In the final part of our series on fitness through life's phases, Kate sits down with a very special guest: Sherry, her teaching partner of seven years, her running inspiration, and one of her dearest friends. Together they open up an honest conversation about perimenopause and menopause, told mostly through lived experience rather than textbook definitions.

Sherry shares what those years actually felt like, from the ragey moods and night sweats to the anxiety that surfaced once life slowed down enough for her to notice it. She talks candidly about a harder season three years in, when retirement, her mom's illness, and a real sense of isolation all landed at once, and how her family gently but bravely told her she wasn't okay. Along the way she and Kate dig into hormone replacement therapy, learning to advocate for yourself at the doctor's office, and why so much of the noise online can quietly steer you away from the very things that were working.

The heart of this episode is a comforting reminder. No matter your age or your stage, the fundamentals stay the same: strength training, real nourishment, movement, and staying connected to your people. Sherry's return to the gym this past December, and the way it relit her love for training, is proof that getting back to basics is often the whole answer. A warm, tender, and deeply relatable listen for anyone who has ever felt like their body was working against them.