Tina Muir

Mother. Author. Sustainability Advocate. Running For Real Podcast. Former 🇬🇧 Elite Runner. Tina’s story resonates with people from all walks of life.

Tina Muir is the founder and CEO of Running for Real, a support network and community for runners; a mother of two; and a former elite runner turned sustainability advocate. She hosts the award winning Running For Real podcast, a collection of conversations about running, the climate emergency, and social justice. Running For Real’s episode with Jordan Marie Daniel was voted Best Podcast Episode o

f 2021 at the Outdoor Media Summit and Running For Real won Best Fitness Podcast at the 2021 Sports Podcast Awards. Tina also co-hosted Running Realized, a podcast that provides a space to explore difficult subjects and offers insights to create meaningful change in the running world and beyond. With an impressive athletic career, including representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland in a world championship, Tina enjoyed success in the world of competitive running. However, it was during this time that she realized the profound impact her lifestyle had on the environment. She made a commitment to embrace sustainable living and reduce her carbon footprint, and recognizing the power of her platform as a renowned athlete and influencer, leveraged her position to advocate for climate change action. Tina has worked with the United Nations on campaigns related to climate change and humanitarian affairs, and has written for the UN Chronicle. The presenters of the New York City Marathon, the Chicago Marathon, and the Peachtree Road Race have brought her onto their sustainability teams. Through her podcast and social media presence, she starts conversations and shares resources on sustainability, climate change, and how individuals can make a positive difference in their own lives. Her book, Becoming a Sustainable Runner, co-written with Zoë Rom, merges runners’ passion for their sport with their concern for their health, their community, and the environment. As the first elite athlete to openly discuss having amenorrhea, Tina’s story went viral and was featured in People Magazine, The Daily Mail, Runners World, Women’s Running, and on ESPN. Since then she has become an advocate and supporter for others suffering from RED-S / REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport). Her relatable and accessible approach has empowered many to become sustainability advocates themselves, creating a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond the realm of athletics.

11/27/2025

At times it felt like the race organizers (looking at you ) had intentionally chosen difficult elements, even when there was a more direct path, an easier terrain, when there was no need to pull yourself up a 10ft climb by your fingernails, but why not?

I felt exasperated, but so much gratitude for the opportunity to do what I said I wanted. My Achilles was holding up beautifully, and the times I did roll my ankles, they snapped back easily, no pain.

I did take in the gorgeous views. I did feel the presence of nature all around me. I did stop to take photos. It wasn’t the 30 seconds I said, but I was still doing it.

Even when I struggled, I still held those snapshots of presence. Taking in moments of immersion I felt along the way- listening for baboons in the botanical garden, the respite of few seconds of smooth trail, the shade of trees. I was here. In Cape Town. On the adventure of a lifetime, taking it in, and closing in on the finish.

I got lost with a few miles to go, and after a call to Ryan panicking, I ran the half mile back up the mountain (into the headwind) to reconnect with the course for the final climb that was so steep I had to claw with my hands and tuck my bucket hat in my sports bra as the wind tried to blow it off my head. Getting lost cost me a finish in the light, and it was hard to see where I was going as dusk fell, but there was no going back now.

When you say you ran (part hiked) for 16 hours, it’s hard to comprehend how that’s possible. When you hear that the DNF (Did not finish) rate was 48%, it’s hard to believe that you were someone who made it.
When you think about going from a place of a 30 minute walk being “too much” for your achilles to running 100k over intense terrain, it feels like it couldn’t possibly be true.

But it is, and as I crossed the finish, I thought about how far I have come. How proud I was, and how amazing I had people around me to celebrate that moment.

I had given it my all, and was more proud than I have ever been. But in the same way I knew before, yes I ran 100k, but it was the journey to get there that taught me more about who I am❤️

11/26/2025

42km/26 miles in, I was spiraling in panic.

