Ep21. Rushing women & midnight marathons

Join Laura 'Biceps' and Sarah as they explore the incredible achievements of marathon runners, the concept of rushing women syndrome, and personal stories of perseverance and self-care. This episode offers insights into mental resilience, societal expectations, and embracing your own pace in life.

Chapters

00:00
Emotional Reflections on Marathon Experiences

02:59
The Challenges of Running a Marathon

05:54
Training and Personal Growth

08:56
The Unique Experience of a Midnight Marathon

11:59
Safety and Community in Running

14:46
Looking Ahead: Future Challenges and Goals

21:49
The Power of Mindset and Personal Growth

24:45
Overcoming Challenges and Building Confidence

26:49
Future Aspirations and Enjoying the Journey

30:10
The Role of Music in Fitness and Coaching

37:08
Understanding the 'Russian Woman Syndrome'

43:57
Navigating Work-Life Balance and Societal Expectations

45:47
The Importance of Face-to-Face Interaction

48:04
Redefining Busy: Quality Over Quantity

51:49
Perceptions of Work and Productivity

55:56
Challenging Societal Norms

01:01:34
Personal Peaks and Pits: A Reflection

01:05:55
Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations

Resources:

Dr. Libby Weaver's Website - https://www.drlibbyweaver.com
Rad Global - https://rad.co.uk

Thank you for listening, like subscribe and tell your friends!

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:05

Hello and welcome back to Fit for What, a no-nonsense evidence-based take on health, fitness, and wellness, with some humour, honesty, and practical advice to help you be fit for whatever life throws at you. My name is Laura, also known as Biceps from the internet. I'm a PT, best-selling author, presenter, and now a midnight marathon.

unknown 0:29

Woohoo!

SPEAKER_00 0:30

And my name is Sarah, women's health coach, PT, and I'm an absolute emotional wreck. Like this whole marathon stuff, I'm a mess.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

I'm actually a mess. Yeah, you and me both. It is unbelievably emotional, isn't it? Like whether you've run it or not, just to watch everyone's achievements and the reasons that they're running is quite something.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

Yeah, no, I I mean I wasn't even there. Um I definitely wasn't participating, but I wasn't even there like spectating this year. But just the stuff on social media, like, and just the coverage on the TV, like it, I was with me and Laura talking about this privacy before we start. There's just so many incredible people doing that for so many, just overwhelmingly beautiful and emotional reasons. It's just like when you actually look at it, you think how many thousands of people are doing it and all of their stories. It's just oh, it just it literally just like sets me off.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

I don't know how much I've talked about it. I was just welling up, uh, telling Sarah about some of my friends' uh feats of achievement over the weekend. But yeah, technically there was, I think it was 66,000 London Marathon participants. Uh, the day version I now need to separate them as a as a completer of the midnight version. But yeah, um, and we had uh a new world record in the men's and the women's marathon. They just beat me. I was so close.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

So close. It's just like we're talking about it, like the pace of it is just I can't actually even like get my head around how fast they must have run that. Like, like I don't think my legs could ever, like my legs could just never move that quickly.

SPEAKER_01 2:02

Like it's just well, I've see you do walk quite fast. I've seen them before, so maybe you could outwalk them. But yeah, the the pace, so it works out. So my uh marathon pace was uh six minutes 50 per kilometre over the marathon distance, theirs was two minutes 40. No offense to me, but what was I doing?

SPEAKER_00 2:25

It's just but like I can't even like get my head around that. Like I've seen fast people run in the flesh before, obviously, but like over that distance, it's just do they and they can't do they take so I don't I don't know what it closely enough. Do they take stuff on board like in terms of food and stuff? Are they gelling? Are they doing anything?

SPEAKER_01 2:42

They've got like teams throughout the course that are just like yeah, they they do all of that. Um, but yeah, so so mad to think that they could have run the marathon and had dinner for two hours 49 minutes to then meet me.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

Isn't that unbelievable? And it was hot yesterday, like it was hot. It was for that summer year, it was warm. How warm was it? You were caught were you chilly? Well, I sadly internally no.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

Yeah, like I I think I I'd shared a little bit on my social media because I'm always a bit you're very like just say everything about like vulvas and discharge, and I'm less I less so say that. So I sort of write it in very small uh writing on my stories.

SPEAKER_00 3:25

I'm like, what's that?

SPEAKER_01 3:26

Yeah, yeah. So I uh the Mother Nature blessed me with day one of my cycle, Saturday afternoon. Um, and I was like, I knew I was due on, like it's a you know, what a blessing to have a regular cycle after everything, uh like freezing and all of that good stuff. So yeah, I um have a very regular cycle that was due, and I knew that I felt rubbish. And actually, in a way, I think it was a blessing that I did because as we know on day one of a woman's cycle, your hormones are at your lowest point, and actually that gives some benefit of potentially better endurance, uh, you know, ability to manage pain. Um, so yeah, but obviously that it gives you a another challenge. Um, so without too much information, so my friends at Nixie Body N I X I have a pair of pants that are I ran in anyway, do you know what I mean? Because they're really comfortable. And I've I ran in them when I did the Vitality 10 K in my pants. I I ran in those because yeah, if I ran in my Calvin Klein thong, that would be different. But I ran in those, and so I I wore them thinking, do you know what? I can trust that. So whatever happens, you know, I I can't really be dealing dealing with with all of that. But the the cramps were real, I felt so sick, and I having to take a gel, I took eight gels in the end, I think. I should have taken nine, but I just couldn't bring myself to have a sick. I felt so sick, so I was sick on the route a couple of times, uh, and I had to I I ran with my friend Shah, who's uh unbelievable by the way. Um I'll I'll touch on that later, but yeah, I was like, Sha, I'm gonna be sick, and she was like, Okay, I was like, and then she I think she thought it would be game over, and then she sort of said at the end that I should have known you better. So I just I felt so sick, I felt so sick. I felt sick for about 10k from about 10k in, and then I was really like, I I have to be sick because I hope actually I'll feel better. Yeah, um, so yeah, that was a that was a challenge, but because I was day one of my cycle, I was hotter than the sun anyway. So even though it was cool, that was yeah, I just wore small shorts and a and a very thin uh tank top and my Gilet. So lots of other people were in long sleeves, and my own um radiator. So I it it was yeah, I guess it it was a blessing that it was late at night and it was cooler, but yeah, the whole thing was is really quite mind-blowing. It was like I remember the first sort of 5k, and then you just go to a blank after that.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

And it's just the fact is like just to like clarify here, Laura started running her marathon at was it half past eleven? Quarter past eleven, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

