The Women's Running Podcast

Welcome to episode 299 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.Inca and Ellie updateApologies for recording quality of the first bit as Hol and I are sitting in a tiny room with big windows! To begin with, we join SportsShoes ambassadors Inca and Ellie again to find out how they did during the London Marathon over the weekend. If you remember, they were both gunning for sub-3 marathons. Spoiler: there are tears!Joe Wicks!And then we’re back to just the two of us for a long, rambling episode, which takes us immediately into a bit of Joe Wicks controversy, which we’re enjoying greatly, into some London Marathon content, a little bit of Greek romance, followed by some trail marathon ramblings and a bit of bad back stuff to finish off. Fun!Pick up 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.LinksBag yourself a third off the mag with womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad Have a lovely tipple from the Athletic Brewing CompanySetting 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  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.PaceToday, 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 PowerWe 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.LinksGet yourself a copy of Sophie’s incredible book, The Power WithinSign up to Sophie Power’s SheRaces ultra in July! I might see you there (eek)Bag yourself a third off the mag 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 or running stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 checksWe 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 runnersIn 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 itselfWe 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.LinksGet your skin checked out at https://themoleclinic.co.uk/Pick up a subcription to Women's Running for 30% off. womensrunning.co.uk/podsquad Pick up Juliet's brilliant book, The Runner's Guide To MenopauseSetting 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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 HalfIt’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 ratesWe 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!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 Lovely extra bitsGet 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 membershipSetting 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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 BoddyImo 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 controversiesWe 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. LinksGreat 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 BoddyGet 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 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

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