk ourselves up with a chat with two-time Winter Olympian Aimee Fuller, our September cover star. Aimee started skiing at the age of 4, before moving into motocross and then Snowboarding. She says she’s not an adrenaline junkie, but we beg to differ! She talks about how she got into running by using it as a way to clear her head when she was travelling, and what happened when she decided to run her very first marathon.

Toenails and marathons

We come back after our chat with Aimee to talk about two huge things: toenails and marathons. My toenail has decided to escape to the great sock draw in the sky, and I am slightly traumatised as a result. Hol tries to make me feel better about it but nothing’s working until I get distracted by trying to pin her down on which marathon she’s going to run next.

Come and join us!

If you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

Discover the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at SportsShoes
Get hold of Aimee’s cover issue of Women’s Running
Pick up Aimee’s book here
Get your tickets to the Get the Baton conference, so you can witness Holly chatting to the legendary Kathrine Switzer on 13th September
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 263. Bra fitting and sex toys

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 263 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

The right bra

We start off quite sedately talking about training stresses, and adjusting our running when it’s just not going well. But we quickly move into unchartered waters with a chat with Mari from Maaree bras. She talks to us about how to tell if our bra fits us, and why it’s so important for runners to be wearing the correct fitting bra. And then she shakes our worlds by measuring us for bras over video call (no boobs were flashed in the making of this podcast). We were so looking forward to this, and were rewarded with some very unexpected numbers.

Lovehoney unboxing

We then come back afterwards to talk about a surprising and very exciting email I received before I went on holiday, and a parcel I received as a result. I don’t want to give too much away, but in the interests of hopefully dissuading our parents from listening, the initial email was from Lovehoney, the sexual wellness company, and it was something to do with hydration. And if that doesn’t pique your interest, nothing will.

Lovely extra bits

Get your rocks off (and stay hydrated) at the very lovely Lovehoney
Get your boobs supported at the equally lovely Maaree
Get your tickets to the Get the Baton conference, so you can witness Holly chatting to the legendary Kathrine Switzer on 13th September
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 262. Therapy, weather, summer juggle

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 10:43:26 GMT

Welcome to episode 262 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This starts off as one of those therapy episodes. We launch into a lack of jolliness and motivation in the middle of summer, while we’re trying to navigate weather that doesn’t feel too brilliant (don’t worry, we perk up fairly quickly!). We talk about how we’re adapting our training plans to fit us and the weather, rather than adhering to them religiously.

We also discuss the summer juggle, and how we’re managing the feeling of overwhelm. One way, of course, has been to celebrate the Euro’s, so we chat about women’s Football, and how brilliant these role models are for kids.

Speaking of which, we feel we need to continue our chats about PE lessons – there’s more from you lot, which is fascinating, and we have some ideas for new PE lessons in the future, and I think we’re on to something!

At the end, Holly talks about the very exciting thing she’s doing on 13th September, when she’ll be interviewing the legendary Kathrine Switzer at the Take the Baton conference. Make sure you pick up your tickets to go and watch! Google the Get The Baton conference if the link doesn’t work in the show notes!

Lovely extra bits

· Get your tickets to the Get the Baton conference, so you can witness Holly chatting to the legendary Kathrine Switzer on 13th September

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%

· Find your perfect holiday wetsuit from Orca

Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 261. Naked saunas and running complaints

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 261 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Holly strips off

We start with some hot service station chat, and also some controversial service station chat. But then we quickly move on to the highlight of Holly’s holiday (that’s hard to say) in Berlin, which is something she would always do, but something I would never do. I’ll leave you to guess what it is.

Wetsuit wonders

We talk about my Cornish holiday and my new wetsuit. If you fancy finding wetsuits a joy rather than a trauma, then check out the range at Orca. Mine is a beautiful orange thing and I love it more than my children.

Running as escape

We do eventually get around to running – we’ve both been doing a bit of escapism on our holidays, which I thoroughly recommend. But even though I’ve been escaping, I’ve still got a lot to complain about. Don’t cancel us just because I’m horrible about pretty much everyone, I think it’s hormonal.

Patreon & Discord

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%

· Find your perfect holiday wetsuit from Orca

Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 260. Cover star Renee McGregor on fuelling, RED-S, menopause & weight

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 09:44:15 GMT

Welcome to episode 260 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Cover star Renee

In this episode we’re joined by Renee McGregor, who as well as many other amazing things, is our August cover star – make sure you pick up a copy of Women’s Running from all good shops now to read our interview with her. Renee is a world renowned sport nutritionist and eating disorder specialist, she’s an ultra runner and a trustee of Black Trail Runners. Author of Fuel for Thought.

Perimenopause and weightloss jabs

We chat to her about some of the themes we were talking about a few weeks ago: about how runners can fuel themselves well, warning signs to look out for in terms of getting the balance between training and fuelling right, and the complexity of figuring this out when you’re going through perimenopause. We also touch on how things have changed for women; how society influences our view of ourselves and our shapes, and the impact of weightloss jabs. It’s one of those must-listen episodes.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Pick up Renee’s brilliant book Fuel for Thought from a popular selling site, or from the publisher directly, and find out more about her.
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 259. When is a marathon not a marathon?

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 259 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Running and heat

Today we’re talking about how we’re managing our running in the recent heatwave at the beginning of July. And we have *some* resolution to the – I’m sure by now – extremely dull London Marathon chat.

Live pod

We need to remind you at this point that if you’re up for running the Bath Half with us in March next year, do please sign up, because if you do, you can then come and join us at our live event the night before, which will be filled with fun and giggles and perhaps a few tips on how to survive the Half the following day. Make sure you pick up your tickets to come and see us (they’re only a tenner) from Eventbrite. Google Women’s Running Bath Half event if the link doesn’t work!

Controversies

I also bring up a controversy – tell us what you think about marathons having time penalties if they’ve got lots of downhill! Then we get on to PE at school – what are your experiences, what do you think of the PE provision we have these days for kids?

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 258. New goals and gymtimidation

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 258 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

New goals

After a lot of blather about cordless vacuum cleaners (it’s the content you’ve been crying out for) we talk about our pace and fitness dropping off post-marathon. We also talk about the difficulty of trying to create goals that aren’t necessarily about pace.

Gymtimidation

We then move on to the gym, exploring the differences in experience and price for a gym memberships. There’s a HUGE variety, which we sort of knew, but goodness, not everyone is paying 30 quid a month, it turns out! Then we move on to gym class intimidation or gymtimidation if you will. And we lead into children and sport, and the concept of being “good at sport” – something we’ll get back into in a forthcoming pod. We thought there was nothing to talk about, but it turns out that there’s a lot!

Join us!

If you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 257. Should we do Hyrox?

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:19:21 GMT

Welcome to episode 257 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

London marathon

We’re still debating whether or not we should do the London marathon - yawn. We talk about regrets from our 2025 marathon, and what we’d do differently. We also chat about sports watches – Holly is just tipping into the possibility of actually committing to one.

Hyrox - what is it, and should we do it?

Our sandwich filling this issue is Laura Fountain, part of the WR family, friend of the pod, Run Tester, and run coach, and many more qualifications besides. We wanted to drag her on this issue cos Hol is very interested in Hyrox, and Laura not only knows what it is, she’s actually done one, and has all the info and lots of thoughts on who else should participate. She tells us it’s way more inclusive than it sounds, and that it’s brilliant for women, despite what you might see on social media. It still hasn’t quite pushed it into must-do for me, but Hol still remains Hy-curious.

Oh and spoiler: Holly’s Lemsip did NOT work, as you’ll discover in the next episode.

Join us on Patreon

if you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 256. Running in the heat

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:46:41 GMT

Welcome to episode 256 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Running in the heat

We’ve got a bit of a Glasto recap, and then we’re talking about surviving the heat – how running makes us feel in this weather, and how we need to listen to our heart rates.

London Marathon

We revisit our London Marathon chat – should we or shouldn’t we? Holly is still undecided, I’m beginning to be swayed… We’ve had lots of messages from you guys telling us what you think about us running it, but also about how you feel about media places at the London Marathon. All very interesting, and we don’t feel told off, which of course is the main thing.

Join us!

if you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 255. London Marathon ballot

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 17:27:11 GMT

Welcome to episode 255 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

TW: for a section of the podcast from about 50 minutes in, we talk about weightloss and eating disorders and weightloss jabs in light of some messages that we’ve received after our past few podcasts.

Ballots

We start with the hot topics of this week: namely, what would persuade us to go to Glastonbury. And from one ticket ballot to another, we then talk about London Marathon ballot – over a million people applying for just 17,000 places. We talk about the people who succeed at ballot, and those who are given a place by other means – and we also talk about whether we should or shouldn’t sign up to it again.

Weightloss

We revisit our past podcasts about weightloss and eating disorders with a few emails from you lot that adds information and experience to some of the main things that we’ve spoken about. Do please keep on sending in your emails and messages, as we think this is a conversation that will run and run.

Join us on Patreon

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can save 50%
Read the story in the Metro here (NB: all comments I read out have now been taken down)
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 254. Awards & super shoes

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 09:51:11 GMT

Welcome to episode 254 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Not winning awards

We’re interrupting our recent very serious run of podcasts with nothing of any serious note whatsoever. We’ve been swanning around that London (almost) winning an award, and we have lots of stories, some of them toilet-based.

Super shoes

We talk about our running over the past few weeks, and the kit that has enhanced it – which leads us on to super shoes: do we deserve to wear them? Do they help slower runners? Does anyone care? Do you think they’re not for you? Tell us! Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk or over on Discord.

Join us on Patreon

Speaking of which, if you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Read the story in the Metro here (NB: all comments I read out have now been taken down)
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 253. Weight & running with Dr Juliet

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:06:48 GMT

Welcome to episode 253 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

TW: weightloss, eating disorders, Red-S, weight gain.

As promised, we’ve got the lovely Dr Juliet McGrattan with us today to chat through some of the topics we touched on last week, and we’ve included a few messages from the Pod Squad here, as we heard from a lot of you as a result.

Weight issues

We talk about weight gain and loss, and how we view our bodies as a result. We also talk about fuelling for big endurance events like marathons, and adjusting our food intake. We talk about RED-s, and find out what it means, and the warning signs we need to look out for. We also talk about eating disorders, and the signs to look out for there – in ourselves and those around us. We raise the topic of weightloss jabs, too. And we also talk about safe weightloss for people who want to do that, and Juliet’s extremely simple tips for long-term good health. If you have any concerns or questions about you or someone you know in terms of disordered eating or eating disorders, then please go to beateatingdisorders.org.uk which has lots of advice and information, as well as a helpline you can call.

Do please get in touch with your thoughts on anything we’ve raised in this episode. Email as ever is wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk or if you’re a patron just message us on Discord.

Join us

Speaking of which, if you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month.

Lovely extra bits

• Go to BEAT for support with eating disorders or disordered eating, as well as a helpline

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Read the story in the Metro here (NB: all comments I read out have now been taken down)
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 252. Weightloss, anxiety, safety

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 13:35:27 GMT

Welcome to episode 252 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

We have a LOT to talk about in this episode, so hold on to your hats. First off, a couple of trigger warnings: in this episode we talk about weight and weightloss, there’s some chat about mental health and anxiety, and we also talk about women’s safety while running, as well as online trolling.

Weight and weightloss

Hol’s been going through it a bit, so we talk about that a little bit. And then we want to talk about weightloss, because lots of our Inner Circle have prompted us to. If you also want to kick off some conversation starters, you can join our lovely Inner Circle through Patreon – details in a bit. We kick things off by talking about how we personally feel about our own weight, and how that intersects with our running lives.

Abuse of women runners

After a small reality TV interlude, we talk about this story that ran in the Metro last week, about men spitting at women runners. We’d been involved in the story and contributed some stats. So a very grim story to report on, but it doesn’t end there, because then we get into the comments under the story itself. It’s all a bit shocking – do please get in touch with your thoughts on this or anything else we talk about in this episode. Email as ever is wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk or if you’re a patron just message us on Discord.

Join us on Patreon

Speaking of which, if you aren’t a patron yet do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. You also get to come along to our Live Pods! To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month. It’s worth every penny.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Read the story in the Metro here (NB: all comments I read out have now been taken down)
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 251. Physios and PBs

Thu, 29 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 251 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Physio report

I have actually been to a physio. Four weeks on from the London Marathon, and at least two more injuries down. I have finally asked for help and received it. The source of all my pain is NOT what I expected, which is a good reminder as to why we must all seek professional help when we need it, rather than crying into our cornflakes or seeking out the help of Dr Google, who is – let’s face it – a bit shit.

PB time

Holly’s update is cause for celebration; she’s got herself a whacking great PB without even really trying, and we are both thrilled for her. This turns into a chat about pacing, and also goals for later on in the year.

Join us on Patreon for perks

Just a quick one – do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, through which you can join Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month. It’s worth every penny.

Lovely extra bits

If you want to run Trail Escape, there are three events to run this year: Bath to Bristol like me, Manchester on 21st June and Edinburgh on 6th September. You can run or hike 25K or marathon distances. It’s a brilliant race series, and I loved it last year!

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 250. Chaos and recovery

Thu, 22 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 250 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Recovery and cunning plans

Chaotic episode alert! We have literal minutes discussing what’s going on in Holly’s drains, and it’s not even a euphemism. However, hang on in there, because we start getting on to where we are, now that we’re almost four weeks out from the marathon. I’ve been attacking the gym, and Holly has been working hard on her recovery runs. She also reveals that she has a bit of a cunning plan involving Doug.

Join us on Patreon

Just a quick one – do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, because then you’ll be able to come along to our Live Pod on Zoom which is tonight (Thursday 22nd May) at 7pm, which is an exclusive perk for gorgeous patrons. If you’re listening to this later than Thursday and you’ve missed it, we’ll be holding another on in about a month’s time, promise.

Another perk is, of course Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month. It’s worth every penny.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Sign up to the Westonbirt Half (or other distances), and check out the other races from Relish Running while you’re there
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 249. The final London Marathon episode

Thu, 15 May 2025 11:39:08 GMT

Welcome to episode 249 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Final marathon debrief

It is now two weeks on from the London Marathon, which seems like years ago, and Holly and I have been recuperating in different ways. For this recording, we’re joined by lovely Jordan from Coopah for one last time to talk through our experiences, how we’re looking after ourselves, and what we’ve learned along the way. We come back afterwards to talk about what we want to do next.

Join us on Patreon

Just a quick one – do join us on Patreon for just £2 a month, because then you’ll be able to come along to our Live Pod on Zoom next Thursday at 7pm, which is an exclusive perk for gorgeous patrons.

Another perk is, of course Discord, our forum just for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. To get access to Discord, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month. It’s worth every penny.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 248. Post marathon, Sabrina Pace-Humphreys

Fri, 09 May 2025 09:07:12 GMT

Welcome to episode 248 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

The week after the marathon

It’s the week after the Big Day, and Holly already has some big plans – but should she go through with them? We discuss the pros and cons.I talk about the fallout from the calf injury, and the support I’ve received, and how I’m feeling a bit self-indulgent.

Sabrina Pace-Humphreys

We’re joined part-way through by the gorgeous Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, friend of the pod and all round joyful runner, to talk about the shocking moment that lead her to found Black Trail Runners, but also the joyful celebration of running that is the second Black To The Trails, which is happening this very weekend. This is the World’s most ethically diverse trail running event and, in 2025, it’s set to be even bigger and better. Go along to support and enjoy the festival vibes.

Join the gang!

As ever, come and join the gang on Discord for chats, support and new running friends. To find your way on to Discord, join us over on Patreon. You can now join our official Inner Circle for just £6 to shape what we talk about. Go to patreon.com/womensrunnning to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!

· Follow Sabrina Pace-Humphreys @sabrunsmiles

· Follow Black Trail Runners and hop along to Black To The Trails this weekend to show your support, and enjoy the vibes!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 247. The 2025 TCS London Marathon

Thu, 01 May 2025 12:53:55 GMT

Welcome to episode 247 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Startline to finish line

This is it. This is our review of the biggest race of our lives (so far). We start from the start; the night before in the hotel, and we talk through every experience, every up and every single down, of which – spoiler alert – there were many. I don’t want to give away too much here, but as Hol says at the beginning we might need to add a little trigger warning: we are painfully aware that we are still in marathon season and if you’ve got one coming up, please don’t think that our experience is indicative of every marathon runner. We all run our own race, right? Yours will be incredible. I’ll shut up now and let you get on and listen to it.

Discord

Lovely extra bits

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 246. LIVE at the TCS London Marathon Expo

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:05:53 GMT

Welcome to episode 246 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

London Mararthon Expo

This is a bit of an extra little treat this week. We were going to do one big podcast with all our marathon thoughts, but instead first of all we’re going to bring you this live podcast we recorded on Saturday, at the London Marathon Expo, the day before the marathon. Later on this week, we’ve got a full and frank debrief of the day itself. Before we get to that, though, here we are talking to Jordan from Coopah on stage about pre-race nerves, last minute prep, and all the things to get excited about on the day of the race.

Discord fun

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Coopah. Coopah are offering all pod squadders a 2-week free trial of their app and then giving 20% off their standard annual subscription price. Just download the Coopah app and use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up. Or visit coopah.com/womensrunning where you can find all of these details.

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you can pick up 6 issues for £6
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 245. Pre-London nerves

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 14:17:01 GMT

Welcome to episode 245 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Marathon nerves

Cards on the table, we’re worried this is going to be the most boring episode in the world, as we can’t talk about anything other than marathon. It’s this weekend, so we talk about being excited, being nervous, what we’re going to wear and what we’re going to do. There’s also a lot of chat on the prep – from acupuncture to bikini waxes, we’ve got a long to-do list to check off.

Race day proposals

At the end, we also circle back to the chat about finish line proposals with a few more experiences and thoughts from you lot.

In the meantime, for everyone running a race this weekend, all the best of luck from us both – do let us know how you got on, we can’t wait to see your medals, and I personally can’t wait to burst into tears when I see Hol crossing the finish line.

Join the gang

Before I forget to say, come and join the gang on Discord for chats, support and new running friends. To find your way on to Discord, join us over on Patreon. You can now join our official Inner Circle for just £6 to shape what we talk about. Go to patreon.com/womensrunnning to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 244. Nerves, goals & carbs

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 08:38:10 GMT

Welcome to episode 244 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Marathon training

We are joined, from start to finish, by Jordan, as this is our penultimate episode before the London Marathon, and we have every fear known to woman. Jordan, as you’ll know by now, is from Coopah, the training app, and she has been supporting us through this marathon training block.

Last long runs

First things first, we talk about the last long runs we had completed – we’d been bags of nerves beforehand, so now it’s time to unpick them and see how we did.

Goals

We then get on to our goals: what do we actually want to achieve at this marathon? Is it the time, or something different? We also talk about all the last minute prep we’ve not considered yet – the carb loading, the hydration, and how on earth we’re going to cope on the day without having lunch. Please join us in a group hug before we run the big race! And if you’re running too, and you’re in London, do come to the Expo on Saturday 26th April, as me and Hol will be joining Jordan on stage to chat pre-race nerves and to pick up a few confidence tricks (and some more hugs).

Discord

Lovely extra bits

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Follow Shakira on Instagram
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 243. Shakira Akabusi & last long runs

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 243 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Last long runs

In this episode, we talk about freaking out ahead of our last long runs, which are staring us in the face. Have we run long enough? Are these mental demons going to disappear? Should we be aiming to go all out? Or should we be aiming to feel comfortable at the end?

Come and see us!

We also talk about an event we’re holding before the Bath Half in 2026. We’d love to see you there! Tickets are just £10 and you can get them here. It’ll be a live pod and a great way to meet lots of friendly runners before running the Half.

Shakira chat

We’re joined by a special guest, Shakira Akabusi, who is an expert on women’s health and fitness. Among other things, we have lots of chat about pelvic floor exercises, and training to our cycles.

We come back after to talk about uncomfortable things that happen on a run – Hol has a grim story to tell. As ever, do please share your thoughts and experiences over on Discord.

To find your way on to Discord, join us over on Patreon. You can now join our official Inner Circle for just £6 to shape what we talk about. Go to patreon.com/womensrunnning to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%
Get tickets to our live event ahead of the Bath Half 2026!
Follow Shakira on Instagram
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 242. Maranoia vs reality

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:19:02 GMT

Welcome to episode 242 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Maranoia

As we get closer to Marathon Day, our maranoia has reached epic proportions. We talk about comparing ourselves to other runners on social media, about not matching our training plans, and about the fear of the last long runs.

We have Jordan with us today, thankfully, so after 20 minutes of pure waffle, she stands in as Agony Aunt to give us a much-needed dose of reality in the face of our raging maranoia. Have we done enough mileage? Have we actually run enough? Have we eaten the things we should have eaten? Have we rested enough? We talk about logistics, we talk about crying, and the wobbles we have about those last long runs.

Finish line proposals

After we chat to Jordan, we are back to talk about another controversy – and we would love to hear your thoughts. This isn’t Lisbon this time, this is the practice of finish line proposals. What do you think?! Email us as ever at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk.

Do come and see us at the London Marathon Expo on Sat April 26th at 10:15am: you'll hear our live pod up close and personal, it’ll be lovely to see you.

And before we forget to mention it, come on to Patreon NOW cos changes are afoot. You can now join our official Inner Circle for just £6 to shape what we talk about, and to hear about the Big Exciting Thing that we’re doing in March 2026 first. And from there, jump into Discord to talk about it all with a bunch of lovely women. It’s ace! Go to patreon.com/womensrunnning to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Coopah. Coopah are offering all pod squadders a 2-week free trial of their app and then giving 20% off their standard annual subscription price. Download the Coopah app and use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up. Or visit coopah.com/womensrunning.

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK. Do also check them out if you’re eyeing up one of the other marathon majors.@marathontours_uk on Instagram

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 241. Blisters and race controversy

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 21:38:52 GMT

Welcome to episode 241 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Blisters

We begin this normally controversy-free podcast to talk to you all about blisters – specifically Holly’s blister on her big toe, which is so enormous it has defied the experience of actual medics. So bit of a trigger warning, cos there’s a lot of gross foot content ahoy.

Lisbon Half

Plus, we’ve got more on the Lisbon Half from a couple of listeners who also had negative experiences at the Super Half. Do please get in touch with your experience of either this or other races that should be doing better – they’ll only get better if we hold them to account, right? Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with your thoughts.

Inner Circle on Patreon

And before we forget to mention it, come on to Patreon NOW cos changes are afoot. From this week, you can join our official Inner Circle for just £6 to shape what we talk about, and to hear about the Big Exciting Thing that we’re doing in March 2026 first. And from there, jump into Discord to talk about it all with a bunch of lovely women who support each other and our running. It’s ace! Go to patreon.com/womensrunnning to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK

Do also check them out if you’re eyeing up one of the other marathon majors.@marathontours_uk on Instagram

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 240. The Bath Half

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 14:45:33 GMT

Welcome to episode 240 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Bath Half

It’s the week after the Bath Half and we have had lots of thoughts, not least about the roast we celebrated with afterwards. After a bit of nonsense about Holly’s verbal diarrhea on whatsapp voicenotes (which I really think is the Podcast Moment of the Year).

We talk to Jordan about our race day experiences at the Bath Half – no spoilers but there is a LOT to discuss; from the race village to the run itself, how we’ve recovered since, and how drunk we got in the pub. As I say: lots to discuss.

Lisbon controversy

And then on to a HUGE controversy which we dive into, which is all about the experiences of runners at the Lisbon Half. Listen in for big gasp moments, and let us know your thoughts and experiences if you were there too! Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Before I forget to mention it, did you know about our Discord channel? This is an exclusive forum for you, our gorgeous Pod Squad, to meet up, chat about running, TV, books, menopause, and anything else you like. To get a ton of support from new friends just like you, all you need to do is head to patreon.com/womensrunning and join us for just £2 a month. It’s worth every penny.

Lovely extra bits

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK

Do also check them out if you’re eyeing up one of the other marathon majors.@marathontours_uk on Instagram

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 239. Jeans, marathon training, hotels

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 13:27:24 GMT

Welcome to episode 239 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Jeans and pastries

We start with the hottest topic in the running calendar – the sorts of jeans we like to wear. And then straight on to Croissant-gate, obviously, as that hasn’t been cleared up yet.

Marathon training

Then we’re getting into some running chat, don’t hate us for this, you have to give us a bit of leeway, because, just in case you hadn’t noticed, we’re training for a marathon here. And a quick shout out to Marathon Tours who have organised our hotel rooms the night before – if you’re running and you’ve not got a place to stay yet, go to marathontours.com for all the info.

Join us on Discord!

Lovely extra bits

We picked up our lovely hotel rooms through Marathon Tours: check out their event calendar for some run-travel inspo.

you can pick up hotel rooms for the Marathon here: TCS London Marathon 2025 | Marathon Tours & Travel UK. Do also check them out if you’re eyeing up one of the other marathon majors.@marathontours_uk on Instagram

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 238. Croissants, old marathons, injuries

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 12:08:25 GMT

Welcome to episode 238 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Croissant-gate

We begin with the most important debate currently rocking our world: whether croissants are sweet or savoury, and I have a horrible feeling that I might have to admit defeat, which really annoys me.

Vintage marathons

We’ve also got an update on our new section, which we’re going to call Vintage Marathons: we’ve got a bit more flavour to add to the experience of running a marathon in 1984.

Injuries

In the middle, we have a check-in with Jordan from Coopah about injuries, and how to stick to the training plan without tipping yourself over the edge.

Fancy dress

We come back afterwards, with more chat about the fancy dress that people wear when they run a marathon. And a bit of fangirling at the amazing women that ran the Tokyo marathon, including Paula Radcliffe, Helen Thorn – friend of the pod, and Adele Roberts – who, spoiler alert, will be our April cover star.

Bloody men

Then some angry stuff at the end about men weeing in public – we need to know your thoughts. Do email at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 237. Feet, niggles, vintage marathons

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 09:51:43 GMT

Welcome to episode 237 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Coopah, the running app

Niggles

Running update first: In a bit of a shocker, Holly has been trying NOT to run. She’s picked up a little niggly feeling in her leg and is trying to be sensible with her mileage. We talk about how running has been affecting us physically – turns out feet is a big issue, and also cold hands; happily we have some lovely tips from you lot on the latter.

1984 marathon

And then I bring on my mum (virtually speaking) for a back to the future segment about training for and running the London Marathon in 1984. We want to do more of these, so give us a shout if you are someone who’s run a marathon many decades ago, or you know someone who has. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Patreon!

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 236. Menopause ranting and injuries

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 17:58:30 GMT

Welcome to episode 236 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Menopause rant

We’ve had lots of responses to my menopause from rant from last week, so we talk about some of those, and we want more! Do get in touch with anything you’d like to add to our massive menopausal list at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Injuries

Halfway through we talk to Jordan from Coopah about injuries, as she’s picked up a nasty one, and what we should do if a niggle threatens to derail our training. We talk about the emotional decision on whether to defer, and also how to recover after long runs so that the mid-week runs don’t feel quite so painful. Lots of brilliant advice here for anyone training for a race of any distance this spring.

Join us on Patreon!

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 235. Supplements & menopause

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 18:53:55 GMT

Welcome to episode 235 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Supplements for sleep

First off I’m chatting about supplements: I’ve discovered magnesium – both in cream form (shout out Ancient Minerals) and also in tablet form, and think it’s been helping a lot with the whole perimenopausal sleep thing. More menopause chat at the end.

Marathon training

We do talk about running, cos we’re in the middle of marathon training, so I’m afraid it’s very much part of our lives, so we discuss our boredom/ anxiety at being firmly in the middle of our training plans.

Menopause symptoms

Then I get properly cross about menopausal symptoms and I want to hear your pain as well. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk if you’re going through anything broadly similar and if you’ve got any more symptoms to add it to the Big List. It’s a call to arms!

Join us!

If you actual inspo for your running, subscribe to Women’s Running magazine – right now you can save 50% and we’re also throwing in a 5K training guide absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podoffer to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 234. Toenails and runner's high

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:17:37 GMT

Welcome to episode 234 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Toenails & runner's high

Toenail trigger warning right from the start here, as we start off by talking about black toenails, so sorry about that. We also talk about runner’s high, and the fallacy that this is, and try to reframe it a little bit.

Coopah training

In the middle of this episode we’re catching up with Jordan from Coopah, the training app again. We’ve got lots of worries that she has to sort out for us, from how to visualise the distance to how to keep distracted on the run. We also talk about the science behind the app algorithm and how to adapt our plans as we go along.

If you want tons more inspo for your running, subscribe to Women’s Running magazine – right now you can save 50% and we’re also throwing in a 5K training guide absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podoffer to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 233. National Running Show

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:11:06 GMT

Welcome to episode 233 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

National Running Show

Today, we’re talk about the National Running Show, which we’ve just come back from. And we try to unpick why this year felt even better than ever. We give a few shout-outs to the people we met over the weekend – there were so many more that we haven’t, and I’m sorry if you don’t get a namecheck, as it all went by in a blur, but goodness me, it was life-affirming.

Join us!

And speaking of life-affirming, this is the perfect time to subscribe to Women’s Running magazine, to give you a hand maintaining the running habit – right now you can save 50% and we’re also throwing in a 5K training guide absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podoffer to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 232. Training, psychology, Traitors

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 15:29:48 GMT

Welcome to episode 232 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

Marathon training

We’re talking training, and we’re talking pop psychology – two of our most favourite things. See if you can figure out what’s going on with our deeply troubling psyches. Speaking of which, Holly tries to persuade me to watch The Traitors – if you also avoid reality TV, let us know if she manages to persuade you. We also talk about looking forward to going to the NRS this weekend – if you’re coming along, do please pop by to our stand and say hi!

Coopah support

We have another Jordan segment this week, as she checks in to see how our training is going using the Coopah training app. She explains how our training is like a sandwich, and we’re very keen to find out what constitutes the pickle. And we’re also very keen to find out if anyone cheats the plan! Do let us know!

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 231. Marathon training and Quitter's Day

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 10:38:56 GMT

Welcome to episode 231 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

Marathon

Today, we’re almost immediately talking about our marathon training. I’ve taken on Jordan’s comments and have actually done an interval training run and am feeling very smug. Holly has been following her plan closely (much more closely than me) and we’re both feeling quite happy with the process so far.

Routine

We also talk about the concept of ‘quitters day’, cos that’s where we are in the month. And then we talk about routine and how we can ensure our new resolutions or promises turn into lifelong habits.

Subscribe now!

Speaking of habits, January is of course the perfect time to subscribe to Women’s Running magazine, to give you a hand maintaining the running habit – right now you can save 50% and we’re also throwing in a 5K training guide absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podoffer to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 230. Marathon training begins with Coopah

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 10:26:46 GMT

Welcome to episode 230 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

Marathon training

We’ve got a corker of an episode for you today – top of the bill, we’ve got Jordan from Coopah, joining us mid-way through to talk to us about our training. Holly and I are running the London Marathon in April, and in order to get us to the start line we’ve been using Coopah, and we wanted to check in with Jordan that we’re on the right track. She puts us right about where we can flex with the plan – and where we can’t!

But before and after that we’ve got all sorts of stuff to talk about – including the 75 Hard Challenge, and various other things that have been getting us hot under the collar.

Join us!

We’ve got a great offer if you fancy subscribing to Women’s Running magazine, to give you a motivational boost every month – right now you can save 50% and we’re also throwing in a 5K training guide absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podoffer to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll save 50%

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 229. Happy new year!

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 22:13:02 GMT

Welcome to episode 229 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

New year running

Happy new year, Pod Squad! We’re straight into it, thinking about resolutions and running, and annoying emails from people who expect me to run a marathon with about two weeks training. We do eventually get on to running you’ll be pleased to hear to chat about Hol’s training – only to have a moan about why some runs seem easier than others for no apparent reason. We talk for AGES about Gavin & Stacey, all pretty standard, but leads me on to a ramble about Eldorado – apols for anyone born after 1973 for that one. We have a bit more 2024 quiz, which shames me into admitting zero knowledge of US politics, or indeed UK, while remembering the birthday of Mel C. Sorry mum.

Best offer

Now we’re the other side of Christmas, it’s time to treat yourself to that subscription to Women’s Running magazine. So here’s a quick little nudge to pick up our best offer while you still can – use the code PODCASTXMAS, which will save you 56%! So that’s just 15.99 for 6 issues. Head to womensrunning.co.uk/shop and enter the code PODCASTXMAS to get this fab offer.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s worth of Coopah for FREE!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 228. Boxing Day running

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 22:14:19 GMT

Welcome to episode 228 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

Boxing Day

It’s boxing day, and we’re already talking about ripping down the decorations. We’ve got a bit of running chat, but it’s squashed in-between the second part of our Christmas Quiz, which leads on to much topical debate. We also launch into a toxic fitness email I’ve received, and tear it to shreds, as I’m sure you’d hope we would.

Join us!

Now we’re the other side of Christmas, it’s time to treat yourself to that subscription to Women’s Running magazine. So here’s a quick little nudge to pick up the best offer of 2024 while you still can – use the code PODCASTXMAS, which will save you 56%! So that’s just 15.99 for 6 issues. Head to womensrunning.co.uk/shop and enter the code PODCASTXMAS to get this fab offer.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s worth of Coopah for FREE!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 227. Christmas food, fun and quiz

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 12:26:42 GMT

Welcome to episode 227 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

Christmas party

At time of recording, it’s the day after our Christmas party, so we complete all this chat about booze and running with some hungover run chat. Swiftly followed by whether or not runners should wear gilets (discuss). All of this before we start talking about how our training is going.

And then we’re on to our absolute dream Christmas dinner, from aperitif to pudding. Yes, this isn’t to do with running, but when have we ever said that we only talk about running? Never. Don’t listen hungry. We finish by launching into part 1 of a two-part Christmas Quiz. The rest will be in our boxing day podcast, and we can’t wait!

Subscribe NOW!

Just a quick little nudge to pick up the magazine before Christmas – use the code PODCASTXMAS for our best offer of the year, which will save you 56%! So that’s just 15.99 for 6 issues. Head to womensrunning.co.uk/shop and enter the code PODCASTXMAS to get this fab offer. Just in time for Christmas too….!

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s worth of Coopah for FREE!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 10. Am I Nuts... for worrying about Christmas?

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:12:58 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the last episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Hol and I are natural born worriers, but with many of our worries, we’ve thought we were the only ones. We thought we were nuts. During this series, we’ve been chatting about the worries that make us feel that way – and ten episodes isn’t enough! If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk and fingers crossed we’ll roll out another series.

Christmas worries

We’ve gone seasonal for this episode: are we nuts for worrying about Christmas? Holly, as her name suggest, has always been very festive focused, and loved the season, but now is teetering on the edge of getting stressed about all the Christmas things: the money, the socializing, the expectation of joy. We talk through the stress of cooking, the stress of families and the stress of producing perfect presents.

Am I Nuts is brought to you by the Women’s Running podcast. Check out Women’s Running magazine, which currently has a brilliant offer for new subscribers: if you subscribe to Women’s Running magazine right now you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 226. Christmas, running, booze

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:58:13 GMT

Welcome to episode 226 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

Christmas

Christmas is creeping up and we’re getting stressed about it, which shouldn’t shock anyone. But after chatting about all sorts of booze-related games it pushes us back on to our discussion about alcohol and running, which you’ve all enjoyed contributing to. So we want to bring your voices in. We’ve got some brilliant advice in there for those of you who are sober curious.

Bargain!

Just a quick little nudge to pick up the magazine before Christmas – use the code PODCASTXMAS for our best offer of the year, which will save you 56%! Head to womensrunning.co.uk/shop and enter the code PODCASTXMAS to get this fab offer.

Lovely extra bits

SportsShoes.com gift ideas - last orders need to be placed with Premium delivery by 5pm on Saturday 21st December to be received in time for Christmas.

Brooks Ghost Max 2

Saucony Endorphin Speed 4

Asics road winter high waist women’s tights

Higher State Everyday Women’s Running Tights

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 9. Am I Nuts... For worrying about friends?

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 11:40:58 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the 9th episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

In this podcast, we wanted to explore some of the things that we’ve talked about on our big podcast – that’s the Women’s Running podcast – that don’t necessarily have anything to do with running. Hol and I are natural born worriers, but with many of our worries, we’ve thought we were the only ones. We thought we were nuts. So for this series, we’re going to be chatting about the worries that make us feel that way.

If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Friends

This is a very personal one for Esther: are we nuts for worrying about how many friends we have? Friendship groups wax and wane, but sometimes it can be easy to compare ourselves with TV programmes and stuff online that suggests that we “should” have hundreds of close friends. We delve into how our groups have changed since childhood, the feelings that make us feel inadequate in terms of our friends, and what we do to support the friendships that we have. We also talk about the concept of a “best friend” and whether that’s something that grown-up women need, as well as the difference between men’s friendships and women’s friendships.

Join us!

Am I Nuts is brought to you by the Women’s Running podcast – do please check it out wherever you listen to your podcasts for longer episodes to keep you company while you run. And if running is your thing, or you’d like it to be your thing, check out Women’s Running magazine, which currently has a brilliant offer for new subscribers:

if you subscribe to Women’s Running magazine right now you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 225. Alcohol, Dry January and running

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:06:44 GMT

Welcome to episode 225 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Coopah, the running app. Use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up for 2 free weeks and a further 20% off for a whole year.

We start off by talking about running. Controversial. But then for some reason move on the Bath Christmas market, which befuddles us, but do please still come and visit Bath and top up our precarious economy.

Alcohol and running

And we talk at some length about running and drinking, something which we’re focusing on at the moment as we enter the festive season and stare January in the face. So small trigger warning here about chat that skirts addiction. Do please get in touch if you’re a sober listener or you have experience of drinking/not drinking in terms of your running and have a story to tell on that side of things.

Get a cheap subscription!

Lovely extra bits

Download the Coopah app and use the code WOMENSRUNNING when you sign up a 2-week free trial of their app and then 20% off the standard annual subscription price. Or visit coopah.com/womensrunning

SportsShoes gift ideas:

Hoka fleece handband

Shokz Openrun Pro 2 bone conducting headphones

Higher State Reflective hooded jacket

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s worth of Coopah for FREE!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 8. Am I Nuts... for worrying about worrying?

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 11:16:15 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the 8th episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Worrying

This episode concentrates on anxiety, with Holly leading the worrying charge asking Dr Juliet McGrattan if there is actually a physical kickback from worrying too much about ourselves. We talk about panic attacks, and also hormonal shifts that can affect our moods and our anxiety. Juliet talks us through figuring out the difference between being anxious about something, and anxiety that might be causing a problem in terms of our day to day life. Are we nuts for worrying about worrying?

Join us

if you subscribe to Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 224. Storms and awards

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 09:42:34 GMT

Welcome to episode 224 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Storms

We start off by talking about the man of the moment: Storm Bert. We’ve both had some experiences and are keen to chat about whether or not we deserved the weather that we got. I ran in it and Holly drove in it, and I think she came off worse.

Awards

We’ve also got boozed up over the weekend because we landed a couple of awards, and so we got a bit giddy on the GWR back from Paddington (sorry to everyone on Coach A). We do eventually get back to running as the marathon is preying on Holly’s mind, and my lack of strength is preying on mind.

Join us!

And a quick little nudge to subscribe to the magazine here. Subscribe to Women’s Running magazine today, AND you get a year’s subscription to training app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s worth of Coopah for FREE!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 7. Am I Nuts... for worrying about poo?

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:44:44 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the 7th episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

So for this series, we’re going to be chatting about the worries that make us feel that way.

If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

We’re joined by dietitian Charlie Watson again here to talk about the biggest hot topic in the world of running – and that’s the worry about pooing ourselves. This is the one pod in the series where we focus on running, so apologies for anyone who isn’t a runner, but Charlie’s advice here is pertinent to all of us when it comes to our diets and unexpected reactions our bodies might take. We talk about the food we should be avoiding or eating before and during a run, and also behaviours we can adopt to reduce the chances of gastic distress.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 223. Make-up, Garmins, marathons

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:16:59 GMT

Welcome to episode 223 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Berlin and bad germs

Holly is back from Berlin and has brought all the germs, and also the controversy of German pubs still allowing smokers in them. This leads on to my weird sense of smell, which *then* and you have to forgive us - leads us on to pretending to be beauty influencers.

Make-up

Speaking of beauty and perfume, we’d love to know where you stand on make-up and running – do you wear make-up before you run or race? And why? Or is it the very last thing you think about? Give us a shout on wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk so we can kick of the debate!

Garmin

Speaking of debates, the Garmin chat rages on – some of you love them, some of you hate them, so we take your advice on board and consider other options on the market.

We also talk about marathons not being as hard as we think they are, training in the cold, and scary people on Facebook.

Join us!

A last little nudge to subscribe to the magazine here, and I’m only going on about it, cos this offer will end soon. Subscribe to Women’s Running magazine, AND you get a year’s subscription to training app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Lovely extra bits

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s worth of Coopah for FREE!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 6. Am I Nuts... to worry about sleep?

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:32:01 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the sixth episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

So for this series, we’re going to be chatting about the worries that make us feel that way.

If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Should we worry about sleep?

In this episode we’re mostly worrying about sleep, or lack of it. Lack of sleep can affect all of us at one time or another, for myriad external and

internal reasons. Obviously there’s that time around early parenthood, but also perimenopause, general aging, anxiety and mental health that can affect all of us. But I’ve been getting worried about how insomnia can have a more long-term effect on our physical health. We talk about the risks of lack of sleep, but also oversleeping, occasional sleep deprivation, strategies for overcoming occasional insomnia. Are we nuts?

if you buy a year’s worth of Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save a whacking 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 222. Garmin, weightloss, controversies

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 07:00:54 GMT

Welcome to episode 222 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration – you can get 15% off their whole range here!

Garmin

We dive straight into your emails as we’ve had loads as a result of our chat about Garmin. You have had a lot of thoughts and have lots of ideas about hacking your Garmin content so that it feels as though it’s supporting you rather than berating you - we both have a lot to learn here. But is it enough to persuade Holly to wear her Garmin again?

Then there’s a bit of a trigger warning, as we discuss weightloss and slimming organisations, at about 25 minutes in for about 10 minutes. So do please skip if this is not useful or appropriate for you.

Running controversies

We then also talk about a couple of running controversies that have been floating about on social media over the past couple of weeks. We would love to know your thoughts on annoying running influencers and that old chestnut: dog owners

Join us!

A last little nudge to subscribe to the magazine here, and I’m only going on about it, cos this offer will end soon. If you buy a year’s worth of Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration, which has all this helpful stuff for you:

· How to measure your sweat rate

· How to estimate how salty your sweat is

· The Fuel & Hydration Planner

· Get 15% off Precision Fuel & Hydration

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s subscription to Coopah for FREE!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 5. Am I Nuts... to worry about sugar?

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the fifth episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, or get an expert on to discuss, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

In this episode we’re joined by Charlie Watson. If you’re a runner, you might know her better as Runner Beans, a serial marathoner. What you might not also know is that she’s an NHS dietician and she writes lots of brilliant articles for us on nutrition. We wanted to ask her one of our biggest worries – should we be as concerned as media tells us we should be about the amount of sugar we eat? We talk about PCOS, about our diets generally, and about restricting sugar and carbohydrates (or not).

Am I Nuts is brought to you by the Women’s Running podcast – do please check it out wherever you listen to your podcasts for longer episodes to keep you company while you run. And if running is your thing, or you’d like it to be your thing, check out Women’s Running magazine, which currently has a brilliant offer for new subscribers: if you buy a year’s worth of Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save a whacking 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Do also think about join us on Patreon – it’s not all about running, this is about a community! For just £2 a month, you get newsletters, Live chats, and you can join our exclusive Discord community for support from women just like you. Go to patreon.com/womensrunning to find out more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 221. Media star, marathon worries

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 11:05:42 GMT

Welcome to episode 221 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration – you can get 15% off their whole range here!

Hol and I have had very busy weeks, and very different ones. I talk about running abroad, as well as running with kids – with varying degrees of success. And while I was gadding about in Denmark, Holly has had a super busy week, dealing with dramatic injuries and last-minute requests to be on the actual telly, I hope you all spotted her.

London Marathon

Aside from her burgeoning media career, Holly is getting increasingly anxious about running the London Marathon, so we talk about how she’s going to deal with that anxiety and how she’s going to approach her training.

Join us!

Little nudge to subscribe to the magazine here, and I’m only going on about it, cos this offer will end soon. If you buy a year’s worth of Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration, which has all this helpful stuff for you:

· How to carb load before your next race

· The Fuel & Hydration Planner

· Get 15% off Precision Fuel & Hydration

· Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s subscription to Coopah for FREE!

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 4. Am I Nuts... to worry about other people's opinions?

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:00:12 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the fourth episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

To coincide with World Mental Health Day this October, we wanted to explore some of the things that we’ve talked about on our big podcast – that’s the Women’s Running podcast – that don’t necessarily have anything to do with running. Hol and I are natural born worriers, but with many of our worries, we’ve thought we were the only ones. We thought we were nuts. So for this series, we’re going to be chatting about the worries that make us feel that way.

