Cheeky Run Club

Running reflections/resolutions

• Phoebe Pincus & Anna Coldham • Season 8 • Episode 7

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Hello crew!

Today, we reflect on our running throughout 2025 by revisiting the goals we set this time last year.

Then we nut out our goals for the big 2026 using the same framework we’ve used the last two years: outcome goals, input/habit goals and word of the year ⭐️

We also awarded the best cheeky answer from our Strava question, courtesy of the wonderful Dairy Farmers Australia – thank you for making this episode of Cheeky Run Club possible!

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts + Instagram, TikTok, Substack, Phoebe's Strava + Anna's Strava, and join our Strava community 🩵

Music produced by Hugh Raper & logo design by Michael Cotellessa. Podcast edited by Kiara Martin.

Anna:

Cheeky Run Club recognizes that every day we live, work, and run on Aboriginal land.

Phoebe:

This episode is sponsored by dairy farmers and then newest additions to the protein smoothie range, mango and vanilla, one of which Anna will be taste testing for the first time later this episode.

Anna:

Welcome to Cheeky Run Club, the social running podcast and community for your everyday amateur runner. Hello, Phoebe

Phoebe:

Anna.

Anna:

and hello listeners.

Phoebe:

Today we are sharing our running reflections for 2025 and our resolutions for 2026. We will revisit the goals we set 12 months ago. And We'll work through the behavioral change framework we've done for the last two years now to set our new goals for the next year. Um, but first, as always, we'll kick it off with our best and worst runs of the week. Anna, let's start with your best.

Anna:

Okay. Mine best was on Tuesday morning. We did a track session. Our friend from, is she a London correspondent? I'm pretty sure. Uh, Lish was in town'cause she as people, if they remember from a few weeks ago, she got married Anyway. and it was just a really good vibe. We did your session, uh, which was two Ks tempo and then ten five hundred. With like lots of standing rest in between. Um, and yeah, I, I don't know. I feel like I was sort of a bit unsure about whether or not I'd be able to like make it through the session, but I actually kind of, I think because I paced myself and

Phoebe:

Mm.

Anna:

went out quite slowly in a sense for the 2K, but then also the five hundreds, I actually felt really strong at the end, which was so cool. And then we had a really extended coffee

Phoebe:

we did.

Anna:

and it was just so much fun. I feel like that was one of those mornings that I was like skipping to work,

Phoebe:

Yeah, it

Anna:

being like, I love life.

Phoebe:

It was such a big crew of us running round and I think I agree. I think you're doing really well in the last week or two, especially of starting to just be like, I'm going to like do the session with you guys, but at my own pace I'm like, not feel stressed about trying to keep up with

Anna:

Trying to keep up. Yeah. It's funny, once you kind of let go of of that, it's quite like freeing. You're like, okay. Yeah, and I, it did help as well because we were getting so much rest. I could just keep starting with you for the five

Phoebe:

Yes.

Anna:

and then, so it's not as though I was just like, ended up being by myself. Like I still felt a part of it.

Phoebe:

yeah, also, I love doing five hundreds on that track'cause it's a 500 meter lap and

Anna:

Oh, I know. I'm,

Phoebe:

so good.

IMG_9429:

good.

Anna:

it's so good. Yeah, it takes the, there it's, there's something so interesting. I don't think I ever really do five, like I've never really done five hundreds before. It's always been longer staff or four hundreds or something. Which on that, because where we run it is like we run at the same place every week. So it is always like the 500 meters and 400 there is kind of annoying'cause you're never really quite sure where you're gonna finish.

Phoebe:

always, yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Anna:

So it's nice to not have to like, look at your watch being like, how much further? Um,

Phoebe:

a, such a nice morning. I think it was a really nice morning as well,

Anna:

yeah, it was warm. We're all in crop tops, so that was my best run of the week. Um, what is, what is yours?

Phoebe:

Well, I actually was also gonna say Tuesday morning. Um, so now I'll choose a different one, which would be, I can't remember what day this was, but it was a run I did last week. It must have been after we recorded the episode. And, um, I ran with our friend of the show, Izzy, um, and also friend of the show Jazz. Um, and we,

Anna:

Everyone's a friend of the

Phoebe:

everyone, literally everyone's friend of the show, they're our friends, so they're friends of the show. It was one of those, like, yeah, morning pre-work. And I, I just remember waking up that morning and not to sound like a broken record at the moment, I feel like I'm feeling a lot of stress at work. And I woke

Anna:

that's, you're having a stressful time. That's fine.

Phoebe:

A big time at work. And I woke up and I was just immediately like, my mind's just like going, going, going about work. And I've been doing this for weeks now. Like, I'll wake up really early and I can't get back to sleep'cause I can't stop thinking about work anyway, so it didn't feel like a good start to the day. But then I went and met them and we did like these beautiful trails in that area, um, around Clifton Hill, which, yeah, there's a, for those who don't live in Melbourne, there's an area called Rabban Park, which you might have heard Anna and I talk about before. It's a beautiful, beautiful part of Melbourne to run, like running along the river through the trees, be like summer morning. So it was just like light and summery and yeah, it was one of those, it was a real day shifting run.'cause I did go for, and they're all, they're both also just like very happy, positive people.

Anna:

Yeah, they are. yeah, I feel like just by osmosis, your energy would, it, it, like you, it would be impossible for you not to feel better after run with those two.

Phoebe:

Yes. And so that was a lovely run.

Anna:

So good.

