"I'm still on a high. It's the most amazing feeling" Tackling 10kms, triathlons and beyond!

What a result!  In our final check in with the incredible Donna and Amy, we learn about their spectacular successes over the past 12 weeks.

From women who felt like they had lost their way in the world of exercise, with the help of the Her Spirit Community, they have achieved brilliant results beyond anything either of them expected!

Her Spirit founders Mel Berry and Holly Woodford share advice and tips around technique, kit and staying on track!

In this episode:

• We hear about the tricky transitions of Donna’s triathlon.
• How not to be demoralised when you’re at the back of the pack.
• The power of a  support network when you’re reaching for your exercise goals.
• How regular exercise changes how you feel at all times of the day.
• How to make exercise a daily habit.
• How small steps can completely transform your life.

At Her Spirit we’re here for you.

We want to help you discover your potential, achieve your goals, ignite your fitness, find your community.

Head to herspirit.co.uk and sign up for our Core Membership, get access to our virtual classes, monthly challenges and expert advice. Plus, track your progress in our heath hub and find your very own cheerleading squad who will support you every step of the way.

Use the code HERSPIRITPOD3 and get three months completely FREE.

It’s time for You

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Transcript

Louise Minchin:

Hello and welcome to the Her Spirit podcast. I am Louise Minchin and we have had an amazing 12 weeks or so. We are back today with Donna and Amy who have we have been following on their journeys into exercise, expanding their whole exercise experience. Are they both set out to do different things? I'm sure you'll know that Amy set out to do a 10K and Donna set out to do a her first, her first triathlon. Now Amy, as you'll know, have you've been listening to the podcast, did the 10 k a couple of weeks ago. And Amy, I I mean you're still looking like you're buzzing on it. How are you?

Amy:

Yeah, really good training for my next 10 k in about 10 weeks time and then my half marathon.

Louise Minchin:

I mean, this is just such an exciting thing and what we're gonna do over this podcast is we're gonna talk to Donna about what she did this weekend. And then we're gonna look back as well over the 12 weeks because 12 weeks ago, Amy, I don't think I'm wrong in saying you would not have been mentioning a half marathon, would you?

Amy:

No, definitely not.

Louise Minchin:

<Laugh>, the shake of the head says it all. <Laugh>, that was not gonna be in your repertoire, was it? Anyway, fantastic. Well done both of you. But first of all I wanna say Donna and I'm gonna have to say congratulations, I didn't wanna do a spoiler, but you are wearing the medal around your neck, so I am guessing I know from Instagram that you made it. This is fabulous. Congratulations. How do you feel?

Donna:

I'm absolutely buzzing. I've, I still feel on a re real high since Sunday. So amazing, amazing feeling.

Louise Minchin:

Well, I mean, just huge. Congratulations. What I wanna do is I wanna go on the journey because as you know, if anybody listens to this podcast, knows anything about me, my kind of exercise journey started with triathlon. I love the stories of triathlon because there's ups, there's downs, there's swims, there's runs, there's transitions, there's food that's lost. Any lots of things can go wrong. I dunno what went wrong, but let's find out if it did and what went right as well. So Donna, we're gonna start with how you were feeling before the race. And the brilliant thing is here, we've got a little clip of it, so let's hear it.

Holly:

Donna, you've just arrived at East Leake Triathlon for your very first sprint triathlon. How are you feeling?

Donna:

I'm feeling really, really excited. I can't believe I'm here after 12 weeks. That is just a short journey. 12 weeks to go from just literally doing Park Run to a sprint triathlon. And it's just made me realise that you're capable of anything when you put your mind to it, but also when you've got Mel and Holly pushing you all the way

Holly:

<Laugh>, we didn't get you to say that. So it's quite cold today, isn't it? So how are you feeling about that and are you worried about anything for the next kind of couple of hours?

Donna:

I'm not worried about the cold because I love cold water swimming, so I think I'll be absolutely fine with that. I'm pleased that the wind has settle down because it was really windy yesterday and I was really nervous about the cycle part. I'd probably say the cycle feels like my weakest part, however, running three mile at the end probably might feel like a challenge as well. 

