Stephanie Rothstein Bruce, a mom of a baby and a toddler who won legions of fans after she posted unflinching pictures of her postpartum abs to social media, took to the track today for the women’s 10,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
On a warm day in Eugene, Oregon, Bruce, 32, finished 20th in the field of 24. Her time was 34:27, well behind the top three who earned spots on the Olympic team bound for Rio in August.
Missing training time after her two pregnancies in close succession—her sons are now 2 years old and 9 months—hurt her fitness, Bruce said.
“I’m not ready to be back at this level,” she said. “Being able to get the Olympic standard [of 32:15] in March was like a dream come true. But what happens when you get to this level, you have to be firing on all cylinders. And having two kids in two years, I lost a lot of training.
“Am I disappointed? Yes. Is the reality that my fitness level just wasn’t where it could be to be at the top? Most likely,” she said.
But as Bruce walked out on the track, she realized she had reason to celebrate. She had qualified for the Olympic Trials just five months after giving birth, and she tried to soak up the moment, giving a wide smile as she was introduced before the race.
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“I told myself before, ‘Remember, don’t be so balled up in nerves, look out at the crowd,’” Bruce said. “That’s what the sport is about. It’s about the fans. People know our stories and they follow us, and whether we win or lose, they’re cheering for us. So you have to remember that and look out. We train for this moment; we don’t train to be super nervous and introverted.
“So I tried to take in all the crowds—all the people are helping carry me, no matter how I ran,” Bruce said, her voice cracking with emotion.
Now that the trials are over, Bruce plans to rebuild her strength for another go at the Olympic Trials in the marathon, her best event, in 2020.
Having quit breastfeeding and with her kids now sleeping through the night, she’s ready to return to training. She’s planning to stay away from high-profile races for awhile, too.
Fans, however, have been recognizing her all over Eugene since she arrived three days ago. “Being in the airport, people in Starbucks will come up to me and grab a picture,” Bruce said. “I love that. The sport needs to grow. We need fans. Why do I share everything? I want people to have the stories behind who they see out there.”
What about another baby? Not before 2020, Bruce says, but she’s not ruling out growing her young family.
“We have enough [now],” Bruce said. “Probably when I’m done with my career.”
Sarah Lorge Butler is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
