

The Women's Running Podcast
Esther Newman
Running is the one thing that we all like talking about. Every week on the award winning Women’s Running podcast, we talk all things running, women, health and fitness with our own brand of happy, irreverent chat. Esther and Holly talk through their training highs and lows, and all the bits and pieces in-between. Every so often, we invite an expert to join us to help us figure out the confusing worlds of training, recovery, nutrition, health and more. And sometimes we get to talk to an incredible woman from the world of running, from Anna McNuff to Paula Radcliffe, Susie Chan to Nicky Spinks. So why do we do it? Because we realised that most of the running podcasts we listened to were full of blokes waffling on about quads and cadence (and we realised that we can do that perfectly well ourselves, thank you very much). Right here, we talk about all the things that affect us when we step out the door: sexism, hormones, menopause, food, pelvic floors, relationships, mental health, seagull attacks and wild weeing. But. BUT. We will also talk about races, PBs, shoes, training, starting running, enjoying running, finding the fun. And quads and cadence. This is the Women’s Running podcast, and it’s for women who love to run. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 8, 2023 • 1h 3min
Ep 169. New York, New York
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 bitsSubscribe 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 worldGet your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / ExtrasBuy 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/womensrunningPlease 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 JustgivingEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 4, 2023 • 52min
Ep 6. Bake Off Special
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 6: Botanicals WeekWe 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 bunsEsther 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: FloralA 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!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 bitsThis 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.ukCome to our Live Podcast event on 9th November at Sweaty Betty in Battersea Power Station for proper chats and a mega goody bagGet your hands on our special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorunBuy a Pod Squad t-shirt!Do please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running storiesGet bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 1, 2023 • 1h 15min
Ep 168. NY Marathon, race day prep, Halloween
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 MarathonI’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 runningPlus 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 bitsThis 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 bagGet your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / ExtrasBuy 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/womensrunningPlease 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 JustgivingEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 28, 2023 • 32min
Ep 5. Bake Off Special
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 5: Pastry WeekHolly’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 piesWe 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 piesWe’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!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 – 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 storiesGet bonus content on PatreonGet bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 26, 2023 • 1h 14min
Ep 167. Run events, tapering, marathons
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 eventsIn 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 taperingFor 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!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 bitsThis episode is sponsored by U PerformSubscribe 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 bagGet your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / ExtrasBuy 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/womensrunningPlease 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 JustgivingEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 21, 2023 • 31min
Ep 4. Bake Off Special
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 4: Chocolate WeekIt’s chocolate week, you little shrimps. And we start this episode by doing our best Brummie accents. You have been warned.Signature: Chocolate torteBuckle 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 cheesecakeEsther 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 cakeSomeone’s been doing something very dodgy with some raisins, as a shock ending has us dissecting the secrets of reality tv. 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 – 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 storiesGet bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 18, 2023 • 1h 40min
Ep 166. Confidence tricks for race success
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 tipsWe 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 tricksSo 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 bitsThis episode is sponsored by U PerformSubscribe 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 bagGet your hands on How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, available at shop.womensrunning.co.uk / ExtrasBuy 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/womensrunningPlease 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 JustgivingEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 14, 2023 • 48min
Ep 3. Bake Off Special
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 3: Bread WeekWe 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!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 – 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.

Oct 12, 2023 • 1h 32min
Ep. 165. Cancer and running
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 WayWe’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 5KHolly 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 bitsThis 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 WaySubscribe 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 bagGet 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 / ExtrasBuy a Pod Squad t-shirt! And ensure you tell everyone it’s nothing to do with Love is BlindDo join us on Patreon so you can come and chat in our new Pod Squad community on Discord! Go to patreon.co.uk/womensrunningPlease 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 JustgivingDo please email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with any questions or running stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 7, 2023 • 39min
Ep 1. Bake Off Special
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 WeekWe 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 cakesThere’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 bitsThis 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 bagGet your hands on our brand new special magazine: How to Run 10K with Esther and Holly, out now, and available at womensrunning.co.uk/learntorunBuy 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/womensrunningEmail us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