Holly:

And what you most looking forward to the swim? 

Donna:

I love swimming and I wish the swim was longer.

Louise Minchin:

Okay, Donna, there were a little bit of nerves in the voice. You sort of, I think I would describe would, how would you say, calm nerves?

Donna:

Yes. Yeah. I felt at that point

Louise Minchin:

Anticipation?

Donna:

Yeah, anticipation. It were almost like I were waiting and waiting and I, and I said to my husband, I just hope I don't let myself down at the very end. Cause I'd committed, I'd done so much training, followed the plan, exactly what Mel had sent across and I just almost wanted to do it to get over the line so I'd not let myself down or anybody else down.

Louise Minchin:

That's a big part of it, isn't it? Because it's, it is letting other people down, but actually yourself, you make a good point as well because you know, to sort of psychologically come back from having set out to do it and not having done it, for example, might be tougher than you think actually.

Donna:

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.

Louise Minchin:

I'm gonna have to say thank you to Holly, the reporter there by the way. Great work. Holly, you're gonna put me out of my job soon, Holly of course, co-founder with Mel of Her Spirit as well. So Donna, you were looking forward to the swim. What I want you to do now is kind of commentate on your own race for me for the next couple of minutes. Take me through it and what was good, what was bad?

Donna:

So I think the organisation and the support from the organisers was fantastic and it felt a real community at East Leake Triathlon. First time in the pool. It did feel a little bit like I was in a washing machine. It were fast, it were furious and everybody's really trying to get to their 16 lengths. I did get overtaken by somebody and then I was clipping his heels, which did make me feel a bit unsettled inside, so I had to overtake him a little bit later on.

Louise Minchin:

That's brilliant. Well done you.

Donna:

And then the transition from the pool, you'd got quite a little bit of a run out to the transition area and it were a little bit muddy slippery got out the pool and Mel were there and my husband were there as well to support me on and just give a little bit more guidance to run to the transition area. Quickly got on the bike and I, I think the transition time was quite quickly actually, so I was quite pleased with that to say I've never done anything like that before. And then off you go on the bike.

Louise Minchin:

I just wanna stop you there because the thing that strikes me about doing a triathlon, particularly in this time of year, presumably you were in a really hot swimming pool wearing wet kit, then getting on your bike. How did you deal with that?

Donna:

It felt fine, I just think you're just so busy thinking about what you're doing that you just, that part's not even entering your mind at that point when you're rushing to get your helmet on and put your a cycle jacket on and then off you go.

Louise Minchin:

Well I'm really impressed. I really am. So first can I just ask you a quick, quick question. Have you actually got proper cycle pants now? Cycle shorts?

Donna:

So I wore a Her Spirit triathlete suit. It felt amazing. I felt like one of the Incredibles in it. <Laugh>.

Louise Minchin:

Excellent.

Donna:

It's padded, it's padded

Louise Minchin:

<Laugh>. Yeah. Good. So you, you gotta remember all these things, haven't you because you've gotta get your, your helmet done up before you get on the bike. There's so many things to remember in that bit. How was that for you?

Donna:

So that were fine and then it's just remembering not to get on your bike until you get over the line. So yeah, a lot of different things to remember, but I felt like I'd got them in order and I don't think I've got any penalties so I must have done it right.

Louise Minchin:

I think you'll know by now. So you got on the bike and how was that? How far and how did it feel?

Donna:

So the bike was 13.6 miles. That was the hardest part. It was an out and in route and I've never been as excited to see a power station. So the power station was the point, to turn back on the route, it was wonderful to just see it. A key is I need a road bike and I've been looking at road bikes today because people were overtaking and I'm like, they're going faster than me. And, and it was hard on the bike. I'm gonna be honest because it wasn't a road bike, especially coming back into the wind.

