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Training With Your Cycle: 5K Time Trials, RED-S & Female Running with Lydia O’Donnell
Time Trials, Training with Your Cycle & Tackling Taboos with Lydia O’Donnell The Women’s Running Collective Podcast This week on the pod, Hayles and Jussie are back with a big catch-up on life, running, and those 5K time trials 😮‍💨. We chat all things pacing, nerves, race-day lessons, and why time trials are just as much a mental workout as a physical one. Spoiler: mistakes were made, lessons were learned, and growth is happening. We also squeeze in some festive chaos, post-run reflections, and plenty of laughs before sitting down with our incredible guest, Lydia O’Donnell is the co-founder of Femmi. Lydia is a former elite marathoner and Nike Pacific Running Coach who’s now leading the charge in changing how women train. We talk openly about disordered eating, RED-S, menstrual cycle education, and why so many women have been training against their bodies for years without even realising it. Lydia shares how aligning her training with her cycle completely changed her performance, health, and relationship with running — and how Femmi is helping other women do the same. This episode is powerful, educational, and honestly a must-listen for any woman who runs (or wants to). Episode Breakdown 00:00 Welcome to the Women’s Running Collective 00:20 Christmas vibes, festive chaos & recent run trials 00:40 The 5K time trial – pacing, prep & post-run emotions 08:47 What we learned (the hard way) & race-day reflections 11:21 Christmas party shenanigans 13:48 Meet Lydia O’Donnell, co-founder of Femmi 22:55 Big dreams, elite running & chasing athletic goals 23:16 Lydia’s journey into Nike & the world of high-performance sport 23:45 Using sport to inspire and empower others 24:27 Gender barriers in running and high-performance environments 25:32 Coaching women & creating better opportunities 26:31 Founding Femmi and challenging outdated training models 26:58 Personal struggles, RED-S & reconnecting with her body 30:19 Why menstrual cycle education matters for runners 32:30 How Femmi is empowering female runners 43:43 Mindset, confidence & visualisation techniques 48:33 The power of community and shared experiences 52:40 Final thoughts, recommendations & wrapping up Femmi Instagram FEMMI Lydia Instagram SHOKZ OPENDOT ONE Accelerate 3" High-Rise Running Short If you’ve ever felt confused, frustrated, or disconnected from your body as a runner — this one’s for you. Don’t forget to subscribe, share with a run friend, and let us know what hit home 🤍🏃‍♀️
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Running Year Spotify Wrapped: Best Shoes, Races, Gear & Lessons for Women Runners
Women’s Running Collective, Episode 64 2025 Year in Review: Our Runs, Fails, Faves & Festive Chaos In our final episode of the year, Hayles and Jussie sit down with a peppermint tea, hot choccy (or something stronger…) and unpack everything that made 2025 iconic, chaotic, emotional, and very, very sweaty. From the highs of Sydney and London Marathons to the lows of period disasters mid-run, this one is basically our Spotify Wrapped but Runner Girl Edition. We cover our top shoes, clothing, books, guests, training blocks, hilarious fails, plus a new Christmas movie you’ll absolutely want to watch. Whether you’re here for motivation, pure entertainment, or to feel better about your own questionable running choices this episode has it all. Episode Breakdown 00:00 — Introduction & Banter The festive chaos begins. 00:05 — Welcome to the Women’s Running Collective Final ep of the year energy! 00:42 — Reflecting on the Year: Our Spotify Wrapped Yes, Taylor Swift makes an appearance. 01:03 — Weekly Running Recap Silly season training: heroic or horrendous? 02:52 — Running Gear Reviews What stayed, what slayed, and what got returned. 07:07 — Top Running Shoes of the Year Our holy grails of 2025. (Want a full list for Instagram? Just say the word!) 11:56 — Favourite Running Clothing Shorts that don’t chafe. Bras that actually support. The winners. 