The WISE Women in Sport Podcast

Sam Amend is a GB Ultra Marathon runner and member of Team Hour 7. She holds numerous course and national records in ultra distance running. Last year she won the 145 mile Grand Union Canal Race, finishing 1st overall, and breaking the women's course record in the process. Even more astonishing was that GUCR was only a few weeks after she broke the women's British 100 mile record in 14 hours 10 minutes.

Sam is a dedicated athlete, alongside a busy full time job and two children. In this podcast she discusses her early life, bullying, struggles with eating disorders and how running helped her after the loss of her husband. As well as how she doesn't let the effects of her menstrual cycle ever get in the way of her training and racing at elite level. 

You can find out more about Sam, and links to her social media, via her website www.runsamrun.co.uk

If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this podcast you may find the following links helpful

www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

www.mind.org.uk

Renee McGregor is a leading Sports and Eating disorder specialist dietician with 20 years of experience. She has worked with athletes in Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth teams. Renee is also the founder of Team Renee McGregor, managing a team of practitioners, specialising in supporting individuals and athletes of all levels and ages, coaches, and sports science teams. Renee is also a best-selling author of 5 books including her latest, ‘More Fuel You’.

In her personal life, Renee is an accomplished ultra distance runner and British Trail Running Champion, and loves to run in the mountains.

In this rare insight, Renee speaks about her personal experiences suffering from an eating disorder. She openly discusses feeling like she didn’t fit in as a teen, finding running, motherhood, mountains and the importance of trusting and listening to our bodies.

You can find out more about Renee on her website reneemcgregor.com

If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this podcast you may find the following links helpful

www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

www.mind.org.uk

Siân Longthorpe is based in the South West of England and has been a keen runner since a young teenager. Siân was assigned male at birth, and while living as Simon, developed a passion for running, everything from 5k up to ultra marathon distances, winning and podiuming many races. Siân transitioned from male to female and while her life was turned on it's head during that time, running has been an anchor throughout. 

Siân openly discusses her life as Simon, the physiological and psychological aspects of transitioning, as well as acceptance and empowering others in the running community.

Siân is part of the Asics FrontRunner Team and you can find out more about her and read her blog here.

You can also follow Siân on Instagram here. 

Amy Langley-Smith is captain of Kent Roller Derby Team (at time of recording). Roller Derby originates from the USA and if you’ve seen it you will know it is a fast paced, contact sport. Historically, Derbys were put on for entertainment, with skaters being violent for added dramatic effect. Nowadays Derby skaters are passionate about their sport and they have to be tough to win. What I want to know is how do these hardcore athletes train and bout around their menstrual cycles. 

Amy opens up about her experiences of periods as a sporty teenager, period proofing her Derby kit and what it is like skating with the boys. 

To find out more about Kent Roller Derby you can visit www.instagram.com/kentrollerderby/

Mimi is a renowned endurance athlete and multiple Guinness world record holder who began running as a mother of three aged 36. Mimi found ultra running and took on some of the biggest and most extreme running challenges in the world, winning and setting many course records. She set two world records for running the length of Britain and Ireland and became known for her ‘double’s: completing an incredibly tough race, crossing the finish, turning around and running back again! Four years ago after an injury stopped her ultra distance running, Mimi moved into endurance cycling and has already cycled across Britain, and the Pacific Coast Highway in the US. 

Mimi is very open about how events of her early childhood contributed to her developing an eating disorder. We discuss the stigma around periods as a teenager, the juggles of endurance running and parenthood just what you do when your period arrives mid way through an ultramarathon.  As well as Mimi's more recent experiences of sporting achievements post menopause. 

To find out more about Mimi, visit her website marvellousmimi.com

Advice for those suffering with eating disorders can be found at www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

The WISE Women in Sport Podcast delves into the lives of female athletes to discuss how they train and compete around their physiology as women. Covering everything from periods, PMS and menopause to HRT and pregnancy. How do leading sportswomen deal with their changing bodies while maintaining peak performance across all life stages?