The Explorers’ Grand Slam is the ultimate adventure challenge that involves climbing the world’s highest peaks on each of the seven continents as well as trekking to the geographic North and South poles.

Masha began her Explorers' Grand Slam challenge in October 2015 she has now scaled the world’s highest peaks on each of the seven continents – Everest (Asia), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Vinson Massif (Antarctica), Aconcagua (South America), Carstensz Pyramid (Australasia), Mt. Elbrus (Europe) and Denali (North America) as well as trekked to the geographic North and South poles.

The extraordinary demands of the challenge mean she's been pushed to the edge of her physical endurance and mental resilience. She's spent over a 100 days in a tent and spent three weeks trekking on skis to the North and South Poles in -40C weather and exposed herself to the “death zone” – the high altitude above 8,000 where there is not enough oxygen for humans to breathe.

Only two other people have completed the Explorers' Grand Slam challenge (including the two poles) in under a year and just 45 in total. The previous female world record title holder was Vanessa O’Brien who completed the record in 11 months. Masha did it in 8 months!

Show notes

• Early years and growing up and not being athletic!
• Falling in love with the mountains and getting that sense of achievement from adventure
• What the Explorers’ Grand Slam is and how it came about
• Negotiating time with the family to make time for the challenge
• Remembering back to taking the first step of the challenge
• The importance of having a sounding board
• What aspect of the challenge worried her the most and why
• Getting fit and building up her endurance
• Starting the Explorers Grand Slam with climbing Kilimanjaro in 24 hours
• Everest and attempting the summit
• Dealing with fragility and how it became a story about grit
• Teaming up with Lydia Bradey and deciding to climb or not with the potential for 50 mph winds on the way
• What they had to do, to remain safe on the mountain. 
• Knowing your limits and why you need to put things into perspective 
• Getting off Everest and why that can be the riskiest part
• Grit & Rock the charity, how it came about and why its so important for young women
• What Masha learned most about herself throughout this experience. 
• What her children thought about her adventure and how its changed her children

Check out the Grit & Rock Website for more info! 

A massive thank you to everyone who has become a patron! You too can support the Tough Girl Podcast from $2 to $5 per month!  CLICK HERE!

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

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Love running? Do you want to take it to the next level? Fancy doing an ultra marathon? 

Listen to Ellie as she shares her running journey from PE lessons in Dundee, her first half marathon, before moving over to Canada and starting to run to meet new people.

She’s gone on to win some of the most famous ultra races in the world, some of her race highlight include:-

-Comrades Marathon (89km) 1st place, South Africa. (2014, 6:18:15, downhill course) 

-Western States 100 mile Endurance Run Course Record, California, USA. (2012, 16:47:19)

-Comrades 89km 2nd place, South Africa.  (2012, 6:08:24, downhill course)

-IAU World 100km Champion, Gibraltar (2010, 7:29:05) and Doha, Qatar (2014, 7:30:48)

Show notes

• Learning more about her childhood and being sporty at a young age. 
• Where it all started with the Great North Run at 21 years old
• The journey of how she made a career out of running
• Getting her first sponsorship in 2008 and how that helped with accountability
• Joining a more competitive running club.
• Making the transition from running the marathon to her first 50K
• Why having fun is so important while running
• Her running goals and how they impact on her races and her race strategy going forward
• Representing Great Britain and wanting to be the best she can be
• Her physical preparation and training back in 2010 and how it has changed over the years
• How ultra racing has changed and become more popular over the past few years
• Learning more about Comrades Marathon held in South Africa each year and why its such a special race. 
• Her first Western States and it being her first 100 mile race
• Racing 950km in 2012 and being on a total roll with regards to wining races all over the world.
• Dealing with injury
• Her mental preparation for Comrades when she went back in 2014
• Why having a running coach is a good idea
• Her top tips for taking those first steps into running an ultra

You can learn more about Ellie by visiting her website or following her on Facebook.

Anna is based in London and back in the day she represented Great Britain at rowing, but after ‘retiring’ in her mid twenties, she started a “normal" job but the desire for adventure never left her.

In 2013 she set out to cycle 11,000 miles through each and every state of the USA, and most recently she became the first person to run the whole length of New Zealand. Along the Te Araroa trail. She ran it solo and unsupported, stopping off to speak to over 4,000 school children on the way. 

Show notes 

-Anna share more about her background and what it was like growing up in the McNuff Family!

-What it was like being the daughter of two Olympians

-Why she wanted to be an Olympian

-Representing Great Britain in rowing and making the decision to stop.

-Losing her sense of identity and deciding who she was and what she wanted to do next

-Entering the corporate world & being excited by it!

-Trying to fit adventures in around her work

-2013 - The urge for adventure became too much and she decided to scratch the itch!!

-Why you always have a choice!

-Making sacrifices to make her dream happen

-The highlights from cycling America - from Alaska, to the National Parks

-The challenges she faced during her cycle and how she overcame them. 

-Coping with her emotions - The Snowball, The Doubtress, The Dream Dumpers

-The post adventure blues & how to deal with them

-Running the full length of New Zealand and how the challenge came about

-Her mental and physical preparation for the challenge - Making herself ‘bomb proof’!

-What she learnt most about her brain while out running 

-#AnnaRuns

-Her “cheerleaders” only day!!!

-Why it was important for her to speak to children along the way to share her story with the goals of getting them excited about the planet.

-Advice around failure and why it’s about perception and perspective.

