Last weekend, Adam and I hosted a Runners Race Day Prep & Recovery Session.

On the surface, it was about preparing for a race – marathons, half marathons, 10ks.

But underneath it all, the message was something much bigger.

And something that applies to all of us, whether you run or not.

We started the session by asking each person what they were training for and what they needed. And very quickly, one thing became clear.

Every single person was different.

Different goals. Different bodies. Different ages. Different levels of ability. 

And yet so many people come into race week thinking there is a “perfect” way to do things. A perfect plan. A perfect routine. A perfect formula to follow.

But there isn’t.

We live in a world where we are constantly being told what we should be doing. On social media, through apps and data, from influencers and experts, and from people trying to sell the next “must-have” solution.

Do this. Don’t do that. You’re missing out if you’re not using this method. This is backed by the latest research.

And before long, you stop trusting yourself.

You start second-guessing your decisions, questioning your body and looking outside for answers you already have within you.

One of the most important conversations we had in the session wasn’t about training at all. It was about awareness.

Listening to your body. Understanding your energy. Recognising when to push and when to rest.

Because your body doesn’t just respond to exercise, it responds to everything –  your sleep, stress levels, what you eat, how well you hydrate, how much you move (or don’t), your hormones and your overall environment.

No two people experience these things in the same way, so why would the same plan work for everyone?

The feedback after the session said it all.

“I feel much clearer on what I should and shouldn’t be doing.”

“It was really useful to see that you both prepare in different ways –  it made me feel more at ease.”

“Very informative and helped me understand why my performance has been poor in the past.”

“I feel more confident in my training and what I’ve done in the build up.”

This is what happens when you remove the noise and bring things back to the individual. Clarity replaces confusion. Confidence replaces doubt.

And this isn’t just about running.

Whether you’re preparing for a race, trying to improve your health, or simply wanting to feel better in your body, the same principle applies.

There is no one perfect way. There is only what works for you.

Your body is constantly giving you feedback through your energy levels, tension, fatigue, and how you feel physically and emotionally. The question is, are you listening? Or are you overriding it with noise?

We introduced a simple idea during the session. Ask yourself each day, how am I feeling today? What percentage is my battery on?

That one question creates awareness. And awareness leads to better decisions.

You don’t need more information. You don’t need more tools. You don’t need to follow every new trend or piece of “latest research” that appears in your feed.

What you need is to reconnect with yourself.

To filter out the noise. To let go of comparison. To stop doing things just because someone else says you should.

And to trust that you already know more than you think.

Because you do.

We’re often so busy moving forwards that we don’t stop to ask ourselves how we actually feel.

We carry things. Stress. Pressure.
Conversations we replay in our minds.
Situations that didn’t sit right.
Emotions we didn’t have time to process.

And over time, that weight builds.

Not just in the mind… but in the body too.

Tension in the shoulders.
Tightness in the hips.
A constant feeling of being on edge or overwhelmed.

As a physiotherapist, this is something I see time and time again.

We often focus on treating the physical symptoms – the tight muscles, the aches and pains – but very often there is more to it than that.

Stress, pressure and unprocessed emotions can show up in the body as tension.

It’s why I believe it’s so important to take a more holistic approach, not just looking at the body, but understanding what might be sitting underneath it too.

Because when we begin to gently address both, that’s when real change can happen.

One of the simplest tools I use, both personally and with my clients, is journaling.

Not in a complicated way.
Not pages and pages every day like a diary.

Just a moment to pause… and let things out.

Writing helps to make sense of what’s going on in your mind.
It helps you process how you’re feeling.
It creates space where everything can feel a little clearer.

Sometimes we don’t even realise what we’re holding onto until we slow down enough to notice.

Over the years, one of the ways I’ve personally used journaling is through simple letter writing.

Sometimes those letters have been full of emotion – things I didn’t feel able to say out loud.

I’ve written to people, to situations, and even to parts of myself.

There have been times I’ve written to someone who hurt me.
Other times to my younger self.
Sometimes to a chapter of my life that I was ready to let go of.

