The Women's Running Podcast

In this episode Holly and I are talking training plans. Well, first of all, we’re talking about Holly’s very big life decision, of which I will say no more – you’ll just have to listen in to find out more. And *then* we’re talking training plans and running diaries. We talk about how to manage your training and your own expectations when things go slightly off the rails, and we talk about some of the fundamental issues that can affect our running – in this instance, it's sleep. For those of us signed up to an autumn marathon we’re staring the beginning of our training plans in the face – mine starts next week. And Holly’s half marathon training starts just a few weeks further on. Both of us are equally nervous about this – and would love to hear from you if you’re also starting your next training block too. We’re all in this together, right? We talk about how to manage our training plans so that they work around us, rather than being slaves to them, and – just for Holly – I introduce the concept of a reward chart around her training plan, and I’m fully contemplating buying her some gold star stickers to get her started. We also have the pleasure of another embarrassing moment from lovely podder Louise who had an issue with her trousers which again I shall leave you to discover. Oh and there’s yet ANOTHER big revelation from Holly at the end of the podcast – What pleasures await!LinksJoin our lovely Patreon gang!Then have a look at how dirt cheap it is to become a member of Women’s Running PlusRun for an hour and we’ll plant 60 trees. 60!Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have something truly special for you. Firstly, we have a bit of a pooey story to start us off, with which I know we’re truly spoiling you (and it’s not even anything to do with Runner’s Trots), but the main event here is our very first Big Running Quiz. Holly is in the hotseat, while I’m doing my very best quizmaster impression, possibly channelling Anne Robinson. But it’s all for a good reason – running is jam packed with weird lingo and we’re here to demystify with the help of some very silly sound effects and some very rapid googling on my part. Tempo run? We’ve got that covered. Jeffing? That too. We’ve even got a spot of fartlekking in there. Everything you could ever want to know about running, aside from all the stuff you actually really wanted to know, basically. We finish on a high with a fabulous embarrassing moment, which is actually a bit of a running annoyance. Do please keep sending these in, along with your embarrassing moments, and the stuff that you listen to on your runs.LinksJoin our lovely Patreon gang!Then have a look at how dirt cheap it is to become a member of Women’s Running PlusRun for an hour and we’ll plant 60 trees. 60!Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Holly and I begin with a rather burning issue. We’re talking about the dreaded chafe here, and Hol is giving her all in this podcast so we must be supportive, even if her choice of running pants is questionable. We chat through our running, and we’re both on the up in that regard. Then, today, we want to talk about the stuff that entertains us while we’re running – in my running career, I’ve moved from music, to radio, to podcasts to audiobooks and I have a LOT of opinions about all of them. Holly seems to have moved in a slightly different direction, but we both utterly love the spoken word, and we chat through some of our favourite things to keep us going during a run. This is the start of something – we would love to hear what you listen to, so we can share that, and so we can selfishly have a few more things to line up on Audible and Spotify. Books, music, podcasts – what does it for you? Listen right through to the end because we have what we think is the very best running annoyance so far – a total corker involving parkrun and an MP. I’m saying no more... LinksJoin our lovely Patreon gang!Then have a look at how dirt cheap it is to become a member of Women’s Running PlusRun for an hour and we’ll plant 60 trees. 60!Everyone must read Georgia Pritchett’s My Mess Is A Bit Of A LifeOr, alternatively, listen to it on a runHolly’s favourite podcast, SerialAnd my favourite, Adam BuxtonSupport the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Holly and I start by chatting about her very brilliant mug. So it’s all very standard really. Honestly, we go on about it for AGES, so if you want informed running chat you have definitely come to the wrong place. Try that boring podcast over there.  