Heather Rickard, affectionately known as Grannybelle, is a wellness leader, runner, and grandmother who proves it’s never too late to chase big dreams. With more than 40 years in the direct selling industry and a 100-kilometre ultramarathon completed at age 65, she inspires others to rise higher, one step at a time AND proves it’s never too late to chase big dreams.
Links & References:
Connect With Heather Rickard
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https://goto.simplysuccessful.co/couch
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About Heather Rickard
Heather Rickard, affectionately known as Granny Bell, is a wellness leader, grandmother, and ultra-marathon runner who proves it’s never too late to chase big dreams. With over 40 years of experience in the direct selling industry, Heather didn’t begin her running journey until later in life. Inspired by her climb of Mount Kilimanjaro at 53, she went on to transform her health and fitness, progressing from casual jogs to completing her first parkrun, half marathon, and ultimately a 100 km ultra-marathon at the age of 65. Now preparing for her first 100-mile race, Heather uses her story to inspire others—especially women over 50—to step outside their comfort zones, embrace fitness at any age, and believe in their own resilience.
Show Note:
At 53, Heather Rickard, “Granny Bell”, went from couch to parkruns to a 100K ultramarathon. In this episode, she shares how climbing Kilimanjaro sparked her fitness journey, the mindset that keeps her running, and why it’s never too late to rewrite your limits.
Heather’s Running Journey @ 0:00
Heather Rickard, also known as “Granny Bell”, shares how she went from being a non-runner to completing ultramarathons, including a 100K race, starting at age 53. She discusses how climbing Mount Kilimanjaro inspired her to get fit and healthy, and how she gradually built up her running, starting with park runs and eventually working her way up to longer distances.
Overcoming Self-Doubt and Finding Community @ 2:25
Heather talks about her initial self-doubt and fear when starting to run, and how she overcame it by taking that first step and joining a local park run group. She emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community of runners, and how that helped motivate and inspire her to keep pushing her limits.
Mindset and Visualization Strategies @ 22:40
Heather shares the mental strategies she uses to stay motivated and push through challenges during long runs and races, including visualization, managing self-talk and comparison, and tapping into a deeper sense of purpose and legacy.
Advice for Aspiring Runners @ 30:47
Heather provides advice for those looking to get started with running, emphasizing the long-term health benefits, the importance of taking it one step at a time, and the need to have courage and believe in oneself. She also encourages people to think about how their fitness today will impact their ability to be present and active with loved ones in the future.
Recap and Resources @ 37:27
Jennifer and Heather wrap up the discussion, with Heather sharing information about her free e-book and how listeners can connect with her on social media to get further support and inspiration for their running journeys.