The blog

Honest writing on hard things.

Female endurance, nutrition, mindset, the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, motherhood, and what it actually takes to train hard as a woman. Written by me, not an agency.

Every weekone proper piece

Female-specificbuilt for your physiology

Research-ledand plainly said

Freeno gate, no funnel

If it helped one of my athletes, it goes here.

Most Recent

Blog

Training in the Haze: Which Number Actually Matters

PSI, API and 1-hour PM2.5 are three different numbers and only one of them tells you whether to run in the next hour. What the bands mean in Singapore and Malaysia, how exercise changes your exposure, and how to handle the kids.

Caffeine for Female Endurance Athletes: Dose, Timing and the Cycle Myth

How much caffeine actually helps women's endurance, when to take it, and why you do not need to time it to your cycle. Evidence-based, Pretty Strong.

GI Distress: Why Your Gut Betrays You on Long Runs

Why women get gut trouble on long runs and races, the female-specific causes, and how to train your gut to behave. Pretty Strong coaching.

How to Build a Swim Set on Your Garmin

Stop memorising swim sets or taping soggy paper to your water bottle. Here is exactly how to build a swim workout in Garmin Connect, get your rest and equipment in, and have it waiting on your watch when you get to the pool.

Tendons, Ligaments and the Female Athlete: Training to Stay Injury-Free

Why female tendons and ligaments behave differently, how your cycle and menopause change injury risk, and how to train to stay strong. Pretty Strong.

Perimenopause, Chafing and the Skin Nobody Warns You About

Why perimenopause makes your skin thinner, drier and more prone to chafing, and exactly how endurance women can protect it. Pretty Strong.

Menopause, HRT and Endurance: What Actually Changes

What menopause does to your endurance, whether HRT helps performance, and how to train and fuel through it. Straight talk from Pretty Strong.

Protein for Female Athletes: How Much, and When

How much protein female endurance athletes really need, when to eat it, and why most women fall short. Simple, evidence-based targets.

How to Taper for a Race Without Losing Your Mind

How to taper before a race without losing fitness or your mind. What to cut, what to keep, and how to handle taper tantrums.

Training With Power: FTP Made Simple for Women

What FTP is, how to test it, and how to train with power as a female cyclist or triathlete. Zones and pacing made simple.

The Big Three Running Injuries, and How to Prevent Them

Shin splints, runner's knee and IT band syndrome. What causes them and how to prevent them as a female runner.

Training With Your Menstrual Cycle, Not Against It

How to train with your menstrual cycle, not against it. What the evidence really says, and why managing beats rigid cycle-syncing.

The Latest In…

Fitness + Training

Blog

Training in the Haze: Which Number Actually Matters

How to Build a Swim Set on Your Garmin

Tendons, Ligaments and the Female Athlete: Training to Stay Injury-Free

Why female tendons and ligaments behave differently, how your cycle and menopause change injury risk, and how to train to stay strong. Pretty Strong.

How to Taper for a Race Without Losing Your Mind

How to taper before a race without losing fitness or your mind. What to cut, what to keep, and how to handle taper tantrums.

Training With Power: FTP Made Simple for Women

What FTP is, how to test it, and how to train with power as a female cyclist or triathlete. Zones and pacing made simple.

The Big Three Running Injuries, and How to Prevent Them

Shin splints, runner's knee and IT band syndrome. What causes them and how to prevent them as a female runner.

How to Beat Open Water Swim Panic

Why open water swimming triggers panic, and how to beat it. Breathing, sighting and race-start tactics for women new to triathlon.

Overtraining or Just Tired? How to Read the Signs

How to tell the difference between normal training tiredness and overtraining as a female athlete. The signs, and what to do about them.

Brick Workouts: Why Your Legs Feel Weird Off the Bike

What a brick workout is, why your legs feel strange running off the bike, and how to train it. A triathlon guide for women.

How to Build Running Mileage Without Getting Injured

How to build running mileage without getting injured. What the 10 percent rule gets right and wrong, and a smarter way to progress.

Lifting Won’t Make You Bulky. It’ll Make You Faster.

Strength training makes women faster, more durable and better protected against bone loss. Why the bulky myth does not hold up, and the two sessions a week that do the work.

Your First 70.3: A Female Athlete’s Guide to Half Ironman Training

A 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run, back to back. Here is the honest roadmap for your first half Ironman: weekly structure, brick sessions, open water and race-day fuelling.

