Fitter, Faster & Happier - The Female Runner Athlete's Podcast

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Latest Episodes:

S5 || Grace Ping || From World Records to Personal Records - The journey of a child star Mar 16, 2025

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Grace Ping, the child-running star who became a global sensation after she set multiple age group world records, including breaking 16.30 in the 5k, all before 14. Grace, now aged 21, joins the podcast to fill us in with what happens after you start your journey from the very top. In an ideal world she would have continued on this trajectory, but in her own words “ It doesn’t always happen that way”.

Following on from her initial golden years, Grace encountered a number of injuries and setbacks which set her firmly on the ‘scenic route’. However, after many years of challenge, as a testament to both her strength of character and mindset, Grace has pulled through and found her way to a healthy, happy, and successful place.

Grace talks about a range of topics including the impact of early success on confidence, perfectionism, injuries, the power of nutrition, family, team, and running as a collegiate athlete.

There is a lot which can be learned through this episode with regard to facing adversity and using self-awarness to harness your strengths and reframe your areas of development.

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Innes FitzGerald || Behind Breaking 40 Year-Old Records || Revisited Mar 09, 2025

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This episode welcomes back the newly crowned European &British U20 3000m record holder Innes FitzGerald. In this Revisited, we catchup with Innes on all things her past few months, which have been eventful as she has defended her European cross country title; shattered Zola Budd’s 40 year-old U20 3000m record; medalled at the British Indoor Champs; competed in her first professional meet; and final at the European Indoor champs.

Innes opens up about her approach to running, what runningmeans to her, and how she integrates being an athlete with being the university student that she is. She also sheds some more light on how it all started, and her long-term plan.

It was great catching up with Innes and her progression bothpersonally and from a running perspective was lovely to see. And as always, she brings a high level of maturity and value to the podcast.

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S5 - The New Generation || Olivia Forrest || Hopes Not Expectations Mar 02, 2025

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Today GB junior, SIAB, English Schools, Inter-counties, and 2024 National, cross country champion Olivia Forrest from Brentwood Beagles joins the podcast.

Still only an U17, Olivia has already had huge amounts ofsuccess within the sport, both domestically, and internationally. However, like an athlete her journey is not without challenge, which she is currently encountering and talks openly about in this episode.

Olivia’s journey so far shows the power of a good mindset, supportive training environment, and all- in approach. It also highlights the very real challenges that female athletes encounter, especially around the U17 years where many of female athletes experience the plateau and dip as their bodies change as a result of puberty.

Olivia is definitely part of the younger generation of juniortalent, who maybe as a result of new research and the generations above talking more openly about their health and journeys, seem to have their heads screwed on a good way around. Olivia demonstrates that being well- informed about her health, training, and playing the long-game can have positive impacts on navigating setbacks and hopefully working to prevent burn-out and drop out rates.

Olivia has a more unique set up being coached by her dad and having a very team-centred approach. She also shares some of her big goals and ambitions, how she works on her weaknesses, and what the opportunities brought to her so far by running mean to her.

A lovely episode which provides a fresh young perspectiveand is a definite must listen for any junior athletes, or those involved with them.

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Revisited | Charlotte Alexander | It Won't Happen Over Night. But If You Quit, It Won't Happen Feb 23, 2025

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Is it perseverance or is it insanity? It depends on your mindset, it depends on your reason, it depends on what you value… Everything lies on a spectrum and often there are two key ways of viewing something. In this episode international runner and now Triathlon Olympic Pathway athlete, Charlotte Alexander, joins the podcast. And one more thing, she also works a full-time job in a fast paced lab environment. Charlotte is a very naturally talented athlete, who found herself on national teams and in GB vests from a young age. However, after several years of dealing with major injuries, including multiple stress fractures for a surprising reason; she found herself falling below of what she new she was capable of. Although Charlotte since made her way back to the top again, she began to find the energy she was putting in was not longer matching her expectations. Although Charlotte had and still has a bright running future, she decided to take a risk and dive into something completely new and take up triathlon. Not only this, but she also decided to move to a new city and start a new job working full-time. This episode provides lots of food for thought as Charlotte shows courage by trusting her gut and leaning into what she knows is right for her. In the episode we discuss around balance and decision making, and how sporting choices fit into daily life. As always lots of to be empowered and inspired from.

S5-E10 || Poppy Tank || Own Your Body, Own Your Journey, Own your Reality Feb 16, 2025

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*Video Starts at 1.33* This week the pod is joined by the 2023 British 3000m S/C Champion and GB International runner Poppy Tank.

Poppy has an incredible mindset and approach to training which has enabled her to remain healthy and injury free throughout her time as a runner.

In this episode Poppy sheds light on the importance of prioritising health and allowing puberty to do puberty during the teenage years. Poppy shares insightful thoughts and reflections around navigating this difficult time and how it can be easy to feel disheartened as a result of certain body images within the sport.

For Poppy a key turning point in her career to date was her time out in the NCAA system, which for her was a fantastic experience. She talks through the process of finding the right college, and what factors she feels enabled her to make the most of her time in the states. She sheds light on the power of team and working together and offers a different perspective on training approach in this way.

She also speaks about how she coped with a difficult time in her life, and how making a big change running wise helped her unlock a new mindset.

