Are We Running for Fitness… or Running Away? 10 Types of Runs Women Really Need
Are we running to get fitter… or are we secretly running away from everything else going on in our lives?
In this episode of the Women’s Running Collective, Hayles and Jussie unpack the very real reasons women run and how those reasons can change throughout different seasons of life.
They kick things off with a catch-up on a tough training week, including 10 x 400m reps and a threshold/tempo session, plus weekend plans involving a 5K time trial, Parkrun and, of course, a very important hair appointment.
Then things get a little deeper.
We ask whether we're actually running for fitness… or whether sometimes we're running away from stress, motherhood, anxiety, responsibilities and the general chaos of life.
Jussie shares a particularly chaotic parenting story involving an escape through a window, and we chat about why we started running in the first place — from postpartum recovery and anxiety relief to reclaiming our identity, finding friendship and building community.
Because running isn't always about getting faster.
Sometimes, the run you need most has absolutely nothing to do with your training plan.
We break down 10 different types of runs women really need, including:
🏃♀️ The sanity run
🔥 The rage run
🧠 The long-run therapy conversation
🌅 The dawn run
👩👧 The motherhood identity run
🙈 The avoidance run
💪 The confidence run
🔄 The comeback run
😩 The “when running stops being fun” run
❤️ The joy run
We also get into mum guilt, vulnerability, friendship, confidence and the weirdly powerful role running can play in helping us feel like ourselves again.
Plus, we finish with a quick-fire Would You Rather: Running Edition, an ASICS Rise & Shine collection ad break, and our weekly recommendations.
In this episode:
- Why women really run
- Fitness vs running away from life
- How your reasons for running can change
- Postpartum running and reclaiming your identity
- Running as anxiety relief and stress release
- Why running friendships are so special
- The different types of runs we need throughout life
- Mum guilt and making time for yourself
- Finding confidence through running
- Coming back after time away
- What to do when running stops being fun
- Why sometimes the best run is simply the one that makes you happy
Our Recommendations
LSKD Fusion 2.0 Sports Bra + Flow Tank
Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother
Timestamps
00:00 Sponsor and Cold Open
00:20 Meet the Hosts
01:35 Weekly Training Recap
03:28 Fitness or Running Away
04:36 Ezra Window Escape Story
07:06 Why We Started Running
10:45 Running Brings Community
11:23 Ten Types of Runs
11:44 The Sanity Run
15:11 The Rage Run
18:09 Long Run Therapy Talks
21:09 Dawn Run Vulnerability
21:30 Running Friendship Trust
22:11 Motherhood Identity Run
23:26 Mum Guilt Research
24:48 The Avoidance Run
25:51 Confidence Through Running
27:57 The Comeback Run
29:48 When Running Stops Fun
31:34 The Joy Run
33:03 Quickfire Would You Rather
34:17 Rise And Shine Ad Break
35:26 Recommendations And Wrap
