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NZ Herald
15-07-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Whanganui endurance runner James Bland set for 171km Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc
Bland said he completed it in 36 hours last year. 'That was probably the hardest thing I've done in my life. 'I'm doing it again to compete in it, rather than just complete it.' Last year's UTMB winner Vincent Bouillard finished in 19 hours and 54 minutes. The record is held by American James Walmsley, who ran a time of 19:37 in 2023. 'It's the biggest race in the world, like competing at Wimbledon if you're a tennis player,' Bland said. 'You run through France, Italy and Switzerland. 'If everything goes right, I'm aiming for sub-24 hours.' New Zealand runner Scott Hawker finished third at the UTMB in 2019, with a time of 21:48. In 2022, Bland completed the 100-mile (161km) Western States Endurance Run in California, United States, and won the South Island Ultramarathon. He has finished the 165km Tarawera Ultramarathon four times. Speaking to the Chronicle after the Western States event, he said he started running while working at Pak'nSave Whanganui, which sponsors the annual 3 Bridges Marathon. James Bland is aiming to be only the third person to complete the 165km Tarawera ultramarathon five times. 'They give [Pak'nSave employees] free entry to support the cause, and all the 30-odd entrants were just doing the 5km and 10km. 'I just wanted to one-up everyone in the entire store, so I signed up for the half [marathon].' Bland, now based in Melbourne, said he was not in a position to run fulltime and worked as a sales representative to pay the bills. His 'support crew and aid station' was partner Angela Worthy, who would fly with him to France. 'It's not just finding the time to run, it's the saunas, ice baths, stretching, cooking the right food and all the rehab that comes with running 200km a week,' Bland said. 'There's so much in the background. 'If something goes wrong, you pay $100 a session for someone to massage your leg until it comes right.' He said every race funnelled into Tarawera and du Mont-Blanc - 'the big ones'. 'All my training at the moment is running hills every day. 'Basically, the [You Yangs] event at the weekend was to see how long I could hold on for.' Results over the past few years had put him in or around the country's top 10 trail runners, Bland said. He said the sport was growing popular and that meant more competition. 'Even two years ago, if you were above average, you'd do pretty well - top five. 'Above average isn't good enough any more.' Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, which starts and finishes in Chamonix, begins on August 29. Bland said he aimed to complete the Tarawera event again next year, meaning he would be one of only three people to run it five times. Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
Washington Post
30-06-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
A Texas boy needed protection from measles. The vaccine cost $1,400.
In the early days of the West Texas measles outbreak, Thang Nguyen eyed the rising number of cases and worried. His 4-year-old son was at risk because he had received only the first of the vaccine's two doses. So, in mid-March, he took his family to a primary care clinic at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. By the end of the visit, his son, Anh Hoang, had received one shot protecting against four illnesses — measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox. He also received a second shot against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough, as well as a flu shot. His twin daughters, who had already had their measles vaccinations, got other immunizations. Nguyen, who is a UTMB postdoctoral fellow in public health and infectious disease, said he asked clinic staff whether his family's insurance would cover the checkups and immunizations. He said he was assured that it would. Then the bills came. The first measles vaccine was licensed in 1963 and became part of the combination measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine in 1971. Today the vaccine against chicken pox, or varicella, is sometimes combined into what is known as the MMRV vaccine. A first dose of the MMR or MMRV vaccine is usually given between 12 and 15 months, with a second between ages 4 and 6. Experts may recommend vaccinating children at younger ages during an outbreak — like the ongoing U.S. measles outbreak, which has led to more than 1,200 cases, 750 of them in Texas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 95 percent of the cases have occurred in unvaccinated people or those whose vaccine status is unknown. Recommendations affecting administration and insurance coverage are made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. In June, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced the committee, adding vaccine skeptics. The new panel, which met last week, is expected to scrutinize past recommendations, including for the MMR vaccine. UTMB billed $2,532 for the boy's office visit and three shots. The MMRV shot alone was billed at $1,422, plus $161 for administering it. There are guardrails in the U.S. health system intended to prevent recommended vaccines from being prohibitively expensive. They did not help the Nguyen family. Their health plan, purchased from insurance broker TaiAn for Nguyen's wife and children and administered by the International Medical Group, does not cover immunizations. And, initially, the family was not offered assistance under the Vaccines for Children Program, a federally funded effort created after a measles outbreak more than 30 years ago, that provides free immunizations for uninsured and underinsured children. So the family was exposed to the sticker shock of U.S. medical care without insurance, with providers setting prices. In this case, UTMB's price for the