Lots of learn from and take away from in this episode

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S5-E9 || Mia Waldmann || Pressure Builds Dimond's, Challenge Builds Champions - Are setbacks needed for success? Feb 09, 2025

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Mia Waldmann, the one-time England international runner who disappeared for a year, and returned to medal at Liverpool, place 6th in the European U23 championships, and break 16 minutes for the first time in the 5k.

So where did this all come from, and how did she do it?

This episode is straight up inspiring and heart-warming as the episode will give you the chance to join Mia on her running journey to date as she demonstrates that even when the light at the end of the tunnel disappears, that light can not only be re-lite, but re-found.

Mia open's up in a honest and raw account of just how challenging serious injury can be, both mentally and physically, bringing to the fore-front the importance of establishing a healthy and effective training set up and environment, which suits you as an individual athlete.

She shares the pressure of running at the top and the constant battle of striving for excellence, yet remembering and maintaining her original reasons to run, for fun.

She highlights just how dark and difficult the mental burden of uncertainty and injury can be, but she is also a living example of how the lowest lows can give you the tools and self-growth needed to bring yourself to the next level, and fully embrace the high highs, which follow on from a low low.

An absolute must listen, if you feel your running life balance is out of control, you have lost the love for running, or you are dealing with an injury or difficult time in your life.

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S5-E8 || Anna Hedley || Finding & Re-Finding Success - Committing to a goal and prioritising the journey - Feb 02, 2025

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ASICS athlete and international runner and triathlete Anna Hedley joins the podcast to share, quite a lot...

From high levels of childhood success where she took national titles left, right, and centre, in both running and triathlon; to leaving home at 17 to pursue her sporting career; to dealing with injuries and beginning her sponsored career injured; to balancing life, training, and the multiple sports; to some more reflective and discussive points, this episode covers it all.

Anna reflects around the meaning of success and balance and what these mean for her. She introduces new and insightful points around what it means to be a female athlete ,the role of female coaches, and both physical and psychological reasons for why different approaches to training may be needed for the average female when compared to the average male. She also sheds light on the importance of owning your own journey, being kind to yourself, and staying strong when faced with adversity.

Anna further raises the point that she would like to use her success in sport to help enact positive change in other areas of life, such as through social value. A topic which is seldom raised but needs more attention.

It is a long episode, but we cover a wide range of topics.

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#triathlon #triathlete #runner #femaleathlete #athlete #success #highperformance

S5-E7 || Jasmijn Lau || Choosing To See Adversity As Opportunity- I choose to, not I have to- Jan 26, 2025

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New Balance sponsored, world-class runner, and biomedical scientist Jasmijn Lau, joins the podcast as our first guest from The Netherlands.

With personal bests of 31.51 (10k), 15.18 (5000m), 1.10.13 (half marathon); titles including European U23 10,000m champion & 3x National Champion; and a 7th place finish in the European 10,000m last summer, Jasmijn certainly has plenty of talent.

But what is more than this, is the world-class mindset with which she chooses to live her life. After several years of struggle with injuries and setbacks, Jasmijn demonstrates that it is possible to make a come back.

She shares her journey from becoming a European Champion and setting PB's to years out due to injuries, and then how she came back from this to set more PB's with much more still to come...

Jasmijn is both a lovely individual and great storyteller and in this episode she reflects back over the highs and lows of her journey and training so far, in warm and positive way, which will leave you feeling inspired.

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This podcast is brought to you out of passion for free. If you have been enjoying the show please consider showing your support by donating to the link below, so I can continue to maintain and grow the podcast.

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S5-E6 || Phoebe Anderson || Live Life And Don't Overthink It - Behind the mindset of a European Champion Jan 19, 2025

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Phoebe Anderson, the newly crowned U23 European Cross Country Champion joins the podcast to share her story, her journey, and her learnings.

Phoebe brings a unique angle to the podcast having taken a gap year where you fully embraced life, before heading straight out to the states. However, not on the typical sports scholarship package but to pursue her academics as well as running.

Phoebe brings a lot of wisdom and reflections on her journey and running in general, raising some thought provoking and interesting topics along the way.

Phoebe is also a 4x All American, the Ivy League Cross Country Champion, Colombia Graduate, and Ecoathlete.

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#running #crosscountry #european #champion #female #athlete

Revisited || Becky Briggs || Bouncing Back Jan 12, 2025

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The 3x GB athlete, 7x marathon runner (with a PB of 2.29) and, online run coach Becky Briggs, re-joins the podcast to update us on her past year. *Contact info below*

In Becky's previous episode she shared her journey from being hospitalised with an eating disorder in her early teens and dealing with double stress fractures to finding health, happiness, running for Great Britain, and the marathon.

This year she shares what she has learned having run 3 marathons and fought off a spell with Plantar Fasciitis - how she has re-found her way back to the start line of marathons after injuries, and some of the new and cool experiences running has brought her.

As a coach and entrepreneur herself Becky offers a unique angle in her reflections on running, training, and all things marathons.

Lots of learn from and take away in this one. It is definitely true that Becky has a great mindset and approach to running.

Comment down below how many laps of Battersea park you think Becky will clock up in 2025?

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