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Tough Girl Podcast

The Tough Girl Podcast is all about inspiring and motivating YOU! I will be interviewing inspirational women from around the world, who’ve faced and overcome difficult challenges and situations, they will share their story, their knowledge and provide advice and essential tips for you to overcome your own personal challenges. Please check out the Tough Girl Challenges website - www.toughgirlchallenges.com and follow on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL
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Now displaying: Page 6
Aug 4, 2022

Parvinder was doing well until she was 22, when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and ended up needing a wheelchair.

Despite her physical challenges, Parvinder has never let them stop her from pursuing her dreams to travel and to see the world.

At 38, she decided to follow her passions and became a solo traveller. While travelling she has undertaken numerous adventure activities from paragliding in Taiwan, snorkelling in Australia, parasailing and kayaking in Udupi, and zip-lining in Ecuador, South America.

At 52, Parvinder has now explored 59 countries and she’s not planning on stopping anytime soon.

For Parvinder, there are many lovely experiences and stories that she would like to share with the world and if she could inspire even one person, it would make her really happy.

Parvinder in her own words:

“I have been travelling solo for more than a decade using my wheelchair. I have a small budget and aim to use public transport and hostels where ever wheelchair friendly. In 2020 and 2021 I drove my car from Bombay to Delhi and then from Bombay to Kanyakumari.”


New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out.

To support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Sign up as a Patron -  www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. 

 

Show Notes

  • Who is Parvinder in her own words
  • Not considering herself old
  • Being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 15
  • Going through severe pain
  • Her love for all kinds of sports
  • Having a lot of faith in God
  • Being bedridden for 5 years
  • Taking herbal medicine
  • Getting onto a manual wheelchair
  • How her love for travel started
  • Wanting to travel on a budget
  • Being refused to travel without a companion
  • Life changes after receiving an automated wheelchair as a gift
  • Being on her own and being able to go wherever she wants
  • Going to Hong Kong with a friend
  • Deciding to travel to Bali alone
  • Getting herself a cheap flight and a budgeted hotel
  • Getting help from people wherever she goes
  • Encountered challenges while travelling alone in a wheelchair
  • Having faith and being fearless
  • Learned lessons from her trip to China
  • Magical moments while travelling to 59 countries
  • Travelling by bus and metro and staying in hostels
  • Getting into full detail about her time in China
  • Making travel videos to share and inspire others during lockdown
  • Getting used to highway driving
  • Driving from Mumbai to Delhi
  • Driving around nature and being closer to it
  • 2020 as the best year for her and many people
  • Not earning money from social media
  • Wheelchair-friendly places
  • Advice and tips for people in wheelchairs and solo travellers

 

Social Media
 
Instagram @wheelchairandeye 
 
Facebook @PammuParvinderChawla 
 
Youtube @wheelchairandeye 
 
Aug 4, 2022
Rebecca in her own words:
 
“First and foremost, I’m a mum of 5. However, I’ve always maintained and embraced sport throughout pregnancies and parenting. 
 
My love of the outdoors and especially running, was instilled in me from an early age having grown up with a very sporty family. Many holiday was spent walking and camping in Scotland
 
I started running, ballet and horse riding at a very early age. I grew up in a small village in the north and if I wanted to see friends I’d walk, run, ride a bike or pony ! 
 
It wasn’t really until 2014 that the ultra endurance big kicked in with full effect ! I wanted a new, bigger challenge to raise money for a charity which had helped me during one of my pregnancies. I’d heard about a brutal desert race ( the infamous Marathon Des Sables ) and decided that this would be a great challenge. 
 
It’s from here that the endurance bug really kicked in. I finished a respectable 10th lady on my first big challenge. What’s better is that I’d found this incredible community of like minded people who loved being outside and running for hours on end ! 
 
I competed globally racing in Colorado, Himalayas, Spain, France - picking up the occasional podium on my travels. 
 
Yet, it was the mountains which really set my heart on fire. Racing in the Himalayas, I’d often seen this beautiful mountain called ‘Ama Dablam’. I’d think to myself how wonderful it would be to climb it but I’d been told it was for really accomplished climbers only. 
 
It is a technical mountain. Unperturbed, I decided ‘why not try?!’ 
 
A running friend put me in touch with his climbing friend and we worked together last year climbing in Wales - around the lockdown. 
 
I summited Ama almost a year ago and from there, a love of high altitude mountain climbing was ignited. 
 
To find myself completing the Everest and Lhotse ‘High Double’ at the beginning of the season and then to summit K2’ was simply a dream!”
 
Learn more about Rebecca and her love and passion for the outdoors. 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. 
 
You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Becks
  • Being adopted and coming from a sporty family 
  • Growing up in North Yorkshire on a farm/small holding
  • Having sport parents
  • Being encouraged to go outside and try new things
  • Spending a lot of time with her dad 
  • Exploring in the Peak District
  • Spending 2 months in Australia at 15
  • Being active through her teenage years
  • Her running journey 
  • Looking for a running challenge in 2014
  • Running the Marathon des Sables (MDS) in 2015 
  • Being told that it was a stupid idea
  • Getting into the ultra running world
  • Making great friends in the community
  • Training by herself 
  • Getting to know ultra runner (and previous Tough Girl Podcast guest - 29th December 2015) - Elisabet Barnes 
  • Continuing to push herself with endurance challenges
  • Running the Everest Trail Race, Nepal (2017)
  • Feeling comfortable in the hills
  • Being inspired by Ama Dablam (6,812 metres (22,349 ft)) and wanting to climb it
  • Reducing her risk of injury, doing cross training, stretching, pilates, and gym work
  • How the body performs during a multi-stage ultra race
  • Nutrition and fuelling
  • Making the transition from endurance running to mountain climbing
  • Working with a high altitude expedition guide - Jon Gupta 
  • Climbing Island Peak and Ama Dablam in Nepal
  • Having the capacity to endure and keep going
  • Going with the flow and wanting to do the things that she enjoys
  • Preferring the quieter mountains
  • Having the adventure blues after the MDS
  • Adjusting back to normal life after expeditions
  • Living in the present and making the most of everyday 
  • How adventures and challenges can evolve
  • Climbing for 3 months in Nepal (Everest, Lhotse (4th highest mountains in the world at 8,516 metres) & K2)
  • Wanting to climb an 8,000 peak mountain and thinking about the “high double”
  • Not summiting Makalu (5th highest mountain in the world at 8,485 metres) and the lessons learned 
  • Struggling on the mountain and not feeling very well
  • Summit night arriving at camp 3 and dealing with too much wind and snow and having to head back down
  • Feeling proud of her achievement and never giving up
  • Why it’s more than just the summit
  • Her children’s thoughts on her climbing
  • Having a birthday on the mountain
  • K2 - “the savage mountain”
  • Being aware of the danger
  • Using oxygen 
  • Being able to move quicker on the mountain and the benefits
  • Feeling grateful in having the opportunity to climb such an incredible mountain
 
Social Media
 
Instagram: @becksferry 
 
Aug 3, 2022
It's always fantastic to speak about my adventures. I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Hannah for Cicerone’s podcast.
 
I am also sharing this episode on my platform as well just in case you haven't had the opportunity to listen to it yet. 
 
Cicerone’s podcast is called - 'Footnotes' which is a podcast to inspire you about outdoor travel and activities in the UK and across the world. Through conversations with their guidebook authors, team members and other outdoor experts, the podcast offers plenty of inspiration and advice about exploring the outdoors. Whether you're an established long distance-trekker or have just rediscovered a love of walking or cycling, listen in to discover your next outdoor adventure.
 
I am on episode #49.
 
 
“In this episode, Hannah is joined by Sarah Williams of Tough Girl Challenges to talk about her experiences walking the entire Wales Coast Path in only 50 days.
 
The Wales Coast Path is 1,400km (870 miles) along the length of Wales from Chester to Chepstow, including Anglesey. The route passes through the Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire National Parks and many AONBs and can be linked with the Offa's Dyke Path for a complete circuit of Wales. You can find out more about the Wales Coast Path here.
 
If you'd like to walk the Wales Coast Path yourself, you can find Paddy Dillon's Cicerone guidebook here, and when you use the code "WALESLIVE25" at the Cicerone checkout, you'll receive 25% off all of our Wales guidebooks.”
 
 
Show notes
  • Doing the Wales Coast Path challenge
  • More details about the Wales Coast Path
  • Taking on the challenge in 50 days
  • Difference between fast-packing and walking
  • Being joined by Arry Beresford Webb
  • Walking, wild camping, and keeping stats
  • Talking about paid and gifted accommodation
  • Having stress-filled days
  • Finding people's kindness
  • Walking with Alex Mason
  • More on her wild camping experience
  • Her encounters with cows and dogs
  • Seeing interesting wildlife
  • Walking with Abbie Barnes of Spend More Time In The WILD
  • Challenging weather in Wales
  • Amazing sculptures in England
  • Getting to know more about Wales as a country
  • Walking the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path in 2021
  • Having many places to visit and explore
  • Talking about the guidebook author, Paddy Dillon
  • Speaking with Laura Kennington
  • The Wales Coast Path Guidebook
 
 
Social Media - Cicerone #ChallengeWithCicerone
 
Website: www.cicerone.co.uk 
 
 
 
Facebook Group - Cicerone Connect 
 
Sign up for the Cicerone newsletter to keep up to date with their news, events and guidebooks. 
 
