The Strength Running Podcast · Jason Fitzgerald

Built Different: Training for the Female Physiology, with Olympian Shannon Rowbury & PT Jessica Dorrington

·1 hr 3 min·4 clips

Jessica says the SI joint stabilizes by 8 weeks, but abdominal tone takes 6 to 9 months.

Jason Fitzgerald opens episode 443 by introducing two guests: Olympian Shannon Roeberry and physical therapist Jessica Dorrington. He sets up the conversation around helping runners become better runners. The episode starts with the usual listener-facing intro and sponsor material before getting into the main discussion. From there, it turns to pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and energy availability. Energy needs surface early. The conversation connects low energy availability with the demands placed on athletes and on moms. It makes clear that the body is often being asked to do much more than just run. That context matters when the goal is durability, not only performance. Pregnancy becomes a major part of the discussion. Jessica explains how many runners keep going for a long stretch before moving toward more partial weight-bearing work. She notes that some runners can keep running through pregnancy and feel biomechanically just fine. Others find that cross-training is the better fit. The pool gets highlighted as a welcome place to feel light again. The episode also notes the odd flip side of leaving the pool and immediately feeling the extra load again. The second half of the conversation shifts into postpartum recovery. Recovery is treated as a process with a reverse-taper feel rather than a clean return. The guests talk through moving from the bike back to the pool and then back to ground contact. That progression is framed as something that should happen gradually and with medical clearance. They also point out how limited the research can be around postpartum energy needs. That gap leads to a practical warning about giving yourself more time than expected. Lack of sleep and breastfeeding both make the return more complicated. The tone stays warm and grounded throughout. The episode treats the listener like a serious runner who wants both explanation and application. It keeps returning to what to do, when to back off, and how to stay in the game sustainably.

As heard by us

A grounded, practical discussion of training, recovery, pregnancy, postpartum, and sustainable performance.

This episode takes a clear look at how female physiology shapes training, recovery, and the longer arc of performance. It moves through energy availability, pregnancy adjustments, and the postpartum return in a way that feels grounded and useful, especially when it shifts from…

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Why you'd press play

You want straight talk on pregnancy, postpartum, and smarter training choices.

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