Fuel to Thrive
How your gut, your hormones and your running are all connected
By Georgie Rutherford, Long Run Collective
If you have ever felt exhausted despite eating well, struggled with energy through training, or wondered why your body feels so different to how it did in your 30s, this is for you.
At Long Run Collective we recently hosted our first Fuel to Thrive workshop and the response told us everything we needed to know.
“My biggest takeaway is gut health and hormones. I had no idea about it and I am glad I have learned more. The workshop was very detailed. I didn’t leave thinking there was something missing. I would definitely recommend it, in fact I already did.” Fuel to Thrive attendee
Here is what we covered and why it could change everything.
It all starts in the gut
Your gut is not just about digestion. It is the control centre for your hormones, your mood, your energy and your performance. 90% of your serotonin is produced in your gut, which means the fatigue, anxiety and motivation dips so many active women experience are often rooted here rather than in fitness or willpower.
From our late 30s gut microbiome diversity begins to decline significantly. By perimenopause many women have lost up to 30% of their microbial diversity without ever realising it.
The connection nobody talks about
A community of gut bacteria called the estrobolome is responsible for metabolising oestrogen. When it is healthy, oestrogen is processed efficiently. When it is disrupted, everything suffers – energy, mood, sleep, weight, bone density and hormonal symptoms all worsen.
Two women with identical hormone levels can have completely different experiences of perimenopause based purely on the health of their gut. That single fact is the foundation of everything we teach.
What active women actually need
The most important conversations of the evening centred on what women consistently get wrong and it almost always comes back to under fuelling.
Fasted training is not your friend. For women with declining oestrogen it pushes cortisol higher, breaks down muscle and damages the gut lining. Even a banana before a morning run changes your entire hormonal response.
Carbohydrate is not the enemy. Gut bacteria feed on fibre from complex carbs. Cutting them starves your microbiome and accelerates every symptom you are trying to avoid.
Protein needs increase with age. Active women in perimenopause and beyond need significantly more protein than in their 30s, spread evenly across meals for best absorption.
The gut responds fast. Positive change can begin within 48 hours. It is never too late to start.
Want to go deeper?
The workshop was just the beginning. The Fuel to Thrive Programme takes everything above and goes further. giving you personalised guidance on gut health, hormone specific fuelling, practical nutrition for every distance from 10k to ultra and the ongoing support of a coach who truly understands the active female body.
“I really value the place from where LRC approaches running and the support provided, in particular to women.” Fuel to Thrive attendee 🌿
This is not a generic nutrition plan. It is evidence based, women specific and built entirely around you.
Drop Georgie a message to learn more longruncollective@gmail.com
Georgie Rutherford is the co-founder of Long Run Collective, a coaching community for women who want to run well, feel strong and love the journey at every stage of life.
@longruncollective