I remember seeing over um A Vauxhall Bridge, I think it is, where we we saw Big Ben and it was like 20 past eleven on Big Ben, and we were all running over, and we had the rad van next to us and the all the photographers, and we were all in great spirits at this point. Yeah. Woo! This is so fun! Like, wow, what are we doing? Um, and then it gradually, yeah, you go gradually into quite a whole over the the distance. So I I completed it in four hours and 48 minutes, which like I said was six minutes 50 per kilometre. And actually, you know, thinking every everyone's marathon time is relative, and it's like the for me, it's like the shit thing about marathons is that everyone goes, What was your time? And sometimes you can, you know, you can feel a great deal of comparison. I know I I know I have over the years, but I do think a good sign of growth is that I can say my marathon time that I know is proudly the sub-three norm at the moment. I'm delighted with myself. Should be.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

You should be, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

Like genuinely this year, and this is probably the only positive reflection I've had on myself and my performance. That this year I have run just shy of 700 kilometres in training, which is like obviously hours and hours and hours of of training. I think I've run for like four four days or something, whatever that is. Um, and I've PB'd my 5k, my 10k, my half marathon, and my marathon this year.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

That's unbelievable. Yes, that's so like and you think like and and you you are one of the you are the busiest woman I know, and you've managed that. And I don't know. You had egg free, but egg freezing in December, like I know that's that's such an achievement, and I just oh it's it's like that is just end of December.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

I did it. Then I had Christmas, which was a challenging anniversary for my family, and then just threw myself into it in January. Yeah, you really did. Um but I really, I really think, and I know this is obviously it's like quite a big departure for me because I've been a weightlifting girly for like four or five years, longer, six years. You know, I started sort of Olympic weightlifting really coming out of COVID, yeah, kind of taking it seriously. But I haven't, I don't think I've done a snatch uh this year. I stopped my weightlifting programme of August last year, and I've literally gone through short explosive power and competing in the British uh summer last year, and P being all my lifts there, actually, thinking about it. So this whole season of my life post quite a tough time in many respects, it does does just show that if you're doing the wrong thing or you're with the wrong people and you're in the wrong environment, it can really hold you back. And now I've sort of focused on myself. Yeah, everything is is although in the day to day it doesn't always feel great, everything is going in my favour. And yes, I'm working hard for it, but it just yeah, I always just think you know, everyone's like, Oh, it's too late to do XOS. It's not no because I'm the oldest I've ever been and in the best shape.

SPEAKER_00 9:44

Yeah, like it's amazing. No, it is oh, it's and it's so nice, it's so nice to hear you say that as well. Like, I know we joke, but you you are such a tough critic of yourself, but you like you have like literally just you saying that all it's like, oh my god, like and it's only what the 27th of April, and you think what you've done this year so far.

SPEAKER_01 10:02

Yeah, like it's phenomenal. It is good, and I do recognise I find that hard to say, but I think yeah, now I'm over the other side of it and I've I've done it, and I've got this sort of short window of like euphoria of like, wow, that was actually mad, you know, like running through like I I can't even explain to uh to you. Three, you know, you're 3 a.m. I'm literally like blinking my eyes to stay awake. I was holding my right ass cheek because my entire right leg had gone to sleep. I was literally like, I was like literally punching my glute mead on the right just to feel something to just say okay, it's still there, it's still there. Knowing I had like 10k to go, and the last 6k was up at a really strong incline, it was 50 metres of elevation in the last 6k, and I knew that in the route, so I knew that was coming, but god, it was brutal. Um, and because it's so dark, you know, when you like you're walking and you're like chatting to someone, you're like, oh, and then someone like scuffs their foot and nearly trips, and you're like, no, don't trip. That was basically me the entire thing because I couldn't see you can't see the floor. So everyone's like, oh my god, there's these amazing landmarks. I don't know, I just looked at my fucking shoes. Four hours, four and a four hours forty-eight minutes.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

It's just, but yeah, there, like that time is still fantastic, regardless. But that environment, the environment you're in, like, you're like, it was in the middle of the night, so your body is like, what the hell are you doing? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're a small blonde woman running with a fellow small blonde woman in the middle of London, like in terms of safety. In terms of your body's probably in an element of kind of like fight or flight the whole time because you know you're not probably in the safest environment as well. Yes, it's also flipping freezing. You're on day one of your blob. It it's um like I yeah, I it's I can't really put into words how cool it is. Like, it is just so cool. It's so cool.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

I think, yeah, the safety element I didn't really talk about much before. Mainly I didn't want to wind myself up about it. I was I was doing it, whatever. Um, and you know, people that care about me probably I didn't want to put them through wor any worry, but um a few people were asking me about you know the stewards and the facilities on the way, and I was thinking, you've got no idea.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

Well though, wait, so you have it. I was like, so you this could not be any water or stewards you were like, no, mate.

SPEAKER_01 12:29

I was like, right, I was like, this is like this is unsanctioned, unofficial.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

Yeah, I didn't remember how unsanctioned and unofficial it was. I was I was like, so you literally just do it running mouth and on your Larry, yeah, basically. Cool.

SPEAKER_01 12:44

Yeah, in cool, but uh the good so the team at RAD, so the team at Rad it was amazing, and and they did this two years ago, and I think there was like 10 people that did it, and this year there was like 70 people in Rad HQ, you know, in their their unofficial clubhouse, and you know, we all went off together. Like it was incredible, and knowing that you know, some of the team, Ben, the owner, was on a bike, you know, coming round to check on us, and so sweet, you know, we were completely, you know, wave assigned at our own risk, but there was really something amazing about knowing that there's people out there, there's people out there we're running to a van at the end because my backpack's in the van, and I know that there's a chocolate milk in that bag very desperately. So, yeah, so as you're as you're going through, so the the London Marathon is partially set up the night before, and because it's the reverse route, we started at mile 26. So it was like the side, I we could see the big signs that you would experience running the official London marathon, but we ran it in reverse, so it was like a mile countdown, so it was like 25, 24 mile. That was mentally quite brutal because you're like fuck mile 23, like great. We've hardly scratched the surface here, and what they have done is they put the blue elite line, the the painting marker. So the elite line, well, when there was no problem, we weren't following the elite line, we used it as navigation. In um, the blue elite line is literally where you know the winners of the race try and follow because it's the most efficient way of for for their chip time of of doing the distance instead of weaving around people. Um the the loads, the roads don't close until 8 a.m. So the roads were fully open the entire yeah, it's later than I thought, actually.

SPEAKER_00 14:31

I assumed it was shot the night before for everything, but it's not.

SPEAKER_01 14:34

It's quite an incredible because we finished at when they were setting up. And if you could if you see the story that I posted or the picture that I posted, you can see behind me is the finish that is not fully erect yet. They were there was hundreds of of people in vans, you know, doing the final stages of setup from when we were there, 4am until 8am, until they close closed the roads. So as we were running around, you could see a lot of barriers stacked up. Um, but there were no stewards, there was no water stations. There was, to my delight, a couple of portalous that were not when I felt sick. Um, I politely took myself to it to a portaloo. And what was delightful about that is that there was an fresh anti-back there. So there's there's a couple of portalous that I have indeed blessed um through through the night. So that was that was great. Um, because I felt so sick, those gels. Anyway, the other elements me is I've just had my teeth done. And they look, I can't stop looking at them. I'm like just looking at Laura's teeth. Yeah, I said to Sarah, I was like, I don't need a torch, I'll just smile and go away. Um, yeah, so my teeth I I'm got a whole new bites, so this is a whole new sensation for me. And as I was considering, I was like, God, I've got to rip into all these gels. I was so nervous, and obviously having sugar around my mouth when I've just had my teeth done, and I you have to like bite on my water bottle. So I was like really biting my water. So I covered myself in electrolytes the entire journey. I was fighting with my back teeth to try and get some water out. Anyway, that was a whole nother element of it that I just forgot that was going to be a thing. But yeah, you're I I ran over London Bridge, and we were the only people on the bridge, no what not one car, and it was just so mad to experience that, and then the next one we're looking at a full London bridge, and all these people, and so it was like I I've run the London Marathon twice before, one in 2013 and one in 2019, and I've experienced that when it was full of people. So to go through with no yeah, but yeah, what what I what I will say is yeah, the the security element was very much on my mind, but you just have to forget that. There were times where we uh pubs and clubs were throwing people out, and you they'd be like, Woo my god, and like, oh girls, like all these drunk people, and that sort of gives you a bit of a but also please don't throw anything.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:15

There was, I imagine, about a thousand 500 to a thousand people I don't know that did the reverse route at the same time as us. But I was saying to Sarah, I would only see them if we overtook them or we got overtaken, and that was probably every 15 minutes we'd see a someone. So you you you were the majority completely on your own. I couldn't see my feet in front of me because the roads were open. We had to majority run on the pavements, um, and apart from some parts where we like I said, we could run on the elite line. Um lots of roundabouts, I you know it was all a bit of a blur, it was really tough. And uh to my I ran it with my friend Shah, who had only a couple of months ago run up to 25k, and she told me that she was going to run as much as she could and then get on a line bike. Now I've known her for many years, and I know that if she gets to a point, if she gets to 25k, she'll just another 5k, just another 5k. So she actually ran the entire distance uh with me, um, which was just absolutely incredible. And and yeah, so I I said to her, and this is no offense, I said, I believe that you can run the distance because she's fit and she's been training for many, many years. So I think when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it. But I said, unfortunately, I believe you will suffer disproportionately afterwards. Um, you've not well, I think I would say she'd run a decent amount this year, it's not that.

SPEAKER_00 18:54

Yeah, it's more it's just that volume, like that volume in one hit is just like and again, taking into all the factors that we've just discussed in terms of like you're literally fighting with every fibre of your body not to be in bed, like that is just like there's so much going on that your body's fighting at that point.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

It's just I didn't I tried not to look at the time because didn't want to get that in my like the what is the actual time. I looked obviously at the place and how long you know the distance and stuff, but I tried not to look at the time because if I look at it's like 3am, I think psychologically that would have that would have got me. Um but my watch actually died um before the I think it was like the last six, seven K. Um I didn't have that to look at, but I had my phone and and my Strava route was mapped to that. Um Shah had her Garmin with them with the route downloaded, but we it was very much me and her against uh the the streets of London, so yeah. Oh to have delivered um uh you know a marathon PB for me, doing it through the night, being sick, Shah's not trained for it. Like I I just hope that people listening are probably gonna go, she is mental and she's built different, but I'm I'm not as human as everyone else, as you as the people listening. And I I I do hope that people listening go, do you know what? Maybe I'm capable of you know, this this might not appeal to you at all.

SPEAKER_00 20:19

I completely always like you could do one. I was like, yeah, but I I was just like I don't want to do one.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

I want to do these things, like I'm I'm in my like fuck it now or never era, yeah. And and I'm in this weird sense of like just taking on these things and and achieving them. I'm really I'm really enjoying that. And I guess now is a good time to say that in five, six weeks, um, I will be running um my next uh running challenge, which is a 55 kilometre uh ultra. Yes. Um which I didn't talk about much before because sometimes I just I don't want to overwhelm myself, but yeah, you know, I I'm right on plan now. You know, I've I've I've just run 42.2 kilometres and a chap Joe who I'm running it with, he's run he's run the North Pole Marathon. He's done yeah, he's done most of the the world majors, he's built different as well. We we um you can see why we're friends. Um he he said to me, because I met with him the day before um for a bit of a a pep talk, and he ran the London Marathon officially uh yesterday, and he said, When you get to the end, I want you to ask yourself, seriously ask yourself, have I got another 42, 13 kilometres in me? In me.

SPEAKER_00 21:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

I just want you to ask yourself that whatever the answer is, you've just got to get to that that point. And I'm fuck it, we ride. You know, I I think, yeah, I I just think that people, humans, are capable of doing so much. And today, after crazy. crying all day yesterday for everyone's achievements because my mates are uh amazing. I'm just in awe of everyone. I just yeah I just think it's it's one of those things where yeah if you put your mind to it you you can you can do whatever you use you yourself out to do. I don't don't limit yourself and the internet tells you that everyone's running sub three and I ran my race and felt absolutely delighted with myself.

SPEAKER_00 22:29

And you know having PB'd my 5k 10k half marathon marathon started jujitsu you know I'm I'm I'm thriving in my personal life you know my professional life I just think it's all possible um but you have to put the you do have to put the work in yeah yeah and that's the you you you do put so much work in like you are so committed and it and it's showing like it's paying off isn't it like it's not there's no like you you literally turned up and got a PB in those conditions.

SPEAKER_01 22:59

Like if you'd rather I genuinely believe if you ran the London marathon as everyone else had done your time would be oh yeah different for that 100% it would have um my mate Harry uh texts me on the morning he was like talk to me what happened he's known me for a long time and he's known that I'm not you know I'm not what's you would classify as like a a faster runner. Obviously you know fast is is relative to everyone but he was like I'm genuinely really impressed mate he was like you'd have a serious time in you in the day and and by serious time I I I know what he means. Yeah yeah yeah I do yeah totally I I ran the marathon faster than than than your average but it's like yeah actually I I I I I finally feel like a capable runner and at no point during that run through the night did I have to fight the urge to stop not there that's amazing and I'm not just saying that to be a dick one part of me and I remember when I ran the marathon before I was like so loud like just keep going just stop just keep going just stop I didn't have that so it's like I've got that belief I've got a dog I've got a dog in me but yeah it's like I've I've trained to be to feel capable to know I can keep going yeah and you did yeah but I will say towards the end up there was a a really naughty bit of incline that just felt so rude I looked down at my watch before it died and I was running an eight minute kilometer pace.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

