Inclusivity in the Mountains
A Race Built for Women, Parents, and the Next Generation of Mountain Athletes
Mountain ultras have always been places of grit, solitude, and strength. But for too long, they’ve also been built around the assumption that athletes can train, race, and travel without the demands of parenting. At Standhope, we believe the sport evolves when we evolve with it — when motherhood doesn’t limit a woman’s place in the mountains but strengthens it.
Standhope is committed to creating a race where moms feel supported, welcomed, and truly able to show up as both athletes and parents. Not as an exception. As the norm.
Why This Matters
For many women, returning to the mountains after pregnancy or navigating training during early parenthood comes with obstacles that most races never acknowledge. A lack of private pumping space. The stress of storing milk. Rigid crew rules that make caring for a baby difficult. A culture that praises toughness but often overlooks the invisible labor of motherhood.
We want to change that.
Motherhood should not be the reason a woman steps away from big goals. We believe it can be part of the strength that carries her across passes, up climbs, and through the finish arch at Standhope.
Mary’s Story: Why This Mission Is Personal
When my daughter Pyper was born in 2023, everything I understood about strength, time, and identity shifted. Returning to Standhope after becoming a mom reshaped the way I saw both the mountains and the runners who took them on.
I understood the exhaustion.
I understood the early mornings.
I understood the desire to hold onto the parts of yourself that existed before motherhood—especially the adventurous pieces.
And I understood, more than ever, how hard it is for mothers to claim space for themselves.
By the time I took over full ownership in 2025, I found myself seeing Standhope through a completely new lens. Not because others reached out asking for change, but because I knew what I would have needed. I knew how heavy the mental load is for women who are trying to be present for their families while still pursuing big goals. I knew how meaningful it could be for a race to meet mothers halfway.
My own questions became the spark:
What would have helped me keep training with an infant?
What would make these mountains more accessible for women?
How could Standhope lead the way in supporting moms?
What systems and spaces could make a mountain race feel possible, not intimidating?
That internal shift—born directly from lived experience—became the foundation for the future of Standhope.
What Standhope Offers Moms
On-Course Pumping & Nursing Tents
Private shelters placed at key aid stations for breastfeeding athletes. Each tent includes wipes, sanitizer, privacy coverings, and cold storage options. If we are transporting your breast pump, please sign the waiver and attach it to your breast pump at check-in. Click HERE for waiver.
Frozen Breast Milk Transport
Volunteers safely carry, cool, and freeze breast milk from remote aid stations back to the finish line so moms never have to choose between feeding and running. If we are transporting your breast pump, please sign the waiver and attach it to your breast pump at check-in. Click HERE for waiver.
Family Crew Access
Parents with infants receive crew wristbands that allow smooth, secure access where needed so babies and support partners can stay close. Please fill out this form HERE if you will need family crew access.
Family-Friendly Finish Line Experience
Our finish line is designed to welcome families and keep little ones engaged while they wait for their runners. We host a fun kids loop race in the finish area — a short, safe course that children can run as many times as they’d like. Each loop earns them small prizes, giving them their own adventure and excitement while staying close to the action. It creates a positive, memorable race-day experience for the whole family.
Our Commitment to anyone in the role of a mom
Standhope’s mission is simple:
To build one of the most rugged, beautiful mountain ultras in the West — and to ensure moms belong unequivocally within it.
Whether you’re training while your toddler naps, pumping at an aid station, bringing your family to the finish, or showing your child what strength looks like, you deserve a race that sees you, supports you, and celebrates you.
Standhope is that race.
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