 
Aug 2, 2022

An African-American from a family of modest means, Bonnie became an amputee at age five. Against tremendous odds, she used imagination and determination to push past the limitations of disability and win a silver and two bronze medals in downhill skiing in the 1984 Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria. As the first African-American to win Olympic or Paralympic medals in skiing, she has been honoured at the White House during the annual Black History Month Celebration.

More than an Olympic skier, Bonnie's other accomplishments include an honours degree from Harvard, a Rhodes scholarship, multiple awards for her innovations as an IBM sales rep, and a position on the White House National Economic Council. President Obama named her to represent the US in delegations to both the Winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver and the Summer Paralympics in Rio.

NBC Nightly News called Bonnie, “One of the five most inspiring women in America.”  She has also been featured on the Today Show, CNN, and The Montel Williams Show.  In addition, the nation's leading publications, such as the New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Essence, and People Magazine have profiled Bonnie and noted her extraordinary achievements.

Drawing on her unique experience, analyses, and signature brands of resilience and inclusion, Bonnie St. John established Blue Circle Leadership with the mission to equip professionals with research based, rigorously tested, easily actionable tools and techniques that directly improve bottom-line business results.

Now, Bonnie focuses on bringing out the best in others through executive coaching and motivational speaking for corporations and associations, as well as writing books and articles.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.

To support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Sign up as a Patron -  www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you.

 
Show Notes
  • Who is Bonnie 
  • Some of the challenges Bonnie has faced becoming a ski racer
  • Getting into skiing at a young age
  • Having an amputation when she was 5 years old
  • Learning to ski on one leg
  • Training hard and qualifying for the Paralympics 
  • Competing in the 1984 Winter Paralympics in Austria
  • Dealing with a lack of snow
  • Was it life changing winning medals
  • Being picked as a Rhode Scholar
  • Learning to work with the press
  • Taking a year off from Harvard
  • Going to Oxford University for 4 years 
  • Working for IBM and working for President Clinton at the White House
  • Starting to focus on leadership development
  • Leadership for women
  • Having confidence 
  • Writing with her husband
  • Having to prove herself over and over again
  • Book: Live Your Joy 
  • Smiling through the challenges
  • How have things changed over the past 30 years
  • The rise of Trumpism and the increase in animosity 
  • Self care and making sure to make it at a priority 
  • The downside of socials media 
  • The power of polarising views
  • Trying to be seen and heard
  • Building resilience and embracing success
  • Focusing on micro-resilience
  • Why resilience doesn’t have to be big things
  • The biggest challenge is incorporating it into your life
  • Day to day routine and what that looks like
  • If you were to give a TED Talk…
  • Ted Talk - Be More Resilient with a FIRST AID KIT FOR YOUR ATTITUDE!  
  • Building your own “first aid kit”
  • Making a choice and the silence behind it - Martin Seligman
  • I choose to….
  • The importance of sharing what’s in your “first aid kit”
  • Figuring out what type of support you need in challenging situations
  • From training to failure to - training to growth
  • The power of your words
  • Reframing things - a great side and a good side
  • How you can connect with Bonnie
  • Blue Circle Leadership
  • Final words of wisdom from Bonnie
  • Learning to get up when you fall down
  • Get back into the race
 
Social Media
 
Website https://bonniestjohn.com 
Leadership - www.bluecircleleadership.com 
 
Instagram @bonnie.st.john
 
Facebook @bonniestjohn 
 
Twitter @bonniestjohn 
 
Listen to the Straight Up Podcast: https://straightupwithbonniestjohn.buzzsprout.com 
 
Jul 26, 2022
Tori is perhaps best-known as the first woman and first American to row a boat solo across the Atlantic Ocean, having accomplished the feat in 1999 after 81 days at sea. 
 
A decade earlier, she became the first woman and first American to ski to the geographic South Pole during a 50-day, 750-mile expedition.
 
Tori is author of the memoir, A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean, which details her life and journey across the Atlantic. 
 
The book is the basis of a stage musical, called, Row, which made its world premiere at the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts in the summer of 2021.
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Tori
  • Growing up all over the east coast of the United States
  • Spending a lot of time outside as a kid
  • Having an intellectually disabled brother
  • Bullying that she and her brother experienced in the past
  • Going to Smith Collage and playing basketball
  • Meeting Rita Benson who had been at Smith since World War II
  • Learning to row and to ski
  • Skiing to the South Pole a few years later
  • Getting a degree in psychology
  • Working in the National Outdoor Leadership School in Alaska
  • Ending up at Harvard Divinity School
  • More details about her skiing journey
  • Falling in love with travelling in a very remote country
  • Applying for the expedition team to the South Pole at the age of 24
  • The 750-mile journey across Antarctica
  • Psychological challenges she experienced
  • Being the first woman and the first American to reach the Geographic South Pole
  • Having a cassette recorder and cassette tapes
    Solitude as the biggest challenge for them
  • Talking more about Harvard Divinity School
  • Wholeness in seeing nature
  • Changes to her after the challenges and adventures
  • Finishing Divinity School and returning to Louisville, Kentucky,
  • Working with homeless people in Boston
  • Going to law school
  • Working for the mayor of Louisville
  • Training rowing for the Olympic team
  • Being too slow to make the Olympic team
  • Signing up to do the Atlantic rowing race
  • Being asked by a sponsor if she would consider rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean
  • Getting into more detail about the sponsorship in 1998
  • Being hit by the hurricane Danielle
  • Hurricanes Dania and Earl
  • Having an overwhelming sense of failure
  • Spending almost a year working for Muhammad Ali
    Creating the Muhammad Ali Center
  • Being lifted up by Muhammad when she was broken
  • The difference between having a growth mindset and a fixed mindset
  • “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt
  • Her fears on her second journey
  • Hurricane Lenny - first hurricane in recorded history to travel 1000 miles west-east
  • Getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere for weeks
  • Her book: A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean
  • Meeting and falling in love with her husband, Mac McClure
  • Adventures in her life at the moment
  • Final words of advice
 
Social Media
 
Website: https://spalding.edu/president/
 
Instagram: @torimurden
 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/torimurden

Twitter: @toriposu
 
Book -  A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean 
 
Jul 19, 2022
Claire in her own words:
 
“I have always been a highly motivated person, but when I was younger, I was highly motivated to self destruct! 
 
Over the last ten years, I have learnt how to use my drive, ambition and general craziness for a better purpose. I completed my first marathon, Ironman and then Double Ironman... Many more ultra triathlons followed and also, Brutal Events was born.
 
I will be honest and admit I have struggled with addiction (and the depression and self-esteem issues that come with it), but almost eight years ago, I finally turned my life around and have not looked back since.  Of all my achievements, this is what I am most proud of, but it’s the one I don’t speak about. Well, until now…
 
I often get asked why I do the ultra endurance stuff, and I guess I love the fact that you can do anything if you train well and really want it. 
 
In other news, I am a mum of two children (that aren’t kids anymore), a graphic/website designer, a writer, and I also run Brutal Events - brutalevents.co.uk"
 
  • Content Warning - I’ve marked the episode as explicit as we do talk about weight and disordered eating. We don’t go into specifics but it is mentioned. 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
 
Show Notes
  • Who Claire is in her own words
  • Setting up her business Brutal Events
  • Writing and publishing books
  • Moving back to Bournemouth from Hereford
  • Getting a bit more rebellious
  • Doing her own thing at school
  • Starting to run at 20
  • Challenges she faced as a single parent
  • Completing her first half marathon
  • Meeting her husband
  • Having no idea what Ironman is but wanting to participate
  • Not having a bike and being unable to swim
  • Splitting up with her husband
  • Getting a tattoo
  • Keeping friends with her ex-husband
  • Completing the Double Ironman
  • How important is it for her to complete the Ironman
  • Her Double Ironman finishing experience
  • Not working with coaches
  • How she balances training with two kids
  • Managing the pain from her ongoing injuries
  • Having Hyperlordosis
  • Focusing on her routines and plans
  • Things that help her manage her pain
  • Feeling like giving up
  • How and why did she keep going
  • Training for the Arch to Arc Triathlon
  • How she feels about the challenge
  • Being on the right track after 13 years
  • Struggling with panic attacks
  • Managing her stress and anxiety
  • What causes her panic attacks in the water and swimming through it
  • How much does it cost her to do this challenge
  • A big bag of crisps and Netflix
  • Being addicted to sugar
  • Having to eat more than she wants to gain weight
  • Needing to step away from junk food and eat better food
  • Struggling with an eating disorder and monitoring herself against it
  • Writing her book, Becoming Brutal
  • Getting into more detail about Brutal Events
  • Doing the Snowdonia marathon
  • Where does "brutal" come from
  • Final words of advice
Social Media
 
 
Instagram: @brutalclaire 
 
Facebook: @brutalclaire
 
 
Jul 12, 2022

Anisa Aubin, from Reading and Wokingham Cycling clubs, is an experienced ultra cyclist who has completed well know challenging events such as the Transcontinental Race (TCR) and Transatlantic way (TAW).

In 2020 she was one of 20 people who set off in the midst of a global pandemic to complete a different, rigorous format of the GBDURO adventure challenge where only 5 people finished.

The GBDURO20 required riders to be completely self-sufficient from start to finish while cycling the length of Great Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats. They could receive no supplies or assistance whatsoever for the duration of the ride. With the exception of publicly available water outside, riders carried everything they needed to be able to reach the finish.