There is a bit of running, I promise, but I’m afraid we then quickly disappear into a little Eurovision love-fest.But then we have a very special guest – the brilliant Dr Juliet McGrattan, who is a runner AND a doctor, two good things in one. I wanted to talk to her specifically about the perimenopause, and HRT, and running because I’ve been bitten by the Davina bug. I wanted to involve Holly this time cos I wish I’d had this sort of information when I was in my 20s, it’s so important for us to educate our younger girls and women about the menopause in just the same way as we do periods and pregnancy. So we have a lovely in depth convo about symptoms, about running and managing those symptoms, and we talk about HRT – of which I feel very much in the dark and I really wanted to find out more about what it can offer my perimenopausal self. We also talk about what’s great about the menopause, because it’s important to acknowledge that while many of us will have struggles, there are a whole bunch of upsides which Juliet details and which I, for one, intend to embrace wholeheartedly.Holly and I come back after our meno chat to discuss really important things such as hugely embarrassing moments and whether or not I should do a track half marathon. But more importantly, we have a belter of an embarrassing running story – one that involves a children’s game and A&E. Send us yours please! Tree HourSunday 5th June is Global Environment Day, a day where if you simply sign up through Earth Runs for a 1-hour challenge, to run, walk, cycle or roll for 60 minutes, then for every minute you are moving forward, a tree will be planted for you. Join us to plant as many trees as we can!Women’s Running magazineIf you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month. Just use the code WRSPR22POD at the checkout.PatreonWe’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.  LinksGet more of a Dr Juliet fix Check out her brilliant book, Run Well: Essential health questions and answers for runnersSign up to a virtual marathon like Holly!Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Holly and I are talking about the National Running Show, which took place last weekend. This was a big event for the podcast, as we were doing a talk on stage, and we were a little bit nervous about it – thankfully it’s all over and done with now, and it went better than we could ever have expected! Did you see us there? We also talk about stress, and how that can affect our training negatively, something I’d be interested to hear from you about if this is something that has also happened to you. And then we talk about *that* Samsung advert and how I got caught up in a bit of a media storm! We talk about the danger of the advert in that it emphasises the belief that women feel safe and are empowered on every run, which isn’t representative, and at the same time undermines our campaigning to make women feel safer.We then have a few emails to discuss – one of them is a question about breathing, which we will address with the help of an expert in a forthcoming episode. And we have a couple of brilliant embarrassing stories – thank you so much! More please!Tree HourWomen's Running and Earth Runs have joined together to help make a massive impact on our environment. Sunday 5th June is Global Environment Day, a day where if you sign up through Earth Runs for a 1-hour challenge, to run, walk, cycle or roll for 60 minutes, then for every minute you are moving forward, a tree will be planted for you. Find out more and join us to make a huge difference.Women’s Running magazineIf you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month. That gives you instant access no matter where you are, and you can access and search over a hundred back issues too. Use the code WRSPR22POD at the checkout. PatreonWe’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. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – and every patron helps us continue to produce a podcast that has at least 10% running content in it in every episode. Please join our very lovely gang to keep us going. Some of our recent patrons include these wonderful people: Jodie Price, Carly Evans, Georgina Taylor, Claire Farrer, Gillian Askew, Hannah Finch & Heidi Shuster.LinksIf you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Use the code WRSPR22POD at the checkout to read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month.Sign up to Tree Hour and plant 60 days for an hour’s worth of movement.Please support us on Patreon!Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bumper episode, Esther and Holly launch into it with the week’s headline event: Holly’s fight with one of Bath’s resident Herring Gulls. One stressful day later, and bolstered with a tetanus jab, she is FINE, and has used the experience to boost our stats on the podcast. Good girl. Then, less interestingly, Esther ran the London Vitality 10,000 on Monday, so lots of chat about the experience, the runners, the course, the time. Then Esther and Holly talk to comedians Scummy Mummies, one of which (the lovely Helen Thorn) was also running the V10K on Monday as well. They chat about running, their enduring friendship, and the big life changes that Helen has been through over the past couple of years. Be warned, it’s a bit sweary – but when isn’t the WR Podcast? Then there’s lots of chat about your embarrassing moments, which Esther and Holly have LOVED, so do please continue to send in, as it makes them feel so much better about their own.SponsoredThis Podcast is Sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves. Fall in love with their amazing activewear, snuggly hoodies, funky dungarees and so much more.  