Lucy Hurn: When Your Body Changes the Rules: Qualifying for Kona Through Perimenopause

What happens when your body changes the rules halfway through your biggest athletic goal? Lucy Hurn found out when perimenopause hit during her 8-year quest to qualify for Kona.

In this raw and practical episode, Lucy shares her journey from struggling with fatigue, irregular recovery, and changing physiology to finally earning her spot at the Ironman World Championships. This isn't just about getting faster — it's about adapting, listening to your body, and redefining what success looks like.

 

Key insights from this conversation:

• Listen to your body becomes non-negotiable — especially when hormones make recovery unpredictable

• Fuelling enough is harder than you think — why most female athletes under-eat and how it sabotages performance

• Your thoughts aren't facts — learning to reframe negativity can transform your training and racing

• The guilt factor — why women struggle more with training time and how to navigate family responsibilities

 

Practical takeaways for training through perimenopause:

• Build flexibility into training plans — some days you adapt, some days you skip entirely

• Prioritise protein at every meal (minimum 1g per kg bodyweight, building up from there)

• Focus on what you can control: sleep hygiene, nutrition quality, stress management

• Track your symptoms to understand patterns and communicate effectively with healthcare providers

 

Resources & Links:

• Book recommendation: A Life Without Limits by Chrissie Wellington — Lucy's inspiration for her Kona goal

• Research mentioned: Work by Dr. Natalie Brown on training around menstrual cycles and menopause -

• Training philosophy: "You don't get fitter from training — you get fitter from recovery from training"

 

Connect with Lucy Hurn:

Lucy is the owner of Feel Fit with Lucy and helps women achieve big race goals while building both fitness and confidence. Her coaching covers training, nutrition, mindset, race planning, and stress management.

Instagram: @feelfitwithlucy

Facebook: Feel Fit with Lucy

LinkedIn: Lucy Hurn

YouTube: Mobility Monday videos 

Membership for female triathletes and runners: feelfitwithlucy.co.uk/membership 

Free resources: feelfitwithlucy.co.uk/freebies

 

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