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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 25
Mar 8, 2017

Catherine Mayer was born in the US and has spent much of her life in London. She is a former Europe Editor and Editor at Large of TIME magazine and the author of Amortality: The Pleasures and Perils of Living Agelessly and the Sunday Times bestselling biography of Prince Charles Charles: The Heart of a King. In 2015 she co-founded the Women’s Equality Party with Sandi Toksvig.

On the 8th March - International Women’s Day she releases her third book - Attack of the fifty foot women: How gender Equality can save the world!

Show notes

  • Her career and how it has been done accidentally!
  • Falling into journalism, via a cash in hand job in the marketing department at The Economist before moving over to the editorial side.
  • Spending 11 years at TIME Magazine before starting the Women’s Equality Party
  • Being born in America before moving over to the UK
  • Being a foreign correspondent while based from home in London
  • Her start in journalism and the challenges she faced in the early eighties
  • How she survived and managed to make a career from it
  • Getting by, by becoming “one of the boys”
  • Why she came more politicised 
  • Working in a culture of conformity in order to get ahead and why we need to change the whole culture
  • How the Women’s Equality Party came about
  • WOW - The Women of the World Festival
  • How a small party can make fundamental change and how UKIP proved that
  • What it was like taking this idea for WE to the next stage
  • How ignorance was bliss and also very helpful when setting up WE!
  • How the initial interest on social media led to more than 250 people turning up to the first meeting
  • What Catherine has learned from going through this whole experience
  • Where the idea for her third book came from -  Attack of the fifty foot women: How gender Equality can save the world!
  • Being an internationalist in outlook and how what happens in one country does impact on what happens in another
  • Going through the process of writing the book and why she loves the research
  • Being a tough girl when it comes to writing, no rest, no days off, starting at five in the morning, a short break in the afternoon and then more writing
  • Iceland & how women stopping work changed the direction of gender equality for the whole country
  • Why the WE party are organising a women’s day off in 2018
  • Why 2018 is going to be a special year for women
  • Starting my Masters in Women & Gender at Lancaster University in 2017 and graduating in 2018 (everything happens for a reason!)
  • The stand out interviews from the book
  • Her plans for the year ahead, including her UK Book tour!
  • BREATHE!
  • EAT!
  • SLEEP!
  • How Donald Trump has helped women in one way…
  • Final words of advice, why this is a time for ACTION and why you should join the Women’s Equality Party.

 

Social Media

Catherine is on twitter @catherine_mayer 

Instagram @MayerofLondon

You can visit her website --> here!

 

WIN a copy of Catherine Book - Become a Patron and your name will be entered into a draw at the end of March! We have 3 books to give away - you can become a patron from $2 per month! Support the Tough Girl Podcast and help increase the amount of female role models in the media.

Mar 7, 2017

Margaret Schlachter found obstacle racing in 2010 with the very first Spartan Race outside of Burlington, Vermont. From that day on she was hooked. This former collegiate athlete found a new spark for fitness in obstacle course racing.

She founded Dirt in Your Skirt in early 2011 as a personal blog tracking her progress to the first World’s Toughest Mudder. Quickly the blog turned into a full website with race reviews, gear reviews, industry insight and more.

In 2012,  she became the first professional female obstacle racer and was ranked 5th in the world at the time. She has taken on some of the sport’s toughest events competing in the Death Race, 5x World’s Toughest Mudder, and Survival Run in Nicaragua. 

Today she spends her time as a full-time author, writer, industry expert, and coach. When not writing or taking on the next obstacle race or mud run she can be found working on her Urban Farm in Salt Lake City.

Show notes

  • Her childhood growing up, attending boarding school and having a passion for the outdoors.
  • Training like a professional athlete at 13 years old
  • Transitioning from school to college
  • Graduating from college and going on to do her Masters part time
  • Her journey to obstacle racing
  • The Original Obstacle Course Race which was started in the UK - Original Tough Guy
  • Hating running but how having obstacles makes it fun!
  • The very first Spartan Race
  • Why you should not wear cotton! 
  • The spear throw and how its evolved over time
  • The rivalry between Sparta & Tough Mudder!
  • Going from 5k to 10 miles
  • Qualifying for Worlds Toughest Mudder - a 24 hours obstacle course race, which had never been done before!
  • Why accountability is so important
  • Starting her blog - “Dirt in Your Skirt” and how it has evolved over time
  • Getting her first podium in 2011 and how it led to her getting sponsorship
  • 2012 & getting her first paid full time sponsorship
  • Training for Worlds Toughest Mudder and making use of the mountains on her doorstep and the free running resources on line.
  • Using rock climbing as a tool for general fitness - “Climb Fit”
  • Dealing with the cold and why wetsuits are a must for any event like this
  • Running her first ultra marathon in training
  • Having to break ice to get through the obstacles
  • Dealing with hallucinations and the stresses on her mind and body
  • Not finishing the race, getting to 7 am, which was 3 hours short of competition
  • How OCR has evolved for women
  • The 3 races that stand out for her
  • Stopping, quitting and not wanting to race
  • Learning from failure
  • Why we both collaborate & support other women

Get in contact with Margaret - via her Blog or on twitter @DirtinYourSkirt 

 

You can listen to my episode with Margaret - HERE!

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

 

Feb 28, 2017

Ashley was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, when she was 26, she has endured chronic pain which has affected both her professional and personal life.  She went from being super fit and healthy to not being able to cut her own food up, or get dressed.

Ashley talks about the power of meditation and how her daily practice has been essential to her recovery. She’s passionate about promoting meditation to reduce stress, lower the risk of anxiety and depression. During this podcast you will get to hear top tips and advice on how you can make small changes to your daily routine which will make a massive difference!

Show notes

  • Who is Ashley Hunt?
  • Being lazy growing up
  • Eventually finding fitness through pole dancing
  • Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis 
  • Finding empowerment through exercise and building strength
  • Becoming a pole dancing instructor
  • Taking control of your body and building self confidence and body confidence
  • Why your confidence builds by doing pole dancing
  • The development of her Rheumatoid Arthritis and how it spread throughout her body
  • Going from being a strong, fit, healthy women in January and by April not being able to dress or feed herself
  • How she coped with the challenge and how it impacted on her mental health
  • Suffering through the dark times and using meditation to get through it.
  • Why being in pain is exhausting
  • Why the struggles you go through make you stronger
  • How she started with meditation & why you need to practice it
  • Her top tips for meditation and why you need to start with breathing
  • Her self care routine & why the best thing you can do is to take care of yourself
  • Taking control of your addiction to technology 
  • Her sleep routine before bed and why there is no technology allowed
  • Advice for dealing with negative thoughts
  • Why being selfish is the most selfless thing you can do
  • Her fitness & training routine now
  • Why nothing is more important than her health
  • What she’s learnt from all the struggles
  • Her final words of advice  - Put yourself first, stop, take a breath and make sure it’s in your best interest - put yourself first!!!

 

Get in contact with Ashley - Via her website and say hi to her on twitter @ashleyhuntwelln

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

 

 

 

Feb 21, 2017

Hannah knows what it takes to follow her dreams, and has always lived by her Uncle’s motto “never give up”

At 13 years old, she became the youngest ever winner of the BT Young Sailor of the Year award for her achievements at the Mirror World Championships.