Phoebe:

Anna, tell us about your worst.

Anna:

well it's been a swift decline since my best run on Tuesday. Um, I went for, it's funny, so I came up to, I'm in Sydney actually at the moment. Um, came up on Thursday for hens and a wedding and I didn't think I'd really be able to run that much over. Like, I just wasn't sure'cause it's quite busy and I've been getting tired, so I was like, oh, I probably won't run that much over the weekend. So I did a little jog instead of a swim on Wednesday morning. Um, because I, yeah, I thought that would be fine. And then towards the end of the run I felt kind of like my back stiffen up. Well, I thought it was my back stiffen up a little bit. And then got up from coffee. Um,'cause we, yeah, then we stopped for coffee afterwards. Got up from coffee and then I was really, it was so locked up and I was in quite a lot of pain. I was, and just had like, no mobility, uh, as in sort of like range, my range of mobility was just like cooked. Um,

Phoebe:

twist

Anna:

yeah, I literally, I kind, I, I don't know what I would've, I, I thought, I think I was, I would've looked okay because I feel like I was really trying to be like, oh, this is fine. Like, I don't know, maybe I've just like twined something and then got in the car, drove to work and it's like a few hundred meters from where I park my car to work. And I reckon the walk took me about 20 minutes. I had to just keep. Stopping and just standing there. Um, just'cause I was in so much pain and it was really weird. It was like this kind of sharp pain through Yeah, my like lower back, just on the right side. Um, and then ended up having to be driven home from work by colleagues because I just couldn't really move. And I was trying to be like, no, it's fine, it's fine. And they were just like, shut up. Like we're not, we're not gonna get you to drive home. Like I don't actually think it would be safe.

Phoebe:

uh

Anna:

Um, and pretty much ever since then I have been on the couch on my side, um, trying not to move.'cause at the, the first couple of days, like Wednesday, Thursday, I feel like any little movement, I would just get this like sharp pain. And then spoke to the pelvic, my pel, the pelvic physio, Laura, since yesterday on the phone.'cause obviously I couldn't see it cause I was in Melbourne. I mean, sorry.'cause I'm in Sydney. and she actually thinks it's pelvic girdle pain, which is quite common in pregnancy, but where it is, it's kind of, it's really low down on my back, but to the right. Um, and it is, and I was like, surely that wouldn't come on so quickly. Like Tuesday was completely fine. And then all of a sudden in the last few kilometers of Wednesday run I was like, oh, this, like, something feels a bit funny. And then I've just gone to like, barely being able to walk. And she was like, oh no, that can happen. And, and it can be super debilitating. So I think that's what it is. Um, which is really sad

Phoebe:

Yeah.

Anna:

for many reasons, mainly because I just wanna be able to. Walk around and not be in pain. Um, and like, I missed the hens on Thursday just'cause I couldn't go, just'cause I literally like couldn't get up. Um, and then, yeah, now I don't know. I feel like maybe I, I'm hoping not, but I feel like maybe my running days might be over for the foreseeable future. Which is sort of, it's strange that it came to such a, um, like quick end in a sense,

Phoebe:

well, I'm, I'm keen to understand'cause pelvic girdle pain. I know, I remember because when we ages ago did that, like running in pregnancy episodes, Rachel told who was the expert who we had on, she told us about pelvic girdle pain and I always envisioned it as like, just, you know, a, a bit of discomfort, which maybe was

Anna:

Same. And also I always thought it would be at the front or like at the bottom kind of thing, like where your groin and stuff is. I didn't realize it was

Phoebe:

be anywhere,

Anna:

could be sort of like your sacroiliac joint in your lower

Phoebe:

yeah. But also like the amount of pain you were in on Thursday, like Thursday, Wednesday and Thursday was like, as you said, debilitating. Like you were really, really struggling.

Anna:

Yeah. I actually was kind of, at one point I was kind of scared

Phoebe:

yeah.

Anna:

I'd done, yeah. I almost was a bit like sh sh like how mu, how like painful does it need to be to, for you to go to hospital?

IMG_9429:

I,

Phoebe:

I just, yeah, I remember you sending me some voice notes maybe on the Thursday or whenever it was. And like, you know what, someone's in a lot of pain and their voice sounds like constricted. You like so, and I was just like, my heart was breaking for you.'cause I was like, Oh, no, she's, you just sounded like so defeated. Like

Anna:

I know.

Phoebe:

Um,

Anna:

know what the word, I feel like I jinxed myself because you and leash on the Tuesday, I don't know if you, you probably don't remember this, but afterwards you're like, you were both like, oh, how's your body feeling? Blah, blah, blah. And I was like, it honestly feels so good. Like I don't have any niggles. Like my hips completely blind.

Phoebe:

I know

Anna:

then it was literally 24 hours later that I'm like, can't move. You gotta laugh.

Phoebe:

You gotta laugh. Well, yeah. I guess what did, um, your pelvic floor physio say about what's the prognosis? If it is pelvic girdle pain? Yeah. Does that, does that mean that you just like, wait till it settles down and then reassess what kind of movement you could do? Or what does that mean?