Louise Minchin:

Oh, I was gonna ask you about wind because again, you know, triathlons at this time of year, wind is gonna play a part, isn't it? So that was hard coming back into the wind a bit. And how did you feel when you, I mean I'm overtaken by the way, on, on the bike a lot because I'm like, you quite fast in the swim. So it means that I'm always being overtaken. Did that feel demoralising? How was it?

Donna:

I was just impressed by people with the kit they've got and the cycle, the cycle helmets and there were just some real athletes there, but then there were just ordinary people there like me. And I just think fair play to everybody for taking part. So I think it's the fact you're there and you're doing it.

Louise Minchin:

That's, that's a really, that's a really good, I mean the thing is about that's been very impressive about you throughout this whole process is the optimism. So that you're absolutely right. Don't be demoralised. It's go, ah, look at them, aren't they good? How can I be like them? Okay, so then you get off onto the, onto the run and, and again you've got to remember to get off at the mount, the dismount line, haven't you? What was that like?

Donna:

Yeah, so at that point everybody's there cheering you on. So that's an amazing feeling. And you're all giddy excited and you rack your bike back up and then you set off running and woof. That's when it hits you <laugh> cause you've had all that adrenaline and it, it, it was on a slight incline as well. So I set off running and then after probably about three minutes my legs just went to jelly. Literally just went to jelly. So I walked for about 10, 15 seconds and compose myself and then I was fine. I set off running again. So I just gave myself that moment cause it was just that strange experience went from bike to run.

Louise Minchin:

Yeah, it is actually. And it's interesting that because mine is immediately bad. So yours were sort of bad after a few minutes. Interesting. so then you're coming towards the finish and how are you feeling at that point?

Donna:

Great, absolutely great because there were, it was three laps to run and there's just so many people there shouting and cheering you on. Friends, family, Hol and, Mel were there and then lots and lots of support from Her Spirit and the community and people were shouting go Her Spirit because we've got the suits on as well. So we're just fantastic, fantastic feeling.

Louise Minchin:

That is so nice cause then I suppose when we're all wearing our Her Spirit kit we look like a team and we are a team aren't we? Okay, so what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna come to Holly and Mel in a minute cause I know Holly you actually did the triathlon as well. How was it for you? Cause your last triathlon was very, very long. It was Lakes to London, so this is very small for you.

Holly:

It it, it was, but I thought I ought to remember how to do the transition bits because whilst Lakes to London was very long, we had some quite nice long transitions in between to eat in fuel and sleep a bit. So do you know what Donna I think did incredibly well as did a number of other Her Spiriters. There's probably about 10 Her Spiriters that were all doing their first triathlon together. So it was an amazing feeling to be part of that group. It was a terrible day. The weather was really unkind. It was very cold, it was bitterly cold first thing. It was incredibly windy. I think Donna coped with those conditions really well. I was not so keen <laugh>. So your question about how did you feel about being warm and going into the cold? I wasn't a fan of that. But, and I have to say that bike ride for a first triathlon, it was tough because it was so windy on the way back and you should have seen the size of Donna's bike. It was big, it was heavy, it was not made for that course. So when you look at her bike time, she smashed it. So yeah, it was incredible and it was just brilliant to be part of team Her Spirit actually, just as Donna said. So I had a great time on on Sunday with everyone.

Louise Minchin:

Donna, what a just massive, massive congratulations to you because when we started out in this journey, we asked the people in the Her Spirit community before Christmas to take part. You were not a triathlete and now you are. How fantastic. How do you feel about it?

Donna:

I think it's incredible in just 12 weeks to achieve that. It's just, it, it's blown my mind because I would've never thought that were capable. I were capable of that in a 12 week period. So big thank you for all the help and support.

Louise Minchin:

Well and you, you the sweet, you so sweet cause you sent me a thank you letter as well, which I didn't deserve by the way. But it's down to Holly, Holly and Mel. Okay so I'm going to, what I wanna do in the next few minutes is sort of rewind a bit because you mentioned the 12 weeks and it really is just so inspiring. Having watched the both of you go on this journey over 12 weeks. Let's talk to you Amy as well. And actually before I do what I wanna do, if that's okay, is cause I love these sort of audio diaries that you've been doing and play a little bit about how you felt at the start of this extraordinary journey you've been on. So here you are, Amy.

