FAST Females — More Than Participation

At FAST Running, the growth of female sprinting within our squad has not happened by accident.

It has been built.

Carefully. Consistently. Purposefully.

Over recent seasons, the number of girls and young women training within FAST Accelerate, FAST Track, FAST Performance, FAST Kids and FAST for Sport has continued to grow strongly. More importantly, so has the quality of the environment around them.

That matters.

Because creating a strong female pathway in sport is not simply about participation numbers. It is about building an environment where girls feel supported, challenged, respected, developed, and genuinely part of something bigger than themselves.

At FAST Running, that culture was not baked in from the beginning.

It has been built from the ground up.

Today, female leadership exists throughout the entire FAST environment.

From coaching and mentoring through to athlete leadership, role modelling, session delivery, and community support, women and girls are represented across every level of the squad.

That visibility matters for younger athletes entering the sport.

Athletes within the FAST environment are now coached and supported by female coaches including Marijke, Charlotte, Daisy and Eva, while younger athletes in FAST Kids and development programs are regularly guided by Georgia, Tearia, Siena, Rose, Cecilia and Lauren.

That creates something powerful.

Young girls entering athletics can immediately see older athletes and coaches who look like them, lead like them, and understand their journey.

The result is an environment where female athletes are not treated as an “addition” to the squad culture.

They are central to it.

This aligns closely with the FAST Running philosophy of Athlete First.

Performance matters at FAST. Standards matter. Running Excellence matters.

But long-term athlete wellbeing matters too.

Confidence matters.

Communication matters.

Belonging matters.

Creating an environment where athletes feel psychologically safe while still being challenged to improve matters.

One of the strengths of the FAST female environment is that athletes are exposed to strong examples across multiple age groups simultaneously.

Younger athletes watch older athletes prepare professionally.

Older athletes help mentor younger athletes through training routines, competition nerves, setbacks, and growth.

Female coaches help reinforce consistency, communication, and leadership within the squad.

Parents see a stable and positive environment where girls can continue developing through adolescence and beyond.

Importantly, FAST Running does not separate female athletes from the broader high-performance expectations of the squad.

Female athletes sprint fast.

They lift weights.

They perform technical work.

They learn acceleration mechanics.

They train with intent.

They are coached to become strong, capable, resilient athletes.

That standard is important.

At the same time, the FAST environment also recognises that every athlete is different, and that coaching must always remain individualised and athlete-centred.

That balance between high performance and genuine care is part of what continues to attract more girls and young women into the program.

Community also plays a major role.

Some of the strongest moments within FAST are often not competition results at all.

They are the quiet moments between sessions.

The conversations.

The mentoring.

The support after a difficult race.

The laughter during warm-ups.

The younger athletes celebrating older athletes.

The older athletes encouraging the next generation.

That sense of community is one of the reasons the FAST female pathway continues to strengthen each season.

And importantly, the pathway now exists at every level.