Aged 15 she received a phone call that changed the direction of her life. Andy Cassell, the Atlanta Gold medalist in the Sonar class opened her eyes to disability sailing, which she had previously thought of as the weaker option. 

After winning the bronze medal at the World Championships, her team was selected above her childhood hero and mentor, Andy Cassell which sent her to her first Paralympic Games - Athens 2004!

During this podcast we learn more about the setbacks she’s had to face, how she has dealt with failure and crushing disappointments. Throughout it all she has kept moving forward with pure grit and determination. 

After listening to Hannah you will be inspired to take on your own personal challenge.

 

Show notes

  • Going back to her childhood and understanding what it was like for her growing up
  • What she loved about sailing & how sailing changed her perception of herself.
  • Going off to military school at young age & what she’s learned from that experience
  • Growing up with her disability and dealing with bullies
  • Making the Youth Squad in sailing
  • Winning the Young Sailor of the Year Award when she was 13 years old!
  • Knowing that sailing was going to be in her future
  • Dealing with the pressure of coming from a sailing family
  • Thinking that Paralympian sailing was the weaker option and how her mind got changed.
  • Deciding to leave university after 2 years and focus on the Athens campaign
  • Beating her childhood hero & mentor at the 2003 World Championships
  • The mental preparation while competing at an elite level
  • The Chimp Paradox and exercising the chimp!
  • Racing & competing in China
  • Race tactics & why it’s a balancing act
  • Losing a medal at the London Olympics 2012
  • 16 years of sailing and the reason she sails
  • Her preparation for Rio
  • What she does to get ready before a race
  • 2 bad days on the water at Rio and having to fight back to Bronze position, before losing out to a disqualification
  • Dealing with the loss
  • What’s the extra one percent and why you have to fight to the end - no matter what
  • The closing party in Rio!
  • What sailing has taught her
  • Sailing has been dropped from the Paralympics in Tokyo 2020
  • The Vendee Globe 2020 Challenge!
  • Final words of advice to motivate & inspire you!

 

Learn more about Hannah by visiting her website - & say hi to her on twitter @SailingHannah. I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

 

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

 

Feb 14, 2017

Justine lives in Wales, is 35 years old and started kayaking 12 years ago with a local canoe club.  When she was at university Justine loved team sports and represented England in hockey, only discovering walking, mountain biking and kayaking when she left university.   She started a career in television at about the same time she discovered kayaking, and she soon gave up her job to pursue sea kayaking adventures and film them to make a living.  

Following her passion, was challenging and difficult for the first four years - people refused to believe that sea kayaking could be exciting! Justine soon changed their minds once they saw her movies. Justine is an avid and accomplished sea kayaker and has explored many of the world’s best paddling spots - New Zealand, Newfoundland, Norway, Tasmania, the Queen Charlotte Islands, Alaska, California...the list goes on!

Show notes

  • How she discovered the outdoors and fell in love with the mountain
  • The challenges she faced of wanting to follow her passion
  • Why it did come down to luck and her determination
  • How she came to make her first sea kayaking video
  • Remembering the important first steps and why she learnt to ask for what she wanted
  • Why its important to share your goals and why you need to give 100% to your goals
  • The expeditions that have stood out for Justine and why she kept upping the challenge after every adventure. 
  • Taking on the Aleutian Islands, “the birth place of the winds” with Sarah Outen 
  • Why she decided to say yes the adventure and why for her attitude is more important than skill
  • Being told the crossings they wanted to do were impossible! (It wasn’t!)
  • Being prepared to give it a go and being prepared to work hard and to wait for the weather
  • 5 months for the planning and training
  • Dealing with the long crossings and how she keeps on going
  • The addictive feeling from from being on an adventure
  • Dealing with the fear and worry in your head
  • Mental tricks she uses while out Kayaking
  • What she’s learnt from making mistakes 
  • Dealing with fear and how she turns it into action
  • Future challenges!
  • Focusing more on - Fun, Family & Friends!
  • Why she named her company - Cackle TV!
  • Advice for women who want to get into Sea Kayaking

Connect with Justine - Visit her website  & Say hi to Justine on Twitter @cackletv 

Sponsor the Tough Girl Podcast!! Become a Patron!

Feb 12, 2017

Part 2

7 Women - 7 Challenges 2017

 

We catch up with; Rae Red, Gemma Smith, Georgie Akin-Smith, Jo Jo Rogers, Jen Dykxhoorn, Laura Try, & Rachel Wise as they continue their 2017 journey to go after their goals and dreams. 

 

Learn more about the 7 women! Click HERE!

 

Order & Timings

 

You can listen to Part 1 HERE!

 

Schedule of future episodes

 

Part 3 - 2nd April

Part 4 - 28th May

Part 5 - 1st October

Part 6 - 19th November

 

Feeling inspired ? 

 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

 

Feb 9, 2017

We first had Sophie on the Tough Girl Podcast in August 2015 and it is awesome to catch up with her at the start of 2017 to see what she’s been up to!

Sophie has cycled from London to Paris in 24 hours nine times, she’s a two-times Ironman Wales finisher, completed the 3 Peaks Cycle Challenge, run ultra marathons, climbed Mont Blanc and achieved a world-first expedition with the Alpine Coast to Coast by climbing the highest mountains in the eight alpine countries and cycling between them in 32 days. To achieve this she cycled 150kms a day, climbed eight mountains and covered 45,500 metres of ascent - nine times the height of Mount Everest!

To listen to her first episode of the Tough Girl Podcast - Click Here

Show notes

  • What has been most challenging for Sophie in 2016
  • Dealing with her most challenging year yet. 
  • Why she wants to be “strong” not just in the physical sense. 
  • Turning the corner in 2017 and she feels so happy
  • How she copes with being in the public eye
  • Why she now knows who she really is
  • ‘Who is Sophie’
  • Heading over to South America with LAN 
  • Taking a job with Epic TV and feeling as though she was taking a step backwards
  • Mountain biking through Bolivia, heading down to Patagonia in Chile to do the W trek!
  • Trying to create something which is marketable 
  • Why you have to create a name for yourself in the industry and no one else is going to do it for you
  • Why e-mail are the biggest waste of her time
  • Why the smaller challenges are some of her favourite ones!
  • Reconnecting with nature
  • Only have 2.5 weeks to train for the 24 hour Tough Mudder Challenge!
  • Wanting to be fit for life
  • Doing 6 sessions of HIT in 1 day!
  • Dealing with the 35ft cliff jump
  • Why it never got easier..
  • London to Paris Cycle in 24 hours and dealing with the emotions
  • Building self belief and self confidence by doing challenges
  • Struggling to balance, training, work and life
  • How she funds her lifestyle
  • Working with sponsors
  • Getting to participate in ‘Race the World’ and being the captain of the team and how she dealt with the added pressure
  • Being able to lean on her teammates for support 
  • Her plan for 2017 & why she’s taking herself off to Scotland
  • Get in contact with Sophie!

 

Thank you for the amazing questions from Sophie Thomas, Emily Pitts, Adelaide Goodeve, Ruth Blanco, Evie Akiens, Rae Red, Hannah Marie Attenburrow, and Mandy Dicksee all awesome members of the Tough Girl Tribe!

