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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: July, 2022
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  
 
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