Her Pace

“You’re never ever gonna feel ready for the big thing. Ever… sometimes you just have to start and just try. And that in itself is where the real bravery is, is just starting and just trying… but taking joy in the journey of just starting.”In this episode, I’m joined by ultrarunner and coach Sophie to talk about what it took to run 2,000 kilometres across the Alps in 28 days—and how that extraordinary challenge connects to the challenges we face in everyday life.We talk about ultrarunning, resilience, finding joy in the process, and learning to focus on what you can control. Sophie shares her perspective on fueling, body image and challenging stereotypes about what women’s bodies can achieve at every age.We also have an honest conversation about fertility, IVF, grief and motherhood—including the pressure women can feel when life doesn’t follow the path they imagined. Sophie reflects on finding a way forward while making room for a different kind of future.Whether you’re a runner, navigating fertility or motherhood, or facing a challenge of your own, I hope this conversation leaves you thinking about what your body can do—and what might be possible when you take the next step.Key things you’ll hear:Sophie’s 2,000-kilometre ultrarunning journey across the Alps.Building resilience and finding joy in a tough challenge.Fuelling for running, recovery and long-term health.Women’s bodies, body image and stereotypes in sport.Sophie’s experience with fertility treatment and IVF.Grief, motherhood and navigating a life that looks different than expected.Why you don’t have to feel ready to begin.Timestamps:(00:00) Sophie’s 2,000km Alps crossing.(02:16) Finding joy in running.(07:16) Setting process goals and staying focused.(09:51) Why Sophie races without performance data.(22:06) Fueling for endurance.(27:13) Women’s bodies, food and running.(34:21) Building a strong, resilient running life.(51:45) Sophie’s fertility and IVF journey.(54:46) Grieving the life she imagined.(58:56) Seeing the body for what it can do.(1:01:55) Advice for women starting to run or tackling a big challengeGet in touch with Sophie - Instagram Get in touch with the show - InstagramMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/anti-cafe⁠

This week I sat down with Shona Farr of Shona Runs Very Slowly to chat about about how she went from being sedentary and managing high blood pressure to becoming a committed runner, shoe enthusiast, and advocate for women in sport. We talk about running for joy rather than pace, the realities of fuelling and recovery, and why it’s never too late to start.Shona shares how running changed her body, mindset, and confidence—and why she wants more older women to feel welcome in the sport. We also get into injury, race-day pressure, running shoes, body image, and the power of community.Key topics:Shona’s journey from walking to becoming a regular runner after a high blood pressure diagnosis.Why she kept going, even when she hated running for more than a year.Finding running shoes that feel right, and why women’s needs are often overlooked.Fuelling, carbs, gels, and why running in a calorie deficit can make it miserable.How running helped Shona shift from body criticism to appreciating what her body can do.Why she wants older women to know they can start running at any age.Training for the London Marathon for charity—and why she plans to Jeff it, not race it.Finding friendship, encouragement, and motivation through running communities.Timestamps:(1:02): From sedentary to running.(4:45): Shona's love of running shoes.(6:10): Women's shoe reviews and the running store experience.(9:39): What running has changed, and the myths about it.(12:44): Women's bodies and menopause.(14:13): Fuelling and carb loading.(16:12): Body image and unlearning diet culture.(18:33): Running 21 km straight at the Gold Coast.(20:29): Not being a sporty kid.(23:12): Running as an older woman.(26:51): It's not about pace.(28:22): Half marathon highs and lows.(32:13): The London Marathon and fundraising VICTA.(36:00): Training plans, family and Melbourne.(37:59): Jeffing the marathon.(40:12): Goals, race day and the Gold Coast time.(41:50): Mind games for the hard miles.(44:20): Keeping it in perspective: it's just running.(49:32): Social media, real friendships and why you run.(53:24): Coaching a beginner.(54:24): Advice for women thinking about starting.(58:02): Where to find Shona, and wrap-up.Connect with the show on ⁠instagram⁠Connect with Shona on ⁠instagram⁠Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/anti-cafe⁠

The best performances in running are rarely just about the finish line. Lucy Bartholomew joins me this week for an honest conversation about racing, recovery, and keeping joy in the sport. She reflects on disappointment, pressure, and how she’s learned to trust the process, focus on consistency, and play the long game. We also spoke about family, social media, comparison, and why simple habits—sleep, eat, train—can matter more than the latest performance trend.This weeks episode is a great listen for women who are chasing big goals while trying to stay connected to why they started.Expect to hear about:Why the process matters more than the podium.Why consistency and patience support a sustainable running career.How comparison and social media can affect your relationship with running.How to cut through the noise around nutrition, supplements, shoes, and recovery gadgets.Why protecting your joy is part of playing the long game.Timestamps:00:56 — Coming home after a huge overseas racing season.03:15 — Tarawera, UTMB, and learning to hold disappointment.06:23 — Why the process matters more than the race result.11:10 — Stepping away from the “more is more” mindset.17:31 — Looking back on Lucy’s first Surf Coast Century.24:36 — Lucy’s dad’s.38:34 — Pressure, image, and protecting your mind.44:40 — Cutting through trends and keeping training simple.51:24 — Life beyond running and choosing privacy.55:59 — Comparison vs. finding what works for you.63:23 — Larapinta and embracing the long game.66:38 — What suffering and joy have taught Lucy about running.Connect with the show on instagramConnect with Lucy on instagramMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/anti-cafe⁠

