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Lizzy HawkerUltramarathon champion
Country:
 Switzerland |
Content:
- Lizzy Hawker: The Champion of Ultra-Marathons
- Alice in Wonderland and the Power of Mindset
- From Novice to Record-Breaker
- A Unique Combination of Passions
- The Mind Behind the Athlete
Lizzy Hawker: The Champion of Ultra-Marathons
Lizzy Hawker is a British athlete and a multiple champion in ultra-marathon races. She is considered the most decorated sportswoman in this discipline. One of her most challenging races lasted three days, two hours, and 36 minutes, during which she covered a distance of 199 miles. The race started at a mountain camp on Everest, at an altitude of 5,361 meters, and ended at the main square of Kathmandu, Nepal.
Alice in Wonderland and the Power of Mindset
In an interview, Lizzy shared that before every race, she recalls a line from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland": "Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end." With this mindset, she conquered the most difficult and longest distances on the planet, surpassing even the most illustrious athletes. Lizzy believes that any journey starts with the first step and believes that these distances are conquerable for anyone who is not afraid.
From Novice to Record-Breaker
For 36-year-old Lizzy, her journey started with the purchase of professional running shoes in 2005. After a few days of training in her local area, she realized she was ready for something bigger and decided to participate in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc marathon, which covered 103 miles with an elevation gain of over 31,000 feet—higher than Everest. To her surprise, Lizzy not only completed the race but came in first. Over the following years, she won the race four more times, setting a record for the most victories on this course.
A Unique Combination of Passions
What makes Lizzy stand out from many other ultra-marathon runners is her versatility. She excels equally on mountainous routes and long, flat stretches without significant elevation changes. Lizzy also enjoys skiing and mountaineering. However, she prefers to go on hikes alone, relying solely on herself and avoiding unnecessary pauses. Once, she decided to conquer the Great Himalaya Trail on her own but got lost in the nearby forests for two days, deliberately avoiding contacting her team to avoid inconveniencing them. On the third day, Lizzy injured her knee and had to call for help.
The Mind Behind the Athlete
In her interviews, Lizzy admitted that she has never counted the total number of miles she has run in marathons. On average, she runs 150 miles per week but occasionally allows herself some relaxation. Lizzy is currently the most acclaimed female athlete in her sport. One of her most challenging races lasted three days, two hours, and 36 minutes, during which she covered a distance of 199 miles, starting at a mountain camp on Everest at 5,361 meters and finishing at the main square of Kathmandu, Nepal. In 2011, Lizzy set the women's record for running for 24 hours, covering 153 miles in Wales. She now resides in Switzerland, where she is a member of the North Face team and receives a modest sports scholarship. Lizzy left her scientific career and job at the British Antarctic Survey to live off prize money and teach running to adults and children. In 2013, she was nominated for the "Adventurers of the Year 2013" award, although Felix Baumgartner, who made a parachute jump from a height of 24 miles, won the popular vote on the website.
