"USE YOUR SMILE TO CHANGE THE WORLD."
Lucy Bartholomew is a super-smiley ultra-trail runner! "When things are tough, keep smiling!" It’s the most powerful sentence she’s ever heard. A principle that the young Australian applies to the letter, and to great effect, so she can give the best of herself both in sport and in life. With the result that everything smiles on her!
A FIRST 100K AT THE AGE OF 15
Lucy ran her first 100k ultra in her dad's footsteps in the Blue Mountains of Australia. She was only 15 at the time! At the finish line, after 12 hours and 36 minutes, she felt strong and, more importantly, filled with joy. Until that point, she'd hated running. This experience changed her life. The former netball player began to dream of a destiny in the style of Emelie Forsberg. The Swede is one of the best trail runners in the world... and she's always smiling when she runs!
Crowned junior world champion in skyrunning – running at an altitude of over 2000 meters – in 2014 in Chamonix, Lucy Bartholomew then started to bag victories all over the world: at home in Australia, where she won her first 100k at the age of 21, in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, Italy, the USA and South Africa. Fast on both mountainous and rolling terrain, the Julbo athlete distinguished herself in France in 2017, finishing second in the 80 kilometers of the legendary Mont Blanc Marathon and fifth in the super-tough TDS® (120k).
A CONTAGIOUS ENERGY
Lucy often lifts her arms towards the sky on the finish line. But for her, winning goes way beyond that. It's about stepping out of her comfort zone and pushing her limits so she comes out a better person on the other side. Moving from the shadow to the light, getting to know herself better and assessing her capabilities. Running is about believing in yourself.
On the starting line, aware of the tough challenge ahead, she doesn't hesitate to share her positive energy, embracing the competitors around her one by one, while topping up her own energy with what she gets back. Because if Lucinda – her full name – fell in love with ultra-distance, it's more for the atmosphere around the races and the authenticity of the relationships than for the immense physical and mental challenge that the discipline requires.
A HEALTHY MIND IN A HEALTHY BODY
When she's not running, Lucy Bartholomew loves to cook. She's also a yoga fan and skilled at listening to her body. A vital work tool that she takes great care of, eating a plant-based diet which she's convinced aids her recovery. A body that this outdoor and adventure enthusiast trains in synch with her wishes, in connection with herself and with nature. Light as a feather and free as air, Lucy goes where the wind takes her. With a smile to make her eyes shine.
