Finding Your Stride Fitness

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Finding Your Stride Fitness

Personal training & nutrition based in Edinburgh
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Dreams don't wor

02/02/2026

The small joys in a rather long January ❤️✨

13/09/2025

A summer of weddings, holidays and days in the sun… plus the small matter of running 100 miles and moving into our first home in the midst of it all. One to remember ♥️☀️

06/08/2025

2 years alcohol free! 👏🏻

What started as an 8-week challenge before my half marathon two years ago turned into one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I loved being sober so much, I never looked back ♥️

I still enjoy all the same things I did when I was drinking, just without the hangovers. I can still be one of the first on the dance floor but I’m also saying yes to the things that suit me more — like spending more time outdoors 🌲

It was great being able to train for my ultra all year and still make evening plans without dreading the next day. I feel better, I train better, I have less self-induced anxiety… and honestly, alcohol free beer is so good. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything 🍻

04/08/2025

Now that the dust has settled and I’m finally starting to recover, here are 10 things I learned training for and completing a 100‑mile ultra — as a total trail/ultra running newbie!

1️⃣ A mile is really bloody far. When someone says “Only 5 miles to go!” what they actually mean is nearly 2 hours of pain. At least kilometres are honest - I had so many bitch fits about this during the race, sorry .coaching 🤣

2️⃣ It sounds cheesy but you really are so much stronger than you think. No amount of training fully prepares you; so much of it is mental — I still can’t believe I finished.

3️⃣ If training doesn’t go to plan or you get injured, it’s not over. Be smart, adapt and try stay more positive than I did 🙃 I injured my foot and pulled my back 4 weeks out and could barely walk, so I cycled instead. It still worked.

4️⃣ Never stop eating. Or taking salts. Every hour, without fail — it’ll save your race.

5️⃣ Bring all the socks and spare clothes. I changed socks six times thanks to the weather but didn’t have enough dry kit. And if someone asks if you’re using poles? The answer is always yes.

6️⃣ You can’t predict the weather. We had heavy rain, fog, mist, humidity, blazing sun — sometimes all in one day. Try to train in everything.

7️⃣ Blisters are inevitable — have a plan. Tape, plasters, socks, whatever works. Bonus if you have someone willing to pop them for you at mile 73… 😷

8️⃣ Weird food cravings are real and you will get gross. Pickles are my ultra go to and at 1am I was eating soup and putting salt on cucumber. I shared drinks with strangers and even a toothbrush with Sarah 😅

9️⃣ Recovery is just as important as training. I’m finding it so hard to take it easy now but know it’s better to rest than to prolong the process. It can take months to fully recover from something this big.

🔟 It’s crazy, and training took up most of my year but it really is worth it. You’ll swear “never again”… then a week later be googling your next ultra 🤣

28/07/2025

Shout out to the coach 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

When I signed up for my 100-mile ultra, I’d never run more than a half marathon. I’d never trail run, never solo hiked and I was already battling achilles tendonitis. Safe to say, I wasn’t the easiest client to coach. As a coach myself, I knew this goal was way beyond my own expertise and comfort zone. Even coaches need coaches, and this time, I definitely did.

Over the next 9 months, there were injuries, setbacks, and plenty of moments where I doubted I could even make it to the start line. But somehow, in just 9 months, took me from total beginner to 100-mile finisher. His training plans and advice were amazing but what really made the difference was everything else: pacing me through my first 50k, late-night hikes to build confidence, crewing tirelessly through the 100 miler itself (including popping my blisters!🥲). Through it all, he showed nothing but unwavering belief, support and genuine enthusiasm.

Beyond finish lines and medals, he helped me fall in love with the trails, trust myself in the hills and keep moving even when it felt impossible. As a bonus, I’ve gained not just a brilliant coach, but a great friend too.

Truly couldn’t have done it without him and can’t wait to see what we tackle next 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️

If you’re thinking about a coach for running, triathlon, or any wild adventure: go message Connor. You won’t regret it! 👏🏻

22/07/2025

We got our professional race photos and it was such a great reminder that there were some truly happy moments along the way.
coaching and I spent a lot of the race trying to entertain ourselves by doing silly things for the cameras — to the point where, near the last photo point, the photographer actually called us out with “Is that all you’ve got, girls?” 😂 By then, we’d completely run out of energy!

I didn’t expect the highs to feel so high or the lows to feel like hitting absolute rock bottom — and often out of nowhere and all the bloody time. Sarah & I started checking in with each other by asking “High or low right now?” whenever things got quiet.

These photos capture some of those high points though: moments where we were genuinely laughing, smiling, and forgetting, just for a bit, how tough it really was. I’m grateful for the memories ❤️

21/07/2025

WE COMPLETED 100 MILES!! 🏃‍♀️🥹
Just under 42 hours of running, walking, swearing, crying, limping and occasionally questioning every single life choice that led me here.

