One of the country’s most accomplished distance runners is growing her family.
Stravas 2024 Yearly Report Is Here Sara Hall Smashes American Masters Marathon Record and finished eighth Elle St. Pierres Track Brilliance, Explained Instagram in Paris, but I like to just call it my career.
Chappell Roan: I Love Running. But Not Anymore.
St. Pierre, 29, gave birth to her first child, son Ivan, in March 2023. She was pregnant, but she hadn’t announced it publicly, when she finished third at the 2022 U.S. championships in the 1500 meters to qualify for the World Championships later that summer. At Worlds, she advanced to the semifinals before bowing out and telling reporters afterward, “I’m not feeling [like] myself. Just tired.” (No one put two and two together at the time.)
After Ivan was born, St. Pierre returned to racing six months later, running the Fifth Avenue Mile in 4:23.3 and finishing seventh against a world-class field.
St. Pierre returned to the track in 2024 faster than she was before she gave birth. While people marveled at her comeback, she seemed to get tired of the questions about it, at least at the Olympics. “People call it a comeback,” she told reporters in Paris, “but I like to just call it my career.”
In addition to her World indoor title in an American record of 8:20.87, St. Pierre set personal bests this year in the 1500 meters (3:55.99), mile (4:16.41), and 5,000 meters (14:34.12). She won the 5,000 meters at the Olympic Trials and finished third at the Trials in the 1500, electing to run only the 1500 at the Games.
St. Pierre, who lives in northern Vermont and travels to Boston twice a week to train with her team, New Balance Boston, did not immediately respond to a text from Runner’s World seeking comment.
Races - Places Runner’s World that she is “still running and feeling really well,” and he added that she is “100 percent not retiring. In fact, she said to me she feels so much better this time, she may try to race next summer, depending on how everything goes.” Coogan said he told her to take her time and be healthy.
New Balance Boston recently added Parker Valby to the roster, a top college star. St. Pierre has been absent from social media clips showing team workouts.
St. Pierre is not the only elite runner who is pregnant. Molly Huddle announced this week that she expecting a girl, also in May. It will be the second daughter for Huddle. Emma Coburn, who missed the 2024 track season due to injury, welcomed a daughter via surrogate in October.
Fiona OKeeffe Is on the Road to Recovery is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
