Hello, I'm Michelle...

Endurance running coach and Mountain Leader

I have been actively engaged in sports for as long as I can remember. I was involved in swimming, athletics and team sports through to my late teens. These experiences led me to choose to study a degree in Sports Science at University of Wales, Bangor for which I gained top marks.

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During my 18 year career as a teacher, I made good use of the summer holidays carrying out multi day treks and peak summits not just in the British Isles and Europe but also Morocco, Peru, Nepal, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. These early experiences of making long journeys under my own steam have helped fuel my love of mountain races and ultras and provided fantastic transferable skills in terms of personal organisation and navigation.

My own running journey started 12 years ago when, fancying a new challenge I decided to use my Sports Science background to design a training plan to run my first race; Brighton Marathon. With this successfully achieved, things progressed rapidly with many more road marathons and halves before I then delved into the wonderful world of trail and then finally ventured into the ultra and mountain races which now occupy most of my free time.

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Over this this 12 year period, you may have raced with me at any of the following events:

• City marathons: Brighton, Paris, Barcelona, Seville

• Trail races: Run to the Sea Bournemouth and Brighton, The North Downs Ridge, Hurtwood, Endurancelife Pembrokeshire and East Sussex, Trail Events Company Brecon Beacons and Lullworth Cove, Mavericks New Forest, West Sussex and Surrey, Three Forts marathon, Sussex Trail events Adur and Arun river marathons, Portsmouth Coastal marathon, Fairytale of Newquay, Brecons Trail marathon, Man Vs Horse, Grasmere Gallop, Hellfire Events Western Heights Trail 50km

• Ultras: Transgrancanaria, Grand Tour of Skiddaw, Cumbrian Way Ultra, Country to Capital, Testway Ultra, Serpent Trail 50 and 100km, Centurion SDW100, Silva Lakes Traverse, Dragon's Back Hatchling, Tour de Helvellyn, The Arc of Attrition 50 mile, Silva Northern Traverse 300km, Lakeland 100, Montane Winter Spine Challenger South

• Other events: Sussex Trail Events Marathon Madness 5 in 5, Hellfire Event Governor Backyard Ultra

I'm also a regular race volunteer so may have met you at an aid station or marshalling on course for Centurion, Freedom Racing, Sussex Trail Events or Ourea.

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