Landie Greyling won the women’s race of the 2014 Salomon SkyRun, in a time of 16 hours and 12 minutes, beating German trail ace Julia Böttger by over three hours! Greyling’s time was also good enough for seventh place overall – against the men. She talks us through the immensity of the challenge and how you too can overcome anything…
On The Challenge
The hardest part of the challenge – besides the distance and terrain – according to Greyling, was actually the heat. “I’m used to running in the heat, but it was extremely hot out there and with only a few water points you have to plan where you’re going to fill up, very carefully. I literally drank my water within 15 minutes of each water point and then was out of water until I could refill, which was really tough on a route like the SkyRun.”
Greyling, who is a hardcore trail runner, also said that this was definitely one of the most demanding races she’s competed in. “The first thing I thought when I crossed the finish line was that I was just happy to be alive and in one piece. It was really hard day for me out there. I was trying for the 14 hours and 30 minute record, and I was on par until Balloch Wall (the halfway mark), but on the other side of the wall I wasn’t feeling great. At the end of the day I’m happy with the win to end off a tough year. “
3 Ways You Can Overcome Anything
Greyling shares her pearls of wisdom for tackling any tough situation…
1. Find Your True Grit
“We all face different challenges in our lives, but I believe we were created with a lot of willpower and grit, which allow us to forge on, even in the most challenging circumstances. Dig deep and don’t give up!”
2. Keep Your Eye On The Prize
“Have a dream and goals and keep your eye on the ball, don’t lose focus for one second. Once you start thinking too much about a difficult situation, it’s easier to give up.”
3. Nothing Beats Hard Work
“Those on top of the mountain didn’t fall there. It takes a lot of determination, discipline and hard work to be successful in life. The harder you work, the luckier you will be.”
Check out the SkyRun video:
