We’re really excited and honoured to have Natalie Wright working with us to promote trail running. Natalie is a perfect fit with Up and Out.
First, she loves dogs and regularly takes her dog Abby trail running and paddle boarding. Okay, she loves dogs. So we could just stop there and that would be enough. But, wait, there’s more!
Born in South Africa and now a resident of Muskoka (when she’s not travelling all over the world for work and races), Natalie told us, “I have always been a runner – from high school track to slowly making my way up to marathon distance. My heart lies on the trails, and short fast distances are my favourite.”
Natalie is also an accomplished cyclist and duathlete: “While I love to run, I also like to race my bike. For additional training in both running and cycling, cyclocross is quickly becoming one of my favourite ways to race.”
Natalie is also part of the Wild Bruce Chase, an all women Trail (mostly) Running Team. According to Natalie, “Our mandate is to be sociably competitive…and that means, while we will fiercely race our hearts out, we will always have fun doing it – supporting each other every step of the way.” The WBC Team has set several women’s relay fastest known times (FKTs), and the team’s next race is the Hood to Coast Relay Race in Oregon in August of 2019.
Impressive athletic resume notwithstanding (see below), perhaps Natalie’s greatest efforts come from her work as a midwife. Although based in Central Ontario, she has traveled extensively for locum coverage. At the time of writing this, Natalie was in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.
In 2010, Natalie started the nonprofit organization called Wakunga, which means midwives in Swahili. Natalie told us, “Wakunga was created to help Midwives in underdeveloped countries. It helps local midwives provide safe, accessible maternity care to those that need it. it provides obstetrical training to Midwives and Traditional Birth Attendants and fund raises for water harvesting projects and clean obstetrical equipment. Ultimately, Wakunga’s mission is to increase women’s access to trained birth attendants in rural areas.”
We are so thrilled to be working with Natalie, especially helping her bring the Trails in Motion Film Festival to Orillia in May, with all proceeds going to Wakunga.
For more information about Wakunga, please visit their website or Facebook page.
Natalie is also a great fit with us because she loves Inov8, Topo and Salomon products – our perfect ambassador!
- 2018 Hardwood Trail Running Series 40-49 AG series winner.
- 2018 Canadian Mountain Running Championship – 2nd place AG 40-49
- 2018 – World Duathlon Championships – Denmark – AG 45-49 14th place
- 2018 Women’s Relay FKT – Ganaraska Hiking Trail 500km
- 2018 Women’s Winter Relay FKT – Wild Bruce Chase – Grand River Trail –280km
- 2018 Subaru Duathlon Series AG 45-49 – 1st Place
- 2017 Subaru Duathlon Series AG 40-44 –1st Place
- 2017 World Duathlon Championships Penticton AG 40-44 18th Place
- 2017 5 Peaks Ontario Trail Running Series AG 40-49 2nd place
- 2017 Women’s Relay FKT – Wild Bruce Chase – Rideau Trail – 328km
- 2016 Multisport Canada Duathlon Series AG 40-44 – tied for 1st place
- 2016 Women’s Relay FKT – Wild Bruce Chase – Bruce Trail – 900km
- 2016 Wild Bruce Chase – Canadian Running’s Personalities of the Year
- 2015 Subaru Triathlon Duathlon Series AG 40 – 1stPlace
For more information about Natalie, you can follow her on Instagram @thetravelingmidwife and @wildbrucechase
