From College Runners to Perimenopause: Training, Fueling & Performance Across Every Stage | Sonja Friend-Uhl

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In this episode of the Maximum Mileage Running Podcast, I’m joined by world-class athlete and coach Sonja Friend-Uhl, Assistant Coach for the men’s and women’s cross country and track teams at Florida Atlantic University and a lifelong competitor who continues to perform at a high level as a Masters athlete.

We dive into what it really looks like to pursue high performance across every stage of a female runner’s life, from the pressures collegiate athletes face today to the realities of training through perimenopause.

Sonja shares her journey from the corporate world into coaching, how she’s balanced an incredibly full schedule while continuing to train and compete, and what she’s learned working with athletes at every level.

We also get into some of the most important and often overlooked topics in women’s running right now, including body image, underfueling, RED-S, and the role of strength training and proper nutrition as hormones begin to shift.

If you’re a busy runner trying to perform at a high level, whether you’re in college, post-college, or navigating hormonal changes, this episode will give you practical insight and a much-needed perspective shift.

In this episode, we cover:

• The growing pressure around body image and fueling in collegiate female runners
• Red flags for underfueling and how coaches can better support athletes
• Sonja’s transition from corporate life to elite coaching
• Training through perimenopause and why more mileage isn’t the answer
• How strength training supports performance, health, and longevity
• Why individualized training matters more than ever

If you’re interested in working with Sonja or learning more about her coaching, you can connect with her on Instagram at @coachsonjaruns, just send her a direct message to get started.

Right, that's us done. If that was useful… share it. Stick it in your club WhatsApp, send it to that mate who's always getting injured three weeks before race day. You know the one ;)

If you want to go deeper on any of this, Nick puts out videos every week on YouTube, and the entire team of coaches are sharing helpful tips on their instagram channels... links below. And if you're thinking you actually need a proper plan and someone in your corner… we've got Guided Coaching from 97 quid a month, right up to full one-to-one coaching with the coach of your choice. Either way, maximummileagecoaching.com is where you want to be.

See you on the next one.

To work with us - https://join.maximummileagecoaching.com/home-page-9835

Nick's YT - youtube.com/channel/UCgdIPeN3bF7I7-tcspyFbVg/

Faye's IG - https://www.instagram.com/fayejohnsoncoaching/

Rachael's IG - https://www.instagram.com/rachforthelongrun/

Hannah's IG - https://www.instagram.com/coach_hannah_witt/

Matt's IG - https://www.instagram.com/ultracoachmatt/