Tough Girl Podcast

Now displaying: July, 2020

Nikki Love - Adventure Runner, Ran 63 marathons in 63 days in 2017. Training to run 2,500 miles on a treadmill in 63 days… 0

Jul 30, 2020

Nikki in her own words;

I’m here to do my best, be my best, have a blast and meet as many people as I can along the way. I’m Chasing Extraordinary! Since … well ever since I can remember, I’ve been into moving my body, pushing, training, looking after and loving my body. I started ballet at the tender age of 4 and it’s been all sorts of incarnations of fitness since then.

My love, my passion, my sanity is now adventure running. It’s the wonderment of where can my feet take me, who I’ll meet, and how I can help along the way.

My goal is to share my knowledge, experience, adventures and love along the way through my writing, speaking, and social media’ing.

I choose to live through these 3 filters … LOVE. FUN. ADVENTURE.

Past Adventures

2018 – Run Around Ireland – 750 miles in 32 days

2018 – DesertUltra

2018 – Runcation around Malta and Gozo

2017 – 63 marathons in 63 days throughout the UK

2016 – JungleUltra – Peru

2010 – 7 marathons in 7 days

2002, 2007, 2010 – London Marathon

Listen to Nikki on the Tough Girl Podcast! New episodes every Tuesday at 7am UK time. Enjoy!

Show notes

Being an Adventure Runner
Doing lots of different sports when she was little
Getting into running
Growing up in Australia before moving to the UK
Why it all changed at 30
Dealing with a marathon DNF at 19 miles
Running the London Marathon in 2002
Having a new baby and how it impacted on running
Running 7 marathons in 7 days
Listening to the wrong people
Maybe that was the limit?
The motivation of having a big birthday
Not being supported
Having a gap of 6 years with no adventure
Figuring out priorities
Becoming a sports massage therapist
Working as a running coach
Turning 49 years young…
Taking on the Judge Ultra in Peru
Coming up with the ideas for 63 marathons in 63 days
Breaking her leg…
Taking 12 months to recover
Developing strategies to develop mental strength and resilience
What if you do - What if you don’t
The reason Why - What it came down to…
Wanting to strive for the next level
Perspective on failure
Running 63 marathons in 63 days - the logistics and how it worked
Focusing on the distance and not the speed
Learning more about her body
Being peri-menopausal
The dream to run across Australia
The logistics and funding of the challenge
Deciding on a new physical challenge
Treadmill Oz - 2,500 miles in 63 days
Treadmill strategy for running
Having a support team around
Figuring out how to make it work while on the treadmill
Chasing Extraordinary

Social Media

Website - https://nikkilove.co.uk

Instagram @nikkiloveruns

Twitter @nikkiloveruns

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Jana Paremoud - Climbing the Matterhorn and starting an Adventure Travel company during the pandemic! 0

Jul 28, 2020

Jana was born in Russia, and her parents moved to the U.S. when she was 12. Her first experiences with hiking was heading out with her parents to New Hampshire. After college she moving to New York City and started to make some big changes to her lifestyle, and wanted to see what her body could do.

She started by getting back into running, and was hiking every weekend, sometimes twice a weekend, and that's when she decided to become a guide with Discover Outdoors as a personal "passion project."

In 2019, Discover Outdoors asked her if she would be interested in working for them on the business side. So Jana left her paralegal job at a big-law NYC firm and started as the Northeast Regional Manager. During that year she kept pushing herself in the outdoors and on August 9th, 2019 she submitted the Matterhorn!

Jana has recently started Adventure Untamed, an adventure travel company, she shares more about her motivations and why she has made this decision during Covid -19.

You can listen to Jana on the Tough Girl Podcast - new episodes are every Tuesday at 7am UK time, make sure you hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

Show notes

Who is Jana, what she does and what she loves
Getting into fitness, running and spending time outdoors
Making a change in her career
Starting a travel company during the pandemic
The importance of the culture and the people
Dealing with change
Growing up in Russia and moving to the USA at 12 years old
Being excited about new adventures and new experiences
The learning curve of hiking
How her passion/hobby for guiding evolved
Getting into running
Having a terrible fear of heights
Dealing with the fear of failure
Making the transition from a 9-5 job to guiding
Deciding to climb the Matterhorn
The challenges of climbing the mountain and overcoming obstacles
Dealing with feelings of doubt
Leaving at 4.08am to start the climb
Taking it one step at a time
Starting Adventure Untamed during a pandemic!
Dreams and plans for the future
Final words of advice to get more adventure in your life

Social Media

Adventure Untamed - Explore the wild. Escape your comfort zone.

