Profile
Alexandra Panayotou is a charismatic motivational speaker and executive coach, who works in personal and professional development. She inspires others to strive for more in their lives, and to further develop themselves. Her insight into and her understanding of the human process are developed from her outstanding success as an endurance athlete, combined with her academic background in psychology, sociology, and philosophy where she received an honours degree. Alex regularly presents to and works with leading executives of top global business organisations, including, Danone, Telefonica, Coca-Cola, IESE Business School.
Alex a unique athlete is an example that it’s never too late to start afresh. She began running at 30 and in 4 years of self-training reached championship level: 2nd in the Barcelona Marathon and 4th in the Greek championships. After winning many races, she began running solo ultra challenges for charity. Her last and final extreme solo running challenge was running 400 km almost non-stop (sleeping only 5 hours during the 76.5 hour challenge).
She achieved all her 13 challenges – one of the few athletes in the world who have never abandoned a challenge or race, thus showing not only her outstanding physical strength but also her dedication, and extreme mental strength. She has achieved physical and mental feats that few people are capable of. During her athletic career Alex developed a strong base of principles, values, and tools for overcoming obstacles and achieving goals, while at the same time placing her health and wellbeing above her sporting carreer. Alex achieved her 13 challenges from 2008-2014 without a single injury. Her philosophy of Personal Excellence forms the foundation of all she does.
Alex was instrumental in developing charity sports in Spain where she has lived since 2003. In 2008 she launched a major movement towards bringing charity sporting events to Spain with her first year of solo running in 2008 – since then she has dedicated her running to national and international charities. Since then she is delighted to have seen a boom in solidarity sports both from individual athletes and from sporting events themselves.
Alex has a passion for writing, her first book “The Smile of Endurance” was published in English and Spanish in 2011 and is based on her gruelling 2010 kilometre challenge. In 2011 Alex won first prize in a literary competition for her short story “Corriendo el Camino” (“Running the Camino”) – based on her 1200 kilometre solo run along the Camino de Santiago, the world famous pilgrimage. Her story was published the same year in the book “Peregrinas por el Camino de Santiago” Alex regularly writes articles for magazines. She is currently working on her 2nd book.
Her methods for success are easily applicable to all areas of life – business, personal, and leisure. Her executive development programs not only deal with the development of executives as individuals and leaders, but also provide all the key secrets and tools for long-term executive success and endurance. Her sports camps are inspirational and educational, and her personal development work is life changing.
You can’t choose what happens to you in life, but you can choose to face it all with a positive attitude!
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Challenges
Name of challenge | Date | Description | File |
---|---|---|---|
400 km Solo Run: Running 4 Her | 4th-7th June 2014 |
An almost non-stop solo challenge (4 hrs sleep only during the 400km. It was part of Running 4 Her, an educational and charity project aimed at developing women’s strength and raising funds for women’s charities. Alex’s final and toughest solo challenge. | Distance: 400 km
Time 76 hrs 23 min Rest: 4hrs |
170 km mini challenge | 12th-13th March 2014 |
Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. Non-stop solo run used as training run for Alex’s solo 400km run 3 months later. Starting at Girona Cathedral and finishing at Plaza España in Barcelona. Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. |
Distance: 170 km
Time: 28 hrs |
Solo 24 hours on London’s Crystal Palace track with finish at Millwall FC for Foodbank UK | 13th – 14th April 2012 | 24 hr solo run for the UK Foodbank network, to break personal record of 183.95 km. Second finish line at half time at Millwall FC to raise more money for Foodbank. | Distance: 188 km
Result: Made new personal record |
315 km non-stop solo run in the UK for Foodbank | 13th to the 15th October 2011 | A non-stop solo run with no sleep or rest from the Foodbank headquarters in Salisbury to Norwich, finishing at half-time at Norwich City Football Club raising money and awareness for Foodbank UK. Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. | Distance: 315 km
