Balancing Olympic Training, Motherhood, and Real Life

Podcast: The Women’s Running Collective

In this episode, co-hosts Hayley and Justine dive into the beautiful chaos of balancing running with family life, travel, and the occasional illness.

Justine shares highlights from her tropical training runs in Fiji — including a few unexpected animal encounters — while Hayley reflects on the ups and downs of parenting through sick days.

Then, they welcome an incredible guest: Lisa Weightman — elite marathoner, four-time Olympian, Commonwealth and World Champs medallist, mum, wife, and all-round inspiration. Lisa opens up about what it really takes to juggle high-performance sport with a busy home and work life.

She shares:

Practical training tips

Her approach to recovery

How to manage setbacks

The importance of rest (even when life doesn’t slow down)

Plus, Lisa answers rapid-fire questions, including her favorite pre-race meal, racing mindset, and the unexpected truths of elite running.

Also in this episode:

A shoutout to listener Dawn, who’s fundraising for the Heart Foundation

Cheers for everyone who took part in the City2Surf run

A sneak peek at the brand new Women’s Running Collective website

Personal recommendations to fuel your next long run or rest day

00:00 – Introduction

00:29 – Weekly running check-in

01:29 – Justine’s Fiji running adventures

03:42 – Training challenges and long run updates

06:56 – Interview with Lisa Weightman begins

14:21 – Lisa’s running journey + top advice

24:47 – Weekend training insights

25:07 – Marathon mileage + mindset

25:43 – Balancing motherhood and running

26:20 – Lisa’s training habits & superstitions

27:20 – Advice for female runners

28:42 – Pre-race meals & hydration tips

30:02 – Juggling elite running & a professional career

35:59 – Coping with nerves and pressure

41:07 – Encouragement for new runners

41:58 – Surprising facts about elite runners

43:13 – Sydney Marathon chat

44:23 – Rapid fire with Lisa

47:34 – Shoutouts & community updates

50:35 – Closing thoughts + new website launch