Training With Your Cycle: 5K Time Trials, RED-S & Female Running with Lydia O’Donnell

Time Trials, Training with Your Cycle & Tackling Taboos with Lydia O’Donnell

The Women’s Running Collective Podcast

This week on the pod, Hayles and Jussie are back with a big catch-up on life, running, and those 5K time trials 😮‍💨. We chat all things pacing, nerves, race-day lessons, and why time trials are just as much a mental workout as a physical one. Spoiler: mistakes were made, lessons were learned, and growth is happening.

We also squeeze in some festive chaos, post-run reflections, and plenty of laughs before sitting down with our incredible guest, Lydia O’Donnell is the co-founder of Femmi.

Lydia is a former elite marathoner and Nike Pacific Running Coach who’s now leading the charge in changing how women train. We talk openly about disordered eating, RED-S, menstrual cycle education, and why so many women have been training against their bodies for years without even realising it. Lydia shares how aligning her training with her cycle completely changed her performance, health, and relationship with running — and how Femmi is helping other women do the same.

This episode is powerful, educational, and honestly a must-listen for any woman who runs (or wants to).

Episode Breakdown

00:00 Welcome to the Women’s Running Collective 00:20 Christmas vibes, festive chaos & recent run trials 00:40 The 5K time trial – pacing, prep & post-run emotions 08:47 What we learned (the hard way) & race-day reflections 11:21 Christmas party shenanigans 13:48 Meet Lydia O’Donnell, co-founder of Femmi 22:55 Big dreams, elite running & chasing athletic goals 23:16 Lydia’s journey into Nike & the world of high-performance sport 23:45 Using sport to inspire and empower others 24:27 Gender barriers in running and high-performance environments 25:32 Coaching women & creating better opportunities 26:31 Founding Femmi and challenging outdated training models 26:58 Personal struggles, RED-S & reconnecting with her body 30:19 Why menstrual cycle education matters for runners 32:30 How Femmi is empowering female runners 43:43 Mindset, confidence & visualisation techniques 48:33 The power of community and shared experiences 52:40 Final thoughts, recommendations & wrapping up

Femmi Instagram

FEMMI

Lydia Instagram

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Accelerate 3" High-Rise Running Short

If you’ve ever felt confused, frustrated, or disconnected from your body as a runner — this one’s for you. Don’t forget to subscribe, share with a run friend, and let us know what hit home 🤍🏃‍♀️