Annette Fredskov is a 45 year-old mother of two, Emilie (16) and Viktor (14). She lives with the love of her life Kim.
She says, “Every morning I make the decision to have the best day possible. I choose to do all I can to be the best version of myself. I choose to focus on all the positive; positive thoughts and positive feelings and what I want. I look in my eyes in the mirror and say, I love you. I smile to myself and feel love”.
Annette's motto, “I can do it” is something she's said to herself thousands of times. She says, “I have programmed my mind and all the cells in my body, to believe that everything is possible. If I really want it, if I believe it, and am willing to work hard for it. Forget all about limitations and go for it. I can do it, and so can you. Do whatever you want and put your mind to it”.
From October 2010, Annette has ran 660 marathons and 24 ultras. In 2012/2013 she ran 366 marathons in 365 days. In 2015, she ran from Denmark to Paris, France, 1130 kilometers in 19 days.
She says, “I am curious what I can do when my mind, spirit and body work together and I focus on my possibilities. Then anything is possible”.
In 2009, she was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis). Today she has no symptoms of MS and medical examinations show no MS activity. She believes that her lifestyle with positive thinking and exercise has greatly contributed to her health. She says, “I have taken responsibility for my own life and it has given me freedom and high quality of life”.
Professionally Annette is a speaker, writer, and mentor. She is passionate about inspiring people to make the best of their lives, find peace, joy and balance and reach their goals.
She believes that, “We all deserve love, joy, laughter and passion - and even more love”.
_______________________________________________________
Intro to show:
It was wonderful to sit down and talk with Annette Fredskov from Denmark. She was incredible energetic and had a powerful message to share with us.
Annette says that she is a “normal” person who made the decision to be extraordinary. She started running only ten years ago and since then has ran 660 Marathons. In one year she ran 366 marathons in 365 days, running two marathons on her last day.
Another amazing part of her story is that she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2009. Since then however, she has kept running and believes that by “taking responsibility” of her life she has been able to not only rewire her brain but also bring health to her body. Since her diagnoses they have not found traces of MS in her body.
She credits her ability to run, to her passion and curiosity. In this episode she says that every morning she makes “the decision to have the best day possible” and that she is “willing to work hard and forget all limitations.”
Questions I asked Annette:
- What would you say to someone who says they don't run? Who say “I can’t”?
- How much did you rely on your mindset when you were running mile after mile and probably sometimes wanted to quit?
- Why did you set the goal of running a marathon everyday?
- Did you want to prove something? If so what did you want to prove?
- How many running shoes did you run through the year of running?
- How much water per day was it necessary to drink to run these marathons?
- What was it like to run a marathon everyday and still take care of your house, your kids, the laundry, cook and clean and all of that?
- Do you think if you stopped running your MS would return? (Question from online)
- What did you eat while running and what did you do to recover?
- What other types of things did you say to yourself to keep going when it got hard?
- What is the greatest lesson you have learned running 366 marathons in 365 days?
- How did you recover when you had an evening and morning marathon back to back?
- Did you eat before and after your run?
Topics discussed:
How can someone overcome the mindset of thinking that they “can’t” do something?
- It comes down to what you want. If you really want to do something you have to make it important.
- You have to be willing to take small steps. If you want to run, walk first. Then build up.
- Know it's never too late to start something.
Power of mindset:
- You have to be intentional with what you tell yourself repeatedly and what you fill your mind with.
- Focus on what you want and not what you don't want.
- Faith is a muscle. If you do not have it now you can develop it.
Dealing with criticism:
- Any big idea people will think your crazy.
- People may think it's crazy. But it's not their dream.
- The bigger the dream, the more you need to go after it
- When you go for your dream, you may get resistance. But if you believe in your dream, people will come along.
- Realize that it has nothing to do with you. It’s about them.
- Understanding age is a mindset.
Podcast Quotes
“I am curious what I can do when my mind, my spirit, and my body, work together.” @AnnetteFredskov
“Whatever lights you up in life is what you should be doing”@AnnetteFredskov
“You have to have the courage to be a little crazy sometimes”@AnnetteFredskov
Annette Fredskov handles:
Twitter: @AnnetteFredskov
Instagram: @AnnetteFredskov
Facebook: @AnnetteFredskov
Website: http://www.annettefredskov.dk/
