March 31, 2020

5 From 5: Lucy Bartholomew

Lucy Bartholomew burst onto the ultra running scene by running her first 100km race with her dad when she was just 15 years old. Since then, the Melbourne, Australia native has continued on her upward trajectory, tucking a number of accomplishments under her belt, including winning the Ultra-trail Cape Town and Ultra-trail Australia, and coming 3rd in her first ever Western States 100. The plant-based athlete loves cooking up new recipes, and when she’s not running you can find her in the kitchen, spending quality time with family and friends, or practicing yoga in the sun. Here she gives us her '5 from 5' - 5 questions with 5 tips, answers or ideas.

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Hi Everyone! I hope you are doing well, safe and making the best of a difficult time that we are all in together. Remember that you are not alone, you are worthy and all those emotions within you are totally valid. Let’s Do This asked me to write a blog to introduce myself, and maybe share some light in these darker days. I decided to call this blog my ‘5 from 5’. 5 questions with 5 tips, answers or ideas. The hope is that we can get more people to do their 5 from 5 and start a positive chain reaction of good ideas.

1. What is your background and how did you get into running?

Name: Lucy Bartholomew

Age: 23, born 20th May 1996

Country: Australia, Melbourne

How I got into running: My Dad was always a runner. I watched him complete marathons and run as his commute to work, but was never really interested in it myself. When he wanted to try something new and entered a 100km race in 2011 held in the Blue Mountains, Sydney, I became more interested; not so much about the running, but the scenery, the challenge and the people that this sort of race drew. Once I watched the whole event take place I knew I wanted to do it. Then, at 15 years old, I ran side by side with my Dad for 100km along the Victorian coast line and haven’t looked back since.

5 words to describe you? Stubborn, mindful, passionate, consistent and motivated.

2. What are your top tips for joining the Ultra running world?

Don’t do it alone: There are so many good social running groups that are suitable for everyone, and are more about enjoying the process and finding the best pub/cafe after!
Get the right gear: If you’re really going to give running (at any distance) a chance, you need to invest a little bit. For women, the right sports bra will change the feeling of running. For guys, the right shorts can help everything fall into place.
Fuel your activities: Eating and running go hand in hand, energy in-energy out. Make sure you are eating enough the days you are training, and enough of the right foods; I opt for a plant-based diet but any diet filled with unprocessed and colourful foods will help a lot. If you’re looking to step into the ultra world, eating ON the run is your next challenge; find things that sit well with you and don’t just listen to the gel ads. Try alternatives until you find what works best for you.
Research: Social media and media in general is amazing, you can find the answer to anything you want. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, read reports or articles. The trail running community that I know are some of the friendliest people and the most giving of their time. I still remember writing to my heroes and being gobsmacked they wrote back.
Make it fun: Consistency is the key to success in the running game. Of course it’s not going to feel great if you just go out and run hard, rest for two weeks and then go again. Just a little something every day to help you achieve your goals will help build that ‘base’. “Brick by brick” is what I like to say. By making a strong foundation, your bones and muscles have time to get strong with you.

3. Other than running, what do you do to help yourself be the best athlete you can be?

Sleep: This is a huge part of your body’s ability to recover. When we get into a routine, sleep tends to fall to the bottom of priorities. If you find yourself always pushing off sleep to get an extra run in, be careful as that can often be counterproductive to your performance. I aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
Nutrition: Take the time and energy to meal-prep nutritious, healthy meals and snacks as much as you can. Nowadays, it really is so easy to eat well; things come already chopped and prepared for you, and all you have to do is whack it in a bowl and put it in your mouth. I love making things like bliss balls for after runs, smoothie bowls for breakfast and hummus ready for a wrap or crackers whenever I need.
Strength: I don’t mean you need to get a gym membership, some protein powder and to start squatting 3x your body weight. You can do most things with just your body weight and a mat. Including some core work, squats and single leg/balance exercises into your routine will help you a lot with your form and muscle activation in the long run.
Blood tests: I am a huge believer in knowing what’s going on inside your body. Being intuitive is great, but I think we all too often just get used to feeling tired, and call it “life/ work/ training”. Finding out about your hormone and vitamin levels (e.g. Iron, Vitamin D etc) at least twice a year can help you understand your body and treat and train it optimally.
Breathe: It might sound lame, but taking the time to sit, breathe and relax is one of the hardest things to do these days. Take some time to centre yourself each day or each week to understand your ‘why’; the why you are doing what you are doing, and let go of the doubt.

4. What are you doing during COVID-19?

In Australia we are still allowed outside so I am still doing my training runs but keeping them closer to home to reduce the risk of needing help that can come with running in more remote areas. I am also doing a lot of my runs solo, to reduce my contact with others.
Taking the time to cook my meals and really enjoy the process of creating and eating them.
Finding that yoga routine that got lost sometime in 2019.
Colouring in. I’m a huge fan of sitting down and being a kid again and forgetting the problems!
Sleeping in, taking the mornings slow and listening to the body; not trying to be a hero.

5. What are your top 5 running highlights or lowlights?

Winning the Ultra Trail Australia 100km on my 21st birthday with my brother crewing me and my Dad behind me.
Coming 3rd at the Western States 100 in 2018. It was my first 100 mile event and I ran it blissfully unaware of how far 160km actually is.
My first 100km with my Dad. Running side by side for 12:30:00 and finishing knowing it wouldn’t be my last.
Running the Oxfam 100km with 3 of my best mates, 1 who had never run more than a marathon before. Seeing that process and being a part of every step (and every vomit stop) was something truly special.
Throwing up for 50km of a 120km race in Europe and wanting to quit. After walking up a hill and dropping all expectations and fears, as night descended I found myself catching headlamp after headlamp and ended up finishing 5th.

Thanks Let’s Do This for creating a space to escape the constant talk of the world right now. Running will never leave us and the community will only be stronger after this. We got this, one step at a time!

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The Challenges Women Face in Running and How It Impacts Participation

Running is often lauded as one of the most accessible sports—just lace up your trainers and go. However, for many women, the barriers to participation go far beyond the logistical. While safety concerns are frequently highlighted, deeper systemic issues like access to the sport and unequal treatment are also preventing more women from running. It was a topic keenly discussed at our In Her Stride panel held at the end of November, with key members of the female running community including Sophie Power, Tasha Thompson, Rehana Mawani and Emily Shane.

Before we kick things off however, we should highlight that female participation in running events is growing, and this is a great thing! According to data from Let’s Do This, women in their 20s are the fastest-growing demographic in event participation this year. However despite this, women are still 16% less likely to run every week compared to men. This disparity is particularly striking given that women report higher levels of personal benefits from running, such as improved fitness, better sleep, and reduced stress.

The reasons for this are complex and personal, however we have broken down three key challenges discussed during our panel and the solutions explored that could help address them.

1. The Pressure of Pace

One of the biggest hurdles for many women is the pressure to run faster. Despite the average UK woman’s running speed of 06:37 min/km (according to Strava), most run clubs don’t cater to this with the slowest pace often around 6 minutes per km. Add to this the relentless focus on personal bests and fast times on social media, and it’s no surprise that many women feel too intimidated to join in.

Thankfully, there are starting to be more people rebelling against this speed obsession, including our panelist, Emily Shane. Emily has been leading the charge to encourage more women to disregard pace and focus on the experience of running to drive uptake amongst women. Initiatives like events without cutoff times and more inclusive pace groups at running clubs are vital to creating a more welcoming environment and broadening the benefits of running to the experience and community.

2. Perception of Sport in Schools

One of the topics hotly discussed was how for many girls, the barriers to enjoying physical activity start at school. Puberty, coupled with changing bodies and fluctuating emotions, can make sports feel daunting and uncomfortable for teenage girls. Research highlights this disparity: only 38% of girls enjoy sport and exercise compared to 53% of boys, and just 26% of girls feel confident in physical activity versus 43% of boys.

The panel emphasised the need to address this such as:

Introducing a wider variety of sports and fitness activities to cater to different interests
Providing more supportive and confidence-boosting PE kits.
Showcasing more female role models in sport to inspire young girls.

By addressing these issues at the school level, we can foster a love of sport that lasts into adulthood.

3. Treatment at Events

This is a topic that panelist Sophie Power, founder of SheRACES is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about. Even at organised running events, women often experience unequal treatment. From “unisex: t-shirts (which are actually designed for men) to a lack of sanitary products in portaloos, these "small things" can collectively make women feel like an afterthought. Prize money inequality and rigid event policies—like no deferral options for pregnant or postpartum women—further highlight these disparities.

Thankfully, initiatives like the 50:50 campaign by Threshold (a campaign to get 50% of women at Ultra startlines vs. the current average of 30%) and the advocacy work of SheRACES are driving change, and there are many amazing event organisers such as Maverick, Threshold, Why We Run and many more, that are working hard to make their events are inclusive as possible for women.

Despite these challenges, the panel and attendees felt overwhelmingly optimistic about the future of running for women and the benefits it brings us. Progress is being made, however we all need to add our voices to the conversation to help more women get into the sport and reap the benefits.

Some Helpful Resources‍

Here are a few helpful resources. This list isn’t exhaustive by any means, however is a good starting point for those looking for inspiration on where to start.

Female friendly events:

Female Only Run Clubs

From Radio to Race Day: Hattie Pearson’s Path to Endurance Event Glory

Hattie Pearson is the type of person who doesn’t just dabble in fitness (or most things…!) She dives in headfirst, often with no hand-holding (except, perhaps, metaphorically). From her first triathlon in 2021 to a series of jaw-dropping endurance feats in 2024, she’s been redefining what’s possible with determination, community, and a big ‘YES’ attitude.

Just say YES

Hattie’s ‘yes’ streak started when a friend and her decided to do a sprint triathlon together. “We had such a great time,” Hattie recalls, “and I was like, I want to do more of this.” That spark quickly turned into a blaze of ambition. By the following year, she was competing in Outlaw triathlons and even signing up for a full-distance Ironman—before completing her first half-distance event. “I didn’t give myself the choice to not carry on,” she says.

The Power of Community

For Hattie, discovering the 10IronWomen network—a group committed to gender parity in triathlons—was a game-changer. “It’s amazing to see a community encouraging women and non-binary folk to show up,” she explains. “Seeing others doing it made me think, I want to be a part of this.” That sense of solidarity and shared purpose has been a recurring theme, whether she’s lacing up for a winter triathlon in the Alps or a grueling ultra-marathon closer to home.

A Year of Big Goals

This year, Hattie set herself a dizzying list of challenges. She swam 500 kilometers (yep, that’s half a million meters!) and tackled a range of events, including a winter triathlon complete with ski touring, the Étape du Tour cycling challenge, and her first ultra-marathon. Each was hard in its own way—whether it was battling snowy trails with crampons or smashing out seven-and-a-half-minute miles for 13.1 miles. But for Hattie, the difficulty is the point. “Every time I achieve something I thought was impossible, I remind myself: I can do hard things.”

Balance and Burnout

With goals that ambitious, fitting it all in can be a challenge. Early mornings help. “I’m one of those people who can get up at 5:00 a.m,” Hattie admits, however it also takes a lot of discipline. With her work on Hits Radio starting later in the day, she carves out time for training, dog walks, and the occasional tantrum over broken goggles. “I’ve definitely had those ‘forgetting-my-swimming-costume’ moments,” she laughs. But her key to staying motivated is simple: keep it fresh and fun. Whether it’s joining her triathlon club for training or trying a completely new event, keeping it fun and different is the secret to staying motivated and on track to reach your goals.

Advice for Aspiring Endurance Athletes

For anyone looking to follow in her footsteps (or strokes), Hattie has this advice:

Be patient. Results don’t come overnight, and the journey is as important as the destination.
Stop comparing. “Your journey is completely your own. Social media only shows the highlights,” she reminds us.
Find your community. Whether it’s a running club, a neighbor for early morning jogs, or an online network, accountability and camaraderie make all the difference.

What’s Next for Hattie?

In 2025, Hattie plans to tackle her first multi-day event, the Monster Triathlon. Admittedly it is as scary as it sounds, kicking off with a 5K swim in Loch Ness, followed by a 1,000-kilometer bike ride to Windsor, and wraps up with a casual 50K run to London(!). Her goals also include more open-water swimming, trail running, and maybe—just maybe—an even bigger endurance challenge. (Though definitely not swimming the English Channel: “No way am I swimming through jellyfish without a wetsuit!”)

Hattie Pearson’s journey is more than a personal triumph. It’s a testament to the power of showing up, saying yes, and proving that with the right mindset, anything is possible. Whether you’re tackling your first 5K or dreaming of an ultra-marathon, Hattie’s story is proof that the finish line is worth the hard miles. And when you cross it? You’ve won your race—medal or not. 🏅

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Make your own electrolyte drink

Why spend on expensive sports drinks when you can make a natural, hydrating electrolyte drink right at home? With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a refreshing blend packed with essential minerals and hydration-boosting properties. Perfect for fueling your workout or post-run recovery, this homemade option keeps it natural, affordable, and effective.

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Ingredients:

1 pinch of high-quality sea salt
Small piece of fresh ginger, peeled
500ml coconut water (e.g., Rebel Kitchen)
Juice of 1 lime
Fresh mint leaves

Instructions:

Prepare Salt & Ginger: Add a pinch of sea salt and the peeled ginger to a blender.
Add Coconut Water & Lime: Pour in the coconut water, squeeze in the lime juice, and add a few mint leaves.
Blend & Serve: Blend until smooth, pour into a glass, and garnish with extra mint. Enjoy your refreshing, hydrating drink!

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