 
Anisa in her own words:
 

“I started cycling with the goal of riding a 4,000km ride for charity, and then realised there was a lot more to learn for the journey, about the bike, the training, and myself (mind and body).

I learned from everyone around me; at the local bike kitchen, on club rides, and from Audaxers. My introduction to long distance cycling started with the Transcontinental, followed by the North-cape Norway to Tarifa Spain, the Transatlantic way, and the Paris–Brest–Paris (PBP).

Eventually, I started dabbling in off-road and when the pandemic hit and GBDURO (self-sufficient) was the only event option I took the opportunity to see what was possible.

I want to see more people encouraged to try new things, and not let other peoples perceptions of what you should be capable of stand in your way.”

During this episode Anisa shares more about her passion for cycling, what it’s like being on the bike day to day, plus how her body copes with these challenges when she’s being pushed to her limits.
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out. 
 
To support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. 
 
Sign up as a Patron:  www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. 
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Anisa
  • Being based in the UK
  • Growing up in Africa
  • Studying for her PhD
  • Her love for the outdoors and passion for cycling
  • Her cycling journey which started 4/5 years ago
  • Being inspired by her cousins who rode the Tour Divide 
  • Wanting to raise money for a Children’s Home
  • Deciding to get a road bike to learn the skills
  • Learning about the Transcontinental Race (TCR) and signing up for it
  • What is the Transcontinental Race
  • Being solo and having to look after yourself
  • Taking 15/16 days the first time doing the race
  • Magical moments from the TCR and falling in love with the bike
  • Learning more about herself from spending time alone in nature
  • Not knowing if it was possible to get to the end
  • Deciding to do the race again and why it was an accident
  • Having 24hrs to prepare before the race
  • Her experience the 2nd time around
  • Being able to relax once the race started
  • What a typical day looks like while out racing 
  • How her body copes with the physicality of riding hard every day
  • Recovering after the races and starting to take more rest
  • Losing small motor function in her hands 
  • Doing the GBDURO Adventure Challenge 2020 during Covid
  • Riding from Land’s End to John O’Groats (2,000km) and the challenges she dealt with
  • Being so focused that she doesn’t remember the weather
  • What cycling looks like now and how it fits into her lifestyle
  • How many bikes?!
  • Getting into rowing and working with a rowing coach
  • Being active everyday
  • Being a mentor to other cyclists 
  • The Ultra Distance Scholarship
  • Being inspired by Carla Molinaro 
  • The divide between the mental and physical side of the challenge
  • Top tips for mental toughness and resilience 
  • Plans for 2022 - rowing, hiking and plans for walking the Camino
  • Planning some smaller UK walks
  • Connect with Anisa on the socials 
  • Final words of advice 
 
Social Media
 
Restrap www.stewardship.org.uk/pages/Dreamriders
 
Instagram @anaubie
 
Facebook: @DreamRiderAnisa
 
Jul 5, 2022
Susanne in her own words:
 
“I think we have become dangerously complacent about referring to how we are disconnected from nature. 
 
Actually, we are inescapably connected to nature. 
 
For every single breath we rely on plants doing the photosynthetic work that also yields oxygen for us to breath, and half of that work is done by ocean dwelling microscopic plants.  
 
When you start looking into agricultural products you see how dependent these outputs are on rain cycles and aquifers. Marine bioprospecting is a frontier of hope in finding non-addictive treatments for chronic pain and novel chemicals for treating cancer.  
 
The deeper you dive the more connections you find between people and wild species. 
 
Perhaps I am more aware of the reliance we have on wild species because of my research on wildlife trade at Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Seeing the work of my academic peers who also look at supply chains feeding markets for products derived from wild species shows that wildlife trade spans both the earth and the phylogenetic tree of life far beyond the niche of wildlife trade that I work on (edible orchids). 
 
The problem is we are connected to nature, but we loose sight of that connection.
 
This is coupled with barriers in being able to commune with nature including public wildlife areas being difficult to reach by public transport, terrain presenting physical challenges, and social challenges to people being allowed to feel comfortable, safe, and welcome in outdoor spaces.  
 
Biodiversity and ecological illiteracy are additional limitations. 
 
So when I write about people outdoors or wildlife it feels more like introducing the reader to an entity—a landscape or a species— that they might consume in products they buy or forage, and that they might see when they are out and about.  
 
I love being out in wilderness. But I am particularly interested in nature that is easier to find—wild species hidden in products that appear on supermarket shelves, wildlife that inhabits cities, creeps along canal paths, or inhabits shorelines where you can find it without needing a boat or dive gear.”
 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media by signing up as a patron. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - every patron makes a difference. Thank you for your support.
 
Show notes
  • Who Susanne is in her own words
  • What she does
  • Loving the outdoors, nature and wildlife
  • Studying and her progress as a scientist
  • Doing biology, chemistry, geography, physics and English literature
  • Choosing a degree as a teenager
  • Volunteering in the mental health service while at university
  • Moving to London
  • Working in mental health and substance misuse support services
  • Always having more interest in plants
  • Doing taxonomy studies on the side
  • Getting into more detail about taxonomy
  • Doing an 8-month journey around England, Wales, and Scotland in a campervan
  • Realising that knowing things about plants could be a job
  • Getting a Master's degree in Ethnobotany
  • Interviewing people about the plants they use for homebrew
  • Recognising how people connect with wild landscapes
  • Making her own homebrew
  • How she enjoys outdoor swimming
  • Having a dog around her
  • Moving to Bournemouth
  • Swimming at high altitude in Bhutan
  • Learning and understanding how the body works
  • Attending a big science conference in Bhutan - The International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE)
  • Hiking in Bumthang Valley
  • Her book: Wild Waters: A wildlife and water lover's companion to the aquatic world
  • Meeting and working with Alice Goodridge
  • Continuing swimming all throughout the year
  • Her plans for 2022 and 2023
  • Planning to finish her PhD next year
  • Having a sister with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Looking after her niece along with her mom and dad
  • Doing a PhD on the International Trade in orchids
  • Final words of advice
 
Social Media
 
 
Instagram: @mastersmiss 
 
Twitter: @Ethnobotanica  
 
Jun 28, 2022
Kelda started her sporting career playing netball at a national level as a teenager. Sport very quickly became the thing that defined who she was and the person she wanted to be. Her real passion lay with horses and her ultimate goal was to ride for her country and represent Great Britain at the Olympics. 

Unfortunately, after a serious leg injury in 2002, Kelda’s hopes of competing at an international level seemed to have disappeared. The leg injury had a huge impact on her life, leaving her no longer able to run or play many of the sports that meant so much to her. This had a huge impact on her confidence and self-belief, and she spent nearly 10years fighting to accept who she was. 

In 2002 she decided to climb Kilimanjaro, and this proved to be the start of a new direction in life. She returned and began retraining as an outdoor instructor. As a result of the dramatic effect the outdoors had on her own mental and physical recovery, Kelda decided she wanted to help others facing similar challenges to herself, and this led her to set up the charity Climbing Out.
 
Kelda went on to represent Great Britain in Paracanoe and competed at the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World Championships. The ultimate goal was the Rio Paralympics.
 
Unfortunately she just missed out on selection for Rio, but she went on to join an Adaptive Team attempting to climb Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America at 7,000m. 
 
On the 19th January 2017 she became the first recorded adaptive female to summit the mountain.
 
In summiting, Kelda found many of the answers she’d been searching for since her injury and this inspired her to attempt a solo row of the Atlantic. After 76 days unsupported at sea, Kelda became the first adaptive person to ever solo row any ocean.
 
But the challenges didn’t stop there. 12 months ago Kelda was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided to set herself the goal of completing a triathlon as motivation to push through her recovery. 
 
She completed her first triathlon just 4 months post mastectomy and went on to complete 2 further triathlons last year, including the Snowman Triathlon, known for being the toughest triathlon in the country. She now has her sights set on completing a half ironman in 2022.
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out. 
 