Whether you're running marathons, going to the movies or playing in the park, Lucy Locket Loves has something for everyone. For a whopping 20% off, you can use the code RUN20 at the checkout. Women’s Running magazineIf you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. Right now, you can read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month. That gives you instant access no matter where you are, and you can read all our back issues too. Use the code WRSPR22POD at the checkout. PatreonWe’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. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – and every patron helps us continue to produce a podcast that has at least 10% running content in it in every episode. LinksGet yourself some period pants from BP3Or some leggings from WukaSign up to next year’s London Vitality 10,000Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Holly and I are talking about how doing this podcast is our therapy (sorry for that). We also talk about how incredibly awful netball is, and the old “thank you marshall” email rears its head again. We are firmly in two minds here. Then I get the chance to debrief the trail run at the weekend that allows me to officially describe myself as an ultrarunner. In short, it was ace – find out more about my first ever just-about ultra, and the best way to start doing this too. We also talk about the Vitality 10K, which is coming up next week (more of that on the next podcast), which I’ll be running with the rest of the Celebrate You crowd. That neatly segues into our next podcast happily enough, because NEXT WEEK we have some very special guests – the wonderful Scummy Mummies, who are not only funny but they’re also runners. And if you like this podcast, you’ll love Women’s Running magazine. You can read every issue – and we make 12 a year – direct on your phone with our digital membership, which is just £2.99 a month. Use this code at the checkout to claim this fab offer: WR SPR 22 PODWe’ve launched ourselves on to Patreon as we need your help to keep going. Please support us at with whatever you can and you’ll get some lovely patron-only perks. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – and every patron helps us continue to produce a podcast that has at least 10% running content in it in every episode.  --This episode is Sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves. Fall in love with their amazing activewear, snuggly hoodies and jumpers, funky dungarees and so much more.  Whether you're running marathons, going to the movies or playing in the park with the little ones, Lucy Locket Loves has something for everyone.  Check out their full range at www.locketloves.com.  And for a whopping 20% off, you can use the code RUN20 at the checkout.  -- LINKSThis is the beautiful Bath Beat I ran over the weekend. And here is the Long Distance Walkers Association, in which they include Challenge Events, many of which (perhaps all) are open to runners. Here is the Vitality 10,0000 I’m running next week as part of the Celebrate You wave – although it’s too late to sign up to the in-person event, you can run virtually if you sign up before this Friday 29th. Join me virtually!Holly is very excitedly going to be taking on one of these Conqueror virtual events in the meantime for a brilliant medal.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Holly and I are chatting utter nonsense as ever, as well as a bit of running chat you’ll be pleased to hear, from tales of woe around her poorly foot, to my nerves ahead of a fast approaching trail marathon.I interrupt our gassing to have a lovely chat with Anna-Marie Watson, an ultrarunner like no one I’ve ever met before. Over the last ten years she’s trained and raced across the globe, and has achieved podium positions at multiple ultras, and has competed in three Ironman World Championships. Since the arrival of Covid she’s switched her attention to the pursuit of Fastest Known Times (FKTs) from her doorstep in Wiltshire. And this is why I wanted to talk to her, as it’s on my doorstep too. I got in touch after watching Eight White Horses, the incredible film that she’d had made of her FKT attempt to run the white horses of Wiltshire. She is astonishing.Holly and I come back after my chat with Anna-Marie to talk through some more of your running annoyances – mostly, it turns out, it’s still other people. But because we like to think of ourselves as unbiased (ahem), we also include an email from a listener who has provided the other half of the story, and we find ourselves thoroughly chastised as a result. Maybe we shouldn’t hate people so much? Also we discuss our new topic: embarrassing moments, and a listener’s personal moment with a pesky front zip fastening. Do please email uswith your own stories!This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Forestry