And sometimes, it’s been much lighter – just getting thoughts out of my head and onto paper.

There’s no right or wrong way to do it.

What matters is the honesty.

For me, an important part of the process has often been letting the letter go afterwards.

Sometimes that’s as simple as tearing it up.

It’s not about holding onto the words, it’s about releasing them.

Letting go of the thoughts, the tension, or the emotion that’s been sitting there.

And this is the part I think is really important…

It doesn’t have to be heavy.

It doesn’t have to be emotional.

It can be light.
Quiet.
Simple.

Or just a moment to check in with yourself.

You choose what feels right for you.

What I’ve come to realise is that when we let go of even a small amount of tension – mentally, emotionally or physically – we create space.

Space to breathe.
Space to think clearly.
Space to feel calmer.
Space to reconnect with ourselves.

And from that place, everything feels just that little bit easier.

This is something I now gently bring into my sessions and retreats – creating space for women to pause, reflect, and reconnect in a way that feels safe and supportive.

It’s something I feel so strongly about because of my own experiences with ill health, I now understand just how much the body and mind are connected.

There have been times in my life where I was carrying stress, pressure and emotion without really realising it and it showed up physically.

It wasn’t until I started to slow down, reflect, and use simple practices like journaling, movement and breathwork that things began to shift.

Nothing extreme. Nothing complicated.

Just small, consistent moments of giving myself what I needed.

And over time, that made a huge difference to how I felt both physically and mentally.

It’s also why the way I work now has evolved.

My goal is not just to treat symptoms, but to support the whole person.

To gently explore what might be sitting underneath the tension, and help create space for things to shift in a way that feels safe and manageable.

Because when we address both the body and what’s going on beneath the surface, that’s when real, lasting change can happen.

If you’ve been feeling like you need to pause, reset, or simply take some time for yourself… this is your reminder that it’s okay to do that.

You don’t have to carry everything on your own 💛

I’m hosting a Spring Reset: Release & Recharge Mini Retreat on Sunday 12th April – a gentle, supportive 4-hour experience designed to help you slow down, let go of what’s been weighing you down, and reconnect with yourself.

We’ll combine breathwork, guided journaling, gentle movement, and a deeply relaxing yin yoga and sound bath to help you feel calmer, lighter, and more like yourself again.

If this is something your body and mind have been asking for, I would love you to join me.

You can find out more or book your space here.
Rhi x

Mother’s guilt is something so many women carry quietly.

Guilty for losing your patience.

Guilty for not being able to attend every school or sporting event.

Guilty for working too much, being too tired, or feeling like you should somehow be doing more.

As Mother’s Day approaches, something I’ve been reflecting on is the pressure we place on ourselves to be the perfect parent.

Over the years, I’ve come to realise something important.

Guilt serves no real purpose.

It doesn’t change the past.

It doesn’t improve the experience for our children.

It simply sits heavily in our hearts and makes us feel like we’re not enough.

For many years, I carried that guilt too.

I raised my two boys as a single parent for the first six years of their lives whilst running and growing my own business. There were many moments when it was just the three of us, figuring life out together one day at a time.

Like so many parents, I was constantly juggling responsibilities and trying to be everything to everyone.

There were times I reacted instead of responding calmly.

At times, feeling so overwhelmed – I couldn’t be everywhere I wanted to be.

And afterwards, the guilt would creep in.

But over time I realised something important – we can only parent with the skills, tools and emotional capacity we have in that moment.

Often when we react or feel stretched, it’s because our own cup is empty.

We are tired and overwhelmed – trying to carry too much without enough support. 

Eventually I realised something had to change.

Letting go of guilt didn’t happen overnight for me.

It came through years of personal development and inner healing. I gave myself the space to understand my triggers, reflect on past experiences, and learn what I needed to feel calmer and more grounded.

I read books, listened to podcasts and blogs, went to therapy, journaled, and slowly began to understand myself more deeply.

Through that process, I discovered what brings me peace, what brings me joy, and what I need to feel emotionally balanced.

