Episode #68. Stronger for longer: why bone health matters more than you think with Angela White, The Running Granny
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to start looking after your bone health, this episode is the reminder you need.
Angela White, better known as The Running Granny, didn’t begin running until she was 53. Since then she’s run thousands of miles, including 2 epic challenges; 875 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End, and 62 peaks at 62 (in less than 62 hours!), and become a powerful voice for healthy ageing and bone health awareness.
But this conversation isn’t just about ultrarunning. It’s about the tiny daily decisions that can shape our health for decades.
We talk about:
• why bone health matters more than most of us realise
• how small daily habits turn into lifelong strength
• the reality of perimenopause, ageing and independence
• why frailty and osteoporosis are not inevitable
• how to start, even if you feel unfit, overwhelmed, or unsure
Angela’s story is extraordinary, but her message is beautifully simple: it’s never too late, and every small step counts.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Angela's Journey
03:38 The Turning Point: From Overwhelm to Action
07:52 Discovering Running: Small Steps to Big Changes
12:27 Setting Ambitious Goals: From Walking to Ultra Marathons
17:02 Mindset and Motivation: Overcoming Barriers
21:24 The Importance of Bone Health and Aging
25:48 Conclusion and Key Takeaways
27:29 Debunking Myths About Osteoporosis
31:58 The Importance of Bone Health and Osteoporosis Awareness
35:05 Encouraging Physical Activity for Healthy Aging
40:22 Practical Steps for Maintaining Bone and Muscle Health
About this week’s guest:
Angela White
Angela White, aka The Running Granny, is a retired doctor, surgeon with a special interest in hip fracture and osteoporosis, and personal trainer with a passion for healthy ageing and the power of movement to transform lives. With a career spanning medicine, surgery, fitness and technology, she combines medical expertise, lived experience, and relentless curiosity to inspire individuals and professionals alike to take action for lifelong health.
Angela’s running journey began aged 53, by taking "small steps" to improve her health after years of being overworked, overweight, unfit, and unhappy. Introduced to endurance and ultrarunning, she became fascinated by what the human body can achieve when challenged. She has completed a range of endurance events including 100 and 190 mile races, 24-hour challenges and mountain events. In 2024 she represented Great Britain in the European Multisport Championships gaining two age-group bronze medals in duathlon and middle distance triathlon.
At the age of 60, Angela set a Guinness World Record as the oldest female to run from John O’Groats to Land’s End, 875 miles
Angela is an advocate for proactive ageing and lifelong musculoskeletal health, empowering people to improve their health through movement, education, and community support. She delivers motivational talks, professional workshops, her signature ‘Building Better Bones’ sessions, tackling the critical but often misunderstood issue of bone health challenging pervasive myths around ageing and inactivity. Her unique background enables her to bridge the gap between scientific evidence, policy, and practical action.
Angela shares her expertise across diverse platforms and audiences. Speaking topics range from healthy ageing and bone health to menopause management, resilience building, and her World Record journey. Whether addressing medical professionals or community groups, she weaves together medical knowledge, personal experience, and practical strategies to inspire actionable change.
Angela’s message is simple but powerful: we all have the ability to take small steps toward a healthier, more active future—no matter our age. Through her speaking, coaching, and advocacy, she is proving that age is just a number, and movement is the key to lifelong vitality.
Connect Here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunninggranny
Website: therunninggranny.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/402948753678395
Love the show? Here’s how to show your support
If you enjoy this podcast, please support the show and help me to keep making the podcast, please contribute by Buying Me a Coffee...or Tea! Thank you
More about your host, Wendy
Wendy (51) founded Reclaim Movement after a running injury at 40 turned into 4 years of chronic pain. In her search for answers and to reclaim her own movement again she discovered natural movement. The philosophy of training real life practical movements to be able to keep using them as we age, coupled with the benefit of using strengthening and mobilising whole-body movement patterns that are underused in today’s modern world made her realise she had found a way to move for life.
Wendy’s aim is to help people embrace a movement-rich life, at any age, to improve mobility, strength and confidence to keep moving well and doing the things they love for as long as they want.
MovNat Level 1 certified & Functional Range Conditioning certified, she coaches online group classes live & by replay in the Reclaim Movement membership as well as online and in-person private coaching in Oxford.
Find out more about Reclaim Movement:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/reclaim.movement
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@reclaim.movement
Facebook: https://facebook.com/reclaim.movement
FREE E-BOOK - 'Making the Ground your Friend for Life!'
NEWSLETTER: Sign up for the monthly(ish) newsletter, 'Just.Move'
RECLAIM MOVEMENT MEMBERSHIP - FREE 7-DAY TRIAL or £9.99 for 3-DAY Full Access: includes LIVE (& by replay) natural movement classes, all replays, mini movement videos, tutorials, community support, movement prompts, and regular motivation. Take a sneak peek at what's inside.
