Not Another Runner (2026)

05/05/2022

Made it out the door with G happily asleep in the - finally 🎉 and I got to walk 3 sunny miles, hands free ☀️ it’s made me so excited at the prospect of walking some coastal path miles this summer 🙏🏻 😎

04/05/2022

Just a couple miles walked again today… it feels like a constant chase of time to get the walk in, in between feeds…

One thing I’ve realised in these last 10 weeks since having G is how very little time you have for yourself, and that everything revolves around this little person. I mean I gathered that before having G but still, it takes some adjusting 😅 thankfully she loves joining on the walks, hopefully she will love it even more when we venture out with her in the carrier 🙏🏻 I try and get us out for a walk most days, for fresh air, routine, change of scenery and most importantly for me to get some much needed exercise!

Throughout pregnancy and during these postpartum weeks walking and fresh air has been part of my weekly routine, and I notice the difference in me when I don’t get the opportunity to get outside and get moving!

I feel even if I don’t accomplish much more than a walk, and seeing to G then it’s been a successful day in my eyes.

23/04/2022

Yesterday 👉🏻 one year ago . . .

So much has happened in just one year.

Wondering what more will have changed this time next year… hoping to be in our new home in the next couple months, and hope to make a return to running… finally, following 22 months of injury, a pregnancy and well transitioning to motherhood ❤️ also hope to bring back the podcast once we have moved and settled 💕 and I can’t wait.

❓Any recommendations on accounts to follow as I make a return to running postpartum / post injury. I’m definitely going to use couch to 5k, but also need to do more core work before I begin that. Recs and advice greatly appreciated.

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23/07/2021

Ad. Just trying to re-create the shot from Pic 3 📸👉🏻⁣
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Pic 3 was taken on a day which took me three hours to leave the house, one of my darkest days and times with depression. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬: 𝐰𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. ⁣⁣
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Only a short walk this morning before work, promised myself I wouldn’t be pushing myself to get back running when my body gave me signs to slow down. Which it definitely has this last week - being run down with an awful cold and a painful wisdom tooth surfacing has been horrendous in this heat 🥵. * ⁣⁣
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Wearing the Clifton 8s - and reminding myself lately of how resilient I’ve been during this time of injury, and how many years I have to look forward to running in the future 😇⁣
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Hope you all have a great weekend and continue to take it easy in this heat 🌡⁣⁣
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*Disclaimer: Covid test taken and negative. ⁣⁣
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• trainers gifted by and ⁣⁣

01/07/2021

June…. It’s been a month;

- A return to running, with a trial and error of (following 22 months of injury)
- 15.48 miles of walk running 🤩
- 5 walk-runs
- 1 walk
- some yoga
- currently on my third attempt at week 1 of Couch to 5k and I’m still super grateful and amazed I’ve finally got to this point 🤕🥺
- put both houses up for sale, and an agreed sale for both 🏡🏠
- took a weekend away 🥰

🙏🏻 here’s to the next few months, completing sales and searching for a home together

…. And still putting one foot in front of the other 🦶🏻🏃🏻‍♀️ in whatever way possible 🚶🏼‍♀️

So bloody grateful ❤️

22/06/2021

Week 1 - Run 2 of

This is the second time on week 1, due to pain last week and not completing the full week. There is still a strange sense of novelty when running ✨ only 8 minutes of running total…. but amazing nonetheless 🙏🏻 I’ve also noticed that working at my computer/desk daily causes more pain than running actually does, so I’m still looking at ways to tweak the work space moving forward.

Anyway - happy to be experience and documenting the journey of recovery which has been longer than ever expected.

* had to take a seat and re do my laces, forgot the pain of trainers being done up too tightly. I swear this time our had evolved me into something that resembles a novice runner. It’s like a throwback to 2017 🔙*

Hope everyone has a healthy and productive week 🙏🏻✨
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(again)

19/06/2021

Nothing better than waking up feeling fresh as a daisy and heading out for some exercise before brekkie.

I have missed this 👆🏻 I went out and did the week 1 Run 1 again, like last Saturday. I was unable to do the third run of week 1 this week, and instead took a few days rest when pain was high. I won’t be doing week 2 until I can safely, pain free complete all three runs of week 1, for 1/2 weeks before moving to week 2.

👂🏻I’d be interested to hear any of your post injury experiences of building back up. And how it was. Was it regularly a case of 2 steps forward 1 step back?

Overall I don’t feel like I’ve gone backwards by resting and doing week 1 again. Especially as each attempt I’ve managed to go further or faster!

Starting the run intervals on an incline and being seriously unfit, and adding 1 extra run interval onto the workout got me very out of breath and requiring a recovery - hands on knees style 👆🏻 before walking home.

Ventured out for another walk this afternoon making today’s total mileage just under 6 miles. Furthest distance in a day in months!!! 🤘🏻

Anyway - apologies for the rambling, merely sharing as I know a few of you are also attempting a return to running following injury 💕 and it’s sometimes helpful to share.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend 🙏🏻❤️

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17/06/2021

* this is not an ad *

… but I want to be able to share with you guys this magic tub 🪄 a magic, miracle cream, and can’t believe I’ve not shared this before.