If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, or get an expert on to discuss, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

In this episode we talk about our worries about what other people think of us. We’re often told on social media that we shouldn’t worry about what other people are thinking because we literally can’t control it, but it’s something that in we want to discuss as we worry about it all the time! Are we nuts for worrying about other people’s opinions?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 220. Running nutrition and roast dinners

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 07:00:58 GMT

Welcome to episode 220 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration – you can get 15% off their whole range here!

Roast dinners

We’re discussing the hottest topic in running– where to get the best post-run roast in the Bath area. Running is optional. This is all on the back of us talking about nutrition and the best things to eat before, during and after a run.

Small aside here: we talk about food you should and shouldn’t eat in pregnancy and I truly don’t know what I’m talking about – please take no medical advice from me.

Running nutrition

So what do we eat before our runs, and during them, and are these the right things? And of course because we’re talking about food, we end up talking about ALL food.

We also continue, by way of your emails, our conversation about neurodivergent runners. Please forgive any amateur chats about ADD and ADHD; we are totally unqualified but very curious to find out more from you. Do email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with more on this – we would love to hear from you.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration, which has all this helpful stuff for you:
Are you fueling adequately to maintain health and performance?
The Fuel & Hydration Planner
Get 15% off Precision Fuel & Hydration
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s subscription to Coopah for FREE!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 3. Am I Nuts... to worry about change?

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:00:34 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the third episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, or get an expert on to discuss, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

In this episode we talk about fear and anxiety around change. We know it’s quite normal to worry about change, but when does that fear or concern turn into something that’s not normal? When does worry turn into anxiety? And are we nuts for worrying about it at all?

This episode was recorded over Zencastr. The producer and composer was David Newman. If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 219. Marathon times and Garmin stats

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 09:03:55 GMT

Welcome to episode 219 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration – you can get 15% off their whole range here!

Marathon times and Garmin

Today we’re talking about predicted marathon times, and whether we should be realistic or whether we should aim high. And we also chat about Garmin, and all the stats we have access to via our watches, and what access to those stats does to our anxiety levels. Hol is finding it particularly hard, so we chat about ways in which we can manage that data (or not look at it at all). Advice on tech is, as always, very welcome!

Join us!

If you buy a year’s worth of Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration:

· Are female athletes’ carbohydrate needs different to men's?

· The Fuel & Hydration Planner

· Get 15% off Precision Fuel & Hydration

Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s subscription to Coopah for FREE!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 2. Am I Nuts... to worry about aging?

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 11:09:53 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the second episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

To coincide with World Mental Health Day this October, we wanted to explore some of the things that we’ve talked about on our big podcast – that’s the Women’s Running podcast – that don’t necessarily have anything to do with running. Hol and I are natural born worriers, and we’ve realized that in almost every episode, we talk about at least one of those worries – and we also realized that with many of them, we’ve thought we were the only ones. We thought we were nuts.

So for this series, we’re going to be chatting about the worries that make us feel that way, and for some of them we’re going to be bringing in experts to dispel those concerns. If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, or get an expert on to discuss, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Aging

In this episode, we’re dealing with something I’m terrified of, which is aging. And, we’ve brought along the glorious Dr Juliet McGrattan to talk sense, dispel myths and make us feel empowered, when we ask her, Am I nuts for worrying about aging?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 218. Gyms, half marathons, race cut offs

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 09:58:52 GMT

Welcome to episode 218 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by SportsShoes.com. Download the app now for 20% off!

In person pod

We are recording live in person! We’re sitting on Holly’s sofa in her brand new home, having a few technical issues. Do please note at this point: when Holly talks about staining her sofa, what she means is she spilled coffee all over it – nothing more sinister.

Gym and strength

We’re catching up seconds after I’ve had my very first session down the gym, so we talk about strength training, and gymtimidation, and all that kind of stuff.

Royal Parks

And then I’ve got lots to talk about as I’ve just returned from the Royal Parks Half, which I want to thoroughly debrief – if you ran it too, do please get in touch and let us know what your experiences were as well.

We have just enough time to talk about a brand new running controversy and the inherent sexism in race cut-off times, so we get quite hot under the collar.

Join us!

And now I’m going to annoy everyone who already subscribes, but please bear with. Our subscription offer for the magazine has had a glow up: if you buy a year’s worth of Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save a whacking 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by SportsShoes.com
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s subscription to Coopah for FREE!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 1. Am I Nuts... to worry about cancer?

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 09:13:05 GMT

Welcome to Am I Nuts. This is the first episode in a special series of ten weekly podcasts from us at the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor.

Mental health

To coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10th October, we wanted to explore some of the things that we’ve talked about on our big podcast – that’s the Women’s Running podcast (do seek it out if you don’t already listen to it) – that don’t necessarily have anything to do with running. Hol and I are natural born worriers, and we’ve realized that in almost every episode, we talk about at least one of those worries – and we also realized that with many of them, we’ve thought we were the only ones. We thought we were nuts.

The worries we have

So for this series, we’re going to be chatting about the worries that make us feel that way, and for some of them we’re going to be bringing in experts to dispel those concerns, while for others it’ll just be me and Holly telling each other our deepest fears in the hope that we’re not the only ones and that we’re not nuts.

Email us

If this episode resonates with you, or you have something you think we should talk about, or get an expert on to discuss, then please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Am I nuts for worrying about cancer?

In this first episode, we’re dealing with a biggie, and we’re pretty sure we’re not alone here. For this one, we’ve invited Dr Juliet McGrattan along to soothe our fears, when we ask her, Am I nuts for worrying about cancer?

The Women's Running podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 217. Trail marathon vs road marathon

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 09:13:26 GMT

Welcome to episode 217 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by SportsShoes.com. Download the app now for 20% off!

Marathon nerves

I’ve just got back from completing my Trail Escape marathon, which – if you listened to episode 216 – I was enormously nervous about. But it turns out there was no need – I had an absolute ball, which is probably a spoiler but I don’t care.

Trail Escape race report

So here is my race report in full, from the shuttle bus on the way there, to the marshalls, to the toilets, to the medals. I am full of the joy of running a race with walkers and runners, with no pressure, where the sun was shining and every runner was getting cheered at the end.

Royal Parks

Speaking of races, I’m also gearing up for the Royal Parks Half Marathon this weekend – if you’re going to be there, please say hi!

Join us!

And now I’m going to annoy everyone who already subscribes, but this is our livelihood so please bear with. Our subscription offer for the magazine has had a glow up: if you buy a year’s worth of Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save a whacking 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £79.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by SportsShoes.com
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s subscription to Coopah for FREE!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 216. Big changes and trail marathons

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:47:42 GMT

Welcome to episode 216 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

House move

So Holly has finally arrived in her new house, and as we all know a house move is a Big Change, so we talk about that and how she’s coping, aside from getting irritated with Doug.

Marathon nerves

On my side, I’ve got my Trail Escape marathon coming up this weekend, and I’m trying to suck up all the positive vibes without throwing too many of them in Holly’s face. There’s a lot to worry about, and I hope you can relate to some of them: the weather has been awful so I’m very worried about the mud, my hormones have been all over the place, and this cold won’t shift. All of which is adding up to a number of things that are out of my control come race day. But it’s not a race. It’s a run. And I can’t wait to report back next week.

Join us

Our subscription offer for the magazine has had a glow up: if you buy a year’s worth of Women’s Running magazine, you’ll save a whacking 30% AND you get a year’s subscription to running app Coopah, worth £59.99, absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP and use the code X24WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Secondly, do hop on to Patreon and join us there, it’s only two quid a month, and if you do that you can join us – and the entire Pod Sqad massive – on Discord to show off your medals, be supported by, and support in return, your community. Go to patreon.com/womensrunning to find out more. I’ll shut up now.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – and you’ll get a year’s subscription to Coopah for FREE!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 215. Race report, Tales from the Pod

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 11:33:20 GMT

Welcome to episode 215 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

London Vitality 10,000

We’re recording the day after completing the London Vitality 10,000 and we have a huge race report to give you – we talk about completing a 10K with not a huge amount of training, how strength training has helped with our running and our confidence.

Tales from the Pod

We’ve got another Pod Squadder for you in our favourite segment where we talk to you and find out more about *your* running, so you’re not constantly listening to us and our running. This week we talk to gorgeous Martine from Guernsey who gives us all the Channel Island gossip. Martine went from zero to marathon in about five minutes, but has subsequently had to build up slowly again after significant injury. Lots to relate to here!

Join us

Now I keep on banging on about subscribing to Women’s Running magazine, but forgive me please, because a) it’s my job, and b) this is a ridiculous offer. Right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SEP24WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today for 6 issues for £6!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 214. Vitality 10K, Trail, Men

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 14:46:05 GMT

Welcome to episode 214 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Big change

Holly is feeling unwell, and is super-stressed with a house move, so there’s lots to talk about right away. And then of course it’s the London Vitality 10,000 this weekend, and it’s been suggested we run it in our pants. Of couse we jumped at the chance! Only joking. I’ll be running in a wetsuit as usual. If you’re coming, we can’t wait to see you there.

Trail Marathon

I’ve also been training for my trail marathon in October, which is a beautiful run organized by new event company Trail Escape – do check them out to see what’s coming up next year as I think they’re plotting some gorgeous events.

Bloody men

Then on to the big conversations – how do you feel about men taking their tops off in public (aside from at the beach). Holly is in the defense corner, and it doesn’t take long to work out why… Listen in for a surprise guest appearance.

Join us

Now I keep on banging on about subscribing to Women’s Running magazine, but forgive me please, because a) it’s my job, and b) this is a ridiculous offer. Right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SEP24WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today for 6 issues for £6!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Check out the races on offer from Trail Escape
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 213. New term, menopause, Tales from the Pod

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:48:21 GMT

Welcome to episode 213 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

New term

I’ve had a stressful start to Sept, but finished off the first week with a very un-Esther trip to a spa, and have some thoughts on it. We also have another look at the 5K running controversy from a couple of months ago as we’ve had a lot of emails from you guys and we want to hear them and talk about them,

Controversy and TV

We also talk about menopause, and another point of view that we hadn’t considered that raises some extremely valid points. And you know I always talk about how we talk about last night’s tv in the preamble. Well, here we talk about last night’s TV. Fill your boots.

Tales from the Pod

And in a new Tales from the Pod section, we talk to gorgeous Pod Squadder Alice who ran with us in Paris last year, and has been a firm fixture on the Pod Squad scene ever since. Alice’s fitness story started with scuba diving – scary seal stories ahoy!

Join us!

Now. Patreon. Apologies for those of you who are already members of our fabulous club, but for those of you who aren’t, pop along to patreon.com/womensrunning to find out about our Discord forum, our Live episodes and our silly newsletters, which are all yours for just £2 a month. Come and join us!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today for two years for the price of one!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 212. Holidays and body neutrality

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 13:34:16 GMT

Welcome to episode 212 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

London Vitality 10,000

We’re back from all our various holidays and have much to discuss. First up, though, a quick reminder that we’re running the London Vitality 10,000 on Sunday 22nd September – if you’re running too, come and meet us at our lovely Women’s Running tent, and run with us in the Smiles for Miles wave!

Holiday running

Holiday running has had some figurative and literal ups and downs, so we talk about hills and hard running, and how to cope with the plan when you’ve not been able to stick to the plan, like I have.

Body neutrality

Because of a narrow escape at a naturist beach, we then move on to body neutrality and how to find acceptance and gratitude for our bodies rather than peering at them with disgust in the mirror.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 211. Physio, illness, menopause

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 20:30:27 GMT

Welcome to episode 211 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Physio success

In big news, Holly has been to the physio, and as a result she’s been spending a bit of money buying her first indoor gym kit, which unsurprisngly leads me on to being a bit teachery and chatting about kettle bells at length (sorry).

Running and illness

Then we move on to running and illness – I have a theory and would love to know your thoughts on it. Is running when you’re ill actually *good* for you?

Menopause

We have bit of menopause chat because a recent conversation made me realise that we’re not talking enough to our younger friends and family members about the menopause – symptoms are still confusing us, especially when we’re younger than we think is the classic menopause age. Let’s get educating!

Controversy

Finally we address the running controversy that we spoke about a couple of weeks ago, when I ran a women’s only 5K that was also run by a handful of men. We slagged them off a few weeks ago, but now we’ve received an email that sets us straight (at least for one brilliant man). Listen through to find out more!

Remember, right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna - For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 210. Helen Thorn, V10K, strength training

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:12:21 GMT

Welcome to episode 210 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

London Vitality 10,000

We have a special guest for you today in the shape of the very brilliant Helen Thorn, you lucky things. Comedian, author, amazing runner, and now triathlete, we’re lucky to count her as a Friend of the Pod. She is dialling in from her holiday in Cornwall, especially to join up with us to shout about the London Vitality 10,000 which we’re running together on September 22nd – and you can run with us if you’re quick! We’ve been told that there are a few spaces remaining to run in our Smiles for Miles wave, which we’re running with Helen and Bryony Gordon firmly at the back of the pack, and we’d love to have you with us. We’ll be celebrating in Green Park before and after, and it won’t be the same without you!

Strength training

Before and after our chat with her, we’re trying to do our best with our strength training, and I do my thing of offering lots of unwarranted advice to Holly while not actually doing any exercises myself. When we come back in the room after Helen we have a chat about the books we’ve been reading and listening to. Lots of ideas here for those of you who listen to books on runs, and please give us all your ideas too!

Pick up a bargain!

Now, don’t get annoyed at me repeating this, it’s my job: right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Run the London Vitality 10,000 with us!
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 209. Holiday running, Pod Squad guest

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 11:30:16 GMT

Welcome to episode 209 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Holiday running

We’re back after a bit of a break (that hopefully you won’t have noticed, but obviously the timings of the last few podcasts have been all over the place). We’re both sounding rough as badgers; me cos of a virus, Hol cos of a two-day hangover. All very standard.

We talk through all of Hol’s debauchery. We also talk about my running in Cornwall and France, which results in a proper Poo Story, which I’m sure you’ll all sympathise with. Listen out for Hol’s top tips on sharing a bathroom btw!

Pod Squad tales from the Pod!

In our new Pod Squad segment, we talk to the glorious Marte from Belgium, who ran with us in New York, and also again at the London 10K and AGAIN at Endure 24. She talks to us about how she got into running, and her favourite races so far.

Grab a bargain!

Now, if you’re not already a subscriber to Women’s Running magazine, this is your lucky day, cos this is our best ever offer. Right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 208. Strength for runners

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 13:55:41 GMT

Welcome to episode 208 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Strength for runners

The main part of this podcast is all about a runner’s worst nightmare: STRENGTH. We knew we personally needed to dedicate some time to this, and we have a feeling that you guys wouldn’t mind a bit of direction too. So we talk to gorgeous, talented and wonderful Kate Sellers, friend of the pod, fabulous PT and also member of the Women’s Running team. We wanted to drag her on to talk about all things strength – what we should be doing, when, and how. And Kate has come up with the goods – if you want the building blocks of her training plan we detail it below.

The exercises

3 sets x 8 reps. Rest for 20 seconds between each set:

Squats, Reverse Lunges, Deadlift (Glute bridge if bodyweight)

3 sets x 8 reps. Rest for 20 seconds between each set:

Push-ups , Over-head press (with cans of beans if no weights), Lateral raises (with cans of beans if no weights)

4 sets x 12 reps. Rest for 20 seconds between each set:

Standing marches, Deadbugs, Lying back extensions

Join us

Now, if you’re not already a subscriber to Women’s Running magazine, this is our best ever offer. Right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

• This episode is sponsored by Runna

For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 207. End of term, Pod Squad guest

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 06:00:18 GMT

Welcome to episode 207 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Summer holidays

Today, we’re talking about general end-of-term exhaustion – shout out to all of you who got to the summer holidays intact. We are banging on at length about school sports day, so we’re talking about our own experiences but we’re also talking about the sports that are included and the ones that we reckon should be included.

Pod Squad guest

We have a special guest to look forward to in the middle of the pod in the shape of Emma Sturgess, one of our very own Pod Squad. As part of a semi-regular series, we’re now including the occasional chat with gorgeous women from the Pod Squad to find out about *your* running. We loved talking to Emma, and found her incredibly inspiring. If you fancy joining us in a future episode, email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

We’re back in the room to talk about our own running, which is a mixture of a desperate need for a physio and a desperate need for a training plan. Turns out, our next big race is now only 10 weeks away!

Right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna
For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 206. Summer running and heat training

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 06:00:31 GMT

Welcome to episode 206 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Niggles

Holly is managing a bit of a niggle – why do they always come and bite us on the arse, when things are going well? It’s so unfair! We talk through what it might be and what we can both be doing to fix ourselves before it all goes wrong.

Tales from the Pod Squad

Then, In the first of an occasional series, we speak to lovely podcast listener Amy Chapman, who signed up to do the 10K Asics Ekiden, with very little experience under her belt. She recounts how the day went, running under pressure, and trying to avoid the sash of shame! If you’ve got a running story you’d like to share with us, do email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

10K controversy

Then we’re back in the room to talk about that controversial 10K from a few weeks back when men ran with us despite being told it was a women’s only event. We’ve had a couple of brilliant emails from you guys that we get into. Then there are a couple more silly questions that we answer, but would love to hear your answers to. Answers to wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk please! And stay tuned to the very end as Holly has something HUGE to announce.

Now, if you’re not already a subscriber to Women’s Running magazine, you need to stop what you’re doing right now and sign up, cos this is our best ever offer. Right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna
For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 205. Saucony London 10K debrief

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 09:10:14 GMT

Welcome to episode 205 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Saucony London 10K

It’s the morning after the day before. We’ve just returned back from our Saucony London 10K. And we had about 17 hundred adventures, so here are just a few of them for you to listen to.

The journey and the 10K

First there’s the journey to London, which almost didn’t happen because we’re terrible at communication. But then we’re there at the start line, and we’re surrounded by glorious women from the Pod Squad, all kitted out beautifully in Saucony Hurricane 24s from SportsShoes.com. We looked like a little army!

Back of the pack

Sophie Grace-Holmes lead the charge, and we all loved running at the back of the pack, having a good old chat and soaking up the vibes. It was good times all round – find out all about it right here.

London Vitality 10,000

All of this leads to the BIG announcement that we’re going to be running the London Vitality 10,000 again this year! Come and run with us on 22nd September in the final Smiles for Miles wave – do please come and join us!

Now, if you’re not already a subscriber to Women’s Running magazine, you need to stop what you’re doing right now and sign up, cos this is one of our best ever offers. Right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6 – that’s a pound an issue! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here. Six quid! That’s how much ONE issue costs if you buy it in Sainos. And I know I’m biased, but it’s BRILLIANT.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Runna
For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 204. Saucony London 10K, classic questions

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 07:38:24 GMT

Welcome to episode 204 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

• This episode is sponsored by Runna. For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Saucony London 10K

We’re gearing up for the Saucony London 10K, so we need to chat about all of our training in the last few days. We both have worries of a different shape here.

Imposter syndrome

We talk about the weight of false expectations – as we always worry about what you guys think of us. We’re talking about this ahead of doing the 10K, which is making us think about the last time we did a 10K together which was the Vitality last year.

Classic questions

We go off on a tangent while we talk about our favourite bits of art, because why not. When we finally get back to running, we’ve got some classic running questions to ask each other – and we’d love to know what your answers to these questions would be too. So please let us know: What do you not like about running? What was your best running experience? And what was your worst running experience?

Lovely extra bits

• This episode is sponsored by Runna

For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 203. 10K training, 5K controversy

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 12:19:35 GMT

Welcome to episode 203 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

We have a bit of a Glasto catch up cos it’s the Monday after the main event and obviously we have thoughts, which leads on to Holly’s big singing weekend. I’ve had a weirdly sporty weekend, with my own version of a very prolonged triathlon.

5K controversy

We then have a big conversation about the RunThrough 5K I did the week before. I made a number of mistakes which we talk about here, but we also talk about the huge controversy that whirled around after the event.

Your emails

Then we have a lot of lovely emails from you guys involving sexy Scottish TV shows, and pooing on the run (but of course).

Join us!

Now, if you’re not already a subscriber to Women’s Running magazine, you need to stop what you’re doing right now and sign up, cos I think this is one of our best ever offers. Right now – and only until the end of August - you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6. Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

• This episode is sponsored by Runna

For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 202. Strava, routine tests, why we run

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 06:00:03 GMT

Welcome to episode 202 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Runna For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Strava

We start on the thing that seems to have riled you the most – whether Holly’s Strava is working against her. We then talk about our running, and how that’s been going, what it’s like running in different cities.

10K training

We’re continuing to semi train for our London 10K in July, so in a bit of a stress we’ve downloaded a super quick 4-week training plan as we haven’t been taking things seriously enough. If you’re in the same position, we’re using a four-week 60-minute 10K training plan from the Women’s Running website (just here).

Running Qs

Then we’re bringing in some running questions – we’re going back to basics, and telling you guys why we run, and what we like about it. We’d love to hear your answers here too so do please get in touch with your why, and what you like about it!

Join us!

Now, do please come and join us on Patreon – you can get a ton of extra Pod Squad benefits from just £2 a month. Go to patreon.com/womensrunning to find out more.

Don't forget the mag! Right now – and only until the end of August - you can get your first 6 issues of Women’s Running for just £6 – that’s a pound an issue! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here. Six quid! That’s how much ONE issue costs if you buy it in Sainos.

Lovely extra bits

• This episode is sponsored by Runna

For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 201. 5K PBs, boring runners, events

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:12:44 GMT

Welcome to episode 201 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Runna For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING

5K PBs

In this episode we start off by talking about life (and death) getting in the way of running plans, and how we’re managing that. Holly’s also been chasing a 5K PB. We get very confused about Strava – so much so that it’s slightly upsetting. Can anyone illuminate us please?!

Boring runners

Then my next philosophical question is based on a conversation I had a few weeks back – are runners boring? Discuss! We are extremely worried that everything we do is in fact incredibly dull.

Events

To make things less dull, we move on to the stuff that other people have been talking about – your emails are the highlight of our very dull week. finally, some race news – I’m running a women’s-only 5K next week with RunThrough, and we’re both running the London 10K in July.

Join us!

Now, do please come and join us on Patreon – you can get a ton of extra Pod Squad benefits from just £2 a month, including newsletters Live podcasts and you can join our exclusive Discord forum filled with wonderful runners just like you. Go to patreon.com/womensrunning to find out more.

Now, if you’re not already a subscriber to Women’s Running magazine, you need to stop what you’re doing right now and sign up, cos I think this is one of our best ever offers. Right now – and only until the end of August - you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6 – that’s a pound an issue! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here. Six quid! That’s how much ONE issue costs if you buy it in Sainos. And I know I’m biased, but it’s BRILLIANT.

Lovely extra bits

• This episode is sponsored by Runna

For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 200. Celebrations, drinks, highlights

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 09:02:39 GMT

Welcome to episode 200 of the Women’s Running podcast. This episode is sponsored by Runna. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

200 celebrations

Whoop whoop! It’s our 200th episode and we are celebrating in style with a drink and a bowl of peanuts and a little look back at some of our favourite moments over the last year or so. I start on a slightly cross note because of a convo I’d had at the weekend, where I was asked a question that I think sets the tone for our entire podcast.

Favourite moments

But once I’ve shed that baggage we’re on to the fun bit. What have been our most favourite pods over the past year or so? We start with a margarita, and end with an Aperol Spritz and in the middle of all of that we chat about our favourite bits, which includes the hang-glider face-off, Canal Boat Amy, the Paris Half with the Pod Squad massive, our trips to New York, and lots of toilet talk.

Join us!

Now, if you’re not already a subscriber to Women’s Running magazine, you need to stop what you’re doing right now and sign up, cos I think this is one of our best ever offers. Right now – and only until the end of August - you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6 – that’s a pound an issue! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24 WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here. Six quid! That’s how much ONE issue costs if you buy it in Sainos. And I know I’m biased, but it’s BRILLIANT.

Lovely extra bits

• This episode is sponsored by Runna

For a FREE two-week trial of Runna, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING and fill your running boots.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £6 for 6 issues

Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 199. Heat training and feedback

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 14:55:29 GMT

Welcome to episode 199 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Heat training

This episode, we explore the idea that running is something we can do to give us energy, as much as deplete our energy. We also talk about running in the heat, with some actual science that we read on the internet to back up the way that we feel after running when it’s unexpectedly hot.

Your emails

We’ve got some lovely emails from you here to discuss, with all sorts of continuing chat about annoying Guardian columnists and yoga class etiquette. There’s been lots of chat on Discord about the things we’ve been talking about. Do join us on Patreon at patreon.com/womensrunning so you can chat with everyone in our chat room, as it is a LOT of fun there at the mo.

Saucony London 10K competition

The one thing we needed to talk about in this episode, we forgot to mention until the very end, which is the extremely exciting news that we’re going to be running the Saucony London 10K on Sunday July 14th, and to make it even more exciting, we’re launching a competition in partnership with SportsShoes.com to offer ten lucky winners a free race place AND a bunch of kit to wear on the day. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/saucony10K or enter here.

If you’re not already a subscriber to Women’s Running magazine, right now you can get your first six issues of Women’s Running for just £6! Go to womensrunning.co.uk, click on SHOP, and use the code SS24WRPOD at the checkout. Or just go here.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Revive Active. You can get 20% off the whole Revive Active range at ReviveActive.com using the code Run20, which you can use right up until 31st July.
Subscribe to Women’s Running and you’ll get your first six issues for £6! Offer code: SS24WRPOD
Enter our competition to win lovely kit and a race place to run alongside us at the London 10K.
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 198. Unexpected Bake Off, maintenance fitness

Thu, 30 May 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 198 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Bake Off returns

We have a lot to talk about - mostly because we’ve been out to see Janusz from The Great British Bake Off talk about his new cook book, and had a very fun time indeed.

2025 marathon?

We’re then talking about maintenance running and fitness. Plans are beginning to emerge for a possible marathon in February 2025. Question is: should we both do it?

Controversies

Then we talk about a few more controversies; namely Joe Wicks’ menopause workout and a bit of a internet talk there. Before we move on to An Incident in my yoga class. It’s all fun and games.

Join us!

Now, do please come and join us on Patreon – you can get a ton of extra Pod Squad benefits from just £2 a month, including newsletters, Live chats, and you can join our exclusive and very lovely Discord community filled with wonderful runners just like you. All of that and you’ll always be the first to know about trips like New York! Go to patreon.com/womensrunning to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Revive Active. You can get 20% off the whole Revive Active range at ReviveActive.com using the code Run20, which you can use right up until 31st July.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 197. Running controversies

Thu, 23 May 2024 09:49:23 GMT

Welcome to episode 197 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Emotional load

There’s a lot of chat that doesn’t touch on running to begin with, as Holly has had another exciting weekend, and I’ve been having some stressed parenting moments, which leads into some general emotional load chat. Please relate to one of us!

Running questions

Then we finally get on to some running, and we have questions for you as a result – what do you do if you bump into a runner you know when you’re running? Do you stop and chat? Do you offer to run with them? And, do you also feel horribly visible if you’re spotted turning back on an out-and-back route?

Running controversies

Then we have some running controversies – we would LOVE to know your thoughts on two pieces that I read in the Guardian that seemed to be very anti-running, which we explore in detail. Links in the show notes if you’d like to read them.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by the Coopah run coaching app. For a FREE two-week trial of Coopah, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING2 and fill your running boots.
From the Guardian: Sam Pyrah’s piece on fitness being a ball and chain
From the Guardian: Rod Gilchrist’s piece on running addiction
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 196. Eurovision, your suggestions, marathons

Thu, 16 May 2024 09:41:35 GMT

Welcome to episode 196 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by the Coopah run coaching app. For a FREE two-week trial of Coopah, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING2 and fill your running boots.

Weekend running

The sun has finally been out and Holly has been having a joyous weekend, so we talk about all the drunkenness and the singing and the wild swimming that ensued.

Speaking of drunkenness, we talk about my Eurovision antics, and the hangover I was obliged to run off the following day. A run which included an encounter with one of the dreaded swans. Booze fumes possibly made me brave at this point.

Your suggestions

We then move on to YOUR suggestions – covering physio, race ideas, cheap anti-chafe solutions, and mapping apps. This was genuinely amazing – more of these please! Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any running-related suggestions!

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by the Coopah run coaching app.
For a FREE two-week trial of Coopah, just use the code WOMENSRUNNING2 and fill your running boots.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE IT
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 195. Feet, massages, recovering with Coopah

Thu, 09 May 2024 11:45:23 GMT

Welcome to episode 195 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Running recovery

This includes our second chat with Jordan from Coopah, who talks to us at around the 25 minute mark about recovery - we’re talking about sleeping, eating and drinking water, and doing all those things in the right amounts at the right time. We also chat about how to cope when you’ve got races that are close together – listen to her advice here: you can’t race every single one.

Blisters

Before and after that, me and Hol are chatting about how we’re getting back into running post-New York, which leads on to some gruesome blister and foot chat. We also talk about sports massages and our varying experiences of. It’s a VERY silly episode – let us know if you think we should always record at 3pm on a Tuesday, or in fact should never do that again, because it descends into madness.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

• Jordan was giving us the sort of advice you can get your mitts on when you sign up to the Coopah run coaching app

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!

Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 194. New York women's half marathon

Thu, 02 May 2024 09:05:23 GMT

Welcome to episode 194 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running. This episode is sponsored by the brilliant Coopah running app - listen in for an exclusive discount.

New York Live!

This podcast is brought to you LIVE from New York! We went out there last week with the very wonderful Sports Tours International and a fabulous bunch of Pod Squadders to run the Real Simple Women’s Half Marathon through Central Park. This pod takes place in the breakfast room of the hotel, a couple of hours after running the race. So here we chat about our experiences in New York including some sightseeing fun and games.

The half marathon

We also share our thoughts about the course itself, which was stunning but *undulating* the funny signs we saw, and the not-so-funny signs, as well as the supporters en route.

Pod Squadders

We hear from Pod Squadders Marte, who was running her first half marathon, and Marion (who has now run a HUNDRED half marathons!), and many more besides. Enjoy the giggles right here.

Join us next time!

Now, do please come and join us on Patreon – you can get a ton of extra Pod Squad benefits from just £2 a month, including newsletters, Live chats, and you can join our exclusive and very lovely Discord community filled with wonderful runners just like you. All of that and you’ll always be the first to know about trips like this! Go to patreon.com/womensrunning to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

This issue is sponsored by the Coopah run coaching app
We ran New York with Sports Tours International – go and find out about all the running adventures they offer, including all six marathon majors!
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 193. Cautious running, MS Awareness

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 09:08:03 GMT

Welcome to episode 193 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Running and MS

We have a special guest this episode in the shape of brilliant Lianne the co-founder of Monkey Sox, who is talking to us this this week specifically, because it’s MS Awareness Week, and MS, and raising awareness and funds for MS research is at the heart of everything they do (along with making socks). Lianne talks to us here about the origins of the brand, as well as MS symptoms. And she also speaks about how movement can help the management of some of those MS symptoms.

New York half and London Marathon

Once Hol and I are back in the room, we’re getting ready for New York this weekend, but also getting very excited about the London Marathon which took place LAST weekend – the tears, the costumes, the drama. Congratulations to everyone who has just taken on a big event and good luck to all those looking forward to some miles this weekend.

Join us

Now, do please come and join us on Patreon – you can get a ton of extra Pod Squad benefits from just £2 a month, including membership to our very lovely Discord community filled with wonderful runners just like you. Go to patreon.com/womensrunning to find out more.

Lovely extra bits

This issue is sponsored by Coopah run coaching app
This issue, we spoke to Lianne from Monkey Sox – check out their running socks
Find out more about the charities they raise money for:
MS Society
MS-UK
Multiple Sclerosis Trust
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today for only £3.50 an issue!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 192. Half and marathon tips from Coopah

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:28:05 GMT

Welcome to episode 192 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Coopah tips

In this special episode we’re joined by Jordan Foster from the Coopah running app. Jordan is the OG of instagram running, who I first new as Project Marathon Girl. Now she’s part of the establishment and part of Coopah. She chats to us about her start in running and her recent successes, and then tells us what we need to do during a taper before a half marathon. As well as general marathon strategies ahead of the London Marathon to get your head sorted as much as your legs. She’ll be back with us in a couple of weeks to talk about recovery strategies – it’s almost as if we planned it, right?

Last long run

Before and after that proper running bit, Holly talks about her last long runs, which have mostly been going well, aside from a small altercation with a dog and a chicken. It’s all going on here. We also have a chat after our convo with Jordan about whether we should now think of ourselves as “naturally sporty” after all.

Pick up Women's Running for pennies!

Now, if you don’t already subscribe to Women’s Running magazine, we’ve got a Pod Squad offer for you lovely people – hop along to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad and you’ll be able to get your mitts on Women’s Running for just £3.50 an issue, saving 42% off the cover price. The subscription is totally risk-free and flexible, you don’t need to sign up for years and years, so it’s the perfect way to get loads more Women’s Running fun times for pennies.

Lovely extra bits

• Check out the Coopah run coaching app, and follow Jordan on Instagram

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 191. Last long runs and tapering

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 09:13:33 GMT

Welcome to episode 191 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Avoiding parkrun

Holly’s been on a hen do and has managed to avoid going to parkrun, or in fact run at all for a whole five days. And does she feel guilty? No she does not. She explains why here, but it also leads us neatly on to how we’re going to be fitting in our last long runs ahead of the New York half.

Average paces

We talk about my worries about my fitness dropping, and where we both are if we look at average paces, which is supposed to cheer us up but sort of doesn’t.

Tapering

We also, in light of the above, have a chat about tapering and what we should be doing before our half marathon in New York with Sports Tours International.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Revive Active. You can get 20% off the whole Revive Active range at ReviveActive.com using the code Run20, which you can use right up until 30th April.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 190. Running and safety

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 10:43:11 GMT

Welcome to episode 189 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Trigger warning: sexual attacks and attempted rape

Please go to Rape Crisis for support and advice.

Running and women's safety

We’ve got some very big topics to discuss on the podcast today. We talk about the recent news of Alison Walker, who was attacked while on a run in Portugal. We spoke to Alison last week, more of which here, but since then it’s been at the front of our minds. How can we make running more safe for women without imposing curfews or asking us to change our behaviour? I would love to know what you think.

Jasmin Paris

We then move on to the latest news about Jasmin Paris and the Barkley Marathons, because we couldn’t not, before moving on to your letters. We’ve got way too much to talk about in this episode, that’s for sure.

Join us

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Revive Active. You can get 20% off the whole Revive Active range at ReviveActive.com using the code Run20, which you can use right up until 30th April.

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 189. Half training, physio treament

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:50:26 GMT

Half training and physios

We start by talking about running. I know. What have we become? I’ve been to the physio, so we have lots of dry needling things to discuss, and Holly’s training has been going annoyingly well.

We have a slight handbrake turn in the middle so we can discuss the stag-do that Doug’s going on, and the very real concerns for feminist, vegetarian men in 2024.

Music in races

We then get to chat about music during races – and I’m beginning to think I have a campaign here! And then we’re back into running, awful race photographs and letters from you guys and all sorts. It’s a manic episode

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Didriksons! Check out their gorgeous jackets and coats, and get 20% off with the code RUN24 before 7 April.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 13. Office chair to 5K finale

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:56:02 GMT

Welcome to a brand new special series of podcasts, brought to you by the Women’s Running Podcast, and sponsored by Vivobarefoot. This is a 13-part special in which we introduce our friend and colleague Cara, who is keen to take on 5K with our help.

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Cara’s 5K news

Okay, so this might be the episode you’re expecting. Cara spills on why she hasn’t finished the plan in the way she intended to – but all is not lost…

5K and beyond

We decide that we’ve achieved everything we set out to achieve with this journey. Cara’s found a new love of running and now has a fitness routine that suits her. She’s exciting to continue running three times a week and doesn’t feel she needs a distance-based goal to keep her motivated. She’s also trained Pablo to be the perfect running companion!

The end of an era

Thank you so much for joining us on this 5K journey. This is the final episode of the Office Chair to 5K series, but you can still listen to the Women’s Running podcast weekly. If you’re looking for a new challenge, check out our downloadable training plans to get started.

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 188. Bath half, running and volunteering

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 09:21:10 GMT

Welcome to episode 188 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Bath Half

It’s the day after the Bath Half, and I want to talk you through it. First we talk about vlogging or not during a race – I’m not very good at doing this, and decided against it during this one (sorry). So I ran it and have many thoughts, and Hol wasn’t running it, but was instead singing with her choir on the route to raise the runners’ spirits – and in this, she’s hooked. Who loves volunteering as much as running the thing?

Exclusive competition

We’ve also got a brilliant compo for you! It’s a Pod Squad exclusive to win two entries, for you and a friend, to run the Threshold Endure 24 in Reading on the 8th-9th June. Super cool! Endure 24 is the UK’s biggest 24-hour trail race, and feels more like a festival than a race. You run it by taking part in 8K loops – and you can do as many or as few of them as you like! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/endure24 for your chance to win a place – good luck!

Now, if you don’t already subscribe to Women’s Running magazine, we’ve got a Pod Squad offer – hop along to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad and you’ll be able to get your mitts on Women’s Running for just £3.50 an issue, saving 42% off the cover price. The subscription is risk-free and flexible, so it’s the perfect way to get loads more Women’s Running fun times for pennies.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Didriksons! Check out their gorgeous jackets and coats, and get 20% off with the code RUN24 before 7 April.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today to save loads, it's only £3.50 an issue!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 12. Office chair to 5K

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 11:05:36 GMT

Welcome to a brand new special series of podcasts, brought to you by the Women’s Running Podcast, and sponsored by Vivobarefoot. This is a ten-part special in which we introduce our friend and colleague Cara, who is keen to take on 5K with our help.

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Cara’s week 10 runs:

Run 1: 30 minute run

Run 2: 30 minute run

Run 3: Goal 5K!

Adventure running

We’re talking about routes again this week. Cara’s getting a bit fed up with the same old trot round her village, which leads us onto some exciting plans for adventuring in the future. She can’t wait to get a bit braver with her running and use it as a way of exploring her surroundings; she’s going to make a wonderful trail runner!

Running motivation

We’re also talking all about how Cara ticks and what’s going to encourage her to keep up the habit. She thinks plotting some runs around some places she’d really like to visit could be a good place to start. This makes us wonder: why do we always have to have a goal time or distance to get us up and running? Could we all do with taking a leaf out of Cara’s books?

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 187. Booze, tapering, non-runners

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 12:14:55 GMT

Welcome to episode 187 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Booze and running

And we’re definitely NOT talking about running to begin with. We’re talking about booze. Our weekends have been very different because of it: Holly’s had a jolly time at the pub, while I’ve been getting acid reflux after half a glass. Aging isn’t fair.

Tapering

On to the running bit. Running has become HARD for me. I ask the question, is this because it’s genuinely hard, is it because I’m in the middle of tapering, which is always the lowest point in terms of confidence, or is it age? Answers on a postcard please.

Running critical

We also talk about how we, firmly within the running bubble, can often think we’re not doing very well, because this is where we work, and these are the Instagram accounts that we follow. But normal people, it turns out, don’t know what shoes they should be wearing, or understand what a taper is. Are we being too critical of ourselves? Of course, the answer is yes!

Pick up the mag!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 11. Office chair to 10K

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 09:58:37 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Cara’s week 9 runs:

Run 1: 25 minute run

Run 2: 25 minute run

Run 3: 28 minute run

Where to run

This week, we check in with Cara as she hits the final few weeks of her plan. She’s keen to find some long stretches that she can use for her runs, but she’s struggling to find somewhere safe, dry and comfortable to run for long periods of time in her village. We talk about the best places to run and how to stay safe on roads.

Running and hamstrings

As Cara’s runs get longer, her hamstrings seem to be complaining more. We dig down into what’s causing this and discover a potential lifestyle culprit…

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 186. Yoga, half marathons, grievances

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:13:48 GMT

Welcome to episode 186 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Yoga

You catch us in the middle of chatting about our recent yoga efforts, which have had various degrees of success. Running has also had some ups and downs, as we prepare variously for our New York Half and the Bath Half, which I’ve snuck in the middle there.

Running annoyances

I then get going on the latest thing that’s made me enormously cross – the public playing of music when out running or cycling, like naughty teenagers on a train. I’m super cross about this. And this swiftly moves on to music that’s played at the start line of races – so do please tell us what you love to hear, and what are your pet peeves.

Join us!

If you don’t already subscribe to Women’s Running magazine, we’ve got a Pod Squad exclusive offer for you lovely people – hop along to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad and you’ll be able to get your mitts on Women’s Running for just £3.50 an issue, saving 42% off the cover price. The subscription is totally risk-free and flexible, you don’t need to sign up for years and years, so it’s the perfect way to get loads more Women’s Running fun times for pennies.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 10. Office chair to 5K

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 07:00:45 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Week 10:

Run 1: 30 minute run

Run 2: 30 minute run

Run 3: Goal 5K!

How to plan a 5K

This week, if you’ve been following on from the beginning marks the end of the plan – and time to put all this training to the test! If you’re a bit behind then never fear: we’ve still got more episodes to come to keep you going. But if this is your final week and you’re wondering where to start with getting a 5K in the calendar, we’ve got some top tips (as well as some slightly silly ones) for measuring distances and plotting routes if you’re going it alone, as well as our suggestions for local events to watch our for.

How to celebrate a big run

We’re also getting a little over excited this week about what we might do to celebrate Cara’s 5K. We’re talking roasts, brunch, Prosecco and all sorts. Whatever your idea of fun, make sure you’ve got something in the calendar that allows you to celebrate yourself and your huge achievement.

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 185. Anxiety, kit, half marathons

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:46:09 GMT

Welcome to episode 185 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Anxiety

In this episode we talk about nerves and anxiety on a run, and also we chunter on a bit about how sleep unsurprisingly can have a huge effect on our running and our moods.

Kit

We also talk about kit, and the shoes we currently like to run in; the latest ones that I’ve been able to plod in have been a total revelation, as I didn’t think they were designed for runners like me, but in turns out that they are!

Support

We talk about support on race day from family and friends, and how we mentally cope with doing hard things without the support crew – to be honest, I feel so much better about this now, because we have such a strong community with the Pod Squad (that’s you guys, that is).

New York half marathon

And we’ve got just enough time to get excited about New York, our half marathon in April which is fast approaching. We’re getting very close to last-chance saloon now – so if you’ve been sitting on the fence, do please sign up before the offer closes, as it would be wonderful to have you there! We talk about everything we’re looking forward to, which mostly includes the huge margaritas we had last time.

Join the gang!

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 42%
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 9. Office chair to 5K

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 11:54:17 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Week 9:

Run 1: 25 minute run

Run 2: 25 minute run

Run 3: 28 minute run

Wet weather running

It’s been tipping it down this week so, naturally, we’re chatting about all the ways we can dodge the weather. Cara’s been braving the elements in her normal running kit, but wants advice on waterproof jackets and caps.

Sweating

Rain isn’t the only thing we’re drenched in this week. We talk embarrassing moments with sweat and how to combat them, as well as why we should wear our sweaty heads as a badge of honour.

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 184. Bad runs, simple running

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 09:54:16 GMT

Welcome to episode 184 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Bad training

Holly has had some ups and downs with her half marathon training, including an almost literally crappy run, so we have a lot to talk about with that. Half marathon training is not easy, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Simple running

In other news, we’ve decided we want to start a campaign – to run more simply. We’re both overwhelmed by all the information that’s thrown at us on a daily basis on how to run better, what strength training to do, what to eat, and what to do for general fitness. What we want is a simplification of all that noise – how to run, how to train, how to get fitter in about four different moves MAX. So – who’s with us? And what’s our manifesto going to be?

Save BIG!

Do pop along to womensrunning.co.uk and check out all the bits you get when you subscribe to us, cos if you subscribe to Women’s Running right now you’ll save 50% off the cover price and you’ll get a copy of our How To Run 5K Guide absolutely free. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/bundle to get the deal.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 8. Office chair to 5K special

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 13:31:01 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Week 8:

Run 1: 18 minute run

Run 2: 20 minute run

Run 3: 20 minute run

How to set running goals

Cara is over halfway through her 5K journey, and she’s concerned about what happens when she’s finished. We talk a bit about pace, longer distances, races and other things runners might aim for to help with motivation.

Running groups

This leads us to get deep about being held accountable – we talk about running with friends, joining run groups and being part of a running community. Cara’s a self-confessed lonely goat, but she’s feeling more confident about talking while she runs now and would like to test the waters of having a running buddy to help get her out the door. So we get into all the pros and cons of this and how to find the right situationship for your running.

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 183. Strava, parkrun, half marathons

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:08:59 GMT

Welcome to episode 183 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Barcelona half marathon

I’ve just got back from Barcelona where I ran a half marathon and there is much to discuss. Yes, we talk about the race itself (which was lovely), but we quite rightly spend much of the time talking about food, hotels and lovely touristy things.