Anna:

Yeah, we didn't really talk long. It was more just sort of in the, to really just try to settle it down, like what the best, um, way to do that would be. But at the moment she just says, well, it's hard, it's pregnancy's kind of hard'cause you can't take any like, anti-inflammatories or anything. So I can't take any, um, like Voltarin or like Neurophin. So it's just Panadol, which I don't know, I just, it just, it's hard to know if it actually does anything. I feel like it doesn't really, um, and then a lot of like deep heat and stuff, you're not meant to like, put on your skin either. Um, so I've just been icing it. And then she said to do some like light, glute stretches. Um, so I am actually doing that now as we sit there. Sit here, but it just has to be so light.'cause I feel like any, I just get, I'm kind of scared now, even just rolling around in bed sometimes there'll just be this really sharp kind of like, like jolting. It's so weird. Yeah.

Phoebe:

maybe that does sound like pelvic girdle pain now that, not that I have any idea, but I'm remembering how it was described to us as like Yeah, these random sort of like sharper sort of.

Anna:

Yeah. I feel really bad, but I just didn't think it, I feel really bad even admitting this, but I just didn't think it could be this bad.

Phoebe:

I don't, I didn't either. That is, I mean, I'm sure it sounds like, I'm sure you have like a very extreme version of it. Um,'cause I'm sure there's a spectrum, but, um, well, fingers crossed, fingers and toes crossed and everyone prayed that you've just slipped a disc and it's not about we get away. I know that we, um, had started a new segment, the weekly waddle, let's

Anna:

Yeah. this can be the waddle.

Phoebe:

Yeah, it's not quite, not even quite a world this week. It's,

Anna:

I dunno, it's a roll.

Phoebe:

it's a rule.

Anna:

Um, anyway, what was your, yes. Hopefully next week. What was your worst run or running related activity?

Phoebe:

I really don't feel like I can say anything now because like I just feel like it's, yeah. I feel very lucky to be running and, um, not in pain. Like it definitely is just puts things into perspective so much when you hear about Yeah. Like other people being in pain and like the struggle struggles there. So, but mine would be, mine's my run yesterday morning, so Friday morning I did a session with, uh, yeah. At Albert Park with Sean and Sarge and Woody. And I just think that maybe they all had a bit of go about'em that I just didn't have. And I, I woke up and it was my last day of work for the year. And, um, I just didn't, I felt so unmotivated and we were doing these, like, we did six by five minute, like threshold efforts with 62nd walk, which I just felt like it never ended. Like I was,

Anna:

Oh

Phoebe:

kind of started getting dropped after the first few and I just couldn't, I, it's not even like my body was, maybe my body was tired, but it was just like mentally I was tired and I just was like, oh, I just don't have it in me right now. So, yeah, but I'm, I'm not complaining, you know,

Anna:

Yeah.

Phoebe:

well. so shall we kick into our, we're gonna start off with some reflections for our year and specifically in a, in a running sense, although as we know, running and life are quite interrelated, so I'm sure there'll be some overlap. So I went back and I went back and got the, um, transcript of our episode where we set our goals last year, and I put it in chat, GBT and I got it to give us a summary of what our goals were, which says a little bit about the fact that I didn't necessarily remember them. Do you remember what your, what your word of the year was?

Anna:

I think it was like something to do with resilience or surviving,

Phoebe:

Yeah,

Anna:

getting through it or something.

Phoebe:

yeah. It was, um, resilient. That's

Anna:

Yeah. Perfect. Yeah. See, I remember.

Phoebe:

yeah, you spoke about, being resilient through season of doing less and slowing down, and about, not breaking down physically.

Anna:

Damn. I, you know what it was, it's actually so funny'cause we were talking about doing this episode last week and I would've way preferred to do this last week. I would've been, had a way

Phoebe:

on

Anna:

year.

IMG_9429:

Yeah.

Phoebe:

Yeah. okay, go on. So how do, how do you think you went in embodying the word resilient?

Anna:

I think it definitely, I don't, it definitely was tested a few times this year. had, yeah. As I've spoken about, had miscarriage continued with the fertility struggles. one of Dave's best friends. Lost his battle with cancer. so I would say this year has been quite a struggle in a sense. but yeah, I, I don't know. I mean, I'm here, so I guess that's a small pass. I will say like, yeah, I definitely more so emotionally, like I have really struggled at times this year, more just'cause I feel like I haven't been able to get the same joy out of life as I would like to or like might've in the past. but yeah, I feel like I embodied the sense of I'm, I'm glad like I, I mean, we obviously continued this, uh. work is going well or is completely fine. I I, I definitely don't think I've been as social this year at, or as like good at, keeping in touch or like catching up with people as I probably would've liked or as I had been in the past. but yeah, still tried to make do, I guess with small stuff during the week, like going for a swim, and like coming a coffee and that kind of thing. So I think I'll give myself a pass. Maybe

Phoebe:

Oh yeah. Oh my gosh. I would almost say like, if we hadn't said that word and we had to look back and give you one word that, like I described how you showed up this year, I would say resilient. I think you couldn't have done a better job. And like, it's funny'cause like in some ways you didn't even know when setting this word, how much it would be required of you. It was very prescient of set this word. Um.

Anna:

It's actually also kind of ironic'cause I said this word more in the fact that like, how am I gonna cope with only being able to run a little bit less, where I'm like, oh, oh sweetie.

