Tough Girl Podcast Dr. Kaz Williams - Performance Psychologist, Certified Running Coach and Ultra Runner. Striving to help people discover their mettle.
Listen to Kaz on the Tough Girl Podcast as she shares her passion for running and helping individuals discover their inner strength. Kaz founded Mettle—a platform dedicated to empowering runners to conquer personal challenges, chase personal records, and train for specific distances. Mettle isn't just about running; it's about equipping runners with coaching plans, mental strategies, and unwavering support to thrive both on the track and in life. Drawing from her extensive academic background—holding a PhD in human behaviour and an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology—Kaz delves into the intricacies of human performance, particularly in the face of adversity.
Driven by a profound belief in the power of self-belief and self-discipline, Kaz shuns shortcuts in favour of cultivating a mindset geared towards achieving one's goals. Her relentless pursuit of excellence extends beyond coaching; it's woven into the fabric of her own running endeavours.
Kaz's trail running journey is nothing short of awe-inspiring. From the rugged trails of Chamonix, France, where she tackled the Mont Blanc Marathon and UTMB races, to epic adventures like the Tahoe 200 (3rd F), Moab 240 (2nd F), and Ouray 100 (1st F), she continually pushes her limits.
Notably, Kaz completed 1 crazy loop at the legendary Barkley Marathon, and recently completed the daunting Last Annual Vol State, a 500K self-supported race across Tennessee.
Through it all, Kaz's message remains clear: When we harness our best selves and embrace the challenges that come our way, extraordinary achievements become possible.
Listen to Kaz share her story on the Tough Girl Podcast.
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Show notes
- Who is Kaz
- Living in Chamonix, France in 2010
- Studying architecture at University
- Joining the TA - Territorial Army and becoming a Personal Training Instructor (PTI)
- Doing a MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Working full time while studying and running
- Her trail running journey
- Learning about trail races
- Wanting to run the UTMB
- Running the Marathon de Mont Blanc
- Struggling with the UTMB in 2014
- Realising her mental game had let her down
- Wanting to learn/understand more about the mental side of physical challenges
- Losing focus and not being present while training and what you can do about it
- Ending up in a dark place and questioning what you are doing
- Why you need a strong WHY
- Signing up to do Tahoe 200
- The sacrifices and hard work which goes into training
- Suffering with audio and visual hallucinations
- Bears and Pizza!
- Running throughout the year
- Recovery after big races
- Being a plant based athlete
- Food and nutrition
- Using Training Peaks
- Where the name Mettle came from
- Coaching athletes and runners
- "We are stronger, braver and more capable than we realise"
- Being a fan of David Goggins
- Learning how to endure
- How to connect with Kaz
- Tips for self belief
- Our lives are the sum of our choices. The future depends on what we do in the present.
- Think about what you want to be doing and what you can do now to achieve that.
Social Media
Website www.mettlerunning.com
Instagram @mettlerunning
Personal Instagram @mountainkaz
Facebook www.facebook.com/mettlerunning