I’ve been using this since January, twice daily and can honestly tell if/when I’ve forgotten to put it on. This cream has given me the best, quickest pain relief over other creams, sprays and painkillers and definitely gives me relief to carry out daily tasks and work. (Thanks to Kyla for recommending)

So, just like I’ve shared with friends, family and other colleagues - this h**p cream will help relax your muscles, improve your blood circulation and help loosen stiff joints and tendons. And it is a FAST - ACTING pain relief💥 genuinely can’t recommend this product highly enough! 🙌🏻

🙏🏻 thank you guys for all your kind messages, support and words of encouragement over the last week, it’s really appreciated ❤️ I’ve been very sore after Tueday’s sport massage and Dry Needling, so been continuing to apply this twice daily…. Taking Extra rest days and HOPEFULLY a second week at the 🙏🏻✨ from Saturday

Hope you’re all keeping well 😄

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**pproducts **pcream

14/06/2021

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧….⁣
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Headed out this morning for a 2nd attempt at a run; before tomorrow’s sports massage and to see how I fare after a 2nd run in a couple days.⁣
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I’m following the NHS’ couch to 5k and being very strict when told to recover and slow down. ⁣
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May have ‘only’ run 7 minutes - but it felt longer and incredible nonetheless ✨😍 amazing. ⁣
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When the alarm went off this morning and I could have easily stayed in bed, I remembered a conversation recently with
where we talked about morning practices and motivation and I remember resonating with what he said. I remembered my own words “if I negotiate with myself first thing in the morning over time, and telling myself ‘oh just 10 minutes more in bed, then I’ll get up..’ I already know I’m losing a battle” so I reminded myself of this ☝🏻 and got up and got going🏃🏼‍♀️⁣
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Glad to report less pain today finishing the run ❤️✨ think I said * thank you * a million times this morning, because I’m so grateful for today and Saturday. It’s done wonders for my mood and motivation 😁 🙏🏻⁣
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Coming up this week on the podcast - a conversation with ⁣
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I can’t wait to share this with you all, ⁣
An honest, inspiring and motivating listen! ⁣
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Hope you all have a great week ❤️⁣
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12/06/2021

𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐩 ⁣⁣
… attempting couch to 5k walk-run, to see how I fare afterwards, and to be able to report back to physio 🙏🏻 It’s a trial and error kind of approach 🤷🏼‍♀️⁣⁣
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Definitely was a little dubious of heading out but did it anyway. Good news is there was no pain whilst running (only the lack of fitness which was evident in my breathing and recovery between intervals); there were pains afterwards during the walks but nothing like before, which means there is an improvement..? 🧐🤔⁣⁣
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Met a lovely man on the path Today who was also out on his first venture in a long time, he used to walk 3km daily until before Christmas when he fell really poorly. Nowadays he’s in and out of hospital more regularly than he can think of heading for a walk. He was out on his crutches Today first time since last year and debating how far he could do, he was so happy to be outside and able to move his legs, and have some fresh air 🥺 his usual walk is my usual out and back, so I was determined to do my run-walk intervals to the gate for him.⁣⁣
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“I’m determined not to let this beat me” he said ✨⁣⁣
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All I can say is thank goodness for my ‘s because I walked away a blubbing mess, and my run intervals got me emotional too
ahhh running …. ⁣⁣

[37 mins total, 2.9 miles]
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Feeling grateful…. Nothing like someone else’s bravery and wisdom to instil perspective - always! ⁣⁣
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And there’s also no better feeling than running ❤️⁣⁣
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Hope you’re all keeping well 🙏🏻 X⁣⁣
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26/05/2021

Latest episode of the Podcast now available.

What a pleasure it was to catch up with Sanna a couple weeks back - less than a week after she had completed her A Goal of running the whole of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.... the full 186 miles, in one go. Becoming the second person ever to run and complete the whole path in one go. With no sleep. Sanna’s goal was to achieve the FKT. And not only did she achieve this but she beat the former record by 13 hours completing her goal in 51 hours 35 😲⭐️

Sanna raised over £4,500 for the Wales (link to funding page is in show notes of this podcast episode - link in bio).

The total elevation is 35,000ft, greater than Mount Everest.

Sanna shares her story, what lead her to running and specifically running ultras, the obstacles she faced in setting this epic goal, and her motivation to overcome the obstacles; her next goals and events in the calendar 📅 and what she thinks it takes to become and endurance athlete.

Link in Bio to listen.

Thank you for sharing your story! 🙏🏻✨

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19/05/2021

G r a t e f u l. . . For yoga, and being able to move my body even just a little following painful days and weeks 🙏🏻

I don’t think I’ll ever take for granted being able to move with no restriction or pain ever again, when that day comes 🙏🏻

G r a t e f u l . . . For mental resilience and self development. Today and last night weren’t great for me, mentally. But thankfully years of learning and understanding have taught me to look further as to why this May be; be kind to myself, and to get up and get moving, even if that was the cleaning Today! 😂 years ago this could have snowballed into days and weeks, and I could have been in a right misery.

G r a t e f u l . . . For the lovely chat with - for The Running Hub Podcast. This chat honestly shifted my mindset totally Today, so I’m grateful to you Katie, and for the support, advice and time 🙏🏻 head over to - and to their Podcast: The Running Hub and hit subscribe, so not to miss an episode.

🤓 👉🏻 Some days I remind myself of a couple of things I feel grateful for... or list the things that went well, and this really helps keep me grounded and ward off the negative natalie mindset 😅

Vest kindly gifted from 🦓

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Not Another Runner

05/05/2022

04/05/2022

23/04/2022

23/07/2021

01/07/2021

22/06/2021

19/06/2021

17/06/2021

14/06/2021

12/06/2021

26/05/2021

19/05/2021

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