I was like we're really here let's go Shah let's go and there was one bit I was I was running up the hill because my vibe is just don't stop because whatever yeah Sha actually I hope she doesn't mind me saying she walked for a bit and she was shaking her arms out and then jogged and caught caught me up that's how fast I was running um so yeah how however you get there you know you get you did it you you absolutely did it and then I literally had no doubt in my mind like obviously you were nervous and under understand be sober I was like this I was there's no doubt she's got this like I went to bed being like I wake up and she would have done this there was not part one part of me that's like she's not gonna do this yeah smashed it smashed it mate I'm gonna I'm gonna ask you for for the record then so do you want to run the marathon next year? No you sure yeah yeah I'm really sure I'm really sure Laura's like do you want to actually like before I was like no no I think I genuinely like I can watch it and I'm like fair play like fair fucking play this isn't this is amazing do I watch that and be like oh I wish I was there no not this year not this year I've wish it was there like never never say never like I do genuinely think I would like to do one at some point in my life but I just think right now like I just want to enjoy running for the sake of running and like I want to have a decent year touch with no injuries and just enjoy like running a decent distance but yeah I don't I've just got I've just got quite a lot going on at the minute I'm just aware that I am guilty of overdoing it at some points um and for me right now exercise is just like a an additional thing it's not really like a goal setting place for me right now but that's never to say never like I I mean I'm only I'm only a baby I've got loads of time touch wood to get one done so I think I will do one but yeah I'm not I I wasn't on the ballot yes so I wasn't on the website no I wasn't yeah yeah yeah oh I do it every year every yeah let fate decide I let fate decide but yeah I I've now got to obviously turn my attention to this ultra so everyone's like because I've not really talked about it everyone's like oh god that'd be good you can just have some time and you know get into your Pilates and bodybuilding I'm like well nad room wait so how many weeks away is that six did you say six weeks five I think five now yeah you're so in a great you see it's another 13 like if you were in a group of crowd like if you were in a crowd of people you could have done 13 the other night I reckon you would have just got it done you would just get it done yeah I mean listen an ultra is is different you know you you don't you don't pace a 5k the way you pace a 10k the way you half you know uh uh the the marathon for me because it was in the night I mean yeah there was no oh let's just stop and hug my friends and take in the vibes there was no vibes there was zero vibes there was just a man stood outside a news agent saying can I have your phone number oh yeah but the patriarchy is alive and well can you imagine if if I was in fine the the worst time to ask a woman for her phone number is is circa 3 30am when she's just necked her eighth gel and been throwing up and and and clearly running a marathon you stupid man not I think I would have cried I think I actually would have cried I would have been like I I I did a big eye roll and moved on with my life. Oh what an idiot I know these men come out the woodwork don't they when read the room read the non existent room when women are thriving they're really they really be there um asking for your phone number but yes it it's um you do have a you do have a lot on and I was just saying Sarah before we started that I need to find uh uh prioritize some time in my diary to go and visit her and and my name just be a really difficult punter and say sorry well sorry why are we doing that exercise again Hammer reps excuse me you want me to do that no I can't do that I do what I do what I want most most people if they have if I'm in people's classes they will know that I do I do I I am I don't like to be that person but I do amend a few things if I'm prouling into the exercise I will make it work for me this week that one yeah no yeah so yeah for contest I started my new coaching job on Thursday which it was so funny like Will Taylor who owns Bart shower will taylor what what a guy I literally went in on I went in on Thursday and I sat in one of the classes just to kind of participate and just see what the vibe was like see what the coaching what I was coaching the next and he was like alright right you can teach to 12 30 then off you go and I was like okay just went straight in straight in but it's man it's like muscle memory like I've not taught a class to people for in person I don't think it's been for about three years four years but it just comes back to you like riding a bike it's so weird isn't it you just you just learn it and it was like bang bam bang bang bang but the the most nerve wracking thing was like he was like do you want to plug your phone in for music and I was like I don't think any of my music here is appropriate like I don't think I don't know what I'm gonna put on what did you put on then because I don't I don't think I know what music you listen to I found a really old playlist from when I used to teach classes in lockdown on Zoom and it was like a really old school playlist that I just plugged in and generally speaking it was pretty safe.

SPEAKER_01 29:52

What was that? Give me a few examples let me have a look honestly it was so funny and there was a it's a it's a mixed bag I'll tell you tell you what I remember do you remember the TikTok song what was the Jason Drudo where it's like do do do I was like when I come please don't play that I was like oh my god this is so old school I've currently got a one on you let me play will you let me DJ uh the club no you'll be banned no you'll you'll be banned mate me and uh Ben Gotting um when we were at the foundry back in the day when it was really uh um a bit different um we used to play this song you should find it on Spotify if you're listening called drum and bass father if you know the song me and you are destined to be best mates but anyway there's one line where it says um I was with this freaky bitch who was masturbating the banana and we always used to play it so loud and me and Ben look at each other every time it was like whoopsies what have I got in here I've got it was like what do you rhyme with phone charger masturbating to a banana and uh yeah we always used to play it and sometimes we'd play it in like the community class and there was like a woman up like up to the age of 86 and we'd be like bitch oh I forgot I know yeah those were those are the good days but yeah I think I've got some variety I've got some variety in I've got a bit of I've got literally like Sean DePaul no lie got a bit of Kendrick Lamar got some Stormzy Burner Boy explicit lyrics then from you yeah no I had to skip quite a few of them I was like oh uh but I know on Spotify you can find uh a I want to find uh explicit yeah yeah if you put non-explicit it can give you like yeah rap rap safe ones it has yeah that's sort of uh a bit safer for for you but you you never know who who is there um gonna nip in yeah so I'm gonna cut um my arms are flipping tiny I Laura at my photo of the marathon I was like where the hell I'm gonna have to change my Instagram handle I don't I don't deserve it that was like your flex like my flex oh no I've already had someone tell me on a call this morning I look tired it's just how to offend me telling me I look small yeah tired is bad when someone yeah I hate that you look tired or you or the worst one is like your eyes look quite like tired. I'm just like I know but it's because I am because you've just run a marathon I know but I I mean I have not slept well I slept last night eight hours gorge but the Saturday was an all I pulled an all nighter there they're not one and I didn't even take a nap yesterday I couldn't do it I was just crying people and yeah everyone was like I've been daddy pig I was like oh my god that made me lost do you see that there was that Gabby Logan was interviewing Joe on um on the TV and she was like is it Harry Styles and I was like why on earth would Harry Styles be Daddy Pig?

SPEAKER_00 32:51

Like why why would he do that?

SPEAKER_01 32:52

Well who knows I don't know but there's good good long pins in Daddy Pig.

