Whoever coined the mantra 'life is a marathon not a sprint' can jog on. In February, for example, a typical Saturday for me meant a 6am alarm to run 28km, followed by a quick change from tired-looking New Balance Fresh Foam 1080s into knee-high COS boots, racing on the Tube over to the Barbican to sit on the Frow for 16Arlington’s autumn/winter 2024 LFW show – all before 11am. Fortunately, the dimly lit runway made for the perfect camouflage to conceal the beads of sweat tickling my upper lip – a common by-product of my ‘work hard, train harder’ lifestyle.
While I’ve long been an avid gym bunny (alas, the language for women who love fitness is dated and infantilising), this year I’ve taken my fitness challenges into overdrive. Between April and June, I ran a sub 3.5hr London Marathon, took part in Hyrox London and raced in RideLondon; I now have my eyes set on Berlin’s half Ironman and Swim Serpentine in September.
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In addition to working a 35-hour-a-week job (plus overtime), I train twice a day, before and after work, occasionally slipping in a third session if I find the time, and have zero rest days. Call me obsessed or out of my mind, but I’m not alone. In recent years, there has been a rise in the number of women taking over the fitness scene and balancing nine-to-fives with training like amateur athletes in their downtime. Welcome to the age of the ‘amlete’.
You’ve likely seen an influx of female thirtysomethings swapping 5km Parkruns for endurance sports such as marathons and Ironmans. On the more extreme end of the scale, this year a record number of women (a whopping 35%) registered for the 2024 Marathon des Sables, a seven-day 250km ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert. In March, Scottish vet Jasmin Paris became the first woman to complete Tennessee’s gruelling Barkley Marathon (the elevation is the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest – twice).
Most new endurance competitors are ‘average’ women looking for new avenues, unrelated to their demanding careers, relationships and family lives, that push their bodies and minds to the limit. ‘Hyrox is the perfect sport for focused and ambitious women, testing both mental and physical strength and endurance,’ explains Christian Toetzke, a former professional athlete who founded the competition in 2017. With an average female competitor aged between 35 and 39 and the aim of Hyrox becoming for gym-goers what the London Marathon is for runners, Toetzke believes that working and training go hand in hand, and often result in high productivity within the workplace. ‘We’re seeing a new generation of professionals who are keen to put their competitive streak to the test outside of the office,’ he says.
Such laser focus is something former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin can attest to. The broadcaster rediscovered a love for sport at age 45 and has since represented Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships and competed in some of the toughest triathlons on the planet, such as Norseman and Patagon- man. ‘I was at my most competitive as a triathlete when I was having the most difficult times at work,’ she explains, recalling a moment she fell asleep mid-live broadcast following a competition in Chile. Minchin says endurance sport can provide ‘a real sense of resilience that when you’re going through tough times in your life, you have the ability to dig deep in a way that’s very empowering’.
‘There’s a lot of stuff in life that could be considered far more dangerous than running for a few days in a desert,’ agrees Allie Bailey, who began running ultras in her thirties at a time when she was ‘drinking very heavily and extremely depressed’. For Bailey, it’s a privilege, rather than a chore, to train for endurance races. ‘Running in itself won’t change anything, but it will give you the tools to change everything.’
The rise in women ‘amletes’ can also be explained by the shift towards a better understanding of training for performance over aesthetics. Out are antiquated ideas that a woman’s sole purpose in exercising is to burn calories and maintain unrealistic beauty ideals. In are thirtysomethings with a new-found confidence in their strength, determination and diverse bodies. ‘Women aren’t getting older and panicking, rather recognising that they’re perfectly on time,’ notes Savannah Sachdev, a fitness-content creator who competes in marathons across the world. ‘We’re beginning to recognise the amount of effort we put into keeping everyone around us happy and are finally plying that energy back into ourselves.’
Of course, endurance training isn’t for the faint-hearted. Extreme fitness is often excruciating, and requires years of sacrifice and a unique level of determination and focus, which isn’t realistic for many people juggling high-pressure careers, let alone a family life, amid other responsibilities. Whether it’s the 5am alarm clock and carrying two sets of sports kit to work or falling asleep mid-commute and swapping girls’ nights out for an hour-long turbo ride on a Friday night, I know all too well the physical, mental and social strain training can have when you’re working out for a hobby, not a career.
While there are numerous athletes who manage to balance full-time work with sporting success, doctor and ultra-endurance athlete Josh Bakker-Dyos believes the balancing act can ‘come at a cost’. When time is tight and training is fitted in around a career, the priority to fuel the body correctly, enjoy high-quality sleep and maintain healthy relationships can slip. ‘This not only means that someone is less likely to get fitter, but it significantly increases the risk of injury, illness and other negative health consequences.’
There’s also a danger of ‘amletes’ unknowingly falling victim to self-optimisation – the desire to fine-tune and perfect productivity, happiness and health so much that the pursuit of these goals, in a fitness context, can often be suboptimal. ‘Training is stressful and must be balanced with adequate recovery to allow the body to adapt and build fitness,’ warns Dr Bakker-Dyos, who notes that a chronic energy deficit – common in those who push themselves too hard – can lead to consequences from mood disturbance and gastrointestinal issues to altered reproductive function and a loss of bone-mineral density. As someone plagued by perfectionism issues, I often struggle to prioritise rest, and panic at the thought of deviating from my rigid, self-imposed training schedule. ‘Having the ability to be flexible, change the plan and be kind to yourself when life gets in the way is as important to an amateur as it is to an Olympic-level athlete,’ says Dr Bakker-Dyos.
It would be remiss not to note that the fitness industry is big business – a Deloitte report found the global impact of the health and wellness market has reached $91.22bn. Participation demands deep pockets of the privileged few, who must not only find the time, but have the financial means to compete in endurance sports – consider the equipment, nutrition, travel, race fees, injury prevention, personal trainers... the list goes on. It’s no wonder Dr Steven Jonas, author of Triathloning for Ordinary Mortals, says that ‘to run a marathon, you need a pair of shoes, a pair of shorts and maybe a water bottle. To do a triathlon, you need a lot more’.
For some, including myself, it’s a cost that’s worth the long-term return. I unashamedly spend over a quarter of my monthly salary on fitness and justify it for the pure psychological joy, physical results and pride at achieving my goals. It’s also worth mentioning, I’m child-free, so I can be somewhat ‘selfish’ with my time and money.
‘There’s this idea that when we get older, we lose something, but we actually gain respect, understanding of self and strength,’ says Minchin of her reasons for endurance training. ‘There’s a lot of guilt around taking time out for yourself, especially as a mum, but I’m a better person because I take time out for myself to do something I enjoy.’ For Sachdev, training and crossing a finish line, be it at the Paris Marathon or running from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, gives her an indescribable buzz. ‘As adults, how often do we take a step back and say, “Woah, I’m proud of you”? As someone who can be quite mean to myself, it’s nice to have something to pat myself on the back for,’ she explains.
As many of us continue to re-evaluate the importance of the daily rat race, it’s no wonder women are increasingly prioritising self-competition and community, and challenging themselves to realise their untapped potential. ‘My male acquaintances seem to get a little more consumed by the outcome of endurance sports, whereas women – in my experience – seem to enjoy the process,’ adds Sachdev. ‘It seems we’re made to take up space here.’
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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
