Emma Bodkin, Co-Founder at Mountain Beach Fitness Retreats

Tell us a little bit about your Mountain Beach Fitness Retreats, how it started out and where you're based.

Our fitness retreat company started in Verbier three years ago and has grown organically to world wide destinations. We are both [co-founder Lottie Pridham] outdoor fitness enthusiasts and our product is a reflection of how we live.

What makes this resort a special place to be for someone in fitness?

Verbier in the summer is an underrated gem. The aspect of the mountain and south facing bowl create an outdoor playground blessed with sunny skies. We use the altitude and take remote trails from 1500-2600m. Of course the views are spectacular and the air is clean, but also there is an energy in these mountains that is infectious.

What are the best bits about your job?

Meeting amazing people, travelling, being outdoors. I used to work in London; you cannot compare! I genuinely create a retreat week that I would want to do myself. I am so excited to be looking at new destinations for 2019; researching Norway, Costa Rica, Blue Zones and more. I’m driven by an intrinsic motivation as I am so passionate about what I do. Whenever we deliver a product we get huge satisfaction by pushing people out of their comfort zones and then they feel the natural high.

And the worst bits?

Runnning your own company is akin to running an ultra marathon; you keep falling down, it keeps hurting, it’s relentless, you have to work, you have to commit, people think you're crazy, you have to go your own way. It’s definitely not smooth sailing and it’s all consuming, not to mention stressful. No holidays, and your phone is your best friend. But would I change it and be a sheep instead of a wolf? Hell no.

What's in store for the future for Mountain Beach Fitness Retreats? Any exciting projects in the pipelines that you can share with us?

So much! We have a new location in Sardinia this year, and then next year we are looking further afield; Norway, possibly Costa Rica, and maybe including some new aspects to the retreat. Watch this space! We are also launching winter ski touring retreats which include cabin trips and a new way of seeing Verbier.

What are your personal and professional goals for the future?

Lottie and I both want Mountain Beach Fitness Retreats to be the market leader in fitness holidays. We have the best destinations and we have integrity in our delivery, keeping the group size small and ensuring individual goals are met. With regards to personal goals, I think we both have too many to list here.

Where would you send someone who was after that something something special in resort to ski, to stay, eat or drink?

Stay in cabin Tortin on a full moon, skin up, watch the snow light up, and then ski the powder on the back of Mt Fort in the morning.

Your personal favourite place for lunch or dinner?

Chez Danny sunset dinner.

Skiing or snowboarding? What's your preference?

We have a good balance as Lottie is a ski instructor and I am a keen snowboarder.

Their summer fitness retreats are also available in Sardinia, Tuscany, and pop-ups in Cornwall, Lake District, as well as at the ION Adventure Hotel in Iceland.

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