For Holly Hardie, running 26.2 miles isn’t about speed. It’s about showing up, putting one foot in front of the other, and trusting that steady progress, whether on the farm or on the road, adds up to something meaningful.
A dairy farmer at Walnut Ridge Dairy in New York, Holly lined up at the start of Every Woman’s Marathon in Arizona with a simple belief: ‘maybe I can do this.’ That mindset carried her all the way to the finish line, surrounded by thousands of women of different ages, paces, and life stories, all chasing the same goal.
“Finishing it!” Holly says with a laugh when asked about her favorite part of the race. “But also sharing the course with amazing women. I had never done a race with that many runners. The support and encouragement throughout the course, from participants and spectators, was inspirational.”
That sense of connection is what sets Every Woman’s Marathon apart. Designed by women, for women, the event celebrates movement at every pace, whether running, jogging, or walking. Holly embraced that spirit fully, blending walking and running during her training and on race day.
“If you can do a little, you can do a little more,” she explains. “And then you can do a little more and a little more.”
Holly’s running journey hasn’t followed a straight line. Like many women, life took priority. Over time, she returned to running, starting with 5Ks, then a half marathon, and eventually a full marathon. Seventeen years after her first marathon, Holly found herself at the starting line again at age 71, feeling older but also wiser and better prepared for the distance.
“It was only an hour slower than my first marathon, and that’s 17 years apart,” she says proudly. “That’s really cool.”
Fueling that journey, both during training and recovery, was something Holly kept refreshingly simple. As a dairy farmer, she understands the role dairy can play in supporting an active lifestyle. Chocolate milk became Holly’s go-to reward after workouts, something she looked forward to after long training sessions and especially after crossing the finish line.
“It tastes really good! It’s sweet and cold. It’s just perfect,” Holly says. With its mix of protein, carbohydrates, and essential electrolytes, chocolate milk offers athletes a simple way to refuel after intense activity, like a marathon.
Beyond chocolate milk, Holly relies on everyday dairy foods to support her routine. Greek yogurt with oatmeal is a favorite breakfast during training, helping fuel long days on her feet. Cottage cheese also makes regular appearances, sometimes in unexpected ways, like on rye toast with tomatoes and a little pepper.
“It’s a weird combination,” she admits, “but it works for me.”
That practical, no-frills approach mirrors both her farming philosophy and her outlook on running. When the inevitable tough miles arrive, especially those moments around mile 22 when everything feels harder, Holly leans on encouragement from others and the knowledge that she’s done the work.
“You’ve trained. You will finish this,” she recalls being told during a past race, words that stayed with her.
For Holly, Every Woman’s Marathon was more than a personal milestone. It was a reminder of what’s possible when women support women, and when familiar, nourishing foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese are part of fueling that movement.
Watching the final finishers cross the line, Holly felt it all come full circle. “To see women from all walks of life running toward the finish and accomplishing their goal was beautiful and inspiring,” she says.
From early mornings on the farm to the final steps down the marathon chute, Holly Hardie’s story is proof that strength is built over time, progress looks different for everyone, and sometimes the most important victory is simply believing you can start.
