A Story Of Two Halves

“I didn’t know what to expect as I’d never heard of Muay Thai before. In my first session, I was completely dead on the mat. It was a shock to my body and mind but it made me feel so unreal and alive that I kept going back and I really fell in love with it.” Muay Thai also became a good outlet for managing stress as, before her martial arts epiphany, she describes herself as an anxious person: “I used to have a lot of panic attacks and I was on medication to help stop these. Muay Thai gave me confidence and was also a way to let off steam. My panic attacks stopped and I didn’t need that pill.” Martial arts for Annabelle, therefore, has been the gift that keeps on giving.

“I never would’ve imagined this happening” is the reaction to her athletic career that began in her late twenties. But, as noted, Annabelle has never just been an athlete. On a typical day during Fight Camp, Annabelle would wake up at 6am and head out for a run. Then she would come back and ready her son for school and drop him off. Afterwards, Annabelle would head to work until about lunchtime, which is when she would workout for a couple of hours, until showering and returning back to work. Work would finish around 8 to 9pm in the evening and that’s when she would go home and rest, when her son was already in bed. Now, as a retired athlete, she similarly trains and works just as she would if she was preparing for a match.

“I got pregnant with my son, who is eight now, right in the middle of my career and everyone was like ‘This is not going to work’ and I thought no, that’s simply not true. It’s adapting to life with the things you already have.”
“My advice for those who are pregnant and want to train is to listen to your body. If it’s telling you to stop, stop. If you’re tired, don’t push it. Again, it comes down to enjoying yourself. You don’t have to do anything you don’t feel like. That goes for anyone in general, whether you’re a mum, an athlete or not. It’s about enjoying what you do, no matter what it is.”

Perhaps what we can learn about balancing different parts of one’s life from Annabelle Annabelle isn’t a matter of semantics but a philosophy of personal boundaries. After an MRI scan in the US revealed an injury in her caudal spine, this then became the catalyst for her retirement. This hasn’t stopped Annabelle from training herself back up to where she was, even if she can no longer afford to be in the ring. “It is an everyday battle to enjoy it for what it is. I still train and keep fit but it’s been hard news to deal with and I’m still coming to terms with it.”

So it makes sense that Annabelle responds with two answers when asked what her proudest achievements to date are. “Becoming a mum. That’s definitely a proud moment. Not necessarily becoming a world champion, but being able to have that achievement in martial arts whilst also being a full-time worker and mother. I’m proud I achieved that same level without having to be an athlete who solely focuses on their sport everyday.” Annabelle could never be a story of parts. Her work at Eight Club London (where she has helped design London’s first martial arts inspired gym) is fluid and connected to her identity as a mother and who she is in the corporate world. “It’s all interlinked. I’m probably a better business person because I work my body out so I’m peaceful when I get to work. With motherhood, I’m able to manage my time better. I’m not one of each, I’m a bit of everything.”