📸: Zoe Salt

Ultrarunning, Fertility and Mental Health

There are a lot of conversations in endurance sports that stay comfortably on the surface. These usually involves splits, shoes, training plans and finish line.

And don’t get me wrong, I love those conversations. I’ve built a career around them. That being said, I want to change the narrative around our sports. There is a desire to highlight the everyday athlete beyond the metrics. The whole person, not just part of the person.

By having these conversations, repeatedly, I am reminded that the miles are only a small part of the story.

That’s exactly what happened in Enduring Minds Season 2, Episode 14 when Evan Birch and I sat down with ultrarunner, coach, filmmaker, and storyteller Sophie Grant.

We didn’t focus on race results. Instead we talked about life within and outside of ultrarunning.

The Strength Behind the Miles

At the time of the recording, Sophie had recently finished third place at the brutal 268-mile Winter Spine Race, which tells you everything you need to know about her physical toughness.

But what struck me most had nothing to do with the podium. It was her willingness to talk openly about something that endurance sports often keeps quiet: infertility.

During our conversation, Sophie shared her journey through IVF, loss, and the emotional complexity of pursuing motherhood while chasing athletic goals. These are the stories that rarely make race recaps or Instagram highlight reels.

Yet they are real. And they matter. Everyday athletes stories beyond the photo matter.

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A Life Off the Traditional Path

One of the things I love about our endurance community is how many people refuse to follow the script society writes for them.

Sophie and her husband George spent seven years living in a camper van, traveling, running, and searching for meaning beyond career titles and expectations.

That lifestyle helped Sophie rediscover who she was and not just as an athlete, but as a human being.

It also gave her the courage to create the documentary “Off Course,” a film that shines a light on infertility and the silent struggles many athletes face.

Why Does This Conversations Matter?

During the episode, we talked about something that deserves far more attention: how endurance sports treat pregnancy and motherhood.

Women remain underrepresented in ultra running, and policies around pregnancy and family planning often lag behind the reality of athletes’ lives.

Sophie’s story highlights why those conversations matter.

Because when athletes feel safe telling their truth, the sport becomes stronger for everyone.

Rebuilding After Heartbreak

Another thing Sophie shared was how she rebuilt her life during some incredibly difficult moments.

Therapy helped.
Honest communication with George helped.
And yes, even her dog Neela played a role.

It reminded me that resilience isn’t just about pushing through pain on race day. Resilience can also look like slowing down, asking for help, and giving yourself permission to heal.

Redefining What Strength Looks Like

By the end of our conversation, one idea kept coming back to me.

Strength isn’t always physical. Sometimes it comes in the form of vulnerability. Other times, you tell a story that you are not sure people are ready to hear.

Then there is the strength it takes to move forward even when life has taken you somewhere completely unexpected.

Sophie’s next adventure reflects that mindset perfectly. She’s preparing to attempt the Via Alpena Fastest Known Time, a 2,000-kilometer journey across the Alps from Italy to Monaco.

But the real journey she shared with us wasn’t about geography.

It was about courage.

And that’s a story worth listening to.

Question for the Everyday Athlete Community:
What does strength mean to you when life doesn’t go according to plan?

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