"I wasn't expecting that": Veteran ultrarunner Stephanie Case conquers 100km ultramarathon while nursing
Stephanie Case (via Getty Images)
Ultramarathon runner Stephanie Case didn't come to the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia 100-kilometer ultramarathon in North Wales with a goal of victory. Six months after giving birth and still nursing her daughter, Pepper, Stephanie Case was merely seeking to cross the finish line with strength—and to keep her infant well-fed in the process.
But after having stopped several times to breastfeed throughout the punishing mountain race, Stephanie Case shocked the competition by taking the women's division finish line lead in Wales.
Stephanie Case balances elite-level ultrarunning and new motherhood with victory in Wales
Stephanie Case's account at the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB is not one of just reaching the finish line—it's a strong message about motherhood, resilience, and identity. Running the race a mere six months post-birth and still nursing, Case was afforded a special break at the 50-kilometer point to breastfeed her daughter.
She had prepared for nursing at 20 km and 80 km checkpoints, but the extra permission enabled her to go on with the race without neglecting the needs of her child.
Stephanie Case is a Canadian human rights lawyer, ultramarathon runner, and founder of the women's running advocacy organization Free to Run. She also worked for the United Nations in Afghanistan, Gaza, and South Sudan.
Stephanie Case won a 100k ultramarathon 6 months postpartum and breastfeeding | DW Shorts
Even after beginning in the third wave of runners because of a three-year break from competitive racing, Stephanie Case was making her way consistently up the field.
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The irony? She wasn't even aware she had won until after the race was over.
Her victory has since become a viral sensation, prompting universal acclaim—and some backlash. Case has been inundated with encouraging comments from women praising her for bucking attitudes towards motherhood. But not every reaction was favorable. Some criticized her decisions, suggesting new mothers need to stay at home, not venture out to conquer 100 km trail runs.
'That was a huge shock. I wasn't expecting that. It wasn't even on my radar that that could have happened,' Case told CNN Sports. 'It wasn't something I kind of strategized or planned ahead of time, but what it tells me is that we really aren't telling enough stories about new moms kind of doing all sorts of things, living full and complete, multi-dimensional lives.'
Stephanie Case, who turns 43 this year, has run on six continents, but this victory, she says, is especially personal.
Having overcome uncertainty, her return to the trails was not just a physical battle. It was a recovery of self. 'We all have mom guilt, but it's important for new moms to know that it's okay to prioritize the things that make them full and complete human beings because that will make them better parents in the long run because we are multidimensional," she added to CNN.
'Becoming a mom, it's one of the most physical and emotional transformations you can go through in your entire life. And so if there are things that you can hold on to—for me, it's running—that kind of remind you that everything that has changed, there are some things that remain constant, there are some parts of your identity that you haven't lost.'
Also read:
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As Stephanie Case prepares to face her next test, the Hardrock 100 in Colorado, she continues to fuel a worldwide debate about what can happen when women are free to do it their way.
Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
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