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

 

Feb 7, 2017

Jenny has travelled to six continents, solo. Cycled around Europe, paddled through the South American jungle, ran marathons on four continents, hiked throughout Asia, trekked in Patagonia, dived with sharks, surfed in the North Sea, competed in numerous adventure races, and lived in five countries. She believes everyone has the spirit of an explorer within them, and that adventures are constantly at our fingertips. 

On September 18, 2016, Jenny ran through the city gates of Osh, in the southwest of Kyrgyzstan, having run just over 900 kilometres in 25 days from the northeast city of Karakol via the Tien Shan mountains, solo and self-supported. The expedition took her through both stunning and challenging landscapes, where she used ancient nomad trails to access mountain passes up to 4000m, while carrying all of her own supplies on her back!

 

“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”

— T.S Eliot

Show notes

  • Growing up in Calgary, which is close to the Rocky Mountains in Canada. Where she would spend time out in the mountains connecting with nature.
  • Moving down to the Caribbean when she was 10 years old and spending a year a half living on a boat with her family!
  • Taking a gap year when she was 18 and spending time trekking and exploring in South America
  • After university she decided she was going to cycle to the Yukon. A ride of 3,000 km to the North of Canada!
  • Having respect for planning, but also wanting to let the adventure un fold naturally!
  • Having the time and making the money to go away cycle touring and why her first adventure didn’t cost her a lot of money.
  • Dealing with the fears of her friends and having to deal with her un-supportive friends and how their fears wore her down mentally 
  • Cycling 100km on the first day of the adventure and how it motivated her to keep moving north. 
  • The challenges she faced being on the open road and what she did to keep herself motivated and entertained
  • Finding endurance sports, meditative and getting into the zone.
  • After finishing her first cycle journey and deciding to try and live a normal life. It lasted a year before she decided to pack it all in and get back on her bike and go on another adventure
  • Deciding to move to Scotland and why she loves it!
  • Getting into running, how running made her feel and how her relationship with running changed over the years. 
  • Running solo across Kyrgyzstan - 900k self supported! Why she wanted to do this challenge and how it came about
  • Getting herself mentally and physically prepared for the challenge
  • What it was like being in the country - meeting new people and dealing with their doubts about what she was doing.
  • What Jenny has learned most from her Kyrgyzstan experience
  • Why your friends really do matter and why you need to be careful of who you surround yourself with
  • Her first book  - “Keeping the sea to the right” - when she decided to cycle around the Baltic Sea
  • Tips and tricks to help you get over challenges and why breaking it down can make a massive difference
  • Dealing with a family death while being away from her family and how she dealt with her grief
  • Future challenges & final words of advice!

 

Check out Jenny’s website - www.jennytough.com Jenny is on Twitter @JennyTough

 

Support the tough girl podcast by becoming a Patron and donating $2 or $5 a month!!

Jan 31, 2017

Jen is a 41 year old Running and Triathlon Coach based in Australia who loves trail running and being outdoors. About 12 years ago, she was an over-stressed, over-weight and over-worked Lawyer and then she went for a run - and life hasn’t been the same since!

Since then she’s done 2 x 50km races and a 100km team event. She hiked and climbed mountains on 4 continents (including mountaineering in Nepal, Argentina, climbing Kilimanjaro & Meru in Tanzania, as well as completing the Everest Base Camp trek, and the Inca Trail in Peru!). 

Since Jen found her new passion, she left her old job of being a lawyer and set up her own business called Sparta Chicks for women who enjoy triathlons, trail running and outdoor adventures. As well as this she has recently written a book called, "She Believed She Could So She Did: How to Train, Race and Live with Confidence" (which went to #1 in 3 categories in Amazon Australia).

For Jen the focus of her work these days is on mindset; overcoming the fears, self-doubt and the stories we tell ourselves about what we can and can’t do. Jen is a passionate supporter of women and loves watching women thrive when they discover endurance sports and outdoor adventures.

Thank you to the patrons of the Tough Girl Podcast - This episode could not have been produced without your continued support.

Get involved and support the Tough Girl Podcast - Learn more!

Show notes

  • The joy of not setting my alarm any more!
  • Packing in her corporate job and having a total career change in her early thirties and becoming a triathlon and running coach
  • Not being the sporty kid at school and preferring books over sports
  • Why trail running changed everything about running for Jen and how trail running gave her the headspace she needed, where she didn’t have to think about any think else
  • Why it took a long time for her to leave her job and make the change
  • Going to Everest Base Camp and coming back and knowing that things had to change
  • Saving up, resigning and going travelling
  • Taking over two years to get her plan B in place - Working full time while also training as a Personal Trainer
  • It can take time to make a big change - and that’s ok!
  • Making a decision over what she wanted to do! 
  • Finding her passion and what interested her and why not all passions should be turned into a business
  • Think about your passion - but also take a step back and think if this is something you could do 24/7 and if you did would it lose its gloss?
  • Deciding what to do with her time off!
  • 6 months of climbing and eating her way around the world!
  • Not summiting Aconcagua and how it feels like unfinished business
  • Mindset and why it’s so important - dealing with questions such as; What if I fail? What will people think?
  • The Six Foot Track - 45K Trail Race
  • Learning more about Sparta Chicks & its Mission - Ten Thousand Strong Women!
  • Fears and how they can show up differently for different women
  • Her first Triathlon in 2007 and having a panic attack during the swim
  • 3 top tips for triathlon 
  • The power of the word “yet”
  • Picturing your perfect race
  • Writing - She Believed She Could - How to Train and Race with confidence 
  • Why you don’t need more confidence, courage or more bravery
  • Plans for the future
  • One thing for you to think about going forward

 

The Sparta Chicks Podcast will be launching on Thursday 2nd February!

 

Social Media Links

Visit the Sparta Chicks Website

Say hi to Jen on Twitter @SpartaJen say hi to me!! @_TOUGH_GIRL

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

SaveSave

Jan 26, 2017

Audrey is a freelance Business Consultant and Project Manager specialising in IT delivery and business change, an ultra-marathon runner and extreme adventure racer, motivational speaker, mother and wife. 

Having done all that she could to avoid participating in sport at school she came to running late at the age of 34 when she ran her first 10k race to raise funds for her local hospital. She then moved up to half-marathon and marathon at the age of 40 and first ultra-marathon at the age of 47. 

In 2013 as she turned 50 and took on the Antarctic Ice Marathon and Antarctic 100k and was the first Scot to complete both races together finishing first woman in the 100k. Since then she has run the North Pole Marathon, The Volcano Marathon finishing 3rd woman, and numerous ultra-marathons including the West Highland Way race.

Her next BIG challenge, is the Global Odyssey, which comes later in 2017 when she hopes, at the age of 54, to become the first woman to run 7 x 50k ultra-marathons on 7 continents in 7 days. She is using a crowd-funding campaign to raise the funds required to undertake this challenge.

