Fittest at 40 Challenge

Woman smiling and running in orange parkrun clothing

Fittest at 40 Challenge: Running, Strength & Nutrition

Why & How I’m Starting

Turning 40 is just a few months away, and I’ve decided to mark it with something big, a challenge to become my fittest, strongest self yet.

This isn’t about being extreme or chasing a six-pack. It’s about building strength, energy, and confidence through running, strength training, nutrition, and whatever else feels good along the way.

For me, 'fittest' means:

Feeling strong
Moving well
Having energy for life
Fueling myself with good food
Smashing running goals
Saying yes to new challenges
Keeping up with my spaniel 🐶

How I’m Starting

After a few injuries, perimenopause setbacks, and a stop-start year, I’m easing back in with a 10K challenge to rebuild my base. Once I’m solid at 10K again, I’ll push for a PB.

I’m using a simple consistency journal I created to plan my goals, help me stay focused, track progress and struggles, and keep moving forward bit by bit.

Alongside building strength and endurance, I’m also working on improving my body composition, losing a little body fat while gaining muscle and feeling better overall.

What This Fitness Blog Is For

This blog is a behind-the-scenes space to support my YouTube channel with extra context, tools I’m using, and reflections that don’t fit in a video.

I’ll share:

Challenge updates
Training thoughts
Helpful tools and how-tos
Gear I’m actually using

Whether you’re chasing a goal or just curious to see how this goes, it's great to have you here.

If any part of my journey helps motivate you along the way, even better.

Let’s see how good 40 can feel!

Manda x