Ultrarunning
Find out why a hedonistic New York DJ turned to ultrarunning
How a triple tragedy transformed Nick Ashley-Cooper into an accidental earl – and a dedicated ultrarunner.
Even a privileged background can’t insulate you from tragedy and pain. Nick Ashley-Cooper discovered this in 2004 when his father was murdered by his own estranged wife. Six months later, Ashley-Cooper’s elder brother died of a heart attack. These events catapulted him out of his career as a professional DJ in New York and into the hereditary role of the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury.
Returning to the family’s UK estate, St Giles House – then a disused wreck – Ashley-Cooper took on the mantle of its restoration, enrolling in the London Business School and turning parts of the home into accommodation and an events space. He also took up running, clocking up marathons before going deeper into ultrarunning territory. Then, in 2009, more outrageous misfortune struck when he took an awkward tumble from a horse, fracturing a vertebra and permanently injuring his spinal cord.
Rather than accepting a limited life, Ashley-Cooper pushed himself to recover and, a little over a year later, ran a 250km ultramarathon across South America’s Atacama Desert. He still walks with a limp, but has a love of the mountains and, on August 26, will embark on the gruelling 300km Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc Petite Trotte à Léon, ascending the Alps (to a height of 25,000m) to raise money for the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation, which aims to find a cure for spinal injuries. The earl’s life has been one of highs and lows, but has his strength been forged in adversity?
Nick turned parts of his UK estate into university accommodation
© Neil Masaey
The Red Bulletin: Losing your father and brother within a year must have been deeply shocking...
Nick Ashley-Cooper:
"The way I lost my father and brother was very sudden and unexpected. Part of me was just like, Wow. There was a realisation that you’re just not in control of life; it has its own path and you have to adapt to the things that are thrown your way. I became very focused. I felt driven and, in a way, that’s how I channelled the grief: Right, I’m going to try to turn this tragic situation into a positive. I’m going to do it for me. I’m also going to do it for my brother and my dad.
Your sleeve tattoo looks like a robot arm. What does it mean?
"When I was DJing in New York, the event I was doing was called ‘Robots’. Part of the rationale of my tattoo was that I realised I was being taken down a different path and my life was changing. But I’ve always tried to stay true to myself, and I didn’t want to lose sight of where I was at that point in time, so it anchors me.
Nick's tattoos serve as a reminder of where he came from
© Neil Masaey
Why did you turn to running?
"I find it really grounding. That’s the beauty of running. It gives you that space to just think and be alone with your thoughts.
You turned the derelict St Giles House into a business as well as an ancestral home...
"No one thought that this house could be saved. It seemed like too big a mountain – no one had lived here for 50 years. I used the most simple yet profound lesson I’ve learnt doing ultramarathons: don’t think too far ahead. Break it down into chunks you can tame, get little victories along the way, and don’t think of the whole problem and be overwhelmed. Meeting Dinah [his wife] – someone who seemed to be up for an exciting adventure – it was like: Why don’t we just move into a few rooms of this crazy, falling-down house and then think of what to do next?
I became focused and driven. It's how I channelled the grief
Though unlucky to fall from a horse and damage your spine, you had the good fortune not to be paralysed. What was that whole experience like?
"It was the toughest moment in my life, mentally. I felt really scared in the hospital, not knowing what my future would be like. It was such a strong emotion. Then I imagined all those who have been through harder stuff, and I was in awe of them. When I attempted to run again, it felt like I was running on sand; I couldn’t lift my legs. Now, I’ve just become so used to that feeling when walking – that’s the technique.
Has adversity shaped you?
"Adversity is a powerful thing. You get confidence when you have real adversity and you find a way to overcome it. It’s also really important to know that you’re not always going to overcome everything, and not to beat yourself up too much when you don’t manage to do something.
Have you been surprised by what you’ve achieved despite having a permanent injury?
"You’re capable of much more than you think. That’s what I’ve learnt through all the things I’ve done, from ultrarunning to mountaineering; that the limits of what you can achieve are much further than you think. It’s for everyone to try to find it. I mean, my edge is here, but you see some of the things that people are doing and it’s insane. I’ve always had that hunger to try to find my personal edge, both physically and mentally.
Ultrarunning helped Nick realise the extent of his capabilities
© Neil Massey
Do you feel your life was destined to be the way it is?
"I’m not one for destiny. Life is like a wave you ride. You’re never really in control and, if you can, let go of that notion and just ride the wave, you get loads out of it and won’t be upset when something knocks you for six."
Nick Ashley-Cooper is an ambassador for the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation; wingsforlife.com