Amy:

Hi everyone, my name's Amy. I'm 40 years old and I live in Bedminster Dorsett with my husband Dan and my five year old daughter Jessica. Before I had my daughter five years ago, I used to love exercise. I used to spend a lot of time in the gym going swimming, running. But ever since then I've really struggled with motivation. And then in August, 2021 I was diagnosed with breast cancer which led to a right-sided mastectomy and lymph node clearance. I've had chemotherapy and radiotherapy, although now I've been given the all clear, my body's been through a lot of trauma and a lot of changes and I'm really struggling with confidence both physically and I suppose mentally as well. And I really dunno where to start with my exercise journey now. I turned 40 last month and since then I've decided to put a bit more focus on me. So I am going to do a boxing day sea swim next week. I have registered to do a charity skydive. I am going to do a 10 K run in March. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve not only over the next 12 weeks but for the rest of the year and beyond with the support of the Her Spirit team, community, Louise, and just see how far I can go.

Louise Minchin:

Well I mean you started with 5k, you smashed that, didn't you, Amy? You've now done the 10 K listening back to yourself, can you hear a change in yourself?

Amy:

Yeah I think over the last 12 weeks it seems such, obviously it's only 12 weeks but it seems such a long time ago. Yeah, I think I've come a long way in 12 weeks. A lot further than I think I probably ever thought was possible. So yeah.

Louise Minchin:

Tell me about that thing you said about confidence. You felt like you'd lost confidence. How would you describe how you feel about that now?

Amy:

Much more confident again now, obviously I think I've still got a long way to go in my fitness journey and sort of mentally. But yeah, I've definitely come a long way feeling much more confident about myself again.

Louise Minchin:

And what about you? Because you talked a little bit didn't you, about sort of being confident in your body because obviously you've been through sort of physically enormous changes, haven't you?

Amy:

Yeah, with all the surgeries there's a lot of scarring. It affects a lot of the muscles as well. So at the start of the journey I wasn't quite sure how I was gonna train especially doing something like the upper body stuff. But actually I think my body's coped really well with it.

Louise Minchin:

And have you noticed changes in, you know, when you wake up in the morning? I mean I, the thing that's changed for me I suppose in my sort of exercise all these years now is that it changes, it's changes me all at all points of the day. Like when I wake up in the morning I feel like a different person. Do you see trying, I'd move, I run for a bus in a different way. Do you sort of changes in all sorts of different parts of my life?

Amy:

Yeah, definitely. It used to be I'd get up in the morning and I'd walk down the stairs and my knees would be aching and my feet are aching. But now I've definitely got a lot more energy in the morning I get up and go for a run. Obviously it was a bit different this morning cause it, the clocks have gone forward. So <laugh> I haven't quite adjusted and it was dark again in the morning <laugh>. But yeah, definitely feel better.

Louise Minchin:

So how many days a week are you doing exercise now?

Amy:

Five or six days a week. Compared to maybe one day a week, 12 weeks ago,

Louise Minchin:

Which is a, it is an awful lot. Five or six days compared to one. Okay. Do you think what's gonna happen now do you think, cause clearly you finished your 10 K a couple of weeks ago now you're still continuing. What, what do you think you are gonna do? What, how are you gonna stay on this journey?

Amy:

So since I did my 10 k three weeks ago obviously I've got a half marathon booked in October, but I've also booked on another 10 K. It's in about 10, 11 weeks time. So I am now following the Her Spirit 10 K training program. So hopefully over the next 10 weeks I can improve my 10 K before I start my half marathon training.

Louise Minchin:

It's just utterly brilliant. What's the feedback been like from family and friends?

