The Running Mums Podcast

Artist Jen Madden ran 10k for 100 days and created a piece of art inspired by every single one of those runs — incredible! In this week's podcast we chatted all about this amazing achievement, the highs and lows of the challenge and how it's changed her perception of running and her work.The toddler mum is no stranger to endurance feats, having completed the 15-kilometre Scilly Swim Challenge in 2025, and creating an impressive painting inspired by her training for this. She's also a marathon runner and has some exciting plans for next year, but is currently enjoying a well-deserved rest!If you're in a running rut, Jen's story is sure to inspire you to get out there and see running in a new light. We're all guilty of going into autopilot, but Jen reminds us to enjoy our surroundings and make the most of the journey rather than simply chasing the finish. You might even feel inspired to try to document some of your own runs, after all they shouldn't stay stuck on Strava forever!Find out more about Jen, including her custom creations, her book You Can Draw This and Drawing Club here.

Like many of us who grew up in the 90s and 2000s, Laura was once following diet after diet and struggling with body image. Running was the last thing she would do with her free time and exercise felt like a punishment. Fast-forward to today and she has transformed her relationship with food and her body, found a love (and amazing grit and determination) for running and is helping others do the same.She is the founder of the fabulous We Are Fearless and is now a trainer and nutritionist. She tells us about her fantastic network of runners, and how you can start having a more positive relationship with food and exercise too.The mum-of-three also has some handy advice on how to fit in running into your hectic schedule, and a brilliant hack for completing a long weekend run without spending hours away from your family. She's a brilliant advocate for ultra running, and even has had me considering signing up (all-day picnic?! yes please!)She's helped so many people achieve their goals — whether that's running 5k or running an ultra — and she reveals the mistake many of us are making which is stalling our progress AND making running harder and less enjoyable.Hope you enjoy the episode!

Zahra (@muslimactivemum) went from running ultras and racing on the world stage to being grounded by an unlikely fall at parkrun. The resulting injury sidelined her from the sport she loves for years, but her incredible positivity helped her come out stronger.While recovering, Zahra became a mum. In this episode, she shares her struggles during those early days, how buggy running transformed her experience, and how it shaped the runner she is today.She also discusses her mission to promote representation in the running world, what it feels like to be the only person who looks like her on the start line, and her hopes to inspire more women to confidently take up the sport.If you've ever felt lost or lonely in motherhood, Zahra's story offers hope and reminds us that our biggest challenges can eventually lead to great things.Hope you enjoy the episode!

Do you sometimes lack in confidence in your running ability or wonder how to get out the door when you have zero motivation? Or perhaps you're battling with demons on your long run and struggling to keep going when you know you have more in your legs? Then this is the episode for you!Dr Chloe Bedford is a counselling psychologist, runner and mum-of-two. She has been running for around 16 years, though becoming a parent has changed what running looks like for her and now she focuses on motivation, progress and fitting training into everyday life, rather than hitting certain paces.Through her brilliant Instagram account, @The.Running.Psychologist, Chloe shares the psychology behind running and mental health, alongside the realities of trying to run when children, work and life have other plans. She encourages runners to pursue their goals with flexibility and self-compassion, and to remember that a missed run doesn’t mean the whole training plan needs to go in the bin.In this week's episode, Chloe shares how you can become a more confident runner and be a little kinder to yourself, as ultimately pulling on your trainers and fitting in even a five minute run — while we're juggling kids, work and everything else life throws at us — is a win!Hope you enjoy the episode x

Welcome back to The Running Mums Podcast! I'm very excited to bring you series two, and delighted to be kicking off this series with the wonderful Shakira Akabusi.The mum-of-four is a women's fitness expert and a specialist in postnatal exercise, as well as a presenter. Growing up as daughter to Olympian Kriss Akabusi, Shakira shares her early experiences of sport and how they evolved over the years.We chatted all about how running and exercise helped Shakira through some really challenging times, as well as top tips for mums looking to get started running after having a baby, or returning to the sport after kids.Shakira has inspired so many women to believe in themselves and invest in their all-round health through her Strong Like Mum network, and she shares some amazing advice on how we can feel good and run well for years to come.Hope you enjoy the episode!

What a great chat I had with Georgina! She's an epic multi-marathon runner (40 marathons and ultras, and counting!) and ran through her pregnancies and even secured her PB after having kids.As well as sharing how she makes running work alongside being a mum to her three lovely girls, she is a huge advocate for breastfeeding and spoke about the changes she would like to see put in place for mums who are nursing but still wanting to continue racing and pursuing the hobby they love.Like myself, Georgina is lucky enough to be running London Marathon next year and she is taking part for a charity very close to her heart. We chat all about London and how she stays fit and strong to keep completing so many races.You can follow Georgina's progress on Instagram @diaryofamotherrunner.It's a really uplifting episode and shows you can take up running later in life and still achieve amazing things.Hope you enjoy!

This week I spoke to the wonderful Christine Bateman - a mum of three from Canada who has been on a rollercoaster ride with her running.She came to running after becoming a parent and her newfound hobby went from a source of comfort to an unhealthy obsession. As she pursued her quest of qualifying for Boston her anxiety took hold and all the joy she once found from running disappeared.All this was going on while Christine was suffering from adenomyosis and then undiagnosed ADHD. Her overtraining and underfuelling eventually caught up with her and then on top of all that, a fall left her with two broken arms and shortly afterwards she had to have major surgery.Amazingly, Christine has got through all of this and shares how she turned things full circle and found her love for running again, and made friends for life along the way. Now she runs without expectations or pressure, purely for joy, and she spreads that positive energy wherever she runs.If you've ever felt like the pressure has got too much, in running or parenthood, then this episode is sure to leave you feeling more positive that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and there are great things around the corner when you find the right support.I hope you enjoy the episode!

Have you ever struggled to lose weight as a runner, found you can't get your head round carb loading or feel unsure whether your caffeine habits are healthy? Nutritionist Kate Law is a keen runner and mother, and in this week's Running Mums Podcast she shares her advice on all these topics, and so much more.We chatted about why what we eat is so important for our physical and mental health, how to lose weight safely, and whether this is something that can be done while in a training block for a running event.Kate debunked some myths about caffeine and carb loading, and shared why practice makes perfect for race day fuelling.We also chatted about body image, the desire to look like a runner and the warning signs you might be under-fuelling, as well as nutrition advice for breastfeeding runners.Kate can be found on Instagram and the SMILE study she mentioned can be read here.