Olympian Runs Boston Marathon 22 Weeks Pregnant

When Calli Hauger-Thackery crossed the finish line at the Boston Marathon on Monday, she wasn't chasing a personal record. She was celebrating something far bigger: completing 26.2 miles while 22 weeks pregnant with her first child.

The 33-year-old British Olympic runner from Sheffield finished in 2 hours and 43 minutes. That's over 20 minutes slower than her personal best, but she calls it the most meaningful achievement of her career.

"It's a different kind of hard, for sure, than what I've ever done," Hauger-Thackery told BBC Sport. "A lot harder than the European medals or these other things that I've achieved."

The race didn't go smoothly at first. At mile five, a trapped nerve in her glute left her dragging her right leg and limping into the medical tent. She needed treatment again at mile 11, plus two bathroom breaks before the halfway point.

But the second half felt completely different. "I felt a million dollars," she said. "I was like, OK, we're actually doing this."

Hauger-Thackery only discovered she was pregnant after winning the Honolulu Marathon in December. She'd been vomiting on the course and blamed the heat. On Christmas Eve, she and her husband Nick learned the real reason.

She went on to win the Houston Marathon in January at eight weeks pregnant, finishing in 2:24:17. "That was probably the hardest marathon for me just because I was still taking it very seriously," she said.

The timing made sense for the couple. After not finishing the Chicago Marathon in October, they decided to start a family. With no major outdoor championships this year, Hauger-Thackery could take a break from elite competition.

"If we do it this year, I'll have a two-year-old for the Olympics," she explained.

Why This Inspires

Hauger-Thackery joins a growing list of elite runners proving that pregnancy and athletic achievement aren't opposites. British running legends Paula Radcliffe, Liz McColgan, and Sonia O'Sullivan all continued running while expecting and returned even stronger.

Recent research supports what these athletes have known: staying active during pregnancy is healthy, especially for those already trained. Hauger-Thackery worked closely with her doctors throughout, listening to her body at every step.

She's faced some criticism from strangers online but stays focused on the positive. "I know my body and I know what's right for me," she said. The support from fellow runners and spectators has been overwhelming.

Her achievements speak volumes: joint second fastest marathon time for a British woman, bronze at the 2024 European Athletics Championships, and Olympic representation for Great Britain. Now she's adding "marathon runner while pregnant" to that list.

For Hauger-Thackery, these pregnancy marathons represent something deeper than medals or records—they're about showing what's possible when women trust themselves and redefine limits.