Joy is...The Process.
In the last decade, Hillary 'Hilly Goat' Allen has earned a name as one of our most celebrated Sky and Ultra Runners of our times. Her energy, passion and success are undeniable; however, it is the manner in which her unstoppable spirit has emerged from a life-changing, near-death accident, whilst inspiring thousands of others, that has made her accomplishments all the more impressive. In 2017, she was ranked number one in the 2017 Skyrunning World Series when she fell 150ft from an exposed ridge-line during the Tromsø Skyrace in Norway. By the time fellow racer Manu Par had scrambled down to her, she had broken 14 bones, including both wrists, five ribs, both feet and vertebrae L4 and L5 in her back. Hillary survived but she was told that she would never run again. The journey of enduring multiple surgeries was in fact just the beginning of her battle for survival, as she recounts in her book, Out And Back: A Runner’s Story of Survival Against All Odds. What doctors could not anticipate is that Hillary would not only run again but would, after two years of dedicated rehab and recovery, return to smashing races, even setting several new course records. She also discovered cycling as part of her recovery and her gravel riding resume now includes the notorious Unbound Gravel. Hillary has been adamant in her aversion to the idea of making a ‘come back’; nevertheless, her resilience and single-minded belief is something that all of us, who have metaphorically fallen and had to put ourselves back together again, can learn from.
I chatted to Hillary off the back of her impressive win at the challenging Ultra Trail Cape Town 100-mile race and was delighted to discover, having failed in my resolve to 'not be goofy in front of Hillary Allen', that she is refreshingly down-to-earth, with an awesome sense of humour and own unique, charming goofiness herself. We discussed: growing up with curiosity 'in the dirt'; balancing life, work, study and running; the importance of curiosity and love when starting out competing; what Disney and European racing have in common; thoughts on fear vs skill; not being defined so much by what happens to us but how we respond to it; being alive versus truly living; how to hold space for others; the catharsis of writing and the power of belief; respecting your 'why' and owning your experience; having the humility to practise; trusting in your body and avoiding comparison culture; making new memories and the power of community; the importance of patience, and what chemistry and rainbow nail varnish have in common.
Follow: @hillygoat_climbs
Read: hillaryallen.com
Image: @marz_merwe
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