Northeast day and multi-day outdoor trips departing from NYC.

Website - https://www.adventureuntamed.com

Instagram @adventure_untamed

Facebook @adventureuntamed

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Anoushé Husain - Para-climber, cancer survivor & co-founder of Para Climbing London! 0

Jul 23, 2020

Anoushé works as a civil servant, and also writes, speaks and campaigns to encourage people that sport can be done by everyone, regardless of physical capabilities. Anoushé was born missing her right arm below the elbow, has survived cancer, and lives with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Anoushé continues to be a role model and is an ambassador for ‘LimbPower’, the leading amputee and limb different charity, and for ‘Ehlers Danlos Support UK’. Anoushé has helped to encourage more women and girls to get into climbing by sharing her story through, ‘This Girl Can Climb’ campaign. Last year Anoushé decided she wanted to do more and helped to co-found ‘Paraclimbing London’, an initiative to make climbing more accessible for people of all abilities and backgrounds, they currently have over 160 members of all abilities.

Anoushé continues to works with ‘Grit&Rock’, a foundation which aims to get girls from socially deprived backgrounds empowered through climbing. During this podcast, we catch up with Anoushé and find out what she’s been up to since we last spoke with her in October 2017.

You can listen to Anoushé on the Tough Girl Podcast and Tough Girl Podcast Extra. New episodes are every Tuesday at 7am UK time.

Make sure you hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

Show notes

Finding out more about Anoushé Husain
Dealing with multiple health conditions
How Covid has impacted on her life
Focusing on what she can control
Making sure that she is ok
Having to social distance to the extreme
Looking for the positives in the situation
Dealing with a knee dislocation and having mobility problems
The importance of climbing on a regular basis
Training for a secret special project!
Maintaining a positive focus and overcoming obstacles
Getting outside for a short walk
Meeting her fiancé and getting married
Reflecting back on 2018 and outdoor climbing!
Making a short film - If I Can
The difference and challenges of climbing outside
Ranking 3rd in the UK for her category
Reflecting back on the past 3 years and changes to climbing
Para Climbing London
Blok Fest
Feeling the pressure to perform when climbing
Dreams and ambitions for the future
Wanting to cater for more people with mental health conditions
Why it's ok to climb in a three
Plans for 2020
Quick Fire Questions

Social Media

Website - https://anoushehusain.com

Instagram @anoushehusain

Facebook @AnousheHusain1

Twitter @AnousheHusain

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Michelle Griffith-Robinson OLY - Former GB Olympian, wife, mother of 3, lifestyle coach, personal trainer and Ambassador for Diabetes UK 0

Jul 21, 2020

Michelle Griffith-Robinson OLY is a former Olympic athlete who represented Great Britain in the Triple jump. Michelle was the first woman in the UK to have jumped over 14 metres. Michelle is married to Matthew Robinson, an ex professional Welsh rugby player and she has three children.

In 1999 after leaving professional sport, Michelle became qualified as a personal trainer and stated to follow her passions of helping others through coaching and mentoring her own clients. Michelle is also one of the lead mentors for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust – which helps young people get their lives back on track.

During this podcast, Michelle shares more about her early years, her passion for sports, the importance of having role models and what life was like as a professional athlete before making the transition out of elite competition. Michelle provides top tips and advice to help you achieve your dreams and goals.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go Live every Tuesday at 7am UK time!

Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss out!