SPEAKER_00 32:57

Daddy Pig was moving well wasn't it he must have been so hot in there poor Daddy Pig not that it is a costume obviously it's real daddy pig but oh no yeah that was um yeah what a what a week what a week you ran as well you were back to running let's run I did all count since we spoke last I've run 15k two seven and a halves no pain touch wood and it's just so nice like especially Friday one of my best best friends came over Friday evening and she's she's training at the minute blessed her for the hackney half she's she's done so well she's like I've just got a seven and a half easy to do should I do it before I come to you or should I do it with you and I was like no let's do it and we just like running in the summer in London along the river is just like it's like being a holiday it was just so nice. Mind you hay fever you you're not a hay fever girly are you? I'm not but I was sniffling all the way through the marathon yeah I was really like polleny in my throat on Friday but um yeah I'm back I'm back I'm gonna try I think I probably went a little bit too hard last week I was like this is not what I would advise anyone to do if you've not been running due to an injury to just suddenly do 15k over the course of a week. Yeah. But I might try and do maybe a couple of five Ks this week sprinkle it in but it's quite running to do so maybe we can reunite. We haven't run together for we've not run together for so long like two three months genuinely easily easily been about that I think the last time we did was with was it with Claire might have been with Claire that time.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

Yeah it was when she found she found us she found us in Battersea can I just I've got to just say it out loud and I'm an audio podcast but I need you to know listening that I'm looking at myself and my forehead is unacceptable I need to I'm going to get my um Botox redone next Wednesday. Are you yeah look at it it's like a gleaming light shining on on it your eyebrows look really fresh thank you yes well I've been on I've been on uh yeah been on on calls all morning she's been on show with the teeth I look tired so I can't get over the teeth I'm so excited for mine.

SPEAKER_00 35:00

Your whole face looks different. I know this is audio but it does everyone go on to Laura's Instagram and look at her teeth because they just look so good. Yeah it's just they feel fragile.

SPEAKER_01 35:10

Um I think that I feel all right now like the first so just for everyone listening I have had composite bonding done on my teeth which is basically like cement filler um polyfiller put around them so you like build my teeth and I have quite in my head quite a severe underbite which I believe makes me look like a barracuda and I have had the front the top front four and the bottom front four rebuilt so for the first time in my entire life when I bite all my teeth touch which is such a strange for me because they they they never have before they look lovely and I'm like chewing things and like every now and again I'm like oh my god because I'm my teeth are touching and it feels weird. Yeah first 48 hours after you have composites you have to avoid he was like try not to have turmeric tomato bolognese coffee for dinner because you they're really sensitive and obviously I've had I've been whitening them for a long time and the he puts on is he chooses the colour that matches how well I've got them. Yeah so they this will just be my teeth now and I will need to re-whiten them probably once every couple of months he says just put the tray the tray on and he's also making me which is my dentist is the the the Don a pink uh sports mouth guard for jujitsu because he's like you need to protect yeah from I'm glad to hear from um from jujitsu so yeah so I'm gonna have a big pink grill over these to scare off all the birds at jujitsu and the lads don't even bother lads don't even bother yeah so it looks um yeah it's it's night it's nice and I'm I'm actually having my um my hair done tonight so I'm gonna feel like a new woman soon what a day yeah I'm catching Laura I'm getting my I'm getting my teeth mocked up on the 13th and then I I literally been looking at my roots in this podcast recording on I just need to do something about this but that's what we're here to talk about.

SPEAKER_00 37:16

We're talking about rushing women who drink too much and basically I obviously we know I've been a little studying the last few months but I came across this um concept by Dr. Libby Weaver called the Rushing Woman syndrome and I was like hello yeah I can align with this this sounds fantastic anyway I will in the show notes link to Dr. Libby Weaver's website because she describes it so like it's so eloquently put but it's non-judgmental but it's also it's so realistic and I basically for context how I stumbled across as we're looking at kind of like the impact of stress on the endocrine system adrenal system all this kind of stuff and this um kind of she wrote this in 2011 so this is what over 14 years ago now so we've always been busy girls women are always busy busy girls but it just struck a call and I I'll just uh paraphrase briefly kind of what what she said it and the way to describe it is it's an relentless inner urgency a constant feeling of not having enough time a deep exhaustion masked by outward capability women are pushing through fatigue juggling responsibilities caring for others striving to meet expectations all at the expense of their own well being I feel seen I felt seen too I just thought what aware like it's just really really well described and she's done lots of kind of I think basically she offers coaching surrounded by that idea and how to help women kind of escape this feeling but I was I don't think I know a single woman who possibly can be kind of summarised by that or having experienced that at some point in their lives. One of the stats I read um and I again I'll paraphrase what she said she says we live in a world that tells women they can do anything which is beautiful and true which again spot on yet in reality many of us end up doing everything. We've made significant strides in the workplace but progress in the home has not kept pace. Research shows that when women's part when both partners work full time and have one child women still do twice the housework and three times the childcare this double this double shift has left women feeling constantly switched on with little opportunities for rest or recovery. And I was like oh my word like this and obviously I work with a lot of women in kind of the the women's health coaching space and I was like this just summarizes it so perfectly we we are just doing so much.

SPEAKER_01 39:52

How can you have time to do anything when you're doing everything yeah I have a I have a friend actually that um has has a uh a little a beautiful little girl and she told me that her mother once told her that if you are going to have children you must regard so she has a husband who's lovely and they have a great relationship but she told me that her mother said if you're having a child you need to be prepared to feel like a single mother because because of the way in which the world works and I I I I've definitely seen I don't obviously have children myself I feel like I have a lot of capacity as a result and compared to some of my girlfriends that um have many children and you know I I once I bumped into one of my best friends on the train once and she was on her laptop and she wouldn't mind me saying but she looked like a deer in headlights and she saw I hadn't seen her for ages and she saw me and it was like I could just I just watched this inner turmoil of like wanting to speak to me but she really had to get this work done and she would just basically end up going hello oh god it's a lovely I've just got to finish this and I I'm actually late to pick up Benji from football and my husband's not answering his phone I I I listen I was relaxed because I don't have any of those responsibilities I was just going to the gym um so I said listen we've known each other our you know since I was four so I said listen do your thing like if we don't if you say nothing to me please just let me sit here and and feel no pressure and I just and I just thought goodness me and and women and she is the most wonderful woman she is so successful at her job she's got two amazing children that she does everything for and she still has time to you know do things for her husband and and support and you just think women have always wanted it all you know I'm I'm of the age where we didn't have it all and we've I've we've witnessed the evolution of the empowered woman and now it's like hang on a minute we don't want it all can you can we have some help because it's that we yeah we can do it but Jesus Christ it would be great like it's it's so funny it's like it there was a meme I saw that was like imagine how unstoppable women would be if they had a woman at home supporting them this is yeah this is it and I've said the same even in my contest we haven't got children yet but even like try to build a business I'm studying I'm also still working like there's so much going on I'm like God can you imagine what I could do if I didn't have to do a food shop and and clean the house like and it I and it's a me thing like I'm a like my part I'm very lucky he he we share the cooking we he does do a lot around the house but I am I I'm a clean clean clean person and even if we had a cleaner in I they wouldn't clean it enough for me like I have to do it my myself but it's like you clean before the cleaner comes I would clean before the cleaner comes yeah I would 100% clean I'm that kind of person it's like well actually like and it it's so true it's like is this an identity thing like do we do we maybe think that actually we've internalized being busy as like a marker of success or worth is it and I was thinking about this the other day even it was like and it's always something I found I think particularly when I was in the PT space I never used to put on social media like oh my god I've got like 10 sessions today because I was like who why am I putting that out there for am I putting it out there to show people how busy I am is that for me does busy equal success?