child's MMRV shot was about $1,400, more than five times what the CDC says it costs in the private sector. Nguyen was surprised when their insurer did not pay anything, leaving bills for his three children's checkups that, combined, were close to $5,000. He said the family's income from his job in UTMB's labs is less than $57,000 a year. Nguyen's job provides him health insurance, but he balked at the $615 per month it would cost to cover his family, too, and instead purchased the one-year policy from TaiAn, which totaled $1,841. The policy covers certain types of office visits, emergency room care, hospitalization and chemotherapy, but not immunizations or checkups. Nguyen and his wife, who are from Vietnam, are living in the country on temporary visas while he completes his studies. In Vietnam, Nguyen said, the total cost of the preventive care his family received at the clinic would probably be no more than $300. He was concerned about the high prices set by the clinic for the vaccines, particularly during a measles outbreak. 'It's insane,' he said. Carly Kessler, spokesperson for the International Medical Group, confirmed in an email to KFF Health News that the family's plan does not cover preventive care, including immunizations. After UTMB was contacted by KFF Health News, its vice president of clinical contracting strategies, Kent Pickering, looked into the matter. 'This situation should not have happened' but did so because of 'a series of errors,' he said in an interview. Most insurance offered in the United States must cover, without co-pays, a variety of preventive care services — including the measles vaccine — under rules in the Affordable Care Act. But some plans are exempt from those rules, including short-term plans or travel insurance. International students on temporary visas do not have to buy an ACA-compliant plan during their first five years in the country. But what about the cost of the vaccines? Hospitals and other providers may set their own prices for services, creating price lists called chargemasters. Insurers negotiate discounts for services they agree to cover. People with no insurance coverage are generally on the hook for the full amount. 'One of the most frustrating parts of our health care system is that people who don't have health insurance coverage have to pay far more than even a health insurance company would pay,' said Stacie Dusetzina, a professor of health policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. While prices can vary, the CDC's Vaccines for Children Program price list shows the MMRV vaccine — also known by the brand name ProQuad — costs about $278 in the private sector. Consumer prices for ProQuad at Galveston-area pharmacies range from about $285 to $326, according to the prescription cost-tracking website GoodRx. UTMB's Pickering told KFF Health News that, initially, the Nguyen family's insurance was entered incorrectly by the clinic staff, so they did not pick up that his plan didn't cover vaccines. If they had, UTMB probably would have checked whether the Texas Vaccines for Children Program would cover the cost of the shots, charging only the program's small administration fee. A second error was uncovered when Pickering looked into the bill. He said UTMB's chargemaster had been updated a few months earlier and the vaccine prices for those who do not receive shots through the children's vaccine program were listed at incorrectly high amounts, resulting in the price Nguyen's son was charged. Pickering said the prices had been corrected, though he declined to cite exact figures. In addition to contacting the insurer, Nguyen approached the financial offices at UTMB, asking for a reduction or waiver of the fees. In mid-May, UTMB sent Nguyen a revised bill for his son's office visit. It applied a 50 percent self-pay discount, which its website says is offered to those who are uninsured. His revised total was $1,266, $711 of which was for the MMRV vaccination. 'I expected them to waive the vaccination cost for my children or at least reduce it more, especially for MMRV vaccine,' said Nguyen, noting that his family would still be strapped trying to pay their bills. After Pickering spoke with KFF Health News, a customer service representative contacted Nguyen, waiving the cost of the vaccines. His new bill was $202.75 for his son's office visit, as well as similarly smaller amounts for his daughters' medical care. Medical billing experts say it's always a good idea to check with your insurer before elective treatments such as checkups or vaccinations to find out what is covered and how much you might owe. International students and others who purchase non-ACA-compliant plans, such as short-term coverage, should carefully review their benefits, because there are often limitations. For some services, including vaccinations, there may be lower-cost options. Constance Almendarez, the immunization manager for the Galveston County Health District, said in an email that many public health departments, including Galveston's, offer free vaccinations through the children's vaccine program to those 18 and under who are eligible, including people without insurance or whose insurance does not cover vaccines. But those programs are potentially threatened as the Trump administration institutes layoffs of federal workers and moves to cancel grants to health departments. Finally, you can ask for a discount. Medical providers may offer self-pay discounts for patients who are uninsured or underinsured, or charity care policies to those who meet specified income requirements. Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KFF Health News that dissects and explains medical bills. Since 2018, this series has helped many patients and readers get their medical bills reduced, and it's been cited in statehouses, the U.S. Capitol and at the White House. Do you have a confusing or outrageous medical bill you want to share? Tell us about it!
