Feel Fit with Lucy

Another new favourite parkrun with the Ironmen at Crosby, thanks for the suggestion. Followed by a beautiful walk along the beach and dunes at Formby (sadly no cheeky 🐿️).

1 day left to sign up to this week's FREE coached running session, supported by Women in Tri.

The session is this Thursday at 7pm at York Sport Village (and the last one will be next month on 25 June).

We'll be working on technique and fitness. All women welcome, whatever your fitness level or running experience.

Everyone works at their own speed so you dont need to worry about being able to 'keep up'.

Sign up here by Wednesday to take part in this week's session - https://forms.monday.com/forms/198c58316042b410ae78fbbf4a944e45?r=euc1

So happy for Lindsey Prior-Mckie with a cracking race at the Outlaw Half.

It's been so brilliant watching her grow in confidence and fitness and great to see her amazing smile and positive energy flying round the course and across the finish line.

When we spoke just before the race she said she felt ready for it, and she was right!

Perfectly executed, and even making time to stop to help someone who had crashed. We need more Lindseys in the world!

Cant wait to see her do the full Outlaw in a few months.

And I looooove these words from her. It's such a powerful moment when we can appreciate our body for what it does for us, rather than beating ourselves up for all the bits we dont like.

Also shout out to Alex keeping it easy at the Hackney Half as part of her build towards Ironman Leeds this year.

Not every race has to be about going hard. Taking time to soak up the atmosphere and just enjoy it, as well as pacing practice where the challenge is to go easy at the beginning, can be just as valuable and often a lot more fun!

And some DNS and DNF as well this weekend. It's never easy to scratch from a race, especially after all the work you've done to get there, but protecting your health and looking after yourself always has to be most important. There's always another day...

Great feedback on our slightly longer intervals for today's Haxby Runners speed session - these really help with pacing practice and building our ability to hold pace for longer.

Everyone sets their own pace around the loop so no one needs to worry about keeping up.

Hope to see you at the next speed session next Wednesday!

Cant wait to deliver another Women in Tri coached running session.

We'll be working on technique and fitness. All women welcome, whatever your fitness level or running experience.

You just work at your own speed so no need to 'keep up'.

Sign up here to take part - https://forms.monday.com/forms/198c58316042b410ae78fbbf4a944e45?r=euc1

15 years ago I had one of the worst years of my life, and my mental health took a hit.

Then I had an idea which changed my life. I was determined to drag myself out of the hole I was in, so I created an A-Z fundraising challenge which included doing my first triathlon.

I went from someone who did very little exercise to discovering the impact exercise and the outdoors could have on my mental health.

Exercise changed my life and I wanted to help other women discover the power of exercise for their mental health and wellbeing.

So I changed career to become a Triathlon Coach.

More recently I trained as a Mental Health and Exercise Coach (becoming the UK’s first Mental Health and Exercise Triathlon Coach) to develop the tools to support women to embrace the positives of exercise - to build habits that make it easy to stick to a plan, to learn to love their bodies again, and to stop using exercise as a stick to beat themselves up with.

I’ve had the massive privilege of working with some amazing women, witnessing the changes and progress they’ve made, the resilience they’ve shown, and learning with them how to adapt training around the highs and lows of menopause and neurodiversity.

I never want to go back to how I felt 15 years ago, but I’m so thankful that it happened, and that somewhere within it I was able to plant the seed that continues to grow each day.

Movement and exercise is one of the most powerful ways to build mental health, especially when you pair it with time outdoors.

But so often we turn it into a stick to beat ourselves with.

We compare ourselves to others:
“They’re faster than me" ,
“They look better in lycra”,
“They probably think I don’t look like a runner”.

Or we slip into unhelpful thinking around food and worth:
“I can only eat that if I’ve exercised" or
“I missed my workout, so I don’t deserve that”.

I constantly hear these thoughts from friends and clients. And see how much they damage our relationship with movement – destroying the very benefits it could bring.

But it doesn’t have to be like that.

Exercise should never feel like punishment.
Exercise isn't about anyone else but you.

If it's too hard, make it easier.
If you're worrying about everyone else then ask yourself why that matters to what you're doing.

Each step you take is a step closer to your goal and a step towards changing those negative thoughts, and the more steps you take, the easier it gets.

What's your biggest barrier to exercise? Let me know and let's break it down.

Mental Health Awareness Week (11–17 May) kicks off today, with this year’s theme focusing on taking action to support good mental health.

For me, one of the most powerful and accessible actions we can take is movement.

As a Mental Health and Exercise Triathlon Coach (and the UK’s first Mental Health and Exercise Triathlon Coach), I see every day how powerful exercise can be for wellbeing and good mental health.

But I also see the things that can stop us taking that first step.

We tend to assume the main barrier to exercise is about fitness. In reality, it’s often about mindset.

The belief that we’re not good enough, not fit enough, not the right body type.

That it will feel too hard.

That we don’t have time – or don’t deserve that time for ourself.

I hear these thoughts all the time from friends and clients. And I know how hard it can make it to get started. But exercise can bring out the best in us, when we let it.

Here are a few simple ways to start taking action to support your mental health through exercise and movement.

1️⃣ You don’t have to get sweaty - Walking is great for both physical and mental health. Take time just to be present and notice the things around you.

2️⃣Start small (even smaller than you think you should) - One of the quickest ways to stop yourself from starting is to aim too far ahead, too soon. Instead start where you're at and build from there.

3️⃣Focus on what you have done, not what you haven’t - Celebrate what you’ve done rather than compare yourself to others.