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The Women's Running Podcast
Ep 247. The 2025 TCS London Marathon
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.
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.
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.
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
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- 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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289. Ep 289. Tough training and happy yoga
01:16:54||Season 1, Ep. 289Welcome 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 trainingHolly 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 happyHannah 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 howit 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 ourexclusive Pod Squad forum, too. Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunning to find out more. LinksGet one of the last tickets to our event the night before the Bath HalfCheck out Hannah Barrett’s app, Yoga HappyDetails of the Reclaim the Night walk in Brecon are here – do please go along if you’re a local!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/womensrunningBook 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) 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-surveySubscribe 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 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 or running stories
6. Ep 6. Half Marathon Bootcamp: Injury prevention
44:31||Season 8, Ep. 6Welcome 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.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!Injury PreventionIn 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 bitsIf 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. 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.
7. Ep 7. Start to Run: Injuries [RERUN]
33:02||Season 6, Ep. 7Welcome 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 extrasIf 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.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.
288. Ep 288. Race organisation, training tips, shakeout runs
01:19:50||Season 1, Ep. 288Welcome 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 organisationToday, 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 tipsWe 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 racesAfter 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 MarathonJoin 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.LinksGet 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 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) 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-surveySubscribe 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 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 or running stories
5. Ep 5. Half Marathon Bootcamp: The Long Run
34:14||Season 8, Ep. 5Welcome 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.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 – that’s the plan!The long runIn 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 bitsIf 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. 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.
6. Ep 6. Start to Run: Strength [RERUN]
33:36||Season 6, Ep. 6Welcome 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 extrasIf 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.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.
287. Ep 287. Hyrox, Coopah coaching, NRS
01:25:22||Season 1, Ep. 287Welcome 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 ShowWe 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 coachWe 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!HyroxWe 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 listeningBy 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. LinksIf 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/womensrunningBook 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) 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-surveySubscribe 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 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 or running stories
4. Ep 4. Half Marathon Bootcamp: Speed
40:14||Season 8, Ep. 4Welcome 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.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 the start line with a smile on our faces – that’s the plan!Running fasterIn 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 bitsIf 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. 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.
5. Ep 5. Start to Run: Training plans [RERUN]
37:24||Season 6, Ep. 5Welcome 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 explainedEven 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 extrasIf 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.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.