Show notes

  • Being totally disinterested in sports at school and why she enjoyed the ‘punishment’ exercises such as the long runs on the beach
  • Getting into fitness and how after her first 10K she was still saying she wasn’t going to run any further!
  • Choosing to run the Loch Ness Marathon in the Highlands of Scotland!
  • Working full time while training, and why being a project manager helps her to fit in her training while balancing family life.
  • Being relaxed about her training and why she decided to run her first ultra marathon at 47
  • How her mental and physical preparation changed when she moved from a marathon distance to an ultra marathon distance
  • Being stubborn and pig headed and why she doesn’t like to fail!
  • Coming from a background of strong women and how it has made her more determined.
  • What she thinks about while she runs
  • Getting into flow while running!
  • Deciding to take on a big challenge to help celebrate her 50th Birthday
  • Being rejected from the West Highland Way race and how it inspired her to not give up
  • The fears she had to deal with before the race and why she knows she will always have a wobble before the race.
  • Tips for other women who are feeling a little bit of fear about a new challenge
  • Why fear is a good thing
  • Standing on the start line of the Antarctic Ice Marathon
  • Why she enjoyed being in the vast wildness and holding her own and how it helped with her confidence
  • Why food and fluids were so important for her recovery
  • Having low points during the 100K on the 4th and 7th lap
  • Why it’s so important to have a dream and a goal, which isn’t related to your work.
  • Going back to run the West Highland Way race in 2015 - taking 29hrs to completed the 95 miles!
  • Finding out about her 2017 challenges!

 

Social Media & Links!

Learn more about Audrey by visiting her Website you can read more on her blog here 

Support Audrey with her next challenge - Global Odyssey!

Audrey’s crowdfunding page is here  

Twitter @audreymcintosh Instagram @aa_mcintosh 

 

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

 

Jan 24, 2017

Thank you to all the Patrons who support the Tough Girl Podcast each month! 

Become a Patron - click here!

Philippa never thought that at the age of 44 she would be cycling 5,000 miles from the top of Norway to the south of Spain.  Let alone on her own.  She wasn’t an endurance cyclist and had never wild camped on her own.  

Yet in June 2016 she found herself at Nordkapp, the most Northern point in Europe with a tent and two wheels.   After a small freak out and a lot of questions to herself she pointed her bicycle South and started cycling.  Three and a half months and a lot of ice cream later she reached Tarifa in Spain, the Southernmost point in Europe, a lot fitter and with the knowledge that she had been able to overcome those fears, rise to the challenge and complete her dream.  She raised money for 2 charities – Re-cycle (who send bicycles to Africa) and the Youth Adventure Trust who support vulnerable children to build self esteem, gain confidence and learn important life skills through a programme of adventure.  

Since her return she has combined her professional background in events and fundraising with her personal love of adventure and just started working for the Youth Adventure Trust as their Corporate Partnership Manager.  She is also training to be a Pilates teacher 

Show notes

  • Why Philippa decided to do this journey & how having a mentor helped
  • Why the journey was named the “Cycle Odyssey”
  • Why you don’t need to be a super athlete to do challenges
  • Growing up and how she ended up going on her first cycle adventure
  • Cycling from London to Lands End on a second hand bicycle in 1999
  • How she decided to take control of her commute in London and become a cyclist
  • Deciding to cycle from London to Paris and she ended up meeting more people who loved to cycle
  • How her cycle adventure progressed from organised tours to wild camping and solo trips
  • Looking back at the start of her cycling journey and talking about the progression that has been made, and why you discover more about yourself as you continue to push yourself
  • Being inspired by Emily Chappell - (You can listen to Emily on the tough girl podcast - here)
  • Why eating food is always the right thing to do!
  • Cycling in London and why she loved the freedom!
  • Hills….
  • Deciding on what challenge to do next and how she made the decision
  • Taking it day by day and changing her mind about her route on day 3!
  • Talking about money and how she afforded to pay for her trip
  • Remembering her dad
  • The fears that were going through her head before the start of the trip and tips for how she handled those fears.
  • Why you have a choice about your attitude and why you should be positive
  • Her physical preparation for the trip and why testing her equipment was more important
  • Balance!!
  • The highlights from her trip and why the challenges stood out for her as well as the people
  • Getting to the end… and not comprehending she’d completed the journey - 101 days, 5,000 miles rode!
  • Why you can do it!!!!
  • What she’s learnt most from the adventure and her final words of advice for you and why you won’t regret it!

 

Read more about Philippa and her journey on her blog! Philippa is on twitter @cycleodyssey16

 

Charities

RE-CYCLE take donated bikes and reduce landfill and by refurbishing them and sending them to Africa they can change lives by helping children get to school, reduce travel time to work, carry heavy loads of water and food and give families extra time to earn, learn and enjoy life.

 

The Youth Adventure Trust is a registered youth development charity working with vulnerable young people aged 11 to 14 years old from across Wiltshire and Swindon. Many young people, for a variety of reasons, often do not have the opportunity to start the ‘believe – achieve’ process and make the most of their lives.

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3?

You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

 

Jan 17, 2017

AnnMaria began practicing judo at the age 12 and it changed the direction of her life. She found her passion and her calling, and by age 19 she was winning National Competitions. Not only was she training and competing in Judo, at the highest level, she also raised four daughters and managed to achieve her Bachelors, her Master, her PHD, and an MBA! 

During this podcast, we learn more about AnnMaria, her drive, her ambition, and why she continues to push the boundaries, and to go after what she wants. AnnMaria talks about what it takes to be a champion and why not everyone will have that drive and determination. She shares more of her life growing up, spending time in Japan, and her passion behind education and why she wants to encourage more children to reach higher. 

Show notes

  • About AnnMaria; BA, MA, PHD, MBA, mother of 4 and founder of numerous tech companies!
  • Growing up and how judo and maths have made a huge difference in her life
  • Being dropped off at the YMCA and told to join something!
  • How Judo was the only choice for her and what it was like being a female doing judo
  • How she learned to ignore the haters and the negative comments
  • Spending time over in Japan whilst being a poor college student
  • Her first big tournament, and going on to win National Championships, US Nationals, and why she had to fight close to home
  • Entering her early twenties and being able to afford to travel and fight internationally
  • Having a baby instead of going to the World Championships
  • The thoughts that go through her head before stepping onto the mat to fight
  • Mental strategies she would use before fights and why she would visualise winning
  • Why you have to combine visualisation with training!
  • The final of the World Championships and why it was the toughest fight of her career
  • Dealing with knee issues throughout her whole career
  • Her philosophy for Judo
  • Her mumisms - “No one has the right to beat you” 
  • There’s a difference between, being tough and being a bitch.
  • Why champions always do more
  • “You have to be good enough to win the World Championships on your worst day”
  • Getting over the death of her husband, while having 3 young children
  • How she balanced; children, education, sports and a job and why it does come down to setting your own priorities
  • Advice and tips for young people who want to get to the top of their game and why its ok to not want to go to the top
  • Why she tries to talk children out of Judo and why she wants them to focus on education
  • Having 4 daughters and why they had to play a sport and get good grades at school
  • How she’s seen sexism change over the years and why she thinks the bar is still set high for women
  • Her plans for the future and some final words of advice!

Blog

Personal & Company

Twitter

@DrAnnMaria

@annmariastat

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar!

Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

Jan 10, 2017

Stephanie is a 34 year old Canadian human rights lawyer who discovered ultra running eight years ago.

After completing a year in Afghanistan with the UN in 2013, she took a job in South Sudan in 2014 assisting people who were displaced by violence, which required her to live in a tent in very basic conditions. That same year, she started a charity called Free to Run, which provides opportunities for women and girls to get involved in sports in conflict-affected communities. They have now been operating for two years in Afghanistan across three different provinces and have a refugee program in Hong Kong.  Recently, she finished two years in Gaza working for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and is now based in Geneva, where she’s enjoying being able to access the mountains again.