Phoebe:

sweetie,

Anna:

They were,

IMG_9429:

you know what

Anna:

they were not the main troubles of

Phoebe:

Yeah, I think it's fine to, to reflect that it was like a very challenging year for you. It actually reminded me of, I was reading this, I forget where I was reading it, about the Chinese zodiac for last year versus this year versus, um, sorry, I suppose 2025 versus 2026. And so,'cause last year was the year of the snake. and it was speaking about how that's all about shedding old skins, letting go of old, habits or identities or rhythms and like inner work, like building your, like self-trust and intuition and reflection and so on. and, and you know, obviously all these things, they're just kind of like interesting to use as a, framework for reflection. But I do feel like in some ways you're of the snake was quite like, you embodied it, you embody, you had to do a lot of like internal character building and, yeah, like letting go of yeah. Your old even like way that you would run or way that you would, your attitude towards like exercise or taking care of your body. all those things had to be sort of reworked

Anna:

Yeah. And I think even like the, my way of like coping with things.'cause normally I feel like I cope with things by like going for runs and that kind of stuff, whereas I couldn't really do that. I will say like I am quite proud of the way, I feel like I'm a lot more open than I. Was, even and like better at communicating, like even with Dave, or just like you, I don't know. I feel like I'm a bit more like, oh, well, I don't know. There's no point hiding the struggles, even like talking about all this stuff, on the podcast. Like if there is no way that this time last year, I would've like, I would've been so embarrassed to, not embarrassed, sorry. Well, actually, yeah. Embarrassed. Like I just, I couldn't have, been so open, but yeah.

Phoebe:

yeah. And so that's, yeah, that's amazing growth as well.

Anna:

mm That's on growth.

Phoebe:

And that's on. Great. Yeah.

Anna:

Um, okay, so your word of the year, did you remember it?

Phoebe:

yeah. Yeah. I remember my word is respect. and as in that was, yeah, my running word of the year and I meant it in terms of um, respect for the sport and the toll it takes on your body and yourself and respect for your body as well. Um, and I, I recall when I said it, I was coming off the back of like that crazy burnout from Berlin and that block. And I didn't know yet about the, like I hadn't had my iron infusion yet. I didn't know I was anemic, all that kind of stuff. And like, I was still re I was still really sick. Like I just had that cough that didn't go away. And so I think it was the right, it think it actually ended up being like a really good word to set because I feel like this year I've really tried to. Well, yeah, pay a lot more respect to like the effort running takes, you know, and like what you need to give it in terms of strength and recovery and you need to give your body enough time to like absorb the running that you do. and I didn't get injured at all, so that was really good. And I, I didn't get burnt out either. Like I did, I don't wanna say I didn't get sick'cause I definitely had a period, especially when I was doing the marathon training where I was sick every other week. But it never, I always stopped, I'd always like pause with my running and let myself get better. And so it never evolved into like, I didn't have any of the same like, months long illnesses that I was getting the previous year. So I think that's a step

Anna:

Yeah. You never had like a full week of just like being sick and running through it, and I even feel like today is a perfect example of how you like, have respected the sport a little bit more because we're, it's a Saturday morning and we're recording, which we don't normally do. but I've like got a wedding to go to, so we started, I mean, we didn't start recording that early. We started recording at nine, but there is,

Phoebe:

we, we got on to chat at night. 45 minutes later we started recording.

Anna:

but there is no way that this time last year, if you had have been as tired as you are right now from work and then didn't feel good in the session yesterday, there is no way that you wouldn't have still tried to do a long run before this

Phoebe:

percent. No, a hundred percent. I mean, that was the whole problem with Berlin is that I just would like, I never would miss a, a one of those a session really. Or a run. But yeah, I definitely, and I didn't even feel bad. I mean, of course you shouldn't feel bad about it, but like, I didn't feel bad about missing this morning. I'm like, oh yeah, you know, it's probably a good opportunity for like a quieter morning. And jumping on. Yes. And then we also set some outcome goals. Do you remember what any of your other goals, were?

IMG_9429:

were?

Anna:

I remember I was trying to, I remember I was trying to be okay with like, doing less, particularly on the days that I didn't run and like not trying to find other stuff to do, which I would say I completely failed out

Phoebe:

Okay. Go on. What's your reflection there?

IMG_9429:

there?

Anna:

well, I don't, I, I, I mean, I feel like yeah, we, we did these at the start of the year, and I, I think I initially was okay, but then post, maybe it was like post having them miscarriage, I felt like. emotionally my emotional wellbeing. I felt like on the days I wasn't running,'cause I knew that I, I remember'cause I was just running every second day for 30 minutes. I really still just like, I, the, the benefit of just like doing something like a swim or a spin class or just like going for a walk, at the time, just like outweighed not doing it. So I, yeah, I, I would say the days, yeah, I, I remember one of them was being like moveless on the non-running days and I did not do that.

Phoebe:

Oh, well, as you said, resi. Well, resilience was your more important. What, like, direction of the year and I feel like you were doing what you needed to do to stay resilient.

Anna:

Yeah. Yeah. Um,

IMG_9429:

spoke

Phoebe:

like staying socially connected, even though you were running less and you did you made such an effort all year. You didn't drop off there. Like you were still always you were at coffee, you were

Anna:

Yeah, Yeah. yeah. And that, yeah, I am because it is, it is kind of funny in the sense that you are not like a post run coffee when it is a post run coffee is like the best thing ever. But when you're literally just driving to coffee, you're not on the same level as a wavelength as everyone else'cause you like don't have that buzz. So I will say in a sense it is sort of strange'cause it's so nice to see everyone and you do get that social connection and I'm like so glad I did it. But there is, it is a little bit isolating'cause it's just a reminder that you're like, not on that same

Phoebe:

Oh, I feel like when it worked well was like when you were doing cycle classes, for example or

Anna:

yeah. Yeah.