Show notes

Who is Michelle
Having 3 older brothers
Coming from a sporty family
Why doing just sport, wasn’t something you just did
The importance of education
Dreaming of a career in sports…
Attending the Youth Olympics
The importance of female role models
The importance of working hard and doing your best
Being encouraged and supported by her mum
Joining a local running club
Being the first woman in the Commonwealth to jump over 14m
What it was like going to the Commonwealth Games
The pressure of performance in the sporting world
Needing a support team
What it was like being a professional athlete
The power of being supported
Deciding to leave university
Dealing with financial stress
Pensions, houses and sponsorship money
Being dropped by the National Lottery
Deciding to become a Personal Trainer
Building a new career
Developing new skills
What exercise looks like now
A new Youtube channel - The Fit Family Robinsons!
Being an Ambassador for Diabetes UK
Needing to make changes to her diet
Wanting to raise awareness and make a difference
Diet and nutrition (one size does not fit all)
Starting as a mentor at the Youth Sport Trust 2009
Working for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust in 2012
Words of positivity and encouragement
The importance of having a plan
Measure your plan
SMART - Specific - Measurable - Achievable - Realistic - Time Bound
Meeting her husband
Quick Fire Questions

Social Media

Instagram @michellegriffithrobinson

Twitter @RobinsonOly

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Selene Yeager - ‘The Fit Chick’, Pro Mountain Bike Racer, Author & All-American Ironman triathlete 0

Jul 14, 2020

Selene Yeager is a top-selling professional health and fitness writer who lives what she writes as a NASM certified personal trainer, USA Cycling certified coach, Pn1 certified nutrition coach, pro licensed off road racer, and All-American Ironman triathlete.

Selene has written, co-written, and contributed to more than two dozen books such as ROAR, Bike Your Butt Off!, and Get Fast! She is a frequent contributor to Runner’s World, Women’s Health, and Shape magazines, and has a regular advice column for Bicycling magazine called “Fit Chick.”

During this podcast we learn more about Selene’s early life, how she got into cycling and writing. We discuss the challenges of training for an Ironman and her top tips for mental resilience and balancing everything you have going on in your life. Selene also answers some quick fire questions and provides top tips and advice to motivate and inspire you.

You can listen to the Tough Girl Podcast on iTunes, Spotify & Soundcloud! New episodes every Tuesday 7am UK time!

Show notes

About Selene
Early family life
Loving to ride her bike everywhere
Not having female role models growing up
Leaving high school and going to college and not playing sport
Studying and partying
Getting into publishing and writing
Being surrounded by incredible people
Transition into an Ironman
16 weeks to Ironman….
Hiring a swim coach & an ironman coach…
“The year I did everything right”
Not loving competition
Being goal orientated and liking challenges
Dealing with set backs
Being single minded
Balancing family, marriage, and training
2015 - starting to race independently
Moving into gravel racing
Mental resilience and focus
Being a co-author on the book ROAR
Meeting Dr. Stacey Sims
Tracking periods
What a typical week looks like now
Doing weights and yoga
Diet and nutrition
Life as an author and writing books about cycling and bikes
Racing with Rebecca Rush in Brazil
Dealing with frustrations via communication
Quick Fire Questions

Social Media

Website - https://www.seleneyeager.com

Instagram @FitChick3

Facebook @FitChickSeleneYeager

Twitter @FitChick3

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Paula McGuire - Everyday adventurer, anxiety survivor, trier, fail-er, author. Currently trying something new every day in 2020. 0

Jul 9, 2020

Paula is an adventurer, speaker and author, but, most of all, she’s a trier. For thirty years Paula suffered crippling anxiety, panic attacks and depression that would eventually rob her of even the most basic freedoms. After decades of medication and intervention, adventure became Paula’s personal therapy in 2012, when she became Paula Must Try Harder, trying the 17 Commonwealth sports, facing her fears head on and fighting her way back into the world.

Ever since, Paula has terrified herself daily in the name of recovery, and now spends all that nervous energy writing and speaking about the importance of allowing a little fear into each day. From flying a plane and wing-walking to becoming a triathlete when she couldn’t actually swim, Paula’s adventures demonstrate that even the most ordinary person can do extraordinary things when they give that little bit extra.

Paula is currently trying something new every day in 2020.

Take a listen to Paula on the Tough Girl Podcast Extra!