I knew I was going to get to the finish, I had committed myself to that, but I had just come down the most technical descent I had ever run (after climbing Table mountain, a 3000ft climb in a few miles), and I was feeling overwhelmed. The idea that I still had 56k left to run was terrifying.

I also knew the second half had steep climbs too, especially the final climb.

I had a lower back aching that was beginning to be significant. I didn’t know that’s why runners put their hands on their quads on climb, to offload the back, another newbie lesson to learn. I had concluded it had to be from the weight of the required gear all runners had to carry- Waterproof pants and jacket, thermal pants and jacket, a first aid kit, hats and gloves, and more. Combine all of this with the large volumes of water to even attempt at staying hydrated, it was something I was not used to. How bad would that get?

Despite my back, I felt strong on the climbs, but the descents continued to be where I lost time. I just couldn’t get past the fear that I was going to roll my ankle and it would all be over. I had come too far. So instead of looking ahead allowing my brain to plan a path, my eyes remained glued to the floor, carefully watching every step. Safe, sure. But also a lot of mental energy, and significantly slower.

I knew I wanted the first half to be celebrating running my first 100k, not about pushing, and here I was, doing it!! I thought maybe after halfway, I would get into a competitive mode, but chasing others just wasn’t motivating. I just wanted to get there as fast as I (Tina) possibly could.

As the sun exposure cooked us, and the climbs relentlessly challenged, I began to focus on getting to Ryan. Thankfully, after 42k, every 2-3 hours I would. Then when that felt too far away, I focused on getting to the next gel alert, every 24 minutes. I listened to voice memos from loved ones, each person bringing something I needed to keep going (I❤️u friends). I stroked my wicked themed nails, a reminder of my girls and our love for the songs.

Forward motion. One climb at a time, I continued…(part 2 loading⏳)

📸1&2

11/25/2025

Usually words come to me easily.
I have to give my brain a few hours, a little time to wander, but then they appear, and I write them out in one go. Less than five minutes.

I’m now three days post race, and the words aren’t coming. The unpacking is slowly beginning to happen. I’m starting to remember the moments along the way.

You see, I did everything I could to be ready for this race.

I came back from surgery doing more rehab and strength training than I ever have before.
I researched the course, sought out all the vert and technical terrain I could find.
I navigated a move across the country, keeping steady, consistent, at times intense, training as my priority. That was not easy.

And at times, I felt SO unprepared.

Not that I could have done any more. When a friend asked me what I would have changed about my training, I said I didn’t think there was anything I could have without sacrificing other elements that would have been more harmful.

I expected technical. I didn’t expect throwing myself off the side of a cliff, holding a metal handle while my sweaty palms clung for my life (or it felt like it), and I cried out “what do I do?!”

I expected to jump from rock to rock. I didn’t expect to jump from boulder to boulder on the beach, or go bouldering at the top of a mountain.

I expected climbs, and I had done all I could to practice vert, not 17,000ft worth.

I had held onto the heat in Chatt as long as I possibly could and used sauna training all the way up to the day I left the US, I didn’t anticipate the sun exposure + heat requiring me to hike most of one section to avoid overheating.

I knew there was a good chance I would get off course, I didn’t think it would happen with 4 miles to go, and would take me 20 minutes to backtrack and get back to the course.

And this is just the beginning. I meant what I said in that very well made video, this was the hardest thing I have ever done. It was also so full of joy and love and appreciation.

Caught beautifully in these photos, most of which taken by my friend (go check out his work!)

A part 2 is coming, I just need to unpeel the onion another layer to find it.

11/21/2025

577 days ago I had surgery on my Achilles. I knew doing that was the only way I could ever hope to explore ultra running competitively.

It was a long, intense road back to running. Six months of rehab.
And once I was running, it took even longer to claw back my fitness. More rehab.
Tomorrow, I get to go run my first 100k at , and you better believe I am more proud of my body than I have ever been.

