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Tough Girl Podcast

The Tough Girl Podcast is your weekly dose of inspiration from women who dare to dream big, push boundaries, and redefine what’s possible. Hosted by adventurer and speaker Sarah Williams, the podcast shares the raw, real, and remarkable stories of women from around the world who have taken on extraordinary challenges — from climbing mountains and crossing oceans to running ultramarathons and biking across continents. Each episode dives deep into the journeys behind the achievements: the grit, resilience, setbacks, and triumphs. These conversations aren't just about finish lines — they’re about courage, growth, and what it truly means to step outside your comfort zone. Whether you’re seeking motivation for your next adventure, training for your first race, or simply want to be uplifted by stories of women doing extraordinary things, the Tough Girl Podcast is here to show you that you are capable of so much more than you realise. Be inspired. Get motivated. Feel empowered.
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Now displaying: Page 1
Oct 15, 2019

A wife and mother whose life was going downhill when she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis - an inflammatory bowel disease. With an encyclopaedic knowledge of every public toilet, bush or tree to dive behind, and after numerous extreme dietary regimes, Caroline elected to have her large intestine removed, and to live with a permanent ileostomy. 

The decision she made then, and those she’s made since, have brought her face-to-face with some tough obstacles and hard decisions to make. No-one truly realises their own resilience until they are put in difficult situations. Motivated to learn to swim by her children, her enthusiasm for triathlon was lit after meeting Ironman world champion, Chrissie Wellington.

Caroline has turned her life around from being a self-confessed ‘couch potato’ to a tough ‘can do’ individual who competes in– Ironman triathlons. 

Show notes

  • What her childhood was like
  • Hating running and hating sports at school
  • Deciding to get fit 
  • Becoming ill with Ulcerative Colitis
  • The challenges of getting diagnosed while pregnant
  • Making life changing decisions 
  • Trying all the different lifestyle options and various diets
  • The mental challenge of deciding to do the surgery
  • The next steps after surgery
  • Signing up to cycle London to Paris in 24hrs
  • Why reaching Paris was a major milestone
  • Falling back to her old couch potato ways
  • Needing a new challenge 
  • Deciding to face her fear of water and learning how to swim in 2014
  • Deciding to join her local tri club - North Devon Triathletes
  • Swimming with a ileostomy
  • Putting off the running
  • Getting involved in park run
  • Fuelling nutrition needs without a large intestine
  • Making her own food bars
  • The challenges of hydration
  • Working with a coach to help with triathlons 
  • Following a 6 day a week training program
  • Her dream of being an ironman
  • Getting cut on the bike 
  • Learning from failure
  • Blogging and social media
  • Quick Fire Questions

 

Social Media

Website www.ironostomy.co.uk

Facebook -@Ironostomy 

Twitter - @carolinebramwel  

You can also listen to Chrissie on the Tough Girl Podcast - HERE 

 

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