Newsletter: June 2025

Your monthly letter from Kayleigh.

💥 Boom! What a month!

Things didn’t go quite to plan… Stress fracture threw a curveball 🦴 but I’m handling it with perspective and a clear comeback plan 💪. Sometimes the best lessons come from the toughest moments.

🔥 And… the response to Beecraigs Backyard Ultra has been unreal — only 25 spaces remaining!! 🎉

Here’s what else I’ve been sharing this month:

🧱 Why strength training isn’t optional for runners (learned this the hard way!)

🧠 The comeback mindset – how to reframe setbacks into redirections

🥦 Anti-inflammatory foods that actually help your recovery

🏃‍♀️ Foundation rebuild workout to reconnect you with why you love running

Stevie's crew for the West Highland Way Race

June's Highlights:

🎉 What a month for celebrating others! Huge congratulations to everyone who took on the West Highland Way Race - seeing so many of you collect that cherished finisher's goblet was absolutely incredible. The spirit, determination, and smiles at the awards ceremony reminded me why I love this community so much. Crutches meant I couldn't be part of Stevie's crew and pacer as planned, but he had an epic team around him and he battled through some extreme heat and an epic thunder storm to get to the end.

🚀 Beecraigs registration launched - and wow! 125 spaces filled already, with those first 40 early bird spots vanishing in hours. The excitement for April 2026 is real, and I'm buzzing to see this vision becoming reality.

📝 Been diving deep into strength training for runners - sometimes our biggest lessons come from our toughest moments, and I've got plenty to share on this front.

🎙️ Had an amazing chat with David Taylor for the West Coast Ultra Podcast about his incredible journey and insights from the ultra world.

🔄 Life threw some curveballs this month, but I'm handling them with perspective, positivity, and a clear plan forward. More on that below, along with why strength training isn't optional, podcast recommendation, workout of the month, nutrition tip, race prep wisdom, and your biggest running questions...

From the Blog

🏋️ Why Strength Training Isn't Optional for Runners

My recent injury was a wake-up call about something I'd been neglecting. Find out why strength training deserves equal billing with your running miles, and get my practical approach to building it into your routine - even when time is tight.

Spoiler: It's not about becoming a bodybuilder. It's about becoming bulletproof.

Read the blog here.

Coaching Corner

What if your greatest comeback starts with your hardest setback?

This month didn't go to plan. A stress fracture meant dropping out of the WHW Challenge Race, stepping back from Team Scotland for the 4 Nations, and deferring Race Across Scotland.

But here's what I've learned: setbacks aren't roadblocks - they're redirections.

I'm acknowledging what led here (not enough strength work etc. - I'll own that), I'm focusing on what I can control (recovery, rebuilding, learning), and I'm staying connected to why I run in the first place.

Sometimes the most productive training phase is the one that forces you to go back to basics. I'm treating this as my foundation season - because every great comeback story starts with getting the fundamentals right.

Do you have a question you want to ask a coach? Send them in and I may feature it next month!

🎙️ Podcast Recommendation

 

David and I switched roles as I jumped in as podcast host on his West Coast Ultra Podcast. David recently completed the GB Ultras 100 mile ultra marathon along the Southern Upland Way. This race covers 104 miles of the National Trails and around 18 thousand feet of climbing!

We talk about:

• Some of his background in running and what led him here

• Preparations for the race and what specific training he did to get myself ready

• How the race panned out (TL;DR went well, then didn't)

• What's up next?

Listen to the episode here.

🏃‍♀️ Workout of the Month: The Resilience Repeater

This session is all about the mental grind — pacing effort, recovering with intention, and learning to reset and go again. It’s not about speed. It’s about building trust in yourself when things get tough.

 💥 How Hard Is It?

This is a moderately tough workout — mentally challenging and physically steady. Think: “tough but doable.”

Rate of Perceived Effort: 6–7/10

Workout Structure

 

 Warm-up: 10–15 mins easy jog + mobilisation drills + 3 × 20s strides

Main Set (Road or Smooth Trail): 4–6 ×

5 minutes at a sustainably strong effort (tempo or “controlled discomfort”)

2 minutes jog recovery

💡 Each rep should feel controlled, not chaotic. Your job is to calm the mind, not chase splits.

Cool Down with 10 mins easy jogging.

🧠 Mindset Cues:

First reps: “Can I stay smooth?”

Midway: “What’s worth holding on to?”

Final rep: “Can I finish better than I started?”

🌲 On Trail or Hills?