To help increase the amount of female role models in the media. Sign up as a patron!  www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Kelda
  • Being based in Shropshire 
  • Her 4 legged family
  • Her early years and her passions for sports 
  • Playing netball at a national level
  • Her dream of wanting to ride at the Olympics
  • Hanging around the local stables
  • Getting her first horse at 16
  • The riders who inspired her
  • Being in an accident with her horse
  • Dealing with the trauma after the accident
  • The start of her resilience journey at 21
  • Losing her confidence and going back to riding too soon
  • Moving away from horse and going travelling to Australia 
  • Getting into eventing and gaining her confidence
  • The accident that changed her life completely
  • Trying to be the person she was before the injury
  • Feeling like a failure
  • Learning acceptance 
  • Deciding to climb Kilimanjaro and why that was the start of her recovery
  • Not being able to get the mental health support that was needed
  • Table legs…. 
  • Video resources to help with resilience
  • Being dumped…
  • Lessons from climbing Kilimanjaro
  • Needing to change her attitude and focus more on what she could do
  • Deciding to retrain as an outdoor instructor
  • Figuring out how to get sport back in her life
  • Aiming for the para-olympics for 2016 
  • Meeting Martin Hewitt - Adaptive Grand Slam 
  • “It’s not about saying I can’t, it’s about saying how can I”
  • How can I make it possible to climb Aconcagua?
  • Figuring out the how
  • Advice for people who are feeling like a failure
  • The importance of being honest with yourself
  • Being brave enough to try
  • Being judged by people and why it doesn’t matter
  • Deciding to solo row the Atlantic
  • Finding peace on the mountain
  • Fundraising for Climbing Out and wanting to raise £50K
  • Advice regarding sponsorship
  • Being super clear on her WHY
  • 3 questions about the row
  • The challenge of the solitude while out on the row
  • The challenges of 2020/2021
  • Being diagnosed with cancer and having a single mastectomy
  • Wanting to get back to normal and feel like herself again
  • Getting back into exercise and following a routine again
  • Why you have to try
  • Training for 4 triathlons in 2022
  • Challenging the belief that she had that she couldn’t run
  • Swimming after a mastectomy
  • Doing an half Ironman in June 2022
  • Connect with Kelda
  • Final words of advice - Keep Moving
 
Social Media

Website: Climbing Out

Instagram: @kelda_wood

Facebook: @ClimbingOutCharity

Personal: www.facebook.com/kelda.wood

Twitter: @ClimbingOut_

 

Jun 21, 2022
Mary-Ann is a broadcaster, anthropologist and lover of the outdoors. She mostly makes TV shows about archaeology and anthropology, and her work has taken her from yak herders' camps on the Tibetan plateau to the slums of Dhaka in Bangladesh, the deserts of Australia and crofters' cottages on the Scottish islands. 
 
She's currently pinned in one place (give or take) by two small children, and is working out ways to live an adventurous life with kids and a mortgage. 
 
Mary-Ann is also passionate about helping people from diverse backgrounds find outdoor adventures, and challenging the systems that mean access isn't equal for all. She's a hillwalking ambassador for the British Mountaineering Council, and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please check out www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Mary-Ann in her own words
  • Growing up in Cheshire loving outdoors
  • Learning and working with adults as a kid
  • Wanting to be a vet back then
  • How she got into Anthropology
  • Her first research as an Anthropologist
  • Challenges getting on adventures as a mum of two kids
  • Joining a 40-day expedition in the Simpson Desert in Australia
  • Making positive choices rather than missing out
  • Her role as the British Mountaineering Council's hillwalking ambassador
  • 'Finding Our Way' Podcast and what this is about
  • Celebrating people who are making a difference
  • Seeing Sarah Williams as a role model
  • Being inspired by Izzy Lynch and Tessa Treadway of Motherload
  • Getting into more detail about her role as a Royal Geographical Society fellow
  • Future challenges she would like to take on
  • Wanting to hike the Cape Wrath Trail
  • Her goal of travelling more in the east and west of Africa
  • Wishing to go on a long journey with horses
  • Spending time with the yak herders
  • Having deep connections with animals and landscapes
  • Biggest challenges she faced in her 20's
  • Budget and travel with confidence
  • Gender and safety
  • Final words or advice
 
Social Media
 
Website: www.maryannochota.com 
 
Instagram: @Maryannochota 
 
Twitter: @MaryAnnOchota 
 
Jun 14, 2022
Lael Wilcox is an ultra-endurance bike packer from Alaska. In racing, she’s excited to compete against the whole field and sometimes wins overall. She’s extremely motivated to encourage more women & girls to try bike packing. 
 
She organizes a girls cycling mentorship program, women’s adventure scholarships & bikepacking challenges.
 
Lael started bicycling in 2008 at age 20, when she and her partner decided to tour the world. Working stints to collect money, the two set out on a bicycle tour of over thirty countries. They started in North America, then traveled in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, logging over 100,000 miles.
 
Lael entered the Holyland Challenge, a 1000-mile unsupported race across Israel. She was both the youngest rider and the only woman. She led the race by 25 miles the first day, and although she did not win the race, she became hooked on endurance racing. 
 
In 2016, Lael participated in the 4,400 mile Trans Am Bike Race that crosses the United States from west to east. Lael averaged 235 miles per day for 18 days, averaging less than 5 hours of sleep per night and ending up winning the race outright.
 
In 2018, Lael became only the second female to complete Switzerland's Navad 1000 bikepacking race, finishing in second place. The race features 627 miles distance and 99,770 feet of climbing. Lael's race was commemorated in the film I'm Not Stopping produced by Rugile Kaladyte (who is now her wife!)
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
To support the tough girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Please sign up as a patron www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Lael in her own words
  • What was it like to grow up in Alaska
  • Being obsessed with sports
  • Starting to cycle at 20
  • How her passion for bikes started
  • Her travel and biking journey in the Middle East
  • Talking about her first race
  • Getting a job as a bicycle taxi driver
  • Working in a restaurant
  • Saving up money and getting back on her bike
  • Not expecting bicycling as her lifestyle
  • Riding in the US, traveling to Europe, Africa, Middle East, etc.
  • Seeing more remote places and meeting interesting people
  • Expecting to go to medical school and become a doctor
  • Working hard organising girls scholarships and mentorship programs while doing another job
  • Feeling stressed out for about 3 years
  • Getting worried about not having enough time to do everything to live a healthy and happy life
  • Getting support from people within the industry
  • Talking about the 1400 km bike race in Israel
  • Taking on the challenge as a woman
  • Utilising only the equipment she has to win the race
  • "I didn't know I'd love it until I did it."
  • Why does she love bike packing
  • Riding the Tour Divide in 2015
  • Her breathing experience in the Tour Divide race
  • "I don't have to quit; the race will keep going, but I can just rest and see how I'm doing."
  • Becoming sick and being diagnosed with asthma while on the race
  • Finishing the race and breaking the women's record
  • Experiencing tough situations and how she deals with it
  • Recovering from exhaustion physically and mentally
  • What is Trans Am and its history
  • Road racing is not as easy as it seems
  • Sleeping in a sleeping pad or sleeping bag
  • Averaging 183 miles per day for the Tour Divide and 237 miles per day for 18 days for the Trans Am
  • Eating while on the race
  • Talking more about her bikes
  • Getting into detail about the film I'm Not Stopping
  • Meeting her wife Rugile Kaladyte
  • How Rue asked to marry her in 2020
  • Her wedding and how it felt
  • How she encourages girls to get into bike packing
  • Starting a program in Tucson in 2022
  • Hosting 2 women's bike packing challenges with Komoot
  • Hosting 3 women's scholarships
  • Final words of advice
  • "It doesn't have to be the biggest goal or the biggest achievement but start doing some part of it."
 
Social Media
 
Website: https://laelwilcox.com/
 
Instagram: @laelwilcox
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lael.wilcox
 
Jun 7, 2022
After leaving her entire life behind to escape an abusive relationship, Jillian found herself living in a tent in the woods. 
 
Confused, depressed and feeling a lack of control over emotions and herself, she learned of her diagnosis of PTSD. 
 
Refusing medication, she shifted PTSD to fuel her drive to connecting back to fitness, health, nature, adventure and herself. 
 
She is now particularly known for her niche of integrating her imagery and story telling in powerful presentations, offering healing and connection for others. 
 
She has also reframed her definition of PTSD  to  - Perseverance - Trust - Strength - Determination
 
In the past few years Jillian has pushed herself to achieve a world first: Paddling a tandem sea kayak down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and becoming the first Canadian to paddle across America; a journey of  over 6,500km completed in 150 days. This involved going through 16 states with 23 portages (carrying the kayak), including 675kms over the Great Divide, which she did on a broken foot.
 
“Nothing is placed in front of us, that we don’t have the strength to overcome. It’s just believing in ourselves enough.”
 
* Content Warning - Abusive relationships are discussed as well as PTSD - we don’t go into specific but it is mentioned and talked about. 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media by signing up as patron Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Jillian
  • What does she do
  • Growing up and spending half of her life in Winnipeg
  • How did her love for the outdoors and nature start
  • Growing up in an island with her entire family
  • Discovering and finding their own hobbies and activities in the woods
  • Wanting to be a naturalist and being creative as a kid
  • Taking photos and having camera in hand since 10 years old
  • Making plans of going to specific school or university to study photography
  • Struggling in university studying fine arts
  • Getting into Prairieview School of Photography
  • Feeling stuck again after finishing the program
  • Returning to the island in northwestern Ontario to reconnect with nature
  • Falling inlove with the mountains and oceans
  • Packing up and driving to the west coast with her dog
  • Landing a photography job
  • Becoming a live-in nanny
  • Getting fitness while doing photography
  • Having a musher partner and friends
  • Starting their own team and a dog sledding company
  • Having an abusive relationship and leaving everything behind
  • Living in a tent in the woods with her dog for seven months
  • Living in the best home she could ever have that moment
  • Dealing with trauma
  • Becoming concerned about her negative thoughts
  • Meeting a counselor and being diagnosed with PTSD
  • Believing a counselor is not for her
  • Discovering her own healing tool out in nature
  • Having a supportive family
  • Doing  a solo roadtrip across Canada
  • Wanting to reconnect with her passions and family
  • Not opening up about her abusive relationship to her family
  • Writing an article published in the Canadian Women's Foundation
  • Talking about her solo travel experience
  • Having others inspired by her article and her story
  • Shifting her mindset around PTSD
  • "I've been able to basically utilise that kind of diagnosis and what we affiliate as a negative to be my fuel to accomplish goals and allow me to accept saying yes to things, new experiences, and push myself. I believe wholeheartedly that nothing is placed in front of us that we don't have the strength to overcome."
  • Perseverance, Trust, Strength, and Determination
  • Being a CEO and lead guide of a camp
  • Being able to share all of her knowledge to help others get through life's challenges
  • Becoming the first Canadian to paddle across America
  • How she started the journey with Jaime Sharp @jaimesharp_adventures
  • Her journey on paddling a tandem sea kayak through the Grand Canyon
  • Getting into more detail about paddling across America
  • Ending up paddling up solo on a trip
  • Needing a break...
  • Being mentally broken back then
  • Getting support from people and her sponsors
  • Why she decided to keep going
  • Sharing more experiences about her journey
  • Getting injured and how she recovered
  • Most valuable lessons she learned on her journey
  • Doing a 75-day expedition flipping a 400lbs. tire up to mountains with 60 lbs. of steel chains in 2021 to raise awareness to PTSD
  • Being stationed as Ecoguardian at Race Rocks
  • Final words of advice
 
Social Media
 
 
May 31, 2022
Donna (@fitfetishtri) 52, mother of one (27yrs). Recently completed Ironman Barcelona (Oct 3rd 2021) her first full distance endurance triathlon after being inspired to sign up by 10 Ironwomen, a group who are working to increase female participation in Ironman races. 

