Susie Chan couldn’t run 100 meters at age 35.
She was a museum curator who smoked, rarely exercised, and spent her evenings on the sofa feeling unfulfilled.
Fast forward to today, and she’s completed the Marathon des Sables four times, runs 100-mile races through deserts, and works full-time for Peloton inspiring thousands to lace up their trainers.
In a recent conversation, Chan opened up about her transformation from complete non-runner to elite ultramarathoner, and how perimenopause has changed everything she thought she knew about her body.
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From Museum Curator to Desert Runner
Chan’s journey into running wasn’t by choice—it was an intervention. Her younger brother was training for his first marathon and convinced her to sign up for a half marathon as his training partner.
I genuinely had no idea how far a half marathon was. I just knew it was a long way. So I said yes in a moment of weakness and then immediately panicked.
Her first run was humbling. She attempted to run around a football field during her lunch break and couldn’t complete it without stopping.
That first three months is probably the hardest thing I’ve done because I just felt like I wasn’t getting any better. But actually I could run to the next tree. I could run to the next lamppost and I just slowly built up that way.
The Half Marathon That Changed Everything
When race day arrived, Chan discovered she’d signed up for a trail half marathon—something she knew nothing about. The course took runners over stiles, through trees, and across unpredictable terrain.
She spent most of the race concentrating on not falling over. But when she crossed that finish line, something shifted.
It was the first time I can genuinely remember in my adult life that I felt like I’d done something for me and I felt so thrilled with myself and I’d never had that feeling.
Within a year, she’d completed a marathon. Shortly after, while flipping through Runner’s World magazine, she stumbled across photos of the Marathon des Sables—a six-day, self-sufficient race across the Sahara Desert.
The Race That Transforms Lives
The Marathon des Sables is brutal by design. Runners carry everything they need to survive for a week—food, sleeping kit, survival gear—while racing up to 156 miles across desert terrain in extreme heat.
Water is rationed. Use too much and you face time penalties or disqualification.
Chan signed up for the waitlist, assuming she’d have years to prepare. Instead, she got in for the following April—with less than a year to train and having never run more than 26 miles.
I went in one person and I came out the other side like right I’m gonna have a go at life and it really was a catalyst that put me on a trajectory which has led me to end up where I’ve ended up.
That first desert experience showed Chan what she was capable of. She’s now completed the race four times.
What Makes Desert Racing So Transformative
Chan describes the evening camp sessions as the most memorable part of these races. After a day of running, competitors share stories with their tentmates while watching the sun set over otherworldly landscapes.
You come out of the desert realizing you’ve not sat on a chair for a week. You don’t have a mug. We had like one tea bag which everybody shares. You’re really brought back to incredibly simple things.
The experience is a masterclass in gratitude and human capability. Chan recalls being overtaken on day four by a 68-year-old grandmother with an enormous pack.
From Time Chasing to Experience Seeking
Chan admits she went through a phase of obsessing over race times and personal bests. Every run became about chasing seconds off her previous performances.
It sucked the joy out of running.
When I think about how I race marathons or 10Ks, I can’t do that anymore. It’s so painful. I’ve lost the desire to push with time. I can’t run fast anymore.
Now, her races are about the experience rather than the clock. She’ll push distance but not necessarily speed.
When asked about her favorite races, Chan never mentions the ones where she achieved personal records. Instead, she recalls the experiences—the landscapes, the people, the transformative moments.
How Perimenopause Changed the Game
Around age 50, Chan noticed something was off. Her joints were killing her—shoulders, feet, knees, everything ached constantly.
Having previously battled thyroid cancer, she initially attributed symptoms to thyroid issues or overtraining. The fatigue was overwhelming, and anxiety crept in.
It took a friend pointing out the obvious: she was perimenopausal.
The symptoms were gradual and they fluctuate. I’d go through phases where I’d have three months feeling dreadful and then I’d be like, oh, I feel fine again.
This unpredictability became the hardest challenge. Chan had always been able to predict how she’d perform on race day. Perimenopause took that certainty away.
The Physical Impact on Performance
Chan is now on HRT—both estrogen and testosterone—which has helped considerably. The testosterone particularly improved her mental clarity and memory.
But even with hormone replacement, her running has become less predictable. Some days she feels strong; others, she feels heavy and exhausted from the first mile.
She’s also noticed changes in how her body processes fuel during long races. Where she once knew exactly when and what to eat, she now has to fuel much more frequently to avoid energy crashes.
I don’t know what version of me is going to be there on that week. Even now, it’s quite unpredictable from one month to three months time and that’s been quite tough.
The excessive sweating hasn’t fully resolved with HRT either—a particular challenge when racing in desert heat and managing electrolyte balance.
Adapting Training for Longevity
Eight years ago, Chan would say yes to everything—a 10K on Wednesday, a marathon on Sunday, an ultramarathon two weeks later. Her body could handle it.
Now at 51, she’s far more selective.
I’m really trying to think about future proofing myself. I want to be that 74-year-old at my local parkrun with her little dog, running three 5Ks a week and looking really happy.
Her training now includes weight lifting and yoga—activities she previously avoided in favor of more running. She’s learned to listen to her body and swap workouts when needed rather than pushing through fatigue.
The Mental Game
Chan believes mental tenacity matters more than physical fitness in ultramarathons. Once races exceed a certain distance, fitness only carries you so far.
I’ve seen elites who have trained, who on paper are way faster than me. If their head’s gone, your race is over. You’ve just got to be really strong mentally.
This might explain why women over 50 excel at ultra distances. Research shows they’re increasingly dominating the sport—a 250-mile race was just won outright by a woman.
Chan suspects women of a certain age possess unique mental toughness, forged perhaps through navigating perimenopause itself.
Advice for Women Starting Their Running Journey
You’re never too old to start. Chan has met people who began running at 60, 65, even 70. She couldn’t run 100 meters at 35 and now completes 100-mile desert races.
The anticipation is worse than the execution. She still procrastinates before runs but has never regretted going once she starts.
Progress happens quickly for beginners. If you’re consistent, you’ll see tangible improvements week to week in those early months.
Don’t compare yourself to your past self. Looking backward at what you could do a year or two ago isn’t helpful. Focus on today and how movement makes you feel.
Walk when you need to. Chan regularly takes walk breaks during races now, especially when anxiety hits. There’s no shame in adapting.
For Those Struggling with Perimenopause
If running triggers anxiety or feels harder than it used to, Chan recommends putting on loud music and committing to just one or two songs. Often, that’s enough to shift your mindset.
HRT has helped smooth the edges of her symptoms, though she admits the turbulence of perimenopause remains challenging. She’s hopeful that reaching full menopause will bring more stability.
Most importantly, Chan emphasizes that doing your best on any given day is enough. Some days that means a strong run; other days it means a walk with intervals.
The Unifying Power of Running
What Chan loves most about running is how it brings together people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities united by a single goal.
She encourages anyone intimidated by running culture to show up anyway. She once sat in her car outside a running club, too scared to go in, then drove home. The next time, she got out of the car and someone swept her into the group.
Nobody is born running a mile. Even the elites, everybody has to start. It’s never too late to start moving and you don’t even have to run. Just walk and add it in.
For Chan, running transformed her from an unhappy, unfit single mother into someone who believes deeply in her own capabilities—both physical and mental.
Perimenopause may have changed the game, but it hasn’t stopped her. She’s simply adapting, learning, and continuing to show up—one step, one tree, one lamppost at a time.
