A story about how doing something you love can lead you to achieve things you never thought possible.
Meet Allie Bailey, an extraordinary figure in ultrarunning, with a diverse portfolio as a coach, writer, presenter, and runner since 2016. With nearly 200 marathons and ultra-distance events completed, Allie stands out for her world-first achievements, including coast-to-coast crossings of Panama, Scotland, and Dominica. Notably, she conquered the 138-mile Namib-Nukluft desert in Namibia twice and led the first all-women team to run the Outer Hebrides in 2019.
Recognised by The Guardian newspaper as one of the UK’s top ten inspiring female adventure runners in 2022, Allie is a vocal advocate for mental health awareness. In her own words, she is an endurance and mindset coach for the “ultra lost and ultra curious”.
Allie recently published her book There is No Wall, which is an eye wateringly honest, gritty and down right vulnerable tale…and that’s exactly why we wanted to share it with you!
“I’ve spent almost three years putting the pieces together and then rearranging them to make this book make sense and not end my career before it’s even started. I want it to be helpful, hopeful, but above all honest. And I really, really hope there are some funny bits.”
Far from the polished world of Olympic athletes and shiny medals, Allies book is a tail “about a depressed alcoholic who realises her dream job is killing her, gets super into running and then stumbles through life a miserable fucking wreck doing ridiculous things, running ridiculous races until her life falls apart.” Although Allie does say her editor encourages her to describe the book as “full of hope, honesty and remarkable achievements”. 😂
Reading through Allies book, there were many stories that caught me off guard. Her journey through alcoholism I found particularly sad and in parts very difficult to read the realities of such a monstrous illness. Her telling of her mental health struggles, were raw and callous, and often caused you to pause and contemplate the impact of her words. I applaud Allie not just for her honesty and bravery in sharing her story, but also in the way she has kept her story authentic to who she is.
“The fact could go out and smash up a 100 mile coastal route over three days without thinking about the possibility of a wall, all while living inside the confines of one I had created in my own head, is pretty insane.”
Allie concludes her captivating book with a profound reflection on her transformative journey, offering invaluable advice to those navigating parallel challenges. From embracing acceptance, vulnerability, asking for help, and engaging in journaling, the profound insights into her remarkable recovery and the cultivation of a fresh, enlightened mindset make for an utterly compelling read. It’s a story of realism to its core.
So, if you want to read a story of grit, you enjoy dark humour and you don’t mind the odd F bomb now and again, we highly recommend Allie’s book.
If you want to hear more about Allie’s work, visit her website: CLICK HERE
Image courtesy of Female Coaching Network