Donna was one of 194 women that took part in the event out of 1500 athletes. 
 
It was only her third triathlon event, she had also never run a marathon before. 
 
Learn more about Donna, her early years, her reasons for wanting to do an Ironman, her training, journey to the start line, lessons from the race as well as advice and tips to help you take on your next challenge.
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out! 
 
To support the Tough Girl Podcast and to help increase the amount of female role models in the media become a patron www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Donna
  • Growing up in London
  • Always enjoy reading as a kid
  • Starting to think about her future career
  • Acquiring a journalism degree
  • Getting into fitness in her early 20s
  • Having no interest in running a marathon
  • Signing up for her first triathlon at 46
  • Aiming to always be fit
  • Riding and owning three bikes in her teenage years
  • More details about Ironman training
  • Doing online workouts and keeping herself positive to stay fit
  • Getting into the details about Ironman
  • Being inspired by 10IronWomen @10ironwomen
  • Signing up for Ironman Barcelona 2020 at the age of 50
  • Representing and encouraging women of colour
  • Her main concerns about the challenge
  • What is it like to be part of 10IronWomen
  • Becoming more driven by achieving the goal
  • Forming a training plan with the help of the book Be IronFit
  • More information on her preparation and training
  • Not wanting to skip a session
  • Personal challenges associated with menopause
  • Listening to podcasts to keep herself mentally healthy
  • Working on strengthening her mindset
  • Dealing with anxiety when in Barcelona
  • What it was like prior to the event
  • Being determined to complete the challenge
  • Looking back to when she was out on the course
  • Biggest challenges she experienced throughout the Ironman
  • Her reaction when she crossed the finish line
  • Wanting to do more cycling challenges
  • Planning to sign up for another 10IronWomen event in Barcelona in 2023
  • Other future challenges she wants to take on
  • The story behind her name "The Iron Empress"
  • Final words of advice
  • "Signing up for Ironman and pushing myself to the limit physically, has really shown me that I am capable of so much more."
 
Social Media
 
Instagram: @fitfetishtri 
 
10 Iron Women - Striving for a 50:50 Gender Split in an Ironman Event 
 
Follow us as we inspire more women to take on the unthinkable, and our goal of a 50/50 gender split in an Ironman event in 2023 
 
Website - www.10ironwomen.com 
 
Twitter - @10ironwomen
 
Instagram - @10ironwomen
 
May 24, 2022
Kate Pilcher is the founder & guide of Globetrotting, a worldwide travel agency that specialises in horse riding experiences to all corners of the globe. Kate discovered this form of travel as part of a quarter-life crisis and ran away to Argentina and then Kenya to discover herself from the back of a horse. Now in her forties Kate leads globetrotting rides to some extraordinary places with her three daughters and husband in toe.
 
Kate in her own words:
 
“I started Globetrotting a bit over a decade ago, thanks to a quarter-life crisis. You see, I had turned 25 and went on a 10-day horse riding safari in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, where my mind was blown by witnessing the wildebeest migration astride a safari horse. 
 
It was THIS crazy, colourful, life-changing experience that led me to step away from my business (Salt magazine), my boyfriend (now husband – thankfully Steven is a very patient man), mortgage and flee to a remote 100,000 acre estancia in Patagonia only accessible via horse.
 
For the next nine months I jumped from saddle to saddle, driven by an unquenchable thirst to explore horse cultures in South America and Africa. When I finally returned home, Globetrotting took form alongside my business at the time, Salt magazine.
 
You see, I fell in love with this form of travel – Globetrotting – where the pace is slower and the experience richer.
Rather than travelling in a tour bus (conveyor-belt travel, I like to call it), when you’re astride a horse, you climb under the skin of a country, absorbing every nuance it has to offer.
 
I knew it was the only way for me to travel, and I was determined to share this passion with other horse folk and I have. 
 
This is a true calling for me.”
 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
 
Show notes
  • Who is Kate
  • What is Globetrotting
  • How they use horse riding to change people's lives
  • A little background about her family
  • Her first and earliest memory of horses
  • Having a little interest in horses back then
  • Never thought of horses as part of her career
  • Having no idea what she wanted to do
  • Working in small businesses alongside her degree
  • How sales and marketing interest her
  • She enjoys marketing and sales
  • Moving to the UK after finishing her degree
  • Returning to Australia and having the chance to ride a horse once again
  • Exploring Maasai Mara in Kenya for 10 days
  • Wanting to get away from everything
  • Feeling that she isn't living the life she was meant to live
  • Rejecting Steven's marriage proposal
  • How Globetrotting started
  • Background on how and why she took the risk of changing careers
  • Wanting to be invited to the world's oldest horseback riding event
  • Being able to open many people's doors through her space
  • Getting more detailed about horse riding
  • Different types of rides and items to carry on the journey
  • Ensuring that each client is well-cared for from start to finish.
  • Her favourite horse breeds
  • Talking about horse therapy
  • Road testing in European rides in 2018
  • Riding with a baby and just wanting to go home
  • The most challenging time she had during her riding journey
  • Having her husband's support and encouragement
  • Being a mother and how it affects her work
  • "Home is my family and we can go anywhere and have adventure."
  • Planning a six-week adventure in August with family and guests
  • Experiencing the most terrifying adventure with her girls back in 2021
  • Returning to horse riding after having children
  • More information on the Silk Road Adventure - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Mongolia
  • Partnering with Katy Willings
  • Final words of advice

Social Media

Website: www.globetrotting.com.au

Instagram: @globetrotting.com.au

Facebook: @globetrotting.com.au

Youtube: Globetrotting - Horse Riding Holidays
 
May 17, 2022
Sophie in her own words:
 
“I am a GP and mental health trainer practising in West London. My exposure to diverse pockets of humanity has taught me that social struggles, such as loneliness, don’t discriminate and that the resulting emotional distress is real and reaching pandemic levels. My heart lies in challenging perceptions of these problems and how we support those suffering.
 
I am striving to increase awareness and education around responding to distress within the current UK system through my work with the organisation 4MentalHealth, while seeking out ways to change the system through the undertaking of research into the root causes of distress and alternative approaches to healing globally.
 
My growing interest in the relationship between mental health and community led to the creation of 'The Patient's Voice Project' in 2016. I'm delighted this year to expand the project and focus in on cultural influences on mental health and healing through a Winston Churchill Fellowship exploring the potential translation of indigenous traditional practice elements to western society as alternative forms of therapy. 
 
I've also had the opportunity to relay my work more widely; engaging with corporate audiences through talks on community at the Airbnb London Headquarters and contributing to policy change through work with the Jo Cox Foundation and the ‘Campaign to End Loneliness’ .
 
My work has also fostered a growing awareness of the transformative potential of the natural environment on psychological well being. 
 
I enjoy getting outdoors as much as possible in the role of Expedition Doctor and most recently accompanied a group of young people to the Scottish Highlands with the British Exploring Society.
 
When not working you will usually find me Scottish country dancing, falling off a surfboard or practising the ukulele.”
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Sophie
  • Being based in London and working as a GP
  • Her Special interests
  • Doing mental health research
  • Being an expedition doctor
  • Her love of travel and expeditions
  • Her early years growing up in the Yorkshire Dales
  • Where her love of travel and adventure came from 
  • Being inspired by her Grandfather
  • Going to Kenya and doing her first expedition at 17
  • Trekking across the States on the Lewis & Clark Trail 
  • Going to medical school at St. Andrews
  • Getting into expedition medicine
  • Being afraid of taking the next step
  • Going on a trip to Antarctica in January 2020
  • How the trip on a tall ship changed her life
  • The mental side of adventures and challenges
  • Stress
  • Anticipation and preparation
  • Coping strategies for extreme environments 
  • Creating your own safety plan
  • The emotional kit list
  • Why strategies are very personal 
  • Having a safety plan for general life
  • Creating your own Safety Plan
  • Heading to the USA in 2019 for research
  • Winning a Winston Churchill Fellowship
  • Talking circles 
  • Going on a tall ship in Costa Rica
  • Personal boundaries and looking at your own mental health
  • Keeping expedition fit 
  • Having to want to be on the expedition
  • Visiting Antarctica and getting free vodka
  • Being an emerging film maker and what that means
  • The Patients Voice Project - 2016
  • Looking to do a Masters later on in 2022
  • Connect with Sophie
  • Final words of advice
  • Be curious about the world
 
Social Media
 
The Patients Voice - A global project researching and collecting patients’ stories from around the world to enhance our collective wellbeing.
 