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
"I wasn't expecting that": Veteran ultrarunner Stephanie Case conquers 100km ultramarathon while nursing
Stephanie Case (via Getty Images) Ultramarathon runner Stephanie Case didn't come to the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia 100-kilometer ultramarathon in North Wales with a goal of victory. Six months after giving birth and still nursing her daughter, Pepper, Stephanie Case was merely seeking to cross the finish line with strength—and to keep her infant well-fed in the process. But after having stopped several times to breastfeed throughout the punishing mountain race, Stephanie Case shocked the competition by taking the women's division finish line lead in Wales. Stephanie Case balances elite-level ultrarunning and new motherhood with victory in Wales Stephanie Case's account at the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB is not one of just reaching the finish line—it's a strong message about motherhood, resilience, and identity. Running the race a mere six months post-birth and still nursing, Case was afforded a special break at the 50-kilometer point to breastfeed her daughter. She had prepared for nursing at 20 km and 80 km checkpoints, but the extra permission enabled her to go on with the race without neglecting the needs of her child. Stephanie Case is a Canadian human rights lawyer, ultramarathon runner, and founder of the women's running advocacy organization Free to Run. She also worked for the United Nations in Afghanistan, Gaza, and South Sudan. Stephanie Case won a 100k ultramarathon 6 months postpartum and breastfeeding | DW Shorts Even after beginning in the third wave of runners because of a three-year break from competitive racing, Stephanie Case was making her way consistently up the field. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The irony? She wasn't even aware she had won until after the race was over. Her victory has since become a viral sensation, prompting universal acclaim—and some backlash. Case has been inundated with encouraging comments from women praising her for bucking attitudes towards motherhood. But not every reaction was favorable. Some criticized her decisions, suggesting new mothers need to stay at home, not venture out to conquer 100 km trail runs. 'That was a huge shock. I wasn't expecting that. It wasn't even on my radar that that could have happened,' Case told CNN Sports. 'It wasn't something I kind of strategized or planned ahead of time, but what it tells me is that we really aren't telling enough stories about new moms kind of doing all sorts of things, living full and complete, multi-dimensional lives.' Stephanie Case, who turns 43 this year, has run on six continents, but this victory, she says, is especially personal. Having overcome uncertainty, her return to the trails was not just a physical battle. It was a recovery of self. 'We all have mom guilt, but it's important for new moms to know that it's okay to prioritize the things that make them full and complete human beings because that will make them better parents in the long run because we are multidimensional," she added to CNN. 'Becoming a mom, it's one of the most physical and emotional transformations you can go through in your entire life. And so if there are things that you can hold on to—for me, it's running—that kind of remind you that everything that has changed, there are some things that remain constant, there are some parts of your identity that you haven't lost.' Also read: LeBron James is very 'intrigued' by different goaltending rules in basketball As Stephanie Case prepares to face her next test, the Hardrock 100 in Colorado, she continues to fuel a worldwide debate about what can happen when women are free to do it their way. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
CTV News
19-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
She won a 100K ultramarathon through the mountains
When Stephanie Case entered a 100-kilometre (around 62 miles) ultrarunning race through the Welsh mountains, winning was far from her mind. Six months postpartum and still breastfeeding her infant daughter Pepper, Case's only real aim was to finish the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB in North Wales' Eryri National Park and make sure her daughter was fed, having received special permission from race organizers to stop at an additional point to do so. In fact, it wasn't until the end of the grueling race that Case – whose three-year hiatus from running meant that she set off in the third wave, far behind the elite runners – was informed that her finish time made her the winner of the women's competition. This, in spite of the fact that she had stopped to feed Pepper three times during the run, which was included in her total race time. 'That was a huge shock. I wasn't expecting that. It wasn't even on my radar that that could have happened,' Case told CNN Sports. Pictures of her taking part in the race in May have since gone viral, and the response has been overwhelming, according to the ultra runner. 'It wasn't something I kind of strategized or planned ahead of time, but what it tells me is that we really aren't telling enough stories about new moms kind of doing all sorts of things, living full and complete, multi dimensional lives.' Mixed reactions to success Case said she thinks the photos show that 'life doesn't stop when you become a mom, and it's just another layer to who you are as a person. Stephanie Case Stephanie Case stopped three times during the race to breastfeed her infant daughter. (Courtesy Rich Gill/Gilly Photography via CNN Newsource) 'We all have mom guilt, but it's important for new moms to know that it's okay to prioritize the things that make them full and complete human beings because that will make them better parents in the long run – because we are multi dimensional. She added to CNN: 'Becoming a mom, it's one of the most physical and emotional transformations you can go through in your entire life. And so if there are things that you can hold on to – for me, it's running – that kind of remind you that everything that has changed, there are some things that remain constant, there are some parts of your identity that you haven't lost.' Case, who turns 43 this month, started ultrarunning almost 18 years ago when, after finishing her first marathon, she was looking for another challenge. She got pretty good at it too, racing across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Africa. But Case, an international human rights lawyer by day, took a three-year hiatus from the sport after suffering several miscarriages as she and her partner tried to have a child. 