Running expo

We then start on one of our first controversies this episode, which is the hated (for us) running expo – what’s it for, who likes it, isn’t it just a capitalist construct? A bit like Valentine’s day.

Strava

Second controversy is Strava – how do you feel about being stalked slightly on Strava? Do you enjoy recording your runs on there? Do you feel pressured to achieve on there? Or do you just slightly ignore it like me?

parkrun

And on to our third controversy of the day, which is parkrun and its recent decision to remove data, including speed records. We have some thoughts, and we’re sure you have too – do get in touch and we’ll carry this on in a future pod, as we didn’t have much time left to talk about it here. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk.

Join us!

Do please think about subscribing to Women’s Running right now – because you’ll save 50% off the cover price and you’ll get a copy of our How To Run 5K Guide absolutely free. If you don’t need it because you’re scampering over mountains, it will make a friend very happy indeed. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/bundle to get the deal.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 7. Office chair to 5K special

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 10:55:49 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Week 7

Run 1: 2x 10 min run / 2 min walk

Run 2: 2x 10 min run / 2 min walk

Run 3: 2x 10 min run / 90 second walk

Audiobooks and motivation

We start this week by sharing what we’ve been listening to while we run to help pass the time. Cara’s been tackling a juicy fantasy series while Holly bares all and confesses the most embarrassing audiobooks on her phone.

Sports bras

Feeling the strain of washing the same bra three times a week, Cara’s after some advice on buying a new running bra. We share all our favourite options, as well as our tips and tricks on how to know you’re wearing the right size and style.

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 182. Fatigue, training plans, half marathons

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 09:51:32 GMT

Welcome to episode 182 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

What is Jeffing?

To begin with, we’re slightly more deflated than the last episode – we’re TIRED, for a couple of different reasons. Once we stop whinging, we get on to the running conundrums – such as, does stopping at water stations count as Jeffing? We want your thoughts! Then we start talking race strategy – neither of us can quite remember what Hol did at Paris half, and how she can emulate it, if she decides to follow that plan again.

Plan panic

We also talk about general training plan panic – that thing where you study hundreds of training plans and try to find one that retrospectively fits what we’ve been doing! This ties into Holly giving me a bit of a telling off, to ground me and my panic ahead of the Barcelona half marathon this weekend.

Email us!

Happily, we have some more embarrassing moments – and we want more! Cos it cheers us up, so it’s totally selfish. Email them in at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk.

Join us!

Do please think about becoming a patron of this podcast at patreon.com/womensrunning, because for just £2 a month you can access our free monthly videos, our weekly newsletters, and you get to join our exclusive Pod Squad chat room, where all the fun happens!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 6. Office to 5K special

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 10:47:19 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Week 6:

Run 1: 2x 8 min run / 3 min walk

Run 2: 2x 8 min run / 3 min walk

Run 3: 2x 8 min run / 2 min walk

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Periods, hormones and running

Cara’s had a tough week this week, struggling with tiredness and lack of motivation. She’s also been craving Cream Eggs like nobody’s business. The prime suspect is that old buzzkill, the menstrual cycle. This gets us chatting about the phases of our periods, how to track them and how tricky understanding our bodies can be.

5K nutrition

She’s also been generally hungrier since the start of this training journey, so it’s time to talk about fuelling. What should we be eating before a run and how long do we need to wait before we go out? We offer Cara some advice before sending her off with a brand new running journal.

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 181. Wall of Shame special

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:30:14 GMT

Welcome to episode 181 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Running therapy

In this episode, we kick off with a chat about our little therapy sessions – ie, this actual podcast. Holly has been getting herself back on an even keel, and I have been getting very worried about some upcoming races.

Running slower

We also talk about coming to terms with running a bit slower as we get older, and the way in which a run can feel awful on one day, and brilliant the next, for no apparent reason.

Wall of Shame!

We then delve into your Wall of Shame embarrassing moments from the national running show, which we wanted to share with you guys, because they were all SUPERB. From public pooing to being overtaken by Ron Hill, to our favourite of all time, which involves a canal boat. I shall say no more.

Get in touch!

We loved doing this so much, we want more of your embarrassing moments - email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with the best bits of your runs so we can snort about them on the pod!

Subscribe!

Do think about subscribing to Women’s Running right now – because you’ll save 50% off the cover price and you’ll get a copy of our How To Run 5K Guide absolutely free. If you don’t need it because you’re scampering over mountains, it will make a friend very happy indeed. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/bundle to get the deal.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 5. Office chair to 5K

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 07:00:01 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Run 1: 3x 5 min run / 2 min walk

Run 2: 3x 5 min run / 2 min walk

Run 3: 3x 5 min run / 90 second walk

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Running and resilience

We’re very impressed with Cara this week for sticking with her training despite being exhausted from this year’s National Running Show. She’s done brilliantly, and tells us all about her highs and lows. She discovers that, sometimes, running is brilliant for no particular reason while, at other times, it feels rubbish for no particular reason.

DOMS

She’s dispelled her shin splint fears this week and is instead discovering all about Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – for which Esther has some sage advice as well as some great post-run stretches for increased mobility.

Plus, a lovely listener shares some tips that get us talking about how best to approach a bear if we ever come across one in Somerset.

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 180. Running shows, races and the Squad

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 10:29:36 GMT

Welcome to episode 180 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

The National Running Show

We start – and continue for some time – on the NRS. The National Running Show was this weekend just gone, and it was a total blast. We’re still getting over it. But there is much to discuss, from the famous people who met us on the stand to the gorgeous Pod Squadders who replenished us with hugs and snacks. We loved meeting you all!

Races

One thing we talked about a lot at the show with you all was races, so we talk about the suggestions here (and there are some great ideas for all of us).

New York

We catch up about the New York half marathon we’re running on 28th April. We’ve got some exciting extra things to add to the package we’ve worked out with Sports Tours for those of you coming – more on this in coming weeks. For everyone not coming, we’re going to be starting a half marathon training block from 2nd Feb. More details here!

Save some cash!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 4. Office chair to 5K

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:15:44 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Week 4

Run 1: 4x 3 min run / 2 min walk

Run 2: 3x 4 min run / 2 min walk

Run 3: 3x 4 min run / 2 min walk

Running kit, cold weather and shin splints

In this episode, Cara’s back in the saddle and taking the running world by storm: she’s even had her first bout of runner’s itch! It’s absolutely freezing this week, so we’re kicking things off by talking about what kit to wear to beat the chill. Cara’s also got some concerns about shin splints, which are a very common injury for beginners – we delve into what they really are and how to prevent them. Plus, there’s a bit of chat about how best to time these runs with a watch, so listen up if that’s something you need support with.

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 179. Race ideas and motivation

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 09:14:37 GMT

Welcome to episode 179 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Marathon season

We launch into marathon and training season with a big dollop of wobbles because we completely forgot our rule of only recording on a Friday. We’re recording on a Monday morning and have no beans at all, so we come at this glass half empty. But, as is always the case when we record, we perk up considerably as we progress. We just love the sounds of our own voices!

We’re still on the hunt for races, but you’ve suggested LOADS, and we’ve loved them all – they’ve really inspired us. Do please carry on sending these in at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk so we can consider them and tell the rest of the world about them!

Join us!

Do please think about becoming a patron of this podcast at patreon.co.uk/womensrunning, because for just £2 a month you can access our free monthly videos, our weekly newsletters, and you get to join our exclusive Pod Squad chat room, where all the fun happens!

Pick up Women's Running

And you MUST subscribe to Women’s Running right now – because you’ll save 50% off the cover price and you’ll get a copy of our How To Run 5K Guide absolutely free. If you don’t need it because you’re scampering over mountains, it will make a friend very happy indeed. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/bundle to get the deal.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 3. Office chair to 5K

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 07:00:36 GMT

Run 5K with us

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

More support

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Week 3

Run 1: 6x 2 min run / 2 min walk

Run 2: 6x 2 min run / 90 second walk

Run 3: 7x 2 min run / 90 second walk

Injury, strength, cross training

In this episode, we catch up with Cara about her ankle injury. She’s been a very diligent student and has done all her prescribed calf raises etc, but she’s a little anxious about getting out there again, which leads us to talk a bit about running with health anxiety. We also start getting into cross training and all the best things we can be doing to aid our running, as well as some warm up advice that includes our fave dynamic stretches. If you're following our plan, the runs are detailed above.

Links

• This series is sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Find out more about their range, and grab 15% off at the checkout on any pair of shoes with the code WOMENSRUNNING15

• Grab hold of your perfect training plan here.

• Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

• Subscribe to Women’s Running today and you’ll save 50%, plus you’ll receive our How To Run 5K magazine absolutely free!

• Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 178. Goals, marathons, ultras

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 09:14:06 GMT

Welcome to episode 178 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

We’re British, so we begin today’s podcast talking about the weather. Because, well, the weather has been insane.

New York half marathon

Then we move on to our goals and some chats about one of them, which is running a half marathon in New York in April – and that’s one you can join us in, check the show notes for a link to find out more.

Half marathon training

I talk about a half marathon that’s a bit closer than that, and my worries about my training and how I’m going to get myself race ready in (gulp) four weeks.

Goals and races

We also talk about goals, and Holly has a VAST one to talk about. So we need your thoughts and help. Where do you look for races? Do you know of a lovely big autumn marathon? Or what about an entry level ultra with no mud? We don’t think we’re asking the impossible!

Do please think about becoming a patron of this podcast at patreon.co.uk/womensrunning, because for just £2 a month you can access our free monthly videos, our weekly newsletters, and you get to join our exclusive Pod Squad chat room, where all the fun happens!

And come and run with us in New York!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 2. Office chair to 5K

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 07:00:19 GMT

Fancy joining along? Grab hold of your perfect training plan here. There are lots to choose from, but for our sessions with Cara, we’re taking on the 10-week 5K training plan for beginners.

Sign up to our weekly 5K support emails for more advice with your training and a check-in on your progress. You’ll also get a free mini magazine!

Week 2

Run 1: 6x 90 second run / 1 min walk

Run 2: 7x 90 second run / 1 min walk

Run 3: 7x 90 second run / 1 min walk

In this episode, Cara shares her first injury woes with us – which gets us talking about lower-body strength training exercises as well as rest, recovery and when to see a physio. She’s also got some very exciting dog-related news for us: but how will she manage training around a big life change? We’ve got lots of advice for her. If you're following our plan, the runs are detailed above.

Ep 177. Nutrition with the Runner Beans

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:23:43 GMT

Welcome to episode 177 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Happy new year! We’ve got a treat this episode in the form of Charlie Watson, otherwise known as Runner Beans, who we’ve had on the pod before, and we wanted to drag on for our first podcast of 2024, because of her running know-how, but also because of her day job as a dietician, so that we could ask her all our burning food questions – something we know comes up a bit in January.

Drinking and running

When we recorded, Hol and I were both massively hungover so we want to talk about drinking and running to begin with, and then we move on to New Year’s resolutions, and how to stick to them in a healthy way.

Diet tips

Charlie has some stupendous tips here – things that we’re going to start doing right away, and none of them are about restricting our diets in any way. In fact, the main one is about adding to our meals rather than taking away, which we LOVE. Super sensible advice! Enjoy!

Join us!

And and and! You MUST subscribe to Women’s Running right now – don’t fast forward, honestly, this is SUCH a whopping great deal. Right now, you’ll save 50% off the cover price and you’ll get a copy of our How To Run 5K Guide absolutely free. And if don’t need it because you’re scampering over mountains, it will make a friend very happy indeed. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/bundle to get the deal.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll save 50% and get a FREE copy of How To Run 5K with Esther and Holly!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 1. Office chair to 5K

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 10:32:10 GMT

Welcome to a brand new special series of podcasts, brought to you from the Women’s Running Podcast. This is a new ten-part podcast special in which we introduce our friend and colleague Cara, who is keen to take on 5K with our help. In this episode we find out a bit more about her, and her training, and we go through the first week in the training plan and how we can adapt training plans to suit our lives. We hope you can join along with us!

Ep 176. How to make a running habit

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 19:05:22 GMT

Welcome to episode 176 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Running habits

Welcome to the perineum of Christmas. This is our second slice of Anna Harding, in which she talks to us about habits, training over Christmas, and how to fit in the training but also to be kind to ourselves. She introduces the brilliant concept of habit stacking, too.

New Year resolutions

Stacked around Anna are some chunks of chat from me and Hol about new year’s resolutions and what we want to do in January that we know is achievable, and something we’d like to continue to do as the year carries on. We don’t want to sack it all off in February. So we continue our conversations about how to become a morning person, and how to introduce some lovely treats on our life.

Join us!

And do please think about becoming a patron of this podcast at patreon.co.uk/womensrunning, because for just £2 a month you can access our free monthly videos, our weekly newsletters, and you get to join our exclusive Pod Squad chat room, where all the fun happens!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 176. Running habits-ADFREE

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 19:05:05 GMT

Running habits

New Year resolutions

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 175. Anna Harding, V02 max, parkrun

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:06:52 GMT

Welcome to episode 175 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Anna Harding

Hol and I are bookending this super brilliant episode with the ever wonderful Anna Harding. Because of recent running queries we’ve had, we talk to her about V02 max, which I hope you’re not completely bored with, and she offers the answers to EVERYTHING. Including why mine has suddenly increased with no apparent reason.

Christmas running and parkrun

Before and after that, we chat about festive injuries, Christmas wrapping traditions, stocking present hell, and Gavin and Stacey. Running-wise, we’re knee-deep in parkrun again, so hold on to your hats.

Join us!

And I keep forgetting to say this, but do please sign up to be a patron of this podcast at patreon.co.uk/womensrunning, because for just £2 a month you can access our free monthly videos, our weekly newsletters, and you get to join our exclusive Pod Squad chat room, where all the fun happens!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 5K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras

· Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run

Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 174. Hungover running, half marathon plans

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 23:06:16 GMT

Welcome to episode 174 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Hungover running

Now. Seasonally appropriate content warning here. Would you run with a hangover? We have many experiences of doing just that, and so we discuss what we reckon is actually happening inside us when we decide to go for a run after having a skin-full the night before.

Pod Squad half

Then we have an enormously important announcement – we’re teaming up with Sports Tours International again to launch a Pod Squad run. This time it’s a half marathon in New York with us in April. The Real Simple Women’s Half Marathon is on April 28th, and if you want to take part, check out all the details at sportstoursinternational.co.uk/event/womensrunningnewyork/ - link in the show notes if that’s too long, and loads more details on the pod!

Half marathon plans

Then I talk about the half marathon I’m going to be doing before then in February, which rather annoyingly I have to start training for now. If anyone out there has a half marathon to train for in the meantime, do listen in to us over the next couple of months as we begin our training for these two half marathons and you can run along with us.

Free giveaway

And before we start, here’s a little freebie for you – we’ve made a little mini version of brilliant How To Run 5K guide, and you can download it for free at womensrunning.co.uk/run. If you like it, the big version is available to buy right now at shop.womensrunning.co.uk!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by SportsShoes.com!
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Run with us in New York!
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Download a FREE mini mag to help you run 5K! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/run
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 173. V02 max, Christmas training, parkrun controversy

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 10:38:32 GMT

Welcome to episode 173 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

V02 max

We start off with a lengthy complaint against Chillblains, which quickly segues into some stuff about pub quizzes, before moving on to today’s hot topic: V02 max. Why does it go up when you least expect it? And go down when you’ve been training really hard? We discuss with absolutely no expertise.

Christmas running

Then we chat Christmas eating and training, and rewards and punishment. We talk about how running gives us more than just physical and mental benefits, but how it benefits us socially by gifting us a community in whatever way we access it. There’s also a bit of parkrun controversy, courtesy of a lovely listener. To be continued.

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by SportsShoes.com!
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 10. Bake Off Special

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 16:41:33 GMT

Welcome to the Women’s Running podcast: a very special Bake Off edition. We’re your hosts, Esther Newman and Holly Taylor, and usually you can find us chatting about life and running – though, let’s be honest, it’s mostly the life bit. Every year we get terribly overexcited for the Great British Bake Off and discuss it at length on the pod. So here we are, turning it into its own spin off so we can dissect each episode properly. We’ll be chatting about all the highs and lows from the Bake Off tent, playing total favourites and slagging off bakes we could never dream of producing ourselves. Whether you run while you listen, bake while you listen, or neither – enjoy this extra little morsel!

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch this week's episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 10: The final

We’re together in Holly’s flat for the final! And we are having a ball, tasting our own signature bakes, and appraising one of our favourite Bake Off series of all time.

Signature: eclairs

We relive the videos of our Bake Off finalists’ home lives; getting to know Matty’s Lara, Josh and memories of his nan, and Dan and his boys who he’d fibbed to about being on Bake Off. In-between times, they made some eclairs.

Technical: Lardy cakes

It’s Holly’s nemesis meets Esther’s bake shop go-to, all wrapped in a technical with only one successful bake between the three of them.

Showstopper: 3-tiered cakes

This challenge resulted in two pretty amazing cakes, and one not enormously great, but we loved them all, and we loved Dan, Josh and Matty. And we LOVED THIS SERIES! Congratulations to all three!

Join us!

If you LOVE this podcast, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon, where you can get involved in live zoom calls with us, weekly newsletters and an exclusive Discord community for friendly chat and support from like-minded women runners! Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning.

Lovely extra bits

• This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!

· Get expert advice and support with your running at womensrunning.co.uk

• Get your hands on our brand new special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun

• Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt! And ensure you tell everyone it’s nothing to do with Love is Blind

• Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 172. Post marathon blues, self-care

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 171 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Marathon recovery

After some over excited chat about meal delivery companies, we get on to the important stuff – marathon recovery. I’ve had a bit of a time of it, with my lungs not getting back up to speed as quickly as I’d like.

Self care

As per usual, we quickly get on to me punishing myself, Holly suggesting a bit of self care, and me not knowing who I am unless I’m running. It’s a story as old as time! Or at least as old as this podcast. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

US toilet humour

Also, we have a few letters, some of which are about the Toilet Situation in the US, which has had us shook since we returned a few weeks ago.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
I ran the New York Marathon with Sports Tours International which offers brilliant running packages with guaranteed entries to the biggest races in the world
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 9. Bake Off Special

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 16:15:18 GMT

Bake Off series 14 episode 9: Patisserie Week

It’s the semi final! There’s a lot to love about the semis, in terms of the actual bakes, which are mouthwatering. But also a lot to hate. Still crying over here.

Signature: Financiers

Teeny tiny little sponge cakes with a big ol’ chunk of icing. Like a long, thin cupcake with a fancy name that Esther can’t pronounce. Dan pulls it out the bag, Matty’s are a bit of a mess. *Someone* gets a handshake…

Technical: Tartes aux pommes

Weirdly, despite being in opposite camps on almost every bake, both Holly and Esther would make light work of this one. GORGEOUS. We think Matty is secretly a pastry chef and is just pretending to not know what he’s doing.

Showstopper: Milles feuilles

Controversial pronunciation aside, this challenge produces some truly spectacular bakes. We’re worried about darling Tasha at this point, but clearly Josh is going stellar.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

• This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!

· Come and visit us on our website to get expert support for your running at womensrunning.co.uk

• Get your hands on our special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun

• Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!

• Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 171. New York – the details

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:33:17 GMT

New York, no running

This is our New York round-up of everything apart from the running nonsense. We had a total ball, from start to finish, so this is our little travelogue covering flight, food and fun times.

Restrooms and bagels

We talk about going up and down lots of floors in lifts so often it felt like our ears were bleeding, and the terrible design of New York public toilets. We also talk about the Empire State Building, Central Park, hot dogs, cookies, and being completely rubbish in a crisis. We can’t wait to go back!

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
I ran the New York Marathon with Sports Tours International which offers brilliant running packages with guaranteed entries to the biggest races in the world
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 8. Bake Off Special

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 17:04:27 GMT

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch this week's episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 8: Party Week

It’s the quarter final! And boy have we got a lot to say about it. We can barely contain ourselves over this week’s bakes, so we get stuck in straight away.

Signature: Sausage rolls

Our dark horse baker gets the infamous handshake treatment while we discuss what can be considered an acceptable sweet-and-savoury flavour combo. Esther is once again extremely perturbed by Dan’s creative choices.

Technical: Chocolate caterpillar cakes

Unsurprisingly, we have an absolutely field day with this one. Holly quizzes Esther on the names of various supermarket caterpillar characters and we decide which celebrity lookalikes fit the baker’s white chocolate face designs.

Showstopper: Anything-but-beige buffet

We have some serious allegations about the patriarchal constructs of the Bake Off Cinematic Universe here. Plus, we demand justice for this week’s dearly departed baker and question the judges’ decisions around Star Baker.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

· Come and visit us on our website to get expert support for your running at womensrunning.co.uk

• Get your hands on our special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun

• Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!

• Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 170. Pod Squad Live: 10K

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 22:39:07 GMT

Welcome to episode 170 of the Women’s Running podcast

This episode is sponsored by Randox Health. Use the code RUN10 to get 10% off in-clinic and home health tests.

This episode is a recording of a very special live podcast, that took place last Thursday in person at the Sweaty Betty store in Battersea Power Station. We had special guest Jenni Falconer come to join us to chat about running a 10K, which fits rather nicely (it’s almost as if we organized it, really) with the launch of our special magazine, How To Run 10K, which our attendees all received in their goody bags!

10K training tips

We start off talking about New York, because I begin this very selfishly flaunting my medal, before launching into our chat with Jenni about training for a 10K. So here we talk about how to train, what a training plan might look like, and what strength training to do to support your running.

Running worst moments

We also introduce another special guest – the one and only Professor Taylor – who tells us some wonderful 10K factettes. We end the sesh by talking about our favourite embarrassing moments, and we asked our audience to supply their worst moments on the run as well, crowning the Queen of embarrassing moments with our Women’s Running tiara.

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
This episode is sponsored by Randox Health. Use the code RUN10 to get 10% off in-clinic and home health tests.
I ran the New York Marathon with Sports Tours International which offers brilliant running packages with guaranteed entries to the biggest races in the world
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 7. Bake Off Special

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 16:50:33 GMT

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch this week's episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 7: Dessert Week

As we draw close to the quarter final, the bakers take on classic puds – though Holly and Esther aren’t too over excited by the wobblier options.

Signature: Crème caramels

Esther’s not too pleased with Dan’s Thai take on a crème caramel, while Holly reckons she’d give it a try. We discuss horrible hot dogs and whether you can make sourdough out of anything.

Technical: Orange treacle puddings

Well, this was a turn up for the books. We’ve got some choice words for Paul Hollywood here, as we argue that the bakers may have been set up to fail with this particular challenge. Consider yourself roasted, PAUL.

Showstopper: Meringue bombes

After another slightly lacklustre challenge that we’re not totally sold on, we mourn the loss of a podcast fave and the quarter finalists are revealed…

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

•This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!

•Come and visit us on our website to get expert support for your running at womensrunning.co.uk

•Get your hands on our special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun

•Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!

•Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

•Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 169. New York, New York

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 19:30:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 169 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

New York marathon race report

Finally it’s race weekend! There is so much to talk about, that we’ve decided to do two podcasts about the weekend, starting with this one which details the boring bits, aka the running. In our next New York pod, we’ll chat about all the exciting bits – aka the food.

We talk about what it’s like to take on one of the biggest marathons in the world, from how to get there (which was far trickier than you might expect), to the race villages, to actually running the thing. We also, very importantly, chat about the best things we ate as part of the recovery. I ran the New York Marathon with Sports Tours International which offers brilliant running packages with guaranteed entries to the biggest races in the world, and it also puts on a pretty spectacular after party too. Right – enough of that, let’s get into it…

Lovely extra bits

Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
I ran the New York Marathon with Sports Tours International which offers brilliant running packages with guaranteed entries to the biggest races in the world
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 6. Bake Off Special

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 09:00:23 GMT

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch this week's episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 6: Botanicals Week

We are properly confused at what constitutes a botanical, but on we march – apparently spices are allowed, and so we turn neatly on to…

Signature: Spiced buns

Esther and Holly are in raptures at the flavours here; pretty much all the bakers do average to spot on, with some notable exceptions. Matty’s hot cross buns are a bit rubbish, Dan’s buns contain saffron – we debate its merits.

Technical: Lemon & Thyme drizzle cake

It’s a Holly fave right here. She would have hoovered up every single one, and Esther would have gladly let her. Tasha is in trouble, Cristy is showing her stripes.

Showstopper: Floral

A mixed bag! But we are overwhelmed by some of the talent on display here. Not so much Matty’s, but we love him, so we’ll let it pass. We’re choked at the loss of a fave. Next week: Desserts!

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Come and visit us on our website to get expert support for your running at womensrunning.co.uk
Come to our Live Podcast event on 9th November at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper chats and a mega goody bag
Get your hands on our special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories
Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 168. NY Marathon, race day prep, Halloween

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 20:18:13 GMT

Welcome to episode 168 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

This episode is sponsored by Randox Health. Use the code RUN10 to get 10% off in-clinic and home health tests.

New York Marathon

I’ve got lots of scary thoughts about the New York marathon, which is happening this weekend. Holly has lots of lovely tips from listeners as well as the experts to make me feel less scared.

Spooky running

Plus we have some chat about Halloween, obviously, which is what we all need, with some general confusion (and frantic googling) about whether everyone loves it as much as Hol.

Join us!

Big news! We’re holding a live event on the evening of 9th November in Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station. It’s all about how to run with a smile on your face, we’ve got a special guest in the shape of Jenni Falconer, and we have jam-packed goody bags for everyone. There will also be WINE. Come along, join us for 10K tips you won’t get anywhere else, and have some chats with us and Jenni! Buy tickets from Eventbrite, and search for Women's Running to get your ticket!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Randox Health. Use the code RUN10 to get 10% off in-clinic and home health tests.
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Come to our Live Podcast event at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper good chats and a goody bag
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 5. Bake Off Special

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 08:00:43 GMT

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch this week's episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 5: Pastry Week

Holly’s in her mourning clothes as we start pastry week, as we’re not happy with a double elimination. But let’s get into it: what are we baking this week?

Signature: Picnic pies

We issue a public apology to a baker we thought would be long gone by now and practice our pronunciation of spanakopita. We also get a Hollywood Handshake and discuss our favourite potato dishes.

Technical: Dauphinois Pithivier

It’s been a pithivier-heavy week at Women’s Running HQ, believe it or not. The bakers have us salivating, but we’re also questioning some potato prep methods here.

Showstopper: Sweet decorative pies

We’ve got a lot of opinions about fruit tarts, as it turns out. Two bakers’ fates are sealed and a dark horse takes Star Baker.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

• This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!

· Come and visit us on our website to get expert support for your running at womensrunning.co.uk

• Come to our Live Podcast event on 9th November at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper chats and a mega goody bag

• Get your hands on our special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun

• Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!

• Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 167. Run events, tapering, marathons

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:15:13 GMT

Welcome to episode 167 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Run events

In this episode we’re chatting to Lucy Wood from RunThrough events. RunThrough runs absolutely hundreds of events throughout the UK, and she’s here to talk to us about the stuff they’re doing to make their events more inclusive, more fun, and more available for women and for everyone of all abilities. We get to talk about race pricing, race t-shirts, and other controversial issues – such as calling races ‘events’ rather than races! Much better.

Marathon tapering

For the bits either side, we discuss Harry Potter accents – and after a good ten minutes, we get on to running. I’m struggling with the final weeks of training leading up to the NY marathon – even the tapering is HARD, and maranoia is setting in.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by U Perform
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Come to our Live Podcast event at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper good chats and a goody bag
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 4. Bake Off Special

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 09:59:22 GMT

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch this week's episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 4: Chocolate Week

It’s chocolate week, you little shrimps. And we start this episode by doing our best Brummie accents. You have been warned.

Signature: Chocolate torte

Buckle in baby, because we’ve got our dictionaries out and we’re going to be debating what really constitutes a torte. We also share our favourite flourless cake memories and pick our fave bake from the tent.

Technical: Caramelised white chocolate cheesecake

Esther is, unsurprisingly, horrified by this technical. Two bakers rise up the ranks while things start to look rocky for our reigning favourite. Another baker leaves the tent due to illness and we debate the GBBO protocol around this.

Showstopper: Chocolate box cake

Someone’s been doing something very dodgy with some raisins, as a shock ending has us dissecting the secrets of reality tv.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

· Come and visit us on our website to get expert support for your running at womensrunning.co.uk

• Come to our Live Podcast event on 9th November at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper chats and a mega goody bag

• Get your hands on our special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun

• Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!

• Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Get bonus content on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 166. Confidence tricks for race success

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 166 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Psychology tips

We have a treat for you this episode in the shape of the wonderful Josephine Perry, Sports Psychologist extraordinaire. As a friend of the pod, a previous guest, and our secret weapon at the Paris Half, she got in contact with us last week after listening to the episode where I confessed a lack of confidence ahead of the New York Marathon.

Marathon tricks

So she’s here to teach us all some tricks to keep us going not only in the last weeks of training, but on the day itself – because as we all know the struggle is very often in our minds rather than our legs. Warning: I’m a snivelling wreck by the end. But her advice is a godsend for anyone facing a big goal, and really easy to do at home.

Join us!

Big news! We’re holding a live event on the evening of 9th November in Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station. It’s all about how to run a 10K with a smile on your face, we’ve got a special guest in the shape of the wonderful Jenni Falconer, and we have jam-packed goody bags for everyone filled with running treats. There will also be WINE. Come along, join us for 10K tips you won’t get anywhere else, and have some chats with us and Jenni! Buy tickets from Eventbrite, and search for Women's Running to get your ticket!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by U Perform
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!
Come to our Live Podcast event at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper good chats and a goody bag
Get your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 3. Bake Off Special

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 08:32:03 GMT

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch this week's episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 3: Bread Week

We kick Bread Week off by asking ourselves why everyone is so deeply obsessed with Paul Hollywood. Sorry, Paul, we’re just big Prue fans over here. Anyway, let’s see how the bakers get on with trying to impress the supposed Bread King himself.

Signature: Cottage loaf

Did the producers pick this challenge just so we’d be forced to watch a dozen shots of people plunging two fingers into a dough hole? We certainly think so. Two bakers start to look a bit worried and we have our first glass breakage of the series.

Technical: Devonshire Split

Sorry, but the less said about this the better. Unfortunately, we didn’t take this advice while recording, resulting in quite a bit of below-the-belt chat.

Showstopper: Plaited bread

We’ve got words to eat as well as loaves here, listeners. It’s bye bye to a baker we thought would make it to the bitter end.

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

• This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout!

· Come and visit us on our website to get expert support for your running at womensrunning.co.uk

• Come to our Live Podcast event on 9th November at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper chats and a mega goody bag

• Get your hands on our special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun

• Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!

• Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 165. Cancer and running

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 08:13:33 GMT

Welcome to episode 165 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

5K Your Way

We’ve got a sandwich episode for you this episode. We’re bookending the wonderful Lucy Gossage here. Lucy is an oncologist (and a superstar triathlete) on a mission to debunk the myth that “rest is best” for people undergoing cancer treatment. Five years ago, she founded 5K Your Way, as part of Move Charity, which encourages people undergoing treatment to work towards and complete 5K in whatever way works for them. Here she talks about how the campaign started, and some stories of people who have benefitted from it along the way.

Couch to 5K

Holly and I rattle on about Holly’s return to Couch to 5K, and my exhaustion with marathon training. We address the age-old controversy of jogging at traffic lights, before reminding you of an important date in the Pod Squad calendar – our 10K special evening out. November 9th! Buy tickets! See you there!

Lovely extra bits

This episode is sponsored by Baby Jogger, who make extremely good running buggies!
Find out about Move Charity and how to take part in, or support, you nearest 5K Your Way
Subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout! (They're different from the Pod Squad ones, promise!)
Come to our Live Podcast event at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper good chats and a goody bag
Get your hands on our brand new special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt! And ensure you tell everyone it’s nothing to do with Love is Blind
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 1. Bake Off Special

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 08:00:39 GMT

Welcome to the Women’s Running podcast: a very special Bake Off edition. We’re your hosts, Esther Newman and Holly Taylor, and usually you can find us chatting about life and running – though, let’s be honest, it’s mostly the life bit. Every year we get terribly overexcited for the Great British Bake Off and discuss it at length on the pod. Despite being total failures at baking ourselves, we’ve decided that we simply have far too much to say about the show – so here we are, turning it into its own spin off so we can dissect each episode properly. We’ll be chatting about all the highs and lows from the Bake Off tent, playing total favourites and slagging off bakes we could never dream of producing ourselves. Whether you run while you listen, bake while you listen, or neither – enjoy this extra little morsel!

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch the opening episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 1: Cake Week

We start this week by discussing the merits of the now traditional Great British Bit that seems to start each new series. Do we really need to see Noel Fielding in a fedora? Discuss. We also share our thoughts on new host Alison Hammond and pick our early frontrunners.

Signature: Vertical cakes

…And they’re off! The first task of the series is underway. We chat about which baker’s offering we’d scoff and get to know this year’s cohort.

Technical: Bake Off cake

Well, wasn’t this a joy? We debate the first controversy of the season: what to do about the missing raspberry.

Showstopper: Animal cakes

There’s plenty of beaver chat here, as we say goodbye to our first baker – who we were already a bit obsessed with. How are we going to cope?

Join us!

If you LOVE this podcast, become part of our Pod Squad on Patreon, where you can get involved in live zoom calls with us, weekly newsletters and an exclusive Discord community for friendly chat and support. Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning.

Extra bits

This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – join now for a FREE Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Quote X23WRPOD at the checkout! (They're different from the Pod Squad ones!)
Visit womensrunning.co.uk for expert advice and support
Come to our Live Podcast event on 9th November at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper good chats and a goody bag
Get your hands on our brand new special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.com/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 2. Bake Off Special: Biscuit week

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 08:00:12 GMT

Welcome to the Women’s Running podcast: a very special Bake Off edition. We’re your hosts, Esther Newman and Holly Taylor, and usually you can find us chatting about life and running – though, let’s be honest, it’s mostly the life bit. Every year we get terribly overexcited for the Great British Bake Off and discuss it at length on the pod. Despite being total failures at baking ourselves, we’ve decided that we simply have far too much to say about the show – so here we are, turning it into its own spin off so we can dissect each episode properly. We’ll be chatting about all the highs and lows from the Bake Off tent, playing total favourites and slagging off bakes we could never dream of producing ourselves. Whether you run while you listen, bake while you listen, or neither – enjoy this extra little morsel!

SPOILER ALERT: Of course, this episode is chock full of spoilers. What did you expect? Go and watch Tuesday night’s episode before listening!

Bake Off series 14 episode 2: Biscuit Week

It’s Biscuit Week, and we’re answering some hard-hitting questions. Tea cake or wagon wheel? Custard cream or Bourbon? It’s the cutting-edge journalism you turned in for. Plus, we fall in love with the entire cast and make our predictions for which baker is on the rocks this week.

Signature: Marshmallow biscuits

Ding ding, it’s our first Hollywood Handshake of series 14! Listen up to hear our thoughts, as well as which marshmallow biscuit we would have chosen for our snack of choice.

Technical: Custard Creams

We discuss the merits of the humble biscuit selection box and remember some classic childhood biscuit moments. Meanwhile, the bakers are ranked according to their Custard Creams and we have our first Big Controversy of the series.

Showstopper: Realistic biscuit foods

A battle of the tomatoes has us calling for justice for one baker – and our dreams are crushed once more as another of the Class of 2023 are sent home.

Join us!

Become part of our Pod Squad on Patreon, where you can get involved in live zoom calls with us, newsletters and an exclusive community for friendly chat and support from like-minded runners! Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning.

Extra bits

This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – join today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Quote X23WRPOD!
Come and visit womensrunning.co.uk
Come to our Live Podcast event on 9th November at Sweaty Betty for proper chats and a mega goody bag
Get your hands on our new magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorun
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt!
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.com/womensrunning
Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 164. Marathons, training, New York

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 21:15:09 GMT

Welcome to episode 164 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. We are both firmly average runners who don’t take life, or running, too seriously. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Now that Vitality 10K is a million miles away, we’re back to real life. And real life means we’re knackered, we’re hating September, and we are overwhelmed by Marathon training which is taking over our lives.

New York Marathon

In terms of our training, we have news from the New York marathon about a change in policy, which will interest any of you currently in the last few weeks of training.

We also have a couple of lovely letters to cheer us all up in the last throes of marathon training. Meanwhile, if any of you native New Yorkers or frequent fliers have any New York recommendations, we would love to hear them! Please email us!

Big new podcast news

In some very big news, we have a brand new extra podcast coming out for you guys, all about BAKE OFF! Niche, we know, but we thought you guys would love it. Should be ready for you this weekend! And it’s for everyone!

Join us!

Lovely extra bits

This is a VERY good time to subscribe to Women’s Running – join us today and you’ll get a FREE exclusive Women’s Running technical tee worth £35! Use the code X23WRPOD at the checkout! (They're different from the Pod Squad ones, promise!)
Come to our Live Podcast event at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper good chats and a mega goody bag
Get your hands on our brand new special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / Extras
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt! And ensure you tell everyone it’s nothing to do with Love is Blind
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 163. 10K training & race day joy

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 09:53:28 GMT

Welcome to episode 163 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. We are both firmly average runners who don’t take life, or running, too seriously. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

London Vitality 10K

This episode is about one thing – London Vitality 10,000, which we ran at the weekend with absolutely shedloads of you, our glorious Pod Squad. It was a joyous, emotional, incredible experience – and to be honest, we weren’t really prepared for how many of you would turn up, but turn up you did, and we have a lot of memories and thoughts and joy, and we try to keep on the tracks to tell you all about it.

Except of course we don’t stay on the tracks, so we talk about hotel breakfasts and peanut butter and not being able to go to the loo.

If you weren’t able to make it this weekend, we promise we’ll do another event as soon as we have the strength to do so. Oh and do listen in to the end for a spot of expert dream analysis if you ever wanted to know what dreams about public loos meant!

Join us!

Ep 162. 10K training and race day tips

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 162 of the Women’s Running Podcast. Your hosts Esther Newman and Holly Taylor are both firmly average runners who don’t take life, or running, too seriously. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Today, we’re recording in person! Which is quite exciting, but a bit odd. We start by talking skanky university behaviour, with some next level tips on student cookery and some discussion on some sadly defunct fashion retailers.

London Vitality 10,000

Then it’s the main event – we’re taking on the London Vitality 10,000 this weekend, on September 24th. If you’re coming along, please join us by wearing a blue top if you have one, so we can look like a proper colour co-ordinated gang.

10K training tips

Ahead of the Vitality, we look at some 10K training tips and also some things to bear in mind in the last week before the race.

Special 10K magazine

To help with all of that, we have just launched our brand new special edition of Women’s Running, which is called How To Run 10K – and we are *so* proud of it! It’s everything you need if you want to run 10K for the first time, or you want to run your fastest ever PB – it’s all in there! And along with that we’ve got our first bit of merch in the shape of Pod Squad tees. Go to shop.womensrunning.co.uk and head to Extras for tees, and Single Issues for the mag.

Join us!

By the way, if you LOVE this podcast, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon, where you can get involved in live zoom calls with us, weekly newsletters and a chat room all for you. If you’re part of our Cheer Squad, you can watch these podcasts on actual video! Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning.

Lovely extra bits

Get your hands on our brand new special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Buy a Pod Squad t-shirt! It's at shop.womensrunning.co.uk - just go to EXTRAS
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 161. 10K training, race reports, stress dream reality

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 21:23:20 GMT

In this episode, we talk about September stresses and, forgive us, but we’re already chatting about Christmas. Esther has a race report, as she ran the New Forest half marathon at the weekend. We chat about what it’s like to run a smaller race – compared with, say, the Great North Run which was happening on the same day.

10k training

We also talk about the London Vitality 10,000, happening on September 24th, and what to wear when we run – if you’re coming, we’re asking Pod Squadders to wear blue, if you can, so that we can spot each other and look like a gang. We’re wearing our Pod Squad tees – which you can pick up at shop.womensrunning.co.uk.

New running magazine

And all this 10K chat leads us to our very Big Reveal, that from the 20th September you will be able to buy a a Special Edition of Women’s Running, which is snappily titled How To Run 10K with Esther & Holly. Look out for it wherever you buy the mag, or you can also pick it up from shop.womensrunning.co.uk (perhaps when you’re treating yourself to a tee). Our 10K special is full of brilliant advice and lots of silliness – and it’ll make the perfect gift for a running buddy, or you!

Join us!

If you LOVE this podcast – and of course you do, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon. Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning.

Lovely extra running bits

Fancy running a 10K? We’ve bought out a special magazine to help with that – out next week! And from the same place you can also check out our brand new Pod Squad tees. Go to shop.womensrunning.co.uk and head to Extras for tees, and Single Issues for the mag.
Sign up to one of the New Forest races in 2024: https://www.newforestmarathon.co.uk/home/#top
Pick up your FREE tickets to the National Running Show 2024 by going to https://nationalrunningshow.com and popping ANTHEM in the big code box when it asks you to
Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Pick up a copy of Women's Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 160. UTMB, interval training, race nightmares

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 19:09:18 GMT

Welcome to episode 160 of the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor. We are both firmly average runners who don’t take life, or running, too seriously. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

UTMB

We’ve had a bazillion technical difficulties, and here we are on Zoom, which feels very 2020. As ever, bear with. Holly has had a very exciting week, hanging out with the ultra runners in Chamonix. She’s had a whale of a time, swooning at the stars, and enjoying the Courtney superfans, and she even ran!

And on that subject – we talk a LOT in this episode about running. I know, who even are we?

Pod Squad running

Next on the list is the London Vitality 10,000, which is quickly going to be upon us, and we want to chat about any worries about pace, and to employ our brand new hashtag – Plod Squad! We don’t want anyone to feel awful or anxious – we can walk it with you!

Interval training

I talk about the training sessions I’ve been doing as part of my marathon training, which have been hugely hard for me – especially so because I’ve never really done any training like this before. Turns out intervals are TOUGH.

Race nightmares

And then we’re on to stress dreams ahead of races – ours seem to revolve around missing the start of the race, or trying to find a loo. What are yours? Let us know please at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk, if only to make sure we don’t feel like idiots.

Join us!

By the way, if you LOVE this podcast – and of course you do, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon, where you can get involved in live zoom calls with us, weekly newsletters and a chat room all for you. If you’re part of our Cheer Squad, you can watch these podcasts on actual video! Fancy that! Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning.

Lovely extra running bits

Pick up your FREE tickets to the National Running Show 2024 by going to https://nationalrunningshow.com and popping ANTHEM in the big code box when it asks you to
Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 159. Pelvic floors, hormones, race anxiety

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 18:33:45 GMT

Welcome to episode 159 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor. We are both firmly average runners who don’t take life, or running, too seriously. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Pelvic floors

We have our Kate with us again this episode. This week, we’re chatting pelvic floor exercises, time-poor training plans, and returning to fitness after having a break.

Hormone testing

When we’re not talking to Kate, we’re talking about home health testing kits to measure our hormones, with a bit of chat about blood donation. If you’re anything like Dave, right here is a massive trigger warning if you hate blood and needles!

Race anxiety

An excellent email from a listener sparks big chats about race panics and anxiety. We talk about our own race experiences, and how to try and differentiate between anxiety and race anxiety – what’s normal and not normal, and how the feelings we have in races can really put us off racing altogether. We have a few amateur tips on what to do if you’ve been spooked in your first race, in order to take on your next one feeling more confident. But there’s no pressure to run in races! If you just don’t like racing, you really don’t need to do it to prove anything to yourself or us. You are still a runner! And, we suspect, a very good one that knows your own mind and everything.

Join us!

Lovely extra running bits

We’ve been taking our home health tests through Randox.
Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us! Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Check out Sports Tours International to find your next race!
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 158. Pregnancy, marathon training, technical runs

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 18:56:10 GMT

Welcome to episode 158 of the Women’s Running Podcast. Esther and Holly are both firmly average runners who don’t take life, or running, too seriously. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

Pregnancy and running

Trigger warning: pregnancy, postnatal depression and mental health. In this episode, we invite our friend and colleague Kate Sellers on to chat to us about pre and postnatal training, as she’s a PT and she’s just had a baby – perfect combo. She talks about the importance of core strength during pregnancy – something that’s weirdly overlooked. And she talks through her training during her pregnancy. She also talks very honestly about her experiences with something called Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex.

Marathon training

Before and after that, Holly and I chat about my marathon training, using running apps, and technical training runs. We also have chats about injuries, as I’ve got a couple of niggles, which obviously I’m pretty worried about.

Emails from the Pod Squad

Importantly, though, we have some emails from you guys, which means we can revisit parakeets, running in the media, and the “other sports are rubbish” thing, which obviously we LOVE. Plus, additional extra chat on the legend that is Bullseye.

Join us!

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Check out Sports Tours International to find your next race!
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 157. Holiday running, 10Ks, marathon training

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 21:28:53 GMT

We are back from our holidays! Holly has been swanning about in luxury, and has lots to talk about, but as an over-thinker we still manage to circle back to the busyness of our brains.