Website: www.thepatientsvoiceproject.com 
 
Instagram: @drsophieredlin
 
Twitter: @DrSophieRedlin
 
May 10, 2022
Shikha is a writer based in Uttarakhand, India. Specialising in stories woven around nature and the outdoors, sustainable living, and those with a cultural insight from the remote mountains of India, Nepal and Bhutan. 
 
Her travel stories appear in a wide variety of publications such as the National Geographic Traveller, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, Lonely Planet, and more. 
 
Her environmental and social interest stories have appeared in newspapers such as The Hindu, The New Indian Express, and on platforms such as Nature InFocus and RoundGlass Sustain. 
 
Born and brought up in the mountains, she is a qualified mountaineer who has participated in expeditions in the Himalayas. Her mountaineering stories have appeared in The Outdoor Journal and online on the Red Bull forum. 
 
Shikha is the recipient of a Commonwealth Writers fellowship for her stories on Himalayan ecology, and has also authored an award-winning children's book on Northeast India's first female Everester, Tine Mena, for a literacy NGO, Pratham. 
 
Most recently, she authored a series of Lonely Planet pocket guide books on Nepal.
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out. 
 
To support the tough girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media -  visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Shikha
  • Growing up in the mountains in India
  • Her love of exploration
  • Deciding to become a professional writer
  • Being curious about the world
  • Quitting her job to backpack across the Indian Continent in 2008
  • Her love of writing and not wanting to be confined to an office cubicle
  • Being drawn to the mountains and wanting to spend more time there
  • Her year of self discovery
  • Her childhood and early years
  • Going into higher education
  • Making the decision to quit her job and go on a gap year
  • Planning her year out and travelling on a shoe string budget
  • Wanting to get off the regular tourist circuit
  • Heading to the North East of India
  • Spending time in Nepal and Bhutan
  • Building her career as a freelance writer
  • Travelling solo in remote places
  • Advice and tips for solo travel
  • Why planning a little ahead can make things a lot easier
  • Advice for travel writing
  • Why you need to find your niche
  • Finding your writing voice
  • Telling the same story but in a different way
  • Learning mountaineering skills 
  • Encouraging more women to gain skills in the outdoors
  • Challenging times in the mountains
  • Walking on unmarked trails 
  • Being underprepared on the mountains and the lessons learned
  • Dealing with challenging situations and her process for handling it
  • Staying positive and having a back up plan
  • How to connect with Shikha 
  • Putting together her website
  • Writing her award-winning children's book on Northeast India's first female Everester, Tine Mena.
  • Wanting to inspire young girls
  • Advice for women and girls to spend more time in the mountains
  • Future dreams and goals 
 
 
Social Media
 
Instagram: @shikha_trip 
 
May 3, 2022
Eleanor Drinkwater is a bug nut and adventurer. Her love of all things creepy-crawly has led her to carry out research in field sites across the world, from Australia to the Amazon. 
 
She is fascinated by invertebrate behaviour and has been awarded Inspirational Explorer of the Year award by the Scientific Expedition Society for her work looking into the behaviour of the biggest beetle on the planet. 
 
However, she is equally fascinated by the weird and wonderful critters we have in the UK and has recently she finished her PhD which researched how and why woodlice have personalities.
 
Eleanor is passionate about communicating and sharing her enthusiasm for invertebrates. She is currently working as a lecturer at Writtle University College where she teaches about ecology and conservation. She also really enjoys encouraging little bug enthusiasts through running bug-hunting events with community groups and schools.
 
Ultimately, she believes that there’s a real need to encourage budding bug lovers (of every age) and hopes to share some of her enthusiasm with future bug enthusiasts.
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Dr. Eleanor
  • What exactly does she do
  • Getting into more detail about her fascination with bugs
  • Growing up with environmentally conscious parents
  • What was it like to study Developmental Biology and how did it go
  • Her desire to go on expeditions and study butterflies.
  • Her story of how she got her first project, which began her career
  • Over-confidence as her real turning point
  • Finally getting into a PhD program
  • Volunteering in the Peruvian Amazon with Crees Manu
  • Taking part in research expeditions with lots of help and connections
  • Memorable and fun experience she had while crossing a river
  • Lessons she learned from her previous expedition
  • What new expeditioners and researchaer should know and talk about before starting their journey
  • Her love for an expedition-focused research centre
  • Having an amazing research trip in Honduras
  • Being extremely lucky to have been successful on all of her expeditions
  • Wanting to be the first person to do a recorded behaviour study of various creatures
  • Getting into more detail about the Titan beetle
  • How thrilled she is to find the first creature
  • Challenges she had in catching the beetle in such a short period of time
  • How she managed to stay motivated while dealing with a lot of stress
  • Bugs and insects for human consumption
  • Cricket protein powder Protein Rebel 
  • Her thoughts on eating live invertebrates for entertainment
  • Finishing her PhD and what are her future plans
  • Talking about woodlice and its personality
  • Keeping a hedgehog and giant African snails as pets
  • Participating in a short film and rewilding project with Citizen Zoo 
 
Social Media
 
 
 
Twitter: @E_Drinkwater
 
Apr 28, 2022
Helen Butters is a Sunday Times Bestselling author, keynote speaker, communications & engagement expert, qualified performance coach with NLP, and a member of the National Council of Psychotherapists.   

In 2016 she followed her dream of rowing across both the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean with a team of 3 amazing women and gained a Guinness World Record and an Honorary Doctorate.   
 
A lot of people ask Helen how she coped with the level of endurance rowing, 2 hours on and 2 hours off 24 hours a day.  What got her through, was a positive mindset and understanding how to keep it that way, in times of immense stress 
 
Adventure and business have many similarities.  
 
Helen uses her row across the Atlantic as a backdrop, and adopts a unique, interesting, and amusing approach that sets her apart from many motivational speakers.  Helen is extremely relatable as she’s not a professional athlete: She’s a mum with a busy career who has many barriers that could have stopped her from undertaking a big adventure.  Helen has many examples of how attendees have been inspired to look at life using new perspectives, become more attentive to their own talents which in turn has caused many to leave her talk feeling prepared and motivated.
 
Helen qualified as a performance life coach in 2019 with the aim of helping others to live a more fulfilling and satisfying life both professionally and personally. She works collaboratively with her clients to find meaning, understanding and solutions: empowering them to come up with the answers. 
 
She is passionate about the ethos of coaching as a powerful positive discipline and uses flexible effective tools which enable her clients to turn their belief into reality.  She has a specific interest in the power of mindset and has put together a mindset reset programme for clients.
 
Helen will be swapping 40-foot waves for the Pyrenees as her next adventure will see her cycling 1000 miles through 4 countries from Maggie’s Leeds to Maggie’s Barcelona in April 2022.  Helen and her team will be raising money for Maggie’s Yorkshire. 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Helen
  • Wanting to row across the Atlantic Ocean
  • How she met Janette Benaddi
  • "If you plant something in your head that you actually want to happen, your brain subconsciously looks for those opportunities. And when opportunities arrive, that's when you instantly say yes."
  • How grateful she is that she said yes
  • Speaking with Melanie Sykes
  • Getting a No from her husband and Yes from their children about rowing
  • Involving her children in everything
  • Feeling safe with the team despite the risks and dangers
  • Making sure to use all the expertise and that the right people were in place
  • Being good at communicating and building relationships
  • Coaching as her new career
  • Helping Niki Doeg to stay motivated
  • Being strong and positive on the boat
  • Doing mental training in preparation for the row
  • Doing mindset reset and anchoring techniques
  • Crying and holding back her feelings
  • Feeling unhappy when she shouldn't have been
  • The need to prepare mentally before the adventure
  • Having an adrenaline hangover
  • Not getting help and how she struggled mentally for 18 months
  • Using her experience to help other rowers before and after their journeys
  • Her journey into coaching
  • Becoming a qualified performance life coach
  • How self-expansion excites her
  • Believing that everyone should have a coach and why it is important
  • Mindset reset and what is it
  • Teaching people deliberate thinking
  • Jealousy and its positive effects on people
  • The story of her cycling journey for Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre
  • Fundraising event for Maggie's
  • Cycling from Leeds to Barcelona in April
  • Having no prior cycling experience
  • Worrying about her physical fitness
  • Meeting people along the way
  • Raising money for people experiencing complex grief with children and families
  • Final words of advice

 

Social Media

 

Personal

Website: www.helenbutters.com

Instagram: @butters_and_beyond

Facebook: www.facebook.com/helen.butters

 

Yorkshire Rows

Website: www.yorkshirerows.com

Instagram: @yorkshirerows 

Facebook: @yorkshirerows2015

Twitter: @yorkshirerows 

 

Apr 26, 2022
Michelle Moore is an award-winning leadership coach, author, speaker and educator voted as one of the UK’s 50 Most 'Influential Women in Sport’.

Based on a twenty year’ career in senior leadership roles across sport, government and education, her pioneering work and coaching and leadership programmes have transformed the lives of professionals, young people, athletes and the culture of many organisations.