Nutrition

Blog

Caffeine for Female Endurance Athletes: Dose, Timing and the Cycle Myth

How much caffeine actually helps women's endurance, when to take it, and why you do not need to time it to your cycle. Evidence-based, Pretty Strong.

GI Distress: Why Your Gut Betrays You on Long Runs

Why women get gut trouble on long runs and races, the female-specific causes, and how to train your gut to behave. Pretty Strong coaching.

Protein for Female Athletes: How Much, and When

How much protein female endurance athletes really need, when to eat it, and why most women fall short. Simple, evidence-based targets.

Carb Loading and Race-Day Fuelling: A Female Athlete's Guide

How to carb load and fuel on race morning as a female endurance athlete. The numbers, the timing, and how to avoid gut trouble.

Creatine for Women: What the Science Actually Says

Does creatine actually work for women? The evidence on dose, muscle, bone and perimenopause, from a qualified sports nutritionist. No bro-science.

Why Female Triathletes Struggle With Gut Issues (And How to Fix It)

Triathlon gut issues in women explained. Learn why female triathletes struggle with digestion, fuelling, hormones, carb tolerance, and how to fix gut problems for confident training and racing.

Triathlon Hydration & Electrolytes: What You Must Know

Electrolytes for triathletes – learn how to fuel, hydrate, and recover for peak performance. Discover the right balance of sodium, potassium, and fluids for training, racing, and recovery.

When to Have Your Morning Coffee? – A Guide for Female Endurance Athletes

The best time for morning coffee to boost endurance, protect sleep, and optimise performance for women athletes.

What to Eat Before a Workout: A Female Athlete's Guide to Pre-Workout Fuelling

Pre-workout fuelling guide for female endurance athletes. What to eat before training based on time and session type.

Post-Workout Nutrition for Female Runners & Triathletes

Female runners and triathletes – learn exactly what to eat after training to speed recovery, boost performance, and reduce injury risk. Includes carb-protein ratios, quick snack ideas, and balanced meals for endurance athletes.

Why You Feel Drained After Long Runs & How to Fix It

Post-run recovery for female runners starts with smart nutrition. Learn what to eat, how to hydrate, and how to stop feeling drained after long runs.

How to Eat for Endurance Without Weight Gain: The Honest Guide

How female endurance athletes can eat enough to perform without gaining weight. Honest fuelling guide from qualified Nutritionist Frankie Forzoni, Pretty Strong Coaching.

Women’s Health

Blog

Perimenopause, Chafing and the Skin Nobody Warns You About

Why perimenopause makes your skin thinner, drier and more prone to chafing, and exactly how endurance women can protect it. Pretty Strong.

Menopause, HRT and Endurance: What Actually Changes

What menopause does to your endurance, whether HRT helps performance, and how to train and fuel through it. Straight talk from Pretty Strong.

Protein for Female Athletes: How Much, and When

How much protein female endurance athletes really need, when to eat it, and why most women fall short. Simple, evidence-based targets.

Training With Your Menstrual Cycle, Not Against It

How to train with your menstrual cycle, not against it. What the evidence really says, and why managing beats rigid cycle-syncing.

Carb Loading and Race-Day Fuelling: A Female Athlete's Guide

How to carb load and fuel on race morning as a female endurance athlete. The numbers, the timing, and how to avoid gut trouble.

Returning to Running After Baby: A Postpartum Guide for Women

Your six-week check clears gentle activity, not impact running. The readiness tests, the pelvic floor warning signs, and how to build back properly after having a baby.

Creatine for Women: What the Science Actually Says

Does creatine actually work for women? The evidence on dose, muscle, bone and perimenopause, from a qualified sports nutritionist. No bro-science.

Training Through Perimenopause: A Guide for Female Endurance Athletes

The training that worked in your thirties stops working in perimenopause. Here is what to change instead: heavy lifting, sprint intervals, impact and the protein targets that actually matter for female endurance athletes.

Carbohydrates & PCOS: What Female Athletes Need to Know

Carbohydrates and PCOS explained for female athletes. Learn how to fuel training, manage insulin resistance, balance hormones, and improve performance without cutting carbs.

Iron Deficiency in Female Athletes: What to Watch For and How to Fix It

Iron deficiency in female athletes can ruin performance. Learn the signs, what to test, and how to fix low iron through food, supplements, and smart training.