Holiday running

We talk about our various holidays, and I’ve actually done a bit of holiday running, so there’s even something relevant to talk about. And the reason that I’ve been keeping up with it is because of some Big News.

New York Marathon

Very excitingly, Holly and I are off to New York in November with Sports Tours International for me to run the marathon and Holly to support me and tell you guys how it’s going. So I’ve needed to keep an eye on that mileage as a result.

London Vitality 10,000

We also talk about the London Vitality 10K and Hol’s training, which she’s worried about. We talk about running apps, training plans, and how to keep our heads on the right track (as well as our feet).

Join us!

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Check out Sports Tours International to find your next race!
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 156. IBS, hay fever, racing solo

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 21:19:38 GMT

Welcome to episode 156 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor. We are both firmly average runners who don’t take life, or running, too seriously. On this podcast we talk about health, politics, stuff on TV and what we ate last night. Occasionally, we talk about running.

IBS, hay fever, endo

In this episode, we have a super useful chat with our resident health expert Juliet McGrattan who answers all our questions about IBS, hay fever and endometriosis.

Anxiety management

Before and after that little Woman in Stem section, Holly and I talk about CBT (that’s cognitive behavioural therapy), and some of the things that Holly has been doing to manage her anxiety. We also talk about unexpected wildlife in Hyde Park, and favourite underground lines. Somehow this moves into some very shaky knowledge of history, so we need to stop talking a long time before we do.

Racing solo

Plus, there’s some stuff on awkward poo situations, sunscreen and running races solo – something that’s been popping off on our Discord chat. As soon as you’re a patron you can hop on that chat and find out what everyone’s talking about!

Join us!

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Buy Juliet McGrattan’s book Run Well – honestly, it’s the only book about running injuries and niggles you’ll ever need
Solarsport – lovely sunscreen perfect for runners
Follow the Folding Lady!
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 155. Chub rub, periods, the media

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:06:06 GMT

Holly’s had a lovely non-running weekend, because why not, and the discussion of which moves on to the necessity of chub rub shorts in warmer weather, and for posh dos. Holly’s favourites are Snag, we can also recommend Runderwear for both running in, and wearing under posh frocks.

Running and periods

TW: Miscarriage, pregnancy and fertility. This episode, we talk to the lovely Dr Juliet McGrattan, our resident health expert, about periods, fertility and running, including some super valuable stuff on training to your period cycle.

Media representation

After Juliet, we discuss a lovely letter by an actual MAN. But then I want to talk about a controversy that’s potentially of my making. On the hunt for some info about specific runners, I made the realisation that our running world is unfairly reported on in the media. We discuss this and get ourselves properly cross in the process.

Join us!

By the way, if you LOVE this podcast – and of course you do, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon. From just £2 a month, you’ll have access to our Discord chat room, free chats on zoom with me and Hol, weekly newsletters and silly videos and all sorts. Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning. Now, let’s get on with it...

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Buy Juliet McGrattan’s book Run Well – honestly, it’s the only book about running injuries and niggles you’ll ever need
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 154. Menopause, therapy, big goals

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 18:00:48 GMT

Welcome to episode 154 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor. We’ve got a menopause special this episode, with a smashing chat with our resident health expert Dr Juliet McGrattan at the halfway point about all things menopause and running.

Menopause

We chat to her about the good things about menopause, and also what happens to us and our fitness during perimenopause and beyond. We also chat about nutrition and RED-S, as something we should all be aware of.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Before and after that bit of essential listening, Holly and I chat randomly, as ever, about anxiety, CBT, and which character in Harry Potter we are - we value your opinions on this, but if truth be told, suggesting Crabbe and Goyle may not win you many house points. Fred and George will get you 50, obviously.

Big running goals

We also have an update on Holly’s Couch to 5K journey, taking on a big goal when you’re heading for an important birthday, and I get to sound off about being sensorial assaults, if that’s even a thing. I’ve just made it a thing. Do other runners have this, or is it just me?

Join us!

By the way, if you LOVE this podcast – and of course you do, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon. From just £2 a month, you’ll have access to our exclusive Discord chat room, there are free chats on zoom with me and Hol, weekly newsletters and silly videos and all sorts. Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning. Now, let’s get on with it...

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Buy Juliet McGrattan’s book Run Well – honestly, it’s the only book about running injuries and niggles you’ll ever need
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 153. Couch to 5K, mental health, HRT

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 18:31:07 GMT

Welcome to episode 153 of the Women’s Running podcast. Holly has just completed her first run on the Couch to 5K app, and she is giddy with it. She had felt some trepidation to begin with, but thoroughly enjoyed the experience and is looking forward to all her next runs.

Mental health

Because it’s us, we talk about mental health and anxiety, just cos that’s the way we roll, and it wouldn’t be a proper episode if we didn’t.

HRT updates

Then there are some more HRT updates, courtesy of me, my lovely GP, and all the bits I’ve been prescribed, plus reactions to those. I would love to know if this resonates with any of you! I’ve moved from patches to gel, and will obviously report back on my findings!

Sex education

And then in our new pop culture section, we get hot under the collar about some things in the news recently about sex education in schools. We also have a chat about Caitlin Moran and potentially problematic interviews that she’s been giving, and so we have a bit of a rant about that, and feel hugely better as a result.

Join us!

By the way, if you LOVE this podcast – and of course you do, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon. From just £2 a month, you’ll have access to our exclusive Discord chat room, there are free chats on zoom with me and Hol, weekly newsletters and silly videos and all sorts. Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning. Now, let’s get on with it...

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 152 Perimenopause, running apps, Bad Boy part 1

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 06:42:26 GMT

Welcome to episode 152 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she is your other host, Holly Taylor. We have a sandwich episode for you, in the shape of a second chunk of Bad Boy Running nonsense in the middle of the usual chat.

Bad Boy Running

David and Jody join us to talk about the things that happen in men’s loos (because we all want to know) as well as things that men can do to not make women runners feel anxious. It’s a very sweary mary section, and I’m too scared for this to be the moment we drop a C-bomb, so granny can stay in the room.

Perimenopause

With Holly and I, we start with a brief foray into the world of Boules – I mean, it’s still a sport, right? I’ve got an update with the whole HRT thing so I talk about lovely GPs and starting on the beginner journey as a baby perimenopausal person.

Running apps

After a Bad Boy pause and some evil swan discussion, we focus on running coaches and whether we should give ourselves up to a greater being, and chat about using something like Garmin Connect or Runna to help us get to the finish line of our next races.

We also return to a couple of issues we’ve talked about on previous eps: namely, headphones and hay fever, with updates on both, including a link between hay fever symptoms and hormones. Who’d be a woman, eh?

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Go and listen to the Bad Boy Running podcast! They are FUN!
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 151. Menopause, hay fever, Bad Boys

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 151 of the Women’s Running podcast with your hosts Esther Newman and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. This is a sandwich episode, with the usual chats either side a chunk of something else. This time, the chunk is our crossover podcast with David Hellard and Jody Rainsford from the Bad Boy Running Podcast., who we were invited to drink beers with and record a chaotic podcast with. This, you’ll be pleased to hear, is part 1 of 2!

Decision running

Before we chat to them however, we’ve got lots to discuss by ourselves. Esther brings up the idea of going on a “make a decision” run. Did it work? Yes it did. A decision has been made.

Menopause

Possibly related to that, we have a bit of menopausal chat – in this instance, it’s about symptoms, and not knowing if we have enough of them.

Hay fever

And then after fun chats with Bad Boy Running, we are back in the room with an email from a listener, who asks us about Hay Fever and running, which is a huge thing for many of us at the moment, and that also leads on to some asthma chat. We would love to know your thoughts and experiences with both these conditions – is it bad for you too this year?

Come and join us!

By the way, if you LOVE this podcast – and of course you do, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon. From just £2 a month, you’ll have access to our exclusive Discord chat room, there are free chats on zoom with me and Hol, weekly newsletters and silly videos and all sorts. Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning. Now, let’s get on with it...

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Go and listen to the Bad Boy Running podcast! They are FUN!
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 150. 10 training and self care

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 150 of the Women’s Running podcast. Esther Newman and Holly Taylor, your hosts, begin this episode talking about parenting guilt, self care, trying to impress our other halves with taking the bins out, and feminism.

10K training

We also talk about training for a 10K. Holly is concerned it might be harder than a half – as it’s supposedly faster than a half marathon. And she’s never run a 10K race! So we launch into how we should train for it, and how we should frame it in order to not give us any worries beforehand.

London Vitality 10K

We talk about the London Vitality 10,000 and how we can all run it together and meet up afterwards, and how we can successfully run it and celebrate each other without any pressure.

Come and join us!

By the way, if you LOVE this podcast – and of course you do, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon. From just £2 a month, you’ll have access to our exclusive Discord chat room, there are free chats on zoom with me and Hol, weekly newsletters and silly videos and all sorts. Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning.

99p bargain

And BIG NEWS. You know we also do a very brilliant actual magazine? Well you can get your hands on your very first copy for just 99p – 99p! Because you’re our pod squad and we love you. Just go to shop.womensrunning.co.uk, and enter PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code, and there you go. Isn’t that lovely?

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!
Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!
Pick up a copy of Women’s Running for just 99p! Pop in PODCAST when it asks you for a promotion code at shop.womensrunning.co.uk
Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning
Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving
Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 149. Slow running, parkrun and controversy

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 21:46:17 GMT

Welcome to episode 149 of the Women’s Running Podcast, hosted by Esther Newman and Holly Taylor. We have a lot to talk about this episode, not least a bunch of unrelated stuff about online shopping and game shows that we’ve packed off into an extra podcast for everyone on the Cheer Squad tier on Patreon (patreon.co.uk/womensrunning). Coming soon!

80/20 running

For the rest of us, we’re talking about the 80/20 method and how that’s working out for us – again we’re finding the easier running very lovely indeed, but the hard stuff a bit too much like hard work. We clearly need a goal!

Parkrun

We also talk about our return to parkrun, and what that experience was like while we were running it, and also on receipt of our parkrun email a little later on.

Shorts

And we address the elephant in the room, and the fuss we kicked up in the last episode about people who wear (or don’t wear) shorts. There’s a bit to discuss here, and some body appreciation and neutrality and loathing to unpack and unpick.

By the way, if you LOVE this podcast – and of course you do, there is a way to get more Holly and Esther nonsense, and that’s by becoming part of our Pod Squad on Patreon. From just £2 a month, you’ll have access to our exclusive Discord chat room, there are free chats on zoom with me and Hol, weekly newsletters and silly videos and all sorts. Come and join us at patreon.com/womensrunning.

Women's Running wave at London Vitality 10,000

And do please join the Women’s Running Wave this September 24th and run London Vitality 10,000 with us!

Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave to run a gorgeous 10K with us by your side and cheering you on! We can’t wait!

Lovely extra running bits

This episode is sponsored by the NSPCC. Join TeamNSPCC and take on the legendary Cardiff Half Marathon on 1st October. Join today at nspcc.org.uk/cardiffhalf and enter RADIO when prompted to register for just £1.

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!

Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!

Subscribe to Women’s Running now and you’ll save a third off the cover price! That’s at shop.womensrunning.co.uk

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 148. Slow running and Garmin hacks

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 21:07:46 GMT

Welcome to episode 148 of the Women’s Running podcast. Because it’s pretty hot right now, and layers are being discarded, we launch into body positivity – or at least the wish for body neutrality that we both want.

Slow running

We’re also still talking about slow running, as that’s been a topic of interest since our last podcast. Esther has attempted to follow an 80/20 plan this past week, and she has some thoughts on that.

Garmin hacks

After our usual random chat, we introduce the lovely Anne Quick, Business Development Manager for Garmin. We asked her on because we wanted to ask her loads of sports watch related questions including, what is V02 max, how does Garmin work it out, and what are the things that can impact the score. We also chatted about a bunch of other clever bits that can help our running and wider lives, from the Training Readiness feature to breathing exercises.

The 80/20 method

Once we’re back in the room, we get back to our running efforts over the past week or so, and what we’re going to do going forwards to try and improve that Vo2 max score. Plus we’ve got a lovely listener email, some exciting new SPF bits to try (that don’t sting), and we’re very naughty on Instagram Stories.

Women's Running wave at London Vitality 10,000

Do join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!

Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!

Lovely extra running bits

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!

Just go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk and enter the Women’s Running wave!

Subscribe to Women’s Running now and you’ll save a third off the cover price! That’s at shop.womensrunning.co.uk

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning

Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford. Search Anthem on Justgiving

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Fabulous non-stinging SPF perfect for runners here https://colorescienceuk.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 147. Slow running, endurance, wild swimming

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:10:45 GMT

Welcome to episode 147 of the Women’s Running Podcast. We get straight into it this week with a spot of imposter syndrome, which is something both Esther and Holly feel a *lot*, especially when it comes to running.

Slow running

We then charge into the idea of slow running and how it can affect our pace and endurance and our health much more positively than the usual running we do, which tends to be staying vaguely in heart rates zone 3 and 4. We discuss how hard this it is to run slower.

Better recovery

And we also discuss the concept of slow running making our harder/faster running better – because if we’ve recovered well, we can basically put in more effort on those technical sessions.

Wild swimming

Other than that, Holly has been exploring wild swimming as a cross training activity and thoroughly enjoyed herself, but the end result has been less than brilliant.

London Vitality 10,000

And here’s a quick reminder for the event of the year. We want you to come and run with us at the London Vitality 10,000 this year on Sunday September 24th. We have our very own Women’s Running Wave, which means we can all run together, and there’s enough space for everyone. There’ll be a special meet and greet area just for us in the park, so we’ll be able to chat with you before and after the run, and we can all celebrate together.

We can’t wait to run with you!

Links

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!

Big long clicky link here just in case:

https://www.letsdothis.com/gb/checkout/ticket?eventId=18139&reservationCode=re_w37-cc3zed54&utm_organiser_id=29443

Subscribe to Women’s Running now and you’ll save a third off the cover price!

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord!

Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford.

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 146. Hot running, alcohol and anxiety

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 08:47:24 GMT

This episode is brought to you by the triple whammy that is hot running, half term juggling and booze.

Running in the summer

Now that the sun's out, we talk about sunscreen and sweat, and finding the elusive sun block that doesn’t sting. We also talk about dehydration in the heat, and how to prevent that, which brings us neatly to our next point.

Running and alcohol

We talk about managing moderate drinking and training, and how that’s tricky especially in the summer when you may have more social engagements. We also talk about the effect that booze can have on our health and our lifestyles, and also on our running. We also touch on running and anxiety and depression, and that link between alcohol and our mental health.

Running and juggling

I then have a small whinge about running and juggling time, as it’s half term and it is HARD to do these things. Esther copes a little bit by planning ahead and putting timed slots in my diary. That’s just one way of doing it, there are others! Also, as Holly says, you don’t have to run!

London Vitality 10,000

Lastly, we have a big announcement. We want you to come and run with us at the London Vitality 10,000 this year on Sunday September 24th. We want you to come and run with us – and we have our very own Women’s Running Wave, which means we can all run together, and there’s enough space for everyone. There’ll be a special meet and greet area just for us in the park, so we’ll be able to chat with you before and after the run, and we can all celebrate together.

We can’t wait to run with you!

Links

Join the Women’s Running Wave and run Vitality 10,000 with us!

Big long clicky link here just in case:

https://www.letsdothis.com/gb/checkout/ticket?eventId=18139&reservationCode=re_w37-cc3zed54&utm_organiser_id=29443

Subscribe to Women’s Running now and you’ll save a third off the cover price!

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord!

Please continue to donate whatever you can to our fundraiser for the Trussell Trust – Holly and I ran 5K and donated £5, but you can give whatever you can afford.

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 145. Injuries, anxiety and chiropractors

Wed, 24 May 2023 20:42:22 GMT

Welcome to episode 145 of the Women’s Running podcast. We start this issue talking injuries! A runner’s favourite subject, right?

Running injuries

We’re chatting about all the injuries that we’re suffering from, and most of them have been on Esther’s hit list: from runner’s knee to ITB irritations, weird toe things, and a pulled quad. Plus, also, as ever, lower back issues. A catalogue of running disasters.

Running injury cures

But we come bearing good news, because Esther has been to the chiropractor and feels like a new woman. Perhaps not 100% cured but almost nearly, so we have lots of thoughts and feelings about that, exploring the concept of traditional vs alternative medicine.

Mental health and running

Then along with all the different physical injuries we’ve been suffering from, we’ve also got a bit of anxiety chat cos Holly’s been having a bit of a crappy week as far as that’s concerned.

We also, you’ll be pleased to hear, manage to segue between how much we love routine into some pretty decent Harry Potter impressions. Really, honestly, there’s an enormous bit of content on Harry Potter here. Enjoy!

Get more from the Women's Running podcast!

Subscribe to Women’s Running now and you’ll save a third off the cover price!

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord!

Run 5K and donate 5K on May 28th, World Hunger Day

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 144. Eurovision, injuries, depression and control

Wed, 17 May 2023 21:42:55 GMT

Welcome to episode 144 of the Women’s Running Podcast with your hosts Esther Newman and Holly Taylor. In this episode, we delve into various topics, including Eurovision, running injuries, mental health, weight and running, and finding the balance between gentle and punishing running practices.

Eurovision Debrief

We start with Eurovision, because that’s the way we roll. Yes, we’re going to talk about running, but we need to prioritise here. Of *course* Holly is hugely invested in this, but it may come as a bit of a surprise that Esther is also a Mega Fan. We debrief the best bits from the weekend, and Holly gets a chance to do her very best “douze points”.

Running Injuries and Post-Marathon Recovery

Esther shares her struggle with a persistent running injury that has persisted since completing the London marathon. We explore the importance of post-race rest and care for our bodies.

The Impact of Running on Mental Health

Continuing the discussion, we delve into the relationship between running and mental health. Esther opens up about feeling down due to her running injury, emphasising the emotional toll it can take. We reflect on the need to prioritize mental well-being alongside physical fitness.

Weight, Body Image, and Anticipating Changes

One of the effects of not being able to run is the feeling of a lack of control and an increased tendency toward self-loathing as we anticipate changes in our bodies. We discuss strategies for maintaining a healthy mindset.

Running as Punishment and Finding Balance

We explore the concept of running as punishment and using food as a reward. Finding the right balance is essential, and and how we need to try and find that sweet spot between being too gentle and too punishing.

Ep 143. Injuries, healing and cross training

Wed, 10 May 2023 20:38:59 GMT

In this episode, we’ve moved on from training for a marathon, to recovery from that marathon, and ploughed straight into injuries.

Injury prevention

Esther has got a catalogue of them, and what we’re discussing here is, is it common to fall prey to injuries once you’ve completed a marathon – not in your training block, and not on the day itself, but afterwards, when you’re slowly beginning to start running again.

And it sounds like it’s a resounding yes, as many of you have already responded to on Instagram to say you’d had something similar – but we thought it was surprising that there doesn’t seem to be a lot online about it as a Thing.

Healing injuries

We talk about one method of healing post injury, which has been suggested – and that’s going to a chiropractor. We will of course report back, as we've now been persuaded that this might be the way to go in terms of preventing injuries in the future, particularly if they stem from bad backs.

Cross training

Speaking of backs and cross training, we chat about yoga and bootcamps and strength and mobility, all of which we need to upweight in order to prevent those annoying injuries.

Community

By the way do please subscribe and leave us a lovely review if you can, cos the last one that’s up there is MEAN – we discuss in detail.

Come and join us on Patreon so that you can join our lovely Pod Squad community in our exclusive chat room - which we’ve made just for you, so we can all discuss running and races, health and nutrition, and also all of that non-running stuff too.

Links

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration!

Get 15% off Precision Fuel & Hydration

The Fuel & Hydration Planner

How to measure your sweat rate

How to estimate how salty your sweat is

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 142. DOMs, recovery, new goals

Wed, 03 May 2023 21:57:39 GMT

In episode 142 of the Women’s Running Podcast, Esther and Holly talk about recovery and finding new joy in exercise regimes.

It’s a week after the London Marathon, and this episode is a load more joyful than episode 141, because Esther is no longer in huge physical and emotional pain! We talk about running and routines and how we discover ourselves again after we’ve achieving huge running goals like, for instance, a marathon.

Muscle soreness

We also discuss marathon recovery – you have to listen to Holly explain exactly how she goes to the loo after a race when the DOMs mean lowering on to a loo seat is the worst pain in the world.

Goals

We also chat about the concept of “one and done”. Just because you’ve run a big goal distance or race, that doesn’t mean you need to go on and do more of them, or longer distances. You can just stop! But if you’re able to, and you fancy it – it’s a great thing to continue to do. However you don’t have to carry on chasing goals if you don’t want to.

Community

Come and join us on Patreon so that you can join our lovely Pod Squad community in our exclusive chat room -which we’ve made just for you, so we can all chat about running and races, health and nutrition, and also all of that non-running stuff too (the important stuff).

Links

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration! You can get 15% off using the code WR2023! Go get ‘em.

Head over there, too, to find out How to carb load before your next race and to sort out all your nutrition with the clever Fuel & Hydration planner.

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Do join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 141. London Marathon, mental strategies, recovery

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 20:35:53 GMT

It’s time for the London Marathon debrief. At time of recording, it’s the morning after the day before, and Esther feels a bit broken.

London Marathon and recovery

We need to talk about marathon recovery here, which we’ll go into more next episode of the Women’s Running podcast, bearing in mind how blue many of us will feel in the days after a big race, for so many reasons.

Periods and hormones

And then, hormones. Because of one thing and another, Esther was running the day before her period. This, as we all know, is the very worst day of the month, and has at least served to answer questions around why she didn’t enjoy the day as much as she had wanted to. What are your experiences of running, periods and hormones?

Mental strategies

On the plus side, Esther had a lovely stay at the Westin London City the night before, and managed to actually sleep this time round. And another thing that worked was the mental strategies that she used during the race – it turns out it isn’t just your legs that get you round.

Links

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration. You can Get 15% off Precision Fuel & Hydration using the code WR2023

Go here too, with fuelling questions, such as are you fueling adequately to maintain health and performance?

And make sure you check out The Fuel & Hydration Planner

Esther stayed at the Weston London City: a beautiful, centrally located hotel perfect for runners!

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive behind-the-scenes newsletters and extra podcasts!

Find out what to do in the last week before a marathon

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 140. London Marathon taper, menopause symptoms & tactics

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 20:26:18 GMT

Welcome to episode 140 of the Women's Running Podcast, hosted by Esther Newman and Holly Taylor. In this episode, we discuss Holly's exciting weekend and hanxiety which leads us to talk about our usual state of generalised anxiety in the face of challenges, especially with the London Marathon just around the corner.

London Marathon Taper and Dealing with Anxiety

Esther shares her nervousness about the upcoming London Marathon and being in the taper phase, which involves less running and more eating (and more sleep, which she just remembered!). She talks about her fears and classic maranoia, trying to learn from last year's marathon mistakes, such as not thinking about food until a couple of days before the race. Esther also looks forward to post-marathon fun exercise, taking inspiration from Holly's approach.

Menopause Symptoms and Their Impact on Running

We also dive into the topic of perimenopausal symptoms and how they are affecting Esther's stress levels ahead of the London Marathon, particularly heavy periods and frequency. We discuss symptoms, periods, and tactics for managing them, sharing new insights that are news to both of us.

Sponsorship and useful links

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel and Hydration! Need help with your fuelling and hydration? Don’t we all! That’s where their Fuel & Hydration Planner comes in. Also they have the answer as to whether female athletes’ carbohydrate needs are different to mens’. AND while you’re thinking about it, you can get 15% off Precision Fuel & Hydration with the code WR2023 Boom.

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive behind-the-scenes newsletters and extra podcasts!

Find out what to do in the last week before a marathon

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 139. Run buddies, pet peeves, tapering

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 19:14:53 GMT

Today, we’ve got a couple of things to get off our respective chests, running-wise. We talk about how running with other people can be “unexpectedly good” for those of us who tend not to. We also chat about time management and my favourite topic, emotional load. You can get a lot more of this sort of thing if you subscribe to Women’s Running magazine btw, currently with a stupendous offer of 3 issues for the price of 2. Bargain.

Running hates

We also return to one of favourite ever previous sections on the podcast that we’ve not discussed for ages. It’s pet running peeves! Hurrah! This is only because I was stopped while I was out running by a tourist asking for directions. This drives me absolutely nuts! Possibly because I run around a tourist hotspot, and I’m more likely to be running around it than walking around, but it seems to me that I’m way more often asked for directions while I’m running than while I’m walking. I’ve even had cars stop alongside me to ask for directions while I’ve been running! It makes me so cross! So because we loved having that chat, we want more of your pet peeves please!

Tapering

We also talk about tapering, cos I’ve got London in about 9 days time and it’s filling all my waking thoughts, and all of my googling. There is some sensible advice about what we need to be doing in the last week before a marathon on the website, as Holly points out, thankfully.

And very quickly, do come and join us over on Patreon, as we’ve got our next Women’s Running Live next Wednesday 19th April at 7pm, exclusively for patrons. Come for chats!

Links

This episode is sponsored by Higher State! Head to their partner SportsShoes.com and use the code HSTWR20 to get yourself 20% off when you buy 2 Higher State things!

Do join us on Patreon to come along to our next Live event on Wednesday 19th April!

Find out what to do in the last week before a marathon

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 138. Derailed training, fasted running, emotional load

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 21:04:19 GMT

I start with the chaos in my life at the moment, and because that’s included a trip to A&E, I have a little weep within about five minutes. While it isn’t directly running related, it is something I wanted to talk about in the context of the emotional mental load that women so often carry. I’d be really interested to hear what you think about with. But It’s an important topic to discuss because the fact remains that we are the ones that carry the majority of that load, and how on earth do we train for a race, whether it’s 10K or a marathon, if we’re doing all of that?

Reality

But because I’ve had a rubbish week you have to forgive us as we then have a delicious conversation about reality TV. Holly is at pains to tell me that EVERYONE wants me to watch Love is Blind.

Fasted running

We also talk about fasted running. We’re both guilty of accidental fasted running, but we get into the logistics here, based on some very quick google research, on whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing to do. Obviously if it works for you, then that’s great, do let us know your thoughts please on this, and any other topics at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk.

Links

This episode is sponsored by Higher State! Head to their partner SportsShoes.com and use the code

HSTWR20 to get yourself 20% off when you buy 2 Higher State things!

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 137. Long runs, new goals, London Marathon, incontinence

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 137 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. We’ve got a lot to get through this episode, not least because of the reaction to my controversial parkrun comments last episode, so of course that means we spend the first 20 minutes discussing Oodies for kids and British Summer Time.

London Marathon

Then we truck on with some dedicated running chat. I’ve just completed my penultimate long run before the London Marathon – so we have thoughts about that, and there’s a small tangent off into stress incontinence. If you know, you know.

New goals

Holly discusses what she should train for next – should this be a 10K? Or a virtual thing? Or a cumulative thing? At the moment, she’s enjoying no pressure training, but we know that goals are our friend, so there are a few things to ponder here.

Parkrun

And then, of course, the parkrun controversy continues: we had a full mailbag this week with plenty of you weighing in on the debate. So we talk about your thoughts, and how we can create more of a non-competitive atmosphere for our weekly meet ups.

Links

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 136. Parkrun controversy, weird yoga men, magnesium

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 19:09:52 GMT

We launch into this episode with a dabble in what Holly’s been doing with her running, but then swiftly into a controversial topic: and that’s parkrun. And we want to know what you think: do you love it? Or are you a little more ambivalent?

Parkrun ponderings

Don’t get me wrong here, we both know how brilliant parkrun is, it’s bloody wonderful and it has singlehandedly persuaded countless people to move their bodies and to enjoy the feeling of running who wouldn’t otherwise have done so – and it’s a great way to celebrate running your first 5K. But, the run-not-a-race thing is the bit I have an issue with, as it can feel really competitive – and that’s great for a lot of people, but not necessarily for all of us. Holly, for one, didn’t like having stats sent to her – she suggests an option to opt in and out of those stats. Maybe that could be a thing.

Weird personalities

We then talk about our different personality types AGAIN (this is endlessly fascinating for us, I’m afraid) and the ways in which we fulfil smalltalk. We end on magnesium (one of the supplements it’s often suggested we take), something I’ve been researching for whole actual minutes, so that you don’t have to. We talk about the benefits for women and runners. Yes it’s nice to have a bath in it, but what does it actually do?

Come and join us!

Before I forget to say, we’ve just released a new Extra Mile podcast on Patreon, which is full of additional silliness just for patrons on the Cheer Squad tier. Join us to listen to it, and to access lots of other lovely bits besides, all from just two quid a month. Total bargain.

Links

This episode is sponsored by the lovely people at Yeo Valley: try the Organic Kefir, it’s proper lush

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 135. Recovery, rest and rude books

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 21:22:19 GMT

This episode is all about recovery! I ask Holly what she’s been doing to recover from the Paris Half and, without consulting a single google search, it sounds like Holly is doing all the best things.

Resting up

She’s doing exercise for the fun of it, rather than for a goal, and she’s also been eating and drinking for pleasure and whenever she damn well wants. The trick here, however, is to view your recovery as something that’s just as important as your last few weeks’ training, because it’s your rest and recovery that will repair your body and bring you back even stronger for the next goal in your running career.

We also talk about introverts and extrovert, nausea on a run, breathing exercises that actually work, and smutty books we love.

Links

This episode is sponsored by the lovely people at Yeo Valley: try the Organic Kefir, it’s proper lush

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Read our full review of the Paris Half Marathon experience with Sports Tours

Grab yourself a copy of Josie’s book, the Ten Pillars of Success, and bag some of her motivation for yourself

Book yourself a race with Sports Tours International!

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 134. Paris Half Marathon: Live!

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:43:00 GMT

This is a very special episode indeed, so it makes sense to release it on International Women’s Day. To be fair, in a roundabout way, we celebrate women in every episode, but this one has real significance.

Pod goes live

We recorded a portion of this episode live in front of an actual audience. This was in Paris, an hour or so after we ran the Paris Half Marathon with 50 Pod Squad listeners, thanks to Sports Tours International. We gathered together with a glass of something chilled in a not very glamorous room filled with laundry, which felt very on brand, to congratulate each other and talk about our races. Here is all our excitement, our tears and our thoughts – we’ve also written our full review of the Paris Half.

Race report

Holly talks through all her favourite bits and her worries - as she says herself, she was absolutely dreading it, with a run up and training regime that had been hampered by Covid and anxiety and various things that had derailed the running she had wanted to do. With only an hour’s long run in the bank, she was having a full scale wobble. So find out how each of our half marathons went, from start to finish, and discover the clever ways we kept ourselves motivated en route, thanks to the wisdom of sports psychologist Josie Perry who joined us as well.

And also here, find out how bloody brilliant it was to meet up with, and run with, 50 brilliant women – we suggest you do this as soon as you can to be reminded of how wonderful we all are.

Links

This episode is sponsored by the lovely people at Yeo Valley: try the Organic Kefir, it’s proper lush

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Read our full review of the Paris Half Marathon experience with Sports Tours

Grab yourself a copy of Josie’s book, the Ten Pillars of Success, and bag some of her motivation for yourself

Book yourself a race with Sports Tours International!

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 133. Half marathon, derailed training, disastrous long runs

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 19:00:00 GMT

In this episode we’re covering everything from anxiety and post-covid concerns to half marathon techniques and long run disasters.

Paris half marathon

New coffee addict Holly is buzzing about caffeine, but also about our Paris half marathon coming up in just a few days. We’re both enormously excited, but also extremely nervous. Holly’s training isn’t where she’d like it to be, so we figure out some easier Jeff splits for her (find out more about walk/running) and she tries to calm her anxious brain a little.

Training and trots

I’m also worried about my training – London is fast approaching, and I’m not sure I’m where I need to be in terms of strength or technical training. I completed a long run at the weekend, and I’m 90% happy with it. You will have to discover if the remaining unfortunate 10% has anything to do with Runner’s Trots by listening right through, you lucky lucky people. Honestly the things we do for this podcast...

Links

This episode is sponsored by the lovely people at Yeo Valley: try the Organic Kefir, it’s proper lush

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Drop off some food this February for Food Bank Run – there are families out there who really need our support

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 132. Jeffing, adjusted goals, half marathons, nutrition

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Holly opens this pod giddy with a recent purchase – while I’m not entirely positive that she’s target market, I am absolutely NOT judging.

Jeffing

Moving on to actual running, Holly has made the decision that she’s going to definitely walk/run Paris, and all her confidence has come back in droves, in no small part due to all the messages she received after the last episode. She had been feeling so stressed and so ill, and was so unsure about everything. But she has now faced up to her anxieties, and is both pragmatic and excited about Paris.

Running & nutrition

We have a chat about nutrition for the half marathon – Holly does well these days at eating before she runs, but she hasn’t practised running and eating at the same time, so I’m here with all the tips on what she can practice with, without impending doom. We talk about what our A goals and B goals are for both Paris and London.

We talk about the possibility of running a race while drinking booze at the same time – we’re aware food and wine races exist. But I can’t help but wonder here, does celebrating en route mean you then can’t celebrate post race? Tricky tricky.

Links

Holly is loving her new BAM kit

We also talk about Revvies, Bounce and Tribe – nutrition fit for queens

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Drop off some food this February for Food Bank Run – there are families out there who really need our support

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 131. Mental health, anxiety, training worries

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:04:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 131 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman, and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. This episode is all about illness and recovery, because Holly is firmly in the doldrums, in terms of her physical training, but also her overall health and the impact that’s having on her mental health.

Running therapy

So it turns into a bit of therapy session between us, to which you are all cordially invited. Holly is finding herself enormously stressed about our impending half marathon, she’s worried about her training having taken a tumble, she’s worried about pleasing people (or not), and she’s also worried about not doing it.

Because if only it was as easy as saying she didn’t need to run it – which I do say, and she needn’t, but her conflict is caring for her mental and physical self vs that part of her that really wants to be wearing her medal with the gang on the finish line. So we talk through how she encourages that first part of her to also be that second part of her. It’s tough.

Running love

She’s also worried about not being Top Form Holly when we’re in Paris. As she says: “Because I’m worried people won’t love me”. I’m positive that all of you are with me, when I say that EVERYONE will love her even more when she makes it there, but she needs a lot of convincing.

Links

Go and get coached by Runna – it’s just ace

Enter our competition to win entry to Ultra X Scotland and a night’s stay in a luxury hotel for two

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Drop off some food this February for Food Bank Run – there are families out there who really need our support

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 130. Mental health, menopause, feeling old

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 19:47:36 GMT

Welcome to episode 130 of the Women’s Running Podcast, sponsored by Runna. Holly is talking health and mental health. Both have taken a bit of a pounding over the past month and it’s overwhelmed her training and exercise schedule, no matter how hashtag-be-kind she’s been to herself.

Menopause

I’ve had a big old menopause symptom and it’s made me feel like SHIT, so I fess up all of it, which has taken a bit of courage because we know that not only do you lot listen but so do our bosses! Anyway. I wanted to share, because we need to talk about this stuff.

The fear

We also talk about being given the fear by Martin Yelling, using the mantra “this is my race”, troughing on vegan croissants from Paul’s, Aunty Praline makes a guest appearance, there’s a little bit of Paris nonsense, and we have loads of lovely emails from listeners including one that’s a little bit shady to a competitor. And we’re keeping it in.

Run for good

We also make time for a quick mention for Food Bank Run, which would be great to do in February – link below. And also the wonderful 1% club, being run by Earth Runs (link also below), who will plant a tree for every day you’re active in 2023.

Be one of us!

Now. Do sign up to be a patron. If you’re in the Cheer Squad tier, you’ll be able to listen to exclusive monthly podcasts – which we’ve decided to call the Extra Mile – created specifically so you’ve always got a bit extra to listen to on your long runs, in which we promise to do our best to talk about anything *apart from* running. The latest one was released just this Tuesday, do go and have a listen.

Links

Go and get coached by Runna – it’s just ace

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Drop off some food this February for Food Bank Run – there are families out there who really need our support

Join the 1% Club and they’ll plant trees for every day you’re active – you’ve nothing to lose!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 129. Half marathon training, insecurities, menopause

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 129 of the Women’s Running Podcast. This week, we are sponsored by Runna. We have a LOT to talk about today. We’ve got to cover off training for the Paris Half, insecurities about that training, motivations for running in the first place, menopausal symptoms and, lastly, figs.

Half marathon training

So first of all we chat about Holly’s training for the half. She’s having all the wobbles about Paris, post Covid. Her long runs haven’t quite hit the mark, although she has been doing some cross training, and she’s really worried about how things are going to go on the day. I try and soothe her fears, but I’m sure you guys can do that better than me!

Menopause symptoms

I talk about menopause a bit here, because I’ve realised that periods and hormones (or lack of them) have been having an effect on my training. We talk through as many symptoms as we can before we run out of time – I’m fully aware that there are more, but also that a number of these can affect our lives and our running. And that it’s important to remember that they are wildly diverse and sometimes it’s difficult to join the dots between all these different things. Have a look on Women’s Running womensrunning.co.uk for great advice on menopause and running.

Lastly: are figs vegan? An expert weighs into the debate and we are, obviously, delighted. This, and more hot topics, including the ever present Veganuary wind situation, are discussed in detail. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Links

Find out more about Runna and download the app!

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 128. Running show, race nerves, Strava fails

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 22:27:14 GMT

Welcome to episode 128 of the Women’s Running Podcast – this episode is sponsored by Runna. We launch right into it, with some vegan nonsense, but then very quickly we move on to the National Running Show, which we attended at the weekend in Birmingham. We had an absolute blast, we saw so many of you Pod Squadders, and are just giddy with the happiness of it all. We talk here about just some of the brilliant people we met, about Holly getting the spooks in her hotel room, dog biscuits, flapjack, and lots of wine.

Race training

We eventually get on to our own running, and how our training is going. Post-covid it’s been a bit tough for both of us. In terms of the upcoming Paris Half, Holly is really worried about where she is, and whether she’s not as strong as she was ahead of the Bath Half last Oct. BUT she’s been doing strength training and mobility, and I have a sneaking suspicion that she might actually be in a stronger place on the start line of the Paris Half.

Strava badness

I’m also feeling a bit uneasy about where my running is, so I whinge about that for a bit. We also talk about Strava etiquette – which I am terrible at – and also how we shouldn’t measure ourselves by our Garmin stats. Tricky, tricky.

Links

Find out more about Runna and download the app!

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 127. More covid, vegan fails, food bank run

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 21:32:06 GMT

This episode is again bought to you by the powers of Covid. I’ve picked it up for the first time, unfashionably late to the party as ever. Apologies here for covid coughing throughout. We talk through health anxiety, symptoms, and worrying about the unknown. We also have a chat about the guilt of missing out on training through illness.

Veganism

Moving on from covid, we talk about our ongoing experiments with veganism, which are mostly positive with a few tofu pitfalls. This, unsurprisingly, segues into a discussion on bowel habits and then IBS – not that either of our experiences with IBS have anything to do with veganism.

Food bank run

Speaking of food, we have a big old chat about a new campaign called Food Bank Run. I spoke to Sarah Donaghy recently, who set this up, and it’s genius. I’d love as many of us as possible to sign up to doing this. The idea is that we all go for a run in February, when demand is at its highest, to drop off some food at a food bank to help people who desperately need our support right now.

Pod power

Why don’t we do our first Food Bank Run as a Pod Squad thing. I suggest we all go for a run in the week beginning 6th February. So that means we’ve all got a whole week to do a run of whatever length you like and drop off one or two things to your local foodbank. My nearest food bank is just a few minutes away – it’s easy to check online if you’re not sure. There’s more information in this podcast and in the links in the show notes if you want to find out all about it.

Links

Thanks to Wassen for sponsoring this episode. Go to Boots to discover the full range of Wassen powders!

Find out more about Food Bank Run

You can check here to see what’s needed in your area

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 126. Chaos, covid and training hiccups

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 126 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman, and she’s your other host Holly Taylor. This episode is our first chat since Christmas so we’re a bit giddy with it. Hol has had a bit of a cruddy start to the new year, and it’s mostly Covid based. It’s obviously knocked her training a bit, and she’s been worried about the Paris Half as a result – something I think that will resonate, with so many of us getting bugs at this time of year. If you need help with that, we’ve got lots of info on how to get back to running after illness.

Half marathon strategies

I gave her a load of advice the day before which I’ll put here even though we don’t go into it much, as I think lots of us will have woken up on the 1st a bit worried about the half marathon training ahead of us. So first of all I said she can come to Paris and not run it! Shock horror! Of course that’s fine. And the same is true of any race, from parkrun upwards. Or she could always come to Paris and Jeff like all the best runners. Running for 5mins and walking for 30 seconds is a brilliant strategy. And let’s all bear in mind the reasons WHY we’re running that half in Paris – because it’s not to knock minutes off our PBs, it’s to be a tourist and to meet up with the Squad and to have fun! It’s certainly not to get stressed about it beforehand.

Running in the cold

We talk about running in Jan and Feb, and kudos goes again to RED January for keeping us moving in the most miserable of months. I talk about my running, I’ve now started my London Marathon training and I’m absolutely terrified, all over again. It doesn’t feel like a very long way away, and my training plan looks really scary right now.

Chaos

On top of all of that, we talk about periods, wasps, Pilates and on-screen bums (you can find Holly’s right now on our Insta grid). We also have huge NRS gossip from last year, and Holly divulges a massive scandal that has rocked her world, and it involves pine needles.

Links

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Come along to the National Running Show in January, and say hello!

Thanks to Wassen for sponsoring this episode. Go to Boots to discover the full range of Wassen powders!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 125. Nutrition, diet culture, body image, healthy motivations

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Happy new year to all you lovely listeners! We start off today as usual, with me complaining – this time it’s about my back pain, which went a bit crazy just before Christmas. All good now, though. Aside from that, it’s a corker of an episode as today we’re talking to Laura Barnhouse, nutritionist, PT and friend of the pod.

Diet culture

We’re after a bit of a health rejig in January, even if we are all perfect already (which we are), so we hauled Laura in to help us do exactly that, and to talk about this January diet culture, and body image generally.

Weight loss

We talk about the whole concept of women and weightloss – the feeling of taking up too much space in the world, and feeling like we have to address that. We talk about how times have changed in terms of the pandemic, and what that’s done to our sense of self and our looks and weight. Again, we talk about school experiences having such a negative effect, both on our perception of exercise and also how we perceive food and our bodies.

Healthy relationship

The really useful bit here is that we ask Laura’s advice on how to have a healthy relationship with food and eating, which leads her on to talk about our motivations for getting healthier, and where those motivations come from, and how important it is to figure that bit out first if you’re striving for a healthier life and attitude. Really clever stuff that will help all of us this January, no matter what our goals are.

Links

Win a pair of Brooks Ghost 14 GTX, worth £140 by entering this podcast-only compo!

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Come along to the National Running Show in January, and say hello!

Follow lovely Laura on Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 124. Perineum, going vegan, half marathons

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 22:49:23 GMT

This episode we have the wonderful Molly from the Simply Vegan podcast (and also from our company, so we know her well and have got hugely drunk with her – we are mates!) to chat to us about all things plant-based before we head into Veganuary. We start off by discussing our past drunkenness, but quickly move on to actual food.

Running food

We discuss what we’re eating for Christmas – even though this is, as we all know, what Holly refers to as our ‘perineum episode’. So our tenses are all over the place while we discuss the stuff we eat, which allows me to talk through the legendary reason why I love sprouts so much. But it also means we can ask what actual vegans eat for Christmas, and – whisper it – it doesn’t actually sound that bad.

Vegan running food

Then we cover a ton of must-know topics for those of us facing Veganuary: such as, can we eat figs? And is vegan cheese any good? Molly then explains how to make tuna out of chickpeas, which blows our tiny minds, and talks us through her favourite vegan meals to give us a bit of inspiration. Importantly, she tells us what puddings and sweet things are intentionally vegan or accidentally so.

Vegan runners!

But we also have a small ulterior motive here, as Molly joins us because she is going to be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon in March, and she wants our advice on running, so we eventually get on to some running chat, answering a few of her worries and questions about her training up to that first half marathon. And for podcast keeners, you’ll be able to hear me and Holly over on the Simply Vegan podcast at some point in January gassing on at length with a load of training tricks and tips for our favourite vegans.

Links

Listen to the Simply Vegan podcast for more of Molly!

Check the Vegan Food and Living website for tons of recipes and fun vegan stuff

Chris Packham discusses the importance of wasps

How to check if your booze is vegan on Barnivore

Win a pair of Brooks Ghost 14 GTX, worth £140 by entering this podcast-only compo!

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Come along to the National Running Show in January, and say hello!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 123. Bake off legacy, Christmas quiz, future goals

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 123 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I am your host Esther Newman and she is your other host Holly Taylor. We start today with Bake Off, which might seem like a bit old hat, but we’re talking about new things, I promise. Then, obviously, we move on to favourite TV comedies, before eventually settling on Christmas. Because, like it or not, it’s Christmas and there is no rest for the wicked. Or the runners.

