Leisha Mulvey Physio

This is what taking 34 girls to the Peak District looks like 🏔️

Last weekend we took on its first ever trip and I genuinely don’t have the words.

34 women. Trail runs, hiking, paddleboarding, pizza, yoga, hot tubs and more laughs than I can count.

I ran the 28km trail with 600m elevation as part of my 100km training, and watched our girls absolutely smash both the 10km and 28km events. Proud doesn’t even cover it.

Such an epic event by

But honestly? The running was the smallest part of the weekend.

This all started with a Facebook post asking if any girls wanted to come for a run. That’s it. No grand plan. Just a girl who needed her own circle of friends and figured others might too.

And now this. 34 women who showed up, trusted me, pushed themselves and each other and created something I’ll never forget.

This is what Caffeine & Kilometres is about. Not just the miles. The memories. The friendships. The weekends that remind you how good life can be when you’re surrounded by the right people.

10 minute half marathon PB on Monday.
1:37:56

And honestly, the pace was probably slightly overreaching for where my legs are currently at.

But mentally, I stayed in it.

That is the part I am most proud of.

I have previously had panic attacks during hard runs, so being able to stay calm when it got uncomfortable is a big win for me.

When my brain got loud, I kept checking in:

Are my legs still moving?
Are my lungs still working?
Am I injured?
Or am I just uncomfortable?

And the biggest reminder:

You can slow down.
You do not have to stop.

Mental resilience is not about pretending hard things are easy.

It is built by doing hard things, staying calm in the discomfort, and not always choosing the easy option.

Proud of this one.

Save this for your next hard run.

April looked like:

Lots of hiking
Running on tired legs
Overthinking race prep
Celebrating run club’s first birthday
Eating the same meals on repeat
Good coffee (always)
Lots of family time
Trying to be a physio, an amateur ‘athlete’, reply to my whatsapps and human all at once

Not perfect… but progress anyway.

You trained for months for race day

But what you do afterwards matters just as much

This is your chance to
Recover properly
Reflect on what worked
And tweak what didn’t

Most runners jump straight into the next goal
Without taking anything from the last one

Give your body time
Be honest with your training
And build into your next block a bit smarter
Save this for post-race week 🏅

My race day tips, from the night before to the finish line 🤍

A few simple things can make race day feel a lot smoother:
plan ahead, wear nothing new, fuel properly, hydrate, allow for toilet queues, and do not let the adrenaline trick you into going off too fast.

Most importantly, enjoy it.

No matter your pace or your time, crossing that finish line is a huge achievement, so take a moment and soak it all in.

Save this for race week and send it to your running bestie 👟☕️

Achilles Rehab Part 4

Return to Running and Proximal Control

Once your Achilles can tolerate single leg hopping pain free, this is where we start returning to running.

The key here is gradual exposure to load.

Tendons adapt really well when load is increased progressively, but they do not like sudden spikes. That is usually what causes symptoms to come back.

I really like using a Couch to 5K style approach. You can start from the beginning or jump in halfway depending on your stage.

Pain during running should stay below about 3/4 out of 10, and you should not feel worse the next morning.

The Achilles is rarely the only issue.

If your glutes, hips and core are not doing their job, the tendon ends up taking more load than it should.

This is where proximal control comes in. Think glutes, pelvis and trunk.

Some of my favourites:
> Single leg RDL
> Single leg hip thrust
> Glute focused Bulgarian split squat
> Side planks with or without rotation
> Floating front heel split squat

So even when you return to running, keep your strength work in.

That is what keeps you running pain free long term.

Save this for later or share with a runner who needs it.

⚠️ These exercises may not be suitable for everyone. Always get assessed first and follow a rehab plan tailored to your stage of recovery.

Training for this ultra is making me think more specifically about what the body actually needs.

As a physio, I know better than to assume more running is always the answer.
Sometimes the smartest prep looks slower.

Right now, the focus is simple:
> Running
> Hiking
> Strength training
> Sleeping

What’s one thing in your training that’s helping more than you expected?

Training for 100km with
Fuelled by .uk Code: CAFFEINEKMS20

Achilles Rehab Part 3

Single Leg Energy Storage and Running Preparation

Once double leg plyometrics are comfortable and pain free, the next step is progressing to single leg energy storage work.

Running places high forces through the Achilles one leg at a time, so the tendon needs to be able to absorb load, store energy, and release it efficiently through a single limb.

The goal of this phase is to build reactive strength, tendon stiffness, and landing control.

You can continue some of the strength work from Part 1 and Part 2 alongside this phase.

Exercises
> Single leg pogo jumps on the spot 3x20-30 seconds
> Single leg pogo jumps forwards and backwards 3x20-30 seconds
> Single leg pogo jumps side to side 3x20-30 seconds
> Single leg multi-directional hop, land, stick 3x8-10 rounds each leg
> Single leg sticky hops 3x10-12 each leg
> Single Leg Calf Raise In Running Stance 3x10-12 each leg

Focus with hopping on landing quietly, controlling the ankle and Keep ground contact quick but controlled

Running is essentially a series of single leg hops, so this phase prepares the tendon to tolerate those forces whilst running.

The single leg calf raise in running stance is also a useful exercise here as it mimics the mid stance position during running, helping prepare the calf and Achilles for the loads they experience when you get back to running.

⚠️ These exercises may not be suitable for everyone. Always get assessed first and follow a rehab plan tailored to your stage of recovery.

LONG RUN NUTRITION – A GENERAL GUIDE

This is a broad framework for fuelling training long runs.
Not race day.

Not elite marathon carb loading.
Not one-size-fits-all perfection.

If your runs regularly exceed 75 to 90 minutes, especially at moderate intensity, it’s worth thinking about fuelling.

This post is aimed at everyday runners.

People balancing work, life and weekend long runs. Not professional athletes.

A few important caveats:
- Carbohydrate needs vary based on body size, pace and duration
- Gut tolerance differs between runners
- Heat and sweat rate influence fluid needs
- What works for one runner may not work for another

Use long runs to practise.
Test gradually.
Adjust slowly.
Train your gut like you train your legs.

This is about supporting consistent training and recovery.

I’ve been an MNU certified nutritionist since May 2021. All information in this post is evidence-based and targeted at the intended audience.

If you have any questions about your own long runs, feel free to DM me!

Get 20% off STYRKR nutrition products with code: LEISHA20
or use our run club code found within the run club WhatsApp groups.

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