But even as we begin to understand ourselves better, the world around us can still make motherhood feel like an impossible standard to live up to.

Today’s mothers also face another layer of pressure – comparison.

Social media constantly shows us curated snapshots of “perfect parenting”, perfect homes and perfect family moments. But those images rarely reflect the full reality behind the scenes.

Real motherhood is messy, imperfect and human.

Children don’t need perfect mothers.

They need mothers who love them, who care for themselves, and who keep learning and growing along the way.

When I started prioritising my own wellbeing – moving my body, spending time outdoors, creating space to breathe, reflect and reconnect with myself – everything began to shift.

Not because I became perfect.

But because I finally started filling my own cup and understanding myself better.

And when our cup is full, we naturally have more patience, more presence and more energy to give to the people we love.

So this Mother’s Day, if you find yourself reflecting on moments where you think you could have done better, remember this:

You were doing the best you could with what you had in that moment.

And that is enough.

The greatest gift we can give our children is not perfection – it’s a mother who is learning, healing, and showing them what it means to care for herself too.

Because one day they may become parents themselves, and the example we set today can help them understand that everyone – including mums – needs time to rest, recharge and fill their own cup too.

If this message resonates with you, you may enjoy the supportive community we’re building inside Thrive Tribe, where women come together to move, reconnect with themselves and prioritise their wellbeing.

Women are incredible at giving.

We give our time, our energy, our care and our attention to the people we love.
We support our families, our friends, our communities and our workplaces. We hold things together, solve problems and keep moving forward – often without stopping to ask how we are really feeling.

But what happens when we spend so much of our lives giving to everyone else that we forget to give anything back to ourselves?

This International Women’s Day, the theme is Give to Gain.

And it made me pause and reflect on something many women struggle with…

What if the most powerful thing we could give this year was something back to ourselves?

For so many of us, giving is second nature. We give our time to our families, our energy to our work, our attention to our children, our care to our communities. We hold things together, we solve problems, we support others and we keep going, even when we are exhausted.

But when we give and give without receiving, over time it can leave us exhausted, depleted and disconnected from ourselves.

Our bodies tighten.
Our breathing becomes shallow.
Our nervous system stays in constant “doing” mode.

As a chartered physiotherapist with over 26 years of experience, I see the physical effects of this every day – tight shoulders, shallow breathing, poor posture, chronic tension and fatigue. These are often signs of a nervous system that has been living in constant action mode for too long.

In many ways, this reflects an imbalance in our energy.

Our modern world celebrates productivity, achievement and constant action – what many traditions describe as yang energy. It’s the energy of doing, striving, solving problems and making things happen.

Many women have become incredibly skilled at this.

But there is another side that is just as important.

Yin energy.

Yin is the energy of rest, intuition, connection, receiving, nurturing and allowing. It is the softness that balances strength.

When yin and yang are balanced, we feel calm, resilient and grounded. But when one dominates for too long, the body and mind begin to feel the strain.

For many women juggling careers, families and responsibilities, the balance often tips heavily towards doing and giving.

And this is why this year, for International Women’s Day, I wanted to offer something a little different.

Instead of asking women to give more to the world, I wanted to create an opportunity for women to give something back to themselves.

This Sunday we will gather for a walk in nature, followed by time at the outdoor sauna for those who booked spaces – with sauna, hot tub, cold plunge and space to simply breathe and connect.

Movement, fresh air, warm water, cold water, laughter, conversation and community.

These are not luxuries. They are powerful ways to reset the nervous system, nourish the body and reconnect with ourselves.

When we walk together in nature, something shifts. Our shoulders relax, our breathing deepens and our minds quieten. When we share space with other women, we are reminded that we are not alone in the pressures we carry.

And when we allow ourselves moments of rest and restoration, we begin to refill our own cup.

Because here’s the truth: When women give to themselves, everyone benefits.

When we feel stronger, calmer and more supported, we show up more fully in our lives. We have more patience, more clarity and more energy to give – not from depletion, but from abundance.

This is the real meaning of Give to Gain.

Sometimes the most powerful act of giving is not giving more away.