Running Quiz

While we loosely chat about the running we’ve been doing (which adds up to very little indeed because of various injuries and tattoos, for some reason), we are giddy with excitement about the main event, which is our Great Big Christmas Quiz! We’ve drawn up a set of Mr & Mrs questions for each other – and get this, some of them include actual references to running! To be clear, neither of us are drinking in this episode, even though it sounds like we have been. Copiously.

Running show

A quick reminder here that we’re going to be at the National Running Show in January in Birmingham at the end of January. Do please come – it would be lovely to see a friendly face or two. We’re on stand P20 right in front of the Inspiration Stage, on which I’ll be chairing some menopausal chat at 11.30 on the Saturday. I mean advice-drive menopausal chat, rather than just general chat from menopausal women... So that just leaves me to say, have a very happy Christmas, enjoy all the fun and festivities that it brings, and we shall see you on the other side!

Links

Win a pair of Brooks Ghost 14 GTX, worth £140 by entering this podcast-only compo!

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Come along to the National Running Show in January, and say hello!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 122. Back injuries, food and diet culture

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 19:00:50 GMT

Welcome to episode 122 of the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor. We’re kicking off with some advent calendar content, just so Hol can eat some chocolate live on the pod.

Injuries

Meanwhile, I’m being a Moaning Myrtle cos I’ve done my back in, and take the opportunity to talk about it here at great length (Anna McNuff did something similar last year and has brilliant advice about injury prevention). While it’s not a running injury per se, it’s worthwhile bringing up because it has stopped me in my tracks. And while one part of injury is how you recover best from it and prevent it from happening again, the other part is the mental distress from not being able to run, and I’ve got the latter half of that for sure. So lots of Injury Sadness.

Food and body image

But the main part of this pod is about food, as we’re staring January in the face, and lots of us will be having thoughts around this. We are getting our lovely nutritionist Laura Barnhouse on to talk to us about food, fuel and body image in the first week of January, so there will be actual expertise then.

Body neutrality

Quick content warning here, as we talk about food, control and disorders at length here. We talk about the food we should be eating, and how we’re supposed to get our heads around the whole body neutrality thing, so we pre-empt all of that by talking through our histories with eating and diets. We talk about food and control, body image, and the complex relationship between food and emotions and relationships. I think we discover quite a bit about ourselves in this episode. More expertise in January. Next week, we have the Women's Running Podcast Christmas quiz! Hurrah!

Links

Win a pair of Brooks Ghost 14 GTX, worth £140 by entering this podcast-only compo!

Do join us on Patreon for exclusive newsletters, free monthly Live chats, and Patreon-only episodes!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 121. Running 5K, resolutions, mindset and going vegan

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 121 of the award-winning Women’s Running podcast! I am your host Esther Newman, and she is your other host Holly Taylor. We recorded this on the 1st December, so we’re in the middle of some strong Advent content. We then slowly move on to our very excitable chat about our big award win. We are chuffed to bits that the Women’s Running Podcast – this podcast you’re currently listening to - has been voted Podcast of the Year for the second year in a row, and we have a lovely pink award, and two very large hangovers to show for it.

Running a 5K

Then we finally move on to running. We talk about running a 5K round Battersea Park, which we did last Wednesday evening for SportsShoes at the RunThrough Chase The Moon event, which we thoroughly recommend, with lots of high vis and bright lights and nice snacks. We also talk about our slightly epic journey back to Bath afterwards.

New year’s resolutions

I talk about a big fat new year’s resolution with my running here, but it’s not what you might think – it’s not distance or pace or number of races or anything like that. Holly is also gearing up for her new year’s resolution, and it’s also not what you might think either. Lots of surprises here today.

Running vegan

And then we have a bloody huge announcement about food, because we’re going to do Veganuary with our friends over on the Simply Vegan podcast, and we’re a bit scared about it, because Holly loves her cheese, and I love my bacon. But we’re getting our own back by helping them train for a half marathon, which is around the same time as Paris, so we’re all going to be training together, powered by Shroomdogs and Facon. What larks.

Links

Join us on Patreon for exclusive episodes and newsletters from me and Hol!

Use this to train for a half marathon by time rather than distance

It’s not too late to join us in Paris!

Buy yourself the best Chrimbo present in the shape of a Women’s Running membership

Interested in the Simply Vegan podcast? You should be! It’s here.

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Ep 120. Winter motivation, strength training, body issues

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 120 of the multi-award winning Women’s Running Podcast. We don’t scream about it here, because we recorded before we knew, but we have won Podcast of the Year at the PPA Independent Publisher Awards last Friday – for the second year in a row! We are giddy with it, and will chat about it to DEATH in the next podcast. For now, we’re talking about being ill, not washing our duvets, and how marvellous our Podcast Live was last week. New date for the next one coming soon!

Running in winter

We talk about Raynaud’s (which I suffer from), and running in the cold and dark. We asked our lovely patrons on the Live about how to motivate ourselves to run in the winter, and they came up with some ace suggestions which we go through here. We start talking too about when we need to start our training for the Paris half marathon, which is slightly sooner than Holly thinks.

TW: eating disorders

We’ve had an email in that we’d like to discuss from a listener who is recovering from anorexia, so we chat about that – not from a medical perspective, but we chat about injury, strength training and overtraining, touching a little bit on RED-S, more of which in a future episode.

This leads us on to chats about our own struggles with body neutrality, and body. We end by confessing our favourite body parts – and this is where you will instantly (because I will) be googling the phrase Thigh Brow.

Links

Join us on Patreon for exclusive episodes and newsletters from me and Hol!

Use this to train for a half marathon by time rather than distance

It’s not too late to join us in Paris!

Buy yourself the best Chrimbo present in the shape of a Women’s Running membership

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 119. Trail running for beginners: routes, navigation and confidence

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 19:00:00 GMT

This episode we have a special guest in the shape of Claire Maxted, co-founder and formed editor of Trail Running magazine, the owner of the Wild Ginger Running YouTube channel, and the author of the Ultimate Trail Running Handbook, so she knows a thing or two about trail running!

We talk here about PE days again, because I’m slightly obsessed with them, and how they can give us such a negative experience of sport and movement, and as we chat about here, it’s not necessarily the sport itself that makes us hate it, but all the other peripheral stuff like communal showers.

The big reason I got Claire on here was to try and persuade pavement pounder Holly on to the trails. If you’ve never randomly decided to head down an unknown footpath, it takes a lot of courage to tread the path less travelled. Claire is here to instill us all with a bit of trail confidence, and my favourite tip she gives us here is about navigation which can feel like a bit of a dark art, but as she said the easy way to discover a path is to run down it and then we can run back again! Claire is a joyful, enthusiastic trail runner, and it doesn’t take long to persuade Holly to try something new, and hopefully you’ll get some of that enthusiasm too.

And then we eventually discuss Bake Off and what actually constitutes a flan. We get in a bit of a muddle about summer pudding, bread pudding and bread-and-butter pudding. No haters, please.

Links

Join us on Patreon for an exclusive podcast

Watch Claire’s fab films on trail running

And you can also buy her brilliant book from the same place

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 118. Favourite shoes, tights, tech and Bake Off bits

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 19:00:00 GMT

BIG shout out to join us on Patreon to chat to us on our Podcast LIVE on Wednesday 23rd November at 7pm (GMT), exclusive to patrons on all levels.

We start with Bake Off, obviously, but the issue here is that Holly hasn’t seen the most recent episode, and so I have to lie to her and tell her that everything is okay and Janush is definitely still in it. She knows now, it’s fine, but I just needed to make sure *you* knew that she knows and I’m not being a bad person for mentioning it here. She’s fine, by the way, although we’re both firmly in denial. Then we’re on to the main meat of the podcast, which is the kit we’re loving right now. We do this every year around this time to give you some ideas of kit that we like in case you might want to circle a few things for your own Christmas lists. So we talk through our favourite tights, tops, bras, shoes, and various other bits and pieces. Please note: this episode is not sponsored by any of these brands, they are genuinely the bits that we have loved running in, working out in, and just slobbing about it.

Links

Ful:ki leggings, the hoody from Thought, the brilliant On Cloudneo, get a pair of Monkey Sox! (Better still, get a FREE pair when you subscribe to Women’s Running), I swear by these pants by Nixibody, this brilliant top by BAM, the Maaree Solidarity, the Shokz headphones

The Sweaty Betty Powers, leggings from Salomon, the HOKA Kawana, running tee from Runr, good value headphones from Edifier, holly’s bra from Sportjock

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 117. Exercise at school, running in our 20s, advice for younger selves

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 19:00:00 GMT

This episode is sponsored by Sweaty Betty. In this episode, it’s the morning after I’ve been out-out. I’ve been to see the Scummy Mummies and begin this episode retelling a joke that’s too rude to repeat here. After a long section on hair removal, for which I make no apology, we have a bit of a chat about what we’re up to. And then we decide to go back to the beginning to discuss where we’ve come from and where we’re going. This is a little bit like one of those Insta squares where people go, “ooh I’ve got a million new followers, I should introduce who I am!” – and that’s exactly what it is, without the million followers. We want to properly introduce ourselves and explain how we’ve got to where we’ve got with our running and our lives and how we view sport and our bodies. All of this colours what we want to do next – our goals and ambitions with running, so there are a lot of uncovered secrets and honesty in this episode about how we felt about exercise and all sorts through school, university and beyond. We end with the advice we’d give our younger selves, and how we’ve devised our own life philosophies, which we’re obviously extremely pleased about.

Links

Pre-register for the Women’s Running Podcast Paris Half Marathon (aka Pod Squad Go Mad in Paris) right here. Come join us! We can’t wait!

Join Holly and me this January by taking on RED January – you dn’t have to run every day, you just have to MOVE ever day, and you can print out a lovely calendar to pop on your fridge and tick off as the month goes on.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly, and invites to patron-only zoom chats with us too!

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 116. Winter motivation, SAD, RED January, Paris Half

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 19:00:00 GMT

This episode is sponsored by Sweaty Betty. We start off by talking about herbal teas and Hoovers, because that’s the way we are. We then move reluctantly on to running. Holly is planning her first 5K post half marathon, and I have some ideas about keeping her running oar in so to speak. At this point we chat about the Paris Half on March 5th 2023, as this will be her biggest motivator when it comes to winter running. This is big for us as we want you to join us! We’ve partnered with Sports Tours to organise a nice discount and a load of other benefits to try and get as many of you along with us as possible. All you have to do is pre-register for just £50 – that £50 is then fully refundable against the price of the package. Full details of the packages will be released on November 24th, but as a guide package prices start from £219, based on two sharing, without flights (but flights are super cheap at the mo). The package includes accommodation in central Paris, support from expert Sports Tours reps, a shake-down run, a pasta party, and post-event drinks with us featuring – we hope - a live podcast recording! Plus everyone that joins us will receive a limited edition Women’s Running Sports Tours hoody! It’s almost too exciting. Link below!

We also talk about other things we can do to keep our fitness up through the winter. I touch on SAD and depression, so please be aware of that if it’s triggering for you. Full disclosure, I find winter very hard in terms of my mental health, but one thing I found extremely helpful this year was signing up to RED January – having a calendar to tick things off was very grounding, and helped move me through the month. And I truly believe that building new habits in terms of my fitness has prevented injuries and has made me a better runner. I reckon you should all do that with Holly and me, too, and this is a bit easier as it’s free. Sign up below.

We finish with the obvious bake off chat.

Links

This episode is sponsored by the very lovely Sweaty Betty

Pre-register for the Women’s Running Podcast Paris Half Marathon (aka Pod Squad Go Mad in Paris) right here. Come join us! We can’t wait!

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly, and invites to patron-only zoom chats with us too!

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 115. Half marathons, mental strategies, carb loading

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 18:00:00 GMT

This episode is sponsored by Wine52, which is thoroughly appropriate. Today’s episode is about one thing, and one thing only – and that’s Holly’s half. Mine too, but mine is nowhere near as important. We start this conversation the day after the Bath Half talking about French school songs and novelty loungewear. But then we’re into the meat of it, with Holly talking through her nerves, her carb strategy and how she felt on the morning of the race. She was really nervous ahead of the day, but she used all the mental strategies that we’ve been talking about over the past few weeks. There’s a lot to talk about in terms of race days throwing curve balls at us – the weather was warm! And that had an impact on our running and our hydration, so there are a lot of learns there, but not least that you have to expect the unexpected. She is so proud of herself, and I am so proud of her. It’s my first race after the London Marathon, and it was actually okay – slightly painful but okay.

It’s also time for our Big Announcement about what we’re going to be doing in March 2023, and we’d like to involve you. I was hoping to share a discount code here, as you’ll hear on the pod, but we’re not quite there yet – next week, we’ll have it for sure, and it’s better than I thought! More details to come. And of *course* we finish up with some intense Bake Off chat.

Links

Claim your three whole, proper sized full bottles of wine from Wine 52, and you just have to pay 8.95 to cover the cost of postage.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly, and invites to patron-only zoom chats with us too!

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

114. Runner Beans, races, nutrition and top tips

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 18:00:00 GMT

Today we have a very special guest in the shape of Charlie Watson, who you might know better as Runner Beans. Charlie was one of the first runners I followed on Instagram many, many years ago, and her enthusiasm and realism when it came to training, goals and nutrition have been fundamental to my own running journey, so we were thrilled to speak to her here. Charlie has had an adventurous journey so far, from aspiring marathon runner, to NHS employee in the face of the pandemic, and she has also very honestly documented her journey to parenthood, of which she touches on at the end of this podcast. To begin with I ask her, now that she’s just completed her 16th marathon, does she still have the fear when she steps on the start line? We also talk about how she got into running in the first place, and how she moved into her new career as an NHS dietition – a sidestep that is in fact entirely linked to her running. Both Holly and I are desperate for advice ahead of Holly’s half marathon, so we quiz her here on training and nutrition, and if there are any shortcuts we can take ahead of our next goals. I think you all know the answer to that one...

Next episode: Holly's half marathon debrief!

Links

This episode is sponsored by Merrell! All podcast listeners can get an exclusive 20% discount off all Merrell Orders over £50 at SportsShoes.com. Just use the code OUTOUT20 at the checkout on any Merrell products.

Both Charlie and I stayed at the Westin London City ahead of the marathon – you can’t get a better location! Check it out if you’re running in April, or just planning a visit to the Big Smoke.]

Follow Charlie on Instagram.

Check out her brilliant book, Cook Eat Run – the best cookbook for runners.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 113. Pregnancy and running, conkers and Bake Off

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 19:04:48 GMT

First things first – I need to give you a big old trigger warning here, as we’re chatting about pregnancy and I also bring up the topic miscarriage. Please stop here, if this chat isn’t for you.

This episode we welcome our third, very beautiful, wheel in the form of Kate, who works with us on Women’s Running and is – SPOILER – up the duff. We wanted to bring her on as she is a personal trainer and a runner and a pregnant person, and we thought it would be wonderful to combine all those things and talk about running and pregnancy.

Kate talks us through her experiences with training and pregnancy through the first and second trimester. Her experiences will not be applicable for everyone – they’re certainly not the same as mine – so I’m not asking her about these as guidance for pregnant people, it’s just what she has experienced and how she has managed her training. As a sensible woman and through her experience working in fitness, it turns out that her saving grace was the trusty Couch to 5K app, which she used when she started running again after her morning sickness had subsided.

I talk about the miscarriages I went through before having children – so if this is triggering for you, do please avoid this episode. I only wanted to bring this up because my experience was that I gave up running and exercise immediately when I got pregnant because of having those miscarriages and wrongly assuming one had something to do with the other, while Kate has continued to exercise and is reaping the rewards from that.

Kate has also some sensible words on eating and pregnancy, and how that it has actually been a refreshing thing for her, to be able to see food as fuel.

Speaking of fuel, we end with Bake Off. Obvs. Oh and we start with conkers. Standard.

Links

This episode is sponsored by Merrell! Use OUTOUT20 at the checkout at SportsShoes.com on any Merrell order over £50 to receive an exclusive 20% off.

Please support us on Patreon and you can join us for our SECOND Live event on Thursday 20th October for a chat on Zoom!

Get your hands on Women’s Running magazine for half price, and bag yourself a pair of exclusive Monkey Sox running socks! Just enter X22WRP at the checkout.

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 112. London Marathon! Race day strategies and surprises

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:00:00 GMT

This episode is about one thing and one thing only (with a few tangents): the London Marathon! We’re speaking here at 10.30am on a Monday morning, the day after the London Marathon and this is the first chance I’ve had to talk to Holly about it all. There is so much to discuss! We talk about the sleepless night beforehand, the famous people I had pep talks from, and the surprises along the way. The actual running was almost just a secondary part to a day that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I had specifically downloaded an audiobook purely for its distraction techniques, but as I divulge here, I didn’t listen to any of it (aside from the sexy bits). Instead I was entirely distracted by the experience itself – the sights, the crowds, and managing my running. Please bear with me here: I’m extremely sweary, but emotions are high, and mostly high because I’ve finished it, but also because I loved it. I can’t wait to do it again. And a very big shout out to you, our wonderful podcast crew: I had so many messages of support and so many donations to my sponsorship page, that I felt lifted by all of you. You made me cry, but in a very good way. We also, in this episode, discuss Holly’s latest running adventures. Two weeks out from her half marathon, she’s had a little wobble over the weekend, but I hope I’ve seen her right. Finally, it’s been the third episode of Bake Off and we have had a few thoughts about that, which we have to talk about now that we are the unofficial Bake Off podcast (with a bit of running on the side).

Links

This episode is sponsored by Maaree, makers of the most wonderful running bras in the whole wide world. Fact.

Please support us on Patreon for exclusive weekly newsletters!

Get your hands on Women’s Running magazine for half price, and bag yourself a pair of exclusive Monkey Sox running socks! Just enter X22WRP at the checkout.

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 111. Bake Off, long runs, mind tricks, pace, run coaches

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 18:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 111 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host, Esther Newman, and she’s your other host, Holly Taylor. We start this podcast just as you might imagine, with a full debrief of the first episode of Bake Off. Then we’re on to the boring running bits: we talk about preparing for the long runs, and the psychological tricks our minds play on us.

I am SO proud of Holly, her long runs have been going spectacularly and she’s surprised herself with how brilliant she’s felt during them, and after them, recovering quickly and well. We talk about pace – we still haven’t quite got to grips with this yet! And we remind ourselves to focus on our ‘why’ – which is very different from our goals. My goal is to run all the way round without stopping for any considerable amount of time. But the why is why I’m doing it in the first place – and mostly it’s to prove that I can do it. And in order to do it, that doesn’t have a focus on time, that has a focus on getting to the finish line, no matter what the time is. So I’m going to work really really hard in those first few miles to keep an eye on my pace and bring it right down, so that I have an easy first half (hopefully an easy first three quarters) so that the last bit isn’t that awful.

We talk about our first ever Podcast Live, taking place this Thursday 29th September, which I just have to get in there. It’s free for patrons, so head over to patreon.com/womensrunning to sign up.

We chat too about the pros and cons of a running coach – and discuss whether they’re for the rest of us and not just for elites. And we talk through a reader email who has some nerves ahead of a race – and we truly empathise with all of that! Next podcast will be recorded the DAY AFTER the London Marathon. Oh em gee, wish me luck!

Links

This episode is sponsored by Maaree, makers of the most wonderful running bras in the whole wide world. Fact.

Please support us on Patreon and you can join us on Thursday 29th September for a chat on Zoom!

Get your hands on Women’s Running magazine for half price, and bag yourself a pair of exclusive Monkey Sox running socks! Just enter X22WRP at the checkout.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 110. Anna Harding, tapering, GNR, race day strategies

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 18:00:00 GMT

In this episode we welcome back Friend of the Pod, Anna Harding, a woman who has knocked out a number of marathons and ultras. I wanted to get her back to pick her brains about tapering. However, turns out she’s an old hand at the Great North Run, which I’ve just run, so we kick off by talking about that... We talk about the brilliance of the great north run – the crowds, the route, the atmosphere – it was all such an incredible day, and it’s lovely to reminisce.

Then I pick her brains about the taper that we’re in the middle of right now before the London Marathon. Holly is also ramping up her miles towards her half marathon, so we talk about the goals we need to be thinking about on the days of our races, and strategies to keep us sane and moving on those tricky miles. Anna has some fantastic advice on how to tick through the miles, and also some spot on practical advice for these last days before the marathon, with exactly what sort of running and mileage we should be doing in the last two weeks, and what we also need to be doing to give ourselves the best chance on the start line. Two big takeaways here – wash your hands lots to avoid catching any bugs in these last precious days, and get lots of sleep!

At the end of the chat, Anna has some Big News about her next goal race – put it this way, the Loch Ness Marathon is in a week or so, and she’s running it as one of her training long runs. So it’s not that. It’s a teensy bit longer....

Links

Holly and I are doing our first Women’s Running Podcast Live event on Zoom on Thursday 29th September! The small catch is that it’s exclusively for patrons, but the massive upside here is that it’s only 2 quid a month to become one of our patrons. Our Live event is at 7pm on Thursday 29th September, we’d love you to join us. Join us on Patreon, and we’ll send you a link to join us next Thursday. We can’t wait to meet you!

Follow Anna on Instagram.

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them in a future podcast.

Get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running magazine for just £1. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 109. The long run, DOMs, living with non-runners

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 18:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 109 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m Esther Newman, your host, and she’s Holly Taylor, your other host. We kick off this week’s episode by talking about corrective eyewear, as you would probably expect. This segment finishes (finally) with Holly explaining how we can all get a “Beers For Life” token from her family.

We finally get on to running and then chat about distraction techniques on longer runs, which Holly has been using as she’s upping her mileage in her half marathon training. At this point I was still worried about upweighting the Great North Run into a longer run, but that will be all over and done with by the time this comes out, so fingers crossed it all went to plan!

We talk strength training again, as a result of the workout that Holly did this week, which destroyed her slightly. So our main focus here is the dreaded DOMs and how to minimise them, and recover from them.

We also talk about what it’s like to live with people who aren’t as enthusiastic about your running as you are – we’d love to know your thoughts on this. We hope your training and running is going well as we head into Autumn! I personally love Autumn because there’s no danger of me having to wear a vest, so there we have it.

Links:

Find your new favourite bra at Maaree.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly!

Get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running magazine for just £1. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 108. Strength training, last long runs, boob chafe

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 21:43:24 GMT

Welcome to episode 108 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman, and she’s your other host, Holly Taylor. Holly’s half marathon training is going well, and she’s tentatively enthusiastic about tackling longer distances with her running buddy, and considering potentially a bit of walk running.

We talk here about strength training, and the stuff we can do to support our running, and make everything easier. I talk to Holly about some simple bits of strength training she can do – and all of them are bodyweight (so no equipment required) and she can do them at home. Equally if she fancies a trip to the gym, she could easily do this using weights or machines at the gym to get a bigger session in. The trick here is to simplify strength training – it doesn’t need to be a billion different moves, and it doesn’t need to be complicated. Divvy yourself up into three sections: arms and shoulders, core (stomach, back and hips), and legs. Then think of three exercises – something like press ups, crunches and lunges. Do them 10 times, and repeat three times. And Bob is most firmly your uncle. Running will be, progressively more easy. And after a few weeks you can add in weights, up your reps, change up the exercises, whatever you like – you’ll find LOADS of strength training on our website.

I talk about my worries about running a half (the Great North Run) when I’m supposed to be running 20+ miles in training for the London Marathon, not 13.1, so I’m having to add a few miles on to it before or after. I want to know if anyone is doing something similar in the lead up to the marathon.

We finish up by talking about the dreaded chafe, and in this instance, specifically boob chafe. As Holly says, “you don’t want your tits to ruin your marathon”. Somehow she makes this an issue that she lays firmly at the door of the patriarchy, and who are we to disagree?

Links

Start your running journey or find inspiration for beating your personal best with Forestry England.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly!

Get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running magazine for just £1. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 107. Anxiety, mental health, marathon training, heckling

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 20:32:03 GMT

Welcome to episode 107 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host, Esther Newman, and she’s your other host, Holly Taylor. So in this episode it’s a bit of a game of two halves – despite our podcast dropping every week as normal, we’ve actually had a bit of a break, it being the summer holidays and all. But while I’ve been not-eating Cornish pasties, Holly has had a very different time of it. As candid as ever, she talks about the swerve in mental health she’s suffered over the past fortnight, and the tools she’s using to help bump her back up again. She also talks about how while she had once used running as one of those tools, this time around it’s been less helpful for her (all that said, we know that generally speaking running can be a brilliant support for our mental health). On my side of things, I’ve been training for the Great North Run in September and the London Marathon in October – I’ve just about kept up with my plan while on holiday, but I’ve found the change in terrain and the second heat wave very challenging. And while ostensibly I’m on track, my mind is spiralling with all the things that *could* go wrong, and also all the reasons why the bad runs were bad, and why the good runs were good, and how all these things are going to affect my races negatively one way or another. Please tell us how your training is going! We also talk about some emails we’ve had in on the back of our chats about heckling, and they’re really shocking. And again, do please let us know if you’ve had experiences like this – I think talking about it like we began to do during our We Will campaign is one of the best things we can do to raise awareness that this happens and how we feel as a result.

Links

This episode is sponsored by SportsShoes! Search London Marathon at sportsshoes.com and use the code WRPOD on all orders over £50 claim 10% off.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly!

Get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running magazine for just £1. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 106. DOMs, body neutrality, weight loss and running

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 16:55:44 GMT

Welcome to episode 106 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman, and she’s your other host, Holly Taylor. We’re started recording this at 2.30 in the afternoon, but we immediately start talking about cocktails. Turns out we’re nowhere near as sophisticated as we thought we were. After an enormous ramble on the perfect way to mix a Margarita we eventually get on to running. Holly’s in the thick of her half marathon training, and she’s having issues with DOMs (that’s Delayed Onset Muscle soreness to you and me). And so am I! So we talk about that a bit, and how to recover.

We also talk about the kit we’ve been wearing during the heatwave – I’m still firmly in my leggings and want to know what you wear if you also prefer to run covered up. Meanwhile, Hol talks about her adventures in finding the perfect pair of running shorts.

Then we launch into a controversial topic; weight loss and running. We chat about this because of a stupid thing I heard a fitness instructor suggesting about losing weight before beginning to run. We talk about damaging theories about weight and exercise, how we’ve both been affected by it, and how we need to combat crap advice like this and help encourage EVERYONE to run. Listen here – you do NOT need to lose weight to run!

Then we have just enough time to talk about managing parenting, school holidays and running and we end with a rant about how we divvy up housework, because it seemed relevant at the time.

Links

This episode is sponsored by SportsShoes! SportShoes’ Running Hub is filled with the best expert advice, from training and nutrition, as well as news on the latest kit. They hope to inspire you to run stronger, better and happier – because it’s no fun standing still.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive weekly newsletter from me and Holly!

Get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running magazine for just £1. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 105. Training in heat, anxiety in running, heckling

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 18:00:32 GMT

Welcome to episode 105 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m Esther Newman your host, and she’s Holly Taylor your other host. We’re both in the thick of our training this episode. Holly is a few weeks into her half marathon training, and it’s going well, albeit hampered slightly by the glorious weather we’ve been having. I’ve been holiday running, which has had its ups and downs. We’re both finding the temperature a struggle, and it’s made me question my fitness and whether I’m entirely ready for this marathon at all. We also talk about our brushes with anxiety recently, and how for the first time in my life it seems, running isn’t quite cutting it in terms of helping minimise my catastrophising, but I have a feeling that the dull book I’m listening to at the moment on Audible has something to do with it. We chat though general anxiety and running, and what we’ve been doing to combat the spiralling. We also take a swerve and chat about hydration and how best to keep on top of that in this weather, and when to start running with a hydration pack. Once we’ve got through that, we also have a chat about heckling, and how it can completely derail our running. In between all that it’s the usual nonsense so hold on to your running caps.

Links

Claim your three whole, proper sized full bottles of wine from Wine 52, and you just have to pay 8.95 to cover the cost of postage.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly!

Get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running magazine for just £1. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

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Ep 104. Holiday running, sweat, sport at school, wildlife adventures

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 18:00:15 GMT

Welcome to episode 104 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I’m your host, Esther Newman, and she’s your other host, Holly Taylor. We start off by catching up after Holly’s holiday. Has she run while in Italy? I am firmly bating my breath, obviously. We then catch up on everything we’ve been doing in the huge heat that we’ve just experienced. I’ve been running as usual, but I’ve made sure to adjust my running to allow for the heat – taking walking breaks up the hills, and drinking way more water, and so far it’s working for me. But of course we have to talk about sweat because that’s a huge issue right now! And never was a sweat wicking top more needed than around me during the summer.

We also talk about sports and schools, nudged into it by an email from a lovely listener. As neither of us had the best experience at school in terms of team sports, this is a hugely emotive subject for us, and I know we won’t be alone. While tons of you will have had enormously positive experiences at school in PE, there are many of us that haven’t – so many of us were picked last, and felt unequal and unable to compete with the best of them. Thankfully, quite a lot has changed in PE since I was at school, but we still need to consider young girls in whom there is a massive drop off in engagement with sport when they hit puberty. Body shaming, self confidence, and simple practicalities all have their part to play. But so do we! We need to be encouraging our girls to enjoy the feeling of participating – not for the end goal of winning something, but for enjoyment itself. Just like we do. At the end we have a bonus section on a new animal that we hate on our running!

Links

Get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running magazine for just £1. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly!

Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

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Ep 103. Ultrarunning, the Spine Race, trails and emotional rollercoasters

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 18:00:32 GMT

Welcome to episode 103 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman, and she’s your other host, Holly Taylor. In this episode of the podcast, we’re talking to the very lovely Sabrina Pace-Humphreys. But before that, Holly and I chat about ultrarunning and the races we’d be keen to take on. Then we chat to Sabrina, who we’ve had on the pod before but wanted to get on again because of three huge things. Firstly, she’s just completed the very brutal Spine Race and we want to find out ALL about it. No spoilers here, although I wil let you into a little quote she says, which is: “The Spine race makes the Marathon des Sables look like a picnic on a summer’s day” and that’s probably all you need to know. Secondly, we want to talk to her about her book, Black Sheep, which has just been published, in which among other things details the racism she experienced as the only black kid in a tiny village in England. Thirdly, we want to talk to her about the event she’s holding on September 11th this year, Black To The Trails, a day that she has created to encourage more black and brown people to run on trails. She’s encouraging everyone to attend if you’re interested in running trails for the first time, and it’s going to be a brilliant celebration of trail running, with lots of music, food and facepainting, as well as guided runs. Then Holly and I come back at the end to do the quiz that we didn’t have enough time to hold for Sab – Holly is in the hotseat and the theme is ultrarunning...

Links

Get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running magazine for just £1. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly!

Thank you for listening. Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories, as we’d love to include them.

Join us at Black to the Trails

Pick up Sab’s brilliant book Black Sheep here

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Ep 102. Nutrition, supplements, shoe tech, social media nasties

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 18:00:56 GMT

Welcome to episode 102 of the Women’s Running podcast. I am your host, Esther Newman, and she’s your other host, Holly Taylor. We start today chatting nutrition and supplements. I’m a bit of a fan of things that promise the earth, but I also enjoy taking things that I *know* will help me recover quicker and potentially help me to prevent injuries – along with my strength work of course. So that leads us to discuss all things turmeric and collagen.

We also talk about the shoes that we’re running in, which range from everyday road shoes to brand new, interesting stuff that I just learnt from a company I’d met the week before.

We also talk about something a little bit controversial. This is surrounding the news about Eilish McColgan running the London Marathon. We are extremely excited about the news that she’s joining the elites, but what we found interesting were the comments about the news in more male-specific channels

This leads into a bit of a man slag off, which we thoroughly enjoy, but it is not a general observance so sorry to men everywhere (and here). We also chat about swallowing flies and over-reacting. We end on a miniature quiz, and what’s brilliant here is that Holly reckons that more people run the GNR than the entire population of Newcastle.

Links

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. If you become a member of Women’s Running Plus right now, you can get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running for just £1! Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep 101. Running shoes, hydration in summer, the appeal of triathlon

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 18:00:44 GMT

Welcome to episode 101 of the Women’s Running podcast. We have a special guest with us this episode, Sophie Coldwell, Team GB triathlete and all-round good egg. She’s also going to be a Women’s Running cover star in August. But before we talk to her we have some important things to discuss, such as the many holidays we’re going on this summer. We also talk about the trainers we’re currently running in, the start of my marathon training, and the nutrition that we’re using on our long runs. I’m a big fan of having electrolytes in my water, something I’m trying to persuade Holly to do. If you’re either a salty sweater or a high volume sweater, in weather like we’re seeing this week, it's really important to consider what you take with you on a run. For my long weekend runs at the moment, I have a litre of electrolytes, and I use Precision Hydration’s highest concentration, and I make sure I drink more of it before and after the run as well. I might even pop a salt tablet if it’s very hot.

Then we shift gears to talk to Sophie about the appeal of triathlon, what it’s like to perform in front of a crowd, and her hopes for the Paris Olympics. You’ll be pleased to know we’ve devised a little quiz for her too, and it involves squirrels.

We come back after that conversation to chat about the stuff we eat, and the weirdness of people who don’t like food very much, and a tiny bit about our actual running.

Links

Sophie is supported by the very brilliant SportsShoes who have the very best running gear

My favourite drinks are from Precision Fuel and Hydration

Holly has been very much enjoying Veloforte

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, it’s our summer sale, which means you can get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running for just £1! Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Please support us on Patreon and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks, including an exclusive newsletter from me and Holly!

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Ep 100. Celebrations, fave episodes, emotions run high, the joy of running

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 18:00:17 GMT

Welcome to the hundredth episode of the award-winning Women’s Running Podcast! It’s our hundredth episode! We are so thrilled, so we’re having a celebration – this is our second plonkcast, and this time it’s thoroughly In Person. In the actual same room! We pop the cork on a rather lovely bottle of English sparkling, and we start off by chatting through our very favourite episodes. We talk about Josie Perry our most favourite psychotherapistwho made us cry in episode 97, the wonderful Scummy Mummies in episode 90, the legendary Paula Radcliffein episode 77, the astonishing Eddie Izzard in episode 23, the brilliant Tasha Thompson in episode 13, and the hugely missed Deb James in Episode 9.

Rather shortly after this, Holly gets too drunk and tells us all that she loves us, which is nice, but might have something to do with the fact that her champagne flutes are actually buckets, and by this point she’s on her second.

Then we have two fun things for Holly to do: the podcast in numbers followed by a Podcast Quiz, which we would love you to join in with. If you’ve been counting and are able to tell us the exact number of swearwords that Holly has dropped since her first episode, then do please let us know.

Thank you for being wonderful listeners and for joining us on our journey so far. Do please let us know what you’d like to hear more – you can also tell us what you’d like to hear less of, although if that’s less drinking, swearing and stuff that’s not about running, I can’t 100% promise that we’ll comply. Happy hundredth episode to us, and happy running!

LINKS

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Get your hands on your first issue for £1 by entering WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories.

For just £2 a month you can become one of our supporters on Patreon, and we’re working hard to add more rewards for you very soon.

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Ep 99. Tempo running, race plans, hangovers, famous runners

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 18:43:55 GMT

Welcome to episode 99 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I am your host Esther Newman, and Holly Taylor is the other one. In this episode, Holly and I are talking about the night before. We were out last Tuesday at the BSME Talent Awards, in which we had been shortlisted for two awards. We didn’t win the one for our podcast (boo) but we DID win the Diversity and Inclusion Award. We got very very drunk, and we are giddy with our win here. Especially as I got to meet my Cbeebies hero Dr Ranj who was presenting the awards. Not just meet – hug. We talk about bowl food, and we talk about booze, and we talk about drunken interviews that don’t really go to plan.

After a little while, we start talking about running. I talk about doing accidental tempo runs, and we chat about the companionship of running with people side by side, and being able to talk like that rather than having to make eye contact, and how that can be so much easier in terms of sharing personal stuff. We talk about the first week or so of my marathon training which is going well, despite my massive hangover, and we discuss Holly having to start thinking about her base half marathon training plan. We also have an email from a listener about a fabulous embarrassing moment that involves actual manure.

Please email us with your embarrassing moments and also famous people you might have seen at parkrun at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk. Speaking of famous people, it’s so worth listening in right to the end when Holly tells us about the most famous person she’s ever met. Be prepared to be utterly whelmed. I think, on reflection, we were still drunk.

Links

We’ve won an award!

Marathon training plans

Half marathon training plans

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can get your hands on your first issue for just £1! Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories.

For just £2 a month you can become one of our supporters on Patreon, and we’re working hard to add more rewards for you very soon.

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EP 98. Sweating, marathon and half training hacks, race day mistakes

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 18:44:57 GMT

Welcome to episode 98 of the Women’s Running Podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman and she’s your co-host, that’s Holly Taylor. We recorded this on that super hot Friday a week or so ago, so you’ll have to forgive us for kicking off proceedings by discussing underboob sweat and cold showers. This week we have a special guest on the show, Anna Harding from The Running Channel, who we’ve had on before, along with a very special appearance by Ralphie the interrupting dog. I wanted to get her on again because she has run many, many marathons. I’m kicking off my London Marathon training, Holly’s kicking off her half marathon training, and I suspect a number of you are in the same boat (or at least I hope so!). I’m having collywobbles about my training – I need tips about how to ramp up, and good things to do mid-week, and what I shouldn’t be doing. I wanted to pick Anna’s brains about what she’s learnt in the course of all her training – and what I can learn from her. I ask her about her mistakes, and what a training plan should look like for someone like me. We also talk about half marathon training, and get her practical advice on what we should be doing, how often, and how far. So we’re doing all that, and we have a special treat for her at the end as we invite her on as our very first proper guest on the Women’s Running Quiz! And we’re not going to stop doing this, by the way, until we’ve had actual complaints, and so far you’ve all been very silent on the matter, so we’re going to Quiz Away!

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can get your hands on your first issue for just £1! Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories.

For just £2 a month you can become one of our supporters on Patreon, and we’re working hard to add more rewards for you very soon.

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Ep 97. Running as punishment, sport addiction, disordered eating, psychology

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 18:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Holly and I are delving into the psychology of running and nutrition. We have a special guest with us for much of the episode, Josephine Perry, a sports psychologist who has genuinely blown our tiny minds. Josie got into sports psychology after doing an Ironman, while facing a scary ocean for the swim section. The tannoy shouted out to the assembled athletes: “You guys can’t change those waves, but you can change the way you feel about them” and it switched her brain into gear, gave her a triathlon PB, and motivated a change in career. And it’s lucky for us that she has. We have so many questions for Josie, and she talks to us here about how the brain is connected to our bodies, and she explains the part of the brain, the Amygdala, which is the bit that notifies us about threats. We talk about how this can affect us on the start line of races (a lot, it turns out). And we also talk about sports and exercise addiction, and the unhealthy attachment of sport and food. Holly and I both found this chat extremely revealing, and a little bit emotional if I’m honest. What Josie reveals about the dynamic between exercise, food, and historical unhelpful behaviours and thinking feels like a light switching on. What we need to be doing, it turns out, is discovering what our values are, and making sure we run for those things, rather than as a negative punishment. Sounds obvious – often isn’t. This feels like a really illuminating and important podcast – I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Please take care here, there are some potentially triggering mentions of eating disorders and sporting addiction.

Links

Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk!

Josie’s book The Ten Pillars of Success

You can get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running for just £1! Holly and I are VERY excited about this. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

For just £2 a month you can become one of our supporters on Patreon, and we’re working hard to add more rewards for you very soon.

Support the show

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Ep 96. Training plan fails, charity racing, running records and trivia

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 18:00:00 GMT

In this episode Holly and I have a bit of a confession to make, because my Mac crashed halfway through this and we had to re-record what was actually a ludicrously funny half an hour talking about wine drinking. So we hastily recorded another podcast and the first half of this is the result. We start off talking about various skin conditions – and let us know if you can sympathise here. Moving on we chat about afternoon drinking, adapting training plans, and running when we shouldn’t really run. We also talk about running for charity – how it offers us an additional goal but can also give us that additional pressure. And then it’s time for Part 2 of our Esther and Holly quiz. And we are utterly giddy with joy about this, so apologies for our excitement. Holly goes all Paxo on me and is the quizmaster, and is testing my very slack knowledge on everything from running records to running history, and I have to say now, I’m not sure I did very well. Please do the quiz along with me, and let us know who you want us to quiz next on wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk, because this has been my most favourite episode of all time. We also talk a little bit about the next podcast, in which we’re going to be discussing overtraining and sports addiction.

Links

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, it’s our summer sale – hurrah! That means if you become a member of Women’s Running Plus right now, you can get your hands on your first issue of Women’s Running for just £1! Holly and I are VERY excited about this. Just enter WRSS22POD at the checkout.

For just £2 a month you can become one of our supporters on Patreon, and we’re working hard to add more rewards for you very soon. For the price of a coffee, you’ll join our gang and be first to know.

Here’s that University Challenge answer that cracks Holly up.

Support the show

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Ep 95. Half and full marathon training plans, nerves and rewards

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 18:00:00 GMT

In this episode Holly and I are talking training plans. Well, first of all, we’re talking about Holly’s very big life decision, of which I will say no more – you’ll just have to listen in to find out more. And *then* we’re talking training plans and running diaries. We talk about how to manage your training and your own expectations when things go slightly off the rails, and we talk about some of the fundamental issues that can affect our running – in this instance, it's sleep. For those of us signed up to an autumn marathon we’re staring the beginning of our training plans in the face – mine starts next week. And Holly’s half marathon training starts just a few weeks further on. Both of us are equally nervous about this – and would love to hear from you if you’re also starting your next training block too. We’re all in this together, right? We talk about how to manage our training plans so that they work around us, rather than being slaves to them, and – just for Holly – I introduce the concept of a reward chart around her training plan, and I’m fully contemplating buying her some gold star stickers to get her started. We also have the pleasure of another embarrassing moment from lovely podder Louise who had an issue with her trousers which again I shall leave you to discover. Oh and there’s yet ANOTHER big revelation from Holly at the end of the podcast – What pleasures await!

Links

Join our lovely Patreon gang!

Then have a look at how dirt cheap it is to become a member of Women’s Running Plus

Run for an hour and we’ll plant 60 trees. 60!

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Ep 94. The Big Women's Running Podcast Quiz!

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 18:00:00 GMT

This week we have something truly special for you. Firstly, we have a bit of a pooey story to start us off, with which I know we’re truly spoiling you (and it’s not even anything to do with Runner’s Trots), but the main event here is our very first Big Running Quiz. Holly is in the hotseat, while I’m doing my very best quizmaster impression, possibly channelling Anne Robinson. But it’s all for a good reason – running is jam packed with weird lingo and we’re here to demystify with the help of some very silly sound effects and some very rapid googling on my part. Tempo run? We’ve got that covered. Jeffing? That too. We’ve even got a spot of fartlekking in there. Everything you could ever want to know about running, aside from all the stuff you actually really wanted to know, basically.

We finish on a high with a fabulous embarrassing moment, which is actually a bit of a running annoyance. Do please keep sending these in, along with your embarrassing moments, and the stuff that you listen to on your runs.

Links

Join our lovely Patreon gang!

Then have a look at how dirt cheap it is to become a member of Women’s Running Plus

Run for an hour and we’ll plant 60 trees. 60!

Support the show

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Ep 93. Chafing, the things we listen to, the worst annoyance ever

Wed, 25 May 2022 21:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Holly and I begin with a rather burning issue. We’re talking about the dreaded chafe here, and Hol is giving her all in this podcast so we must be supportive, even if her choice of running pants is questionable. We chat through our running, and we’re both on the up in that regard.

Then, today, we want to talk about the stuff that entertains us while we’re running – in my running career, I’ve moved from music, to radio, to podcasts to audiobooks and I have a LOT of opinions about all of them. Holly seems to have moved in a slightly different direction, but we both utterly love the spoken word, and we chat through some of our favourite things to keep us going during a run. This is the start of something – we would love to hear what you listen to, so we can share that, and so we can selfishly have a few more things to line up on Audible and Spotify. Books, music, podcasts – what does it for you?

Listen right through to the end because we have what we think is the very best running annoyance so far – a total corker involving parkrun and an MP. I’m saying no more...

Links

Join our lovely Patreon gang!

Then have a look at how dirt cheap it is to become a member of Women’s Running Plus

Run for an hour and we’ll plant 60 trees. 60!

Everyone must read Georgia Pritchett’s My Mess Is A Bit Of A Life

Or, alternatively, listen to it on a run

Holly’s favourite podcast, Serial

And my favourite, Adam Buxton

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Ep 92. Mugs, menopause, HRT and Eurovision

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:00:00 GMT

In this episode Holly and I start by chatting about her very brilliant mug. So it’s all very standard really. Honestly, we go on about it for AGES, so if you want informed running chat you have definitely come to the wrong place. Try that boring podcast over there. There is a bit of running, I promise, but I’m afraid we then quickly disappear into a little Eurovision love-fest.