Show notes

Who is Paula
What she had done
Dream Jobs Challenge
Becoming an everyday adventurer
Being terrified of failure
Walking away from the Big Mad Swim around Great Britain
Dealing with post adventure blues
The Year of Fear
Becoming a different person
The process of dealing with loss
TedX Talks
Writing a list of all her fears
Having a support team
Adventure as a full time job
Writing her second book
Trying something new everyday
The start of 2020
Starting with a beach clean
Trying to fit in the adventures/challenges around everyday life
Feeling exhausted in the first two weeks
Having a purpose
Dealing with Covid
Knowing her trigger points and keeping herself well
Therapist?
Getting use to the new ‘normal’
Quick Fire Questions

Social Media

Website http://www.paulamusttryharder.co.uk

Facebook @pmusttryharder

Instagram @pmusttryharder

Twitter @pmusttryharder

Youtube @paulamusttryharder

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Sabrina Pace-Humpreys - Ultra runner, going from Anxiety to Accomplishment - Running the Marathon des Sables and challenging Rural Racism 0

Jul 7, 2020

Sabrina a 42 year young mum of 4 and grandmother of 2, comes on the Tough Girl Podcast to share more about her early life, dealing with racism from a young age, suffering from anxiety and post natal depression after her first child at 18.

Sabrina, shares more about her reasons for wanting to take on the Marathon des Sables, a challenging 250km, multi-day ultra race across the Sahara desert.

Sabrina goes into detail about planning and preparation, making the commitment to the race, dealing with anxiety during training and takes us back to the emotional moment of crossing the finish line and achieving her goal.

Sabrina also shares more on the challenges of being a mixed race woman, racialized as Black, living in a rural community and why diversifying the outdoors, and specifically the ultra running community, is so important.

Show notes

Who is Sabrina
Growing up in Stroud
Not growing up sporty
Putting on 4 stone while pregnant
Getting into the gym after her first child
Suffering with post natal depression
How exercise helped
Depression and anxiety
Her goal to help 1 Million people to use their anxiety to accomplish
Discovering the Marathon des Sables
Creating a 10 step program for herself to help achieve a life changing goal
Celebrating her 40th birthday!!
Becoming very focused on her goal
Developing personal strategies to help manage her anxiety
The power of research
Being coached by Elisabet Barnes (Winner of MDS 2015 & 2017)
Getting focused and immersed in what you want to do
Committing to the challenge & paying money
Having a good support network in place
Choosing who is part of the inner circle
Anxiety and mental resilience
Feeling uncomfortable in her own skin
Training to run in sand
What finishing the race was like
Adventure blues
The importance of having focus
Rural racism and Black lives matter
Diversifying the outdoors

Social Media

Instagram @sabrunsmiles

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Jessica “Dixie” Mills - Thru-Hiker & Vlogger walking 500 miles on the Camino de Santiago (the French Way)! 0

Jul 2, 2020

We have been following Jessica (Trail name - Dixie) since 2016 when we first spoke with her about her thru hike of the Appalachian Trial, we then caught up with Jessica in Feb 2019, when she shared more about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail.

During this episode, Jessica shares more about her most recent challenge - walking 500 miles on the Camino de Santiago, which is also known as the French Way. The journey begins at Saint Jean Pied de Port, in France, and goes through four of Spain's 15 regions, ending at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

Jessica shares more about her experiences of this walk, what she wanted to learn and what made it such a special journey. She also shares more about future challenges, and provides top tips and advice for your next hike!

You can listen to Jessica/Dixie on the Tough Girl Podcast and watch her vlogs on the Homemade Wanderlust Channel.

Show notes

Who is Jessica
How she got into hiking
Her passion for hiking
Wanting to travel abroad to hike
Thinking about the Camino
Hiking with her sister - Montana
Getting her first passport at 30
Planning to head over to Europe
Preparation for the trip
Not wanting to over research
Not booking a return flight
The Wine Fountain!
Taking the time to think
The culture shock of Paris
Getting homesick
Ketchup!!
Comparing thru hikes in America to the Camino
Hiking Vs a pilgrimage
Appreciating home more
Stepping outside her comfort zone
Heading over to New Zealand in October…
Homemade Wanderlust Youtube Channel
Reaching Santiago!
Heading to “the end of the world!”
Heading off to Italy after the walk
Quick Fire Questions
Final words of advice

Social Media

Website - https://homemadewanderlust.com

Facebook @homemadewanderlust

Instagram @homemadewanderlust

Youtube - Homemade Wanderlust

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