I chose Cape Town for a reason. And I don’t plan to take the gift of being here for granted. Even if it means losing a few seconds here and there to stop and look at the view, or put my hand in the ocean.

This is my race and my story to write❤️

you ready? Let’s go.

11/20/2025

When I ran at the elite level on the roads, I noticed something I did that was so different, so jarring to everyone else, but served me well…

When people would ask how I felt before a goal race, I would always share that I was scared, nervous, thinking about how much discomfort I was about to put myself through.

It wasn’t the answer they wanted. It definitely wasn’t the answer the other elites gave. Everyone else wanted (or said) “Great! Excited! it’s gonna be the best day!”

I on the other hand, was basically saying how terrified I was. Race week, I would catastrophize and think about all the things that could go wrong, how would I work through them. While everyone else’s visualizations focused on how good they would feel (and mine included that too), I needed to allow myself to go into a place where I thought about how hard it was gonna be.

But here’s the thing, come race day, I would execute. I would have processed through, and be able to stay engaged, pushing myself to the very end.

So now, as I look straight into the eyes of the toughest physical feat (other than maybe childbirth?) I have ever done, honestly, I do feel terrified. There are so many thoughts that ask, how the hell am I going to make it to the finish line of this 100k?!

I know now, that’s part of the experience for me, that’s part of how I get to the finish, is allowing myself to go to the dark places of my brain before I get to those moments. That way, I have felt the emotions, and can rationally work through tough patches.

Whether that translates to a 100k finish I am proud of , I can’t say for sure. But I do know myself, trust myself more than I ever have before.

And I know I have my best friend waiting for me, who happens to be one of the most experienced (and fastest) ultra runners there is .ryan, with arms out at every aid station, ready to support me.

I know I have voice memos from people I love, that will be stacked up and ready for a moment I need them (and admitting there will be tough parts allowed me to even ask for these at all).

And this time, I know something more important. That no matter how fast I go. I am loved. I matter. I am enough ❤️

📸 3: 😘

11/10/2025

Yesterday “should” have been one of the most enjoyable runs of the training block (if not the year). Instead, for the first time I stepped into a state of fear and struggle.

It is peak leaf season here in Chattanooga, and the colors were absolutely stunning.
13 days out from 100k, I “only” had 3 hours (instead of the 4+ I had been doing).
I have done the work, spent the hours, navigated the technical trails, now it is time to celebrate getting to this point and enjoy the trails.
I had taken an impromptu day off the day before, feeling dizzy and dehydrated from overdoing it in the sauna the day before (heat training for Cape Town). I was rested.

And yet, the thickkkkkk cover of leaves meant I couldn’t see the technical trails. The rocks, the tree roots, were hidden in leaves, meaning my feet had to work extra hard to navigate the unexpected.

That leaf cover made me slip into a state of fear. I ran tense as I feared rolling my ankle, feared losing all I have built. I felt the difference in my body and mind in the way I couldn’t wait for this run to be over. To be able to exhale and say, “phew, I made it”.

What could I have done differently? Honestly, I’m not sure. I still have just under two weeks of training, I still need to get my runs in.

Sure, I could avoid the trails altogether, but once you start taking steps like that, anxiety and fear take hold, where does it end?

Would I start avoiding uneven roads?
Would I avoid restaurant food in case it makes me sick, how would I eat in the days before the race, being in Cape Town, where everything is new?
Would I avoid people? Wash my hands obsessively? Avoid my kids in case they give me something. What harm would that do to them long term?

There is obviously a line of being smart and proactively making choices to give yourself the best chance to perform on race day. But yesterday reminded me I don’t want to slip back into old me, fear based me.

Getting to this moment. Being in this fitness. Finishing this training block, that’s the win. Everything else is a cherry on top. I’m gonna do my best, but it’s really not about the race at all. I’m so proud of my body for what it’s overcome❤️

11/07/2025

I ran a 3:02 on Sunday at the TCS .
I started with 20,000 people in front of me.
I finished in 2735th.

