Annie in her own words:
“My adventure career began with climbing, when I ticked off nearly every single box of "Mistakes to Avoid While Trad Climbing Outside" on my first ever outdoor trad climb. I survived and went on to see what other mistakes I could make that would not kill me.
I took my bike on the 3000KM solo ride to the Nordkapp at age of 26.
My latest adventure feat is successfully running a solo 1000KM Ultramarathon from the Lowest to Highest point of Germany, after having started running only six months prior.
I am also the comic artist for BotsAndBrainz, and have set my base camp in Berlin, Germany, where I’m working on my PhD in neuroscience on the mechanics of learning and memory.
And here's something a little more personal on me (and my book): The Nordkapp trip changed my life not because I actually physically managed to cycle 3000K. It changed my life because it was something I did entirely on my own, dependent on only myself, after coming out of years of abusive relationships. I thought I was scarred and broken beyond repair when I set out on that trip - but I should have known from the start that there was a part of me that had stayed intact, all of these years, because no drive like the one I felt going for the Kap had ever been as strong in my life before as this one had been. I cried so much on that trip, for what I lost, for what I had allowed to be done to me, and out of plain gratitude - that I was still here, still alive and kicking and still, somehow, so, so in love with life.
I wish I could have had someone tell me that a bike ride to a place I hadn't even heard of just 5 days before I left for it, would change my life as it did. That's why I want to publish my book and share my story. So whoever needs to hear it knows that they are not alone, they can survive and they will make their life their own again - if only they dare take the first steps on that path.”
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Show notes
- Who is Annie
- Starting out in climbing and moving into running and cycling
- Becoming an endurance athlete
- Being based in Berlin
- Moving to Georgia, USA at age 6
- Studying for her PHD in learning and memory
- Spending time in the outdoors
- Her academic life and growing up around scientists
- PHD update…
- PHDs and ultra challenges
- Deciding on a 1,000km ultramarathon
- Getting into running
- 16 weeks to run a marathon..
- Running from the lowest point in Germany to the highest point
- Feeling excited and intimidated at the same time
- How much strain is an ultra marathon on the body…
- Vo2 Max results
- The mental side of taking on a 1000km ultramarathon
- Hating running and trying to avoid it
- Preparation for the challenge
- Getting the runners high
- Wanting to quit on day 4
- Figuring out where to sleep
- Getting back into running and arranging the King Snail Race
- Taking on a 3,000km bike ride
- Leaving a negative relationship which wasn’t serving her anymore
- Being made to feel small and starting to doubt herself
- Wanting to get out and discover the world
- Wanting to see what she was capable off
- What is Nordkapp?
- Being terrified and the lead up to the start
- When everything started to go wrong
- Being supported by her brother
- Figuring out where she belonged
- Working on herself and processes the lessons learned
- Writing a book about her experience
- Speaking to Chris Fagan
- Learning to appreciate the small moments in life
- Follow Annie online and visit her website (links below)
- Final words of advice for women who have been made to feel small
Social Media
Art - Tales of a Traveling Scientist in doodles, scribbles & dad jokes:
@botsandbrainz