It is giving yourself permission to pause, to breathe, to move, to rest and to receive.

So this International Women’s Day, I invite you to ask yourself a simple question:

What do I need right now?

Perhaps it’s movement.

Perhaps it’s rest.
Perhaps it’s time outdoors.
Perhaps it’s connection.

Whatever it is, give yourself permission to receive it.

Because when women are supported, nourished and empowered to care for themselves as well as others, incredible things happen.

And that is something truly worth celebrating.

When we give ourselves the care, rest and nourishment we need, we don’t just survive – we create the energy and strength to truly thrive.

Stay Connected

If this message resonates with you and you’d like to hear about future classes, wellness walks, retreats and events, you’re very welcome to join my newsletter community.

I share simple ways to help women move well, feel strong and nurture their wellbeing, both online and in person.

Join the newsletter here: 

And if you would like to join us for our International Women’s Day charity walk this Sunday, you can sign up using the form below:

IWD Charity Walk Merthyr Mawr 

Rhi Bowden
Chartered Physiotherapist & Movement Specialist

Strength, posture and movement for women over 40

For most of my life, I believed love meant giving.

Giving more. Helping more. Showing up more. Putting myself last.

I wore it like a badge of honour. I was the strong one. The dependable one. The one who would drop everything to help someone else. Friends. Partners. Colleagues. Clients. Even strangers. If someone needed me, I was there.

Because I value kindness.

Because I care deeply.

Because I genuinely want to make the world better.

But here’s what no one tells you about being “the giver”… If you’re not careful, you slowly disappear.

You start pouring from an empty cup.

You say ‘yes’ when you mean ‘no’.

You overextend.

You feel drained.

Unappreciated.

Taken for granted.

And then you wonder why you’re exhausted. Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually too.

For a long time, I thought setting boundaries was selfish. Unkind. Harsh. I thought being a good person meant always being available.

But I had to learn the hard way that boundaries aren’t unkind.

They’re self-respect.

They’re protection.

They’re love… directed inward.

Because here’s the truth: You cannot keep giving your heart to everyone. Not everyone values it. Not everyone protects it. And not everyone qualifies for that level of access to you.

Your heart is precious.

It deserves to be held carefully.

Even by you….Especially by you.

So this Valentine’s Day, instead of only looking outward… Look inward.

Do you love yourself the way you love everyone else?

Are you kind to yourself?

Do you speak gently to yourself?

Do you prioritise your own needs… or only everyone else’s?

Because the greatest love of all isn’t found in someone else. It starts with you.

With how you treat yourself. How you protect your energy. How you honour your worth.

So maybe this year… Buy yourself the flowers. Treat yourself to the overpriced chocolates. Go for the walk. Book the massage. Rest. Say ‘no’.

Choose you.

Love wisely…..Your heart is precious.

Not everyone qualifies. 🤍

This morning, I ran Newport Riverfront parkrun with some of my wonderful Cowbridge Moovers and I came home with an unexpected 5km personal best of 26:34.

I’m 48 years old (and no, I wasn’t wearing go-faster carbon-plated trainers!) and it took me completely by surprise. I haven’t been training specifically for speed or chasing faster times in my runs… I run because I love it, not because I’m trying to compete. I don’t really have that competitiveness in me (unlike my husband who was first finisher!).

And that’s exactly why it meant so much. Because it wasn’t forced. It wasn’t pressure. It was simply a reflection of the foundations I’ve been building quietly in the background.

We’re so often told a story about ageing – that strength fades, energy disappears, aches become your “new normal”, and slowing down is simply what happens next.

But that hasn’t been my experience. And today was proof.

I haven’t achieved this by pushing harder or running myself into the ground. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite. I’ve been training smarter. I’ve been listening more carefully. I’ve been nourishing my body, supporting my nervous system, and working with myself rather than against myself.

