Emma Wilkinson – Freelance Health Journalist, Ultra Runner & Co-Author of Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport
- Tough Girl
- Aug 26
- 4 min read
This week on the Tough Girl Podcast, we welcome Emma Wilkinson—a freelance health journalist, ultra runner, mother of three, and co-author of the empowering book Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport.
Emma’s journey into ultra running didn’t begin until her 40s, but once she discovered the joy of going long and slow, there was no turning back.
In this honest and motivating conversation, Emma shares how she went from half marathons and road running to self-created 100K adventures in the mountains of Snowdonia. Alongside fellow runner and friend Lily Canter, she set out to research and write Ultra Women, a book that celebrates female endurance athletes and dives into the science, stories, and social constructs around women in ultra sport.
Emma talks openly about what inspired the book, how she balanced full-time work, parenting, and running while writing it, and what she learned about the unique strengths women bring to endurance challenges—especially around fatigue resistance, pain management, and mental toughness.
If you’ve ever doubted your capabilities, struggled with self-identifying as a “runner,” or wondered if your body was made for ultras—this episode is for you. Emma’s message is simple and powerful: don’t put limits on yourself—just give it a go.
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Show notes
Who is Emma
Journalist and runner
Co-Author of a new book - Ultra Women
What Emma was like as little girl
Growing up in Bradford and not being massively sporty when she was younger
Getting into running in her later teens
Being far more active now than she was as a child
In her early 20s watching the London Marathon and wanting to give it ago
Getting into half marathons
Running the Sheffield Half Marathon and being sick at the end
Starting to run faster and joining a running club to make new friends
Doing her first marathon just before she had children, just before turning 30
Why she enjoyed running
2019 - meeting Lilly (co-author on the Ultra women book)
Singing up for a 100k - 2 day event
Falling in love with ultra running - the slower, longer, adventure
Her friendship with Lilly, doing their journalism MA together, 20 years ago
Teaching Journalism at Sheffield University
How the book came about
Walking the hills
What do you need to do, to get to the end.
Needing to be able to tune into your body
Creating their own 100K 2 days event - on the Snowdonia Slate Trail
Surprising herself with what she was capable of
Writing the book at the same time of doing full time work as a journalist while also looking after children and running
Why are women so good at ultra endurance distances
Coming from a science background and why the research was so interesting
How women have more fatigue resistant muscles
Not feeling in competition with other women
Book: Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
The lack of research into sports science for women
Hopefully the research is starting to turn a corner
Why ultra running training plans are based on men
Women have been deemed as to complicated to include in studies
Fatigue resistant muscles research
Wanting to learn more about recovery and how that applies to women specifically
Training for ultras
Women having to use a process of trial and error to figure out what works best for them
Periods and cycle tracking and feeling different at different times of the month and why the data can be confusing
Learning more about oestrogen and how it affects endurance
How the book came about
Getting the book published
Are women faster the longer they go?
Freelancing for Journalists
Lael Wilcox going after the mens’s around the world bike record in 2026
The motherhood perspective on running
Not running in pregnancy and chaining to walking
Dealing with separated stomach muscles
Needing to get back to running and needing time for herself
Having a chapter on pregnancy in the book and why it’s not the same for everyone
Pain and women, and pain management
Sexism
Creating a manifesto and calling for action
Do you call yourself a runner?
Confidence - women - running
Say yes for signing up for that ultra
How to connect with Emma
Final words of advice
Don’t put limits on yourself, if you want to do something, have ago.
Women who just wanted to see if they could and they did
Why not give it ago!
Social Media
Website: emmawilkinson.net
Instagram: @emmawjourno/
BlueSky: @emmajourno.bsky.social
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