Over the last eight years, she’s competed in eight 250 km self-supported footraces. The Tor des Geants, a 338km mountain race in Italy, remains her passion. In 2015 she completed the shorted course and went back in 2016 to finish what she started!

During this podcast we learn more about Stephanie, her journey into fitness and how she came to love running ultra’s.

Show notes

  • About Stephanie
  • Growing up in Canada and not being sporty at all!
  • Going to university and trying out for the rowing team
  • Being let down by her first marathon and not having that life changing experience
  • Getting the confidence to try a new sport
  • Her first Marathon in Alaska!
  • Climbing Kilimanjaro and loving the feeling of being outside
  • Her first ultra race in Vietnam and coming 2nd!
  • Dealing with the challenges which come up during an ultra race and why she goes for the unstructured approach to training.
  • The Tor des Geants, a 338km mountain race in Italy - the race that really pushed her to her limits
  • 150 hr to finish the race - deciding to forgo sleep and only sleeping for 2.5hrs throughout the 4 days
  • Drinking straight olive oil in order to keep the body going
  • The terrible, soul crushing low points she had to deal with during the race
  • Training for the Tor des Geants while living in Palestine
  • Free to Run  - What it is and how it came about
  • Developing mix gender sports in Afghanistan
  • The power of the ripple effect and why you can make a difference
  • Plans for the future both for, Free to Run and her own personal challenges

Website

Blog - https://ultrarunnergirl.com/about/

twitter - @runningcase  

free to run - http://www.freetorun.org 

twitter - @FreeToRunNGO  

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

 

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

You can listen to the Tough Girl Podcast on the go via iTunes, Soundcloud & Stitcher!

Jan 3, 2017

Ali went along to the Women’s Adventure Expo in October 2015 where she picked up a leaflet about the Tough Girl Podcast, and by May 2016, she was pedaling her old Alpinestars mountain bike on a 767-mile, 13-day adventure from South Wales to Chamonix. At the age of 41 she had found something exciting to give her a new focus, after forcibly retiring from sport due to old knee injuries. The ride to Chamonix took Ali to mental and physical places that she had never been before, and she climbed almost the height of Everest on her way. This journey was significantly longer than her first bike packing adventure, which took her on the Whitehaven to Sunderland Coast2Coast route back in 1995 on the same bike.

Ali is a Sport Psychology Coach and works with individuals and groups to teach them how to implement sport psychology strategies into their training, event and competition programmes. Since her bike ride to Chamonix, she has itchy feet and is making plans for a new bike packing adventure.

Show notes

  • When Ali & I first connected at the Women In Adventure Sports EXPO in Bristol
  • Finding out more about Ali and how she came to become a sports psychologist coach
  • Growing up sports and wanting to try anything and everything
  • Getting into hockey and starting to break into the National League squad
  • Trying to prove it to her body that she could do things, even after two knee injuries and who she tried overcoming the mental barriers she’d created
  • Dealing with further set backs & losing her identity as a sports woman and as an athlete
  • Deciding to get a bike and do the coast to coast challenge
  • Going from being part of a team to being an individual doing a challenge
  • How life can get in the way!
  • Taking part in the game show - ‘Total Wipeout’ in Argentina - Google Season 1 - Episode 2 to see Ali wipeout!!!
  • Rebellion and why its played apart of her life
  • How she made the decision to cycle from South Wales to Chamonix
  • Starting to secretly plan and having to tell her partner what she wanted to do
  • When the challenge all started to become real!
  • Training for the challenge at age 41 and starting from a low fitness level and doing what she could when she could
  • Getting to the start line and what normally stops people from getting to this point
  • Tips to help you to overcome your own negative thoughts and why you can find your own evidence of what you’ve done before
  • Break your challenge down into smaller and more manageable chunks
  • Day 1 of the adventure!
  • Dealing with the challenges along the way and being outside her comfort zone
  • When Ali started to think she wasn’t able to finish the challenge - what kept her going and why pausing helped her
  • The good moments - the unexpected times 
  • Advice and top tips for you to go after your own personal challenge

 

Learn more about Ali - by visiting her blog and her website 

Ali is on twitter @alimahoney74  @ithinksport 

 

Support the tough girl podcast and become a Patron!!! More information about the other tough girls I have interviewed is available on www.toughgirlchallenges.com 

Jan 1, 2017

7 Women - 7 Challenges came about back in October 2016 after discussions and feedback from the Tough Girl Tribe. It was decided as well as having inspirational interviews with the women who were the elite and the best of the best. I also wanted to connect and share the stores of; everyday women, real women, ordinary women, who are out their living full lives and saying yes to challenges and adventures. This would be a way to learn more about members of the Tribe and how they go about achieving their goals. 

I asked the tribe to put themselves forward with their challenges and goals for 2017 and we then took a public vote to shortlist potential women who we would be interviewing for the podcast. 

There were so many amazing entires it was a really difficult process to narrow it down and only select only 7! I’ve tried to be as fair as possible and have gone for a mixture of challenges and ages.

On a side note, expect more interviews with member of the tribe on the Tough Girl Podcast EXTRA which comes out on an adhoc basis every Thursday at 7am UK time. 

Lets meet the 7 women!

 

Georgie Akin Smith is doing 12 CHALLENGES IN 12 MONTHS! 

Georgie is 26 years old, living and working as a marketing manager in London. She loves being fit, active and getting outside as much as she can. Georgie has set herself 12 challenges which scare and excite her in equal measure and are all new things she hasn't tried before. She is booked in to to the Windsor Duathlon, the Engadin Cross Country Ski Marathon in Switzerland, as well as the London Marathon and the Mallorca 312! This is just an example of some of the challenges she will be completing in 2017!

Rae Red is a new runner going after her first Ultra!

In the late summer of 2016 after a fairly sustained period of life being crappy Rae was looking for something to help her with her own mental health. She started to consider running, but there were a whole host of reason to not start; she lives in a bad area, it’s not safe, she commutes for 4 hours a day so doesn't have time, she's not a runner, she has tight leg muscles, it’s too cold, it’s raining, it’s too hot....  

Rae saw an article on ultra running and that was it, she signed up for the Dig Deep Ultra (30 miles). We will be following Rae on this journey to complete her first ultra! 

 

 

Gemma Smith is off to climb Kilimanjaro and also plans to climb both the Matterhorn and the Eiger!

Almost two years ago she had a moment where she decided it's not worth being that person that says, 'that sounds fun but I could never do that'. Because of this change in attitude she started to believe she could do it.

This resulted in a life changing trip to Everest Base Camp in 2015 which was booked on a complete whim! Even since then, subsequent trips have been booked which have included summiting Mont Blanc in June 2016 and Mt Toukbal in the High Atlas Mountains in late 2016.

 

 

Rachel Wise is taking a gap year with her husband and 3 daughters and heading off to travel the world! 

The plan is to leave in August 2017 flying from Geneva to LA. Where they  will do a road trip across the States from the West coast to the East coast. From there they will head down to the Caribbean and be based in St Lucia. In November they will fly to Sri Lanka for a couple of months. Then it's onto South East Asia where they plan to spend a chunk of time in Indonesia. They are also planning to head to New Zealand for a few weeks to see the family before going onto Fiji for two months. After that its time to head back to Switzerland via LA in the Summer of 2018. 