Try This Instead:

4–6 hill climbs:

• 3–4 minutes steady uphill effort

• Jog or walk back down to recover

Make It Work for You:

Beginner (just getting back into running):3 × 4 min @ steady effort + 3 min recovery

Focus on breathing + rhythm

Intermediate (used to structured sessions):4–5 × 5 min @ strong, controlled effort + 2 min recovery. Focus on smooth transitions and staying steady

 Advanced (ready for a challenge): 5–6 × 5 min @ firm tempo + 90 sec jog recovery. Optional: run the last rep slightly stronger to practise finishing with control

🧠 Mindset Moment: The Comeback Mindset

It’s easy to feel strong when everything’s going to plan. But when things unravel? That’s when real resilience kicks in. Here’s the mindset reframe I come back to — for myself and the athletes I coach:

The Reframe Process: 1. Acknowledge – Let yourself feel the disappointment. Skipping this step only delays healing. 2. Accept – What’s done is done. Don’t waste energy wishing it were different — direct it forward. 3. Assess – What can this teach me? What needs to shift? 4. Act – Take one small, intentional step toward the new plan.

This isn’t toxic positivity — it’s practical resilience. Some of the biggest athlete breakthroughs I’ve seen have followed major setbacks. The comeback often isn’t just stronger — it’s smarter, more grounded, and more aligned than the original plan ever was.

 Nutrition Insight: Anti-Inflammatory Recovery Foods

When you’re in recovery, what you eat matters just as much as what you do. Prioritise foods that reduce inflammation and actively support tissue repair — it’s like cross-training for your cells.

Daily Nutrition Wins:

• Tart cherry juice – rich in natural melatonin and anthocyanins to aid sleep and reduce inflammation

• Fatty fish (2–3 times per week) – a powerful source of omega-3s for joint and soft tissue health

• Colourful vegetables – packed with antioxidants that protect against oxidative stress from training

• Turmeric + black pepper – the pepper boosts curcumin absorption to maximise anti-inflammatory effects

🌿 Vegan Tip: Instead of fish, boost your omega-3 intake with:✔️ Chia seeds✔️ Ground flaxseed✔️ Hemp seeds✔️ Walnuts✔️ Algae-based omega-3 supplements (look for EPA + DHA)

These plant-based sources are excellent for reducing inflammation, supporting joint health, and improving recovery — especially when eaten consistently.

🌱 Quick Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie - Ideal post-strength session or during a deload week.

Blend together:

• 1 cup tart cherry juice

• Handful of spinach

• ½ banana

• 1 tsp turmeric

• Pinch of black pepper

• 1 scoop protein powder (plant-based or whey)

• Ice to preference

Optional add-ins: ground flaxseed, cinnamon, or a splash of oat milk for extra creaminess.

Events 

⚠️ NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES: Beecraigs Backyard Ultra | 25 April 2026

The response has been incredible

🔥 125 spaces filled and counting! 🔥

If you're thinking about it, don't wait. This is shaping up to be something special.

Grab your space now!

And it felt only right to scribble some notes on "How to Train for a Backyard Ultra" - everything from pacing strategy to mental preparation for the unique challenge of the loop format.

Read the Blog Here

What's Next?

🦴 I’m deep in recovery mode right now — rebuilding strength from the ground up and planning my return with even more intent and resilience. Every setback brings wisdom, if you're willing to listen.

🏃‍♀️ While I hit pause on my own running, I’m channelling energy into the incredible athletes I coach — and wow, they are thriving. Not every goal is about race times. We've seen powerful breakthroughs in consistency, self-trust, and mindset shifts. Watching someone do what they once thought was impossible? That’s the real win.

🌬️ One of my athletes is using Run the Blades 50K as a training run — a reflection of just how far they’ve come, not just in fitness but belief. It’s a privilege to witness that kind of growth.

☀️ Sunshine Incoming

Soon I’ll be in Gozo, soaking up some much-needed Vitamin D with the family. No running... will I survive? Will they? 😂

🎯 Coaching Spaces Open

What makes coaching with me different? It's not just the BSc Psychology or UK Athletics qualification (though they help). It's this:

I've been exactly where you are. The self-doubt before a big goal. The frustration when training isn't clicking. The devastation when plans fall apart. The joy when everything comes together. I don't coach from theory - I coach from lived experience, both triumph and setback. 🙌

My athletes don't just get faster - they get unshakeable. We build mental resilience alongside physical strength. When race day arrives, you'll have unwavering belief in your preparation because we've rehearsed not just the running, but the thinking.

You get me, not a programme. Every session is designed for YOUR life, YOUR goals, YOUR challenges. Shift work? Family chaos? Injury history? We build around it, not despite it. Plus, I reply to messages like they matter - because they do. ❤️

Ready to see what you're truly capable of? £50 off your first 3 months. Limited spaces, extended availability while I rebuild my own racing calendar. This might be perfect timing for both of us.

Not sure if coaching is right for you?

Let’s jump on a call — no pressure, no commitment. Just a relaxed chat about your goals and how we might work together. 😊

Coaching Discovery Session

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