What if the way to your best performance is to just stop obsessing about where you are in the field? Holly Ranson shares the mindset shift that turned a tough race day into a golden-ticket breakthrough, and why the real performance edge might be learning how to stay present when every instinct says to calculate, chase, and panic. From Tarawera to Western States, Holly opens up about the difference between racing for a result and racing with freedom. She breaks down how a last-minute decision, a stacked women’s field, and a deliberate focus on enjoyment changed everything, and why the same course felt terrible one year and magical the next.You’ll hear:The exact mental tools Holly uses to pull herself back into the moment, including her “be here now” and “helpful thoughts only” cues.Why outcome-obsessed racing can leave you tense, scared, and performing below your ability.What it really takes to get into Western States, from the lottery system to golden tickets and why her entry was so hard-won.How Holly prepared for one of the world’s most iconic ultra races while working full-time and doing a PhD.The reality of funding an elite running career in Australia, and why many top athletes end up looking overseas for support.Holly also traces her path from sailing and triathlon into ultras, including the races that quietly changed everything: 12-hour and 24-hour national records. She talks honestly about the pressure, the post-race blues, the importance of recovery, and how strength training, fuelling, and expert guidance are changing the way she approaches running in her late 30s. This conversation is as much about life as it is about running. If you’ve ever felt like racing, training, work, and everything else is too much at once, Holly’s perspective on consistency, patience, and process will hit home. Essential listening if you love trail and ultra running, want practical mindset tools, or need a reminder that progress is built long before race day. Holly Ranson is an Australian ultra runner, firefighter, and PhD candidate with a background in nutrition, dietetics, and psychology. She’s represented Australia in timed ultra events, won national records, and earned her place at Western States through a golden-ticket race at Tarawera. Timestamps03:39 - Tarawera: racing for enjoyment and winning the golden ticket.06:36 - Letting go of outcomes instead of pretending not to care.11:08 - Simple mental cues: be here now and helpful thoughts only.14:52 - What Western States is and why entry is so difficult.18:06 - Course recon, race nerves, and arriving prepared for Western States.21:06 - How Holly funded the trip and why sponsorship is still a challenge.24:33 - Holly’s PhD on social influences and firefighters’ eating behaviour.27:40 - Leaving work, changing structure, and what daily life looks like now.33:04 - Western States race highlights.39:22 - Where Holly’s grit came from and what sailing taught her.41:17 - From triathlon to cycling to finding longer endurance events.45:17 - The 12-hour Dust Till Dawn race and a national record.47:01 - Moving to 24-hour racing and making the Australian team.48:56 - Why Holly says consistency matters more than natural talent.53:27 - The reality of sponsorship, brand partnerships, and overseas opportunities.59:57 - What running means to Holly in everyday life.64:41 - How training and recovery have changed in her late 30s.67:25 - Advice for female athletes starting later or building slowly.69:14 - What Holly would say to younger runners about patience and evidence-based guidance.Get in touch!! With Holly on instagram With the show Her Pace PodcastMusic Credit: Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/anti-cafe⁠

A surprise breakthrough, a brutal injury, and a mindset shift that changed everything - Jessie Speedy opens up about the winding road from school sports to elite trail running, and why the best races often come after you stop forcing them.If you’ve ever wondered how an athlete goes from “just having fun” to representing New Zealand on the world stage, this episode is packed with the kind of honest, behind-the-scenes insight most people never hear. Jessie shares what it really looked like to win Tarawera and UTA, how a first-ever stress fracture forced her to slow down, and why her biggest lessons came from the moments she least expected.You’ll discover:How Jessie rebuilt her running identity after years off with injuryThe surprising path from accounting and dietetics to elite endurance sportWhy social media can quietly distort your relationship with food, training, and body imageWhat trail and mountain racing at World Championships actually feels like, from altitude to aggressive positioning on courseThe simple mental cues Jessie uses when pain, cramps, or doubt hit mid-raceJessie also gets refreshingly real about the pressure to “do more,” the danger of under-fuelling, and why so many well-meaning athletes accidentally talk themselves into burnout. As a registered dietitian, she breaks down what women runners need to know about energy availability, food quality, and why protein obsession can sometimes miss the bigger picture.At its core, this conversation is about longevity, self-belief, and learning how to keep showing up without losing the joy. Whether you’re a runner, a competitive athlete, or someone trying to find a healthier relationship with training and food, Jessie’s story will make you rethink what progress actually looks like.Perfect for runners who want to stay healthy, perform better, and last longer in the sport without turning every session into a test of worth. And yes, there’s also a very important discussion about Pitbull, aqua jogging, and the best possible running playlist energy.Timestamps:01:38 - Jessie’s current injury setback and long-term mindset.04:31 - Why last season may have been too much, too soon.09:48 - The chaotic, no-warm-up story behind her UTA win.12:51 - From school sport to late-blooming runner.15:38 - How social media and diet culture affected her relationship with food.20:14 - Why restrictive eating can start as “just trying to be healthier”.24:37 - Rebuilding a healthy relationship with running.26:40 - Plantar fascia injury and the long road back.29:33 - Why she aimed for Worlds without obvious proof it was possible.32:59 - Living and training in Europe before Worlds.36:00 - What uphill racing at Worlds actually demands.37:17 - Double-race weekends and how the format affects recovery.39:38 - Racing the classic course with no expectations.40:08 - Why being “aggressive” matters on narrow trail courses.43:55 - Managing cramp and race pain with self-talk.46:34 - Pitbull, playlists, and the aqua jogging soundtrack.50:56 - Jessie’s approach to sports nutrition and food-first fuelling.53:54 - Why protein obsession can crowd out real food and carbs.60:39 - Signs of low energy availability and when to get help.62:27 - What’s motivating Jessie right now during rehab.64:49 - The value of a proper multidisciplinary support team.69:30 - Jessie’s advice for female runners: have fun first.72:46 - Why taking pressure off often leads to better racing.Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/anti-cafe⁠Keep in touch!Follow Jessie on instagramFollow Her Pace on instagramEmail: [email protected]