Time: 50 hrs Result: Completed as planned |
UltraPyrene: 1000 km solo run from San Sebastian to Girona over the Pyrenees in 12 days | 1st to the 12th of September 2010 | 1000 km in 12 stages across the Pyrenees linking the Cantabrian Sea with Mediterranean Sea. Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. | Distance: 1000 km
Result: Completed as planned |
24 hours running solo for disabled sports in La Maquinista, Barcelona. | 10th and 11th June 2010 | Solo 24-hour charity run in La Maquinista shopping centre. Alexandra ran a new personal best | Time: 24 hours
Result: 183.95 km Positive inclination: 2500 m |
Montserrat – Matagalls – Montserrat, Catalonia. 166 km | 6th and 7th of November 2009 | A solo extreme endurance challenge of 166km over 5 mountains, on an out and back course, running against the clock. Launching of an environmental awareness campaign and a new ultra distance race. Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. | Distance: 166 km
Inclination/declination: 12,375 m Result: completed in 26 hours and 55 minutes. |
2010 km running solo in 31 days around Spain, leaving from and arriving in the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona. | 6th June to 6th July 2009 | Promoting the European Athletics Championships of Barcelona 2010. Running on average 70 km/day and 30 km on Sundays. Twenty mountain passes, crossing the Monegros mountain desert twice, uniting 10 provincial capitals. The challenge was completed successfully, with Alex arriving in the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. | Distance: 2010 km
Inclination: 28,000 m Time: 21 days Result: completed as planned |
220 kilometres non-stop solo run from Palafrugell – Barcelona | 28th February to 1st March 2009 | Alex ran the original route of Catalonia’s 1st marathon in Palafrugell, and then continued to Barcelona. After having run 180 km non-stop, Alexandra joined the starting line of the Barcelona Marathon which she ran in 4hr 27 min. Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. 34 hours non-stop running. | Distance: 220 km
Inclination/declination: 2600 m Time: 34 hours Marathon time: 4 hr 27 min |
Barcelona-Santiago de Compostela 1208 km solo run in 21 days following the Camino de Santiago | 26th April to 16th May 2008 | First woman to run the 1208 km from Barcelona to Santiago de Compostela. 60 km/day and 20km/day on Sundays for 21 days. Running for charity. Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. | Distance: 1208 km
Time: 21 days Result: completed as planned |
Woman versus horse. Montserrat-Ripoll, mountain race (125 km) | 15th November 2008 | Race against a horse along a 125 km course between the monastery of Montserrat and the Monastery of Ripoll. Running for charity. Tracked online live with a GPS tracker. | Distance: 125 km
Inclination: 3000 m Time: 16 h 45 m Winner: Alex |
24 hours solo run in Serrahima Stadium – Barcelona | 15th to 16th February 2008 | In this challenge, Alexandra made a new personal best of 165 km on the 400-metre running track. Running for charity. | Time: 24 hrs
Distance: 165 km |
Ultra Marathon Races
Name | Date | Description | File |
---|---|---|---|
Matagalls-Montserrat 2008 | September 2008 | 83 km mountain night race. | Time: 11 h 00 m
Inclination/declination: 6000 m Position: 1st place women. |
24 hour Race for TV3 Charity | December 2007 | 24 hr race supporting the “Maraton de TV3” Charity | Distance: 183 km
Position: First place women Time: 11 h 23 m |
Matagalls-Montserrat 2007 | September 2007 | 83 km mountain night race. | Inclination/declination: 6000 m
Position: 1st place women. 7th place in general classification. |
Matagalls-Montserrat 2006 | September 2006 | 83 km mountain night race. | Time: 11 h 29 m
Inclination/declination: 6000 m Position: 1st place women. 8th place in general classification. |
Marathons
Name | Date | Time | Position |
---|---|---|---|
Greek Natonal Championships | November 2004 | 2 h 53 m | 4th place |
Athens Classic Marathon | November 2004 | 2 h 53 m | 12th place |
Barcelona Marathon | March 2004 | 2 h 48 min | 2nd place |
Middle Distance
Name | Date | Time | Position |
---|---|---|---|
The Maquinista Race (10 km) | July 2008 | - | 1st place age category |
I Cursa de Muntanya de Cerdanyola (10 km Mnt race) | July 2008 | - | 1st place |
Vilanova Half-marathon | December 2006 | 1 h 23 m | 1st place |
Collserola Mountain Race – 17 km | October 2006 | 1 h 22 m | 1st place |
Roda de Ter – 10 km | October 2006 | 39 m 45 s | 1st place |
Mediterrani Marathon – 10 km | September 2006 | 40 m 19 s | 1st place |