In our RT Snap Q&A series, we’ve had the privilege of interviewing some of the world’s best runners, delving into their extraordinary journeys, celebrating their achievements, and exploring the unwavering dedication that defines their careers.
Lucja Leonard
- Born: December 23, 1978
- Nationality: British
- Ultramarathons
Lucja Leonard, often known as “Running Dutchie,” is a remarkable ultrarunner who has achieved extraordinary milestones in her running journey. Originally from the Netherlands, she began her fitness journey as a novice and grew into a formidable presence in the ultrarunning community. Leonard is renowned for completing some of the most challenging races globally, including the Marathon des Sables, the Bigfoot 200, and the Divide 200. Her ability to endure and thrive in extreme conditions, such as navigating remote terrains and covering distances up to 200 miles, highlights her resilience and determination.
One of her significant accomplishments was finishing the prestigious Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), a grueling 170km race through the Alps. Despite facing physical and mental hurdles, Leonard showcased incredible grit, battling through challenging weather and exhaustion to cross the finish line. This achievement epitomizes her tenacity and love for pushing her limits. In addition to racing, Leonard is also passionate about inspiring others, sharing her stories through platforms like the Run the Riot Podcast to encourage people to embrace ultrarunning.
Beyond running, Leonard is dedicated to a minimalist lifestyle, often traveling and training while maintaining a focus on personal growth and mindfulness. She has plans to tackle even more ambitious challenges, such as the Arizona Monster 300, further cementing her legacy as an ultrarunning icon. Her journey continues to motivate athletes around the world to explore their potential and pursue adventurous goal.
Personal Bests
- The Divide 200 2024 – 95:40:22
- Javelina Jundred 2022 – 100 Miles – 27:13:25
- Mohican 100 Trail Run 2021 – 100 Mile – 31:32:01
- McDowell Mountain Frenzy 2020 – 50 Km – 07:01:21
- The Georgia Jewel 2020 – 35 Mile – 10:37:16
- Trail des Aiguilles Rouges 2019 – TAR – 12:45:27
- UTMB® 2019 – 42:43:05
- GRAN TRAIL COURMAYEUR 2019 – GTC 105 Km – 25:37:11
- Marathon du Mont-Blanc 2019 – Duo étoilé – 03:11:50
- Salomon Gore-Tex MaXi-Race 2019 – Marathon Race – 07:24:25
- Ultra X Sri Lanka 2019 – Ultra X Sri Lanka – 34:05:00
RT: What initially inspired you to take up running, and how did that evolve into pursuing ultra-distance events and becoming an adventurer?
Lucja: I was overweight and unfit! I grew up avoiding sport and actually hated running. I was the kid at school who would forge notes from my parents to skip PE. But as I turned 24, I realized something had to change, so I took it upon myself to embark on a fitness adventure. This led to running my first 10km, then my first half marathon, and it was after my first marathon that my husband, Dion, bought me a coffee table book for my birthday – The World’s Toughest Endurance Challenges. With my birthday being two days before Christmas, the second part of the present was to randomly pick a challenge, and we would go and do it together. I fell upon the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon, a 155-mile self-sufficient multi-stage race in Northern South Africa in the Kalahari Desert, which we ultimately went and completed, and I was hooked!
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RT: Could you walk us through what a typical day of training looks like for you, especially when preparing for a major ultra event?
Lucja:It really depends on the day! I’m not a full-time athlete, so I also have to work. A workday would normally involve a run of 60-90 minutes, which could be easy running, intervals, or hill repeats. A couple of times a week, it would also include a second session of heavy lifting. The weekend would involve back-to-back runs, ideally on terrain that mimics the race.
RT: Ultra marathons test both body and mind. Can you share a particularly challenging moment during a race and the strategies you used to persevere through it?
Lucja: They sure do! I’ve had quite a few experiences with challenging moments, and my general way to ensure I persevere through them is to focus first on the controllables. Things like the weather, terrain, distance, and time of day are completely out of my control, but what can I do in the moment to deal with the issues? For example, if I’m cold and wet because of the weather, can I put on another layer? Can I change into dry clothes, or if I can’t right now, when can I do that to make it less of an issue? In a recent race (Rio Del Lago 100), I ended up with a strained groin, but I ‘had’ to finish the race to get my qualifying spot for the WSER 100 lottery. Although I was in a serious amount of pain, I had to walk and change my gait. I took some Tylenol to try to reduce the severity of the pain, even if it was just a placebo effect, and I had to mentally accept that my finishing time would be a lot slower than I had hoped and what I was capable of achieving. It was quite humbling at the time, but I persevered and finished just within the time required.
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RT: Exploring trails worldwide is a big part of your running journey. Which trail or race has left the biggest impression on you, and what made it unforgettable?
Lucja: Tor Des Geants! This 330km race takes place in the Aosta Valley, circumnavigating the valley through the alpine mountains, climbing and descending 24,000m. It became a dream of mine to complete this race before I had even run my first ultra and I’ve been captivated by the magic and aura surrounding the race, I attempted the race in 2023 and did not make it to the finish line, so this is a big piece of unfinished business for me and I hope to return in 2026 to complete it!
RT: Facing low points during races is common for ultrarunners. How do you personally manage these moments, and what advice would you give to others for overcoming them?
Lucja: Understanding that the low points don’t last (neither do the highs so be careful there too!) but from experience I know that the low & high points ebb and flow, through a low point I try to think about just ‘relentless forward motion’ whether that means walking, or if at a checkpoint its moving forward with eating, drinking, getting changed, even sleeping; doing the tasks that need to be done to ensure I get up and keep moving, but doing them all with purpose. That would be the advice is to do everything with purpose!
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RT: With so many accomplishments already achieved, what current goals or challenges excite you the most, and what keeps you motivated to pursue them?
Lucja: Big challenges excite me! In 2025 I will be running my farthest distance in the Arizona Monster 300 mile non stop race which is in April and in August I am returning to Edinburgh in Scotland, where I lived for 5 years and where my ultra running journey began, and I am returning to run across Scotland, 215miles non stop. These are both epic challenges and of course Tor Des Geants is still to be conquered.
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RT: For aspiring runners looking to take on trails or ultra distances, what key lessons from your journey would you share to help them succeed and enjoy the process?
Lucja: Don’t rush the process! So many people are jumping straight into running super long distances without building up not only the distances you run but also building your experience. You can read and listen to so many people about ultras but nothing beats your own personal experience and I think you miss part of the magic if you just jump too high too soon. Enjoy the journey, pick challenges that excite you, and I mean really excite you as the training you need to do and the effort required during the challenge are so immense that your ‘why’ for being out there needs to be so strong.
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