Anna Holm is one of Denmark's most recognized elite runners with a long career in long-distance running. She participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics and has achieved impressive results in both the half marathon and marathon over the years - including a personal best of 2:33:02 set in Frankfurt. In 2024, she once again made history as the fastest Danish woman in the marathon distance.

Alongside her running career, Anna is also a mother of two, and she is a strong voice for showing how elite sports and family life can go hand in hand – just on slightly different terms. She is a role model for many, not only because of her speed and perseverance, but also for her honest approach to motherhood, training and mental balance.

Theis Brydegaard is not just an ultrarunner – he is also Head of Development at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Alchemist in Copenhagen. With an uncompromising approach to both food and running, Theis is living proof that passion and discipline can go hand in hand – whether it’s 100 km in the off-road or innovation in the experimental kitchen.

Theis typically runs ultra-distances in hilly terrain and uses his training as a counterbalance to a busy and intense day in the restaurant world. He is driven by curiosity and performance – both physically and mentally – and his approach to endurance and structure is reflected in everything he does.

How do you balance life as an elite runner and mother? Anna Holm honestly shares her experiences of combining training, pregnancy and motherhood.

"One day I got a friendly reminder: It's not wise to run in the same shoe all the time."

- Anna Holm, athlete and elite runner