18:00 — Best Running Songs Cue the playlist: the beats that carried our legs this year. 21:28 — Top Running Books & Podcasts The ones that inspired, educated, and stopped us doomscrolling. 26:14 — Proudest Runs & Funniest Fails From big PBs to big… embarrassments. 29:31 — Period Horror Story It always happens on the long run. 30:53 — Menstrual Cup Woes Say a prayer. 31:53 — Top Three Running Events of the Year Our favourite races vibes, views, medals and all. 33:58 — Most Unhinged Running Decisions Would we do them again? Absolutely. 35:04 — Running Playlist Wrapped The bangers that defined 2025. 37:10 — Regrettable Purchases Money was spent. Lessons were learned. 39:49 — Iconic Guest Conversations Our most powerful, helpful, hilarious guests of the year. 44:31 — Community Highlights Shouting out YOU — the girlies who make WRC what it is. 51:54 — Charity Spots for Sydney Marathon Where to sign up, how to join, and why you should. APPLY to be a charity runner here https://sm26.grassrootz.com/batyr 53:57 — Christmas Break & What’s Coming in 2026 Big plans. Big dreams. 🎄 Year-End Recommendations from the Ep Top Shoes Hayley Tempo - Superblast 2 Race shoes - New Balance sc elites V4 Everyday running shoes - Nike Vomero 18plus Jussie Jussi- superblast 2 ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo ASICS Kayano Shoe you’d save in a house fire – NEW super blast or Vomeros, Jussi Vomeros Top Running Songs Perfect for your Year-End WRC Wrapped playlist. Best running songs Hayley -Taylor swift I can do it with a broken heart & life of a showgirl Hayley - Benson boon - beautiful things Hayley and Jussie – Unwritten Natasha Beddingfield Jussie- Queen don’t stop me now Jussie – APT & Pink Pony Club Book & Podcast Picks Running books - Hayles "Born to run" "Choosing to run" Des linden "In the long run" Emma Mugglestone Podcasts - Jussie Just the gist I catch killers Do you fucking mind- alexis fernandez Movie Recommendation Two Christmas ones hehe - Merry Xmas and Champage Problems (YOU ARE WELCOME) XO Hayles
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Eat Better, Run Better: Women’s Fueling Explained with Dietitian's Kia and Laura
Women's Running Collective: Fueling & Nutrition for Female Runners with Laura and Kia Episode 63 Welcome back runners! Episode 63 is here and WOW is it a good one. This week, Hayles and Jussie catch up on their latest training sessions including some interval goodness, a spicy little pyramid set, and the usual rollercoaster of running adventures (plus a few setbacks, because we keep it real around here 😅). But the real magic of this episode? Our chat with the incredible Laura and Kia, two sports dietitians who specialise in female performance nutrition. These women are the real deal, and we pick their brains on everything we wish we knew when we first started running. Think: ✨ How to actually fuel enough ✨ Why blood tests matter (more than we realised!) ✨ Protein, carbs & timing your meals ✨ Nutrition through your menstrual cycle ✨ Common mistakes most female runners make ✨ How to support your hormones, your training AND your overall wellbeing It’s one of those episodes where you walk away feeling smarter, empowered, and honestly a bit relieved because fueling doesn’t have to be complicated, and they explain it in such a simple, practical way. Grab your coffee and join us for one of our most informative episodes yet. 💛👟 Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Introduction and Casual Banter 00:25 – Weekly Running Recap 02:08 – Functional Running Adventures 04:07 – Funny Instagram Account Spotlight 08:10 – Interview with Sports Dietitians 20:20 – Foundations of Nutrition for Female Runners 21:16 – Importance of Regular Blood Tests 22:02 – Protein Intake and Meal Structure 23:38 – Pre and Post-Run Nutrition Strategies 24:54 – Nutrition Adjustments During Menstrual Cycle 26:59 – Common Nutrition Challenges for Female Runners 29:03 – Carbohydrate Needs Based on Training Intensity 30:55 – Fueling Strategies During Long Runs 33:42 – Iron Deficiency and Body Image Issues 34:15 – Personalised Nutrition Plans + Their Business Plug 37:46 – Casual Chat and Recommendations Her Dietitian website Her_dietitian