So yes, after the first mile to celebrate running across the Verrazano bridge with my fellow runners, I HUSTLED to make up time. Go look at my strava, it was quite the cutdown.

3:02 is fast. Removing the stop/start, slow/fast agility work to get around 18,000 runners, it was even faster. The fastest I have run in five years actually, and I did it holding a Tempo Pro bottle.

I filled that bottle FOUR times during the race, and each time, as I burst into the personal space of an unsuspecting volunteer filling cups, they were unprepared for my request, and took a few seconds to process what I was asking for. Sorry to those people, i can be a lot of energy barreling at you🤪

The hesitation I hear the most from runners is that they don’t want refilling a handheld bottle to slow them down or waste time. I believe with my whole heart that it is MUCH faster and more efficient to carry your own with your own strength of fuel or hydration. You can sip along the way over the dance we try to play with volunteers and cups, followed by choking down a cup of water quickly.

One of the golden rules of running your best is to get in a rhythm and run a consistent pace (or effort). Holding a handheld allows you to mostly do that (other than a few times of refilling).

Believe me when I say the marathon majors are getting more and more requests for refills and refill stations are in the works, so the question of will there be refills, will be removed. They will be as much a part of a race as the cups themselves (and I hope we have less and less cups, more and more refills).

Point being, it IS possible to hold your own and run fast, especially when you have brands like who have worked SO hard and innovated obsessively to make it as easy as possible for runners to use.

If you have concerns, hesitations, or questions, please share them below, I really would love to hear them (and I swear I won’t shame you, it just helps me understand runners better, if you think it, I guarantee others do too).

📸 , the best.

11/06/2025

Olympian joined us for plogging two days before the TCS and went on to run 2:22 as first American woman across the line on Sunday.

Coincidence? We think not.

Could that be the secret? ;) or could it be that Fiona is a passionate environmental advocate who knows that blending your passion and your craft can lead to some amazing things.

Maybe plogging is the perfect pre race shakeout. See you out there soon?

11/05/2025

What did it feel like to take 70 people through the streets of New York with trash bags?

Like a movement that is taking off in the running industry.

What did it feel like to spend a few hours with my friends giving back to the streets we run on?

Joy. Pure joy.

What does it mean that more and more runners are choosing to join us for something that represents collective action and the power of community?

Hope. Kindness. Gratitude for the ability to run at all.

And what does it say about plogging as a pre race shakeout if the top American in the 2025 TCS , joined us for plogging two days before she crushed it?

You should do it too.

and I will be coming to a city near you (or where you are traveling to), next time, come join us. It will change the way you view the world in so many beautiful ways.

See you soon💚

📸 by the amazing .georgina for ❤️

11/03/2025

The reason I am most proud of the time I ran yesterday?

These weekends are not just about the race, far from it. My best friends have to constantly remind me to not overdo it with all the events, hosting, and supporting friends events I (try to) do.

I’m getting better at setting boundaries and not blasting into exhaustion, but it’s still a lot.

Could I have run faster if I didn’t do all this? Sure. Will I do less? Probably not.

So many beautiful memories with people I love. So grateful for the humans in my life ❤️

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St. Louis, MO

Website

http://runningforreal.com/

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Tina is a 2:36 marathoner and Great Britain runner who shocked the running world by taking a hiatus to focus on starting a family and overcoming amenorrhea. A few months later, she was pregnant, and had her first daughter, Bailey Grace in January 2018. Tina created the Running for Real Community to foster a healthy mindset around running. This is a space where runners can explore, embrace, and get better from setbacks through inspiring podcasts, videos, and blog posts, and most importantly, sharing thoughts and experiences. Behind every personal best, there are plenty of personal not-so-bests, from beating ourselves up about just-missed PRs to the injury blues to embarrassing falls. Running can really hurt, but we don’t have to go through it alone.