Phoebe:

and it was like you'd just sort of done your own

Anna:

I'd be a bit sweaty and, Yeah. Yeah. yeah. Anyway, so that I was happy with, and then I feel like this is an ongoing thing, but I do remember saying that I wanted to be a little bit kinder to myself, which I have been in some ways, but I think that in itself, that takes a lot. That is actually really hard. Like trying to talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend

IMG_9429:

Hmm.

Anna:

really difficult.

Phoebe:

Yeah,

Anna:

Well, I find it really difficult. Like, I feel like it, it's way more easy. It's like way easy to be gracious with your friends and like understanding and that kind of thing than it is with yourself.

Phoebe:

100%. That's gotta be like an ongoing.

Anna:

Yeah. Yeah,

Phoebe:

of. Yeah.

Anna:

yeah. That's 20, 25 and beyond. do you remember any of yours?

Phoebe:

Yeah. Mine were all about, the things that sit around allowing me to keep running mainly asleep is the main one that I remember. And strength. I think that's maybe when I set my chin up goal, which

Anna:

Yes, it was.

Phoebe:

I failed miserably at. But, but it was a goal that got me going. Like that is the point of those. And I mean, I guess that was an outcome goal, not a process goal, but that's something that like got me along To the gym. you know? And it was like kind of even, it was always the hardest part. It was kind of like a fun thing each week to be like, oh, am I getting any Which I just didn't get any closer. So brutal. and I definitely dropped off my strength, my sleep. I remember I set the goal

Anna:

I feel like strength work though. You were at like, I, I know like not. Not so much in the last couple of months, like post marathon, but I feel like that's okay.'cause you've sort of taken your, like foot off the gas a little bit, just like with running in general. But I think when, when it counted, pre marathon and like at the start of the year when you are really trying

Phoebe:

I was really, yeah.

Anna:

yeah. Focus on like running sustainably. I feel like you did really well. Like you would even go at like seven 30 at night,

Phoebe:

Yeah, I was going at nighttime and, and the fact that I didn't get injured I do think speaks to that. and then, yeah, the sleep, I, I remember I didn't wanna get sick as much, and sleep more. And I, I actually,

IMG_9429:

actually,

Phoebe:

I actually have slept more. I checked, I know I set the goal of seven hours sleep average a night, and I've hit six hours, 58 average, which is pretty good. And honestly I was so on track, but, uh, December has been really, has been a hard, a tough month for my sleep and that's made it drop back, which is really no button. I'm now on holidays and so who knows over the next two weeks if I work hard enough, I might be able to tip over that seven hours,

Anna:

I love it if you like the work hard and working hard is actually not this, like working hard for you is not working hard.

Phoebe:

No, I know, but yeah. But, um, interesting enough, my aura gives me my aura ring, which is a wearable device that I wear that gives me, like data about my health has, it tells you now what your ideal, required amount of sleep is. And for me it says, seven hours and 11 minutes. And so next year that's gonna be

Anna:

mm Okay. Yeah. Gosh, that is amazing that that's all you require,

Phoebe:

Well, it's hard to know if it's just, that's all I ever, that's all I get on a good day. So it just

Anna:

Yeah. Yeah. True. But I just like.

Phoebe:

on that.

Anna:

Yeah, but I still feel like that's not, I actually couldn't survive on that.

Phoebe:

Yeah. But you are 27. 27.

Anna:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. yeah. True, true, true,

Phoebe:

can't, you can't judge yourself by that. and then final reflection goal was on, you did set an outcome goal, but Yeah. Do you remember what that was?

Anna:

Yeah. I wanted to enjoy more so participate in the Noosa triathlon'cause I'd signed up for it rather than, and actually just be able to enjoy the whole part. which I didn't end up doing, but I didn't end up doing for a good reason because I was pregnant. And so it was actually so strange. I kind of thought it would be okay. But, so weird that like. Anyone who's a doctor or anything advised me not to do an Olympic distance triathlon in like 30 degree heat.

Phoebe:

weird, like, but I will say your goal was to like, soak in the atmosphere and enjoy it. And you actually, you still went for the weekend, you went for a run, you went for a swim, you had a great time. So

Anna:

it. yeah.

Phoebe:

am gonna say maybe hit this goal.

Anna:

Hit there. Yeah. Yeah. But still, I still haven't done, which is, so I've always wanted to do the NOA try and I still haven't done it.

Phoebe:

Oh,

IMG_9429:

Oh,

Anna:

the show goes on. Maybe it'll be a thing for next year. and yeah. Do you remember what yours were? Yours were very

Phoebe:

I really wanted to get pbs. I wanted to get a 10 K PB and a 5K pb and I didn't get either of them.

Anna:

didn't actually run a 10 K though,

Phoebe:

I didn't run

Anna:

Remember going to, and then you got sick.

Phoebe:

Oh

Anna:

maybe you

Phoebe:

I

Anna:

could've,

Phoebe:

I

Anna:

maybe you should do,

Phoebe:

have.

Anna:

maybe you should do like on the 31st of December, do a 10 K and see if you can get a

Phoebe:

Where will I be in 31st of December? Oh yeah. I think I fly back from, I'm going to Japan on um, Monday and I fly back on, I think I land

Anna:

Sorry, this is actually news. This is actually news to me.

Phoebe:

Yeah. It's a last minute trip.

Anna:

You know what?

Phoebe:

I'm leaving in

Anna:

A couple days ago she was going to Sri Lanka and then now all of a sudden she's going

Phoebe:

We haven't had

Anna:

Yay. That's so exciting.

