Fiona English made headlines in 2023 with her open letter to the Boston Marathon, challenging their lack of pregnancy deferral options.

Her advocacy, alongside that of other pioneers in women’s running, led to the Boston Marathon introducing a policy allowing pregnant and postpartum athletes to defer their entry.

Her courage to stand up against longstanding rules, driven by her belief in fairness, is a reminder that no one is too small to make meaningful change.

Fiona is also an exceptional athlete. From completing her first marathon in 5:47 to achieving a Boston qualifying time of under 3:30 , her journey exemplifies extraordinary dedication and perseverance.

Just one year after giving birth, she ran the Boston Marathon in an impressive 3:43 .

In this conversation, we discuss Fiona’s running journey, her fight for fair policies in marathon racing, and the importance of making running more inclusive for women.

She also shares insights into balancing motherhood and running, showcasing the resilience and determination required to excel in both.

Follow Fiona: https://www.instagram.com/englishruns/

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Mentioned in the podcast:

Running coach Jill Bland: https://www.instagram.com/blandontherun/

SheRaces: https://www.sheraces.com/

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

02:29 Marathoning as a new mother

05:32 Adjustments to training now with a child

08:21 Setting goals that are unique to you

12:02 The history of women on start lines

15:29 Current inequalities within running

20:18 Why Boston is held to high regard

24:24 Fiona’s journey to a BQ Qualifier

27:43 The insurance policy for pregnancies

35:35 Boston’s claims to be the race for women

37:34 Boston’s Pregnancy policy at the time

42:18 Women advocates the came before

47:34 Fiona’s Open Letter to Boston Marathon

51:54 Reaction, good and bad to open letter

56:17 Boston’s response

58:19 Boston’s new pregnancy referral

01:01:18 Getting other races on board

01:02:44 The privilege in being able to speak out

01:06:08 Supporting female athletes

01:08:11 Why men need to get involved

01:12:14 Getting back into running post-pregnancy

01:20:55 The importance of resetting running stats post-partum

01:22:22 Running Boston 1 year after giving birth

01:29:22 Setting big scary goals