USATF Foundation Awards Maternity Grant to Marathoner Tristin Colley

Colley, a longtime member of ZAP Endurance owns a personal best of 2:25, set in 2023, and most recently running 2:26:39 at the 2025 Boston Marathon. She has her sights set firmly on continuing her professional running career, including qualifying for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.  

In recent months, Colley and her husband, both professional runners, have faced unexpected financial uncertainty following the conclusion of Zap Endurance’s professional team operations. For Colley, support during this transition represents more than financial assistance, it represents a shift in how motherhood is viewed within elite sport. 

Becoming a mom does not mean putting ambition aside, she says. “I think it’s super important for women—especially female athletes—to feel supported through situations like this, because historically women were expected to have babies and that was kind of their life,” Colley shared. “I’m becoming a mom now, but at the same time I still have all these ambitions and goals that I’m not just putting on the back burner. They’re still really important, just like being a mom.” 

She emphasizes that balancing elite training with motherhood requires intentional support.

“Being a mom is a full-time job, but being a runner is also a full-time job, so you need a whole village,” she said. “The USATF Foundation Maternity Grant is just one way the running community has really stepped up, especially in the past few years, to help moms continue their careers while becoming mothers.” 

Looking ahead, Colley’s competitive goals remain firmly intact. She hopes to return to racing within a year of giving birth, with long-term aspirations aimed at the national stage.

“First and foremost, I want to run a marathon next summer or fall, get a mark for the Olympic Trials, and go for making the team in 2028,” she said. “I want to see how fast I can be in the marathon. That’s my biggest goal over the next few years.” 

The Maternity Grant will help offset the significant recovery and training expenses that often come with returning to sport postpartum. 

“Coming back postpartum, physical therapy, massage, and pelvic floor PT are really important and pretty expensive,” Colley explained. “That kind of support makes a huge difference in coming back healthy, and I anticipate using the grant to help with that recovery process and the tools I’ll need after giving birth.” 

Colley reflects on how perceptions of motherhood in professional sports have evolved over time. “In the past, motherhood was seen as a deterrent to having a successful career,” she said. “But from everything I’ve seen, women come back even more successful. Having children makes your career more meaningful, it puts everything into perspective. I’m excited for it to be something I pour energy into while still continuing my career.” 

Colley expressed deep gratitude to the donors whose generosity makes the Foundation’s Maternity Grant possible. 

“Thank you so much to everyone who supports the USATF Foundation. Even without kids, it can be hard to find support as an athlete. Adding a child is such a blessing, but also a difficult transition. I wouldn’t be able to continue my career and become a mother without the support of the running community and the donors of the USATF Foundation.”