Phoebe:

we thought Japan,

Anna:

You know what? All roads lead to Tokyo.

Phoebe:

I think. Exactly. Anyways, yeah. Fun fact going to Japan.

Anna:

Have a great trip.

Phoebe:

I'm still Thank you.

IMG_9429:

you.

Phoebe:

and then 5K maybe. I did do a couple of five Ks and I didn't, I didn't get it, but I did really enjoy my 5K training and I think I wanna maybe carry that one over to, it's funny to me that these are my goals and then easily my best race of the year was a marathon, but, you know,

Anna:

And that wasn't mentioned, but I feel like you were so scarred from the Berlin experience that you were just like, you didn't, A marathon was just not on your Bingo card at the time.

Phoebe:

Yeah. Um, I reckon We are very excited that this episode is sponsored by dairy farmers and their brand new vanilla protein smoothie. And Anna is about to give you a live taste test.

Anna:

woo hoo. I am very excited here's a quick rundown of why these are such a staple for us, particularly after running. Each 400 M bottle has 30 grams of protein to support muscle recovery and keep you full off for longer plus prebiotics, nine essential vitamins and minerals and no added sugar. They're honestly the easiest on the go. Fuel for busy active boys, girls, women, and men.

Phoebe:

Okay? So you've grabbed your vanilla, it's fresh from the fridge. Anna, are you ready for this week's as SMR moment of you opening up your protein smoothie?

Anna:

Always. This is the best part of the app.

Phoebe:

Okay, here we go. Give it a smell test first. last week the mango was a big hit. Smell wise, what have we got? What are the notes?

Anna:

Ooh, that is real. Vanilla vibes. that smells so good. Can I, am I allowed to try?

Phoebe:

Yes. I wanna know if the vanilla flavor delivers

Anna:

Oh my gosh, this is so good. It's creamy, but not so heavy. And it's actually, sweet. But without being that really sugary taste, honestly, just tastes like vanilla milkshake that went to the gym and got its life together. I can't wait to have one after a run. It would be so

Phoebe:

that would be so good. Well, the summer flavors this year are vanilla and mango. The OGs still in the range are chocolate, banana, honey, and mixed berry. They are high protein. Convenient. Grab and go.

IMG_9429:

go.

Anna:

Dairy farmers, thank you so much for fueling our runs and for making this episode of Cheeky Possible. Ah, yep. Delicious.

Phoebe:

plus our cheeky question of the week, which we post on our Strava group this week dairy farmers giving away a heap of protein smoothies To the best answer. Anna, what question did we ask?

Anna:

so we asked the listeners what their favorite sweat friendly products or hats to get you through the warmer months whilst running. should we do the runners up first?

Phoebe:

Yeah, there were two that we really liked. One, I hadn't heard of this tip before, but Susie puts her sports bra in the freezer.

Anna:

Yeah, that is wild to me, but I kind of wanna try

Phoebe:

she wets it first and then puts it in the freezer? Or just puts it in the freezer? Dry.

Anna:

No, I just think she'll put it in the freezer dry, so it's like really, really cold without actually being icy.

Phoebe:

Yeah.

Anna:

I don't know. Maybe we should clarify.

Phoebe:

Our other runner up was Fi. I just love FI's attitude in this one. She said early morning run, not only to beat the heat, but to watch the sunrise. Two light clothing hat, sunny sunscreen, and the biggest smile because I get to run.

Anna:

Oh, that's really

Phoebe:

So Nice. And Anna, who was, who was, our winner?

Anna:

Our winner was Duncan. Uh, his answer he said as a redhead in Queensland. This is a great question. A fractal hat, where style meets SPF. Woolworths sunscreen, easy to rub in good as sunglasses, which are affordable and polarized. LSKD shirt, lightweight and breathable, and an Aus Brisbane brand. Fractal socks. Their new socks are elite. And then finishing in a pool where possible ice afterwards, plus or minus ice cream. And telling yourself training the heat is basically altitude training without the expense of paying for an alpine holiday.

Phoebe:

Duncan.

Anna:

Go Duncan. I reckon he is. Also read your substack.

Phoebe:

he is got it figured out. I reckon he might have. I love the, not to now rip into Duncan, but I love the, it's such a boy thing. Woolworth sunscreen. Easy to rub in,

IMG_9429:

don't

Phoebe:

reckon? but thank you Duncan, and thank you everyone who submitted your answers and thank you dairy farmers.

Anna:

Woo hoo.

Phoebe:

Alrighty. Let's get into our 20 26 goals. So a brief reminder of the, behavior change framework that Anna and I use every year. When we set these goals, we use the Atomic Habits theory. So that goes, that has three layers, that has an identity layer, a process layer, and an outcomes layer. So outcomes for those who might recall outcomes of the goals that people usually set for their kind of resolutions, which are basically like, I wanna get this PB or like, I wanna achieve this, thing. processes are then basically what are like the habits and the systems you wanna build to achieve that outcome. Because as we know, Anna, you don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

IMG_9429:

identity

Anna:

As we know.

Phoebe:

As we know, as we like to say. And then finally, the identity layer is more about identifying what kind of beliefs do you have about who you are, what maybe limiting beliefs do you have? and how can you kind of address those. And so the way that we like to think about that is through our word of the years. So what are our outcome goals for next year?

Anna:

Yeah.

Phoebe:

Is this just setting myself up for failure if I have an outcome goal of Don't get sick? No. sicknesses.

