Background
- Coaches endurance athletes, including women training through perimenopause.
- Competed at the elite level in cycling and running for her whole adult life, with years of triathlon and mountaineering along the way.
- Bachelor's degree in dental hygiene with a focus in human science, and over 25 years working in healthcare.
- Went through perimenopause herself as an athlete: months of broken sleep, aches, anxiety and muscle loss while training six days a week. That is what started Phaes.
Her method
Kristina's athletes kept hitting a wall in perimenopause, then she did too. What worked was less training, done better. For women in perimenopause and menopause, her method replaces tempo runs and long Zone 3 and 4 intervals with one short sprint interval session a week, programs heavy strength by level, keeps easy days truly easy, takes one full day off, and plans a reset week every fourth week. Every Phaes training plan follows it. Read more in perimenopause coaching and running through perimenopause.
What she writes, and what she does not
Kristina bylines Phaes content on training, strength and recovery, where her coaching experience applies. She is a coach, not a clinician, so articles on symptoms, diagnosis and MHT (HRT) are written by the Phaes team and cited to clinical bodies such as the NHS, NICE and The Menopause Society. Our editorial standards explain how everything is researched. Nothing on Phaes is medical advice.
Articles by Kristina
- Sprint interval training for women over 40: a guide Oct 29, 2026
- Perimenopause weight loss: the exercise plan that works Oct 28, 2026
- VO2 max training for women over 40: what works Oct 25, 2026
- Deload weeks for women over 40: when and how Oct 24, 2026
- Recovery time between hard workouts for women over 40 Oct 22, 2026
- Heart rate zones in perimenopause: ditch 220 minus age Oct 22, 2026
- Plyometrics for bone density: jump training after 40 Oct 21, 2026
- How often should women over 40 lift weights? Oct 21, 2026
- Why injuries increase in perimenopause Jul 20, 2026
- Does exercise help perimenopause symptoms? Jun 25, 2026
- Zone 2 training for women over 40 Jun 2, 2026
- Why running feels harder during perimenopause Jun 2, 2026
Guides by Kristina
- Perimenopause coaching: what it is and how to choose
- A perimenopause workout plan that adapts to you.
- Running over 40, on a plan that keeps up.
- Running over 50, strong and consistent.
- Strength training for menopausal women.
- Running recovery during menopause.
- Marathon training during menopause.
- Strength training for female runners over 40.
- Half marathon training during perimenopause.
- Should I be lifting heavy in perimenopause?
- Why is it so hard to build muscle now?
- Why won't this belly budge anymore?
- How should I actually exercise now?
- Why is my running getting slower?
- How do I protect my bones now that estrogen is dropping?
- Too tired to work out?
- Why do I overheat the moment I move?
Frequently asked questions
Who is Kristina Folcik?
Kristina Folcik is the founder of Phaes and an endurance coach. She competed at the elite level in cycling and running, coaches endurance athletes, and worked for over 25 years in healthcare as a dental hygienist. Her coaching method for women in perimenopause and menopause is the basis of the Phaes training plans.
Is Kristina a doctor?
No. Kristina is an endurance coach, not a physician. She writes about training, strength and recovery. Phaes articles on medical topics, such as symptoms and MHT (HRT), are written by the Phaes team and cited to clinical bodies like the NHS and The Menopause Society. None of it is medical advice.
What is the Phaes coaching method?
For women in perimenopause and menopause: one short sprint interval session a week instead of tempo runs and Zone 3 and 4 intervals, heavy strength training by level, easy days that are truly easy, one full rest day a week, and a lighter reset week every fourth week. Less volume, more quality.