Fiona English vs. Boston: Fighting for Policy Chance and Inclusive Races for All.

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/ Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠ Mentioned in the podcast: Running coach Jill Bland: https://www.instagram.com/blandontherun/ SheRaces: https://www.sheraces.com/ Get in contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah⁠⁠⁠ 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