'I got some questions from people around whether it was the running that caused the miscarriage. And of course, there's no medical evidence, there's no science to back that up, but it did plant the seed of doubt in my head, and really changed my relationship with running,' she told CNN Sports. 'Running, instead of it being a source of stress relief and a source of joy for me, it turned into something quite different,' she explained. After Pepper's birth and getting the all clear from her doctor, Case started running again six weeks postpartum. 'It felt physically weird, strange. I thought my organs were going to fall out, but at the same time, I felt like a runner again. I felt like me again,' she explained. Starting so far back in the Ultra Trail Snowdonia, she said, was 'perhaps a blessing in disguise because it really took the pressure off. Starting the third wave kind of solidified to me that I couldn't have any performance goals because I was starting so far back.' Although the race already had stopping checkpoints at 20 km and 80 km, Case knew she would need to feed Pepper in between, so she requested and got permission to get assistance at the 50 km checkpoint. 'It meant that my partner, John, could only hand me Pepper. He couldn't help me with any of my bottles, with my pack, with anything else I needed to do with food for myself. 'I had to manage everything myself and also make sure that Pepper was taken care of. So it was a whole other layer of logistics that I had never experienced before. Pepper is used to kind of feeding mid-training runs, but we've never done it in a race situation,' she explained. 'It should be about choice' While Case has received many positive responses to her win, she has also received numerous 'misogynistic, paternalistic' comments. '(They were) saying: 'Does she spend any time with her baby? She should be at home. Why didn't she wait?' Comments about my looks or my age, really just trying to criticize anything that they saw me doing,' Case said. Other messages, she explained, came from moms 'who were quite worried that this image and this story was contributing to this idea of setting this impossibly high standard that women can't reach.' 'Some moms are exhausted and they're just trying to get through the day,' Case said. 'And so the idea that they not only have to be mom, but they also have to have a career, and they have to regain their fitness and now running ultra marathons and breastfeed just made them feel really bad about themselves, and I think that that's part of the patriarchal society that we live in, that we're taught to compete with one another. 'Everything we do as new moms, it becomes scrutinized and judged, and we just need the space to be able to navigate that journey on our own, to figure out what motherhood looks like for each of us, individually,' she added. 'For me, it means running 100k and, you know, doing all the things that make me happy and for others, it could be running a 5k or, you know, joining a book club, or, you know, something totally different.' Next up for Case is the Hardrock 100, a 100-mile run with 33,197 feet of climb and 33,197 feet of descent in Colorado in July. 'It should be about choice. I mean, that's the whole point. Women can do all of this if they want, if they have the support, if XYZ, fall into place. If the stars align, if they choose to go after that, then they should be provided the support and the encouragement and the resources to be able to pursue all the things that they want – but they don't have to.'
Daily Tribune
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Endurance Tested, Spirit Unshaken
TDT | Manama Trail Runners Take on Alpine Test Backed by the Bahrain Olympic Committee, the Bahrain Ultra Trail Runners (BUTR) team is set to participate in the internationally renowned Mozart 100 by UTMB, a demanding mountain ultra-marathon held annually in Salzburg, Austria. The trail running event is part of the global UTMB World Series, which is the official pathway to the prestigious UTMB Mont-Blanc, and this year's edition will welcome over 2,500 runners from around the world across various distance categories. The standout challenge will be the punishing 120km course with over 5,800 metres of vertical ascent. Bahrain's Best on the Mountain Stage The Bahrain team is composed of some of the Kingdom's most passionate endurance athletes, who specialise in long-distance mountain and trail running. The core team includes Hamad Mattar, Ahmed Kamal, Mohammed Zaman, Jassim Al Bastaki, and Amer Ibrahim — all competing in the Mozart 100. They are joined by Riyadh Rafie and Adam Jamal in the Mozart Ultra, while Saad Al Thabit and Hassanain Marhoon will also race in their respective categories. These athletes form part of BUTR — a homegrown community of Bahraini runners united by a shared love for trail endurance sports. The group has proudly represented Bahrain in previous international ultra-trail events, including other races within the UTMB circuit. A Route Known for Pain and Prestige The course weaves through steep climbs, wooded trails, and rugged mountain paths that demand elite conditioning and precise pacing. Organised by the UTMB World Series — the same group behind some of the world's toughest trail events in regions like the Andes, the Alps, and the Himalayas — the Mozart 100 is a critical stop for runners hoping to qualify for the UTMB Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, France, widely considered the pinnacle of ultra-trail racing. Global Challenge, National Pride For Bahraini runners, this race is a chance to show national pride and highlight Gulf athletes' endurance in a sport still finding its foothold locally. The team's participation is made possible through the Bahrain Olympic Committee's active support, reinforcing the Kingdom's ambition to feature more prominently across a broader range of international sporting disciplines.
