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Dreams are extremely important, you can’t do it unless you imagine it          George Lucas

BLOC porfileFitness plays a big part in Charlie’s life, both for performance on track and also because she simply loves exercising & following a healthy lifestyle. From competing in half marathons to Ninja Warrior UK and freeriding backcountry in the Himalayas, she loves taking on new challenges & she’s always happiest outdoors, as she tells us:

“I love snowboarding and in the last few years I’ve been trying to make more time for surfing too. Being based in the Midlands can make this tricky but I try to get as many trips in as possible. It’s one of the most difficult yet rewarding sports I’ve ever done, it’s totally unlike racing and perhaps this is a big part of the appeal for me. It’s amazing exercise but the perfect way to destress – when you’re floating on your board just watching the ocean to pick the right wave, there’s not a single other thought in your head… I often go to Fuerteventura as it’s not far and a great place to go to over winter, being in the water until dusk some evenings with the sun down, moon in the sky and mountains in the distance always feels special.”

“If I’m driving to France for a race I sometimes put my board on the roof of my MINI Cooper if I’m going anywhere near the ocean, just in case. Competing in Europe for 3 years means I’ve spent a lot of time travelling, which I absolutely love – I’m always on the go. You’ll often find me recording a vlog at Luton airport or doing my makeup at 8am waiting for an early flight! It’s super convenient too thanks to the guys at Swift Airport Parking.”

“I love freeride snowboarding, getting off piste and into the wild is an incredible feeling, it’s hard work but it’s always worth it to make fresh tracks in powder. I’ve mainly boarded in the Alps and I’m keen to try visit some new countries (Alaska, Canada & Japan), a few years ago I went out to Kashmir. Mount Affarwat in Gulmarg is 4,000m up and even if you’re fit you quickly run out of breath at that altitude. Monkeys & soldiers with AK47’s were all a first for a boarding trip, if you’re looking for an adventure well away from the beaten track, it’s well worth a visit.”

“In February 2018 I went to Chamonix Mont-Blanc Massif where I got to ride with 2 times World Freeride Champion Douds Charlet & his brother Babs, French Halfpipe Champion. It was an incredible trip, the first time I’ve done split boarding (which opens up a whole world of options), you can traverse practically any terrain, we were climbing with ropes & crampons and abseiling into couloirs.” 

So many happy memories in 60 secs, huge thanks to @babscharlet @jonathan.charlet for THE best freeride week in #chamonix 😌💕❄️✨ Big thanks to @bloceyewear for awesome goggles & sunnies too - loving the coast shades, Moon2 & MK10’s 😎 #freeride #bloceyewear #moon2 #mk10 #coast #backcountry #gocharlie #goodvibes #goodpeople #happytimes #snowboarding #gopro #session5

Posted by Charlie Martin on Sunday, February 11, 2018
 “Back in the UK, trail running & gym work is where I tend to focus most of my training. I used to compete in half marathons (PB 1:22) but the training was a big drain on my time, and running on tarmac really isn’t good long term. Since reading Born to Run I’ve changed to barefoot running, which has taken a few years (and trips to my physio) to adapt from heel striking to front foot running, but it’s been really worth the effort and I now focus on trail running for enjoyment rather than outright speed. It’s a longterm ambition to live in the mountains, probably the French Alps for the year round lifestyle on offer, I also adore France & love speaking the language (it often feels like home!).”

 

“When I’m indoors you’ll normally find me glued to my laptop, I did my degree in graphic design so having a creative outlet is an absolute must for me. I’m lucky to be able to do all my own design work, from web to video, I really enjoy it and it means I can produce content very quickly. I’ve worked on a number of projects for customers too, including race teams such as KDC Racing, race car liveries are so much fun to work on! I’ve made vlogs & blogs for PistonHeadsDRIVETRIBE & BBC3 as well as presenting two series on my race season for MotorsTV.”

“I guess I’m quite a busy person so making the time to fit everything in isn’t easy, I didn’t have TV for 3 years so this probably explains how I manage to cram so much into my life!”

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