This woman ran 300 miles through the Atacama desert–at 22 weeks pregnant
The U.S.'s Allie Gibbons signed up for The Speed Project Atacama before she knew she was pregnant—and decided to keep going
courtesy of Allie Gibbons
Allie Gibbons didn’t plan to run 300 miles while pregnant—she had already committed to the race before she found out she was expecting. “I was registered to run Atacama prior to finding out about my pregnancy,” Gibbs told Canadian Running. “While this little girl is the greatest gift in the world, running 300 miles while pregnant was not on my bingo card this year.”
In early December, Gibbons not only completed, but won, The Speed Project Atacama, a roughly 300-mile ultra across Chile’s Atacama Desert, at 22 weeks pregnant. The race includes long stretches at altitude, major temperature swings and minimal structure—conditions that make it one of the more demanding events in ultrarunning.
Living on the road, running full-time
Gibbons and her partner (and crew), Sam Atherton, currently live nomadically, traveling across the U.S. and Canada in a rig they built themselves. Her background is in sports performance coaching, but over the past year, she’s been running full-time. They plan to move to Colorado in early 2026 ahead of their daughter’s arrival, with some continued time on the road afterward.
“I’ve always been a runner to an extent,” she said. “My athletic background started with soccer, and while I never had exceptional footwork, my speed always stood out.” Running stayed recreational for years before she moved into marathons, then competitive racing.
A fast move into trail and ultra
Gibbons discovered trail running in December 2023 and progressed quickly. Within months, she ran her first 50-miler, followed by a 100-mile race. “The longer the distance, the more I learn about myself, and I can’t get enough,” she said.
She had raced The Speed Project Atacama the year before as part of a relay, which helped inform her decision to return. “I had never experienced a place so desolate but so full of life,” she said. “There is too much to discover in that desert; I knew I needed to spend more time there. To learn and to suffer.”
Training with a changing body
Preparation for Atacama looked different this time around. While Gibbons kept high-mileage training in place, her strength training increased and sleep became a priority. “I think the key to success with training for something so massive during pregnancy was just listening to my body,” Gibbons said. “Fuel, rest, intensity…the body will tell you exactly what it needs if you know how to listen.”
Earlier in the pregnancy, she ran Bigfoot 100, a 200-mile race in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, focusing on managing body temperature and resting as needed. Finishing that race feeling strong gave her confidence heading into Atacama.
Clear lines around health and safety
Before racing, Gibbons consulted medical professionals and received clearance to start, with the advice to monitor blood pressure closely. Her crew also brought a fetal Doppler, so that Sam could check the baby’s heart rate during the race.
“I knew going into this that there was a strong possibility I would not finish,” she said. The race climbs from just over 3,000 feet [914 metres] to above 14,000 feet [4,267 metres] in the first 100 kilometres. “If I needed to pull out, I would have. To me, it was a risk worth taking.”
Extreme conditions, constant support
Atacama delivered wide-ranging conditions, from intense daytime heat to freezing nights with strong winds. Gibbons experienced more swelling in her legs and feet than usual, enough to require shoes a full size larger.
Support made a difference. Large sections of the course run along desert roads, allowing crew vehicles to access runners frequently. “Getting to suffer in this place that seems otherworldly, while having the constant support of Sam and my friends, made this my most memorable challenge yet,” she said.
On judgment and what comes next
Gibbons expected criticism, and received some, but says the response has been largely supportive. “The only people judging are those who aren’t in the arena,” she said. “Women deserve more examples of what is possible.” For now, she isn’t planning major races before her daughter arrives. She expects to return to coaching once they’re settled in Colorado. “I don’t know what the next big adventure will be,” she said. “I’ll let it call me forward when it’s ready.”
