Laura Kenny, the 34-year-old Olympic cyclist, breastfed her baby daughter Lily after finishing the London Marathon on Sunday to raise money for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. Married to fellow cycling star Jason Kenny, Laura has openly shared her struggles with miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
A Cause Close to the Heart
Laura ran the marathon for the cause 'so close to our hearts' and posted on Instagram a photo of herself nursing her baby after the race. She wrote: 'LONDON MARATHON - completed it ✅ Not even going to pretend I enjoyed it because I absolutely did not! Got round in 3.45 after a typical Laura pacing job. But I ran for a cause SO close to our hearts @ectopicpregnancy and I will continue to shout about them and share our story because we can now help other people.'
Personal Struggles and Grief
After the race, Laura spoke to Stylist about the 'never-ending grief' she felt after her ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. She revealed that the losses put huge strain on her marriage and communication with Jason 'became horrendous'. She said: 'In the weeks and months after the ectopic pregnancy, I stopped talking. I don't throw around the word depression a lot, but it was absolutely the lowest I've ever felt in my life. That's when our relationship was at its weakest. We were arguing constantly over stupid things like not unloading the dishwasher because we were both finding it too difficult to express how we really felt.'
The couple had to have 'one of the hardest, most horrible conversations' they've ever had, as Laura explained that while her life and health were at risk, Jason had 'lost those babies too'. They agreed to plant a tree with a rosebush and an angel plaque next to their son Albie's playroom to try to draw a line under the grief.
Ectopic Pregnancy Facts
In the UK, around one in every 90 pregnancies is ectopic, equating to about 11,000 per year. While the exact causes are unclear, inflammation and scar tissue in the fallopian tubes can increase the risk.
Changing Mindset
In a 2024 chat with Women's Health, Laura opened up about how the heartbreak completely changed her mindset, leaving her wanting a baby more than any sporting medal. She confessed: 'I cannot tell you how sad I was for a year to 18 months. I just went within myself because it was consuming. And all I wanted was this little baby; I didn't want gold medals, you know, I didn't want to go and race in the Commonwealth Games. I wanted a baby. And it just wasn't happening.'
Before the birth of her second son and a year after her ectopic pregnancy, Laura won a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games but admitted she didn't find happiness in the win. She explained: 'I was like, why will [my body] do that and it won't do the one thing that I just want the most... I felt like I was living in this yin and yang world where you could only have one of them.'
Impact on Marriage
Laura also discussed how the miscarriage affected her husband. 'No one asked him if he was okay, and how he was feeling. And so I guess I totally underestimated how much I was using him and how much I was talking to him and never actually saying, 'Jase, are you actually okay yourself?''
Retirement and Family
In March 2024, Laura announced her retirement from cycling, citing the struggle of balancing elite sport and motherhood. She said: 'It comes with sacrifice. And you've got to be prepared for a non-perfect build-up... Do I think I went into Tokyo absolutely 100 per cent at my best? No, of course I don't.'
In May 2025, the pair welcomed their third child, Lily. 'Our beautiful little family is complete,' she said at the time.
