Two years ago, I ran an interview with amateur ultrarunner and ski mountaineering enthusiast Francesca Eyre, owner of Morzine’s in-demand Chilly Powder hotel in the French Alps. Francesca shared the story behind her journey to ultrarunner and how running helped her in the aftermath of grief and loss. It led her to run the Himalayas’ multi-day Manaslu trail race and, following that, live a life packed full of endurance sports adventures – from cycling the Etape du Tour to competing in the revered skimo race, Patrouille des Glaciers.

However, last year, Francesca suffered a devastating head injury during a 300km cycling event in the UK, where she was unconscious for an estimated 20 minutes. The fall-out from severe concussion has been traumatic and life-changing. I caught up over the phone with Francesca to chat about life following her accident and how, with the help of her family’s new property in Provence, she got through a tumultuous 13 months.