Dr Charissa Ho on Holistic Training, Running Longevity & Life as a Mum of Six | Women’s Running Collective
This week on the Women’s Running Collective, Hayles and Jussie are talking about something we probably all need a little more of in our running lives: doing less, but doing it better.
The girls kick things off with a recap of their City2Surf experience, where they decided to take the pressure off, forget about pace and simply run for fun. After a chaotic escape from Bondi (because apparently getting out of Bondi after City2Surf is its own endurance event 😂), they chat about how taking the pressure off can sometimes remind you exactly why you fell in love with running in the first place.
Then they’re joined by the incredible Dr Charissa Ho GP, runner, Sydney Marathon ambassador, Apex Running group leader and mum of six, including triplets. Charissa shares what balancing family, medicine and running actually looks like, and why she doesn't believe the answer to every running goal is simply to run more.
The conversation dives into the "one percenters" of training—but with a twist. Rather than obsessing over tiny marginal gains, Charissa explains why the real foundations of running well and staying healthy are things like fuel, sleep, recovery, strength and looking after your overall health.
They also tackle some really important topics for female runners, including iron levels, bone health, menstrual cycles, RED-S, stress injuries and the impact of under-fuelling and overtraining. Charissa shares practical health checks runners should consider and explains why paying attention to what's happening inside your body can help you build a longer, healthier running journey.
Plus, we chat about motherhood, ambition without guilt, how running can change your life, Sydney Marathon plans and where you can find the WRC crew cheering on runners around the 38km mark at Mrs Macquarie's Chair.
This is an episode about training for the long game, not just the next race. 💛
This episode is proudly supported by ASICS and the new NOVABLAST™ 6.
Timestamps
00:00 – Thank You, ASICS!
00:22 – Hayles & Jussie chitty chat
00:36 – Post-City2Surf Catch-Up
01:17 – Surfing vs Running: Which Is More Fun?
02:13 – What We're Doing in Training
04:09 – Our City2Surf Joy Run
05:52 – The Bondi Exit Chaos 😂
07:00 – Meet Dr Charissa Ho
08:29 – Fast Four Questions
10:36 – That Time Charissa Ran a Shakeout With Kipchoge
12:43 – Why the "One Percenters" Actually Matter
13:48 – Stop Telling Runners to Just Run More
15:47 – How Motherhood Has Changed Training
17:11 – Ambition Without the Guilt
19:23 – Important Health Checks for Female Runners
20:47 – RED-S, Under-Fuelling & Stress Injuries
22:39 – The Running Longevity Blueprint
25:33 – Three Habits That Actually Matter
27:54 – How Running Changed Charissa's Life
30:21 – Rapid-Fire Runner Picks
32:03 – Sydney Marathon Hype!
33:03 – Wrap Up & Where to Follow Charissa
33:51 – ASICS NOVABLAST™ 6 Ad
34:31 – Weekly Snack & Gear Recommendations Jussies recco of PURE electrolyte.
Hayleys Recco of Health Lab protein balls
37:21 – Where We'll Be Cheering at Sydney Marathon
39:06 – Final Thanks & Disclaimer
Follow Dr Charissa
Follow along with Charissa's running, medical and mum-of-six journey and find out more about her work in the running community.
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Until next week... keep showing up, keep having fun
