The For All Mothers+ x Strava Childcare Grant Is Helping Mothers Get Back to Running

Several weeks postpartum, Megan Morant had a dream she wasn't sure was still possible.

Before becoming a mom, she'd set her sights on qualifying for the Olympic Trials Marathon. But in the early weeks after giving birth, training felt impossibly far away — logistically, emotionally, and financially.

"Prior to becoming a mom, I had dreams of qualifying for the Olympic Trials Marathon, but in the early postpartum days, I didn't know how it would be possible to get back to training," she says. "I felt pretty lost trying to navigate all of the changes."

She applied for the For All Mothers+ Childcare Grant presented by Strava anyway. Not because she was certain it would work. Because she knew she had to try.

"In order to be the best mom I could be, I knew I had to take care of myself."

The Barrier Nobody Talks About

There's a version of the postpartum return-to-sport story that gets told a lot. It involves a stroller, a sunrise, and a triumphant caption. It rarely includes the logistics that made that run possible — or the guilt, the cost, and the quiet calculus of asking yourself whether you're allowed to take an hour for yourself.

For Alysia Montaño, founder of For All Mothers+ and three-time Olympic athlete, naming that barrier directly is the whole point.

"When people see a mom crossing the finish line, succeeding with her baby in hand, they see the moment of triumph — but they rarely see everything it took for her to get there."

Alysia built For All Mothers+ because she lived that invisible gap herself. When her first child was born 11 years ago, support for returning athlete mothers was nearly nonexistent.

"I was often met with the message that support simply was not going to be there... that journey was often deeply emotional and isolating, and it was an experience I never wanted another woman to have to face."

The data backs up what she experienced. A national study by For All Mothers+ and Carleton University found that 83% of parents said pregnancy or parenthood prevented race participation. 66% named lack of childcare as the primary reason.

This year, Strava is continuing its partnership with For All Mothers+ to address that directly. The 2026 For All Mothers+ Childcare Grants presented by Strava will award 25 U.S.-based mothers with $2,000 to offset the real costs of getting to a race — childcare, travel, training — alongside support from On Running, GU Energy Labs, and a one-year Runna membership.

A Postpartum Mom's Permission to Choose Herself

For Megan, the grant didn't just help with childcare costs. It gave her something harder to put a price on.

"The Childcare So They Can Get Out There Grant gave me the permission to choose myself even if it was just for one hour a day."

That hour added up. Her second race postpartum was a local 5K. Her husband was traveling for work. Because of the grant, she could still stand on the starting line.

"Because of the Childcare So They Can Get Out There Grant, I was able to toe the line and not worry about getting to the starting line."

She broke 17 minutes for the first time.

Postpartum Athletes Are Reclaiming Their Identity and Their Goals

Motherhood, Megan says, is a giant contradiction. Running has been the thread that holds it together.

"For a while, running was the only time during the day that I felt like myself. Motherhood is truly one giant contradiction and having running has been a constant reminder that two things can be true at the same time."

"You can feel lost and hopeless but also the happiest you've ever been. You can feel motivated to chase your dreams, but also feel guilty for being away for a bit."

She's still chasing them. The 2028 Olympic Trials is now on her horizon.

"The 2028 Olympic Trials is beyond surreal, but I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to the moms who did this before me."

She hopes her story does the same for someone else.

"You never know what is possible until you give it a try. For me personally, I return from every run a better mom and person."

For mothers on the fence, Alysia's message is simple.

"You deserve it. Your story is worthy. Your story is yours, and you deserve to continue to write your story."

Applications for the 2026 For All Mothers+ Childcare Grants presented by Strava are open now through June 10, 2026.