In this week's episode of the Any Given Runday podcast, we welcome Rachel Conway (@rc_running_coach on Instagram), an online marathon coach with a BSc in Psychology and a Masters in Clinical Psychology. 

Rachel shares her first marathon experience, detailing the physical and mental challenges she faced, including a partially torn Achilles. We also touch on broader issues such as the underrepresentation of women in marathon running, the psychological benefits of running and balancing athletic training with pregnancy. Rachel emphasises the importance of self-awareness, realistic goal-setting, and maintaining a healthy relationship with running tools like Strava.

10:30 Rachel's Early Sports Background

12:04 Discovering Running During COVID

14:38 First Marathon Experience

17:40 Mental Challenges and Strategies

30:59 Balancing Training and Recovery

36:09 The Struggle of Driven Individuals

37:12 Balancing Training and Pregnancy

40:08 The Gender Gap in Marathon Running

49:27 Psychological Benefits of Running

62:50 The Importance of Self-Reflection

67:57 Authenticity on Social Media

Be sure to check out Rachel's Instagram page for running tips and how to have her as your marathon coach

You can follow us on Instagram:
@anygivenrundaypodcast

You can now get 25% off all Perform Nutrition products, including their new Carb Gels, using the code 'AGR' at checkout

PerformNutrition.com

This episode is sponsored by ULTRAPURE Laboratories. Ask for the ULTRAPURE Laboratories Muscle Recovery range in your local Pharmacy or Health Store. Their ULTRAPURE Ice Cold Menthol Gel is  instant fast acting and cooling savior.

You can also check out their muscle recovery range through their website:

Ultrapurelabs.ie