Women’s Running Collective

Unscripted Laughs & Holiday Chaos: Women’s Running Collective Bonus Episode
This bonus episode is exactly what happens when Hayles and Jussie hit record with no plan, no script, and zero self-control and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

To wrap up the year, we’re bringing you a light-hearted, laugh-out-loud episode full of running-related Would You Rather questions, cheeky confessions, embarrassing moments, and the kind of chaotic banter that usually happens off-mic. There’s not a whole lot of running advice in this one — but there is plenty of joy, silliness, and end-of-year energy.

Perfect listening if you’re out for an easy run, folding laundry, driving to a Christmas catch-up, or just need something that feels like chatting with your running mates. Thanks for being part of our community this one’s just for fun 💫

In this episode we cover:

Unfiltered running banter

Ridiculous runner questions we all get asked

Would You Rather: Running Edition

Confessions, chaos, and Christmas vibes

Time Stamps
00:00 Welcome to the Women’s Running Collective
00:15 The chaos begins (no turning back)
00:39 Banter, laughs, and funny stories
01:22 Would You Rather: Running Edition
08:19 Quirky questions & runner confessions
16:35 Hilarious (and relatable) running stories
17:39 The most annoying questions runners get
19:29 Would You Rather: Running Edition (round two)
20:22 Random questions & fun facts
23:59 Confessions and embarrassing moments
29:55 Christmas gifts, gratitude & wrapping up the year

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 🤍🏃‍♀️

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

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

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