Winner of the 2016 UK Precious Award for ‘Outstanding Woman in Sport’, a Football Black List award and an esteemed national Change Maker award. Michelle is a globally recognised executive on leadership, race equity and sport for development.

A sought after experienced speaker and moderator hosting events and delivering keynotes for The University of Cambridge, The NBA, and UNICEF UK. She has chaired events at the United Nations and presented to the House of Lords. Michelle makes regular appearances for top tier media outlets including BBC Radio 4, TRT World, Channel 4, BBC World Service Sportshour and been featured in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Independent. Michelle is a regular contributor on BBC radio.

Michelle combines her campaigning roles with board positions for SportsAid, a Sport England Talent Inclusion Advisory Board member and is commissioner for The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket. She is a senior honorary associate lecturer at the University of Worcester.

Michelle’s book Real Wins was published November 25 2021, by John Murray Press, Hachette UK. 
 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
To support the Tough Girl Podcast and learn more about becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Michelle
  • Her work in the world 
  • Using sport to address inequities 
  • Supporting individuals in their leadership journey 
  • Helping people to transform themselves and their communities 
  • Being based in London 
  • Working as a former teacher and having a love of education
  • Learning more about Michelle’s early years 
  • Growing up as a twin in the 70s
  • Being at athlete and being encouraged by her mum to do sports
  • Being a Black woman of mixed heritage
  • Being surrounded by love and culture and sports
  • Future dreams and ambitions
  • Wanting to be the best athlete she could be
  • The lessons learned from sports
  • Dealing with losses
  • Showing up every week to train
  • Wanting to be of service and to make a difference
  • Leaving athletics behind after going to university 
  • The challenges at university
  • Having an honest conversation with herself 
  • Using sport to develop leadership 
  • Changing your mindset around fear
  • How we achieve success which is defined by ourselves
  • Why we need to ask ourselves better questions
  • Learning to practice self compassion
  • Write the newspaper headline for tomorrow
  • Why we are not our thoughts
  • Why you have more power and control than you realise
  • Definitions of success and how they have changed 
  • Figuring out strengths and talents
  • Wanting to talk to young people about well-being
  • Why the biggest competition is always yourself
  • Living in the moment and being present
  • Going through the process of writing her book
  • Attracting different opportunities into our lives
  • Why you should be successful at a job if you’ve been doing it for 10 years
  • Why 20% was good enough
  • Creating her own leadership seminars 
  • Backing herself
  • Turning up and being me
  • Focusing on what I can control
  • Writing for herself 
  • How to connect with Michelle
  • How to support Michelle and why it makes a big difference
  • Final words of advice 
  • Wanting to be seen, heard, valued and respected 
  • Why the small things are important 
 
Social Media
 
 
 
Twitter: @hellomoore 
 
 
Real Wins is an urgent call to action from one of the most influential women in sport. In her unflinching style, Michelle Moore seeks to redress inequality at all levels and shows us how to channel our inner Serena Williams or Raheem Sterling to challenge stereotypes and tired assumptions. 
 
Through this timely, eye-opening insight into her experiences both on the track and in the boardroom, Michelle shows us how to face our fears, build resilience and find our own unique leadership style. She shares stories from athletes, leaders and many other inspiring people, as she redefines the relationship between identity and success for both individuals and organizations. 
 
Giving you the practical strategies of self-awareness and resilience to run your own race, Real Wins will empower you to take responsibility for your own prejudices, actions and ultimate success.
 
Apr 21, 2022
Jill is an underwater explorer, writer, photographer, speaker, and filmmaker. 
 
A pioneer of technical rebreather diving, she has led expeditions into icebergs in Antarctica, volcanic lava tubes, and submerged caves worldwide. 
 
Jill is the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. 
 
Her memoir, INTO THE PLANET, has been lauded by the Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, and the New York Times. 
 
Her children’s book THE AQUANAUT is a Blue Ribbon Selection for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. 
 
Jill is a Fellow of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, Women Divers Hall of Fame and the Explorers Club, which awarded her with the William Beebe Award for ocean exploration.
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Jill
  • Loving water since she's a baby
  • How she got into diving
  • Becoming a lifeguard at 16
  • Taking a Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual communications design
  • Talking about her expeditions
  • Icebergs and cave diving
  • Exploring the B-15 iceberg for 60 days
  • Leading the dive team
  • Writing and producing the documentary film for National Geographic
  • Qualities a good cave diver should have
  • How dangerous cave diving is
  • Having a scary experience while underwater with a scientist
  • Her best piece of advice to deal with fear
  • How she dealt with and processed trauma
  • Processing and overcoming challenges with her husband
  • Having supportive mentors and colleagues
  • Being a woman in the diving industry
  • Becoming the Explorer in Residence at The Royal Canadian Geographical Society
  • Not having female mentors as a kid
  • Wanting to go to schools across the country and give talks about diving and exploration
  • Having a growth mindset
  • Writing her book Into The Planet
  • Jill and her husband's podcast Into The Planet Podcast
  • Impact of technology and natural world changes on the environment
  • Her passion to increase awareness about the big issues we face
  • Top tips and advice
  • "Be willing to step into the darkness to do something that you've never done before. Trust me, your eyes will adjust to the light, and that's when you stand on that threshold of true opportunity to become an explorer."
Social Media
 
Website: www.IntoThePlanet.com 
 
Instagram: @jillheinerth 
 
Facebook: @jillheinerth 
 
Twitter: @jillheinerth 
 
Apr 19, 2022
Abi is a white, neurodivergent and fat writer, artist, cyclist and student nurse.

 She recently featured in Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling 2021 for her working promoting fat lib in cycling.

Abigail was nominated for the 100 Women in Cycling by Chloe Bramwell who said:
 
"Abigail shows that cycling is open to everyone. Not just only women, but LGBT women, too. Her work embracing body positivity has made me change my relationship with my own body. I make healthier choices for myself because I love my body rather than to punish it. I admire her vulnerability and strength in showing how she sees herself. I admire that she holds the cycling community to account by expecting accessibility for everyone. I admire her for showing that cycling is for us all.”
 
Abi is the co-author of her first book all about cycle touring ‘Gears for Queers’. 
 
She lives on the Fife Coast with her partner Lea and cat Boba. She can normally be found riding her bike, cooking vegan feasts or obsessively playing The Sims!
 
"I believe that if people see a diversity of bodies on bikes and trikes, more people will feel like cycling is for them. I feel so happy when we get messages on social media from people who have got on their bikes again after reading our book or blogs. In the future I’d love to organise a big fat cycle tour!” - Abi Melton 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
To find out more about supporting the Tough Girl Podcast and becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Abi in her own words
  • Here passions and interests
  • Publishing her first book in June 2020
  • Being a 1st year student nurse
  • What is neurodivergency
  • Examples of neurodivergency and how it’s impacted Abi throughout her life
  • Challenges with communication 
  • Using masking as a technique to appear normal
  • Her early childhood and growing up in Norfolk
  • Being the eldest child
  • Living by the coast
  • Going to holiday camps and wanting to try everything available.
  • Being an avid reader and wanting to be the hero of the story
  • Wanting to be going out and having adventures
  • Not having a lot of opportunities 
  • Her late teenage years and her early 20s
  • Struggling with her mental health for 16 years onwards
  • Going to Edinburgh University to study English Literature
  • Why she stoped riding bikes 
  • Becoming more self conscious 
  • Not knowing how to travel or go on adventures 
  • Meeting Lea 
  • Woman on the Edge of Time: The classic feminist dystopian novel - By Marge Piercy
  • Going on an accidental mini-break to Brighton 
  • Deciding to go on a cycle adventure in Europe
  • Fears and concerns before heading out on the cycle adventure 
  • Feeling anxious about fitness levels 
  • Going with a partner and handling tough situations while on the road
  • Magical moments while travelling and the places that stand out
  • Being vegan and gluten free and trying to find food to eat 
  • Budgets and paying for the trip
  • Having a supportive family
  • Mental health while travelling
  • Writing the book - “Gears for Queers” and how it came about 
  • Going on a 2nd cycling tour
  • Planning their 3rd cycle tour
  • Going back to university to study to become a nurse
  • Following your passions and dreams
  • Being featured in Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling 2021
  • Wanting to promote adventure for everyone
  • Advice for women who want to go cycle touring
  • Enjoying having a purpose for cycling 
  • Not cycling for fitness or weight loss
  • How to connect with Abi
  • Final words of advice 
 
Social Media
 
Blog: https://gearsforqueers.squarespace.com 
 
Instagram: @gearsforqueers 
 
Facebook: @gearsforqueers 
 
Twitter: @gearsforqueers 
 
Book: Gear for Queers
 
 
Apr 14, 2022
Omie in her own words:
 
“I’m a keen swimmer and swim teacher, having worked in the leisure industry since 2013. In my teaching role I've worked with a variety of different ages and abilities both in the UK and abroad.
 
I have been exploring the issue of diversity in aquatics and the leisure industry with my own project titled, ‘If 71% of the world is water, how can we feel at home if we don't know how to swim?’. 
 
I currently work for the Black Swimming Association in community engagement and communication and volunteer in my spare time for Pride in Water, and work as a volunteer swim host for Mental Health Swims in the London region.”
 