Amy:

Everyone has been amazing. They've been so supportive. And it makes such a difference when somebody sees you and they go, oh you look really well. Cause you don't always feel it in yourself when you're, when you see it every day. But for people that you haven't seen for a few weeks to, to notice, I think it's really good.

Louise Minchin:

And lots of people, we talked all in the lot of the podcast, didn't we? About Donna, about people saying that you had had a face peel. Is that con is that continuing as well?

Donna:

I've had no more comments like that. <Laugh>, I'll take it.

Louise Minchin:

Makes me laugh so much. Okay, so Amy, the, the really striking thing about your journey is, as I say, you've been through an awful lot over the last few years. And what's lovely is that so many people are really proud of you. Let's have a listen to one of them. Well,

Dan, Amy’s husband:

What an absolutely incredible journey Amy has been on. I can't believe the dedication she's put into this. Getting up at six o'clock in the morning and going running in the rain while I'm sat in bed with a nice hot cup of tea. The transformation she's made just in terms of her running and, and, and getting up and doing the park run on Saturday morning, completing her first 10 k has been unbelievably inspirational to everyone around her. And I just also wanted to not just say congratulations to Amy for everything she's achieved, but actually say thank you to, to the, to this community and to the Her Spirit team for the support and everything she's been given. It actually goes to show the unbelievable strength there is within the Her Spirit community, just by the messages and other items that Amy has received from them. So very much thank you from me and, and absolutely congratulations Amy. Incredibly well done.

Louise Minchin:

That's your lovely husband, isn't it? <Laugh>?

Amy:

Yeah, <laugh>.

Louise Minchin:

Did you, I really like what he said about transformation and there he is sitting in bed with a cup of tea while you're out running

Amy:

Yup, three days a week. <Laugh>. Do

Louise Minchin:

You give him a cup of tea before you go?

Amy:

Yeah. So I get up and yeah, make a cup of tea before I I have to have my coffee before I go out for a run.

Louise Minchin:

This is what's been really brilliant. It's about the benefits for other people. He gets a cup of tea in bed. Absolutely. Fantastic. Donna, I wanna go back to how you were about 12 weeks ago as it was before when we, when he we started this journey with you. Let's have a little listen.

Donna:

Hi everybody, my name's Donna Thompson. I'm 51 year old and I'm from Doncaster. I've got two grownup children, Luke, who's 28 and Max who's 24. And I'm married to Russ. I work for a healthcare company. I work full-time in bowel management and I am also a registered general nurse. I started wild swimming about two years ago. It was during a period where I was helping to look after my mum who was suffering from Alzheimer's. And I found that wild swimming really helped me. It helped with my mental health, but during the five years of looking after my mum, one of the things I realised was that you neglect your own physical and mental health because you're busy, you're working full-time and you just don't have time to dedicate to yourself. Unfortunately we lost my mum at the end of last year.

 So this year I have focused more time on myself or I've tried to, I do feel guilty when I give time to myself and that's something that I need help to overcome with. I was challenged by my nephew early on in the year to do one park run. He then challenged me to do one a month and I've continued with the park run throughout the year. Also met a group of ladies from Doncaster. We formed a little wild swimming group. So I have started my journey this year, but I'm at the point now where I really need some help from Her Spirit, from Louise and from you in the community if possible because I'd like to do a sprint triathlon. Not sure why I've signed myself up cause I'm absolutely bricking it if I'm honest and I'm feeling really nervous about it and I'm actually thinking, is my bike working?

So I need to get into the shed and have a look. So I would love help and support on this journey to help to do something for me. I'm new to Her Spirit so I've been looking around the app this week and I just wish that I'd found it a few years ago cause I just feel it could have really, really helped me. I am gonna be watching the menopause and listening to the Menopause podcast later this evening. And I can see there's lots of other amazing podcasts on there as well that I think will really, really help. So I'm excited, I'm nervous and I hope you really will support me on this journey as well. Thank you.

Louise Minchin:

Donna have you felt supported? <Laugh>? I'm not sure I need to ask that. Hopefully you do.

