“Until I was seven, I was very close to my mother because I was so ill ...” — Toyah Willcox Quote

Until I was seven, I was very close to my mother because I was so ill and she had to teach me how to walk and talk. But then she had another child, a little girl called Fleur, who died. When she came home from hospital there was a bit of a distance between us. It was never talked about again.

I define myself by my work, so I'd be a sad creature without working. I just wouldn't get up in the morning.

I have a very powerful belief structure. I'm very spiritual. I'm not religious but I am spiritual.

I remember my mother doing housework until four in the morning and then a couple of hours later taking me to school.

I often end up travelling in my Jeep for long distance road trips.

My striking makes it difficult for grapplers to close the distance.

A lot of times you idolize somebody from a distance and you get to meet them and you think, 'Eyuck. I wish I had never met you people.'

I maintain my sanity by keeping my distance.

I have to listen to my body - and it's telling me not to run long distances. So how do you train for a race when you know you won't have the same result as before? And should you even join if you know you can't run the whole race? Absolutely - just run-walk it.