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Fast 5K Training. Form Tweaks (relaxing your underarms, WHAT?) & Chasing Big Goals
Episode 62: Fast 5K Training. Form Tweaks (relaxing your underarms, WHAT?) & Chasing Big Goals In this week’s episode of the Women’s Running Collective, we’re officially in our fast 5K era and honestly, we are thriving. Join us (Hayles and Jussie!) as we chat through how our training is going, what we’re learning about threshold pace, VO2 max, and all the little tweaks that actually make running feel smoother and faster. We take you through our weekly training rhythms from easy runs with cheeky strides, to sweaty interval days, to those spicy threshold sessions that hurt in the moment but pay off big time. We also talk about the real benefits of 5K training: fitter hearts, stronger minds, and that unbeatable feeling of progress. Plus, we dive into how we’re approaching lactate threshold training without needing a science degree, the importance of rest and recovery, and our favourite running-form cues. And of course, we wrap up with our personal 5K goals and how we’re feeling heading into race day. Here’s how the episode flows: 00:00 Introduction and Casual Banter 00:12 Welcome to the Women's Running Collective 01:09 Weekly Running Recap 04:09 Training for a Fast 5K 09:06 Benefits of 5K Training 13:11 Understanding Lactate Threshold 19:14 Understanding Threshold Pace 19:54 Lactic Threshold Training Insights 20:28 Session Structures + Why Rest Matters 22:30 Tips for Improving Your 5K 24:35 Running Form & Technique 28:06 Strength Training & Recovery 31:53 Setting and Achieving 5K Goals 35:03 Final Thoughts & Encouragement If you’re chasing a faster 5K or just want to feel more confident in your training this episode is your new running buddy. Link to Hayleys Recco of the LORNA JANE LIGHT SPEED RUN SHORTS
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No Bounce, No Chafe: Our Ultimate Running Bra & Undie Chat
Episode 61 Bras, Undies & 5K Training Welcome back to the Women's Running Collective podcast! In Episode 61, we’re diving straight into the fun, the real, and the slightly chaotic world of women’s running. This week, we chat about everything from chasing fast 5K goals to the bras and undies that actually make running feel comfortable. We break down our weekly running adventures, including Lindy’s huge 5K PB (yes, we paced our hearts out!), a birthday 3K time trial, and how we’re tweaking our training sessions to stay strong and injury-free. Then we take a deep, very honest dive into women’s running essentials: sports bras that don’t bounce into next week, undies that don’t roll where they shouldn’t, and all the little tips we’ve learned to avoid chafing, irritation, and the dreaded running-induced thrush. We also share our favourite running gear right now, including the Under Armour Infinity Bra, Stax Classic Crop, and Lorna Jane’s Feel Naked G-string, plus a few hygiene and care hacks to keep your gear (and you!) feeling fresh. And of course, we sprinkle in plenty of laughs, love for the running community, and shoutouts including We Run Foundation and Elite Supplements Australia. If you’re a woman who runs, wants to run, or just loves listening to runners talk way too passionately about bras and undies… this one’s for you. Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Welcome & Weekend Chats 00:30 – Weekly Running Recap 01:03 – Lindy’s 5K PB (we screamed) 03:02 – Hayles’ Birthday 3K TT 04:25 – Training Adjustments & Sessions 05:25 – Shoutout to Jess Hull 05:55 – Running Bras: What Actually Works 16:46 – The Undies Intervention 18:18 – Our Go-To Running Undies 19:30 – Fabrics, Fits & Chafe-Free Tips 20:46 – Thrush, Hygiene & Real Talk 27:39 – Gear Recs & Shoutouts 31:22 – Running Fuel Needs & Challenges 32:49 – Final Thoughts Links BRAS Under Armour Bra Nimble In Tempo Bra Staz Classic Crop Nandex Gbangers Lorna Jane gstring Lorna Jane gstring no2 Kmart (Jussies faves) Elite Supplements We Run Foundation
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