I started out lifting baby weights – now I'm competing to become the world's Strongest Woman

Adult Social Care

"I'm 41 and mum to a 5-year-old and I want to be able to inspire people of all ages, backgrounds and circumstances that you can be whatever you want to be. I've no background in sports, and I always skipped PE at school, but now I'm ready to compete with the best in the world."

That's the inspiring message from Andrea Seed, who works in Lancashire County Council's Adult Social Care Team, as she prepares to fly to America to compete in the Official Strongman Games.

The competition brings hundreds of Strongman and Strongwoman athletes from more than 35 countries together in Madison, Wisconsin.

Andrea is a previous title holder as she was named "Britain's Strongest Natural Woman" in 2021 and earlier this year she came fourth in Europe's Strongest Woman competition.

She explained how she first started weightlifting after struggling with post-natal depression following the birth of her son.

"I felt like I just didn't really know myself, I'd lost myself a little bit," she said.

"Then someone I know told me about a strong man gym in Preston. They said just go down there and have a chat because there might be something different that you can do.

"They sort of took me in and it took a long time for me to come out of the shadows, but I felt that by having something for me that wasn't about being a mum, it was just about me tapping into my own resilience that was already there, that I didn't realise was there.

"I started lifting weights and I was ok at it, which is not something I've ever really experienced before.

"I wasn't feeling too great mentally, but I found that by succeeding in something and making my body strong and going somewhere and doing something just for me, I started to find a bit more of a purpose and find myself back a bit.

"For me it was about finding my potential and believing in myself a little bit."

Andrea in the gym

Andrea is competing in the Masters category, which is for those over the age of 40, and will have to get through four gruelling events to be one of the final 10 competitors.

First is the monster log challenge where she will have to lift a metal log weighing 86 kilograms overhead.

That's followed by the Jocko fuel car walk in which she will have to carry the frame of a car on her back along a 15 metre course as fast as possible. There's a 60 second time limit and the car weighs a massive 280 kilos.

The next days events are an axle deadlift and sandbag medley.

In the latter event, Andrea will have to run along a 15.25 metre course while holding two sandbags, load them both onto a sledge and then push the sledge back.

By day Andrea works in works in Lancashire County Council's Adult Social Care Team

Cllr Graham Gooch, cabinet member for adult social care, said:

"We all wish Andrea the best of luck in her competition.

"It's great to see her using a strength-based approach both inside and outside of work. Andrea has supported social workers to bring in a new way of working at the county council through Living Better Lives in Lancashire.

"Through this, we encourage people to make use of what's strong in their community, such as support from friends, family and local organisations to stay well, achieve what they want and to live independently for longer."

You can find out more about the support the county council offers to stay well here