But then we have a very special guest – the brilliant Dr Juliet McGrattan, who is a runner AND a doctor, two good things in one. I wanted to talk to her specifically about the perimenopause, and HRT, and running because I’ve been bitten by the Davina bug. I wanted to involve Holly this time cos I wish I’d had this sort of information when I was in my 20s, it’s so important for us to educate our younger girls and women about the menopause in just the same way as we do periods and pregnancy. So we have a lovely in depth convo about symptoms, about running and managing those symptoms, and we talk about HRT – of which I feel very much in the dark and I really wanted to find out more about what it can offer my perimenopausal self. We also talk about what’s great about the menopause, because it’s important to acknowledge that while many of us will have struggles, there are a whole bunch of upsides which Juliet details and which I, for one, intend to embrace wholeheartedly.

Holly and I come back after our meno chat to discuss really important things such as hugely embarrassing moments and whether or not I should do a track half marathon. But more importantly, we have a belter of an embarrassing running story – one that involves a children’s game and A&E. Send us yours please!

Tree Hour

Sunday 5th June is Global Environment Day, a day where if you simply sign up through Earth Runs for a 1-hour challenge, to run, walk, cycle or roll for 60 minutes, then for every minute you are moving forward, a tree will be planted for you. Join us to plant as many trees as we can!

Women’s Running magazine

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month. Just use the code WRSPR22POD at the checkout.

Patreon

We’ve launched ourselves on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks.

Links

Get more of a Dr Juliet fix

Check out her brilliant book, Run Well: Essential health questions and answers for runners

Sign up to a virtual marathon like Holly!

Support the show

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Ep 91. Stress, safety, breathing techniques, embarrassing moments

Wed, 11 May 2022 18:00:00 GMT

In this episode Holly and I are talking about the National Running Show, which took place last weekend. This was a big event for the podcast, as we were doing a talk on stage, and we were a little bit nervous about it – thankfully it’s all over and done with now, and it went better than we could ever have expected! Did you see us there?

We also talk about stress, and how that can affect our training negatively, something I’d be interested to hear from you about if this is something that has also happened to you. And then we talk about *that* Samsung advert and how I got caught up in a bit of a media storm!

We talk about the danger of the advert in that it emphasises the belief that women feel safe and are empowered on every run, which isn’t representative, and at the same time undermines our campaigning to make women feel safer.

We then have a few emails to discuss – one of them is a question about breathing, which we will address with the help of an expert in a forthcoming episode. And we have a couple of brilliant embarrassing stories – thank you so much! More please!

Tree Hour

Women's Running and Earth Runs have joined together to help make a massive impact on our environment. Sunday 5th June is Global Environment Day, a day where if you sign up through Earth Runs for a 1-hour challenge, to run, walk, cycle or roll for 60 minutes, then for every minute you are moving forward, a tree will be planted for you. Find out more and join us to make a huge difference.

Women’s Running magazine

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month. That gives you instant access no matter where you are, and you can access and search over a hundred back issues too. Use the code WRSPR22POD at the checkout.

Patreon

We’ve launched ourselves on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – and every patron helps us continue to produce a podcast that has at least 10% running content in it in every episode. Please join our very lovely gang to keep us going. Some of our recent patrons include these wonderful people: Jodie Price, Carly Evans, Georgina Taylor, Claire Farrer, Gillian Askew, Hannah Finch & Heidi Shuster.

Links

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Use the code WRSPR22POD at the checkout to read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month.

Please support us on Patreon!

Support the show

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Ep 90. Seagulls, Scummy Mummies, 10K races

Wed, 04 May 2022 20:00:00 GMT

In this bumper episode, Esther and Holly launch into it with the week’s headline event: Holly’s fight with one of Bath’s resident Herring Gulls. One stressful day later, and bolstered with a tetanus jab, she is FINE, and has used the experience to boost our stats on the podcast. Good girl. Then, less interestingly, Esther ran the London Vitality 10,000 on Monday, so lots of chat about the experience, the runners, the course, the time.

Then Esther and Holly talk to comedians Scummy Mummies, one of which (the lovely Helen Thorn) was also running the V10K on Monday as well. They chat about running, their enduring friendship, and the big life changes that Helen has been through over the past couple of years. Be warned, it’s a bit sweary – but when isn’t the WR Podcast?

Then there’s lots of chat about your embarrassing moments, which Esther and Holly have LOVED, so do please continue to send in, as it makes them feel so much better about their own.

Sponsored

This Podcast is Sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves. Fall in love with their amazing activewear, snuggly hoodies, funky dungarees and so much more. Whether you're running marathons, going to the movies or playing in the park, Lucy Locket Loves has something for everyone. For a whopping 20% off, you can use the code RUN20 at the checkout.

Women’s Running magazine

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month. That gives you instant access no matter where you are, and you can read all our back issues too. Use the code WRSPR22POD at the checkout.

Patreon

Links

Get yourself some period pants from BP3

Or some leggings from Wuka

Support the show

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Ep 89. Accidental ultras, 10K training, embarrassing moments

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 21:00:00 GMT

In this episode Holly and I are talking about how doing this podcast is our therapy (sorry for that). We also talk about how incredibly awful netball is, and the old “thank you marshall” email rears its head again. We are firmly in two minds here. Then I get the chance to debrief the trail run at the weekend that allows me to officially describe myself as an ultrarunner. In short, it was ace – find out more about my first ever just-about ultra, and the best way to start doing this too. We also talk about the Vitality 10K, which is coming up next week (more of that on the next podcast), which I’ll be running with the rest of the Celebrate You crowd. That neatly segues into our next podcast happily enough, because NEXT WEEK we have some very special guests – the wonderful Scummy Mummies, who are not only funny but they’re also runners.

And if you like this podcast, you’ll love Women’s Running magazine. You can read every issue – and we make 12 a year – direct on your phone with our digital membership, which is just £2.99 a month. Use this code at the checkout to claim this fab offer: WR SPR 22 POD

We’ve launched ourselves on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us at with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – and every patron helps us continue to produce a podcast that has at least 10% running content in it in every episode.

This episode is Sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves. Fall in love with their amazing activewear, snuggly hoodies and jumpers, funky dungarees and so much more. Whether you're running marathons, going to the movies or playing in the park with the little ones, Lucy Locket Loves has something for everyone. Check out their full range at www.locketloves.com.

And for a whopping 20% off, you can use the code RUN20 at the checkout.

LINKS

This is the beautiful Bath Beat I ran over the weekend.

And here is the Long Distance Walkers Association, in which they include Challenge Events, many of which (perhaps all) are open to runners.

Here is the Vitality 10,0000 I’m running next week as part of the Celebrate You wave – although it’s too late to sign up to the in-person event, you can run virtually if you sign up before this Friday 29th. Join me virtually!

Holly is very excitedly going to be taking on one of these Conqueror virtual events in the meantime for a brilliant medal.

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Ep 88. Ups and downs, FKTs, more annoyances

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 21:00:00 GMT

This week, Holly and I are chatting utter nonsense as ever, as well as a bit of running chat you’ll be pleased to hear, from tales of woe around her poorly foot, to my nerves ahead of a fast approaching trail marathon.

I interrupt our gassing to have a lovely chat with Anna-Marie Watson, an ultrarunner like no one I’ve ever met before. Over the last ten years she’s trained and raced across the globe, and has achieved podium positions at multiple ultras, and has competed in three Ironman World Championships. Since the arrival of Covid she’s switched her attention to the pursuit of Fastest Known Times (FKTs) from her doorstep in Wiltshire. And this is why I wanted to talk to her, as it’s on my doorstep too. I got in touch after watching Eight White Horses, the incredible film that she’d had made of her FKT attempt to run the white horses of Wiltshire. She is astonishing.

Holly and I come back after my chat with Anna-Marie to talk through some more of your running annoyances – mostly, it turns out, it’s still other people. But because we like to think of ourselves as unbiased (ahem), we also include an email from a listener who has provided the other half of the story, and we find ourselves thoroughly chastised as a result. Maybe we shouldn’t hate people so much? Also we discuss our new topic: embarrassing moments, and a listener’s personal moment with a pesky front zip fastening. Do please email uswith your own stories!

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Forestry England. Forestry England cares for more land and trees than any other organisation in England - growing, shaping and caring for more than 1500 of our nations’ forests. It has built over 1,800 miles of running, walking and cycling trails. From 1km to 10km route lengths, their waymarked running trails have been designed with both beginners and seasoned runners in mind. They provide an opportunity to run on safe, off-road, traffic-free trails in beautiful forest locations. Start your running journey or find inspiration for beating your personal best with Forestry England. Find out more about the beautiful forest trails you can run right now.

LINKS

Discover your own epic trails courtesy of Forestry England.

Watch Anna-Marie’s epic FKT in Eight White Horses.

Try out Women’s Running magazine for just £2.99 a month, using this code at checkout: WRSPR22POD.

Please support us on Patreon for just £2 a month!

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Ep 87. Berlin! Berlin! Berlin!

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 21:00:00 GMT

This is our special we’ve-just-got-back-from-Berlin podcast. Holly and I have a LOT to talk about, so brace yourselves. We start off with Drag Race – standard – and then move on swiftly to a whistle-stop tour of our exciting trip to Berlin with Sports Tours International. We talk about hotel etiquette – and most importantly, the concern about which loo to poo in to be the most neighbourly. And we talk about our impressions of Berlin itself – and let me say right here, it’s absolutely bloody AMAZING, what a wonderful city. And then we chat about the half marathon itself, and what that was like to experience as a runner (me) and as part of the cheer squad (Holly). Oddly enough, we have had such an exciting adventure that the run was really just a minor part of it, and that really helped with race day nerves. If you can bear it, listen right to the end for a revolting European revelation.

This Podcast is Sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves. Fall in love with their amazing activewear, snuggly hoodies and jumpers, funky dungarees and so much more. Whether you're running marathons, going to the movies or playing in the park with the little ones, Lucy Locket Loves has something for everyone. Check out their full range here. Listen in to the podcast for an exclusive discount code.

If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. And right now we have a bit of a treat for you. You can read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month. That gives you instant access even if you’re running a race in Berlin, and you can read all our back issues too. All for just £2.99 a month! We’re practically giving it away! Use the following code at checkout for this brilliant offer – WRSPR22POD.

In case you’ve not noticed, we’ve launched ourselves on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks. And some of you have already started supporting us, which is LOVELY. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – every little helps!

Go on your own Berlin adventure with the super-flat marathon this autumn with Sports Tours International. Or pick from any number of brilliant city races to suit you.

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Ep 86. Postponements, injuries, annoying pedestrians

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 18:00:00 GMT

In this episode Holly and I are talking about how our running is going in the lead up to the Berlin Half. It’s a game of two halves really, as you’ll soon find out. Changes are afoot, but never fear, we’re still lacing up our lederhosen in anticipation.

We also want to talk about the Bath Half controversy – as you might know, this is a race that’s dear to our hearts, being our local half and the first half marathon that both of us have ever done – albeit about 15 years apart. It has been postponed again, which feels a little bit cruel. So we talk through that, and the local response to it. If any listeners want to run it on its new date on 16th October (through a charity place) or the one in 2023, which I believe will still be in March as usual, find out more here.

We then, prompted by listeners who are totally on our side, get properly cross about poor use of pedestrian areas – aimless people walking out of shops, cyclists on pavements. We have loved having a rant about our pet running peeves, and hearing all of yours – it’s been very cathartic!

But we’re changing the assignment – we want you to tell us your embarrassing running stories, and we promise to tell you ours in return! Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with all those things that have embarrassed you on a run. Go on, dare you!

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This Podcast is Sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves. Fall in love with their amazing activewear, snuggly hoodies and jumpers, funky dungarees and so much more. Whether you're running marathons, going to the movies or playing in the park with the little ones, Lucy Locket Loves has something for everyone. Check out their full range here. Listen in to the podcast for an exclusive money off code, too!

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We’ve launched ourselves on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks. And some of you have already started supporting us, which is LOVELY. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – every little helps!

Over on our Instagram page we’ve launched #Run4Ukraine because we want to do whatever we can to support people who need it most right now. It’s really simple to get involved: just run or walk 4K, donate £4 to the Red Cross and encourage 4 friends to do the same thing. Tag us, use the hashtag #run4ukraine, and raise some cash. Please help.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 85. Hormones, perimenopause, creeps in the gym

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 18:00:00 GMT

This week we’re talking hormones. Well, first of all we’re talking about creepy blokes in spinning classes, swiftly followed by Wordle tactics. It’s all going on. At one point, we even start talking about running. Then after a bit, I have a chat with Dr Nicky Keay from Forth who offer blood tests to track your hormones. This can be massively beneficial for women runners, as she explains. She talks to me about how mapping your hormones over the course of a month can benefit your general health and your training. I had a female hormone mapping test with them, and for me it indicated what I know – that I’m firmly perimenopausal. But Dr Nicky explains how the test can diagnose perimenopause and also RED-s, which can often show up with the same symptoms. So lots of chat about menopause, hormones, and owning your periods. Then it’s back to Holly and me to talk about even MORE running annoyances with some emails we’ve had in from listeners. We thought we were going to be ostracised by the running community, but it turns out we’ve hit a nerve!

In case you’ve not noticed, we’ve launched ourselves on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks. And some of you have already started supporting us, which is LOVELY. A big shout out to the very brilliant Jodie Price and Carly Evans, who are two of our newest Silver Patrons!

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel and Hydration. I love finding out more about how we can fuel ourselves better on our long runs, and it’s been brilliant getting to know Precision Fuel & Hydration's scientific approach to what we should eat and drink during training and races. Their tools and products are firmly built on scientific evidence and are designed to help you personalise your hydration and fuelling strategy for whatever you're training for. Head over to precisionfuelandhydration.com and take their free online Sweat Test and Quick Carb Calculator to understand your own needs. You can also book a free hydration and fuelling strategy video consultation. Missed the discount code during the show? Drop the Precision Fuel & Hydration team an email at hello@precisionfuelandhydration.com and they'll be happy to help.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 84. Tapering, periods, running to feel

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 19:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Holly and I are talking all sorts of rubbish, and we start off discussing coffee, disappointments at yoga, and other random stuff until we eventually get into running. Mine is going well, the hip niggle appears to have subsided, and Holly has actually jeffed, and jeffed brilliantly, thank you very much. Both of us are running to feel – neither of us feel like doing hill sprints, so we’re jolly well not doing them. But, gloriously, we are enjoying running - and so much more than we have done recently. I’m hoping this is the beginning of me trying to stop thinking about times, and to instead enjoy the journey a bit more. That’s the ambition in any case.

We also talk about getting annoyed at runners who carry on running after the race has finished, and also Holly’s disgust at anyone wearing a Cheltenham Harriers singlet. We have a bit of a chat about periods and hormones because I’ve had a hormone test to see what’s going on with my ovaries, and the quick answer is – not much. So we chat all things sluggish ovaries. More on that in the next episode when I’m talking to a doctor from Forth about how hormonal blood tests can give us useful insights for our running and our health.

Then just a few more things: firstly, in case you’ve not noticed, we’ve launched ourselves on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks. And some of you have already started supporting us, which is just LOVELY. A big shout out to Ulrike Schlesiger, Kim Racon and Katie Fraser. Thank you!

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This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel and Hydration. We recently welcomed Sports Scientist Abby Coleman onto the show as we discussed the importance of personalising your carb, fluid and sodium intake for training and racing. Precision Fuel & Hydration help runners refine their own individual hydration and fuelling strategies for whatever you're training for.

Head to precisionfuelandhydration.com to use their free online Sweat Test and Quick Carb Calculator to understand your individual needs, and then book a free one-to-one video consultation with Abby or one of the team to refine your strategy for your next race. Listen in to the episode for an exclusive discount code!

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 83. Hydration, sweat, dogs and Drag Race

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 83 of the Women’s Running podcast. Today, Holly and I are (belatedly) celebrating International Women’s Day with a bit of random ramblings including the joy of Drag Race, and whether or not Harry Styles or Morten Harket would fancy us. We also talk about more running related stuff, including practising our jeffing, listening to our hips and being kind to ourselves and our training. In a lovely, sweaty interlude I speak to Abby, head scientist from Precision Fuel and Hydration, about how we can better hydrate ourselves before, during and after a run. I had a sweat test with Abby at the National Running Show, and she is keen to talk through my results, which are less disgusting than that sounds. She tells me how we can measure how much we sweat to ensure that we’re taking on the right amount of water and electrolytes when we run. Importantly, she also tells us whether we can or can’t drink coffee and booze. There is some good news here. Some. After that, we come back to Holly and me talking about the biggest thing that annoys me when I run – and I’ve tried not to ostracise all people here, but I have a worrying suspicion that I might have done! Spoiler: it’s about dogs. Which naturally leads into a discussion of what kind of animal we both are. Answers on a postcard – or to wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk please.

Then just two more things: firstly, in case you’ve not noticed, we’ve launched ourselves in a slightly abashed way on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks.

Last things last. Over on our Instagram page, we’ve launched #Run4Ukraine because we want to do whatever we can to support people who need it most right now. It’s really simple to get involved: just run or walk 4K, donate £4 to the Red Cross and encourage 4 friends to do the same thing. Tag us, use #run4ukraine, and raise some cash. Please help.

This episode is sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration, who offer a range of tools and products to help you personalise your fuelling and hydration strategy so that you can perform at your best.

Everyone sweats differently and the amount of fuel we require varies depending on factors like the duration and intensity of our activity, so a one-size-fits-all approach to fuelling and hydration just doesn’t cut it.

Head to precisionfuelandhydration.com and use their free online Sweat Test and Quick Carb Calculator to understand your fluid, electrolyte and carbohydrate needs during training and racing. Then book a free one-to-one video consultation with the team to refine your hydration and fuelling strategy for your next race.

As a listener of the show you can get 15% off your first order of fuelling and hydration. Missed the discount code during the show? No worries, drop the Precision Fuel & Hydration team an email at hello@precisionfuelandhydration.com and they'll be happy to help.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 82. Covid recovery, half marathon training, running annoyances

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 19:00:00 GMT

This week on the workshop we have a lot to get off our collective chests. The big news is that Holly has tested negative TODAY and is feeling super happy and looking forward to her first trip to Sainsbury’s, and also her first post-Covid run. We talk about how she should approach that, and how we can both train and run our half marathon in berlin sensibly, so that we enjoy it and don’t collapse. So yes, we start wanging on about the walk/run method, and I get all finger waggy with Holly about this. I also have a bit of a race report having completed the Brighton half marathon which, through no fault of its own was a bit of an uncomfortable run for me – so we talk about injuries here too. We also, because of my experience here, talk about the things we have inadvertently said out loud while running. We also finish this one up by talking about some of the things that annoy us while we run – I have quite a long list, so I’ve kept mine short. And in fact, this is something we’re going to revisit next time: please let us know your own running grievances, we would love to know we’re not the only ones! Tell us your big hates!

Then just a few more things: firstly, in case you’ve not noticed, we’ve launched ourselves in a slightly abashed way on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks. And some of you have already started supporting us, which is just LOVELY. So a big shout out to Rachel Stevens, Mary G, Naomi Corrieri-Hobbs and Fabiola Garay. Thank you!

Today's show is brought to you by Precision Fuel & Hydration, who help athletes personalise their hydration and fuelling strategies so that they can perform at their best. Everyone loses a different amount of sodium in their sweat and that's why a one-size-fits all approach to hydration simply doesn't work. Check out their free online Sweat Test to get some personalised advice. As a listener of the show, you can get 15% off your first order of electrolytes and fuel. Missed the discount code during the show? No worries, drop the Precision Fuel & Hydration team an email at hello@precisionfuelandhydration.com and they'll be happy to help.

The National Running Show is a home for runners, no matter how far or fast you go. Join us at Farnborough International on the 7-8 May for inspirational speakers such as Paula Radcliffe, Shakira Akabusi and Jo Pavey, the latest kit, cutting-edge technology, expert coaches, the best races and a host of tasty nutrition all under one roof. Just enter the code ANTHEM here for free tickets to attend.

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Ep 81. Chrissie Wellington OBE, World Ironman Champion

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 19:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Chrissie Wellington. Chrissie is so enormously famous in the world of running (and cycling and swimming) that she really needs no introduction. Chrissie is actually part of the Women’s Running family – if you read the magazine you may have noticed her crop up in our annual Product Awards, in which she plays a big part. So we’ve spoken before, and it is to my utter shame she hasn’t appeared on the podcast to this date. We talk about her meteoric rise into professional sport – how she made the leap in the first place, how her coach saw her potential in the ironman distance, and how in fact she didn’t really come from nowhere, as everyone says – it was just an unconventional start with tons of experience of endurance, even if that was cycling around Nepal rather than around a track. She also talks passionately about the unifying and empowering force of sport, a belief that has moved with her from the world of professional sport to her current day job as Global Head of Health and Wellbeing at parkrun. She is super inspiring and happily overlooked the Zoom call from hell – we’ve done our best with this one, but do please bear with a slightly glitchy call in places. It gets better!

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by The North Face. Flight Vectiv from The North Face is an incredibly responsive trail shoe. Ultra light and breathable, it’s been designed for speed and agility. The Vectiv technology combines a 3D carbon fibre plate and rocker midsole to turn energy into momentum to propel you forward. A bio-based outsole rubber compound provides superior traction and durability, while the upper is durable, flexible, light and protective. All the things! The Vectic range of brilliant trail shoes enables you to power further. Available now at The North Face.

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Ep 80. Workshop. Covid, injuries and imposter syndrome

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 22:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 80 of the Women’s Running podcast. Holly is in the house – but not my actual house, because she has actual COVID. She’s been dancing around the Covid lurgy for the past couple of weeks, but now it has firmly struck. She’s feeling okay, though, so I cracked the whip and we did this podcast despite the virus. So we talk about that, and we talk about other things that have put the kibosh on our running, including my self diagnosed hip bursitis, which is worrying me ahead of the Brighton half marathon this weekend. I’ve decided not to run at all in the week beforehand, which I find very concerning, but I’m trying to find some confidence from within. We chat about how we as women, and as runners, can tap into that innate confidence men have, and use it to feel better at start lines – and in life. We also talk about something closely linked with that – Imposter Syndrome. And how we both suffer hugely from it, but how that isn’t a massive surprise because we are WOMEN. So not much about actual running here, and more about the mental tricks our minds play to prevent us from running, or entering races, or feeling good when we do run. We don’t have the answers, but we do have ALL the empathy.

Right now, you can become a member of Women’s Running Plus, which includes a subscription to the magazine and tons of great benefits for just £9.99 every 3 months, saving a third off the cover price. Just go to shop.womensrunning.co.uk and enter FEB22WRPOD at the checkout.

Find out more about the Brighton half marathon I’m running this weekend.

Run the London Landmarks Half on 3rd April.

Please support us on Patreon!

For more information on how to help strengthen and support your hips, listen to this episode of the podcast all about hips!

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Ep 79. Hannah Beecham, founder of RED January

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 09:00:00 GMT

In this special edition, we speak to Hannah Beecham, the founder of RED Together to find out the answer to the biggest question of all: how we can all attempt to be active every day. I did RED January this year, something I’ve felt increasingly confident about doing because of the shift in recent years from Run Every Day to Active Every Day. We have a lovely, and enormously inspiring (and moving) chat, as Hannah tells me about how she started it all up to support her mum, who had been struggling with her mental health. So the roots of the thing has always been about managing mental health rather than achieving some kind of peak physical fitness, and I think this is HUGE. And marks what I hope is a shift in thinking in terms of sport and including it in our lives as a habit based on how it makes us feel as opposed to how it might make us look. It’s the only way we’re going to get more people moving, by understanding that sport and running isn’t punishment, and in fact can be something that people who hated exercise will end up loving and rearranging their lives to include. Because Hannah is at the heart of that movement, I thought it was so important to speak to her and find out what she’s done differently, and her thoughts on how we can all fit in being active every day, and enjoy it!

This episode is sponsored by Yeo Valley Kefir - lovingly made with only the best organic British milk and 14 distinctive strains of lactic cultures for maximum gut flora diversity. Creamy and lightly tangy it literally packs billions of live bacteria in every spoonful. Available in Natural, Mango & Passion Fruit, Blueberry and Strawberry flavours, the daily boost you need to try is in the yoghurt aisle at all the major supermarkets. Find out more at Yeo Valley.

We love making this podcast for you, and we hope you love it just as much. If you do, we’re asking for your support so that we can continue making it. We’ve joined up with Patreon to do that awkward thing of asking for money. But the thing is, we’re only asking you to donate less than a very average cup of coffee a month. You can become a patron of the Women’s Running Podcast for as little as £2 a month. £2! I mean, that’s nothing, right? And for that you get four whole new podcasts a month AND we’re offering you some lovely perks and, if you’re very generous, a free subscription to the digital magazine too. It’s just 50p a podcast! We’re worth that, right? Right? Come and be part of the Women’s Running podcast and we will love you forever.

If you enjoy this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can become a member of Women’s Running Plus, which includes a subscription to the magazine and tons of great benefits for just £9.99 every 3 months, saving a third off the cover price. Just enter FEB22WRPOD at the checkout.

@REDJanuaryUK on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Find out more information at redtogether.co.uk

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Ep78. Workshop. Cross training, motivations, and stress incontinence

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 19:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Holly and I are talking about a load of running bits and pieces that have got us incensed recently. First up: spin classes (which we love) with seats made for men (which we hate). Who out there is going to make a bike seat that doesn’t bruise our undercarriages? It seems ridiculous that in order to boost our cardiovascular health we also have to bruise our vulvas. Second on the list is motivation: we talk about how to keep trucking in the face of race postponement, and – thanks to a listener – ingenious ways we can get our mojo going again if we’ve fallen out of love with running a bit. Our big discussion point this issue, however, is stress incontinence. We talk about how we need to normalise the conversation about it, as so many women can experience it and it is particularly prevalent in women runners, but that doesn’t mean we need to accept it as a fact of life. Yes, it’s common – and that’s why we need to talk about it – but it’s not ‘normal’ and it can be fixed. If you suffer from stress incontinence, do please go and speak to your GP, who will be sympathetic and, in most cases be able to suggest a way forward that will lessen the symptoms or stop them altogether. Now: let’s talk about weeing!

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 77. Paula Radcliffe, running royalty

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 20:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Paula Radcliffe, my biggest running hero. Paula’s record breaking win in 2003 is something I think will always stay with me as not only a highlight in the world of athletics, but an inspiration for women everywhere. So I was a bit giddy to be speaking to her. We talk about her marathon achievements, and what it was like to nab that record on that day. We also talked about what it felt like to have that record taken 17 years later. I also ask her about her first love: cross country – what she loves about it, and why she keeps returning to it, and also her thoughts on equal distances for men and women in that sport. We also have a chat about RunFestRun – the running festival she’s been an integral part of since its inception: how meaningful it is as a concept to combine a festival about running, family and fun, how much her own children have loved it, and what she’s looking forward to this year. OMG, it’s Paula! And she is LOVELY.

Join us at RunFestRun! You can camp! You can bring the kids! (Or you can leave them at home...) And you can run!

Join Paula’s Families on Track waves at RunFestRun or at various events nationwide.

Sign up to Women’s Running magazine this February for just £9.99 every 3 months. Just enter the code FEB22WRPOD at the checkout. Happy running!

This episode is sponsored by Run 4 All. This year, set yourself the ultimate running challenge and join the thousands of runners who will be taking to the streets of York on Sunday 16th October for the Yorkshire Marathon. If you’re not quite ready to tackle a marathon, you can also try the Yorkshire 10 Mile. Taking place on the same day, this popular event will allow you to experience the atmosphere and sights of the Yorkshire Marathon while tackling a shorter distance. Enter today!

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 76. Workshop. Training curve balls & sports bra fitting

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 22:00:00 GMT

In this episode of the workshop, Holly and I are hugely excitable about several things all at once. Holly’s running has been going brilliantly, so she’s feeling hugely positive about that. Mine isn’t too bad either – I’ve even done some hills, so am feeling a little bit smug. But all that positivity is against a backdrop of the disappointment of our half marathon being postponed, which we’re both gutted about – although we are still looking forward to running it in May. But as far as our training is going, all is not lost – as Holly confesses in her Big Announcement. No spoilers here. We also talk about alternatives to weekend parkruns, the universal truth of the last mile of any run being awful, no matter how long or short it is, and the lack of good public loos basically being a feminist subject. We also talk about an email we’ve had in from a listener who has a running issue that deserves masses of air time, and a solution. We have one idea, but if you have any other ideas on good places to go, or brands to visit, who can help women run who have had mastectomies, then do please let us know at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk.

We loved the National Running Show – find out about the next show in May!

Check out Sports Tours International to book a half marathon in a beautiful city

Go to Boobydoo for expert bra fitting advice and guidance

Buy some flapjacks from Flapjackery – I’ve just finished the vegan one and it was IMMENSE (they do not have a pecan version btw, but they do have a dangerously addictive hazelnut one)

Don’t forget to sign up to Women’s Running magazine this January for just £2.99 a month. . Just enter the code JAN22WRPOD at the checkout. Happy running!

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Ep 75. Workshop pro. Cross training and motivation

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 06:00:00 GMT

This episode, Holly and I are chatting to Kate, who is not only our digital assistant on Women’s Running, but she’s also - very usefully – an F45 instructor AND a yoga instructor. And she runs! So she is perfectly place to answer all our questions about cross training, basically. Holly and I are a bit rubbish about doing anything other than running, and we know that cross training is the sensible way forward, but we have lots of questions: WHAT should we be doing, how OFTEN should we be doing it, how much EFFORT do we need to put in, do we need to join a gym, and how do we keep our motivation up? It’s so hard to get that motivation going in the first place, especially if you’re trying to persuade yourself to do something that you don’t think you’re going to enjoy. My personal tips, if this sounds like you, is to first of all find something that you DO enjoy. If you’re happy to do squats while you’re brushing your teeth, and you’re dedicated enough to do lunges during work breaks, then that is GREAT. If you start the week with good intentions, but have given up by Wednesday, consider a class or meeting up with a friend to do these moves instead. If you have to part with money, or put a proper cast iron date in the diary, you are way more likely to do it.

Thank you for listening. Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or any running stories, as we’d love to include them in a future podcast. If you run you’re your dog, look at the brilliant range of super nutritious food at ORIJEN. Don’t forget to sign up to Women’s Running magazine this January for just £2.99 a month. Just enter the code JAN22WRPOD at the checkout. Happy running!

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Ep 74. Workshop. Diets, body neutrality and running recovery

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 19:00:00 GMT

In this episode Holly and I are chatting about running recovery and our experiences with diets. You find us in the middle of chatting about my new haircut, so sorry about that, but I included a bit because it segues brilliantly to a comment we’ve had on the podcast, as you’ll discover. We also talk about running through illness when you should actually be recovering. We talk about how we need to be mindful of the recovery period as much as the running period, both when we’re in training and when we’re unwell. Something I have not abided by over Christmas unfortunately. We talk about our relationships with food and diet, a conversation we started in the previous workshop as it’s something we wanted to continue, and how we are trying to amend the way we think about what we eat and how we perceive ourselves. Essentially we want to appreciate our bodies for what they’ve done rather than how they look. We’d be interested to hear what you think about this, and your relationships with food and your body and if running has had a positive impact on that. In the meantime, happy running and I hope you enjoy the episode!

This episode is sponsored by ORIJEN. As many of us will be getting into new running routines to start off the year, did you know that two-thirds of us want to get our dogs in on the workout fun too? ORIJEN pet food provides nourishment as nature intended – it’s biologically appropriate, and provides an authentic wholeprey diet, with the first five ingredients always being fresh or raw quality animal ingredients, to give them all the nutrition they need. Find out more at ORIJEN.

If you love our podcast, you will adore Women’s Running magazine. This January you can bag a membership to our brilliant mag for just £2.99 a month. Just enter the code JAN22WRPOD at the checkout. Happy running!

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Ep 73. Nell McAndrew, runner and January cover star

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 22:00:00 GMT

In this episode we’re having a chat with Nell McAndrew, who just happens to be gracing the cover of our January issue right at this very minute. Have you got your copy yet? We are so chuffed to have bagged Nell on our cover - now you might remember Nell from back in the 90s when she transformed into Lara Croft and ended up on many a bedroom wall. But these days, she’s better known as a marathon and fitness superstar. She bagged an impressive marathon sub-3 PB back in 2012 at the London Marathon, and has continued to run and strength train and inspire the rest of us since then. I talk to her about what it’s like to run when you’re a well-known person, and also how she started in the first place. And now that she’s in her 40s, we also talk about why it’s lovely to run for running’s sake rather than chasing a PB all the time. She talks to me about running for charities that are close to her heart, wanting to run parkrun when she’s 80, and how her training for a marathon would be a whole lot different these days now that she knows more about nutrition. She’s an absolute legend on Instagram, and I have loved being inspired by her fitness sets during lockdown, and her unwavering enthusiasm for the joy of the run – you’ll be inspired too, just you wait!

Please rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts – these reviews mean the WORLD to us, and really help us to keep this podcast going. If you love our podcast, you will adore Women’s Running magazine. And this January you can bag a membership to our brilliant mag for just £2.99 a month! £2.99! I mean, that’s cheaper than a large Americano! Just enter the code JAN22WRPOD at the checkout. Happy running!

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Ep 72. Workshop. Resolutions, weight loss and body image

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 22:00:00 GMT

This week on the Workshop Holly and I are talking about this in-between week, the perineum of Christmas. We have a chat about sitting around in your pants watching The Two Ronnies, and getting up off your bum for a new year’s day run. We chat about the anxiety of thinking people are looking at us while we’re running, and general imposter syndrome. We get a bit philosophical in this episode, because we’re looking towards the new year and we know that a lot of people will be adopting a new fitness regime to change their selves in some way. So we talk about aiming for body neutrality, about diets, and we talk about a world in which women are complimented for their strength rather than their looks. We also talk about our new year’s resolutions: for both of us, they’re not big and they’re achievable, and we’re making them public, so you can hold us accountable. Fingers crossed by the next episode we’ll at least have kept our resolutions for two weeks, but we’ve never been good at keeping our promises, so your guess is as good as mine. I hope you enjoy the episode, and a very happy new year!

Please rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts – these reviews mean the WORLD to us, and really help us to keep this podcast going. And guess what, if you like this podcast, you’ll love Women’s Running magazine! If you join Women’s Running Plus right now, you’ll get our fab magazine delivered to your door every month AND you’ll get a FREE long sleeve technical top from Zerofit, worth £40. Just enter X21WRPOD at the checkout.

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Ep 71. Workshop Pro. Resolutions and goals

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 71 of the Women’s Running Workshop, and we’re treating you to a bonus Workshop Pro episode just before Christmas. I’m your host Esther Newman, and in this episode Holly and I are on the receiving end of much wisdom from running coach Laura Fountain. Laura has worked with Women’s Running for YEARS. She writes a column every month for us, and she’s the brains behind all of our training plans. If you’ve torn one of these out of the mag in the last few years, you have Laura to thank for making it to the start line. We have a chat with Laura this time because we want her expertise to make us better runners. First of all, we find out how she started her running journey – which is comparatively recently – and how she got into coaching. I want all her advice on setting up my own running group, and Holly wants to know how to join a group without feeling nervous about being at the back. We then ask her about our goals and how to achieve them: Holly wants to make the time to run more regularly, and I want to know if I can run double A races in March (spoiler: I can’t). We’re going to be running one Workshop Pro a month with a revolving door of coaches, nutritionists and health experts – so do please drop us a line with any questions you might have.

Please rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts – these reviews mean the WORLD to us, and really help us to keep this podcast going. And guess what, if you like this podcast, you’ll love Women’s Running magazine! If you join Women’s Running Plus right now, you’ll get our fab magazine delivered to your door every month AND you’ll get a FREE base layer from Zerofit, worth £40. Just enter X21WRPOD at the checkout.

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Ep 70. Workshop. Booze, control, Covid & Christmas

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 70 of the Women’s Running Podcast, and in this workshop Holly and I are on the countdown to Christmas. I start this one super hungover, so I use my delicate state to introduce the idea of running and booze. We talk about how covid has changed our drinking, with some big confessions on both sides – Hol and I are coming from very different angles on this. And we also talk about how we are going to manage booze and running over Christmas, which can be a tough thing to do. The key phrase here is that we’re going to be kind to ourselves, and that we will be adjusting our expectations – because the run is the thing. Sometimes, we don’t need to be “in training” – sometimes it’s fine to just go for a run. Here’s a bit more guidance on booze, sleep and food.

There are some other things we’ve done to help our running, and one surprising thing is a bit of self care that Holly suggests (a good idea for a Christmas present for a runner). But this is on the proviso that you don’t mind wearing paper pants. So it’s definitely not one for me!

I also have a big announcement to make at the end of the podcast, with a very exciting race to look forward to in the new year. Thanks to Sports Tours International for that one... By the way, Hol drops the F-bomb in this one: you have been warned.

Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts – these reviews mean the WORLD to us, and really help us to keep this podcast going. Also if you join Women’s Running Plus in time for Chrimbo, you’ll get our fab magazine delivered to your door every month AND you’ll get a FREE base layer from Zerofit, worth £40. Just enter X21WRPOD at the checkout. Or ask someone who loves you to do it for you!

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Ep 69. Suzanne Shaw, popstar, actor and wellness guru

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In this episode I have a chat with Suzanne Shaw. Yes, that Suzanne Shaw from Hear’Say. Suzanne is currently gracing the cover of Women’s Running – available now in actual shops – and she’s there for a reason. It’s not just because she was a member of a band that provided the soundtrack to some regrettable moments in my 20s. It’s because she made some very big decisions a couple of years ago that ended up being pretty life-changing. She gave up the booze, she embraced plant-based eating, and – guess what – she started running! But more than that, she rapidly went from couch to ultra, running for 19 hours, all by herself during lockdown, while raising money and awareness for the Samaritans. In her journey to that date, and ever since, she has thrown herself into the running community – and has discovered new passions that have enhanced her life immeasurably. Listen up to hear her story right now.

Please rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts – these reviews mean the WORLD to us, and really help us to keep this podcast going. Also here’s a thing: it’s almost Christmas! Yes it is, there’s no point hiding from it. And if you’re searching for the perfect present, then we’ve got just the thing. If you join Women’s Running Plus in time for Chrimbo, you’ll get our fab magazine delivered to your door every month AND you’ll get a FREE base layer from Zerofit, worth £40. Just enter X21WRPOD at the checkout. Or ask someone who loves you to do it for you!

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Ep 68. Women's Running Workshop. Winter running & Recovery

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 68 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m your host Esther Newman, and this is another workshop with me and Holly. I’m not sure why we can even pretend to call this one a workshop, because basically we cackle pretty much all the way through it. So what we’re here to talk about is the massive secret joy that is that we’ve won an actual award – for this actual podcast! One we couldn’t even begin to imagine we would win, so we are utterly thrilled. The award is the PPA Independent Publishing Awards 2021 Podcast of the Year. I know! We won it! Just with us rambling on about not much at all! So we are overjoyed about that: listen in to hear about how we celebrated last Friday... We segue from that seamlessly to how our running is going and how bad we both are at the eight-times table. We then introduce an email from a listener, so we spend a bit of time talking about what she’s told us, and that includes topics such as Covid, our immune systems, recovery and being kind to ourselves. Something specific to that email, but some key points that we can all learn from. Let’s be kind to ourselves.

Please rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts – these reviews mean the WORLD to us, and really help us to keep this podcast going. Also here’s a thing: it’s almost Christmas! And if you’re searching for the perfect present, then we’ve got just the thing. If you join Women’s Running Plus in time for Chrimbo, you’ll get our fab magazine delivered to your door every month AND you’ll get a FREE base layer from Zerofit, worth £40. Just enter X21WRPOD at the checkout. Or ask someone who loves you to do it for you!

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Ep 67. Workshop Pro. Training for a 2.30 and a 2hr half marathon

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 09:00:00 GMT

This week Holly and I have brought out the big guns to help us with our training for our half marathon next year, as we both have big goals. The big guns are Tina Chantrey. Tina is our Women’s Running Fitness Editor and she’s a running coach. She basically knows everything there is to know about running.

So we wanted her to come on to the podcast to throw loads of questions at her about our training, among which are – should we be aiming for a time for our next race, or should we just run for fun? How do we run a race without having that past time in our heads? And if we do run to get a PB, how on earth do we do that? The answer, it turns out, is by putting the work in – but none of it is that scary, but it does include everything you’d expect: intervals, tempos and hills. But Tina is a kind taskmaster, telling us that three runs a week is FINE, but just to make sure each one of them is right. And what’s more with our long run, to consider it as a mental health run, and take the pace right down – like right down. Pure running wisdom.

Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts – these reviews mean the WORLD to us, and really help us to keep this podcast going. And as we’re firm friends now, so I think you should join us. If you become a member of Women’s Running right now, you’ll get a FREE base layer from Zerofit, worth £40. Just enter X21WRPOD at the checkout.

Find out more about Tina’s coaching.

Follow her on Instagram.

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Ep 66. Workshop. 25. Run leading, sports bras & Crohn's

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 09:00:00 GMT

This episode’s chat with Holly is very much a mixed bag. A game of three parts (is that a thing?) we talk about our running, then we talk about a bit of gear that we’ve been running in, and THEN we introduce a brand new feature in which we have a chat about an email we’ve had from a listener.

But first, we start with some general Covid chat, because I’m bracing myself for the onslaught and it’s all I can talk about. Then we move swiftly on to running, in which Holly tries to distinguish between podiatry and orthodontics – it makes more sense when you listen in (I think). We also talk about me setting up my very own run group – and I need a name for it, that’s a bit better than Esther’s Harriers. Answers on a postcard please! Kit-wise, we talk through the very best bras and leggings we’ve been running in – great ideas for Christmas presents here.

And starting from this episode we wanted to include you a bit more – so we’re discussing an email we got in from a lovely listener based in New Zealand, who tells us about what running means to her. She also tells us how lovely the podcast is, and that seriously influenced our choice of email. Just saying.

You can get in touch with us and let us know what you think, or if you have any running questions – if we can’t answer them, I’ll get an expert to help us out.

More information about Crohn’s and Colitis right here.

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Ep 65. Carla Molinaro. Ultrarunner, adventurer and coach

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Carla Molinaro. Carla is a runner and adventurer of epic proportions – and even more importantly, if you read the magazine, you might remember her adorning the cover of our April issue this year. She first came to my attention in 2020 when she smashed the Land’s End to John O’Groats record by about 10 hours during lockdown. Turns out this wasn’t her first adventure by a very long chalk. She tells me about her start in running, which actually came from triathlon, and how she found her running ‘niche’. She has loads of running advice for us here too, as happily she’s also a running coach who has a passionate belief in strength and conditioning for runners, and in fact runs a course that does exactly that – details below. She also tells me some of her adventuring stories, such as her ridiculous tapering plan before the Comrades, taking on the Lejog challenge with just 3 months training, and attempting an ultramarathon with a quiche tucked in her pocket. She also bigs up hill training - if you want to run faster, she says, run up hills, it’s the perfect way to become a better runner.

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Ep 64. Women's Running Workshop. 24. The winter gear we run in

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 11:00:00 GMT

In this episode we’re talking gear. And there’s a reason for this – We’ve just stumbled past Halloween, and you interrupt us having a giggle about that, and then next up it’s firework night, and before you know it, it’ll be Christmas. Don’t hate me for saying that. So if you’ve got some favours to pull in, it’s worth thinking about those big ticket items first, so you get exactly what you want on Christmas Day. And by that, I mean shoes and jackets. So this is us having a chat about the shoes we’re currently running in, and the jackets we’re wearing to keep the wind and rain away. Both these things are equally important right now – we need shoes that enable us to keep our mileage up during the winter, and jackets have suddenly become indispensable overnight. Like, what’s going on with the weather? Holly chats about her favourites and I talk about mine, and all the things we discuss are good – promise. We’ve run in everything, and really tested them to their limits, which is what we like to do here at Women’s Running. So if you’re on the lookout for that perfect running jacket that keeps you protected from downpours without making you clammy, then listen in!

Here are all the things we talk about:

New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11, London edition £145

Brooks Hyperion Tempo, £140

Brooks Ghost 14, £120

HOKA ONE ONE Rincon 3, £105

Inov-8 Trailshell waterproof jacket, £127.50

Inov-8 Thermoshell Pro Insulated jacket, £210

Montane Spine waterproof jacket, £250

Showers Pass Cloudburst jacket, £175

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Ep 63. Workshop with Anna Harding: Race day nerves and winter training

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Episode 63 of the Women’s Running Podcast. This is one of our hybrid episodes – it’s part workshop chat with me and Holly, and part chat with one of our favourite people to give us some advice. Our expert this week is the very lovely Anna Harding from the Running Channel. She’s been on here before – way back in the mists of time in episode 8. Check that out to hear all about how she started running in the first place, and her journey from non-runner to running expert. In this episode it’s a game of two halves. I wanted to talk to her about her recent efforts to achieve a Boston Qualifying time, which was documented on the Running Channel – links to that are in the show notes, you must watch it. She definitely went on one of those journeys we talk about here so often, but has survived to tell the tale, and here she is to tell us all about it. And here’s a treat for you, I’ve asked Anna to tell us all about it in the January issue of Women’s Running, so remember to pick up that issue, when it’s out just before Christmas to read her story in full. It’s a perfect stocking filler fyi.

