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The Women's Running Podcast
Ep 84. Tapering, periods, running to feel
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!
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.
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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!
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317. Ep 317. PMS and gym etiquette
56:59||Season 1, Ep. 317Welcome to episode 317 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.Gyms and PMDDHolly is on the struggle bus first of all, so please send hugs immediately. She’s been finding this new goal a tough one, in terms of figuring out to juggle in the training alongside real life. We also talk about gym etiquette – can you actually make friends in the gym? Also a bit of chat on the PMDD side of things – worth another pod, I think. And a bit more on the Raynaud’s side of things – hey, it’s September so we’re getting close to white finger season.If you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine, and right now if you subscribe, you’ll make a hefty saving AND you’ll get a free gift of 3 Freyja resistance bands to help you get hench this summer. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to treat yourself this July. Also, sorry, one last thing – please please please come and join us over on Patreon because it’s brilliant there – you get ad-free listening AND early access to some of our pods. You can also pop over to our Discord forum and meet all the lovely women that are already there sharing stories and supporting each other. Come and join the gang at patreon.com/womensrunning from just £2 a month.LinksGet coached by Laura Fountain, join her substack, and follow her hereHave a look at what Sports Tours have to offerSubscribe to Women’s Running for lovely cheapness and free Freyja Resistance BandsDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningSetting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories
10. Ep 10. The Strength Project: mistakes
38:48||Season 9, Ep. 10Welcome to the 10th and last episode of the Strength Project, a limited series from the makers of The Women’s Running Podcast.I’m Esther, and she’s Holly, and we are here to help! We all know that we should be strength training these days, but it’s so confusing figuring out where to start. So we’ve put together a series designed to cut through the jargon, answer your questions AND get you fitter and stronger as a result.The two of us are assisted by the gorgeous Kate, our resident PT and strength coach who can answer all the questions we can’t. If you have any more questions, or you’d just like to drop us a line, we would love to hear from you at wrpodcast@anthem.co.ukIn our 10th episode, we’re talking about common mistakes when it comes to strength training, so you don’t make the mistakes that we have!As ever we chat to Kate at the end of the episode to answer your strength questions. Your homework this week is about the part of the core we often forget – your back! Back extensions (otherwise weirdly known as the plural Supermans) are brilliant for strengthening your back and as a companion exercise to anything you’ve done to strengthen the front of your core. They look easy, but they feel spicy! To help you get stronger this summer, we’ve got a brilliant deal on Women’s Running magazine. If you go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad, you can pick up the next three issues for just £14.99, AND you’ll get a super strong free gift too – a bundle of three Freyja Resistance bands worth £14.95. They’re not only beautiful, but they’ll help you get results too! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to find out more.And to access all our simple workout videos, search for Women’s Running youtube, and follow along with us.LinksGet an exclusive saving on our magazine subcription with womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions
316. Ep 316. Relaxing and marathon struggles
01:00:35||Season 1, Ep. 316Welcome to episode 316 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.Relaxing! And running!We’re going to leave some technical hoo-has in this ep, so you get a tantalising glimpse behind the fourth wall (oooh!). But then, because I’m on holiday, we talk about what relaxing actually looks like – if anyone has any great ideas, do please let me know. We then talk about how the first few weeks of our marathon training has been going and all the worries that go with that.Get the mag!If you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine, and right now if you subscribe, you’ll make a hefty saving AND you’ll get a free gift of 3 Freyja resistance bands to help you get hench this summer. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to treat yourself this July. That’s womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad.Also, sorry, one last thing – please please please come and join us over on Patreon because it’s brilliant there – you get ad-free listening AND early access to some of our pods. You can also pop over to our Discord forum and meet all the lovely women that are already there sharing stories and supporting each other. Come and join the gang at patreon.com/womensrunning from just £2 a month.LinksGet coached by Laura Fountain, join her substack, and follow her hereHave a look at what Sports Tours have to offerSubscribe to Women’s Running for lovely cheapness and free Freyja Resistance BandsDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningSetting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories
9. Ep 9. The Strength Project: lingo
35:41||Season 9, Ep. 9Welcome to the 9th episode of the Strength Project, a limited series from the makers of The Women’s Running Podcast.I’m Esther, and she’s Holly, and we are here to help! We all know that we should be strength training these days, but it’s so confusing figuring out where to start. So we’ve put together a series designed to cut through the jargon, answer your questions AND get you fitter and stronger as a result.The two of us are assisted by the gorgeous Kate, our resident PT and strength coach who can answer all the questions we can’t. If you have any more questions, or you’d just like to drop us a line, we would love to hear from you at wrpodcast@anthem.co.ukIn our 9th episode, we’re talking acronyms. We want you to feel like a native down the gym, so this is our guide to figuring out your RDLs from your RPEs. As ever we chat to Kate at the end of the episode to answer your strength questions. Your homework this week is one of those ones it is glorious to know – the Romanian Deadlift – or RDL to give it its acronym – is one of those ones you’ll often hear talked about down the gym or online, and I wanted to gift this one to you so you can see firstly, how great it is, and secondly, you can throw acronyms about down the gym with abandon. It’s like a new language! This one is brilliant for your posterior chain, everything from your lower back down to your feet. Juicy bum ahoy! To help you get stronger this summer, we’ve got a brilliant deal on Women’s Running magazine. If you go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad, you can pick up the next three issues for just £14.99, AND you’ll get a super strong free gift too – a bundle of three Freyja Resistance bands worth £14.95. They’re not only beautiful, but they’ll help you get results too! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to find out more.And to access all our simple workout videos, search for Women’s Running youtube, and follow along with us.LinksGet an exclusive saving on our magazine subcription with womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions
315. Ep 315. Spicy training plans
01:05:55||Season 1, Ep. 315Welcome to episode 315 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, ADHDWe’re talking about how the heat is affecting us (we’re recording in the middle of the fifth heat wave), and we have more updates on our running now that we’re emerging into the slightly spicy section of our marathon training plans. We then do a deeply controversial thing and rank race distances from best to worst! You will NOT agree! Tell us your thoughts! We also revisit our chat about ADHD and generally about neurodiversity in running. Just a note here, we are only talking about our own experiences and are not experts by any means.MagazineIf you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine, and right now if you subscribe, you’ll make a hefty saving AND you’ll get a free gift of 3 Freyja resistance bands to help you get hench this summer. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to treat yourself this July. That’s womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad.PatreonAlso, sorry, one last thing – please please please come and join us over on Patreon because it’s brilliant there – you get ad-free listening AND early access to some of our pods. You can also pop over to our Discord forum and meet all the lovely women that are already there sharing stories and supporting each other. Come and join the gang at patreon.com/womensrunning from just £2 a month.LinksGet coached by Laura Fountain, join her substack, and follow her hereHave a look at what Sports Tours have to offerSubscribe to Women’s Running for lovely cheapness and free Freyja Resistance BandsDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningSetting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories
8. Ep 8. The Strength Project: goals
34:14||Season 9, Ep. 8Welcome to the 8th episode of the Strength Project, a limited series from the makers of The Women’s Running Podcast.I’m Esther, and she’s Holly, and we are here to help! We all know that we should be strength training these days, but it’s so confusing figuring out where to start. So we’ve put together a series designed to cut through the jargon, answer your questions AND get you fitter and stronger as a result.The two of us will be here every week on a Wednesday, assisted by the gorgeous Kate, our resident PT and strength coach who can answer all the questions we can’t. If you have any more questions, or you’d just like to drop us a line, we would love to hear from you at wrpodcast@anthem.co.ukGoalsIn our 8th episode, we’re talking about goals! How do we give our strength training some purpose? As ever we chat to Kate at the end of the episode to answer your strength questions. Your homework this week is the humble tricep dip. This simple exercise is easy to master, but gives fantastic bang for your buck . We talk through best form, and all you need to do to progress and grow those tricep muscles.To help you get stronger this summer, we’ve got a brilliant deal on Women’s Running magazine. If you go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad, you can pick up the next three issues for just £14.99, AND you’ll get a super strong free gift too – a bundle of three Freyja Resistance bands worth £14.95. They’re not only beautiful, but they’ll help you get results too! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to find out more.And to access all our simple workout videos, search for Women’s Running youtube, and follow along with us.LinksGet an exclusive saving on our magazine subcription with womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions
314. Ep 314. Marathon training and reveal
58:57||Season 1, Ep. 314Welcome to episode 314 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!We’re talking about our marathon training, and how that’s been going with all our travels over the summer. And because we’re talking about our marathon training, we feel like we need to fess up about what our marathon actually IS. I can’t say here because this is the intro, and where’s the fun in that? But we do say on the pod – not gonna tell you when, you have to listen to all our ramblings first, so there. For the first time ever, though, we’re not having a wobble about getting to the finish, we’re having a wobble about getting to the start…Magazine!If you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine, and right now if you subscribe, you’ll make a hefty saving AND you’ll get a free gift of 3 Freyja resistance bands to help you get hench this summer. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to treat yourself this July. That’s womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad.Patreon!Also, sorry, one last thing – please please please come and join us over on Patreon because it’s brilliant there – you get ad-free listening AND early access to some of our pods. You can also pop over to our Discord forum and meet all the lovely women that are already there sharing stories and supporting each other. Come and join the gang at patreon.com/womensrunning from just £2 a month.LinksGet coached by Laura Fountain, join her substack, and follow her hereHave a look at what Sports Tours have to offerSubscribe to Women’s Running for lovely cheapness and free Freyja Resistance BandsDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningSetting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories
7. Ep 7. The Strength Project: nutrition
41:15||Season 9, Ep. 7Welcome to the 7th episode of the Strength Project, a limited series from the makers of The Women’s Running Podcast.I’m Esther, and she’s Holly, and we are here to help! We all know that we should be strength training these days, but it’s so confusing figuring out where to start. So we’ve put together a series designed to cut through the jargon, answer your questions AND get you fitter and stronger as a result.The two of us will be here every week on a Wednesday, assisted by the gorgeous Kate, our resident PT and strength coach who can answer all the questions we can’t. If you have any more questions, or you’d just like to drop us a line, we would love to hear from you at wrpodcast@anthem.co.ukNutritionIn our 7th episode, we’re talking about food! What can we eat to support our training? Do we all need to be drinking protein shakes now? As ever we chat to Kate at the end of the episode to answer your strength questions. Your homework this week sounds intriguing: it’s the disgustingly named (but incredibly effective) Dead Bug. We talk through best form, and all you need to do to progress this exercise to get a core of steel.To help you get stronger this summer, we’ve got a brilliant deal on Women’s Running magazine. If you go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad, you can pick up the next three issues for just £14.99, AND you’ll get a super strong free gift too – a bundle of three Freyja Resistance bands worth £14.95. They’re not only beautiful, but they’ll help you get results too! Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to find out more.And to access all our simple workout videos, search for Women’s Running youtube, and follow along with us.LinksGet an exclusive saving on our magazine subscription with womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad Setting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions
313. Ep 313. Big news, Badwater 135
01:07:35||Season 1, Ep. 313Welcome to episode 313 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 madnessWe start with a little bit of pooing on the run content, before we launch into our BIG NEWS. Shan’t let the cat out of the bag in the show notes, as that’s no fun at all, but suffice to say we don’t have much time to train for something rather large looming in October. We talk through our rubbish plans right here. Small technical difficulties aside, we move on to huge feats of endurance over in the US, namely Badwater 135, the details of it, the myths and scandals around it, and whether or not we would ever consider doing it ourselves (um, NOPE).Magazine!If you’re fond of this pod, you are going to LOVE Women’s Running Magazine, and right now if you subscribe, you’ll make a hefty saving AND you’ll get a free gift of 3 Freyja resistance bands to help you get hench this summer. Go to womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad to treat yourself this July. That’s womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad.Patreon!Also, sorry, one last thing – please please please come and join us over on Patreon because it’s brilliant there – you get ad-free listening AND early access to some of our pods. You can also pop over to our Discord forum and meet all the lovely women that are already there sharing stories and supporting each other. Come and join the gang at patreon.com/womensrunning from just £2 a month.LinksSubscribe to Women’s Running for lovely cheapness and free Freyja Resistance BandsDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningSetting up your own podcast? Try Zencastr – we’ve been using it for ages and LOVE ITEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories