Molly Huddle Is Redefining What It Means to Be a Mother and an Athlete

Molly Huddle, a two-time Olympian and former American record holder, has never been one to back down from a challenge. At 40, she is expecting her second child in May 2025—and using her platform to change how the sports world supports female athletes through pregnancy and motherhood.

This year, Huddle signed on as a Saucony ambassador, reaffirming her presence in the elite running community. But as her competitive calendar takes a backseat, her advocacy is moving to the front of the pack.

In a powerful Instagram post for National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Huddle opened up about the tension she felt throughout her career between maintaining her “sports body” and planning a family:

“The thing is, they’re the same amazing body, but it felt like the expectation was to be one, then retire and be the other. It would have made me feel less stressed to have more information, resources, support, and visible role models around all the ways you can thrive in both an athletic career and motherhood someday.”

Now, she’s working to ensure that future generations of women don’t face the same conflict.

Huddle advocates for:

• Fertility freedom and open discussions about pregnancy planning in sports

• Better access to information and medical guidance during postpartum recovery

• Childcare support for elite athletes and funding structures that don’t penalize pregnancy

• More inclusive research and data around female-specific training and injury prevention

She continues to amplify these messages on her “Keeping Track” podcast, which she co-hosts with fellow Olympians Alysia Montaño and Roisin McGettigan. The show has become a vital platform for highlighting issues at the intersection of sports, gender, and family life.

“I’d love the future of women’s sports to allow you to feel supported as your whole self the whole time,” Huddle added in her post. “More options and resources around fertility freedom is a way to start.”

Through her writing for Runner’s World, guest essays on ParentData, and her podcast work, Huddle is creating a new blueprint—one where a successful running career and motherhood don’t exist in opposition, but in harmony.

As she prepares to welcome her second daughter, Molly Huddle is racing toward a bigger goal: a sports world that finally supports women through all stages of life.

posted Saturday May 17th
by Boris Baron