What has made the biggest difference hasn’t been one magic workout or one perfect plan. It’s been a combination of simple but powerful foundations. All the things that support your body for the long run:

• Strength training: I lift in the gym once a week to keep my body strong and supported as I age
• Core + posture work: I prioritise deep core strength, alignment and stability – the kind of strength that carries into everyday life and functional movement.
• Mobility + stretching: I keep my body moving and as flexible as it can be (I’ve never been very flexible – even as a child – so try to keep what I have)
• Food without obsession: No calorie counting, no scales in the house, and I genuinely have no idea what I weigh. I use an 80/20 approach – 80% balanced, nutritious, homemade food, and 20% includes the things I enjoy like chocolate, cake, crisps, wine… because life is for living
• No “good” or “bad” food: I never label food that way. I simply know what nutrition my body needs and when giving it the fuel it needs
• Sleep: I protect 7-9 hours of sleep every night to allow my body to heal, repair and recharge.
• Stress reduction: I’ve completely changed my pace of life – from 100mph to more like 10mph
• Breathwork + nervous system regulation: I use my breathing intentionally to calm my body, regulate my nervous system, and reconnect with myself
• Listening to my body: When I need rest, I rest. I don’t force it. I don’t push through. I change plans if I need to, I say no more often, and I’m learning to respond to life differently. I follow my gut instinct instead of the constant “shoulds” and “musts” in my head.

And I also want to share something real… because this weekend didn’t actually start off feeling positive.

On Friday morning I woke up to an unexpected period, and it was unusually heavy and painful. I felt so uncomfortable that I cancelled my Cowbridge Moovers run meet-up and stayed in bed with a hot water bottle, working quietly on my laptop.

And honestly… I’m proud of that decision.

Because “old Rhi” would have forced herself to go anyway. Old Rhi would have pushed, overridden her body, and carried on regardless.

But this version of me listens. This version of me honours my body and respects its signals, instead of battling against them with a stubborn head and a never-ending to-do list.

And what’s amazing is how quickly things can shift when we give our bodies what they need.

That same evening, I hosted my first ever live online webinar on my own inside Thrive Tribe (tech and all) and I was so proud that I figured it out, overcame the fear, and just did it.

Then the next morning… I ran parkrun and got a 5km PB.

And that is exactly why I’m sharing this.

And I’m sharing this because I genuinely believe this stage of life can be different for us.
Perimenopause and menopause are a big chapter – so why not make it one where we feel strong, supported and more ourselves than ever?

I’m choosing to move, nourish myself, rest when I need to, and keep doing the things that make me feel alive – living with more joy and less pressure.

At 48… I’m not slowing down.

I’m thriving.

And I want that for you too! 

We don’t always need a big goal or a clear plan – sometimes we just need a quiet intention and the courage to listen inward.

When we think about a new year, we’re often encouraged to set big goals.

Run a marathon.

Learn a new skill.
Achieve more.

And while goals can be helpful, they’re not the only (or even the most meaningful) way to move forward.

Sometimes, what we need most isn’t a specific achievement at all. Sometimes, we need an intention – A promise to ourselves.

The Power of a Quiet Commitment

An intention doesn’t have to be something you can measure or tick off.

It might be:

• learning to say no when you’ve spent years saying yes
  
• prioritising your own needs instead of always putting everyone else first
  
• saying yes to invitations when you’d usually retreat
  
• practising gratitude – finding one small thing each day
  
• choosing rest without guilt
  

These quiet commitments might not look impressive from the outside, but over time, they can lead to the most powerful changes of all.

Small shifts. Repeated consistently.

That’s where real transformation happens.

A Personal Reflection

A few years ago, I made a promise to myself.

It wasn’t tied to a specific goal or outcome.
It wasn’t about productivity or success.

I simply decided that I would move my life towards joy and ease.

Whenever I was faced with a decision (big or small) I asked myself:
Does this feel joyful? Does this feel easy?

If the answer was no to both, I had to be brave enough to let it go.

That promise led me to make some very big, uncomfortable decisions.

They weren’t easy, and they weren’t without grief, fear or uncertainty. At times they brought up anxiety and self-doubt. But staying true to that intention helped me choose alignment over familiarity, and wellbeing over struggle.

