Speaking
I truly believe that if I can run around a country, then anyone could. There are thousands of better runners than me out there - people who are fitter, braver and more adventurous.
I was completely unqualified to go on a 5000 mile run. Before setting off, I’d run one disastrous marathon dressed as a purple Crayola Crayon, I couldn’t read a map and I was absolutely petrified of cows. I didn’t have any real athletic experience to draw upon either - I hadn’t been a sporty kid at all. Growing up, I thought that sport was something you did if you were good at it. You ran races and played matches to win them. And if you weren’t going to win, why would you bother?
But I learned during my run around the coast that you don’t have to be the "best" at something to succeed, you just have to be the one who shows up and has a go. This is the overarching message I share in my talks. Your audience will be encouraged to not be limited by their perception of their own abilities and shown how you can overcome at-times crippling self doubt to achieve things beyond what you ‘should’ be capable of. I tell my story with humour and honesty through tales from my adventure, not shying away from all the weird and wonderful things that happen on a big adventure. I have spoken to audiences of up to 1000 people at events including the National Running Show, Kendal Mountain Festival, Keswick Mountain Festival, Love Trails Festival, A Night of Adventure and many more.
I also give talks to businesses and schools relating adventure lessons to everyday life. From breaking a big goal down into manageable chunks, maintaining motivation even when you really want to quit and why you should have a go no matter how unqualified you feel, I offer inspiration to dream big (plus a few laughs, hopefully!). I’ll talk about the power of community (over 200 complete strangers helped me on my journey, plus thousands more following along online), the importance of telling your story in your own way and how you can incorporate more adventure into everyday life. This isn’t a story about being superhuman – it’s about how even the most ordinary person can achieve extraordinary things. Clients include Glanbia Performance Nutrition, Orfium, KPMG and Method UK.
I will tailor my talk to your organisation’s specific needs and am also able to offer sessions focused on my experiences creating a career in adventure and as an author.
For speaking enquiries please email hello@elisedowning.com. I would love to hear from you!
What other people have said…
“Elise is a charismatic, engaging and witty speaker. At the National Running Show 2018, Elise was one of our most popular speakers and a real draw for visitors. She is a joy to work with.”
— Mike Seamen, National Running Show
"Elise brightened up a dark, stormy evening in Edinburgh when she spoke about her epic run around Britain for the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. She is an enthusiastic, honest, self-deprecating speaker and her warmth, great sense of humour and drive to "keep it real" motivated the audience to quit the excuses and do more!"
— Rachel Hay, Royal Scottish Geographical Society
“Elise Downing is a comedy genius and has a heart of gold! Her self deprecating humour makes her talk one of my favourites ever.”
— Danny Bent, One Run Global
“Elise came to The Ministry of Clean to share her incredible story with the team. She was very relatable, extremely engaging and told her story in a very humorous way. We loved it! The office have since set up a weekly run club having felt so motivated by Elise to get out and run.”
— Sophie Panter, EA, People Against Dirty (Ecover + Method)
“Elise was the highlight of the event. Engaging, inspiring, authentic and hilarious.”
— Raoul Monks, Flume Training
“We were delighted that Elise agreed to be involved in the Trail Festival where she spoke about her adventures. She was engaging and funny. We can’t recommend her highly enough.”
— Brian Corocan, Thump Events
"Having Elise in our whole school assembly was inspirational! She answered questions brilliantly and her enthusiasm and desire to do something to really push herself was a pleasure to see and hear. The staff and pupils were in awe and talked about Elise long after the assembly. Incredible.”
— James Lumber, Hamworthy Park Junior School