And then Holly and I want to pick her brains about winter running and how we motivate ourselves to get out there – and her tips here are nothing short of genius. Pants on the radiator for the win. This, and more super top tips are right this way. Just to forewarn you, Anna has a very beautiful dog called Ralph (who has his own Insta page by the way), who introduces himself to us fairly early on, and enjoys keeping us on our toes - I decided to keep all his little barks in because he’s a beauty and deserves our support and affection.

Watch Anna’s attempt to Boston Qualify – be warned, it’s a weeper.

Follow Anna and Ralph!

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Ep 62. Women's Running Workshop. 23. Parkrun!

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode Holly and I are talking about parkrun. Yes, we actually went after talking about it for months. After a bit of an early start, and some not inconsiderable nerves, we got Holly through her very first parkrun – and only my second since lockdown lifted, so it felt very new to both of us. We talk about our experiences, but most specifically Holly’s – how she found the course, the experience itself, and how she feels now. It turns out she was quite overwhelmed by it, in a good way, and loved the marshalls around the course, who cheered us on in such a lovely way that by the halfway point, she’d decided to volunteer herself! We talk about the caring nature of the volunteer team, getting lots of special claps (not a euphemism), Holly feeling “glowy”, and meeting an actual podcast listener at the end, which made it all feel very special indeed. We then have a bit of a chat about running more visibly now that the days are shorter – along with our own safety, we really need to be mindful of pedestrians as it can be a bit of a nasty shock if someone passes you unexpectedly, especially if they’re wearing dark clothing. Ban the black leggings till February! Coming up in a future episode, we’ll talk about the best winter kit to make sure you’re seen and warm

This episode is sponsored by Marcy. The Marcy ME-702 upright bike is the deserving winner of the Women’s Running Editor’s Choice award in the cardio training category. With 13 different programs and 4 user settings, it’s perfect for every kind of gym bunny. You can pick one up today from Costco or Exercise.co.uk for only £399, where it’s also available on 0% finance.

And if you love this podcast, you’ll totally love our brilliant magazine. If you become a member of Women’s Running right now, you’ll get a FREE base layer from Zerofit, worth £40 as well as our gorgeous mag delivered to your door once a month, all for just 39.99. Just enter X21WRPOD at the checkout for your exclusive offer.

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Ep. 61. Nikki Love. Adventurer, ultrarunner and menopause advocate

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

In this episode, I speak to Nikki Love, runner, adventurer and menopause goddess. I love talking to women who speak frankly about their bodies and their experiences of the weirdnesses being female can throw at us, and Nikki does all of that and then some. We pile straight into the menopause, as Nikki’s experience is pretty grim listening, but also incredibly inspiring for those of us staring menopause in the face. She talks about the stuff that she had to push for with her GP, as traditional HRT wasn’t working for her, and she also talks about the link between nutrition and menopause, which is fascinating. Now you might be wondering what all this has to do with running – and the thing here is that Nikki isn’t just your average plodder. When she runs, she really runs. She pretty much went from couch to 63 marathons in 63 days, and since that epic adventure, she has just tried to find more ways to push herself to the limits of her endurance. Those limits were tested earlier this year when she attempted 100 marathons in 100 days and ended up with a gruesome injury as a result. But, as optimistic as ever, Nikki picked herself up and adjusted her training to suit. She talks to me about how she found out she was good at all this endurance stuff, how she’s being kinder to herself these days -and certainly pragmatic, and the adventures she has up her sleeve. She’s just a superwoman.

This episode is sponsored by Marcy, winners in the Best Strength Category for their Inspire FTX Trainer in this year’s Women’s Running Product Awards. The FTX Trainer is a fantastic home gym that’s perfect for the whole family. It comes with two independent pulley systems, quick adjust sliders and 30 positions, giving you the freedom of doing practically any exercise you want. The FTX Trainer is available for £2,199, or with 0% finance.

If you become a member of Women’s Running right now, you’ll get a FREE base layer from Zerofit, worth £40. Just enter X21WRPOD at the checkout for your exclusive offer.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 60. Women's Running Workshop. 22. Marathon inspo and running holidays

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

It’s the 60th episode of the Women’s Running Podcast, and our 22nd Workshop. Goodness we’ve done a lot of podcasts! In this episode Holly and I have a lot to catch up on. We’re talking the day after the London Marathon and we have had ALL the feels about that iconic race, particularly because I didn’t get to run it as planned. We talk about how inspiring it is, how weepy it is, how nerve-wracking it is, and how – sort of secretly – we’d both like to take it on next year. We also talk about the races that we have signed up to, or would like to – including a lovely trail run in April that we’re hoping to sign up for. And then we’re on to the really big news in Esther and Holly Land: our trip to Club La Santa a fortnight ago, which didn’t quite go as planned. Spoiler: I went on my own and Holly stayed at home, staring mournfully at a PCR test. So the latter half of this episode is all about me and my trip to Lanzarote to a place that is essentially a Runners’ Paradise. And, much like Women’s Running, it’s a place for all kinds of runners too – perfect for those who love a bit of track running, those who want to push their pace, lonely goats who want to beat their own path, or social runners who want to head out in a chatty gang. They’re all there. And you can do so many other things to support your running too: you can book yourself into hundreds of exercise classes, you can take on bouldering, you can cycle up volcanoes, you can learn how to windsurf, you can have a running analysis, you can eat and drink the most incredible food, and you can even just eat ice cream. It’s all up for grabs. Stick with me for a bit of autumnal sunshine.

Club La Santa deets

Find out more about holidays at Club La Santa on the Club La Santa website, and stay in touch on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Running week at Club La Santa 21st – 27th January 2022
Join experienced coaches for a week filled with training, education and sore legs. They will challenge you to improve your fitness as you build your winter training towards your running goals of 2022. Find out more at Club La Santa.

Sponsor message

This episode of the Women’s Running Podcast is sponsored by Marcy, the winner of three awards in the 2021 Women’s Running Product Awards. The Inspire IC1.5 Indoor Cycle Bike won the Women’s Running Best Cardio award. Check it out at Costco today for only £879.99.

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Ep 59. Elise Downing, the youngest person to run the coast of Britain

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Elise Downing. I first heard of Elise when her brilliant book Coasting landed on my doormat. Elise is the youngest person ever to run the coast of Britain, and she has written a masterful memoir of that experience, detailing the literal and figurative ups and downs in the kind of voice that makes you want to go for a pint with her. What makes that feat even more remarkable, as I discover during this discussion, is that she set out with very little preparation and absolutely no idea about what such a thing would entail. She tells me about that, about the enthusiasm of her mentor Anna McNuff (but also Anna’s horror at how little planning Elise had done beforehand), how she trained “on the job”, on becoming a fully paid up member of the Yes Tribe, and the problem with cows…

Find out more about what Elise has been getting up to, and buy her book. Like, now! Be inspired to take on your own adventure…

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! Just enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 58. Women's Running Workshop. 21. Kate Percy tells us what to eat

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 58 of the Women’s Running Podcast, and the 21st Workshop. This time, Holly and I have an actual guest. And this has been a long time coming: Kate Percy has worked with Women’s running loads, she’s the utterly lovely brains behind Go Bites, those beautiful balls of loveliness that keep us going on long runs. I wanted us to talk to her, as I thought both Holy and I could do with a bit of guidance when it came to our nutrition. What’s lovely about Kate is that she’s a realist and she loves food: so she’s not going to tell us what not to eat, she’s only going to gently guide us towards the sorts of food that will be helpful in terms of supporting our running. We talk about the food that we should be eating, bearing in mind the chasm between our ages, and the sorts of food we enjoy eating – happily enough, some of these things are the same. It’s so useful to find out what Holly (25) needs to be thinking about, and what I (47) should be thinking about. Spoiler: I need to eat more edamame beans, but happily it doesn’t matter if it’s the salted kind from Wagamamas (not sponsored, but happy to take sponsorship from our Favourite Take out Ever). And there are a couple of things that have blown our minds – firstly that it’s fine to have breakfast later in the day. And secondly, we discover the Magic Window! And in the Magic Window you can essentially eat anything you like, or at least that’s what I decided to hear. Oh, and check out Kate’s recipe kits here too, while you’re waiting for the episode to start…

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Ep 57. Sue Anstiss MBE, presenter and author

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 57 in which I speak to Sue Anstiss. Sue is one of the most passionate champions of women’s sport I think I’ve ever spoken to – and I’ve spoken to a lot of women who are passionate about it! As a founding trustee of the Women’s Sport Trust, co-founder of the Women’s Sport Collective, and CEO of Fearless Women, her over-arching ambition is to forge forward in terms of equality in sport: whether that be representation in the actual sports themselves, or through representation in the media. As host of the Game Changers podcast, she talks to trailblazing women in sport, and she talks to me here about what a brilliant medium this is – and I agree. She also talks to me about her book, Game On: the Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport. Launched in September, this is a book we all need on our shelves, in which Sue investigates why women have been excluded from the world of sport for centuries, and why we are now witnessing positive change as never before. It’s a celebratory book, as much as a rallying cry, and is testament to Sue’s positivity and passion for all women’s sport, including running. She also talks to me here about the sport that she loves to do, including her newfound passion for open water swimming. She’s a total inspiration, and a complete force of nature – by the end of our conversation I had one of those “oh my god, women are amazing” moments. Be inspired!

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love. Just enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Happy running!

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Ep 56. Women's Running Workshop. 20. The plonkcast

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 56 of the Women’s Running podcast, and our 20th workshop. So in the spirit of full disclosure, this week it just wasn’t all about the running. If you’ve been following our workshops, you’ll know that it’s been a chequered summer in terms of our training, so this week we’re having a tiny bit of a break. Welcome, my lovelies, to the booze cast. Or the plonkcast. Or the booze pod – we couldn’t decide on an appropriate name. Here we are, drinking a cool glass of wine – at a very appropriate time, so don’t @ us – to celebrate ourselves and having got the podcast to where we are.

A lot of this is quite random, but we do have a bit of running chat, you’ll be pleased to know - Holly is continuing to tootle, but is in a far happier place doing so. I’m recovering (I may even have recovered!) from injuries. So we talk about the JOY of running mainly. And for once I’m pragmatic about races and dates and goals, and I don’t even cry about deferring my London Marathon place. We also talk about organising our first parkrun, being efficient on our periods, we swear quite a bit, and we must have been a bit jolly because I had to edit out 15 minutes of chat about supermarkets that don’t exist anymore. Run with us, or have a glass of wine with us, but just do please stick with us!

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Just enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Happy running!

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Ep 55. Rachel Ann Cullen; runner, author and mental health advocate

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 11:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 55 of the Women’s Running podcast. I’m Esther Newman, editor of Women’s Running, and in this episode I speak to Rachel Ann Cullen. I was originally due to chat with Rachel two years ago at RunFestRun, but she was struck down with a nasty chest infection and it wasn’t meant to be.

Rachel is a runner, writer and author: her bestselling debut book, Running For My Life, describes her journey to discover a better version of herself through running following years of mental and physical struggle. Rachel has since run 12 marathons and has completed the London Marathon five times. She ran the Boston Marathon in 2018 and in addition to her running, she has cycled 480km across Costa Rica on a mountain bike.

As you’ll hear, she discovered running at a complicated stage in her life, but now considers it a fundamental part of her mental health toolbox, as many of us do. Rachel has lived with body dysmorphia and bipolar disorder, and talks about both of these things frankly – and how taking up running offered relief, acceptance and support. As many of us will know, the path to mental wellness is not necessarily a linear one, and she talks about that particular road, and how she has been determined to get well for the sake of her daughter.

Rachel has transformed her running with the help of Polar’s Vantage M2 GPS watch. Rachel utilises Polar’s unique, innovative technologies in her fitness and sleep routines to enhance her training. And it’s so interesting to chat to Rachel here about that after having talked to Eilish McColgan about how she uses Polar a couple of weeks ago: they’re very different runners, but as you’ll hear, Polar supports them both equally.

Rachel is currently writing her third book, due out next year, so do watch this space for that.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Just enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Happy running!

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Ep 54. Women's Running Workshop. 19. Mental health, part 2: anxiety & panic

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 06:00:00 GMT

Welcome to our 19th Workshop. I’m back chatting with Holly, digital editor of Women’s Running. We have some very big things to talk about in this workshop. Holly has had a grim time of it, but in true Holly style, was more than happy to talk about everything with me here. Obviously it’s not all grimness, because we do tend to stagger off at very peculiar tangents, so we start by chatting about the crap emails we receive and by banging on about Duran Duran. We also talk about other good things to run to, including – and this is a new and exciting one for me - running to musicals.

Then we fess up that neither of us made it to the start line of our race that we’d booked in for mid-August, and we explain why that is. For me, it’s mundane injury stuff, very blah blah blah. For Holly, though, it was an altogether different experience that stemmed from her mental health taking an almighty (and scary) plunge. So we talk about that here: what her experience was, how she bolstered herself, what she’s done to bring herself upwards again, and – joyously – how the methodical nature of running has been one of her valuable tools during this period. We also talk a lot about yoga: how we both furtively say “namaste” like imposters, how we like a sweaty session, whether Haribo would be a good yoga fuel, and that while we love it, we actually haven’t done any yoga for blooming ages and we need to get our collective arses in gear. Now let’s get to it, and give Holly a collective cuddle.

You’ll be really pleased to know that this podcast was recorded almost two weeks ago now, and that in that time Holly has continued to look after herself and assures me that she is feeling better every day, thanks to all the tools she has at her disposal. If you’re feeling any similar symptoms to Holly, please have a look at useful websites such as the NHS and Mind, both of which have lots of brilliant information, helpful practical advice and ideas on where to go if you need more support.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. Simply enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Happy running.

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53. Eilish McColgan, Olympian and record breaker

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to running royalty and three-time Olympian Eilish McColgan. Eilish is an Olympic, World and Commonwealth Finalist who has just returned from her third Olympics in Tokyo where she competed in the 5000 metre and 10,000 metre races. Eilish is an avid user of Polar, the world leader in wearable sports and heart rate technology. Polar are pioneers in wearable sports technology, helping athletes and coaches at all levels to improve their health, performance, and overall wellbeing. Renowned for an unparalleled dedication to scientific accuracy, reliability, and a superior user experience, Polar has cemented itself globally within the industry as the go-to partner for anyone looking to discover their true potential.

I chatted to Eilish while she was in her training camp in France a couple of weeks before she flew out to Tokyo, and I was beyond excited to see how she was going to do, particularly as she had recently smashed Paula Radcliffe’s long-standing British 5000 metre record. In the event, she came 9th in the 10,000 metres and was typically pragmatic about that result, saying “This Olympics might not have gone quite as perfectly as I'd have liked, but I left every ounce on the track!” And she clearly enjoyed every minute of it. I speak to her about smashing Paula’s record, training for the Olympics, what it’s like being trained by your super famous mum AND your boyfriend, and how her training – and the distances she trains for – have changed since breaking her foot. Eilish is already a track legend, we’ve been watching her intently since London 2021, and we cannot wait to see what she does next.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Just enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Happy running!

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Ep 52. Women's Running Workshop. 18. Overtraining, adrenal fatigue and finding balance

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

My partner in running crime Holly is on holiday this week so in a small change to the advertised programme I talk to Kate Sellers, our digital assistant. Kate has been part of the women’s running team since January. She is a fitness enthusiast, a keen runner, a yoga teacher and an F45 instructor, so she’s pretty mega. But her journey with running and fitness has not been entirely smooth. Two years ago she was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue after she presented with a number of symptoms, including chronic fatigue, losing her periods and changing her appetite. She talks to me about how that happened, how she was diagnosed, and her road back to recovering and running again. She also introduces the concept of different types of stress: physical and mental – all adding up to the same thing, which I find pretty mind blowing. We also talk about training differently according to your menstrual cycle, which I promise you I’m going to start doing right now.

This episode is sponsored by Brooks, and they have a treat for you! Hurrah! We love our Brooks, and we *love* the new Brooks Cascadia 16. This beautiful trail shoe enables runners to explore any trail thanks to its superior grip and stability. Softer and lighter than ever due to its new DNA LOFT V2 midsole, the Cascadia adapts, flexes and protects the foot, no matter how unpredictable the trail gets. And, get this, we’ve got a fab competition right here for you to win one of TWO pairs of Cascadia 16s. All you need to do is go here, and answer a very simple question. And that’s it! Find out more about the Cascadia here.

Also remember that you chaps get the best discount for Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! Just enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Happy running!

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Ep 51. Nicky Spinks, Queen of the Fells

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:00:00 GMT

In episode 51 I’m speaking to the legend that is Nicky Spinks. Nicky was a cover star for Women’s Running on the issue before I started, so for me she has always been the one that got away. Not any more! Here she is chatting about her incredible running career so far. Nicky is one of the greatest fell runners of all time, if not the greatest. She set women’s records for the Ramsay Round (that’s 58 miles in Scotland including Ben Nevis), The Paddy Buckley Round (that’s 65 miles in Snowdonia with 47 summits) and the Bob Graham Round (this is the Lake District one, and is 66 miles). She is the holder of the overall record for the double Bob Graham round and is the only person ever to complete doubles of the other two Rounds.

She talks to me about how she got into running in the first place, how she trains for those crazy distances, and her experiences running those unheard-of challenges (pre-Nicky). She also talks about her experiences running the terrifying Barkley Marathons, and it sounds like she has some unfinished business there, so watch this space. And because along with being a farmer and running incredible distances, she’s also a coach, I ask her opinion on how we can all run well on the trails, and – crucially – I ask her what the best food to eat on an ultra is – spoiler: there’s a lot of pork pies. And I get her opinion on why she thinks women make such incredible ultra runners, and there’s a lot more running chat besides

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Simply enter WRPOD at the checkoutfor your discount. Happy running!

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Ep 50. Women's Running Workshop. 17. Race day nerves

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

We’re celebrating our 50th episode by chatting about random stuff with a bit of running thrown in, as ever. We’re a couple of weeks away from our 10K and half marathon races in the middle of August. Along with some highly relevant content about nice mugs to drink tea from, what we mainly talk about is race day nerves, and all the various worries we have that constitute that. So that’s worrying about our sluggish pace, and also worrying about what other people might think, as well as our concerns about actually going the distance. We talk about how to combat those nerves, how to be confident in our own training, and how to dampen down our inner negative voices. Also, as we both agree, when we see other runners we think they’re brilliant – so surely, surely, other people think we’re brilliant too when they see us? I think this is true. We also talk about my many visits to the physio, ignoring his lovely and brilliant advice and somehow surviving anyway, I describe sciatica to Holly who is too young and flexible to understand what back pain is yet. And we also talk about love bites. Again, Holly is far too young to understand this very 80s phenomenon. Lucky her.

This episode is sponsored by Brooks, which is rather brilliant. Why? Cos not only have Brooks created Holly’s favourite running shoe, the Ghost 14, but they’re also giving us two pairs of Ghost 14s to give away! To you guys! The newly launched Ghost 14 now benefits from 100% DNA Loft cushioning for a super smooth ride, a segmented crash pad for seamless transitions, and 3D fit print technology in the upper, so the fit is absolutely spot on. All that means that they’re soft, responsive, smooth and fit like a glove. The Ghost 14 is also, get this, Brooks’ very first carbon neutral shoe, so it’s a very special thing indeed. To be in with a chance of winning one of two pairs, just answer a very silly question here. Find out more about the Ghost 14 here.

Please hit like and subscribe – that way you won’t miss the next episode. Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Just enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Happy running!

Brooks Running
Brooks Running is sponsoring this episode of the Women's Running podcast

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Ep 49. Jess Judd, 5000m British champion and Olympian

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Jess Judd, British 5000m champion and soon-to-be Olympian. Jess is on the plane to Tokyo any minute now, I think, and I’m so excited about watching her race while she’s there – she’s due to be running the double: the 5000 metres and the 10,000 metres. She talks to me here about her modest start with running, her dad’s love of the sport, and how his enthusiasm was infectious. How she took to it like a duck to water, falling in love with both track and cross country. I ask her what it’s like to be picked for the Olympics, and how she trains for it given the demands of a very busy schedule: she’s also currently studying for a PhD, and she has the not insignificant task of planning a wedding alongside that. She tells me about that, about her thoughts on equality in cross country, how she gets used to race day nerves and performing in front of crowds, and what it was like to meet her hero Jo Pavey. Jess is sponsored by HOKA, so I also ask how that came about, and what kit she enjoys running in the most. She’s an extremely talented runner, and we can’t wait to see what happens in the next couple of weeks. Fingers crossed for Jess!

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 48. Women's Running Workshop. 16. Running and mental health

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 08:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Holly has a bit of a confession to make. So we start off by talking about shifting our expectations with our running, and how that is perfectly okay – what’s not okay is pushing yourself so that you’re uncomfortable with your goals: these goals are supposed to be rewards for our training, not a stick to beat ourselves up with. We also talk about the bits of cross training we’re doing, and the wonderful Yoga with Adrienne. Then the big topic this episode is mental health. We chat about what running means to us both, in terms of supporting our mental health, and how it has helped us in the past. We also talk about how women can have a complex relationship with sport. For both of us, our love of running and exercise wasn’t fostered at school, and we both have bad memories of team sports in our teenage years, which I think can have a damning effect on many young (and older) women, preventing them from continuing sport after finishing school. We managed to find our love for sport, but many don’t – many are still trapped inside that little girl who was always picked last for netball. She is still very much part of me, so it’s joyful to be able to share that experience and realise that we’re not the only ones, and that one of running’s most meaningful benefits is in eradicating the sadness of those PE days: because us slow runners, us wheezy people at the back, it turns out we can run, and you know what? We’re good at it too.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 47. Natasha Acres, founder of Earth Runs

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In this episode I talk to Natasha Acres, the founder of Earth Runs. There are several brilliant things about Tash. First off, she’s the brains behind Earth Runs; this virtual running initiative plants trees according to the number of miles you run. And, if you wish, you can further reward yourself with one of her truly original, and very magnificent seed bomb medals. Secondly, because this initiative is truly awesome, and because she managed to cobble together an entry at the very last minute, Tash is the hugely surprised recipient of the first Brooks Run Fund, which was launched earlier this year. This global initiative was set up to celebrate the power of running, with a fund to reward big ideas that benefit our communities and our environment. Something which Earth Runs literally does in spades. The fund that Tash won is $100,000. Obviously she is giddy with it. And she talks to me here about how and why she set up Earth Runs, what she’s going to do with the cash, and how she wants to continue spreading her very achievable message that we can all make a little bit of difference, that we can combine making those differences with our running, and that those differences all add up to a very big change. She is an inspiration.

And I do so love talking to women who have very appropriate names, don’t you? We’ve had Sophie Power, Mel Bound, Holly Rush – and now Tash Acres, with her brilliantly tree-focussed name. Not quite sure how I can top that – if you can think of anyone from the world of running that has a name that fits what they do, then let me know so I can add to my Mr Biff the Boxer list.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 46. Women's Running Workshop. 15. Periods and running

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 46 of the Women’s Running podcast, and our 15th Workshop. We kick off this one by talking about Holly’s concerns about our upcoming half marathon. I do my best to allay her fears about coming last, and general anxiety about a smaller race, in terms of runner numbers. On the one hand it’s a bit of a relief not to have the pressure of so many people, but both of us are concerned about feeling a bit exposed. But we are determined to enjoy it, to take it slow, and to keep hydrated properly! We go off on a tangent (standard) and have a giggle about sweat and where exactly we all sweat from, which makes me go a bit pink, and then for some reason we go off on a mega tangent about tights. I really have no idea why.

But the main part of this podcast is to discuss periods: how the hormones, the mental upheaval and the sheer presence of them can affect our running, and what we do to combat those things. Holly is venturing back into the world of periods after having been on a contraceptive pill that meant she’s not actually had a period for some years now. So knowing this, I wanted to talk about that – and about our experience of hormonal contraception and how that has affected us and our running over the past years. And then what I really wanted to talk about was the practical side of things: what can people who have periods do to manage symptoms while out on a run. So we chat about some of the options available, and the things we prefer to do.

We also talk about how to run on a period while keeping an eye on the environment, and we talk about some of our favourite brands– not sponsored at all, just the ones we like, so I’ve listed those below.

And if you’re at all interested in the thing I was blathering on about with the prostitute and the flowers, there’s this thing here.

(you see, I didn’t make it up!)

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 45. Catherine Foster, the Great Run Company

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 08:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Catherine Foster. Now, not many of you will know who Catherine is, but I bet a million quid that LOADS of you have enjoyed running in her race. Catherine works for the Great Run Company, and the flagship event that they organise is the biggest half marathon in the world, the Great North Run.

Pre-lockdown, I think a great deal of us took running events for granted – they were a fixture on our calendars, and something to look forward to and to motivate us. It never occurred to us how it might feel if they were taken away. Catherine talks to me here about how it felt from the other side of things: the uncertainty of the pandemic, the real struggle to keep the company going and to motivate the thousands of runners it supports. And events aren’t purely about us runners: events such as the Great North Run are vital in supporting charities through fundraising, and through supporting local businesses. So we chat about all of that, what Covid has done and how it’s changed the face of events forever. And we also talk about the launch of mass events too – the Great North Run was started up 40 years ago by Catherine’s dad, the legendary runner Brendan Foster. So running is literally in her blood, and her passion for the races they organise, the runners who do them, and the wider community is huge and palpable. Be inspired and listen in…

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like kit, nutrition and class memberships. Enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 44. Women's Running Workshop. 14. Heart rate training

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 44 of the Women’s Running Podcast and our 14th workshop. This episode is our virtual Vitality 10K debrief: we’ve got a LOT to unpack here. We talk about our 10K, and annoyingly listening back to this I say that we “failed”. We didn’t fail, we did the damn thing, but we didn’t do what we promised ourselves we would do. So we chat about that and tactics to avoid lying to ourselves in the future. The big discussion point here is that we’ve got a half marathon coming up on 15th August and we need to give ourselves a big talking to, and we need to prep properly for what will be a warm race. So I introduce training using heart rates: specifically training in zone 2 of our heart rates. And this makes us both feel better, because – basically – it sounds easier, but clever science means it’ll make us better runners! Hurrah!

Here’s the science bit. The common calculation used to determine your maximum heart rate (MHR) is 220 minus your age. So a 35-year-old runner would have a MHR of 185. A more recent equation is [208 – (0.7 x age)]. For a 35-year-old runner, this works out as 183.5.

Once you have your maximum heart rate, you can use this to determine the training zones you should be trying to stay within on your runs.

● Zone 1: Very light, 50% to 60% of MHR - Recovery runs

● Zone 2: Light, 60% to 70% of MHR - Easy runs

● Zone 3: Moderate, 70% to 80% of MHR - Longer tempo runs

● Zone 4: Hard, 80% to 90% of MHR - Interval training

● Zone 5: Very hard, 90% to 100% of MHR - Very short intervals

A well-rounded training programme should see runners working in all training zones at different points in their week, but with the majority of their training done in zones 1 and 2. Zone 2 runs use predominantly slow twitch muscle fibres whereas a faster run will start to use fast twitch fibres. Slow twitch muscle fibres are full of mitochondria (your cell power banks) and capillaries, this means that the muscle gets a better blood flow and with training becomes more efficient at using this extra oxygen supply as energy. Plus it reduces chances of injury. A fitness tracker or smart watch should help you immeasurably here, if you have one.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like lovely kit, nutrition and class memberships. Enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 43. Becca Burns, ASICS FrontRunner and triathlete

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 08:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Becca Burns, otherwise known as This Bunny Runs. Becca is an ASICS FrontRunner and an all-round running ambassador. I first met Becca way back in 2019 at RunFit in Liverpool, but everything has changed since then – including all the things she loves. Back then she was an ardent road runner, and was just about to take on the Liverpool marathon. Shortly after I spoke to her there, however, she made the move into diversifying her sporting loves, embracing both trail running and triathlon with her trademark enthusiasm. She talks to me here about her giant bunny, and how she fell in love with running twice. She talks about how her motivations have changed, how she got into cycling and then into triathlon, and she discusses her nail-biting attempt to nab a sub-4hr marathon time. She also tells me how she made the move from road to trail – I love her quote here: “if you think running is good, trail is next level”. I also ask her to persuade me – the coldest woman in the world™ – to take up cold water swimming, something that so far eludes me. Apparently it’s all about the hot chocolate afterwards. What Becca does best is to joyfully celebrate what her body is capable of, and in turn encourage us to do the same. What an awesome woman.

You should totally become a member of Women’s Running. For one thing, Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like lovely kit, nutrition and class memberships. And, more than that, you’ll be one of us, which is priceless. Enter WRPOD at the checkout for your brilliant discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 42. Women’s Running Workshop. 13. All the kit we wear

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

This is our 13th workshop, and in this one Holly and I talk about one of our favourite subjects: running kit! I wanted to chat about what we’re going to be wearing for the virtual Vitality 10K, and in the course of that discussion just chat about our favourite bits and pieces, and what we’re going to be investing in next. We’ve both learned so much over the last few years in terms of the kit and shoes that work for us – in a surprise move even for her, Holly comes out and confesses that she actually needs support shoes, only just realising that she’s been running in that type for the past year. Both of us talk about running in old favourites, so while I’ve added everything here that we’re running in that I can – some of them are things we’ve been running in for ages, so the links are to newer things and not the exact items that we have now. I can’t eulogise enough about my Brooks top, which is ancient, but everything about it – the softness, the arm length, the collar - is aces. However we’re going to be running in the sun unexpectedly this week, so I may need a rethink on the top front. We also talk – at length, this is us after all – about how running pants are now a thing, and more important than you might think. We discuss the true evil of the cotton knicker (Holly has the scars to show for why running in those is not a good idea). And we chat about running commando, which neither of us have ever done, neither of us like the sound of, and both of us revert to children in this part of the discussion, rather than the mature adults we’re supposed to be.

You should totally become a member of Women’s Running. For one thing, Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like lovely kit, nutrition and class memberships. And, more than that, you’ll be one of us, which is priceless. Enter WRPOD at at the checkout for your brilliant discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

The kit we mentioned here are:

Saucony Endorphin Speed

Superfeet inner soles

Brooks Adrenalin GTS 21

Decathlon running leggings

(And they are made with 87% recycled polyester as I suspected!)

Kalenji Run Dry T-shirt

Hydration pack

Maaree Bra

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Ep 41. Anna McNuff, adventurer and author

Thu, 27 May 2021 08:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Anna McNuff. Again. This is a bit of an anniversary episode as Anna was our very first podcast guest in May 2020 – check that out in episode 1. I’d interviewed her then a few months previously at the National Running Show in person, when life was very, very different, when I didn’t even know how to spell coronavirus. And here she is after having quite an epic year. Not content with just surviving the pandemic and lockdown, she also decided to get pregnant, buy her first house, write a brilliant book, and have a baby at the same time. So she’s had rather a lot on. We have a chat about pregnancy, and what it was like being pregnant and giving birth during that oddest of years. She talks about her newest love, cold water swimming, and how that became one of the great positives of both lockdown and pregnancy. She also talks very frankly about postnatal pelvic health, and introduces the concept of dumb-bells for your down below. Yes, you heard that right. She also talks about her running during pregnancy, and after – and how, in both cases, she is sensibly listening to her body and carefully adapting her ambitions to ensure she nurtures and strengthens herself in the best possible way. But as you might expect, she cannot WAIT to get her trail shoes back on.

This episode is sponsored by Decathlon. Decathlon sells clothing and equipment for over 70 sports online and in 47 stores across the UK. Thanks to their in-house brands, such as road running brand Kiprun, they're able to create expertly designed products offering unbeatable value for money, making running accessible for everyone. And we know you love Decathlon too, because you awarded them Retailer of the Year in our Women’s Running Reader’s Choice 2020 awards. So pick up a pair of Decathlon shoes and run more this summer!

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like fab kit, nutrition and class memberships. Enter WRPOD at the checkout for your brilliant discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

Decathlon
Decathlon is sponsoring this episode of the Women's Running podcast

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Ep 40. Women's Running Workshop. 12. Hydration and new races

Thu, 20 May 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the 12th Women’s Running Workshop with me, Esther Newman, and Holly Taylor. It’s a fortnight, or thereabouts, off from our virtual Vitality 10K (and I believe there is still time to enter if you’d like to join us. And please DO join us, because we’ve been chivvying each other along as best we can, but nothing supports us as runners more than the knowledge that there’s loads of us everywhere all doing the same thing! So we talk about that, and about how our training has been going. We’ve both been trialling our newfangled pyramid session, and we both completely forgot to do the threshold session. Meanwhile, Holly’s been doing some actual cross training, and neither of us did our yoga. It’s a mixed bag, really. So we talk about all of that, we talk about tapering for the 10K and general preparations, and then I bring in the double whammy: first, that our beloved Bath Half has been cancelled, which was due to take place in September. And second that I’ve found a new half marathon for us to do in August. I’m excited! Holly is too (I think). We’re both going to sign up to that, although Holly is clearly more keen on doing the Colourburst run. And probably the one thing of value to come out of the whole chat is that I lecture her – quite rightly – on proper hydration, as she’s a nightmare with it, and I have instructed her to purchase a hydration pack and practice practice practice. With a half marathon in August, it’s crucial that she doesn’t rely on a quick swig of water beforehand. And as I point out to her, lots of races at the moment ask runners to be self-supporting because of coronavirus restrictions, so without knowing the details of the race we’re entering, it’s worth investing in a hydration pack and practicing drinking while running now. Lecture over, it’s time for us to carry on wanging on about family camping trips, wild pooing, and cans of gin and tonic. Standard.

You should totally become a member of Women’s Running. For one thing, Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like lovely kit, nutrition and class memberships. And, more than that, you’ll be one of us, which is priceless. Enter WRPOD at at the checkout for your brilliant discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

If you’d like to run the Vitality 10k, you’ve still got time to sign up. It really is one of the most joyful, inclusive experiences, even as a virtual race. It only costs £19, you get a race bib number, and then a really nice medal after you’ve done it, and you can enter right up until 4pm on Friday 28th May. Please run with us, we need the mutual support! More half marathon training nonsense next time.

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Ep 39. Dr Juliet McGrattan, on periods, menopause and running

Thu, 13 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Dr Juliet McGrattan. Juliet has written for Women’s Running for YEARS, lending her considerable medical expertise to our conversations about women’s physical and mental health. She’s basically our go-to expert on pretty much everything. She’s a doctor, as well as a writer, and is also a director of Fearless 261 here in the UK. She’s written two books – the latest of which, Run Well, is every runner’s complete guide to healthcare, from shin splints to menopause, it’s all in there. I decided I wanted to talk to Juliet about the menopause and periods and all things hormonal for this episode – although I could happily have talked to her about pretty much any medical concern under the sun. But because in our last episode, Holly and I were talking about periods a little bit, I thought it best to bring an expert in rather than rely on our own somewhat shaky knowledge. So in this episode, I ask Juliet about period health, and ask her to explain the period cycle from start to finish, and how we can perhaps train better depending on where we are. We talk a LOT about menopause (you have been warned) and my own personal worry, osteoporosis. We also talk about the things we can achieve as runners and women as we age, the red flags we should look out for in ourselves and others in terms of our reproductive health, and how we can better manage and care for our mental health as we hurdle over perimenopause and beyond.

You should totally become a member of Women’s Running. For one thing, Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running, which is 35% off. That’s less than £2.95 a month! And for that you get our brilliant magazine, and you also get loads of money off the sorts of stuff you love, like lovely kit, nutrition and class memberships. And, more than that, you’ll be one of us, which is priceless. Enter WRPOD at the checkout at for your brilliant discount. Come and join Women’s Running – we’d love to have you with us!

Get hold of Juliet’s brilliant books right here:

Run Well

Sorted: The Active Woman’s Guide to Health

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Ep 38. Women's Running Workshop. 11. 10K speed sessions

Thu, 06 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

In episode 11 of our Women’s Running workshop, Holly and I are building up to our virtual Vitality 10K at the end of May. You join us in the middle of a heated debate about recycling – so you may want to gloss over that. I talk about my 20-mile run/walk that I completed the weekend before (spoiler: it was LOVELY) and show off my medal (tricky on a podcast), and Holly talks about her improved running since recovering from not-Covid. I then try to include a bit of structure into the remaining weeks before our 10K, with a couple of pick-and-mix training sessions. These two types of runs are a threshold run and a pyramid run. If you want to try them out during your training, here are the details.

Briefly speaking, a threshold run is running a little bit faster, while a pyramid session is a bit more complex and a bit more fun, with some more resting bits. With a threshold, you want the meat of your run to be 80% of your highest perceived effort, although I find it hard to work out what that is precisely, so for Holly and I we’re just going to run a little bit faster in the middle of our weekly run. So if we’re running for 30 minutes in total, we’ll include a 15-20 minute section in the middle where we’re just going to be running a bit faster than we normally do. This is not Chariots of Fire.

With a pyramid run, you start with a little warm up of at least five minutes easy running. Then you alternate intervals of faster running with 60 seconds of easy running, climbing up and down a pyramid of intervals, starting with 30 seconds, then 45, 60, 75 and 90, before going back down to 75, 60, 45 and 30, each with 60 seconds easy running in between. This is almost GUARANTEED to make our 10K easier, and it sounds super fun, so I’m looking forward to it.

We then talk about calves of steel (Holly) and hamstrings of balsa wood (me), and how we both need one session a week of yoga or pilates to stretch out our poor overworked bodies.

We have a quick pop at men who just HAVE to overtake us on a run, and I remind Holly of the best advice I’ve heard this year, which is: don’t measure yourself by someone else’s ruler. I want us all to take that on board.

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Ep 37. Linda Jaros, running recovery expert

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 08:00:00 GMT

In episode 37 of the Women’s Running podcast we’re talking about recovery with Linda Jaros, a breathing and wellness coach. Linda has been passionate about caring for athletes for her entire career – and that’s more than 30 years now. The thing that made me immediately warm to her was her statement that “we don’t run with just our legs”. It can be borderline dangerous if you seek professional help for a running issue, and they only focus on that one bit. Linda, as all the best professionals in running do, looks holistically at each of us, at our whole bodies. She talks, for instance, about the importance of good nutrition in our recovery, and also ways in which we can minimise stress and improve the quality of our sleep. She also explores concepts such as conscious breathing, and at the end of the podcast gives us a very simple technique that she uses as part of her focus on athlete recovery; a simple bit of breathwork that will help you relax, and to recover. If you’re sceptical about meditation, this is not what you might think – it’s a couple of minutes doing something very very simple, with an almost instantaneous calming and relaxing effect. Magic. Linda now works for Oofos, the recovery footwear company, whose ethos closely matches her own. She talks here about how recovery footwear such as this can help your body recover from training - and remember, if your body recovers efficiently, you will get fitter and stronger faster, and reduce your chances of injury. This podcast was a revelation to me: the box breath technique that she explains is incredibly relaxing, and she’s really made me think about what I wear on my feet and what I do after a run, which is possibly more important than what I do during a run!

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Ep 36. Women’s Running Workshop. 10. Taking 10K easy

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Episode 36 of the Women’s Running podcast is our 10th Workshop. In this episode Holly and I are talking easy running. We have the virtual Vitality 10K at the end of May to train for, but after 2020 and also us training for our virtual half in March, I want us both to take this easy. We begin by talking about imposter syndrome, which it turns out both of us suffer from without explicitly mentioning it, in terms of team sports at school. And how our lacklustre performances at which have lead to us embracing a sport that focusses less on competition (if you don’t want it to). We also talk vaguely and ridiculously about covid testing, not doing our strength training, and the take aways that we have employed as a result of our hip strength training in episode 9 of the Women’s Running Workshop. We also talk about not taking that 10K distance for granted – so yes, while I don’t want us to bust a gut in training beforehand, everyone that’s doing the vitality 10K with us should be respectful of that distance. If, like us, you’re not doing a huge amount of training but still want to do it, then take it slowly and at a pace you’re comfortable with: this could mean walking the whole way, or parts of it – and it’s the perfect opportunity to catch up with a running buddy. But whatever you do, learn from my mistakes and don’t do it three times over and end up with a stress fracture. So there’s a bit of easy training advice on that 10K distance at the end, if you can bear to put up with Hol and I cackling about audiobooks that make us snot-cry while we run.

Please join us at the virtual vitality London 10,000 this May half term. You can walk, jog or run your 10K – time is not an issue. Go to vitalitylondon10000.co.uk to sign up, and if you choose Women’s Running as where you’ve heard about it, you’ll be entered into a competition to win a pair of New Balance shoes, too.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running: honest, it’s better than anything anywhere else. Go to our Shop and enter WRPOD at the checkout to get a whopping 35% off. Come and join Women’s Running - we’d love to have you with us!

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Ep 35. Bryony Gordon, author and Mental Health Mates founder

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 35! This week I’m chatting to Bryony Gordon. Author, columnist, podcaster, founder of Mental Health Mates, underwear marathon runner and champion of body positivity, Bryony has always been firmly on our radar. I first met Bryony just over a year ago, before our first lockdown and the world tipped off its axis. We met as part of the Celebrate You crew, a bunch of women all running the Vitality 10,000 or the London Marathon with the ambition of encouraging more women to do the same, and to feel confident and empowered by their own bodies. Since launching Mental Health Mates a few years ago, Bryony also encouraged the event directors of the Vitality 10,000 to make mental health a focus of the run too, and last year we all ran the virtual Vitality 10,000 for our heads as well as our hearts. We’re about to do the same this May too – if you’d like to join us, there’s plenty of time to sign up here. It costs just £19 to enter, and for that you’ll get a beautiful medal and technical tee. You can run at any time in the May half term, and you’ll be part of our 10K community – it would be lovely to have you with us! Holly and I are doing it too, and we’ll be talking about our training in next week’s podcast, so listen in for that.

Bryony talks to me here about founding Mental Health Mates when she realised that that community didn’t exist already, and she talks frankly about her own mental health. She also talks about running, and changing the reason why she ran – for the gains, and not for the losses. She’s a joy and an inspiration. Enjoy.

Please join us at the virtual Vitality London 10,000 this May half term. Go here and sign up, and if you choose Women’s Running as where you’ve heard about it, you’ll be automatically entered into a competition to win a gorgeous pair of New Balance shoes, too. What’s not to love?

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running. Go to Women’s Running and enter WRPOD at the checkout to get a whopping 35% off as well as access to loads of discounts and freebies. Happy running!

This episode sponsored by Decathlon Second Life. Second Life is a new sustainability initiative helping us to recycle, repair and reuse sports equipment. Decathlon wanted to reduce the number of products going to waste, so their team of expert technicians refurbish used products, such as bikes and treadmills, before offering them to you with the same guarantees and returns policy as a brand new product. Every product comes with a minimum 10% discount, meaning Second Life works for our planet and your pocket! Give a product a Second Life.

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Ep 34. Women's Running Workshop. 9. Hip strength and injury prevention

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 11:00:00 GMT

In this episode of the Women’s Running Workshop, Holly and I have something different for you. Ever since her first half marathon in 2020, Holly has complained that she’s had a little bit of a hip niggle, and knowing that hip injuries are frighteningly common in runners we thought we’d track down someone to help with that and dedicate this episode to hip injuries and hip strength for runners. So here we are chatting with Victoria Smith a physio who specialises in hips and hip strength for runners. Victoria is a runner herself, and also suffers from hip niggles, so she’s a bit of a find for us. She patiently listens to all our various running woes and then offers sage advice on the strength moves we need to do to combat the niggles, and also the things we need to do in our everyday lives to stop the pain in its tracks. Turns out we sit wrong, we walk wrong, we do EVERYTHING wrong, so this is little short of revelatory. What’s very wonderful about Victoria is that she is realistic; she understands that strength training is boring for runners, so she says that she’ll ask us to do them every single day on the understanding that if we do them three times a week, then we’re winning. I love that. Listen in to find out how to fix your hips.

If you want more advice from Victoria on any hip pain you might have, join her facebook group, @fixyourhips for helpful tips and advice on gluteal tendinopathy. And sign up to her healthy hips programme here.

This podcast is sponsored by Vega. Vega is a premium range of vegan protein and nutritional powders made from real fruit and veg. Discover the full range here.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running. Go here and enter WRPOD at the checkout to get a whopping 35% off. Come and join Women’s Running - we’d love to have you with us. Happy running!

