Over the last twenty years Anna-Marie’s journey has taken her from icy snow holes in Norway, to the desolate plains of Afghanistan and Iraq while working for the British Army.
Most recently she’s been pushing her endurance boundaries running various ultra races & competing in long distance triathlons.
Her diet, lifestyle and work has turned a full 180 degrees from being totally over weight and unhealthy to being tucked up in bed by ten with a diet based on real food and competing at a high level in endurance sports.
Her passion has focused in on the mindset aspect of endurance/adventure/challenges and what you can learn from them to apply to your every day life
Endurance Portfolio
Marathon des Sables - finished 2nd lady & top 50 overall (2015)
Ultra-Trail World Tour Future Series Cappadocia 110km – finished 1st lady & 5th overall (2016)
Course records in The ONER (2016), XNRG Cotswolds Way (2015) & XNRG Round the Island (2016)
Qualified IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships 2013 & 2014
IRONMAN 70.3 Aix en Provence (2014) & Weymouth (2016) placed 3rd in age group
Ultra-Trail World Tour sponsored athlete
Supported by French endurance company W A A
Other races include: St. Oswald’s Way 100 mile, North Face 100, Everest Marathon, UTMB CCC, Challenge Roth, GeoQuest 48 hour adventure race.
Listen now!
Show notes
Connecting at the WAEXPO event in January
Getting Anne-Marie to introduce herself
Hating PE when she was a child, but loving the outdoors
Being involved in Cadets and Duke of Edinburgh
Being sponsored by the Army & going to university, before heading off to Sandhurst
Being in the military for 9 years and going on operational tours in Afghanistan
Running her first marathon, but never really enjoying running on the road
Meeting her husband while in the Army
Deciding she wanting to do an ultra in 2007
Deciding on the Everest Marathon!
Getting perspective on the world & finishing the race!
The race which has really challenged her mental limits
What goes through her mind before she races - the planning, the preparation, the route, visualisation and her internal chat and why she checks in with herself a lot during the race
Why she has a strategy to be positive during the race
Deciding to commit to your goals
Advice and tips to help you take your first steps and why you should always ASK people for HELP
Being scared of even going into a bike shop
Training for the Marathon des Sables and getting the balance right
Her concerns before the race
Her race and the point which really challenged her!
Being one of the top 5 females on the long day
“Just do your best”
Triggering my memories of Marathon des Sables
The race to the finish and coming in 2nd women!
Would she do the race again?
Trying to pick races which have a special meaning
Advice and tips for when you’re going after your first ultra, why you should build up to it and be kind to yourself.
Getting into Ironman