The weather was MENTAL — ridiculously heavy rain, mist and fog on Saturday into blaring sun and heat by Sunday afternoon. The early hours on the St Abb’s Head section nearly broke me. I cried so many times, threw up at pit stop 4, and genuinely thought about giving up more times than I can count. But somehow, we kept moving — and I’m so bloody proud of that.
coaching — you were amazing. Thank you for signing up for this madness with me and getting me through every meltdown. There’s no one else I’d rather have dragged myself 100 miles with than you. ❤️

We would never have dragged ourselves to the finish without our absolute legend of a crew (, David, Liam & Connor): turning up at all hours armed with ice cream, hot soup, hugs, fresh socks, and the truly disgusting task of popping our blisters. They literally never stopped, even on little sleep themselves (and have definitely seen more of my feet than anyone should). To everyone who met us on the course or at the finish line at 1 am, you gave us such a boost when we needed it most.

Shout out to my coach, — who managed to get this permanently injured, trail-inexperienced, “I’ve only ever run a half marathon before this” disaster of a girl to the finish line. It’s testament to your coaching.

Thanks to everyone who supported me and helped raise over £1900 (including gift aid) for my charities so far & — and for the ridiculous amount of messages that came through. I couldn’t reply at the time, but every single message helped us keep going! You can still donate via the link in my bio 🙏🏻

What an absolutely mental, painful, emotional and rewarding 2 days. Would I do it again? Absolutely not🏅🤣 Now time for a major rest and recover 🙃👏🏻

18/07/2025

T-minus 12 hours until the 100-mile ultramarathon! It’s been a year filled with training, injuries, fun, tears, lessons, and so much more in between. And true to form for .coaching and me, we’ve even got a yellow weather warning to make things extra interesting!

I’m still fundraising for & . If you can spare even a small donation, it would mean the world and make a real difference! A huge thank you to everyone who’s already donated, shared kind words, and kept us going with treats and encouragement. Link is in bio.

We’ll share updates whenever we can, but you can also track my dot live via https://live.opentracking.co.uk/castletocastle2025/

Edinburgh Castle, here we come! 🏰🏃🏼‍♀️

12/07/2025

One week to go until I attempt to run 100 miles… and it’s all starting to feel very real (and slightly terrifying)!

When I signed up last year, the longest I’d ever run was a half marathon. I clearly underestimated how far 100 miles actually is — spoiler: it’s really far 🫠

We’ve already hit the original fundraising target (thank you!!!), so I’ve decided to increase it. Every extra donation will make a real difference to & 🙏🏻

If you’d like to donate here’s the link (also in bio): https://gvwhl.com/VNGW3

Appreciate every bit of encouragement, support & donation so far — it genuinely helps when the legs give up and the brain starts asking why I thought this was a good idea 😅♥️

23/06/2025

The Mental Side of Training: When Things Don’t Go as Planned

Yesterday, Sarah & I set out to complete a 16-hour hike—one I had trained for, talked about for months and fully committed to. But we didn’t finish. Foot pain crept in early, and not long after starting at 2am, Sarah and I had to stop to help a young girl who was in trouble on the trail. By the time it was safe to move on the momentum was gone, my foot was making it difficult to walk and we had to call it a day under 3 hours in.

I’ve spent a lot of yesterday and today feeling anxious and drained. That familiar inner voice asking, “Am I failing?”

But here’s the truth: the mental aspect of training is often tougher than the physical. It’s not just about mileage, elevation gain or hours worked. It’s about how you show up when the plan fails. How you deal with the unexpected. How you carry the weight of disappointment without letting it define you.

Training teaches us to endure—but also to adapt. To let go of the ego and listen to our bodies. To respond to real-life moments, like helping someone in need or dealing with injury, instead of chasing a goal at any cost.

There are so many variables that could keep me from completing this 100-mile race. And while I’ll give it everything I’ve got, I’m learning that success isn’t just about the outcome—it’s also about the process, the effort, and the mindset I bring along the way.

This is all part of the journey too and I’m definitely still learning as I go!

21/06/2025

📍Pentland Skyline Hike

Last Sunday was a beast of a day out on the hills —over 30km and 9 hours across the full Pentland Skyline with some great company. Tough on the legs, but worth it for the views (and the training).

This wasn’t just about the miles though — I’m training for my 100 mile race in July and raising funds for & , causes close to my heart. If you can spare a few ££ to support, it would mean the world. Link’s below or in the bio 💛

https://gvwhl.com/VNGW3

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Tuesday	06:00 - 20:00
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Thursday	06:00 - 20:00
Friday	06:00 - 18:00
Saturday	06:00 - 15:00

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