** This episode contains themes surrounding eating disorders that some may find distressing. If you would like to access free and confidential support you can contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673. https://butterfly.org.au

As a teenager growing up in New Zealand, Lydia O’Donnell fell in love with running. And on that running journey she found great success – winning New Zealand’s national titles in the 10,000 metre and half marathon events.

But along the way she found herself showing symptoms of disordered eating, as she faced pressure to train in a way that was right for men and that didn’t take her unique female physiology into account.

As a result she lost her menstrual cycle, and was hospitalised, almost losing her ability to run altogether.

Now Lydia is the co-founder and CEO of Femmi, a women’s running app designed to unite a community of women and teach us how we can move our bodies in a way that makes us feel confident.

Welcome back to the Female Athlete Project, my name’s Sophie, the producer here at TFAP. This week Chlo sits down with Lydia, who’s also a NIKE run coach, to discuss changing the narrative around women’s health and how Femmi is creating a space to educate women on how to run and move with confidence.

Whether you’re a running fanatic, thinking about going for your first jog or have never been at all - this episode’s for you and we hope you enjoy it.

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