“Swimming has given me so much – employment, friendships and both physical and mental health benefits.”
 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Who is Omie
  • Her work and love for swimming
  • Getting into swimming from a young age
  • Her love for teaching people
  • Not being able to join a swim club
  • Swimming competitively for her school
  • Role models who inspired Omie growing up
  • What she wanted to be 
  • Being academic at school
  • Talking with non swimmers
  • Teaching people how to swim
  • Wanting to make people feel as comfortable as possible
  • The joy of swimming
  • Loving outdoor swimming
  • Swimming in London
  • The support of the outdoor swimming community
  • The stress of swimming in pools
  • Advice and tips for outdoor swimming
  • Go with experienced people when it’s your first time
  • Why you need to be prepared
  • Working for the Black Swim Association
  • Working on a research project with the University of Portsmouth regarding Bone Density
  • Engaging with community leaders across the UK
  • Mental Health Swims and being a swim host
  • Working with Patagonia in 2021 on the Outsiders Project
  • What’s changed in swimming over the past few years
  • Plans for 2022 and wanting to go with the flow a bit more
  • Managing her mental health and putting herself first
  • Needing to talk about other stuff apart from swimming
  • Enjoying reading and writing 
  • Needing a creative outlet
  • Connect with Omie on the socials 
  • Final words of advice
  • The power of community 
  • Being surrounded by people who are proud of you and support you
 
Social Media
 
Website: omie-dale.com 
 
Instagram: @omiedale 
 
Twitter: @omie_dale 
 
Apr 12, 2022
Abhejali Bernardova (44, Czech Republic) of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team completed an extreme ultra-triathlon from Dover to Prague, during which she covered a total of 1111 km across the 3 disciplines: 34 km swimming, 895 km cycling, 182 km running. It took her 7 days, 12 hours and 5 minutes. 
 
She started on Monday September 13 2021 at 3am from Dover. In very challenging conditions, with the wind at force 5, she swam the English Channel in 15 hours and 33 minutes. The only other successful crossing on the same day was a 5-person relay team. It was her last chance to swim this year and the swim had already been postponed a few times. 
 
Restrictions did not allow her to stay in France, so she had to take a detour back to Dover and then take a ferry to France. She then cycled from Calais to her hometown of Cheb, near the Czech/German border. 
 
The cycling leg, which took her 4 days, was approximately 900 kilometres through France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. She arrived in Cheb on Saturday afternoon, then ran 182km to Prague, arriving on Monday afternoon. Her daily average was 220km cycling and 2 marathons running. 
 
The Czech athlete successfully completed her first English Channel swim 10 years ago. In 2018 she became the 1st Czech, the 10th person in the world, 4th woman and the 1st person from a landlocked country to complete the Oceans Seven*, seven difficult long-distance swims around the world. She is also the only Czech holder of the Triple Crown** of long-distance swimming. 
 
With her ultra-triathlon she aims to connect people and places and inspire others to break down and cross barriers in their own lives. If she can go from the UK to the Czech Republic under her own steam, then we really are closer to each other than we realise, we just put up unnecessary walls between us. She also tries to inspire others to overcome their own limits and show that these limits are often self-created. 
 
 (*) Oceans Seven include: English Channel, Gibraltrar Strait, Tsugaru Strait, Catalina Channel, Molokai Channel, North Channel, Cook Strait – all solo, non-wetsuit. See also: https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Oceans_Seven
(**) The Triple Crown includes: English Channel, Catalina Channel, around Manhattan. https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Open_Water_Swimming 
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and sign up - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
 
Show notes
  • Her love for swimming in the ocean
  • Wanting to share her adventures 
  • Her childhood and growing up in the Czech Republic 
  • Learning to swim in Russia
  • Not coming from a sports family 
  • Hearing about the English Channel
  • Starting meditation at 18 years old with Sri Chinmoy 
  • Wanting to know herself better
  • Wanting to step outside her comfort zone
  • Going to university and getting into running
  • Going after longer and longer distances
  • Running a marathon doing laps
  • “I can do more”
  • Swimming the English Channel in 2011
  • Getting into flow while swimming
  • Completing the Oceans 7 Challenge in 2018
  • Coping with the cold water
  • Taking cold showers in the morning
  • Being scared by sharks
  • Beautiful moments while swimming
  • Advice for going further with swimming 
  • Tips and advice for recovery
  • Sleeping for 7 hrs a night
  • Being a Peace Ultra Runner 
  • The Peace Run 
  • Loving the 24hrs races
  • When it gets difficult on the 24hr races
  • Deciding on a new challenge
  • The logistical challenges of putting the plan together
  • Being dependant on the weather for the swim
  • The training involved to get physically ready for the challenge
  • How her body has changed from 34 to 44
  • Needing more time to recover
  • Finishing in Prague
  • “I can do it - I have already done it”
  • Use your imagination even while training to tell yourself you can do it
  • Why you should DREAM BIG!!! 
  • Future dream challenges
  • Adventure blues….
  • Thank you to Abhejali
 
Social Media
 
Website: abhejali.cz 
 
Instagram: @abhejali
 
Apr 7, 2022
Rebecca Lowe is a freelance journalist from London who specialises in human rights and the Middle East. 
 
In 2015-16, she cycled 11,000km solo from London to Tehran. 
 
Her first book, THE SLOW ROAD TO TEHRAN, documenting her year-long journey, paints a living portrait of the Middle East through its people, politics and historic relationship with the West, and challenges much of the perceived wisdom about this region of the world. It was published in March 2022 by September Books in the UK and MVG in Germany.
 
During her career, Rebecca has written for the Guardian, BBC, Independent, Huffington Post, Economist, Sunday Times Magazine, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Spectator and IranWire, as well as numerous travel, music and sports magazines. 
 
From 2010-15, she was the lead reporter at the International Bar Association, where she focused on human rights and the rule of law, and in 2018 she contributed to the adventure travel anthology THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS: TRAVEL STORIES THAT MAKE YOUR HEART GROW, published by Summersdale. 
 
Rebecca is a Fellow at the Royal Geographical Society and holds a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University and an MA in Journalism from Stanford University, where she was awarded a scholarship.
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
To find out more about supporting the Tough Girl Podcast and becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Rebecca
  • Being a journalist for over a decade
  • Becoming interested in the Middle East 
  • Deciding to quit her job and cycle from London to Iran
  • Becoming a new mum while finishing off her new book
  • The challenges of motherhood and juggling work
  • Being adventurous and having an independent spirit
  • Being into sports and playing with the boys
  • Where her interest in the middle east came from 
  • Always wanting to become a writer 
  • Explaining what the Arab Spring is (2010- 2011)
  • Her journey with cycling 
  • Trying to find a bike via sponsorship
  • Learning to cycle with Panniers
  • Packing everything!!
  • Not feeling prepared before the trip
  • Learning how to deal with new situations
  • Getting into her cycling rhythm
  • Going from West to East
  • Feeling overwhelmed by undertaking big challenges
  • Concerns and fears before starting the journey 
  • The challenges of being a journalist while travelling
  • Taking precautions before the trip 
  • The benefits of being a woman in the Middle East
  • What it was like day to day
  • Having a budget of £15 per day 
  • Trying to avoid the heat
  • The wonderful food!
  • Learning different cultures 
  • Getting to the end of the trip and being ready to finish
  • Dealing with punctures
  • Arriving into Tehran and getting to the finish line
  • Missing the Uk 
  • The lessons learning from time spend on the road
  • Feeling more confident and being able to cope with new situations
  • Connect with Rebecca
  • Final words of advice 
  • Start slowly and push those boundaries
  • Why you can go on Big Adventures
  • Mantra and powerful quotes
 
Social Media
 
Website: thebicyclediaries.co.uk  
 
Instagram: @reo_lowe 
 
Twitter: @reo_lowe 
 
Apr 5, 2022
Kumbi in her own words:
 
“I’m Kumbi, a fun loving adventurous woman. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and came over to England to study nursing when I was 18.
 
I love all things outdoors, from climbing, hiking, camping, cycling.
 
I am a senior nurse in the NHS, and I have been very thankful that I have the ability to go outdoors and destress. 
 
It is one of the places that I am able to practice Mindfulness, which has kept me grounded through some of the most challenging times that I have experienced during this pandemic.
 
I hope to share my love and inspire others to explore and be adventurous!”
 
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 
 
The tough girl podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please check out www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast
 
Show Notes
  • Who is Kumbi
  • What she does and her love of the outdoors
  • Being an outgoing child
  • Spending time in the outdoors
  • Wanting to be a lawyer
  • Her current role in the NHS
  • Looking at health inequalities
  • Making the move to the UK
  • Growing up speaking English
  • Her university days and not having a car
  • Going back to the start of the pandemic
  • Being redeployed to 111 (Non emergency help line in the UK)
  • Needing to have a break between work and home life
  • Getting back into climbing again 
  • Becoming a member of Extreme Sports Central 
  • Making the transition from the gym to climbing outside
  • Joining the British Mountaineering Council (BMC)
  • The Women's Trad Festival 
  • Overcoming fears while climbing
  • Learning to be kind to herself
  • Breaking problems down step by step
  • Looking at diversity in the sport
  • “Climbing is for all and everyone is welcome”
  • The role models and women she looks up to 
  • Learning to be kind to herself
  • Climbing goals for 2022
  • Magical moments in the outdoors
  • Type 2 and Type 3 fun
  • Being a speaker at Kendal Mountain Festival
  • Wanting to be a role model
  • Final words of advice
 
Social Media
 
Instagram: @here_climbs_krumbles 
 
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