Anna-Marie Watson - Performance coach & founder Reach for More. Endurance athlete recovering #UTMB2017 #HMDS2017.

Catching up with Anna-Marie Watson who we last spoke with a year ago. Anna-Marie constantly pushes her own mental and physical boundaries and has achieved considerable success at an elite international level in various endurance sports. Anna-Marie combines the disciplines of ultra running and long distance triathlon with the odd adventure race thrown in for good measure.  

Her endurance journey spans over thirteen years with an initial gentle introduction with the London marathon (2004 and 2007), CCC race of the UTMB series (2007) and Everest Marathon (2007). Recent ultra-running career highlights include placing 7th lady in the Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc (2017), 1st lady in Half Marathon des Sables Fuerteventura (2017) and finishing 2nd lady in the Marathon des Sables (2015) .  

Over the last two years Anna-Marie has achieved podium finishes in the multi day trail runs organised by XNRG Cotswolds Way, Round the Island, Devil's Challenge along the South Downs Way, then placed 1st Lady in the Brutal Events The ONER (130km) along the Jurassic Coast and Ultra Trail World Tour Future Series Cappadocia 110km Ultra in Central Turkey. 

She also ventures over to the "dark side" of triathlon and has raced the Ironman 70.3 World Championships twice in Las Vegas and Mont Tremblant placing in the top third of her age group.

Show notes

• The big goal of 2017 - UTMB 
• What is the UTMB - Ultra Trail Mount Blanc - 170Km
• The ultra of all ultras…
• The backstory to the race and why this race captured her imagination
• Spending time in Chamonix 
• Getting outside her comfort zone during the race
• What she’s learnt throughout the years!
• Racing in the dark and how she trains for it
• Building up the strength in her legs
• Rest and recovery, top tips - epsom salt baths & yoga toes!
• Focusing in on training for UTMB
• Going on a triathlon training camp 
• Planning her season very tactically
• Maintaining motivation while training especially when it’s cold and dark
• Biggest challenge to overcome while training - TIME!
• Struggling with balance
• The run up the race and why it wasn’t chill!
• Wanting to get going…. dealing with bad weather …. -9
• Being on the start line.. what it was like!
• Having a goal for the race and why she wanted to enjoy it
• Wanting to give it her all
• The race and knowing the route!
• Routines at checkpoint
• Nutrition and managing nutrition while racing
• The moment which stood out during the race
• The mental mindset while racing!
• How to end the race strong - 7th women! 93rd overall! 1st British Lady!
• What she learnt from the race
• Being destroyed
• Half Marathon des Sables
• So what’s next…& creating the space for things happen!
• Ranking in races and winning a place at MDS 2018!

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