Prologue 

This podcast clip of our interview with Kate was recorded in early August while Kate was training for her goal race, The Great Ocean Trail Ultra 100K.  On Saturday, October 26th, Kate  executed her race covering the 100 kilometer distance in 15 Hours and 4 minutes finishing 3rd in her Age/Gender Group, 9th Female and 33rd Overall while smashing her previous Personal Best/Record for the 100K (on the same course) by 30 minutes which was set prior to having children and OFM (actually, it was through starting OFM that caused Kate to unexpectedly get pregnant!).

Episode Summary

In this episode, Kate Hubber and Peter Defty discuss the ups and downs of parenting, sleep deprivation, and what it takes to balance family life with ambitious athletic goals. Kate opens up about her experience with young children who are still adjusting to a sleep schedule and how that impacts her everyday life and training. Together, Kate and Peter explore the biological aspects of motherhood and caregiving while sharing insights on endurance. This emphasizes how lifestyle choices can play crucial roles in long-term health and well-being.

Key Topics Covered:

Sleep Deprivation and the Realities of Parenting

• Kate’s Challenges with Sleep: Kate describes her ongoing struggle with getting a full night’s rest due to her children’s challenging sleep routines. 
• Motherly Instincts: Reflecting on why mothers naturally respond to children at night, Kate and Peter emphasize the maternal instinct, with Peter noting, “It’s what moms do.”
• Humor in Parenting Roles: Kate shares that her youngest child actively prefers her over her husband for nighttime comfort, a common family dynamic many listeners will recognize.

The Science of Caregiving

• Attachment and Biology: Kate and Peter discuss the biological and evolutionary basis for a child’s preference for their mother as the primary caregiver, connecting it to fundamental parenting instincts.
• Nurturing vs. Cry-it-Out: Kate rejects the cry-it-out approach, highlighting how nurturing is essential for healthy brain development and emotional well-being in young children.

Balancing Athletic Goals with Parenthood

• Athlete, Engineer and Mom: Even with limited sleep and demanding family responsibilities, Kate is able to pursue her career as an environmental engineer, her passion for running (from a marathon to the 100K distance) yet prioritize raising her children.
• Creative Training Solutions: Kate shares her approach to training while managing family demands, incorporating stroller runs and using every opportunity to stay active.
• 100K Trail Race Preparation: Kate discusses her upcoming 100K trail ultra (see Prologue), her first 100K since having children and recalls how she managed training for this race pre-motherhood in 2015.

Life as an Ultra-Marathon Runner

• Endurance Mindset: Both Kate and Peter relate life’s challenges to the experience of ultra-endurance sports, emphasizing the importance of resilience and determined intent.
• The Importance of Community: A recent 36K group run reinforced Kate’s sense of connection, underscoring how a supportive community is a vital motivator.

Health Choices & Breaking From Tradition

• Family Health History and Lifestyle: Kate shares her family’s genetic predisposition for elevated cholesterol treating this with statins, contrasting it with her own lifestyle-based approach and choices to health.
• Redefining Wellness: The discussion touches on how lifestyle changes can lead to better health outcomes than conventional medical advice suggests and encourages listeners to consider alternative, proactive approaches. Over ‘treatment’.

Takeaways

Highlighted are the intricacies yet doability of balancing family and career responsibilities with personal aspirations. Kate’s journey sheds light on the importance of making conscious lifestyle choices with persistence, creativity and a supportive network, then navigating the priorities of parenthood, profession and athletic endeavors. This episode offers a fresh perspective on managing life’s many demands, suggesting that with the right mindset and lifestyle, enduring each “ultra-marathon” of life is possible.