England. Forestry England cares for more land and trees than any other organisation in England - growing, shaping and caring for more than 1500 of our nations’ forests. It has built over 1,800 miles of running, walking and cycling trails. From 1km to 10km route lengths, their waymarked running trails have been designed with both beginners and seasoned runners in mind. They provide an opportunity to run on safe, off-road, traffic-free trails in beautiful forest locations. Start your running journey or find inspiration for beating your personal best with Forestry England. Find out more about the beautiful forest trails you can run right now. LINKSDiscover your own epic trails courtesy of Forestry England.Watch Anna-Marie’s epic FKT in Eight White Horses. Try out Women’s Running magazine for just £2.99 a month, using this code at checkout: WRSPR22POD.Please support us on Patreon for just £2 a month!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is our special we’ve-just-got-back-from-Berlin podcast. Holly and I have a LOT to talk about, so brace yourselves. We start off with Drag Race – standard – and then move on swiftly to a whistle-stop tour of our exciting trip to Berlin with Sports Tours International. We talk about hotel etiquette – and most importantly, the concern about which loo to poo in to be the most neighbourly. And we talk about our impressions of Berlin itself – and let me say right here, it’s absolutely bloody AMAZING, what a wonderful city. And then we chat about the half marathon itself, and what that was like to experience as a runner (me) and as part of the cheer squad (Holly). Oddly enough, we have had such an exciting adventure that the run was really just a minor part of it, and that really helped with race day nerves. If you can bear it, listen right to the end for a revolting European revelation.This Podcast is Sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves.   Fall in love with their amazing activewear, snuggly hoodies and jumpers, funky dungarees and so much more.  Whether you're running marathons, going to the movies or playing in the park with the little ones, Lucy Locket Loves has something for everyone.  Check out their full range here. Listen in to the podcast for an exclusive discount code.If you like this podcast, you will love Women’s Running magazine. And right now we have a bit of a treat for you. You can read each issue every month right on your phone for just £2.99 a month. That gives you instant access even if you’re running a race in Berlin, and you can read all our back issues too. All for just £2.99 a month! We’re practically giving it away! Use the following code at checkout for this brilliant offer – WRSPR22POD.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 LOVELY. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – every little helps! Go on your own Berlin adventure with the super-flat marathon this autumn with Sports Tours International. Or pick from any number of brilliant city races to suit you.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Holly and I are talking about how our running is going in the lead up to the Berlin Half. It’s a game of two halves really, as you’ll soon find out. Changes are afoot, but never fear, we’re still lacing up our lederhosen in anticipation.We also want to talk about the Bath Half controversy – as you might know, this is a race that’s dear to our hearts, being our local half and the first half marathon that both of us have ever done – albeit about 15 years apart. It has been postponed again, which feels a little bit cruel. So we talk through that, and the local response to it. If any listeners want to run it on its new date on 16th October (through a charity place) or the one in 2023, which I believe will still be in March as usual, find out more here.We then, prompted by listeners who are totally on our side, get properly cross about poor use of pedestrian areas – aimless people walking out of shops, cyclists on pavements. We have loved having a rant about our pet running peeves, and hearing all of yours – it’s been very cathartic!But we’re changing the assignment – we want you to tell us your embarrassing running stories, and we promise to tell you ours in return! Email us at wrpodcast@anthem.co.uk with all those things that have embarrassed you on a run. Go on, dare you!---This Podcast is Sponsored by Lucy Locket Loves. Fall in love with their amazing activewear, snuggly hoodies and jumpers, funky dungarees and so much more.  Whether you're running marathons, going to the movies or playing in the park with the little ones, Lucy Locket Loves has something for everyone.  Check out their full range here. Listen in to the podcast for an exclusive money off code, too!--- 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 LOVELY. You can support us from as little as £2 a month – every little helps! 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. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=67575412) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.