SPEAKER_00 43:30

Does busy equal and I think when you work in a field where money your the it's literally money in like hours in equals money out that equals success but it all boils down to actually what is success is being too busy success. And I Yeah I struggle with it. I find it really interesting that I think I genuinely I say hand on heart I don't know a single woman who wouldn't who wouldn't fall into this category of kind of rushing women syndrome.

SPEAKER_01 43:57

Absolutely and I I think um Also was uh on this sort of subject, I don't know if you've seen it, but Emma Greed um has come under fire recently for it for a comment that she's made about um you women should be if you want to get ahead, you should be in the office. You should be in the office. And I've seen um there's a lady with uh an Instagram account, Mother Pucker, and she does a lot of campaigning around um hybrid working, flexibility for working mothers. I can get behind all of that, I really can, and I do think that the world is set up for men. This evolution of empowered women, we're working within the structures that were set up for men hundreds of years ago. Like that, we we've got to work through this to find a new normal. And I do truly believe that women can add so much value to the workplace if you allow them the flexibility to manage their lives. I I really do believe in that. Like, obviously, you can't be a Pilates instructor working from home, but is there an opportunity where you could manage the team, you know, do the business of fitness from home so that you've got that flexibility or the ability to manage your schedule. But what Emma Greed was actually saying, she wasn't saying that women shouldn't, you know, that it's you know, women shouldn't work from home. What she was saying is, like it or not, this is the world we live in. And I truly believe that. So my my role at the moment, I I'm all I feel like I'm always visible because of social media, not that social media tells the the what's actually going on, but anyway, I feel like I'm always visible. But in my job, I have a flexible schedule and I'm hybrid, let's say. So I go into the office less uh, you know, than I did when I was at L'Oreal, you know, 8 to 6 pm five days a week.

SPEAKER_00 45:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:52

And I understand what Emma Greed is saying is that, and in any team, if you want to build rapport, if you want to make decisions, if you want to have that ability to bring minds together, I do think that you just cannot get the same things done virtually than when you are face to face. I agree. I think people feel more able to share their point of view face to face, because you've got that physical safety that aids, that psychological safety, you know, language is easier, you know, you're not like, oh, you're on mute, Karen, or you know, oh, sorry, you just broke up there. Sorry, can you say that again? And you go, Oh, don't worry, never mind. Like, I do agree with Emma that if you want to get ahead, if you want to be seen, if you want people to understand you, if you want to land projects, there is that level of being personal, and with that comes the commute, the diary, the schedule. So actually, you know, you can't win, and uh we we are all probably rushing women, but what you were saying about posting your diary of 10 sessions a week. I think I used to, when I was at freelance in fitness and I was taking classes all over London, and I was travelling a lot, I think I did feel some value in that, like personal value, like I'm going to these oh busy I am, and oh, I'm just gonna quick, you know, morph myself across London and then I'll show up and perform at this studio. And I did feel some value in that because I really enjoyed it, but it was never sustainable. And actually, what I see now is I love to hear and see that people are like, Oh, I'm gonna be switched on and doing this to the best of my ability to doing amazing, then actually this time I'm taking this for me. That for me, I'm like, Oh, you've got it nailed.

SPEAKER_00 47:35

Yes, yeah, that yeah, and I thought less is more for me, yeah. Totally, and I think we're seeing that evolution now, aren't we? In terms of what people and even the fact that that I'm even having that internal check, like, why would I be posting that? Why would I be sharing that? Is that for me or is that for everyone else? It's a really like I I've always been a very self-aware person, but I'm super aware of it now because I've I've recognised that pattern in other people, and I'm like, we don't have to be busy, we don't have to be busy, and I think it is true the women, the people who are able to to do it all, but also have time for themselves are the real winners, really, and to actually take stock of what they've achieved. But it's when we're in that constant cycle of work, kids or work, home, gym, everything, it's like actually just stopping. Like, I think it was last Saturday I actually saw Laura, and it's very rare that I we both be like, Oh, actually, I'm around for a couple of hours, you'll just sit in the sun and have a coffee.

SPEAKER_01 48:26

And it was just so nice to like God, that feels such a long time ago, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_00 48:31

Doesn't it? But we both were like, Oh, we've actually got a couple hours. And I'm wearing non-gym clothes, yeah. Should it fantastic in a little matching set? And I just thought, actually, this is so and you were like, What are you doing now? And I was like, I don't actually know, but that's such an alien feeling.

SPEAKER_01 48:45

I'm in your ends. I was like, Oh, god. Do you want to grab over?

SPEAKER_00 48:47

Yeah, yeah, just and that's so rare, and I think actually people start to really feel that toll now. I mean, and that as I said, this this Russian women's syndrome idea was built in 2011, that's 14 years ago. You think how much what are we 2025, 2026? Are we 26? Yeah. What year are we in? 2025. 15 years ago. So it's 15 years ago now, and you think that actually it's probably so much more of an issue now. So much more of an issue.

SPEAKER_01 49:15

I I also personally um have to find the right balance. Uh so like I was saying on social media, the majority of what people see of me, because I don't see lots of people, I know it probably looks very different, but I actually don't. In reality, I spend if I am working from home, yeah, I'm only seeing people on on my laptop or if I go to the gym or go and get a coffee. The the reality of my life is I'm always working. I am always working. If I'm not working, I'm thinking about work or I'm yeah, you know, utilising the you know, my emails or something on my phone while I'm I'm on the go. And what I post on social media, I recognise does not look like I'm always working. You know, I have to be very careful because what I don't want to look like is I'm like posting like I'm showing off or bragging that like oh I'm just you know, like me and you going for a coffee last week, oh I'm just at Joe and the Juice on a Friday afternoon, you know, relaxing. The reality is very different.

SPEAKER_00 50:17

So rare in our diaries, right?

SPEAKER_01 50:19

So rare, yeah. And I'm always working, and I actually had last Friday off from work because I had my uh I was having my teeth done, and all of this different stuff. So there there are times where if I do have spare time, I'm yeah, I I'm I'm probably working anyway. And it stems from I once had in a work capacity someone make a comment to me that basically I had loads of leisure time. Yeah. I've and I I used to post like because I have a bath every uh every morning and I used to post like this bath, but it's at 5am basically, guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you want to do that, good for you, but it is you know it's not in the middle of the day. And someone, I think I gave someone in particular the perception that I was chilling, and the rest of the team were not, and I can tell you I was not chilling, and that's really stayed with me. That yeah, regardless, I can relate to that, yeah. That perception is such a lot, and you've all worked with that person in the office that you're like, you're right, and they're like, Oh, I'm I'm actually really busy, I'm really stressed.

SPEAKER_00 51:18

So busy, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:19

And almost because I know that about them, I almost if I've got a task or a question, I almost think twice about asking them because they tell me they're so busy and I'm bored, I don't want to overwhelm them. But it's like, are they actually busier than me or are they just handling it badly? So I think perception it is a lot, and I think we just we do need to acknowledge what is that perception, what relationship do we have? You know, how how often are we seeing people in real life and what is the conversation we're having? Because you can meet someone that goes, I go, How are you today? And they go, Yeah, cool, yeah. I worked, yeah. I had I had quite a full schedule today, but it was good. They could have worked 10 hours. You could meet someone else and they go, Oh, oh my god, I've working back to back 10 hours, no break today. You get a very different feeling from that person, yet they're all still working the same hours. So I think it all comes back to me from how is your how are you basing yourself? How is your ability to work? And are you for char are you charging yourself? Because we can all work at 24 hours if we want.

SPEAKER_00 52:24

Yeah, yeah, it's so true. I had a similar, I think now because I'm not in the not in that kind of employed work setting. I'm very much juggling my own diary and I'm doing a lot, I think it's so easy possibly even for kind of ex-colleagues to see like she's doing nothing now. And I'm like, I've I'm the busiest I've ever been. I'm the busiest because I'm doing so much, and that's that's on me. But it's so true. I think on my because I've been doing these kind of Instagram daily dumps, everyone thinks, oh, she must just be pissing about. And it's just like, well, no, but if that's what you want to perceive, and I'm getting, I think I'm now getting comfy because I know heart of hearts. I'm busting my balls at the minute, but because I'm really passionate about what I'm building out, but it's how I'm choosing to present that online, and I'm very aware that I don't want to be that person who's like, well, I've just got up at 5am this morning, I'm not finishing work till 10pm because I don't think that's that's not a healthy way, it's not what I'd want to just being honest, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 53:16

But and we can we can never uh how people take our what we put out there, people are gonna take it five million different ways. However, they want yeah, yeah. I remember once, and I I don't get it often, I must say, I I posted a it was like a I think it was like a little selfie of me like waiting to go into a Zoom call or something, and I was like hard at work or whatever. You know, you could I can imagine myself saying it, it's lighthearted. I'm I'm I'm not that person. And someone messaged me and they're like, God, you're always like you know, posting that you're doing all these things, and like do you think you're better than everyone else? And I just thought, oh wow, that was this was during COVID. Oh my god. That person's having a really bad day that needed to tell me that, and that and like it's things like that that it probably only happens once every three years, but Jesus Christ. But it can really get you right, yeah. Because I'm like, oh no, I don't ever want anyone to think that I'm like showing off that I'm busy. I also had it once when I I went up, got up for an early run once, had a full day of uh of work, so I had to get the run in early, so it was like 6 a.m. Done a run, and someone was like, You actually make me feel really that made me feel really bad about myself.

SPEAKER_00 54:29

I remember you saying this to me.

SPEAKER_01 54:31

Yeah, someone else also said, because you post that and you're like, I've got big day today, so had to get up and get it done, don't think about it. They went for a run, so it's like two one message, two very different reactions and outcomes, and we just yeah, like you were saying, you have to feel confident that I know I'm working hard, it doesn't really matter anyway, it's my business what I do with my life. I'm not judging you, don't judge me. So post what you want, post your coffee, post your sauna, but you know, I I'm here for it because you know and I know the reality of what you are doing, and that's just social, really, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 55:08

It's the world, isn't it? Yeah, I can't. I had a conversation with a I think I was I can't remember who I was talking about the other day about someone reading an email. I think a um colleague was talking about kind of an email being sent, and someone perceived it in a way. I was like, but they've chosen to perceive it in that tone. Words are words, right? You can read it, whatever. And I'm so aware that some days, and Laura's very aware of it, I can read one message one way and see it as one way, and the next day I could wake up and read it in a totally different way. It's it's so reflective of your headspace at that time on how you receive and process that information that's applicable in so many parts of our lives, right? But yeah, I just found that really interesting, and I will definitely share that um website.

unknown 55:48

Dr.

SPEAKER_00 55:48

Livby Weaver, sorry, is a really, really interesting woman. But the way it's written is just really refreshing, it's not judgmental, it's just very honest. And I think actually a lot of women would really benefit, and and everyone really would benefit from reading that and just getting some perspective on it and actually the harm we could be doing by this kind of consistent rushing. But yeah, it's um it was just really nice to actually read it and be like, okay, this isn't all in my head. What I've been doing for the last since I left school basically has possibly been symptomatic of this. So it does make sense. Well, I've got a little bit sleepy last year.

SPEAKER_01 56:21

100%. And I've I've got another mate who's um just left at her work and she's not going on to anything immediately. And she said, I have non I've been non-stop for the last 15 years, like worked in holiday, like an amazing career and loads to talk about. And but you know, I think people are starting to realise wow, hang on a minute, the system was set up for us to go to school, go to university, or whatever further education look like for you, or get a job, get into the system, climb the ladder, have a family, be happy. I think today, especially as women, we are challenging what all of that looks like um in so many different ways. So, yeah, I've I can really relate to that. I think sadly we do both uh align to be rushing women, um, but uh obviously, you know, I'm I'm a little bit older, so I think I'm on the the other side of the curve where I I feel so happy and confident and content in what I'm doing, and I can unless what anyone uh thinks because I know I know. Um, but I've still got ambition, as as you know, you you're very ambitious in what you want to do. I feel a bit like I've done that bit of my life's purpose, and I'm just a bit like, well, actually, I'd like to just do a bit more for me, you know. I'll be I'll be off down the garden centres soon. I think is is uh is coming to me, but yeah, absolutely fascinating. Um I yeah, I thank you everyone for your your messages of support throughout sort of the the last week for the podcast for all the various things that that we're doing um as as very rushing women. I think we should draw that to uh draw that to a close um for this week. Um we we uh we knew that there would be a lot to talk about today and we've probably only just scratched the surface of a few bits, but yeah, what's been um what's been your pit of the week? Go on, let's have a rant.

SPEAKER_00 58:19

Well, a little rant, yeah. So I prepped, I do you know what? It was so niche. I was like, I need to write this down. Do you know when you're walking along the street and it's getting busy and the pavements are getting a little bit tight and you make eye contact with someone, you think they're they're they've locked in here, they know that it's best for them to either pull over to the side or just narrow up, and then they do the opposite. I had like two or three situations last week where I live, there's a couple of like quite tight paths near near kind of like tube stations and stuff, and it's always there's always like someone on the someone's with a pram or whatever. And I I locked eyes, I think two separate occasions that I need to run about this, and I thought this man's gonna pull over and let me walk past, so I don't have to walk onto the road and get hit by a bus or whatever. No, no, I literally had to walk like a sidewalk, I had to sidewalk, I had to s walk like a cowboy on the side to get past. I thought you've just betrayed my trust, and it really upset me. I thought twice I've had to do this now, and I'm getting a bit peed off. And I just feel like with the strikes last week, everyone was walking and driving with such vigour, and it was just quite stressful. So that was my little pit of the week. Everyone was pissing me off on the paths.

SPEAKER_01 59:24

I get it. We're at what day cycle at this uh point?