Eat to Beat Period Symptoms: Nutrition for Women Who Train

Eat to beat period symptoms: Discover the best foods to reduce cramps, bloating, and fatigue while supporting energy levels and hormone health.

The Ultimate Postnatal Running Guide

Returning to running after pregnancy? Learn when to start, how to rebuild strength, and the safest way to ease back into running postnatally.

Community + Events

Blog

Your London Marathon 2025 Training Guide

Prepare for the London Marathon 2025 with expert tips from a female running coach who has run the London Marathon twice. Learn about training plans, injury prevention, and race-day strategies.

Mind Over Marathon - Singapore

Discover the inspiring journey of Mind Over Marathon, a running community in Singapore focused on mental health awareness and support. Learn how running and a supportive community can transform mental well-being…

Spartan Beast - Malaysia

Join us for the thrilling journey of conquering the final Spartan Race of the year in Johor Bahru. Discover the highs and lows of earning the Spartan Trifecta, overcoming obstacles, and pushing through the toughest terrain to achieve greatness…

Spartan Super - Singapore

Discover our exhilarating journey through the Spartan Super in Singapore! From overcoming 30 challenging obstacles to embracing the mud and camaraderie, our team's determination and teamwork shine through. Join us as we tackle the race and prepare for the ultimate Spartan Trifecta…

BodyBoss - Singapore

BodyBoss and GuavaPass Singapore collaboration, bringing in Frankie from Pretty Strong Coaching to conduct our weekend workout..

Spartan Sprint - Singapore

Join us as we tackle the Spartan Sprint in Singapore! Discover the highs and lows of the race, from mud slides and rope climbs to the incredible camaraderie and personal achievements of our PrettyStrong team. Learn how we overcame obstacles together and why physical activity is key to mental and physical strength…

Spartan Sprint - Malaysia

Join us as we conquer the Spartan Sprint in Malaysia! Discover the challenges and triumphs of our first-ever obstacle race, from barbed wire crawls to bucket carries. Learn how teamwork, determination, and fitness training helped us tackle this intense race…

Mental Well-being

Blog

Why Perfectionism is Holding Back Your Running Progress

Female runners: perfectionism could be stalling your progress. Learn how to break free from all-or-nothing thinking & train with consistency and confidence.

How to Stay Motivated When Running Feels Like a Chore

Female athlete motivation tips from a running coach: Learn how to stay consistent with your training even when you're tired, stressed, or unmotivated.

5 Mindfulness Practices to Enhance Your Daily Routine

Discover five powerful mindfulness practices to incorporate into your daily routine. Enhance your wellbeing, manage stress, and find balance in your busy life with these simple techniques…

How Endurance Sport Builds Real Confidence: The Toolkit

The confidence toolkit I use with every athlete I coach. Five tools to move through fear and build real self-belief through endurance sport. By Frankie Forzoni, Pretty Strong Coaching.

Trauma and Endurance Sports: How Running Brought Me Back From Depression

Why endurance sport helps women heal from trauma, depression, and the hard chapters. By Frankie Forzoni, who came back from depression through running.

Mindful Running: The Secret to Better Performance & Recovery

Mindful running improves focus, reduces stress, and enhances performance. Learn how mindfulness can elevate your training experience.

Running in Nature: A Therapy for Mental Well-being

Running in nature is one of the best ways to reduce stress, boost mood, and improve mental well-being. Learn why outdoor running is therapy for the mind and body.

Running for Mental Health: How It Boosts Mood & Reduces Anxiety

Running is one of the best ways to improve mental health. Learn how running boosts mood, reduces anxiety, and enhances overall well-being.

Redefining Fitness: Why Exercise is a Mental Health Game-Changer

Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for mental health. Learn how running, strength training, and movement improve focus, confidence, and well-being.

The Mental Battle of Injury Recovery & How to Stay Strong

Struggling with injury recovery? Learn how to manage the mental battle, stay positive, and return stronger with expert tips for female endurance athletes.

Why Endurance Training is the Ultimate Stress Reliever

Struggling with stress? Discover how running, cycling, and swimming can transform your mental health, reduce anxiety, and boost resilience. A guide for busy women.

The Science Behind Endurance Sports and Mental Health: How Running, Cycling, and Swimming Boost Well-Being

Discover how running, cycling, and swimming improve mental health, reduce stress, and build confidence. A science-backed guide for female athletes.

Honest writing on hard things.

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