The morning fog still hung over the trails of Bear Mountain, New York, when Alicia Woodside began what would become a defining race of her career. The 37-year-old trail runner from Vancouver didn’t just complete the grueling 80-kilometer North Face Endurance Challenge—she won it. More remarkably, she did so while stopping to breastfeed her six-month-old son during the competition.
“I really wasn’t sure how it would go,” Woodside told me during our phone conversation last week, her voice carrying the calm assurance that likely serves her well during those punishing uphill climbs. “There were so many variables—my fitness level post-pregnancy, coordinating feeding stops, the terrain itself.”
What unfolded was nothing short of extraordinary. Woodside finished the challenging course in 9 hours and 32 minutes, claiming first place in the women’s category. Throughout the race, she stopped three times to nurse her infant son, who waited with her husband at designated meeting points along the route.
The accomplishment has resonated deeply across Canadian sports communities and beyond. Dr. Jane Thornton, a sports medicine physician and former Olympic rower, sees Woodside’s achievement as significant beyond the realm of athletics.
“This breaks down misconceptions about what postpartum bodies are capable of,” Thornton explained. “Her performance demonstrates that with proper recovery and training, returning to high-level competition after childbirth isn’t just possible—it can include continued breastfeeding too.”
Woodside’s training regimen resumed gradually about eight weeks after giving birth. She worked closely with women’s health physiotherapists and coaches specializing in postpartum athletes. By four months postpartum, she was back to training seriously, though with modifications.
“My body felt different, of course,” Woodside acknowledged. “I approached hills more conservatively at first and really listened to what my body was telling me each day.”
Athletics Canada has taken notice. While ultra-distance trail running exists somewhat on the periphery of mainstream sports, performances like Woodside’s highlight the need for better support systems for parent-athletes across all disciplines.
According to Statistics Canada, approximately 85% of Canadian mothers initiate breastfeeding, with about 25% continuing exclusively for the recommended six months. For competitive athletes, these rates typically drop significantly due to logistical challenges.
“What we’re seeing here is someone who refused to accept the false choice between breastfeeding and athletic pursuits,” noted Paige Darrah, a maternal health advocate with the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport. “That’s powerful.”
The race itself presented unique challenges. Woodside’s husband and son positioned themselves at three points along the course—around the 25km, 50km, and 70km marks. Each nursing break took approximately seven minutes, time that most elite ultrarunners would consider costly.
“Those breaks were actually mentally refreshing,” Woodside said. “They gave me something to look forward to and helped break up the race into manageable segments.”
Fellow Canadian ultrarunner Sarah Bergeron-Larouche, who placed third in the same event, expressed admiration for her competitor. “What Alicia did represents the ultimate multitasking. Most of us are just focused on moving forward and managing nutrition. She added another layer of complexity and still outperformed everyone.”
The reaction on social media has been overwhelmingly positive, though not without the occasional criticism about the safety or appropriateness of extreme endurance activities so soon after childbirth.
Dr. Melissa Ward, an obstetrician specializing in sports medicine at Toronto General Hospital, cautions against generalizing Woodside’s experience. “Every postpartum journey is unique. What works for an elite athlete with specific training and recovery resources isn’t necessarily suitable for everyone. That said, her accomplishment absolutely challenges outdated notions about postpartum physical limitations.”
What’s particularly noteworthy is how Woodside has approached the attention. Rather than positioning herself as exceptional, she emphasizes the support systems that made her achievement possible.
“I had physiotherapy, childcare help, a supportive partner, and coaches who understood the postpartum journey,” she pointed out. “Too many women don’t have access to these resources. That’s the conversation we should be having.”
The North Face, the race’s title sponsor, has since featured Woodside in their social media, with a spokesperson confirming they’re exploring ways to better accommodate nursing mothers at future events.
“We’ve always tried to create inclusive race environments,” said Michael Critchley, The North Face’s senior brand marketing director. “Alicia’s performance has prompted us to consider specific accommodations we hadn’t previously thought about.”
For Canadian women’s sports, Woodside’s achievement comes amid growing conversations about support for athlete mothers. While major organizations like Athletics Canada have developed pregnancy policies, implementation remains uneven across different sports and competition levels.
“The next frontier is creating environments where these accommodations aren’t exceptional but expected,” said Olympian and advocate Phylicia George. “Breastfeeding stations at races, childcare options at training facilities—these shouldn’t be afterthoughts.”
As we wrapped up our conversation, I asked Woodside what she hopes people take from her story.
“I hope it helps expand our understanding of what’s possible,” she reflected. “Not just for athletes, but for any parent trying to maintain their passions alongside parenthood. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”
When she crossed the finish line in Bear Mountain, Woodside didn’t just win a race. She provided a powerful reminder that the boundaries of human potential—especially for mothers—continue to be rewritten with every generation.
