She’s Easily Mother Of All Marathoners Thirty Hours After Running 62.9 Miles, She Gives Birth

Just 30 hours after running 62.9 miles in a weekend 24-hour ultramarathon, Sue Olsen of Burnsville, Minn., gave birth to her first child.

Of course, the baby’s middle name is Miles.

“The labor went longer than I would have liked,” Olsen said with a chuckle. “It has been a pretty strenuous couple of days.”

John Miles Olsen arrived at 2:06 p.m. Monday, weighing in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces and 21 inches in length.

Olsen, 38, who drew worldwide attention for running Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth in 4 hours on June 17, then surpassed the 100-kilometer mark in the 24-hour race Saturday and Sunday. She went into labor Sunday night. Her husband, Tom, drove her to the hospital Monday morning and “everything went so good they sent me home in 24 hours,” the new mom said.

But don’t try this yourself, she cautioned. “The doctor gave me a little lecture that anyone who wants to exercise when they’re pregnant should not do so unless they consult with their doctor. I was supposed to be sure to say that in any interviews.”

She laughed. Olsen’s doctor gave permission to continue running because she is accustomed to it: She has covered 216.9 miles in a 48-hour race and 135 miles in a 24-hour race, two results that rank her among the top female ultrarunners in the world. She underwent weekly examinations to make sure the baby was OK, and was allowed to continue running massive amounts of miles only because of her peak physical condition.

Olsen finished 42nd among 76 starters in the ultramarathon.