Linda Blakely - The Inspiring Journey of an Ironman Athlete Who Summited Everest and Lhotse and Rowed the Atlantic Ocean Solo!

Linda Blakely is a remarkable athlete and adventurer, known for her extraordinary accomplishments in the world of endurance sports. As an Ironman competitor, she has completed 25 full Ironman races, including three World Championships, achieving an impressive ranking of 19th in her age group worldwide. 

Linda proudly represented Great Britain as an age group athlete at long-distance triathlon events, earning a silver medal at the European Championships in 2015.

In 2018, Linda achieved an incredible feat by summiting both Everest and Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world, within 24 hours of each other. This made her only the fourth female to accomplish this remarkable challenge and the first British woman to do so. 

But her adventures don’t stop there; Linda also became the first woman to row the Atlantic Ocean solo and unassisted, completing a gruelling 3,000-mile journey from Gran Canaria to Barbados.

Currently, Linda is preparing for her next formidable challenge: the Marathon des Sables, a 250km race across the Sahara Desert, where she will carry all her supplies on her back over seven days. 

Join us as we delve into Linda's awe-inspiring journey of perseverance, resilience, and her relentless pursuit of adventure!

This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking motivation to pursue their dreams and conquer their own challenges.

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Show notes

• Who is Linda
• Running three children's care homes in London and Essex
• Care homes focused on children with trauma and learning disabilities
• Linda’s journey into care homes began with a chance meeting in Thailand
• Being active in many sports as a child, including gymnastics and swimming
• Her love for mountains grew from completing the Duke of Edinburgh
• Moving to London in her 20s and working various jobs
• Rediscovering sport in her 30s after a 10-year break.
• Doing first Ironman at age 34, starting with a super sprint event
• Quickly getting hooked on Ironman and aiming for the toughest races
• Completing 25 full Ironmans and three Kona World Championships
• She used to race 3 Ironmans per year but now focuses on qualifying for Kona
• Protein shakes and recovery boots being used for training
• Not believing in full rest days but take easy days for recovery
• Ranking swimming as her least favorite discipline but works hard at it
• Improving her bike leg with strength training
• Being strong in all three disciplines: swimming, cycling, and running.
• Her overall approach to racing is consistency across all three sports
• Linda’s next challenge, including mountain adventures and solo expeditions
• Linda's summit experience on Mount Everest
• The hardship of living conditions on Everest
• The striking sight of red head torches climbing Everest
• Her feelings on the summit ridge
• How she approached the challenge of summiting Everest
• Her decision to attempt both Everest and Lhotse
• Linda's reflections on the summit ridge of Everest
• Her emotional reaction to encountering a deceased climber on Lhotse
• The somber realities of high-altitude climbing
• The importance of respect for fallen climbers
• Linda’s successful summit of Everest in 2018
• The use of supplemental oxygen during the climb
• Becoming the first British female to traverse Everest and Lhotse.
• The desolation of Camp Four on Everest
• The logistical challenges after summiting Everest
• Walking down from base camp instead of taking a helicopter
• Dealing with adventure blues after completing major challenges
• Linda’s love for planning future adventures
• The reality and beauty of climbing Everest versus rowing the Atlantic
• Experiencing menopause at 47
• Feeling stressed, tired, and angry without knowing why
• Seeking treatment after the GP suggested antidepressants.
• Starting HRT, feeling more like herself again
• Struggling with exhaustion during training before HRT
• Turning 50 while rowing solo across the Atlantic
• Rowing alone for 54 days on the Atlantic Ocean
• Rowing for 16 hours a day, taking short breaks for food
• Planning meals daily to save time and energy.
• Managing sleep by setting an alarm every 45 minutes
• Listening to music and audiobooks for mental stimulation
• Starting a dress rental business after the row
• Dealing with painful skin sores from sitting too long
• Experimenting with different seats to ease discomfort
• Rowing in minimal clothing to avoid saltwater irritation
• Never considering quitting during the challenge
• Sharing her birthday experience while rowing the Atlantic
• Describing the emotional journey of overcoming bad weather
• Talking about accepting the change in goals from a record to enjoying the journey
• Highlighting the support received through social media on her birthday
• Mentioning her admiration for Victoria Evans' rowing record
• Discussing the changes in boat design affecting the record challenge
• Explaining her achievement as the first woman to summit Everest and row solo across the Atlantic
• Preparing for an Ironman race and training for the Marathon des Sables
• Planning ultra-marathon training with back-to-back races in February
• Fundraising for Action Medical Research to help sick babies and children
• Final words of advice

 

Social Media

Website: www.lindablakelysboutique.com 

Instagram: @blakely.linda 

Charity: www.action.org.uk