A blog by Emma Wilkinson, MJA vice chair
It is fair to say that co-writing Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport has been both a professional milestone and a personal mission.
As ultra runners (and journalists), my co-author Lily Canter and I were fascinated by how women seemed able to surpass expectations in endurance sport. Once we started researching women who were winning races outright, beating records and doing firsts, it led us to realise there was a glaring gap in both the scientific literature and media coverage of this phenomenon.
We spent two years delving deeper into the remarkable feats of women in ultra running, swimming, cycling and other endurance disciplines. It involved more than 70 interviews with elite athletes, historians, and scientists.
One of the most compelling aspects of our research was exploring the physiological and psychological factors that contribute to women’s success in ultra-endurance events. From fatigue resistant muscles to efficient fat metabolism, psychological resilience and strategic pacing, there was so much to uncover about what gives women an edge in ultra-endurance competitions and so much more to learn.
Ultra Women also sheds light on the historical challenges women have faced in gaining recognition in sports. We recount the story of Stamata Revithi, a poverty-stricken mother who ran the first Olympic marathon course in Athens without official sanction. We spoke to female athletes who were at the dawn of competitive running despite being told they should not be taking part. Fast forward to modern times, we highlight athletes like Jasmin Paris, who won the 268-mile Montane Winter Spine Race from the Peak District to Scotland while breastfeeding her child, and Lynne Cox, who swam across the world’s coldest oceans in just a swimsuit.
Balancing our freelance commitments with the demands of researching and writing, it was a greater undertaking than we had perhaps realised at the start. But after being told there wasn’t a market for the book because men don’t read books about women and only men buy running books, we were determined to prove the doubters wrong.
With our incredibly supportive publisher Canbury Press, we have made sure that Ultra Women is more than a collection of inspiring stories; it’s a call to action. We advocate for systemic changes in the sports world, including equitable race policies, more research, better support for female athletes, and increased media coverage. Our goal is to challenge outdated perceptions and encourage a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in endurance sports.
The response to our book has been overwhelmingly positive, with readers expressing newfound appreciation for the achievements of female endurance athletes. The most touching feedback has been from those who said they would not normally read a ‘sports book’ but who were hooked from the first chapter. The stories are truly compelling, and we hope everyone is inspired to push beyond their limits whatever that means to them.
Ultra Women is available from Canbury Press, Amazon, Waterstones and Hive or can be ordered through your local bookshop.
An account of inspirational women, told by inspirational women.
Brava Emma and Lily for detailing this fascinating phenomena