Runner Stephanie Case completed the 100-kilometer (62 miles) Ultra-Trail Snowdonia ultramarathon in 16 hours and 53 minutes, winning a race that also involves over 21,000 feet of climbing.
Adding to her impressive feat was the fact that she stopped at aid stations along the way to breastfeed her 6-month-old daughter, Pepper. Case said she breastfed three times during the race.
Because she had taken some time away from running, she was not among the "elite" runners who were able to start ahead of her. This meant that when she crossed the finish line, Case had no clue that she had won.
"I have gained way more joy and strength from this sport as a mom than I ever did before. While it broke my heart to leave little Pepper at the aid stations, I wanted to show her—both of us—how amazing mom runners can be," Case said in an Instagram post.
While Case acknowledges that not all new moms can go out and run an ultramarathon, she believes they should not be afraid of setting big goals.
"Whether you are thinking of being a mom, are pregnant, or are a new mom yourself, don’t be afraid to keep setting big goals for yourself. Everyone has an opinion about what new moms should or shouldn’t be doing, and that doesn’t open up a lot of space for 'out there' ideas like running an ultra," she said. "Should I spend this much time away from my baby? Is it harmful to my body? What about my milk supply? My coach helped me navigate these questions and the social pressures that come with being a new mom runner, but we need to work together to remove the pressure in the first place and provide more support."
Race officials called her an "inspiration."
"Thanks to her openness about the highs, lows, and everything in between, she’s a real inspiration—motivating new moms everywhere to carve their own paths and do what feels right for them," Ultra-Trail Snowdonia said on social media.