Donna:

Oh, absolutely, absolutely. 150%.

Louise Minchin:

And what changes? I talked to Amy a little bit about sort of changes and confidence. What changes have you seen over the last three months?

Donna:

I think the biggest change for me is exercise is now routine. It's part of my week. I plan it at the beginning of the week when I'm gonna fit it in if I'm working away. And it just becomes the norm now. And I think when I have got a rest day, I'm almost like, oh, I, I quite wanted to do couch to kilo today or, but you've got to make sure you have a rest day as well. But it's just natural. It's, it's just part of my week now and I love it. Absolutely love it. And you don't need loads of time,

Louise Minchin:

Right? And that's, again, very striking from both of you that this is now seems to be, and that I think that was the difference for me when things change for me, when it just becomes your norm, Amy, that is now your norm, that you get up three days a week and go for a run, isn't it?

Amy:

Yeah. I mean obviously there's some mornings where it is hard, but I think you've just got to stay in that habit of, of doing it. So yeah, just go up and do it.

Louise Minchin:

That's a really good point. It's a habit, isn't it? Donna, can I pick up that point about feeling guilty about going to do exercise? How do you feel? Has that changed as well?

Donna:

Absolutely, and I, and I just, I think I said at the beginning if I'd have found Her Spirit earlier when I was in that time of distress and not looking after myself, I think I would've been able to find 30 minutes in a day or, you know, just done some exercise in the living room and, and some of the play black classes. So I think the message to everybody out there who is struggling with time is you can fit it into your busy working week no matter what you find you're doing. And, and it is just been amazing.

Louise Minchin:

Donna, Donna, I know that you've been supported by the community also by a special person in your life who I think has left you a message…

Mel:

So it's a couple Of minutes  to go before she gets in. Yeah. You've been with her over the last 12 weeks. Yeah. How proud and inspired and how well has she done?

Russ:

She's done amazingly to be honest. I mean she's always been a determined person. And I think that that shows in, in how she's kind of come on. She's been up every morning trying to do as much as she can. I mean, she has been inspiring to be honest. It's, you know, just to see, to see how she's developed over the last 12 weeks and how she's improved.

Louise Minchin:

So not just as supported by the community but by your husband as well, Donna, he's really proud.

Donna:

No do you know there's been amazing support from Russ, from family, from friends and from from the community and that does make a a big difference as well if you've got that support and network around you.

Louise Minchin:

Okay. So the network is led by Mel and Holly. And I just wanna, before we finish this podcast and finish, which has been an incredible sort of adventure. What would you say about what you've seen over the last few months, Mel?

Mel:

Donna, she's just got an infectious personality. I've loved going on a, a red lipstick journey with you. So Lou, you'll be proud to know that before she got in for her swim, she proudly presented her red lipstick because it's all important to do the do. But you had that waterproof red lipstick. So when you went past that man, did you give him a little pucker up as you kissed him goodbye?

Louise Minchin:

Waterproof as well. That's brilliant. <Laugh>.

Mel:

Yeah. And then look, you know, I think it's adversity. You know, Donna's a full-time you know, worker, she has not much time and it's great that you now prioritise that you've done exercise in in the hotel. But I think the other things is, is challenge. So she told me this funny story that she was on the bike ride and she hasn't mentioned this so I'm gonna bring it up, is what were you probably a quarter way in and she dropped a water bottle cause she couldn't remember how to put a water bottle back in a bike. So most people would've gone, oh my God, I'm over this. I don't want to, I'm gonna stop. I'm gonna call somebody to come and pick me up. And what Donna calmly did is she stopped, she picked up her water bottle, she stopped the traffic and she said, stop everybody I need a water bottle.

Put a water bottle back in a bicycle and cycled off. So she's not only infectious, but she's resilient. And then when she got to the park run, she just said, oh my God, I did my park run I could normally do off the back of a, a triathlon. So boring things that people don't want to admit is consistency. She's been consistent. You know, I've loved seeing that in both of them and that consistency for both of them has just produced amazing results. So look, I've loved being part of your journey and I don't want this to end, so I know Donna Ribble Valley. Here we come, we're on a road trip for your next triathlon. So Lou, I'll send you the dates. Are you in? It's post marathon.

