Calli Hauger-Thackery ran the Boston Marathon in two hours and 43 minutes while 22 weeks pregnant. For an elite athlete who has represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games, this might seem over 20 minutes slower than her personal best. She ran the same race last year and finished sixth with a time of 2:22:38.
Hauger-Thackery, from Sheffield, called the race an “incredible” and “more meaningful” moment in her career.
Battling Through the Boston Marathon
The 33-year-old encountered some difficulties during the race. She had to be treated for a trapped nerve in her glute at mile five, and again at mile 11.
“I had to dash into the medical tent because I had this crazy trapped nerve.
“I genuinely couldn’t even pick up my right leg properly. I was dragging it and I was like, oh no, this is not good and this is mile five. I was like, ‘guys, is there anything you can do?’ Luckily they were brilliant and they were able to release it.”
She also made two stops. “I had two wee stops, as you do when you’re pregnant, you need them more than ever, but this was all before mile 13.”
The second half of the race was better for Hauger-Thackery. “The second half felt flawless, like I was in tune with my body. I felt a million dollars. I was like, OK, we’re actually doing this. Because there were many times before mile 13, which is the halfway point, I did not think I was going to be finished in that race.”
Discovery After Honolulu Victory
Hauger-Thackery discovered she was pregnant after winning the Honolulu Marathon in December. She had been vomiting on the course and put it down to the hot weather.
“I joked to Nick, my husband, and said ‘imagine if it is morning sickness’. We just laughed it off, genuinely didn’t think anything of it. It was Christmas Eve we found out and we were like ‘oh, that makes sense now’. I won the race and I actually felt amazing so I was just shocked.”
Earlier Races and Family Plans
Hauger-Thackery ran the Houston Marathon in January while in her first trimester, winning with a time of 2:24:17. “That was probably the hardest marathon for me just because I was eight weeks pregnant, but I was still taking it very seriously. I just thought, you know what, I’m going to at least go for it and try and see.”
After not finishing the Chicago Marathon in October, Hauger-Thackery and her husband Nick decided to start a family. “It kind of just made sense this year,” Hauger-Thackery said.
Hauger-Thackery won her first marathon – the McKirdy Micro Marathon – in New York in October 2023.
Hauger-Thackery came sixth in the Boston Marathon 2025.