Ultramarathon runner denied two-year extension after becoming pregnant

A Christchurch woman set to take part in one of New Zealand’s most prestigious races is furious organisers refused to defer her entry by two years after she became pregnant.

Sarah Vermeulen had already paid the $930 entry fee for the 2023 Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB, a 165km race in Rotorua held in February.

After trying for so long, Sarah Vermeulen, 31, had nearly given up hope of having a baby, before conceiving in December.

She and husband Curtis Vermeulen were over the moon, but as a natural competitor she had mixed feelings about her pregnancy putting a hold on her running career.

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Vermeulen is due to give birth in August this year and said she needed at least three months to recover before getting into training. February would be too soon to compete, so she contacted race organisers for a two-year extension.

But the organisers refused the request, and said in an email the race policy was one year.

Vermeulen, who teaches nursing at Ara Institute of Canterbury in Christchurch, said she wouldn’t advise anyone to start running earlier than three months after giving birth.

She said accepting the one-year deferral would mean having a 6-month-old baby and a maximum of three months’ training under her belt, which was “impossible and impractical”.

“If you are thinking about New Zealand and equality and women’s rights, this is not it,” she said.

“Part of me says I will just get a T-shirt fitted and breastfeed at every station. But I know this isn’t realistic and nor should I have to do it.”

Race organisers said the pregnancy policy would be reviewed after Stuff contacted them about Vermeulen’s situation.

“We have commenced a review of how we can improve the options made available to pregnant athletes at Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB, which may include incorporating some or all of the UTMB Mont-Blanc policy,” a spokesperson said.

The review was expected to be completed in the next few months.

Vermeulen said she was disappointed organisers couldn’t give her a two-year deferral when she first asked for it.

It made her feel like she had to choose between running and becoming a mother, which felt unfair, she said.

“I have not given birth to a baby and I don’t know if I will like running at all once I do, but you still have to have goals.”

One of her goals was to beat her 27-hour effort from the 2020 race. She wanted to knock it out in 24 hours, something she said would be impossible with only three months training post-birth.

Although she forked out nearly a grand for the event, the money wasn’t her main concern. She felt a woman shouldn’t have to choose between her passion and motherhood.

Women in Sport Aotearoa chief executive Nicky van den Bos said race organisers needed to reconsider their policy about pregnancy, as well as other issues, such as injury, affecting men or women.

“I myself am a mother and I find it quite disappointing that they don’t have that flexibility for women.

“We can’t be putting up barriers as then it forces a woman to choose between becoming a mother, her work or her sport.”

Van Den Bos said it was important a woman was allowed the flexibility to recover fully after giving birth.

“They don’t talk about the fourth trimester do they – the physical and mental challenge and time it takes, working on a three-hourly cycle with a child. If you do have time, at all, you are really only up for getting a walk in.”

The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and the London marathon recently changed their policies to allow for longer deferrals for pregnant women.

Vermeulen is 15 weeks into her pregnancy and still running, but said she had no plans to run right up until birth.

She said she was thrilled to have conceived at all, when at times she thought it wouldn’t be possible.

“When we were desperately trying it didn’t happen and when you are not trying, it happened.”