Looking back now, I can see how those decisions slowly reshaped my life, not overnight, but steadily into something that feels more supportive, spacious and deeply fulfilling.

Listening to the Inner Voice

Through reflection, journalling and moments of stillness, I learned to listen more closely to my inner voice – the quiet part of us that knows what feels right, even when it doesn’t feel comfortable.

Call it intuition.
Inner knowing.
A deeper connection to yourself.

Whatever name we give it, this inner guide is always there. We just need time and space to hear it.

For me, these practices have been where I’ve worked through challenges, uncovered what truly matters, and clarified how I want my life to unfold – my values, my purpose, and the way I want to show up.

Intentions for This Year

This year, the words I’m carrying with me are:

Connection, Expansion and Growth.

Connection – to myself, to others, and to the community around me.
Growth – learning, evolving and staying open to possibility.
Expansion – allowing life to feel more spacious and aligned.

You Don’t Need a Perfect Plan

If you’re feeling unsure about what you want this year, that’s okay.

You don’t need a five-year plan.
You don’t need a perfectly defined goal.

You might simply ask:

• How do I want to feel this year?
  
• What do I want more of?
  
• What am I ready to let go of?
  

Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is pause, listen, and take one small step towards what feels right.

An intention doesn’t demand perfection.
It just asks for honesty.

And that is always enough.

As this year draws to a close, I’ve been taking a little time to pause and reflect – not just on what I’ve done, but on what I’ve learned, how I’ve grown, and why it all matters so much to me.

2025 has been a big year. A year of stepping outside my comfort zone, learning as I went, and trusting that if my intention was right, everything else would follow.

A Year of Giving & Supporting Wellness

One of the things I’m most proud of this year is how much I’ve been able to give back.

In 2025, I created 59 YouTube videos, recorded 16 episodes of The Wellness Journey Podcast, wrote 20 wellness blogs, and taught 14 free classes, both in person and online. I also began volunteering with the Parkinson’s group at Y Galon over the summer.

Alongside this, I hosted 11 Wellness Walks, welcoming 21 different women to move, connect and enjoy the outdoors with no pressure or expectations, just community and fresh air.

All of this was created with one intention: to make movement, education and support accessible and safe. 

Working With People, Not Numbers

Alongside the free work, I supported 191 clients one-to-one this year helping people with pain, recover from injury, improve their posture, confidence and movement.

I genuinely love working 1:1 because it gives me the time and space to truly understand someone – not just their symptoms, but them. Together, we uncover the root cause of what’s going on and work through it in a supportive, holistic way. Watching my clients improve and transform brings me so much joy. 

New Steps, New Confidence

This year also brought many firsts: my first half-day retreat, my first guest speaker event, and the creation of three workshops  – a posture workshop, a running injury prevention workshop for women (with Helen Jenkins), and a self-massage workshop alongside my husband, Adam.

I taught 111 in-person classes and 21 online classes welcoming women and men of all ages into spaces that felt safe, supportive and encouraging. 

The Biggest Growth (Behind the Scenes)

One of my biggest personal achievements this year has been learning technology.

I started the year barely knowing how to copy and paste. I had no confidence with websites, emails or video editing.

Now, I’ve uploaded blogs, sent newsletters, edited my website, created and edited YouTube videos, and spent 10 months building my own online posture course. It genuinely feels like I’ve done a year at university, and I’m incredibly proud of myself for sticking with it and not giving up during those overwhelming moments. 

The Thrive Tribe

Another huge highlight of 2025 has been founding the Thrive Tribe.

What began as a small Facebook group in September has grown into a supportive online platform and a beautiful community of women who want to stay strong, confident and connected as they age.

Alongside my long-standing core strength community, this space represents everything I care about  – empowerment, connection and wellbeing.

Why I Do What I Do

Everything I’ve done this year comes back to one thing.

I want women to feel good in their bodies.

I want them to feel confident, capable and proud – not defined by how they look, but empowered by how they move and how they feel.

Our bodies are incredible. They do so much for us every single day, yet so often we criticise them for how they look on the outside. I want every woman to marvel at what her body can do, to care for it, respect it, and truly appreciate it.