Anna:

mm. Yeah. No, I don't think, I think zero is unrealistic,

Phoebe:

one to three? one to three? sicknesses

Anna:

Yeah. I think that can work.

IMG_9429:

It

Anna:

Yeah.

IMG_9429:

a success.

Phoebe:

I just, I feel like when I step back and look at next year, yeah, I think there's a risk that I am going to try and do too much. I've already, yeah, I don't know. I'm just thinking like I, oh, I don't think I've said this on the podcast, but I'm moving to Sydney,

Anna:

Mm.

Phoebe:

which is very sad, but yeah, so sad. but well obviously keep doing the pod, et cetera, so don't, don't you worry.

Anna:

don't you stress?

Phoebe:

Moving to Sydney. I've got a new jo, a new like role at work, which is quite a big step up. We're doing these track nights, just like quite a, quite a few big things on the agenda. And I feel like my outcome is like, I mean, maybe I'll try and get a 5K PB still, like that might be the one that I carry over. My main outcome is like just, I wanna run in a way that helps me in my life, not get sick, gives me more energy, makes me feel less stressed. That like serves me rather than like me being a slave

Anna:

Like run. Run to live rather than live to run kind of thing.

Phoebe:

Yeah. So I don't know. Yeah. May maybe I'll have a goal, still keep a one outcome goal of a 5K pb, but then I, yeah, I feel like the bigger one is, well the other ones would be seven hours and 11 minutes sleep per night. So big step up and it would

Anna:

Big step up. Where are you gonna get the 13 minutes from?

Phoebe:

I dunno yet. we'll figure that one out. and the other one would be only getting sick one to three times.

Anna:

Yeah.

Phoebe:

What about you? Any, any outcome goals?

Anna:

Mine is to do a fun run or some sort of event within the year

Phoebe:

Oh yeah,

Anna:

Try, obviously I won't be super fit or anything, I don't think, but, and, but like, not just jog, try hard.

IMG_9429:

yeah,

Anna:

because yeah, when I look back on this year, which like I, and it was the right thing to do to not do that, but that's one thing I miss. I love even the Melbourne Marathon, doing the 10 K, like I just love being part of events. So I'd love to just do an event and try my hardest and be happy with whatever happens and any kind of event. I don't really as in like any sort of running event. I don't know what the distance would be or anything like that, but yeah, just something

Phoebe:

I can't believe you're having a baby next year.

Anna:

I know. Neither wild. Yeah. Uh, yeah. Have a healthy, happy baby.

Phoebe:

that is so crazy. Um, okay, well, what about processes to support that goal? do you have any, any thoughts

Anna:

Yeah, so mine would be be really diligent with taking professional's advice, doing all the exercises and stuff that they tell me to do, and just take things slow. Like sometimes doing more, I'm sorry, doing less is

Phoebe:

what?

Anna:

um,

IMG_9429:

Brilliantly?

Anna:

whoopsies.'cause I, yeah, I, I feel like that's what I struggle with is actually doing less. and I, yeah, I feel like training hard for me or like, I love it. So I find that easy. What I find hard is to actually not do that, which is what is gonna be a key to actually being able to do an event and get into the start line. so yeah, I think they, yeah. What about you?

IMG_9429:

I

Phoebe:

think I need to. Be better at carving out space where I'm not working or doing cheeky. And my dream next year is that I pick one or two nights a week and I don't work late on anything. and it's okay if that's not well, yeah, it definitely won't be every night. But especially like, Sean's starting a new job next year, which we are really hopeful is going to be significantly or like much better from a, just a balance and overall, like have a bit more time perspective and yeah, moving to Sydney and I just think I'm in, I'm in such bad habits, I just can't, I can't not be working. if I ever have spare time, I'm like, okay, I've gotta do this for cheeky, I've gotta do this next thing. And I, I do not let myself not work. And I, that is like, that is a new low for me. Like I, I always used to pride myself on like, no matter what, I'm so good at. Putting the tools down and just like reading for a few hours. And I have, I have, lost that skill. And it just means that like my overall levels of stress are just like sitting at this higher level. And I've now got four weeks off work, which is huge. And I've run to use this as a chance to like be, just be a lot more intentional about the time, the nights that I'm having off, the times where I'm like intentionally not doing anything. And yeah, like I wanna set a goal of like two nights a week say,

Anna:

mm

Phoebe:

where I do like Sean and I cook dinner, or I, maybe I go play social sport or I do something where I'm not working and I just fully give my brain that time to switch

Anna:

Yeah, I think that's good. And I, I reckon you'll be able to, like if you, once you sort of get up to Sydney and find your groove, it'll be easy to be like, okay, Tuesdays and Thursdays are gonna work best for that, or Mondays and Wednesdays or whatever. And then I feel like you should almost like have that in your diary.

Phoebe:

Yeah. Create a little like routine around it and just that's, that's my habit. and I think that's gonna really help with sleep as well.

Anna:

Yeah, definitely. Well'cause you actually get to bed, but then also probably fall asleep a lot

Phoebe:

And sleep better and not do this, like, waking up early in the morning thing, like I think if I've had proper time to unwind, like my sleep quality will be better.

Anna:

Mm.

IMG_9429:

Yes.

Phoebe:

word of the year you're running. Word of the Year. Have you had any thoughts?

Anna:

Goly. Gosh, this is hard, but I say embrace. Oh, that's two words. I was gonna say embrace and enjoy whatever comes at you.