 

Laura Try - Rowing 1,800 miles around the coast of Great Britain, followed by rowing crossing the Atlantic in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge!

Laura is 34 years old and lives in Brentwood, Essex. She works as a Personal Trainer and Event Organiser. In June and July 2017 Laura will taking part in the Rannoch GB Challenge, which invovles rowing 1,800 miles around the coast of Great Britain with a team of 5.  The challenge will take place over 8 weeks and they will be raising money for the RNLI. On competing that, she plans to take part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in December. She will be raising money for Centrepoint, the UK's largest charity for homeless 16-25 year olds.

 

Jen Dykxhorn will be biking the iconic LEJOG - Lands End to John O'Groats, across the UK!

Jen is a coffee-drinking, bicycle-loving, nature-loving, ukulele playing, adventure-seeking wanderer!  She is a 30-year-old Canadian living (mostly) in London, UK while working on her PhD in psychiatric epidemiology. 

In the summer of 2017, Jen will be biking the iconic LEJOG - with her sister. They will be leaving (approx) August 21st and be arriving in the north of Scotland around the 5th of September. Along the way, they will be wild camping (in home-sewn bivy sacks!). To finish off the adventure, they will be completing the Coast to Coast adventure race, and have signed up to do the "expert" course (all 105 miles of biking, trail running, and kayaking in one day).

 

Jo Jo Rogers at 52 will be training and racing in an effort to be selected for the US 50km National Team!

Jo Jo is a passionate runner and she loves to train. She is out running every day, sometimes twice a day! For Jo Jo this is an opportunity to share her story but more so to encourage other women to get out there and go after their dreams, no matter their age.

 

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

 

Dec 29, 2016

I try not to look back, I want to live in the present. I don’t want my past to dictate my future and I don’t want to have regrets. However, every once in a while it’s important to look back, if only to see how far we’ve come and to appreciate the journey we’ve been on. This year has been a journey, a massive learning curve. I’ve made mistakes, failed and also faced & overcome challenges.

During this podcast I'll share more of my thoughts and answer a few questions about 2016 as well as sharing more of my plans for 2017!

I talked about Blinkist - Blinkist is a way to consume good quality information fast.

Blinkist has done all the hard work for you. They’ve read the books and have made a summary for you with the key pieces of information. There's so much content out there. How can you read it all? You can’t!! But with Blinkist you'll be making the best use of your time. 

Books I'd recommend to read on Blinkist

  • The Slight Edge -  Jeff Olson
  • Awaken the Giant Within – Tony Robbins
  • The 4 Hour Work Week – Tim Ferris
  • 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
  • Girlboss – Sophia Amoruso
  • Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg
  • Year of Yes – Shonda Rhimes

 

You can listen to the Tough Girl Podcast on the go via iTunes, Soundcloud & Stitcher!

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

 

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 


 

Dec 27, 2016

Elise started running in January 2013, on the back of a New Year’s resolution to run a half marathon, but she soon started to wonder how far she could run!  On November 1st 2015 she set off to run around the British coast. In August 2016, after 301 days, Elise returned to Greenwich having ran 5000 miles. 

She ran self-supported, carrying all of her kit on her back, including camping equipment, and is the youngest person and only female to have completed this challenge.

This adventure wasn’t about mile splits or Garmin stats. It wasn’t about being the fastest or the most athletic. It was about using running as a mode of transport by which to really explore both Elise’s home country and her own capabilities. The end result was a a great big British adventure, featuring a lot of cake and a terrible fear of cows.

Show notes

  • Getting to know Elise - what it was like growing up, not being sporty and being known as the girl who would always skip PE lessons. 
  • Starting running in January 2013 on the back of a New Years resolution!
  • Her running journey from her first half marathon to running the coast of Britain and how she found her love for running, eventually! 
  • Trekking to Everest Base Camp and realising how much she enjoyed spending time outside
  • How the challenge of running around the coast came about and how it suddenly became very real!
  • Planning or not planning… 
  • What her parents thought when she told them her plans! 
  • November 1st - the start day!!
  • The challenges she faced on the way including her fear of animals and how it got worse and worse as her challenge went on
  • The people she met along the way and why they helped to made the trip
  • Her favourite part of the coast line, when she wanted to quit and why she didn’t 
  • The two week rule!
  • Getting to the finish line!
  • Top tips and advice for you to go on your own adventure 

 

Social Media Links

Visit her website here! Like her Facebook page & say hi to Elise on twitter @elisecdowning 

Elise was raising money for Young Minds and Beyond Food to donate to these charities click here: - www.virginmoneygiving.com/runthecoast

Learn more about the Tough Girl Podcast by visiting www.toughgirlchallenges.com 

You can become a personal patron of the Tough Girl Podcast by clicking here!

Dec 20, 2016

Polly learned to fly when she was 50 years old and after qualifying, she went on to complete numerous flying challenges in order to raise funds for the charity - Flying Scholarships for the Disabled.

In 2001 Polly completed a lateral solo circumnavigation of the world. At 59 years old on May 6, 2003, Polly took off from Birmingham airport seeking to become the first pilot to complete a solo flight around the world via both Poles in a single-engine aircraft!

During this podcast we learn more about Polly, where her love of flying came from and why she doesn’t let fear stop her from going after her dreams. She shares personal stories and how she trained for over two years to prepare for this incredible journey. Now aged 72, Polly is still challenging herself and wants to encourage you to challenge yourself and to go after those dreams. It’s time to stop with the excuses and start believing in yourself. 

Thank you to the Patrons and Supporters of the Tough Girl Podcast who have allowed me to produce this content. Your continued support is much appreciated.

To become a sponsor - Learn more here

Show notes

  • Being brought up in Devonshire and spending time on the beach and in the hills
  • Her adventures started when she was 45 years old and did a sponsored sky dive for charity!
  • Heading off to Australia and having her first flying lesson aged 50
  • Remembering her first gliding experience and why it always stayed with her
  • Doing 240 sky dives and why she loves a challenge
  • Her faith and how it helps her 
  • Why you have to make the effort and not sit back and wait for things to happen
  • Her progression into flying
  • Her first flying lesson and her first solo flight!
  • Her newest challenge - Donkey training!
  • Keeping calm and why it saved her life
  • How one comment changed her life!
  • Deciding to fly over the North Atlantic to America!
  • Flying Scholarships for Disabled People
  • Her first around the world challenge
  • When she learned from her first trip and why preparation was so important
  • Survival training!
  • Her engine stopping…..while flying over the poles
  • Why fear is an important part of life
  • Dealing with an intruder
  • Finishing her challenges and feeling let down at the end
  • Why you have to keep looking forward and not looking back
  • Her proudest moment
  • Why you shouldn’t give up on your dreams!

 

Book -  Wings Around The World: The Exhilarating Story of One Woman's Epic Flight from the North Pole to Antarctica 

 

Feeling inspired week after week? 

You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!

  1. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
  2. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
  3. Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love. 

Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space!

Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!

Want to do more?

Please become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund the runnings costs. 

Next week we have Elise Downing coming on the Tough Girl Podcast to share her story of running 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain!

Dec 13, 2016

Amelia Boone is 33 years old, working as an attorney in California while also competing as pretty much a full time OCR athlete (Obstacle Course Racer). Since the sport's inception, she’s arguably the world's most decorated obstacle racer amassing more than 30 victories and 50 podiums! 