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 33. Mel Bound, founder of the We Will campaign

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode I speak to Mel Bound. This is the second time we’ve had Mel on the podcast, and there’s a very good reason for that. In recent weeks, we’ve launched the We Will campaign. We have been appalled at what feels like a recent rise in the harassment and heckling of women runners, and we got together to talk about that. And once we started talking about it, we realised that this wasn't recent at all: this is every woman's lived experience - always. At Women’s Running we had sent out a survey in January, and one of the questions asked how safe women felt when they ran, and 69% of them didn’t feel safe. 69%. We asked them more questions about the experiences that made them not feel safe, and there was a catalogue of horrible things: heckling, shouting, body shaming, following, stalking, waiting, threatening, spitting, hitting, groping. No matter what the experience was, these women felt real danger and real fear. Crucially, for some of them, it stopped them from running altogether. So we want to do something about that, and part of what we’re doing is launching We Will, in which we’re asking for everyone – men and women – to pledge small changes that will have a combined bigger impact. We want women to tell their stories, we want to educate our young men, and we want to challenge the status quo, and we want to run without fear. I speak to Mel here about all of this, our own experiences, and how we’d like you to help.

Find out more about We Will, follow us on Instagram and please pledge what you’ll do to help women run without fear.

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Ep 32. Women's Running Workshop. 8. The half marathon debrief

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 08:00:00 GMT

So Holly and I have made it past the half marathon date – and this is our debrief. Did we succeed? And, actually and more importantly, what did success mean to both of us? It turns out we both wanted very different things from our half marathon experiences, and we had very different runs. We talk about what we had hoped for, and what actually transpired, and how the differences between those two things have coloured our opinions of ourselves and of our running.. For me, it has challenged everything I thought about me and running, and it has set me on a new path. For Holly, I think that this experience has given her the confidence to not only run and race again, but to appreciate her body’s strength and what it has enabled her to do. So what are our plans now? Well, we’ve got a 10K booked in in May and, as I keep on forgetting, a real-life half marathon in September, so there’s definitely enough to keep us going. Meanwhile I’ve got the London Marathon still in my sights in October, and I’ve nudged another little race in there in the meantime.

Next episode we have a treat, we’re going to be talking to a physio about hip injuries in runners, as Holly has been suffering from hers. Victoria Smith is a hip and knee specialist physio in the NHS, and she’ll be talking to us about how we prevent hip injuries, how we manage it if we damage ourselves, and how to recover fully afterwards. Holly can’t wait.

This podcast is sponsored by Vega. Founded by a vegan former professional triathlete, Vega is a premium range of vegan protein & nutritional powders made from real fruit and veg ingredients. They’re full of the things your body needs, so you can thrive each and every day, leading an active lifestyle without skipping a vitamin, mineral or a beat. Protein helps build and maintain muscles. Add to smoothies, shakes and bakes and enjoy as part of a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet. Go to www.myvega.co.uk to discover the full range.

Podcast listeners can claim the best discount we have for membership to Women’s Running: honest, it’s better than anything anywhere else. Go here and enter WRPOD at the checkout to get a whopping 35% off as well as access to loads of discounts and freebies. Come and join Women’s Running - we’d love to have you with us. Happy running!

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412)

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Ep 31. Jada Sezer, model and marathon runner

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In this episode we chat to the very joyful Jada Sezer. I first met Jada at the beginning of March 2020 – a month most of us remember pretty well for some reason. Before all of that kicked off, and long before we knew our worlds were going to change so radically, we met up at the New Balance pub in London, with an impressive bunch of women including Bryony Gordon, Deborah James, Anna Harding, Emma Campbell and Andrea McLean, all of us booked in to run either the London Marathon or the London Vitality 10,000 or both. Things were beginning to feel different in that first week in March, but not so different: we talked about running, we ate a delicious lunch, we shared food off each other’s plates, we hugged. Jada talks to me about her history with running, and how that started when she met Bryony for the first time over a table of sports bras. She talks about (famously) running in her underwear for body positivity, and the emotions of running a marathon, no matter what you’re wearing. She also talks about her life on Instagram, and how she deals with the sadly inevitable trolling that exists on social media. We talk too about what lockdown has taught her, about her coping mechanisms, and what she thinks lockdown has taught us all. One of her favourite phrases, she says, is “this too shall pass” and it’s definitely one that we should keep in mind right now.

Both Jada and I are taking on the virtual Vitality London 10,000 this May. If you’d like to join us and take on a goal, you can sign up and run your 10K any day between the 29th May and 6th June. This time round, the emphasis is on our mental health; so the idea is to run for your head as well as your heart. You can walk, jog or run your 10K. It costs just £19 to enter and all finishers receive the official medal and technical tee. Enter now and join us!

And here’s a thing: all podcast listeners can claim an exclusive 35% off Women’s Running membership by entering WRPOD at the checkout. That’s better than any other deal! You’ll get the mag, FREE access to digital back issues, and lots of discounts, freebies and exclusive deals with brilliant running brands that will help you run better. Come and join Women’s Running - we’d love to have you with us. Happy running!

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Ep 30. Women's Running Workshop. 7. Race day prep and recovery

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 30 of the Women’s Running Podcast. This is our 7th Running Workshop, in which I chat to Holly Taylor about our training ahead of our half marathon this weekend. We open this episode with the mother of all confessions in terms of that virtual half, so hang on to your hats. Mainly, though we talk about tapering, race day prep and a bit about recovery too. So we talk about Holly’s walk/run strategy, which has been brilliant and has worked fantastically for her, and we also talk about how we should be training and what we should be eating in this last week before the race. There’s a bit of a shocker there where we both confess that neither of us like porridge, and I expect us both to be banished from the running community for saying so. So we talk about other things we could eat for breakfast, and whether we really need to carb load before a half. And we chat about how best to recover after our 13 miles. Small warning: Holly is a leetle bit sweary when the possibility of not necking a bottle of prosecco the minute she finishes is mooted, but I think that’s fair enough. Anyway, we’ve decided that okay, we shan’t get smashed the second we cross over our respective finish lines, but we certainly will enjoy a glass or seven that evening. So there. We also talk about keeping our motivation going post-half, and as I’ve signed Hol up to another race, she can’t get out of that one. If you’re running a race for you this weekend, let me know as it would be lovely to run with you virtually. And in our next workshop we'll chat about how to prepare for our best 10K in May!

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Ep 29. Lucy Hurn, expert run coach and personal trainer

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In this episode we speak to Lucy Hurn. Lucy is a personal trainer, a running coach and a triathlete, and she works with the fitness and wellness app Auro. I wanted to speak to her because she basically knows everything about running – she’s an absolute goldmine of running information. Now that Holly and I are coming to the end of our training for our virtual half marathon, I wanted to speak to a trusted running coach to ask her all our questions, and so that you could ask her your questions too. We put a shout out on social media to find out what you wanted to know from our expert, and I ask the ones you sent in during the podcast. So this is a lovely practical session, covering tapering, nutrition and training. She offers us all sage advice for people aiming to run a virtual race in the next few months, no matter what the distance, and we talk about the walk/run method, and she explains how to use our rest days more smartly. We talk about the best distance for your last long run before a race, and the best strategies for marathon training when you start upping your mileage. She also talks about the importance of a healthy menstrual cycle, and she explains what the heck glycogen is, which is news to me.

This episode is sponsored by Auro. Auro is a leading fitness and wellness app, with over 700 on-demand workouts for home, gym or outdoors lead by world-class trainers. All Women’s Running podcast listeners get unlimited access FREE to all of this for 30 days, worth £11.99. To get this, go here and enter the code WR30 at the checkout.

And don’t forget to sign up to a Women’s Running membership for our brilliant mag, along with tons of discounts and freebies for just £8.75 for three months. Go to our shop and enter WRPOD at the checkout and join us! We’d love to have you with us. Happy running.

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Ep 28. Women's Running Workshop. Nutrition and tapering.

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 28 of the Women’s Running podcast: this is our 6th Women’s Running Workshop. In this episode, we’re getting closer to our half marathon start line, and we hear how Holly’s running has been going over the last four weeks – spoiler: pretty good actually. Endurance is coming on apace, but I obviously need to slap her wrists about the strength training, but I let her off the hook because runners always avoid strength and conditioning, so I just see it as Holly becoming a Proper Runner ™. So we talk about that, we talk about my training too, which I somehow managed to forget to do. And we talk about the taper – how to do it, when to do it, and how it’ll help us on race day.

We also talk about some other strength exercises we can do, using resistance. You can pick these up for under a tenner online: do please have a search around and try to spend money with local, small businesses if you can – I’ve been using John Moore Sports in Bath, but other local sports shops are available!

Try and add in some resistance band moves to your S&C sessions, with crab walks and clam shells to really give your glutes some oomph. I’ve also given Holly a couple more exercises so she can switch these up a bit, while I’ll list below.

We also talk about nutrition – the sort of breakfast that will help rather than hinder your training, and nutrition strategies during the race, which might include actual jelly babies – whatever gets you through.

And what do I have to warn you about? I think I say the word ‘segue’ too much, and we absolutely do NOT hate cyclists or dogs, I promise, despite all indications to the contrary.

These are the exercises I’ve asked Holly to do for the next couple of weeks, just so she wasn’t getting bored. You can do these too if you like. Meanwhile, we’re running 3 or 4 times a week (mostly 3), made up of our increasing long run, a technical run and an easy run. So the exercises are:

A side plank. This is forearm to feet, make sure your body is in one straight line, and that you keep your head and neck in a straight line. This is harder than a normal plank, so start by holding for 20 secs, and build up to a 45 secs on each side.

Tricep dips - sit on the edge of a chair, place your hands on the edge to take your weight, shift your body off the edge. To start with keep knees above ankles, as you progress, move your feet further away. Then don’t move ANYTHING apart from your arms and bend your elbows, while taking your weight, and then pushing back up to straight. Look online if you’re unsure of technique, or you don’t feel anything working. Do 10 very slow ones.

Then instead of squats, we’ve introduced Single leg lunges: Stand tall, take a huge step forward with one leg, lower your body so that your back knee almost touches the floor, push back off the front leg to stand tall again, and then switch legs. Keep your body upright at all times. Progress by holding a weight to your chest or wearing a backpack full of books. Do 10 of these each side.

Good luck with these, and with your training – let us know how you’re getting on, and Holly and I will update you just before we do our half in a couple of weeks’ time. Excited!

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Ep 27. Jo Pavey, five-times Olympian

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMT

In episode 27 of the Women’s Running podcast, we speak to Jo Pavey. Yes, Jo blooming Pavey. It’s difficult not to feel starry eyed about five-time Olympian Jo Pavey, but she instantly puts you at your at ease. She’s warm, lovely and super enthusiastic about running at all levels. She’s more than happy to offer advice to us amateurs and is keen to get us all out running. “Running is amazing!” she says, And she’s right. We talked to Jo on a chilly January day over Zoom. We start off by talking about the challenges of homeschooling, as we had both had to nudge our children out of our respective rooms before we began talking, and also about being a Women’s Running cover star – Jo graces our February cover in style. We also talk about her memories of the Olympics, discussions around her age, competitiveness in sport, friendship with her colleagues, how to encourage your kids to be active, and spreading the Saucony love to her entire village. She’s ridiculously lovely, is Jo: we hope you enjoy this as much as we enjoyed talking to her.

This episode is sponsored by Decathlon. Decathlon knows the vital role staying active plays on our physical and mental wellbeing. Decathlon has just launched its brilliant Power of 10 Podcast: in this Olympic skier turned Dancing on Ice star Graham Bell chats to stars of sport and media to discover their top tips for a healthy body and mind, and how they achieve balance in their lives. The Power of 10 is available on all the usual platforms and provides the sporting boost your day needs.

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Ep 26. Women's Running Workshop. 5. Guided interval run with Auro

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 26 of the Women’s Running podcast. This is our 5th Workshop, and this time we’ve got something a little different for you. In the last four workshops, you may have tuned in to hear Holly and me banging on about our running as we gear up for our virtual half marathon in March. We are still training for that and very much banging on about it – do please listen in to our next workshop at the end of Feb for our next exciting instalment. But in this episode we have a special treat for you – for those of you who have been training with us, and also for those of you who haven’t, we have a guided interval run brought to you by Auro.

Auro is a leading fitness and wellness app, with over 700 on-demand workouts for home, gym or outdoors lead by world-class trainers. With the app, you get access to over 700 on demand audio and video classes - and that’s things like running, yoga, HIIT training and meditation. You also get training plans, running stats, and hundreds of guides to help your running form and technique.

And here’s a very lovely thing: all Women’s Running podcast listeners get unlimited access FREE to all of this for 30 days, worth £11.99. To get this, go here and enter the code WR30 at the checkout. You’ll be auto-enrolled for a monthly or annual plan after the trial ends.

If you’re training alongside Holly and me for a half marathon, please use this interval training session once a week alongside your easy and long runs. Remember to also do some strength work two or three times a week, and this is especially important for your core – so I’m afraid you’re going to have to do those planks. On your hands, your elbows, side planks or even mountain climbers – do whichever you hate the least, but do them regularly. You also need to be adding a good ten minutes to your long runs every weekend, too. The theory is that you should be at around the 2 hour mark in about four weeks’ time. Remember you can always use the walk/run method, but be careful how you use it – don’t go full pelt for half of it, then walk the rest of the way round. Run for a set period of time, then walk for a couple of minutes. It’s how all the best ultra runners do it!

Meanwhile, don’t forget to sign up to a Women’s Running membership for our brilliant mag, along with tons of discounts and freebies for just £8.75 for three months – that’s 35% off just for you, brilliant Women’s Running listener! Go to Women’s Running and enter WRPOD at the checkout and join us!

Now enjoy this beginner interval session – it lasts just under 30 minutes, just take it at your own pace. You can use this session as many times as you like as you continue your training, just increase your efforts week by week, and you’ll soon see an improvement in your fitness.

Find out more about Auro.

If you’d like to listen to the run without music, or alongside your own music choices, you can go straight to the interval training here.

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Ep 25. Denise Stephenson, founder of Emancipated Run Crew

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 10:00:00 GMT

In this episode we speak to Denise Stephenson. We had a chat at the end of 2020, just before the third lockdown came in. We discovered Denise by chance as the founder of the Emancipated Run Crew in South London, and fell in love with her passion for inclusivity and her joyous approach to running. Denise is, as we discover, busy. She is a solicitor by day, a profession that she only realised might have a place for her after a black lawyer came to speak at her secondary school. That experience, along with her faith, has had a huge impact on her, not only in terms of her choice of job, but also influencing her decision to then set up a charity, Reach Out 2 Kids, that does just that: placing BAME professionals in schools to talk about their careers to inspire black and working class kids to enter professions they might not think were open to them. She’s had incredible and moving success with the charity, as she discusses here.

Denise is also co-host of the brilliant Start Line Podcast, along with her sisters, Jules and Petrina, in which they chat effusively about running and eating, and the joy of their many, many half marathons. She talks to us here about her podcast, her charity, the racism she’s faced both at work and at racing events, as well as the lack of diversity in races and the lack of progress made by event directors in terms of their marketing and targeting. Get inspired right here, and make sure you interrogate your race director the next time we’re allowed to race and you realise how few black people are at the start line. And make sure you follow Denise!

@deeliz08
@we_run_we_eat

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Ep 24. Women's Running Workshop. 4: Strength training

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 11:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 24 of the Women’s Running podcast, and our fourth Women’s Running Workshop. In this I speak to Holly Taylor, Women’s Running digital editor, about how her training for her half marathon is going. We’re both signed up to do a virtual half marathon in the middle of March, and we’re working together to make her feel confident and strong ahead of that. If you’d like to train alongside us, that would be great! Do please drop me any questions about your training, if you have any.

In this episode we talk about Holly’s endurance and strength. We’ve got about six weekends ahead of the half, and Holly is at around the 6-8K stage. So I’ve asked her to add ten minutes to her long run at every weekend run. Which might seem like a lot, but we also talk through walk/running. At the moment, the most important thing is time on your feet. And it’s great to be consistent if you’re walk/running, rather than running as far as you can and then slow down to a walk. So I’ve suggested that Holly runs for her preferred length of time – say 10 or 20 minutes – and then introduce a short walking section, before running for the same length of time, and so on. If you’ve been following along with us, hopefully you’re at the comfortable hour stage. So this is something you might want to think about, if the idea of running for more than an hour feels a bit worrying. Just give it a go on your next long run and see how it goes. Equally, if running for more than an hour seems fine to you, then please just go for it. And this week run for ten minutes longer than your last long run, and next week, run ten minutes longer than that. Meanwhile, run a further two times during the week as per usual: one of them a steady, easy run, and keep that technical run for the third one – and that can either be speedwork or hills, your choice.

The other thing I’ve asked is for Holly to begin some strength work, and to continue doing it three times a week, every week up until her half. Strength work sounds scary, but it’s not, I promise.

Do my special TV Workout three times a week in front your favourite guilty pleasure. It’s just three exercises, all of which are very simple to do. Do them all three times over. The three exercises are press ups, planks and squats. And this is them:

10x press ups: these can be completed on your feet or on your knees. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart, lower your body slowly and push up, keeping your elbows as close to the side of your body as possible. Whether you’re on your knees or on your feet, keep the rest of your body in a tight, straight line, from ankle or knee up to the top of your head.

30 second plank: you can do this on your elbows or your wrists. Keep your body as straight as possible, push up through your arms, keeping them solid like iron bars, push through your toes, and slightly protract your shoulder blades while sucking in your stomach. Hold for 30 seconds – or a minute if you feel you can.

10x squats: stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands in prayer position. Lower your body so that, if you can, your hips go lower than your knees while your feet remain flat on the ground. Keep your torso straight and upright. Use your glutes and hamstrings to fire yourself back upwards. If it’s all too easy, hold a weight or wear a backpack full of books.

Now repeat two more times. The whole thing should take less than 10 minutes. Easy. So add that in just three times a week to help strengthen your core, which will, basically, make running feel easier and make you less prone to injury. Nothing good ever took a week, mind, so stick with it! In our next workshop, we have a very special treat for you: a guided interval session to listen into for 30 minutes while you’re out on a run. Keep your eyes peeled for that one.

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Ep 23. Special episode: Eddie Izzard

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 12:00:00 GMT

In this very special extra episode we speak to Eddie Izzard. Eddie is a big runner and a trans woman. She made headlines recently when her decision to use she/her pronouns came to light. We wanted to talk to her about her running experiences, and to demonstrate the inclusivity and support of our community. Last year, Eddie decided it was time to do something big, and she wanted to use running to achieve it. Throughout January 2021, under the banner of Make Humanity Great Again, Eddie is running 31 marathons on a treadmill, and then performing 31 stand-up shows, in 31 days, in 31 virtual cities from across Europe and around the world. She’s doing this to raise money to give to charities that Make Humanity Great. These charities include Fareshare, Walking With The Wounded, Care International, United to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases and Covenant House New York City. Please donate to these causes by hitting the links below or donating to the numbers.

We talked to Eddie while she was running her 20th marathon in a virtual Helsinki. She talked to us about her running, and all the injuries that she’s currently suffering from. And we also talk about her pronouns, and the response that she’s had as a result. Eddie talks honestly about her experiences and her politics, expressing her own views – which do not necessarily reflect those of Women’s Running, but are certainly interesting listening. She talks frankly about Brexit, Donald Trump, and also John Major and a Curly Wurly – you have been warned. What Eddie is doing right now, the money she’s raising and her quest to spread positivity and hope makes her one of the most inspiring people we’ve ever spoken to.

Make Humanity Great Again Donation information:

Just go to eddieizzard.com and hit the ‘Donate’ button to give as much as you like via our Crowdfunder site.

Or if you have a UK phone, you can send a text instead.

To donate £10, just text the word TEN to 70810.

To donate £20, just text the word TWENTY to the same number - 70810.

How to join Eddie the 31-Day Challenge:

- Follow Eddie on Zwift Companion App

- When you enter Zwift there is the 'join another Zwifter', Eddie will appear near the top of that list, click the name, and a press run with Eddie. You can now join Eddie for the marathon attempt of the day.

Find out more on Eddie’s page here.

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Ep 22. Holly Rush, ex GB road runner and ultra runner

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 22 of The Women’s Running podcast. In this episode we speak to relentlessly positive ultrarunner Holly Rush. Holly is the co-host of the Marathon Talk podcast with lovely Martin Yelling, she’s the Asics Frontrunner manager, an ASICS studio coach, and an online coach and mentor.

As an ex-GB runner, she has represented Britain at the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games. She talks to us here about how she discovered her talent for running, and her training for the GB distances. We also talk about her relationship with food, which has been tricky in the past, leading to her periods stopping and discovering she had osteoporosis, along with suffering from a ton of stress fractures. But in the realisation of this, alongside a move from marathon to ultra distances, came a much happier relationship with food and a far happier and healthier outlook. She talks about her love of the ultra distance, and the races she holds close to her heart, and her love generally of trail running. She lets us into the secret of what her absolute favourite ultra is, and she’s got loads of tips for aspiring trail runners here: all very relatable and totally achievable!

This episode is sponsored by Asics. Make sure you visit their online shoe finder at asics.tv/shoes for expert guidance to figure out which shoe is right for you, and to find out all about Europe’s no 1 running brand.

We’ve got a treat for all podcast listeners: an exclusive 35% off membership to Women’s Running. Just enter WRPOD at the checkout for your discount, and you’ll get the mag, free access to hundreds of digital back issues, discounts off lovely merch, a free month’s subscription to Move GB Move At Home, and more! All for less than £9 a month! What are you waiting for?

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Ep 21. Women's Running Workshop. 3. Form

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 07:00:00 GMT

It’s episode 10, series 2 of the Women’s Running podcast! This is our third Women’s Running Workshop. In this episode, Esther chats with Holly, the Women’s Running digital editor about her running, as she builds towards running a virtual half marathon in March 2021. If you’d like to do this with us, it would be great to hear from you – do please email Esther with any questions you have – address below. Over the next few workshops, we’re going to be chatting about how she’s going to increase her long run at the weekends, and the things she can do during the week to increase her strength and endurance.

Workshop 3 is all about form. Before we launch that on her, we chat about Holly’s running and how it’s been over the last few weeks. If you remember, she’d been tasked with a few technical runs, which she gamely took on. She’s been doing some hill sprints, and – as we suspected – avoiding the fartlekking. This is very much a usual state of affairs: the thing with running homework is that while it’s good to see it as a structure, there’s no point making yourself do stuff that will eventually put you off running altogether

With her training for the half, she will continue to run three times a week – these runs include a longer run at weekends, and that now needs to be in the region of 6-8K, an easy run a few days later, and a technical run – that’s hills or sprints. While she’s doing this, she’s going to think about form.

It can be weird to change the way you run. And can feel quite alien, but tiny adjustments in the way that you hold yourself, and the way in which you move your arms and legs, can have a massively positive effect on your running – especially in terms of injury reduction but also in terms of performance.

Here’s your good running form checklist:

Head: Hold your head up high, think about someone pulling your ponytail skywards. Keep your chin tucked in.

Shoulders: Keep your shoulders down and back.

Arms: Hold your arms parallel to your body at 90 degrees and pump them forwards and backwards. Don’t let your hands cross your body.

Core: Hold your tummy in just a little bit, to help keep your posture upright and your back in a neutral, rather than curved, position.

Legs. Cycle your legs behind you. Push backwards, drawing a circle with your feet, picking your heels up at the end of a stride and landing with your feet directly beneath you rather than in front. This will make you lean forward, and it makes you run a little faster. It also makes your feet land mid-foot, rather than heel or toe.

Feet: Keep your feet on train tracks – so your feet place parallel to each other, and don’t cross over an invisible middle line.

That’s it. Head, Shoulders, Arms, Core, Legs, Feet. It’s a lot to think about, so worth starting off thinking about it on one of your easy runs, and just check the points off one by one from head to toe.

Remember, email Esther here with any questions, and we’ll talk about them in the next podcast.

And here’s some good news: you can now become a member of Women’s Running? For the teeny tiny price of just £8.75 every three months – that’s a whopping 35% off – you can join Women’s Running and you’ll get our beautiful magazine delivered direct to your door, plus tons of other benefits, such as FREE access to digital back issues, A free month’s subscription to Move GB Move At Home, discounts off This Mum Runs merchandise and to Girls Run The World training videos. And loads more besides. Just enter WRPOD at checkout to get your exclusive 35% discount and join us today! We’d love to have you with us.

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Ep 20. Jenni Falconer, TV and radio presenter

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we speak to the very lovely Jenni Falconer, TV presenter, radio broadcaster and avid London marathoner. We had a chat last October, just before Halloween and the second lockdown kicked in. She was as charming as she sounds on the radio and on her podcast: enthusiastically talking about her great love of running while brushing away her recent stress fracture. We chatted about her very first on screen appearance – on Blind Date, no less, just after she’d completed her A Levels. And how that appearance lead to a fascination and love for broadcasting. At around the same time she discovered her love for running, too, and chats about how she started, and taking on her first – and subsequent – London Marathons, an experience she loves every single year. She also talks about being papped on the way to work, how getting up at 4.30am is “a bit of a lie in”, and how she has inspired her daughter to also love exercise. In between her busy radio schedule at Smooth, Jenni has also found time to launch a podcast (about running), an app (also about running) and a collagen supplement, aimed squarely at runners. You could say she was a bit of a running fan. What’s next? Well, if she’s launching the Jenni Falconer run kit, put us first in line, please.

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Ep 19. Leanne Davies, founder of Run Mummy Run

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 8, series 2 of the Women’s Running podcast. In this episode we speak to Leanne Davies, the founder of Run Mummy Run. Run Mummy Run have just reached their 8-birthday milestone, and we spoke to Leanne just beforehand, and her passion for women’s health and wellbeing is extraordinary. From an initial group of just three runners, Run Mummy Run has grown into a unique community that supports and nurtures thousands of members, all abiding by Leanne’s overriding ethos, which has kindness at its heart. While running is the theme that connects these women, Run Mummy Run, as Leanne explains, has become so much more than that: its ever-present support network has become nothing less than an emergency service for all women – not just mothers – who seek advice and friendship on everything from running to relationships, providing emotional support during times of hardship as well as celebrating each other's successes. Leanne is so passionate about her community which has, she told us, supported her just as much as she has sought to support it. For many, Run Mummy Run isn’t just about wearing the beautiful kit - it’s nothing short of a lifeline. We can’t wait to find out what they're going to get up to next!

This episode is sponsored by Asics. It’s so important to make sure you’re running in the right type of shoe to avoid the risk of injury and to improve performance. But apparently 81% of runners are running in the wrong type of shoe. Don’t be part of that 81%. Just head over to an Asics store or visit their online shoe finder at asics.tv/shoes and speak to an expert who’ll be able to analyse your foot and stride, which is a service they offer completely free of charge, and they will help you find the right shoe for you. Just go to asics.tv/shoes to find out all about Europe’s no 1 running brand.

ASICS

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Ep 18. Women's Running Workshop. 2. Warm ups and technical running

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 07:00:00 GMT

This is the second podcast in our series for beginner runners, or for those getting back into it, or just if you’re interested in unbefuddling some of the weirder running lingo. In this episode, Esther and Holly have a chat about how Holly's running has been over the past couple of weeks. We also talk about her current warm -up routine, and the sort of moves she can do to warm her muscles and joints up a bit more than, as she says, “putting her leggings on and going downstairs”. We talk about warm up mobilisation exercises that we can all fit in to our running. These are just recommendations, as how you warm up is a very personal thing, but it’s worth building a few in, especially if you’re an early morning runner, to warm up your joints and muscles before setting out. Try this great warm up routine here for starters.

We also talk about introducing a third run. The technical runs we talk about are hill runs and fartleks, which of course we have a little snigger about. And the idea here is for us to work on Holly’s cardiovascular fitness to build up her endurance. We chat through both types of technical running, and how Holly can easily fit them into her week - the good thing about 'technical' runs is that they can be quick! And the rewards are massive: running faster and running up hills work wonders for your strength and fitness, in ways that our usual plodding run will not. In the next episode we'll find our what effect these runs have had on Holly’s weekend running, and we'll be talking about running form, and how tiny adjustments can have a huge impact.

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Ep 17. Gabby Logan, Broadcaster

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode we speak to Gabby Logan. Gabby is a mainstay on our TV, presenting Match of the Day and Question of Sport, as well as reporting on the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, and the London Marathon. Coming from a very sporty family, it’s perhaps not surprising that Gabby excelled at sport as a child, becoming an accomplished gymnast in her teens. Injury put an end to her gymnastic career, but an appearance on Blue Peter tapped into her ambition to launch a career in broadcasting, which she swiftly did once out of university. She talks to us here about how she launched her career, how she's shrugged off discrimination, the snarly comments in newspapers, and the disparity in the financing of men’s and women’s sports which, she explains, begins at grassroots level. She also talks about her running, how her teenage son now overtakes her, and how she’s chuffed to bits with her recent MBE, but because of covid she still hasn’t had her audience with the queen. Yet.

Gabby is an ambassador for TYG, a gut health sports drinks packed with functional ingredients and live bio cultures to help optimise your performance.

This episode is sponsored by Runderwear. Women’s Running listeners can still get an exclusive 20% off all full-priced items online using the code WR20 at www.runderwear.co.uk

Runderwear

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Ep 16. Women's Running Workshop. 1. Start to run, with Esther and Holly

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the Women’s Running Workshop. This is the first in a new series of podcasts for beginner runners. In our first episode I have a chat with Holly, our Women’s Running digital editor. She’s eyeing up the virtual Bath Half in spring 2021, and I want to help her get there. So we got together to talk about her training, to figure out where she thinks she is running-wise, and to chat about what she can do in the next few weeks to get her fitness levels up. This is the perfect opportunity to join in with us if you’re starting to run, or you’re getting back into it. Over the next few episodes I’ll be coaching Holly every fortnight to a comfortable 5K, then to her first 10K, and up to the half marathon in March. We will discuss an easy running schedule, some strength and conditioning moves she can do at home, and some simple drills. Listen in to the end, and I’ll give you a little bit of running homework too – don’t worry, I promise it’s easy, it’s for all abilities, and it doesn’t matter if you’re not quite where Holly is right now. Give it a go, and let me know how you get on. Next episode, we’re talking technical running, so tune in then for an update from Holly, and to get your next batch of running homework!

Email me with your questions.

And find out how to prepare for your first run.

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Ep 15. Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, founder of Black Trail Runners

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to episode 4, series 2 of the Women’s Running podcast. In this episode we speak to Sabrina Pace-Humphreys. We weren’t sure what to expect by the time we spoke to her: at that time she had garnered quite a bit of interest partially because she’s one of the founders of Black Trail Runners, and had already been a cover star on a different running magazine. What we didn’t expect was just how inspiring, how brilliant, how funny she was: in many ways, Sabrina has been one of the most fun conversations we’ve had but also one of the most revealing. She challenges us to have the balls to get out there and actually do something. Not just listen, not just act surprised when we’re told that few black runners are taking up trail running (or even running), and to not just accept the lack of diversity at the start line of races. She wants us to demand change from event directors, and to question decisions, and to question our own motives. She is so passionate, so wonderful, and incredibly moving. She talks here not just about setting up Black Trail Runners, but also her history with running, taking on the Marathon des Sables (and besting it), and how “small steps lead to massive change”.

@sabrunsmiles

@blacktrailrunners

Read more about Sabrina in our interview with her.

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Ep 14. Jess Piasecki, winner of the 2019 Florence Marathon

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 07:00:00 GMT

It’s episode 3 series 2 of the Women’s Running podcast! And in this episode we speak to Jess Piasecki, the winner of the Florence Marathon in 2019. We like to talk about journeys at Women’s Running – we’re much like Strictly Come Dancing in that respect – and Jess’s journey in particular is compelling. She came to our attention when she won that marathon in 2019, in so doing becoming the third fastest GB woman of all time. But how she got to that startline in the first place is a rollercoaster journey through injury after injury. She talks to us here about her ultra sporty start at school, and then how her career weaved in and out of dramatic injuries, including multiple spine fractures, and how she built back from that. She also talks very honestly here about how she didn’t have a proper period until she was 27, the importance of oestrogen on bone health, and how important periods are as an indicator of overall women’s health. Jess is a presenter on the Female Athlete podcast, which is well worth a listen, and she’s also a brand champion for the excellent FitrWoman app. She speaks eloquently here about how important it is for young athletes to learn what their bodies are going through.

This episode is sponsored by Runderwear. Women’s Running listeners can get an exclusive 20% off all full-priced items online using the code WR20 at runderwear.co.uk.

This episode, the Runderwear team is giving one lucky listener the chance to win a Runderwear ‘Winners Bundle’, including a base-layer, a sports bra, a pair of chafe-free underwear and a pair of socks. The winner can choose the colour and style of each item included in their bundle! To enter, just need to enter your details at Runderwear.

Listen to The Female Athlete here.

Find out more about how FitrWoman can help your training.

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Ep 13. Tasha Thompson, founder of Black Girls Do Run

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk to Tasha Thompson, the founder of the online community and running group Black Girls Do Run. She set her group up a year ago to inspire black women to run for their fitness, their health and their mental wellbeing. Tasha’s always been a runner, but she had noticed that very few other black women were joining her at the start line of races, and she quickly realised that there were a ton of barriers that prevented black women from taking up running. She set up Black Girls Do Run to help support more women to access running and to enjoy it, and to help educate wider society about the presence of these barriers. She talked to me here about her own running, setting up the group, the issues that her community faces, and how within just a few months the group came face to face with racism at the Harrow Half. But Tasha is a woman to be reckoned with: since then her group has grown, both in size and in reputation, and she has secured support from Runderwear and recognition in the press. You know that lovely feminist phrase, “Nevertheless she persisted”? That’s Tasha: her unwavering positivity and optimism are palpable: and this is reflected by the support and loyalty of her group.

This episode is sponsored by Runderwear, a small brand in Dorset which makes technical performance underwear to prevent chafing. Women’s Running listeners can get an exclusive 20% off all full-priced items online using the code WR20 at www.runderwear.co.uk.

In this episode, one lucky listener has the chance to win a Runderwear Winners Bundle. The bundle will include everything you need to start your running journey with Runderwear, including a base layer, a sports bra, a pair of chafe-free underwear and a pair of socks. The winner can choose the colour and style of each item included in their bundle.
Go here to enter this amazing competition!

For an exclusive 20% off all full-priced items at Runderwear use the code WR20 at the checkout.

Follow Black Girls Do Run

And give them a wave when you see them on a run!

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Ep 12. Susie Chan, ultrarunner and presenter

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 06:00:00 GMT

In episode one of season two of the Women’s Running podcast, we talk to Susie Chan. Susie is a hugely inspirational ultrarunner, having taken on dozens of endurance challenges across the globe. She’s a popular woman in the running industry, and you might have seen her popping up on your TVs or at the National Running Show interviewing other runners and commenting on races. We talked to her about exploring her local area during lockdown, going from a “few half marathons” to the running the Marathon des Sables, heat training, her rollercoaster journey from chasing PBs to a shock cancer diagnosis, and dealing with that diagnosis by entering a LOT of races. She also talks about battling the Jungle Ultra after her husband had almost died, tripping over an alligator during a hundred-miler in Florida, running with her pal Sophie Raworth, and her love of craft beer. And if you want to know what the best food to take on a desert ultra, she knows just the thing. Spoiler: it involves the words Pot and Noodle.
This episode is sponsored by Brooks, who have a brilliant competition to win one of two full Run Visible outfits worth £400. You just need to go to womensrunning.co.uk/runvisible and answer a very simple question. Good luck!

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Ep 11. Marathon special: Deborah James and Emma Campbell

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 08:00:00 GMT

This is the special Marathon Edition of the Women’s Running podcast. On Sunday 4th October Esther, along with 43,000 others, ran the virtual London Marathon. Two women who also ran it were Deborah James and Emma Campbell, both of whom have been on the podcast before. This time we wanted to talk to them both about our experiences running our virtual races. They ran together, supporting each other every step of every mile, while raising money for their beloved Royal Marsden, a hospital that has supported and cared for them so much. You can still donate to their justgiving pages, so please do so with the links below. They talk with me here about the importance of their chosen charity, and also Deb’s history with the London Marathon, the power of giant Wotsits, and the sheer joy of our virtual races. We also discuss our next racing highlight – the Vitality 10K, which you can sign up to as well before 23rd October. Again the link is below. Plus there’s some proper, tangible advice on running your next marathon right here, and it involves pants.

Donate to Deb here

Donate to Em here

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Ep 10. Sophie Power, ultrarunner and entrepreneur

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 06:00:00 GMT

In episode 10, we speak to the very aptly-named Sophie Power. Ultrarunning star, Women’s Running cover star, and ardent campaigner on women’s health, Sophie is a hugely inspiring woman. She found sudden fame two years ago when she was photographed breastfeeding at a checkpoint at the UTMB. She allowed this beautiful picture of her to be taken, hoping that it would in some way influence event directors of ultra races into allowing pregnant runners to defer their places. She talks to us here about that experience, and what she’s been doing since with her new-found fame. She also talks about previous races, the perils of drinking too much water, training while pregnant, the importance of talking about pelvic floors, and fighting for change.
This episode is sponsored by Brooks Running, and if you're listening in October 2020, you can go here to enter a competition to win one of two Run Visible outfits, worth £400 each.

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Brooks Running is sponsoring this episode of the Women's Running podcast

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Ep 9. Deborah James, author and presenter

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 08:00:00 GMT

In episode 9 of the Women’s Running podcast we talk to Deborah James, who you might know better as Bowelbabe. If someone can be the ‘face’ of bowel cancer, Deborah is that person. She is vivacious, uncompromising, witty and incredibly honest about life with cancer. She’s been documenting her experiences publicly for the past four years, but really came to our attention last year when she ran the Vitality 10K in her pants with a bunch of other brilliant women including Bryony Gordon, Women’s Running columnist Emma Campbell and Andrea McClean. She talks to us here about her lifelong love of exercise and running, on how she has always run for her mental health, and how everyone should run in their pants. She also talks about what living with cancer is *really* like, her beloved teaching profession she currently has on pause, and the more recent strings she has added to her bow: her podcast, her column in the Sun, and her books. And in about a month’s time she’s going to be running the virtual London Marathon too. Make sure you cheer her along!

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Ep 8. Anna Harding, founder of The Running Channel

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Esther Newman, editor of Women’s Running, speaks to Anna Harding, the founder of the Running Channel. Anna has gone from non-runner to running expert in a ludicrously quick time. Just a few years ago, she made the leap from couch to marathon, and hasn’t stopped running since. She talks to us here about starting the Running Channel, and supporting a community that she truly loves, as well as how an ex boyfriend prompted her to start running in the first place (by telling her that she couldn’t). She talks about running goals, strength training during lockdown, her love of trail running and hating tempo sessions. She also talks openly about how the trolls in the comments section affected her mental health, and how she has won that personal battle. Find out this, her top tips for ultra recovery (it involves a paddling pool) and what’s in store next for Anna and the Running Channel right here.

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Ep 7. Jemma Lewis, This Girl Can Run Far

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 06:00:00 GMT

In episode 7 of the Women’s Running podcast, editor Esther Newman chats to Jemma Lewis, better known as This Girl Can Run Far. She’s a runner we can all relate to, having taken up running as an antidote to gym-going after the birth of her daughter. But the thing is with Jemma is that a) she’s really *really* good, and b) she’s incredibly down to earth. Here, she talked to me about taking on her first ultra with the proceeds of a last-minute modelling gig with This Girl Can, and how Joe Wicks has made her discover the benefits of strength training. She also talks passionately about how supportive the women’s running community is, and equally passionately about her love of Dairylea Dunkers. And if you want insider tips, she explains here how to stop your hydration pack sloshing about on your back, making you need a wee. Essential running advice right here.

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Ep 6. Emma Kirk Odunubi, coach, Under Armour runner and shoe geek

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Emma knows everything there is to know about running shoes: she's a total running shoe nerd and has put in the hours: she's worked in the running industry for over 10 years and is a sports scientist to boot. But where many of you will know her from is Instagram as @emmakirkyo, where her brilliant videos on shoe lacing had me hooked from the start. And that's not to mention the drills, the strength training, and the general no-nonsense, smart attitude to running fitness. And in terms of running, hers is awe-inspiring: from running 100 metres in ski boots to marathons all over the place, she certainly has the creds. She's been through it too, and talks candidly here about struggling with her grief after the death of her dad, and how she used sport as a crutch during that time. Her passion for sport and running is palpable - listen in to be inspired... And to find out what shoes you should buy if you can't get to the shops!

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Ep 5. Emma Campbell, author, runner and cancer thriver

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 06:00:00 GMT

Emma Campbell has a list of labels as long as your arm: author, writer, speaker, three times cancer thriver, mum of four, Women’s Running columnist, runner. There are more, too, but for now let’s concentrate on these ones. She’s such an incredible woman that when I first spoke to her at the end of last year, I’d signed her up to be a columnist within half an hour. She talks here honestly and beautifully about her experiences with cancer, and how she has dealt with those diagnoses while simultaneously bringing up her triplets and older son. She also discusses the gift of running, and how her friend Bryony Gordon helped her to view it as a way to embrace her mental wellbeing rather than a way to punish her body. From running a 10K in her Primark pants to signing up to the London Marathon, Emma will have you lacing up your trainers in no time.

This episode of the Women’s Running podcast is sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves. For gorgeous prints – Rainbows! Stars! Leopard print! – in luxe fabrics, Lucy Locket will put the fun in your run. And they’re offering you, our lovely podcast listeners, an exclusive 10% discount on EVERYTHING. Just enter WRPOD10 at the checkout.

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Ep 4. Lisa Jackson, author of Your Pace Or Mine

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 21:00:00 GMT

Ah Lisa Jackson. If you ever wanted to be inspired to run anything – but particularly a marathon – Lisa is your woman. I met her first last year at Run Fest, and then again at the start of this year, and both those times, I left feeling energised, inspired and pretty invincible, to be honest. She has run over a hundred marathons, and one of the many wonderful things about her is that she is fully proud of coming last in 25 of those marathons. She’s a back-of-the-pack runner, and she loves it there: she loves to chat to the runners and hear their stories. She loves the feeling of inclusivity, and she loves hearing about the journeys that all these runners have been on. To that end, she’s written a couple of brilliant books, that I would recommend for all runners: there’s Running Made Easy, the sort of running manual that you need next to your bed, and Your Pace Or Mine – now available on audiobook as well as paperback. In this she details her journey from committed fitness-phobe to committed marathoner, and all the extraordinary people she’s met along the way. It’s joyous. When I met her back in January, we talked about how she used to skive off running as a kid, how she got into running in her 30s, how she discovered walk-running, and the advice she has for all of us who are terrified about taking on a marathon. She’s a force of nature – you will want to run!

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Ep 3. Mel Bound, founder and CEO of This Mum Runs

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 11:00:00 GMT

We talked to Mel Bound back in September 2019. She's incredible. After undergoing life-changing back surgery and having kids, she tentatively put out a post on Facebook for some running buddies, and from there This Mum Runs was born. These days, it's gone from a local free weekly running group to an organisation with a truly global reach, with TMR running groups all over the world, a clothing range, and a manifesto to inspire women to move that will bring tears to your eyes. Mel has recently launched an app, too, which helps runners everywhere go from zero to 30 minutes with the help of her gentle coaching. In this episode, we talk kids, asthma, back problems, girls and sport, inspiring women to run, and dishwashers. Hers makes a beeping noise, but we professionally talked over it.

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Ep 2. Susannah Gill, 777 World Champion

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 08:00:00 GMT

We talked to Susannah back in November 2019. She's a force of nature, emphasised by her win at the World Marathon Challenge in January 2019. In this, she ran seven marathons, on seven continents in seven days. It's exhausting just typing it. The thing that makes it even more incredible than the feat itself is that we've been shown videos of Susannah before she was coached at the Running School. She went there just months before taking on the challenge, and her coach and mentor, Mike Antoniades, took one look at her running and asked her if she tripped over her feet a lot. It turns out she did. She thought that tripping over was a fact of running, but under Mike's guidance her form dramatically improved, and he helped shape her training so she was ready to take on the Challenge. The story of her adventure back then had me on the edge of my seat - at times, there were just seconds between her and the next contender, as she rounded the final lap before the finish. Find out how her sheer determination (and several Toffee Crisps) powered her through.

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Ep 1. Anna McNuff, legendary barefoot adventurer

Mon, 04 May 2020 14:00:00 GMT

We talked to Anna McNuff back in January 2020. Anna is the stuff of legend: most recently she has run over 2300 miles across the UK barefoot, fundraising and raising awareness for GirlGuiding as she went. She also amassed a whole raft of admirers and fellow runners along the way. But this wasn't Anna's first adventure: from clambering over Hadrian's wall (dressed as a Roman centurion - obviously) to cycling through every single state in North American, Anna loves a bit of a challenge. We talk to her about all of that, about adopting the westcountry as her home turf, and about the next adventures she has up her sleeve. She's funny, she's brilliant, she runs like the wind, and she's got the Best Hair In Running (TM).

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