Because loving ourselves completely, deeply and wholeheartedly – just as we are – is wellness.

Looking Ahead

As I move into a new year, I feel deeply grateful for this community, for the trust you place in me, and for the journey we’re on together.

If you’d like to take a gentle pause before the year really gets going, I’m hosting an in-person workshop on Sunday 11th January:

New Year Reset: Move • Reflect • Realign

A calm, grounding two-hour session combining movement, breath, reflection and intention setting – a chance to realign with yourself and step into the year ahead feeling calmer and clearer.

I’d love to see you there 💛

Wishing you all an abundance of love, good health & happiness for 2026!

Rhi x

Christmas is meant to be magical. Joyful. Full of warmth, laughter, and togetherness. But for many single parents, it’s not.

For many, Christmas is heavy.

I know this feeling because I lived it.

For six Christmases, I was a single parent and I found them incredibly hard.

Not just because of the financial strain – though that was real and constant. The pressure of buying presents, stretching money that simply wasn’t there, trying to make Christmas feel special while silently worrying about January.

But what hurt most was watching my children try to make sense of something they couldn’t understand.

They would come home from school talking about other children in their class. Children who were always in trouble, always misbehaving – who seemed to receive so much at Christmas. Endless presents. Big gifts. Things my boys could only dream of.

And my boys were kind. Gentle. Well behaved.

They couldn’t understand why Santa seemed to reward others more.

In that moment, Christmas stopped feeling magical.

I hated having to lie to them.
I hated seeing doubt creep into their little faces.
I hated the idea that they might think they’d done something wrong, that they weren’t “good enough” for Santa.

From that moment on, the whole Santa story felt cruel rather than joyful.

But Christmas Eve was the hardest part of all.

My boys were tiny then – going to bed early, full of excitement, while I stayed up alone.

No one to talk to.
No one to share Santa’s mince pie and milk with.
No one to laugh with as I tiptoed around the house.
No one to help sneak presents under the tree.

Just silence.

I chose to stay in our own home rather than with family – not because I didn’t need support, but because my boys were going back and forth between houses, and I wanted consistency. I wanted them sleeping in their own beds, feeling safe and settled, rather than introducing yet another place to sleep.

So I stayed.

And I cried.

I sat there feeling empty, isolated, unseen.

And if you’re reading this and that feeling feels familiar, please know this:

You are not weak.
You are not failing.
And you are not alone.

Christmas can amplify loneliness in a way nothing else does.

And my heart truly goes out to every single parent who finds this season emotionally challenging.

And I also want you to hear this…

It will not always be this way.

I know it might feel impossible to believe that right now but please hold this truth gently.

This year marks ten years since I met my husband, Adam.

And my life transformed in ways I never could have imagined during those lonely Christmas Eves.

But that love didn’t come quickly.
And it didn’t come easily.

Before Adam, there were six years alone.

When my first marriage ended unexpectedly, my world collapsed overnight. I had two tiny boys – one just ten weeks old, the other twenty months – and I’d only just moved into what I believed was our forever family home.

I had signed the mortgage papers believing we were building a life together.

Instead, I found myself a single mother of two babies, broken and struggling.

Those first two years were the hardest of my life.

I was at rock bottom.
I felt worthless.
Unlovable.
Certain I would never meet anyone again.

Dating with young children felt impossible, surviving each day was hard enough. But deeper than that were the scars heartbreak had left behind: the fear, the resentment, the loss of trust, and a deep belief that maybe this was all life had for me.

But somewhere in the middle of all that pain, I made a decision.

Not to date. Not to “move on”.

But to heal.

I spent five years focusing on myself and my boys.
I faced my hurt.
I questioned my beliefs about what I deserved.
I learned to set boundaries.
I slowly rebuilt my self-worth.

And I began to believe that healthy, respectful love might exist… and that I might be worthy of it.

Then, five years later, while working at a British Triathlon training camp in Portugal, I met Adam.

From the very first moment, I knew he was different.

Kind.
Respectful.
Thoughtful.

