Mastering the Mind to Achieve the Impossible with Ultra Endurance Athlete & Author, Claire Smith #81
The Ultratriathlon is a staggering feat in its own right, but becoming the first person in the UK to complete two of them back to back is among Claire Smith’s crowning achievements.
She once hated sport, and has fought through addiction and mental battles, demonstrating a level of resilience that enables us to achieve the impossible.
Claire joins us on Extrology to detail the brave start to her endurance athletics journey, how she processes failure, and the huge next chapter to come.
Lee and Claire discuss:
The journey from once hating sport to completing her first half marathon
Focusing on the journey over the destination
The sheer scale of Claire’s past achievements, soon to be surpassed by future endeavours
Processing failure as a deeply personal experience
How to cultivate the power of the mind to overcome challenges
Links & references
Lee Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecooperrecruiter/
Claire Smith: https://www.brutalclaire.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/brutalclaire/
Get in touch: lee@extrology.com
Episode highlights:
“I was still really struggling with my eating at that point, so I definitely wasn't eating enough to be training for a marathon and I definitely paid for that - but ultimately, I was successful.” - 9:20 - Claire Smith
“You don’t see ultra endurance athletes often, but everyone gets it. You can just talk to people, it was very cathartic.” - 28:55 - Claire Smith
“I fail a lot. I'm very much into the thought that if you fail something, just try it again.” - 40:20 - Claire Smith
“If you've got a desire to do something like the London Marathon or anything tomorrow, just do it. Alright, you've never run before, you've never ridden a bike before - just get a bike and start riding around the streets where you're comfortable, break it down.” - 56:55 - Claire Smith
“I’ve learned to be myself. As I’m getting older now, I don’t care as much what people think of me.” - 1:02:50 - Claire Smith
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