Harborough running coach uncovers hidden history of women in endurance sport in new book

The book was launched at the Shoulder of Mutton in Great Bowden where Lily founded her women-only running club Great Bowden Runners.

Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport digs into the untold history of female endurance, tracing a line from hunter-gatherer women to today’s ultra-distance athletes who are finishing races first – often against the odds.

Lily, an England Athletics running coach and freelance journalist writing for Runner's World and Women's Running, teamed up with health journalist Emma Wilkinson for two years of research, interviewing more than 70 elite athletes, scientists, and historians. Together, they uncover the physiological, psychological, and social factors that help explain women’s growing dominance in ultra-endurance events such as ultramarathons, long-distance swims, and multi-day cycling races.

Lily explained the book is not just about performance but about breaking barriers: “Throughout history, women have been pioneers of endurance feats – yet we rarely hear their stories. It has been extremely rewarding and truly inspirational to shine a light on these ultra women. But we’ve also been alarmed by the barriers women continue to face, and the blatant sexism that still exists in so many areas of ultra-endurance sport today.”

Stories featured in the book include Stamata Revithi, a mother who secretly ran the marathon course at the all-male 1896 Athens Olympics, 1980s open-water swimmer Lynne Cox, who crossed some of the world’s coldest oceans in just a swimsuit and British vet Jasmin Paris, who ran almost non-stop to win the brutal 268-mile Montane Winter Spine Race while breastfeeding.

Lily herself competes in ultra-marathons. She says the support of the Great Bowden Runners community has been key: “It felt really special to launch the book among the women I coach and run alongside. These athletes, from beginners to seasoned marathon runners, embody the spirit and determination we write about in Ultra Women.”

The book’s final chapter sets out a manifesto to boost female participation in ultra-endurance sports, offering recommendations for sports scientists, race organisers, and the makers of sports kit.

The book is available from Amazon.