Career highlights include:

  • 3x winner of the World's Toughest Mudder (2012, 2014, 2015)
  • Spartan Race World Champion 2013
  • Spartan Race Points Series Champion (2013 & 2015)
  • 3x Death Race Finisher (Winter 2012, Summer 2012, Summer 2013)

“I’m not the strongest. I’m not the fastest. But I’m really good at suffering.” – Amelia Boone

Show notes

  • Moving from Chicago to California and the benefits which came from it
  • Getting Amelia to introduce herself 
  • Being a full time attorney and also a full time obstacle course racer
  • Being sporty at school, but not being a typical runner
  • Getting to spend time outside, playing team sports such as softball, and soccer
  • Being good at everything but not the best at anything
  • Why she thinks she's successful at endurance events
  • Using the gym while at college and at law school to help deal with stress
  • Learning about Tough Mudder and deciding to give it a go
  • Her first Tough Mudder - going back and reliving the memories!
  • Why she loved it and why she decided to do another one
  • Trying to do her pull up and why the “funky money obstacle” was her big challenge
  • Why you have to go after your first pull up!!
  • Her most impulsive decision in her life and why she signing up for a 24hr Tough Mudder  - The Worlds First!
  • Looking for meaning and try to find a new challenge
  • Using cross fit to develop strength
  • Being one of the 13th finishers to finish the race out of 900 people
  • Having to break through the ice & being the coldest she’d ever been and why this low point was also a high point and life changing for her!
  • Why it’s a race but it’s still about the community
  • Learning mental resilience and why it can be easy to get over whelmed by the size and length of the race
  • Mental tips and tricks to get through the tough times
  • Her favourite song which got her around the 2012 Tough Mudder Race!
  • How the number of women entering races has changed over the years and why women should enter the longer races
  • What’s she learned from running races and how she’s been able to apply it to her life
  • Trying to get balance in her life!
  • Waking up at 4 - 4.30 am!!!
  • Coping with injury over the past year
  • Why you have to find a new normal
  • Losing her identity and going through a period of trying to work out who she was
  • What she would like to see happen in 2017
  • Dealing with the pressure she places on herself
  • Words of advice & top tips

Learn more about Amelia by visiting her website!

Say hi to Amelia once you've listened to this episode on twitter! @ameliaboone I'm @_TOUGH_GIRL

 

Support the Tough Girl Podcast and become a PATRON!!! Your financial support makes a big contribution to the running costs of the podcast - Please check out Patreon to see what goals I'm working towards and what rewards you can get for being a Patron!

 

Dec 8, 2016

I was looking for a new challenge and boxing was one of those challenges, I’d wanted to do for ages, but I’d never got around to it!

After the Olympics in 2012 there’s been a huge surge in women taking up boxing for fitness. I’d done boxing before but I’d never stepping into the ring!

After 8 weeks of training I got my opportunity and in front of 600 people at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool I had my first fight!!

During this podcast I share more about me, my story and how I got to where I am now. I also answer all of your questions about boxing; from training, to mental strategies, what it was like punching someone and getting punched and what music I choose to enter the ring to!

I hope you enjoy this episode and the different format!

Sarah 

xx

I was raising money for Cancer Research to donate - CLICK HERE!

To watch a small clip of the flight - CLICK HERE!

 

Links

Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB)

Aspire Combat Sports Academy

Underground Training Station

 

Social Media!

Follow me on Twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL & Instagram @toughgirlchallenges

 

Sponsor the Tough Girl Podcast! CLICK HERE!!

Dec 6, 2016

Alison North is a married mother to two girls, (We interviewed her older daughter Lorna from “Queen of the Mile” last week on the podcast!), she’s also a business women, and can now call herself an ultra runner!

During this episode we learn more about Alison, what drives her and why she decided to put her trainers on at 64 and start running. 

We learn more about her mental resilience and why she wants to encourage more women and men to take up fitness when they hit their sixties.

Its never to late to start but its always too late to wait! #66notout

Show notes

  • Growing up in Aberdeen
  • Having children late for her generation
  • Being an older mother and how it kept her fit
  • Having the support of her husband and how it helped her work life balance
  • Growing up as a healthy family 
  • Getting the mothers perspective on daughters going off on adventures
  • Why she decided to take up running again at 64
  • Deciding to do the a 100K Race - The Race to the Stones!
  • How her walking progressed to running and how she amazed herself!
  • Dealing with the negative comments about her age when she decided to do this challenge
  • Being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998
  • What drives her to want to prove people wrong
  • Why you need to “pull yourself into yourself”
  • The two types of women in their sixties who run
  • Why you need to squat and why you need to have strong legs
  • What the race to the stones is - and why its a good starter race
  • What cut off times are
  • Race tactics and her strategy
  • The importance of good socks and shoes
  • Feeling stronger and better at 80km than she did at 50km
  • What she’s learned while ultra running and why its the distance for her
  • Starting to plateau and why she needed to change her training 
  • How running has impacted on her life - for positive and negative reasons
  • Learning to burn fat more efficiently, but still having carbs
  • On line communities
  • Advice for women who do want to take up running!
  • Raising money for Charing Cross Hospital and why its so important

Say hi to Alison on Twitter @alison8north    

 

Charity - Friends of Charing Cross Hospital

To become a Patron on the Tough Girl Podcast - CLICK HERE!!

 

Dec 1, 2016

Whether it is working out to lose weight, training towards a marathon or playing team sport, keeping your body fuelled is a vital part of producing the best results.

And when it comes to understanding the science behind eating healthily and nutritionally to support an active lifestyle, not many people have more expertise than University of Bath-based sports nutritionist Renee McGregor.

Renee is a qualified Dietitian and she says, "I'm passionate about nutrition and enjoy making the science simple and practical to follow; no fads, no feelings of deprivation, just sensible dietary solutions.”

Show notes

  • Renee introduces herself and shares more about her experiences
  • Woking with the women & mens fencing & basketball wheelchair teams
  • Heading over to Rio to support the teams. What’s its like over there and dealing with the difficult conditions such as the heat and lack of good quality food
  • Getting balance with the athletes and how to help them with distractions
  • Why its not about #cleanfood and why its more important to use food as fuel
  • Stress, food and the importance of building mental resilience from a young age
  • Rituals with food and how it can lead to extreme behaviour
  • Eating disorders with a focus on athletes
  • Periods and how missing more than three periods in a row can impact on bone health
  • Why women should talk about periods more and why its important from a health point of view
  • How to get the balance between periods, health, and performance
  • Positively Primal: Finding Health and Happiness in a Hectic World By Emma Woolf
  • Why its important to listen to your body!
  • Should you be on the pill? Should you merge your pill?
  • Why common sense is still so important 
  • Why balance and moderation is important and why it can be difficult to do
  • Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable
  • How you can lose the ability to moderate consumption and what to do about it
  • Advice for women who think things have gone too far and why they may need to dial it back
  • Why you should seek help
  • Final worlds of advice and why you need to be kind to yourself!

 

Learn more about Renee by visiting her website and following her on twitter @mcgregor_renee 

Listen to Renee when she first came on the Tough Girl Podcast - HERE

COMPETITION!