IMG_9429:

Hmm.

Anna:

can't really, maybe I'll just say embrace because I don't really know what it's gonna look like, and I assume it's probably somehow. My kilometers run are probably, are gonna be even less than they were this year, which was already like, so much less than what I did last year. But I would say just, yeah, embrace it. Embrace the, embrace the runs, but embrace the non runs as well. Embrace the body changes, embrace recovery, like whatever that looks like. and yeah.

Phoebe:

I think that's a really good attitude.'cause there will be a lot of changes and I feel like if you're resistant to or too locked into, like your preexisting ideas of like what running looks like, what exercise looks like. All those things will shift, will just be required to shift because yeah, your body will be going through so much and I'm really excited for the pod next year for us to explore all those things. And I think we've spoken a little bit about sort of being a bit more even open with the pod. It's obviously, it's cheeky run club, it's always like, there's always gonna be this core of running in there, but like being a bit more open-minded about like different ways that we think about health and fitness and how embrace those as well. And yeah, I'm excited to go on that journey.

Anna:

Yeah. What about you? Do you have a word, a running word for the Y?

Phoebe:

I'm struggling a little bit with it. I was thinking a bit about, like, something I am struggling with at the moment is I feel like I don't have a good middle ground between, I'm gonna call it Flexibility and motivation. I feel like for my running, I'm most motivated when I've got a goal and I'm working really hard at it, and I'm sticking to my program and it's so good. And I struggle because as soon as I loosen my hold on that goal and allow myself to be more flexible, I actually lose motivation a bit as well. And I, yeah. And that makes me sad because I actually didn't used to be like that, like maybe before I got a running program and I just, my whole life, like I've run, I would run, but just like, because I felt like, and'cause it made me feel good and I didn't like, think about it too much beyond that. And now I feel like when I I'm not holding myself to those sort of rigid constraints of like, hit every session. I just lose a bit of motivation. and so I, I need to find that middle ground of making running work for me like we were talking about before. But, Running for running sake kind of thing. not not for any goal. I, I don't know. I was kind of thinking about moving that move to Sydney and that's a big shift. Like we have such an amazing running community here and I'm gonna need to like Refin and like reinsert myself into some running groups. I've lived in Sydney before, so I do have some wonderful friends there, but I, I, you know, it is always an awkward thing of feeling like you're sort of inviting yourself along to things for a little while. And, but that is

Anna:

Yeah. Yeah, for sure.

Phoebe:

but if I'm going to make running. Something that like works for me, then I'm really gonna need to quickly try and find that,'cause that is so much of the joy. But anyway, all this is to say, I was thinking maybe a good word would be like something like spark. Like find the spark, find my money,

Anna:

Mm,

Phoebe:

again. I dunno if that's a thing. Feel like that's how people talk about like best sex lives. But I feel like it's like find the, not running for any goal, not running for any big thing, but also not that, not having to mean that I'm there for like, don't care about my running.

Anna:

And not doing, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I, yeah, it's, I completely get that. But, uh, yeah, doing it for the, for the sake of actually running.

Phoebe:

But a lot of it. Yeah. okay, so we've got embrace and spark.

Anna:

Nice. I like those. I, you know what, and I reckon that we can almost like interchange them. I feel like embrace and spark kind of go

Phoebe:

That's true. Okay. That can be our, our our joint cheeky,

Anna:

I'll join.

Phoebe:

running words.

Anna:

Be funny if then next year it's like, or like you've embraced things really well and I haven't, but I've

Phoebe:

your

Anna:

spark.

IMG_9429:

Yeah,

Phoebe:

Yeah, true. Yeah, that's true. okay. Fi maybe final thing we'll say this week just to set us up for next week's episode,'cause next week's episode we are going to do a couple things. We're gonna do our running awards for 2025, where we want to give awards for like our favorite products, like the best of running, in the year. And we are gonna get community input for that. So look out for that on our socials. We wanna get everyone voting on, on and basically be able to crown like a community champion like running shoe, community champion sports bra, all that sort of thing, which I'm really excited about. And we're also gonna do some 2026 predictions,

Anna:

And go through our 25, 20 25 ins.

Phoebe:

Yeah, right. Rate ourselves on what we, we set some ins and outs, a year ago and, uh, be fun to go back over them and see what was right and what was wrong and set some new ones for next year. So, I mean, I'll be recording that episode from Tokyo, which is pretty bloody

Anna:

Oh my gosh. Okay.

Phoebe:

I know.

Anna:

Not,

Phoebe:

But hopefully

Anna:

that will actually be sick. I'm excited to hear your best and worst runs of next week. More so. Your best. Maybe you could have two best, hopefully for

Phoebe:

to best. Yeah. cause I reckon running will be sick.

Anna:

it'll be so cool.

Phoebe:

but. I hope that, um, this episode has been useful for everyone to take some time to reflect on their running, goals and their running, like attitudes and beliefs and, and set some new intentions for the next year. And if you do, like, we'd love to hear about them. Love to hear. Maybe we'll also do a little poll or not a poll, like question of what everyone's running Word of the year for next year is, and we'll share some of those. Give some inspo.

Anna:

Yeah. Yeah. Love that. Thank you so much for tuning in and we can't wait to be for the final time for 2025. Be in your ears next week.

Phoebe:

Bye.

Anna:

Bye. for the final time for 2025. Be in your ears next week.

Phoebe:

Bye.

Anna:

Bye.

IMG_9429:

Nice.