Louise Minchin:

Oh gosh. I I just can't think beyond that. Holly, talk a little bit about Amy, who you've been helping. Long way.

Holly:

Yeah, look, it's been an incredible journey and I'm, I'm really sorry it's coming to an end. But obviously it's just the, it's just the end of the beginning, right? So I think what what is always brilliant being part of the Her Spirit community, watching women like Amy and Donna go through a journey and build their confidence, become fitter, stronger and healthier, and the doors and the opportunities that it opens in their minds is incredible. And, and I was, you know, trying to think about what sort of three words probably both, both kind of, you know, typify this. And I think for both of them, they're now knowledgeable, they're super confident and they're both really excited about what lies ahead. Both Donna and Amy have had conversations with Mel and I about what next. We didn't prompt that conversation. That was them going, this is what I wanna do next.

 And of course the great thing about the Her Spirit community is it's always there. It's always there. So I'm, I'm already working with Amy on her 10 K plan. She has an issue with running too fast, Louise, which we're trying to work on that <laugh> and that amazing sort of half marathon we haven't yet encouraged her to do a triathlon. So Donna, we're gonna leave that, leave that one with you. But yeah, look, it's been incredible. It's been amazing. And I can't wait to see what they kind of go on to do in the future. And I'm looking forward to more adventures with both of them.

Louise Minchin:

Amy I wish I had your problem of running too fast. Good on you. Okay, so two questions. First of all, I don't think I need to answer the, get you to answer these. Amy, are you gonna continue to with this journey? Yes. You so are, aren't you? 10 k followed by half marathon. Amazing. Donna, you've got a, you've got a triathlon planned.

Donna:

Yes. So I've got a 10 K planned, a one mile swim planned and a triathlon planned.

Louise Minchin:

My gosh. I mean, not even just a triathlon. Absolutely fantastic. What would you say, Donna, to any woman who's listening and hopefully lots of people have been alongside you while you're doing this, what are they, they're saying I just, I just can't do this. What would you say Donna?

Donna:

I would say if you commit some time, put a plan together that you are capable of so much and just believe in yourself and go for it and join Her Spirit. Come and join the community <laugh> and we'll help and support you along the way.

Louise Minchin:

<Laugh>. Amy, what about you?

Amy:

I think if you really want something and it's something that you enjoy, then yeah, you definitely can. Especially with the Her Spirit community, I think they're so supportive. I mean, I've met Mel and Holly, but apart from that I've not met anybody. But they're all so supportive on the app. They comment, they congratulate you, they give you advice and I think it's brilliant.

Louise Minchin:

Amy, thank you so much for that and Donna as well. It's been really lovely following you two and it's been really lovely to do it actually when I'm on my own journey towards my marathon and when I'm doing that marathon, I know there'll be some Her Spirits, you know, community and you all being there is so much part of it. Thank you. So for volunteering in the first place, Amy and Donna, that was really something and hopefully we can do this in some form. Again, we don't know, we'll have to have a little meeting, won't we? Me and Holly see how we go again. But it's been really wonderful. I've loved this series of podcasts.

Thank you so much everyone for listening. Thank you so much for being involved, being part of it. This is the end of season six. Can you believe it? There will be another new exciting season coming very soon. Watch this space. We might have a little, maybe we'll have a marathon break. If you want to challenge yourself, you can find regular updates and reminders of all our challenges we've got going on and get advice and encouragement herspirit.co.uk or on the Her Spirit app. I just wanna give you a round of applause and it's only gonna be me on my own on the sofa, but everybody else at home, well done you two, you're absolutely brilliant. I've loved being part of all of this. Thank you so much for listening. That's been the Her Spirit podcast. That's been season six. We will be back. See you soon. Take care and just keep moving everyone.