872. Emma Bates, Mom-to-Be
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In this powerful episode of the Ali on the Run Show, host Allie Feller sits down with professional marathoner Emma Bates, who shares her journey of discovering she was pregnant the day after running a 2:25 marathon at Valencia—while also navigating a sudden sponsorship fallout with UCAN, her longtime fueling partner. Emma reveals how she kept her pregnancy and secret marriage to her husband Steve under wraps for weeks, only sharing the news with close teammates and sponsors after the fact. She candidly discusses the emotional and physical toll of early pregnancy, her battle with hemochromatosis, and the challenges of balancing elite athletic performance with fertility struggles. The episode takes a pivotal turn when Emma shares a viral Instagram reel about being dropped by UCAN after disclosing her pregnancy, sparking a widespread conversation about how brands treat pregnant female athletes. Allie uses the moment to reflect on accountability, progress in women’s sports, and the importance of supporting brands that value athletes at every stage of life. Emma’s story becomes a rallying cry for transparency, empathy, and systemic change, while also celebrating the joy of impending motherhood, a new marriage, and the arrival of three baby goats. The episode ends on a hopeful, uplifting note, with Emma embracing the present and looking forward to Boston Marathon weekend with renewed purpose.
Pregnancy does not mean the end of athletic performance—Emma ran a 2:25 marathon while pregnant and continues to train with heart rate monitoring.
Brands must evolve: UCAN’s decision to reduce Emma’s sponsorship after she disclosed her pregnancy highlights ongoing inequities in how female athletes are treated during pregnancy.
Support systems matter: Emma leaned on other pregnant runner moms like Emily Infeld and Grayson Murphy, and found strength in community and shared experience.
Hemochromatosis is a genetic condition that can be both a superpower (high iron) and a health risk (organ damage), requiring careful management through diet and medical monitoring.
Transparency is powerful: Emma’s decision to share her story—without naming UCAN—sparked a national conversation and inspired other athletes to speak up about similar experiences.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome & Introduction to Emma Bates
Allie Feller introduces Emma Bates, a professional marathoner who ran a 2:25 marathon in Valencia while pregnant, and sets the stage for a deeply personal conversation about pregnancy, sponsorship, and identity.
The Pregnancy Revelation & Secret Marriage
“We have been trying to conceive for a while... so it was kind of more of the paperwork side of things and for the health insurance reasons, but we just knew that we wanted to be married.”
The Physical & Emotional Toll of Early Pregnancy
“I was flat out on the floor, like eating a banana, but like that was the position that I was in. I think I had like been taking my heart rate because my finger and thumb is like on my artery, like making sure that I'm still alive.”
Hemochromatosis: A Genetic Iron Disorder
“It can cause infertility. It can also attack your liver. It can also attack your heart, your lungs. Like it starts to attack everything in your body because it stores this iron and it's too saturated.”
The UCAN Sponsorship Fallout
“If they had sent me that new offer, the reduced offer first and not the original offer, then we would have parted ways peacefully. But the fact that they changed it after me telling them I was pregnant is why we're here.”
“If you don't talk about it, people don't know about it. And if people don't know about it, change can't happen.”
“We have companies like Nike that, you know, treated women, maybe not great when they were pregnant. There was not pregnancy clauses now that women have spoken up, uh, like Kara Goucher and Alison Felix there, they've completely changed the game and they learned, they created change and that's what we want.”
“It can cause infertility. It can also attack your liver. It can also attack your heart, your lungs. Like it starts to attack everything in your body because it stores this iron and it's too saturated.”
Host
Guest
Emma Bates
person
Allie Feller
person
UCAN
brand
Steve
person
Asics
brand
Hemochromatosis
other
Coros
brand
Boston Marathon
other
Lagoon
brand
Valencia Marathon
other
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