New mother wins 100-kilometre ultra marathon despite breast feeding her six-month-old daughter three times on the way
A new mother won an 100km ultra marathon despite breast feeding her six-month-old daughter along the way.
Stephanie Case, 42, is no stranger to long-distance running but this mammoth undertaking along the 62-mile Ultra-Trail in Snowdonia was a little different to her usual challenges.
The human rights lawyer had her new baby Pepper with her and rather than gobbling down some pizza and gulping a Coca-Cola in one of the pit stop stations, Ms Case instead focused her attention and energy on feeding her newborn.
And the breaks to breast-feed didn't stop Ms Case from achieving victory and indeed Pepper proved to be her lucky charm.
Not only did the new mother cross the finish line, but she did so in her fastest time yet - despite starting 30 minutes behind her competitors.
After factoring in her longer breaks, the lawyer crossed the line in a final time of 16 hours, 53 minutes and 22 seconds.
After crossing the line, her husband John and Pepper were shocked to find out that she had won a few minutes ahead of the runner-up and Ms Case described the race as 'the best time'.
She told The Times: 'I was just so relieved that I didn't know that because it would have put a lot of pressure and stress on my race. And I just had the best time. I had the best time out there, just running completely ignorant of where I was and just going by how my body felt.'
She added that she hopes one day she can show Pepper what she was part of and take her through the photos from the monumental day.
'I knew it was past Pepper's bedtime, but it was great. I can't wait until she grows up and I can show her the photos of what we did together'.,' she added.
Ms Case's run was a cause for celebration not only for her impressive time but also because it was her first run after struggling with multiple miscarriages and three rounds of IVF before the joyful birth of her daughter.
The chief of protection for UNRWA in Jerusalem was forced to scale back her running after a miscarriage three years ago.
The Canadian lawyer, who now lives in Chamonix, France, revealed that she discovered she was pregnant after coming second in the over southern Colorado's San Juan Range.
Despite her joy, the pregnancy sadly resulted in a miscarriage and Ms Case said that while there was no medical evidence to suggest that running had contributed to it, she decided to stop for a short while.
After a second miscarriage Ms Chase discovered she was pregnant for a third time with her daughter Pepper who she welcomed in November.
Six weeks after welcoming Pepper, the Canadian re-connected with running and started up again with the help of her midwife and her running coach Megan Roche.
Ms Case said: 'Being able to just get back outside and reconnect with that running identity part of me was so important for my physical and mental health in this very vulnerable postpartum period.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
33 minutes ago
- BBC News
'I lost my sight at 15 and want to give others hope through art'
A teenage artist who lost her sight at aged 15 says having her work displayed is a dream come true. Lilly, from Kingstanding in Birmingham, was registered blind after undergoing surgery for several health issues, including the removal of two brain found joy in painting as she recovered in hospital, after being inspired by American painter Bob Ross. Her striking Hope Within the Mountains painting will be on display in Birmingham's Victoria Square throughout June. Lily said she was "happy, excited and surprised" it was part of the Open25 exhibition. "I was waiting for it to be put up so I could come down here and see it," she said. "Even though I'm blind, I can still see part of it [because] it's so bright. I'm just shocked." The teenager wants to inspire others and spread positivity and is promoting her work on social media under the name of Hope Studioz. Asked about the name of her displayed artwork, Lily said it was chosen by her mother, Cherie. "It seems right," she said. "It was perfect. The name just sounded right for the painting." Lily's father, Graham said he hoped his daughter would now understand how good she was. "She's a 15-year-old girl who is registered blind, and yet she produces art that's good enough to go up in an exhibition," he said. "Lily wasn't born with a middle name [but] we actually gave her the name Hope because of the journey she had gone on, because she has fought and battled through life. "Regardless of what goes on, she still creates beauty and keeps going. "Hope is the inner strength that Lil has that she shares with everyone through her painting." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
34 minutes ago
- BBC News
Skydive to fund domestic violence refuges in the Black Country
The boss of a Birmingham-based IT firm is jumping out of an aircraft to help a local charity build 10 safe houses for families fleeing domestic Bayliss, CEO of Hubtel IT, is doing a skydive in support of Black Country Women's Aid's The Key to a New Life comes after the charity said it was forced to turn away over two thirds of requests for refuge last year, although those people were offered other support. Mr Bayliss, 47, will take to the sky from 14,000 feet at Langar Airfield in Nottingham on 21 June, joined by 10 staff members from the charity and two colleagues from Hubtel - Julian Brettle and Mike Leach. The CEO of Hubtel, which provides cyber-security services for the charity, said: "The terror I feel when I think about doing this is brought into sharp perspective by the reason we're doing it. "Domestic abuse affects so many people, and unlike our skydive, it takes place behind closed doors when no-one else is looking."Black Country Women's Aid's work to highlight it and help victims is critical. Leaping from a plane is the least we can do to support them."Sara Ward, CEO of the charity, said: "When Black Country Women's Aid was first established nearly 40 years ago, it was with a refuge. "Since then, our services have grown to meet local people's needs, but refuge remains at the heart of what we do."These new flats will provide safe and secure spaces from where families can heal together and rebuild their lives." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
34 minutes ago
- BBC News
Newbury MP calls for better road safety for horses
An MP moved by the death of a two-year-old racehorse has called for improved equestrian road Dem Lee Dillon, who represents Newbury in Berkshire, has raised his concerns in an early day motion tabled in comes after he took part in a road safety awareness ride in Lambourn in memory of Knockalla, which was killed after being hit by a car in Dillon said he "was inspired by the passion and determination of those who took part" and wanted to "turn awareness into action". "It was a powerful display of community action and shared purpose," he Dillon's early day motion highlighted the importance of national guidance, better signage and greater awareness among Monday 30 September, two-year-old Knockalla was being ridden in Lambourn when the horse was frightened by a animal moved out into the middle of the road as a result and was hit, suffering a leg fracture so severe it needed to be euthanised. Figures by the British Horse Society found 3,118 road incidents involving horses were logged in 2024. Of those, 58 horses died and 97 were found riders were victims of road rage and abuse and in some instances drivers drove past either too close to the horses or too fast. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
