872. Emma Bates, Mom-to-Be

"It's a new day, it's a new age, let's learn, let's grow together. That's it."

Last week, professional Colorado-based marathoner Emma Bates broke the running internet when she shared that she had been dropped by her fueling sponsor after they found out she was pregnant. In this conversation, Emma shares her side of the story that has taken the running community by storm. Emma also talks about running a 2:25 at the Valencia Marathon in the fall, about finding out the next day that she was pregnant, and about the realities of being a pregnant professional marathoner.

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IN THIS EPISODE:

• What's making Emma happy today — and some news! (3:10)
• How Emma is feeling at almost 20 weeks pregnant (7:50)
• Emma's reflections on the 2025 Valencia Marathon (10:40)
• What it's like being a pregnant professional athlete, and the pressure of trying to conceive on a timeline (13:45)
• On receiving a hemochromatosis blood disorder diagnosis last year, and what that has meant for Emma (18:00)
• How Emma found out she was pregnant (23:00)
• Emma's thoughts on returning to running and racing after having a baby (29:50)
• How and when Emma told her sponsors she was pregnant (34:00)
• Emma talks about what happened with her fueling sponsor, and what their contract negotiations looked like (37:15)
• Why Emma decided to share the "gel tasting" video last week (42:40)
• What's on tap for Boston Marathon weekend, and Emma's advice for runners headed to Boston this year (55:35)

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