You would be hard pressed to find someone in the ultra running & trail community who doesn’t know Lucy Bartholomew. She’s been a ‘rule bender’ since she entered the ultra arena at the age of 15 when she took part in the Surf Coast Century 100km event. Running alongside her ultra running Dad, she took his instructions and ran with a smile on her face ear-to-ear in an attempt to dismantle the controversy that a minor (under the age of 18) was too young to be racing an endurance event. Fast forward 9 years – Lucy is a professional ultra athlete sponsored by Salomon Australia, Suunto, SPRING bar and Le Bent. She travels the globe racing and facilitating running workshops and retreats.
In 2017, Lucy had her breakout year when she ran 15 events and was the first female in 8 of them. In 2018 with single minded focus she pushed her personal boundaries and placed third in the highly contested Western States 100 in California, her 100 mile debut. With reflection and time, Lucy now see’s this result in a more holistic perspective. Although proud of what she achieved, Lucy discusses the toll she placed on her body, mind and spirit to achieve that result. That intensity was not sustainable and she is still working through the consequences of it. We discuss the challenges and pressures of the sport, in addition to the freedom and depth of experience it has given her.
Lucy’s candour is refreshing. We discuss LOTS in this conversation including: her rise onto the international racing arena. The internal and external turmoil of neglecting recovery and the long term toll endurance racing can have if you are not mindful & healthy. Her growth mindset for new experiences ~ inside and beyond running. How she processes both public scrutiny and praise. Her love of plant based food and for sharing her learnings with her community.
In my eyes Lucy is far more than an ultra runner ~ she is an entrepreneur who designs and sells Team Lucy kit; she is an advocate for the environment and will soon be a self published author of a recipe book…. and she’s only just getting started!
I hope you enjoy!!! Please subscribe to receive new podcasts as they come!!
You can follow Lucy:
website: https://www.lucybartholomew.com/
social: https://instagram.com/lucy_bartholomew
strava: https://www.strava.com/pros/lucy-bartholomew-7506715