SPEAKER_00 59:28

Oh, this is just me, I'm fine. Oh, yeah, just me. Just me being a little sensitive sausage. No, all good. I think what day was it? Yeah, no, we're we're we're ovulating, Han, and we're all good, we're all good in the hood, don't you worry.

unknown 59:39

I see.

SPEAKER_01 59:41

All right, well, what was my pit? I I would say it's probably throwing up in a portaloo at 3 a.m. in the middle of uh Blackheath or something. Yeah, that was that was that was a low point. That's fair. Low point. Worried about my teeth, basically.

SPEAKER_00 59:59

Yeah, I would have been worried about those teeth.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:01

Yeah, anyway, that that's um that's really my pit. But what we really want to talk about, um I guess we've already touched on it already. I think that that if you are listening, you probably know what our our peaks are, but yeah, mine was yeah, I've I think we literally covered it.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:17

It was the well just getting back into work, like I'm really happy. Yeah, the new role. I think it just makes me feel like it's like the final piece in like my week. And I think I I think it was like the week before, even I yeah, last week. I think I was like working on my own. I was like, let me get a little violent now. I was working on my own in the in the workspace like all day, and I don't think I spoke to a single person all day. I was like, this is really great, like I'm really excited, but I'm just quite lonely at the moment, and like obviously I've got so many people in my life, I've got an amazing friendship group, but I think going from a job for the last I mean what last six, seven years, well, ten years even since I left school, I've worked and I've always been around people, and I think now I've gone out on my own. I obviously I have relationships with with people, but it's it can be lonely when you're going out on your own and doing something. And I and I just I just felt a bit sad last week, and I was like, actually, I'm so glad I found this place because the members are amazing, the coaches are amazing. It just feels like I can look forward to my days in the in that studio now and just be like, actually, I'm gonna see quite a few people and it just it just gives me a bit more of a a bit of a boost, a bit of a recharge. So no, it just felt like a really good time to make this call, and I'm a big believer in kind of everything that happens for a reason, but I just feel like this has really been the final piece in in what's gonna work for me at the moment. So, no, that was that was my peak of the week.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:34

You should get um acon lonely on your playlist.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:37

So genuinely, I I was walking around Fulham Broadway shopping centre last week with my overpriced. Have you had these? Um they're like American soda, you're not really a soda drinker, are you? Is it the poppy? Yes, three pounds a can in pretemonge. Is it nice? Do I want one? Yeah, it tastes a bit like a Lucas Aida you know the pink lemonade. The macros, what's the sugar content? I didn't even look, mate. I just didn't even look. I was so sad, I felt so sorry for myself. I thought I'll get a little little sparkly drink to make myself happy. And I literally I was just walking around Fulliborough shopping centre, miserable because I was like, got no mates. Um, but yeah, yeah, Poppy, they're great, they're beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:16

They're the like branding is so lovely, but they're gonna find them at my local boss man. They only have them in multi-packs, and I just didn't want to commit the whole thing. They're nice, they're quite sweet. Yeah, I don't really like mega sweet things.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:31

No, I don't think it's a bit of you, if I'm honest with you.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:33

I'm a diet coke girl or a or a pet uh coke zero or a trip. Oh, trip. Love they sent me some sleep stuff. Um obviously, I've been uh talking about I I obviously look like I need a good sleep. So they sent me some sleep gummies like lavender and magnesium. Oh though my god, they're amazing, and some sleep powder. So yeah, big up the trip gang. Yeah, absolutely. Love a trip. Um, yeah, I I've actually got many peaks. Of course. Um I would say my teeth having my teeth done as being a real a real peak. Um, obviously completing the marathon and and P being my marathon and successfully doing that unscathed calf was fine, believe it or not. That was the least of my problems. Um strangely enough, uh, my calf. And yeah, just been quite busy professionally at the moment. Yeah, a lot of travel last week, uh, got to date. Yes, you didn't last. It was so funny. I posted a little video of me in the pool uh day because it was gorgeous day. It looks so nice, it could have been anywhere. It certainly didn't look like I was in in Newcastle. Newcastle. It was so funny because I the video I took on top right of the under the pool, because it was all flowing water and glistening in the sun, there's like a drain underneath. And my mate texted me and said, I thought that was a stingray. I was like, no, it's I'm in Newcastle, it's a drain. But yeah, even that, even that was funny because I'd been in like two days of meetings, and actually the reality of that video of me in the house. So far, I was in that I stood in that pool for 10 minutes and I was reading emails and replying to emails, stood in that pool, took the video of the stingray, me in the pool, and then off I went back on the flight home. So that is to show you that social media is not real.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:25

Social media lies, that's wild. Yeah, you didn't stop last week. I was in a factory I was in a factory in Middlesbrough for two days. So funny. Yeah, these lot, these this year is just it's May next week. It's May on Friday.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:39

Oh god, I'm at um I'm at a wedding. I don't have an outfit for, and I'm hoping that I can still wear heels. I've I've got some days for my quads to come back to me. Yeah, I am the wheels are coming off on Friday. I tell you that. I need I need to take a moment. Just chill. It's my girlfriend's uh it's my uh girlfriend that I've known through the fitness industry for many years. Actually, she I met her, she used to come to my classes back in the day. Oh and we've both been through a lot in in that time. So yeah, I'm very grateful that she's invited me to her wedding. Lotti, her name is, she's amazing. That'd be so nice, and my friend, one of my best friends, Kelsey, who is also from uh my gym days, we're going as a as a pair, and we have been known to let loose. Um, so I'm taking all my vapes, um and it will be yeah, it will be a day for it. Um I'll be probably my peak next week, but yeah, what what a week it's been for us. Like honestly, it what a privilege to every week come together and uh the your your biggest pit is someone didn't walk let you through.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:51

What a privileged life I have.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:53

I mean it is I'm very blessed. A real privilege, but yeah, thank you um to everyone as always for tuning. In uh to the pod. Here we are, episode 21. We have been promising you a video. Um wait, it's my teeth, mate. Yeah, we're gonna your teeth can't be that. Yeah, but your teeth do look good now. You they do look good, they're so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:14

But now I've seen yours, I'm like they they need the they need the upgrade. They just look so good. I can't imagine without them now. I know, yeah. They look fantastic. Great job, Mr. Dentist. Mr Dr.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:27

Mahir, yeah, he's he's unbelievable. Yeah, the concentration on the man, I've never I've never had experience such a dedicated man to my face. And I asked him, I said, Dr. Mahir, how could you how did you concentrate for that long? And he said it's the ADHD. And I said, Okay, I get it.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:45

Relatable, relate, yeah, fair play, fair play. He's just hyper.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:50

So yeah, big up Dr. Mahir, which is actually our our your more your friend. I I know uh Polly through you that is also her dentist. Yeah, Patsy Park, uh dentist Dr. Mahir. He's the the real MVP. Um, yeah, thank you so much for tuning in. Thank you guys, um, and we'll speak to you soon. See you next week. Bye.