Over the last ten years, he has shown up again and again – not just for me, but for our boys. Fully. Consistently. With love.

He is a wonderful husband and an incredible dad.

But perhaps most importantly, Adam was the first person who loved me for me – not for what I gave, fixed, or sacrificed.

He didn’t love me for filling gaps or soothing insecurities.

He simply loved me.

And that kind of love only became possible because I had first learned to love and value myself.

So if you’re reading this during a hard Christmas – sitting alone, holding it together for your children, feeling exhausted, heartbroken, or unseen, please hear this:

This chapter is not your whole story.

There is life beyond this season.
There is love beyond this loneliness.
There is joy waiting for you that you cannot yet imagine.

For now, be gentle with yourself.
You are doing something incredibly brave.

And one day, I promise that Christmas will feel different.

With so much love and understanding,
Rhi ❤️

By Adam & Rhi Bowden

Are you training for a spring marathon or half?

London, Newport, Manchester – whichever start line you’re aiming for, there’s one truth that most runners overlook:

The next six weeks are absolutely crucial.

While most people begin to wind down for Christmas,  the smart runners use this window to build the strength, stability, and movement foundations that make January training feel easier, lighter, and far more injury-proof.

Between us, we have over 30 years of running experience, from elite racing to coaching and physiotherapy. We’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly – we’ve seen exactly why runners get injured during marathon training.

And it’s rarely bad luck.

It’s often because the foundations weren’t built early enough.

These next six weeks can be the difference between a confident, strong January…or startingy our plan feeling stiff, slow, and vulnerable to injury.

Here’s how to get it right.

Nov/Dec: Build Your Base (Your Injury-Prevention Window)

Most runners stop here – but this is such a crucial phase.

This phase is all about preparing your body so it can handle the training load that’s coming. Think of it as your marathon insurance policy.

Focus on:

• Strength training 2-3x per week – Legs, glutes, core, single-leg work. Nothing fancy – just consistent, quality strength.
  
• Mobility & flexibility – Hips, ankles, knees and spine – get everything moving.
  
• Activation work – particularly core & Glutes. Wake up the muscles that matter.
  
• Technique & drills – A-skips, B-skips, posture drills, fast feet – small tweaks that change everything.
  
• Optional easy running – If you want to keep running, keep it easy. There’s no pressure here.
  
• Consistency over intensity – You’re laying foundations, not chasing fitness.
  

This is the month that dramatically reduces the chance of an injury in February or March.

January: Start Building the Engine

This is when official marathon training kicks off.

After the Christmas break, the goal is simple: Feel strong – not overwhelmed.

Focus on:

• Gradually increasing your weekly mileage
  
• 1 long run + 1 quality session (intervals or tempo)
  
• Easy miles around these key days
  
• Keeping strength training in your plan (don’t drop it!)
  
• Re-establishing good sleep and routine
  
• Post-run mobility to stay loose and balanced
  

Good habits now will carry you through the next two months.

February & March: Build the Miles (Smartly)

This is where the magic happens – or where runners break down.

These are the highest-risk months for injury.

Not because runners are doing anything “wrong,” but because:

• Mileage increases
  
• Fatigue accumulates
  
• Life gets busy
  
• Recovery gets forgotten
  

Here’s what matters most:

• Progress your long run gradually
  
• Work on pacing and test all your fueling early
  
• Keep one strength session per week
  
• Prioritise recovery just as much as training
  
• Keep improving technique: posture, cadence, arm drive
  
• Train YOUR body – not someone else’s pace or mileage
  

If you’re disciplined here, you’ll arrive at race day feeling powerful, not broken.

A Final Word From Us

If there’s one message we want runners to take away:

Don’t neglect the work now.

The next few weeks matter more than most people realise.

You don’t need to be running big miles, but you do need to build strength, improve technique, restore/maintain mobility, activate the right muscles and recover properly

This is how you set yourself up for injury-free marathon training so you can have your strongest ever race day.

Start now, build your foundations, and January training will feel completely different.

You’ve got this!

Adam & Rhi