If you want to win a copy of Renee book - then please like The Tough Girl Challenges Facebook Page and comment on why you should win the book! (I have 6 books to give away!) Deadline 4th December! Winners will be announced on Monday 5th December - through the FB page.

SOCIAL MEDIA!

Follow me on Instagram @toughgirlchallenges

To be kept unto date on Tough Girl Challenges - Come and follow the Facebook page. Click here

Join the Tough Girl Tribe - A closed Face Book group specifically for you to connect with the other listeners of the Tough Girl Podcast!! 

SUPPORT!

Become a patron of the Tough Girl Podcast and donate through Patreon! From $2 to $5 per month!!

Nov 29, 2016

Lorna North is the founder of Queen of the Mile, a platform for those who share the joys of road cycling and running with a particular focus on making these sports less intimidating and more accessible to women. The idea came about when she bought her first road bike and couldn’t find any personal insight on how to get started. As a professional writer anyway, she decided to build a resource to fill this gap and share first-hand experiences of the cycling and running challenges she and the community were embarking on. Lorna’s approach is not about being the fastest but about pushing your own limits, having fun with it and seeing every mile as a victory.

Show notes

  • Getting to know Lorna, what it was like growing up in London and finding her first passion - Gymnastics
  • Why she decided to give it up
  • Why running came next and what she loved about it
  • Spending 4 years abroad, traveling around Africa and Asia and what she learned from it and why it empowered her
  • Returning to the corporate lifestyle and why she decided to train for her first Marathon
  • Hitting the wall at mile 20 and what was going through her head as she struggled around the marathon courses
  • Why she felt disappointed in herself.
  • The dreaded questions that everyone asks when you talk about marathon running…
  • Having to take a break after the marathon and why she decided to get into cycling!
  • Turning 30!
  • Getting on her bike and going through a baptism of fire!
  • Looking back at her previous challenges and which ones stand out for her - most notably cycling from London to Paris in 24hrs with Challenge Sophie!
  • Getting through the dark moments and what kept her going
  • Her first Ultra - 100k Race to the Stones - what happened and what she learned on the way
  • Dealing with DNF (Did Not Finish)
  • 2016 and what’s been happening!
  • Cycling 220 miles from Manchester to London - and how she coped physically and mentally
  • Coping with “bonking”, dealing with nutrition and how to mange her food needs while completing ultra distances
  • Plans for 2017

Learn more about Lorna by visiting her blog - www.queenofthemile.com

Lorna is on twitter @QueenOfTheMile I'm on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

Next week we will be speaking to Lorna’s Mum - Alison “Ace” North as she shares more about taking up running in her sixties and how she went from running 5K to a 100K ultra race!

Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss out of future episodes!  Visit www.toughgirlchalleges.com to be inspired by the other women who have been on the Tough Girl Podcast.

To become a patron of the tough girl podcast - click here!

Nov 22, 2016

Rachel is a 44 year old, Special Needs PE Teacher who loves sports and has represented Team GB at Triathlon. This is her story of how she knew something was wrong with her, but no one would listen. Eventually she stopped talking about it. She was then diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2014. During the podcast we talk about how she handled the news, and how she coped with her diagnoses. What kept her positive through the challenges she faced, from emergency operations, to only being able to sit up in bed for five minutes at a time. Rachel has fought her way back to health and fitness and inspired many along the way with her story. 

Show notes

  • Where her love of sport came from and why a teacher inspired her at 11 years old to become a PE teacher
  • Quitting hockey and changing over to football
  • The changes she has seen in girls sports and why it’s changed so much over the years
  • Why she decided to leave football and try a new sport at 40 years old
  • Wanting to make the GB Triathlon Team
  • Her first triathlon, on a borrowed bike!
  • Her first Ironman, where she trained herself and just did what she thought should be doing
  • What you need to do to qualify for Team GB 
  • Racing in Budapest & coming 9th in her first World Championships!
  • How her lifestyle changed going forward
  • Where her determination and focus comes from
  • Starting to have dream like episodes and having issues with her eyes
  • Being told she had a brain tumour and how she handled it
  • How quickly things moved forward
  • Why her surgeon encouraged her to exercise
  • How she remained positive during the diagnosis
  • How she came to start writing her book and why writing gave her relief
  • Having the first operation
  • Getting out in time for Christmas
  • Needing to go in for an emergency operation
  • Why she needed to ask the hard questions
  • How she got herself out of the darkness
  • Why she looked at her recovery like training
  • Having to start again 
  • What she’s learned most from the whole experience
  • Heading off to Geneva 7 months later and making the most of the event
  • Getting a Gluiness World Record! Running the London Marathon in a Hippo Costume!
  • Raising money for Brain Tumour Support
  • Why she named her book - The Butterfly Within

Learn more about what the Brain Tumour Support charity does by visiting their website.

Rachel is also on Twitter @TheRachelBown

 

Thank you for listening to the Tough Girl Podcast - Make sure to subscribe and check out the website for more info www.toughgirlchallenges.com 

 

Nov 15, 2016

Yorkshire born Lauren did all the normal things that are expected, she did her GCSEs, her A’Levels and headed of to University. After graduating instead of following a safe career path she decided on a different route and in 2013 she and a friend set off to row the Atlantic Ocean.

It was a challenge like no other. During this podcast we learn the reasons behind her row, how she dealt with the catalogue of errors that happened on the row and why she went back in 2015 to row it again.

Lauren is a 2x World Record Holder for rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, she’s also survived “The Island” with Bear Grylls.

Shownotes 

  • Who is Lauren & how she describes herself
  • Taking up rowing in her 2nd year at university
  • How the death of her close friend, Elle from cervical cancer at 23 years old changed the direction of her life and how she choose to live her life
  • Having 100 days to prepare for the ocean row
  • The journey across the Atlantic Ocean; the highs, the lows, the errors & the mistakes made along the way 
  • Being on the boat for 75 days and deciding not to give up and trying to find anyway to fix the boat to make it work
  • Getting rescued and ended up in Canada!
  • After four and half months, finally arriving back in the UK and trying to fit back into normality
  • Dealing with the depression blues after the challenge and feeling very lost
  • What she learnt most about herself from going through this experience
  • Deciding what do to next
  • Applying for “The Island” with Bear Grylls!
  • Getting to the island and being stranded with 14 other women for 6 weeks
  • Finding out she was the youngest women on the island
  • What she learnt most on the island from; friendships, to who she was as a person and being able to stay positive in negative situations. 
  • Going 11 days without any food and how she coped
  • The highlights and making friends for life
  • Having the confidence to go after her dream of rowing across the Atlantic
  • How she changed and how she struggled to relate to her friends and family
  • Dealing with her biggest fear that she could fail again, and not knowing how she would be able to come back from that
  • Not sleeping 3 months before the race and lying awake at night
  • What drives her to do what she does and the mission to inspire younger girls to get outside to get active and to play sports
  • Dealing with the sexism while rowing across the ocean, having people bet against them an how they used it to drive them forward
  • The mental preparation involved and why she made it sounds as unglamorous as possible!
  • Why they decided to head down South at the star of the race
  • Winning two World Records for being the youngest and fastest female rowers across the ocean
  • Getting her Antigua holiday finally!
  • Her future plans and why she wants to keep on testing the boundaries

Learn more about Lauren and her adventures by visiting her website

You can follow Lauren on twitter @MortonLauren  

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