Marvellous Mimi The Record Breaking Ultra Runner

Mimi Anderson is an exceptional Ultra Runner who only discovered her passion for running 10 years ago. Within a short space of time she had completed her first Half-Marathon and then followed it up shortly after with her first Ultra-Marathon event.

Mimi (46) last month achieved the amazing feat of breaking the female World Record for the shortest time to run the length of the UK – The John O’Groats to Lands End race. Her time was an amazing 12 Days – 15 Hours and a few minute and is now just awaiting verification of her new WR by the Guinness Book of Records. What is perhaps most amazing is that Mimi spent years struggling with anorexia before discovering her hidden running ability.

- Mimi you have achieved a hell of a lot during your last 9 years as an ultra runner. Can you tell us a bit about how you first discovered your passion for running?

I started running in 1999 as I was getting bored with the same old boring classes. I taught myself how to run on a treadmill eventually managing my first mile in 10 minutes,. After hitting the 10 mile mark my next goal was to run 3 miles in 24 minutes. I succeeded in that goal but could hardly breathe at the end and had a bright red face and was sweating buckets - it felt good!

I remember that at one point some Friends were going out on a 10 mile run and suggested I went with them – very nervously I agreed, as this was my first run outside and 7 miles more than I was used to. I LOVED IT – it was like being given a pair of wings and freedom. I entered a few 5ks, 10ks and half marathons which I loved but somehow it didn’t seem quite enough!

This led to longer races and here I discovered my real passion.

- Did you realise straight away that you wanted to take distance running to the next level?

Up until I did my first ultra in 2001, the longest distance I had run was a half marathon and I knew nothing about the ultra world. It wasn’t until a friend suggested we entered the Marathon des Sables that I discovered the world of ultra running. I remember going home, reading the article, checking out the website and getting very excited, I simply couldn’t think of a reason why I couldn’t do it.
During the MdS I was very ill, resulting in me having to have an intravenous drip on day 3 – the day before the longest mileage. It was followed by another IV Drip at the end of the race – but I finished. On returning home I remember sitting in my kitchen looking at my blistered feet and swollen legs and thinking, “If I can complete a race feeling as awful as I did, what can I achieve feeling 100%”