Born in Mexico to Uruguayan parents and raised in the UK, Julia Paternain’s journey to the international stage is anything but ordinary. With deep family roots in Uruguay, she chose to represent the country and made history doing so. Julia captured Uruguay’s first-ever medal in distance running, earning bronze at the World Championships in Tokyo, and set a national record in her marathon debut at the McKirdy Micro Marathon with an impressive 2:27:09. Now based in Flagstaff, she’s competing professionally and gearing up for the NYC Half and the London Marathon this spring. Carrie sits down with Julia to talk about her global upbringing (growing up with three passports and a green card), her breakthrough performance in Tokyo, life as an elite athlete, and what she’s like beyond the race course. Julia also shares her ambitious goals for the future and what it will take to reach them. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about identity, resilience, and chasing big dreams on the world stage.
Aired: March 5, 2026
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