-Anna shares her mission for kids & adults

-Her future challenge - An exclusive on the Tough Girl Podcast!!!

Anna is 100% passionate about the positive impact adventure and sports can have on the lives of young people. Anna uses her human powered journeys as a platform to inspire and motivate children, to get outside, and get exploring the world they live in. 

To learn more about Anna visit her website www.annamcnuff.com. Anna is also on twitter @AnnaMcNuff - Give her a shout out once you’ve listened to this episode!

A massive thank you to everyone who has become a patron! You too can support the Tough Girl Podcast from as little as $2 to $5 per month!  CLICK HERE!

Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

This episode has been sponsored by Four Athletics - for a 20% discount use the promo code ToughGirl20!

Jules is currently based in the UAE, she was the first female to start an adventure & travel company in the Middle East. After climbing her first mountain when she was 40, she decided to create Mountain High. For the past 13 years, she has been leading expeditions around the world, writing books, and giving motivational talks.

During this podcast Jules talks about the following:-

• Jules introduces herself and tells us how Mountain High came about
• Climbing her first mountain when she turned 40 and how it changed the direction of her life. 
• Why age is a lifestyle and not just a number

• Her 40th birthday and the importance of “Zero Limit Birthdays”
• Why climbing mountains can be a great metaphor for life
• The “mountain high” moment and how it took her a year to gain the courage to start her company
• Trekking to base camp at Everest
• Advice and tips around courage and why courage is like a muscle you need to exercise and use on a regular basis.
• Why you have to know your - WHY!!
• Her first Arctic Expedition with 18 other women and what she learnt about her place in the world.
• Training a team of breast cancer survivors for a dragon boat race
• Visiting Tibet and being at high altitude.
• The success factor and the psychology of success
• The way of the Warrior!
• Tips & advice for starting off in meditation.
• Jules shares more about her daily routine and her rituals to help her achieve her goals.
• The Power of Three - Her mind, body & spirit.
• Dealing with FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real - What are your fears?
• Writing her first book - Moving Mountains Discover the Mountain in You

To learn more about Jules - Please visit her personal website or her company website.

Jules is also on twitter @mountainhighme

A massive thank you to everyone who has become a patron! You too can support the Tough Girl Podcast from as little as $2 to $5 per month!  CLICK HERE!

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

Thank you to Four Athletics for their sponsorship!

Let me introduce you to Nikki Kimball!!

Nikki has had a phenomenal running career and she is a living legend in the world of Ultra running. She has been a member of the US 100K Team from 2001 to 2006, she has won the Western States 100 in 2004, 2006 and 2007. She has also won the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in 2007 and the Marathon de Sables in 2014! 

During this podcast we discuss; how she got into running, ultra running, dealing with pain and depression. Nikki also provides advice and tips to help you with your own personal challenges, whether that’s running or dealing with depression.

Show notes

• Nikki shares about her childhood and how she was a skier first, before transitioning into running
• Not feeling like a runner because of body image issues
• Accidentally running her first ultra!
• The race that scared her the most - Running the Long Trail in Vermont - A very technical, challenging 272 miles! 
• Learning more about the off shoot of ultra running - Fastest Known Time running and the 3 ways you can do it. 
• The physical training she does for ultra & the logic behind it
• Dealing with the pain, and her top tips for embracing the pain and using it to your advantage
• How to get the balance right between doing enough training without getting over trained. 
• Tips for recovery after a hard training session or a 100 mile race. Why she’s advocating for recovery lounges.
• What she eats while training, and racing and why she made the transition from vegetarian to a meat eater! 
• Why she changed  from High Carb:Low Fat to Low Carb:High Fat
• Her Marathon des Sables experience in 2014 and why she wasn’t in the right frame of mind before the race
• Why she won’t race where the prize money isn’t equal for men and women
• Living with depression from a young age and how it’s impacted on her life.
• Trying to come off medication and not being able to succeed and how’s she combined exercise with medication to help her.
• Talking about depression and the steps she took to get help and why she’s talking about her own experiences.
• Being part of the documentary “Finding Traction” that followed her journey running the fastest known time on Vermont’s Long Trail (272 miles) – 5 days, 7 hrs, 42min
• Advice and tips for women who want to take up running.
• Discussing her favourite race and the reasons why!
• Talking about her race strategies,which involve having fun and being relaxed!
• Trainers - being sponsored and the number of trainers she goes through!!!
• The ultimate race & challenge she would like to do!

Connect with Nikki on Facebook you can also like - Tough Girl Challenges on Facebook !

Listen to this episodes on iTunes, Soundcloud or Stitcher! Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Show notes

• Sally shares how she first got into sailing and the pathway shetook to get to the Olympics in Beijing
• Sailing at university and how she moved from being a new memberof the crew to leading the team
• Deciding to become a professional sailor and how she followedher passion
• What was involved in the 6 year campaign of getting to theOlympics. How she kept motivated over the years  
• The type of sailing she was doing and how it works in scoringfor the Olympics
• What she’s learnt about teamwork from sailing as part ofcrews
• Heading over to China, and dealing with the differentchallenges before the games even started.
• What happened in the the final medal race
• The learning Sally took away from that experience
• Taking a break from sailing and getting over the sense offailure and loss
• “The hardest sailing you will ever do” being a member of thefirst all female team for SCA in the Volvo OceanRace 
• What it was like being out on the boat; the day to day routine,working for 4 hrs on, 4 hrs off, dealing with the pressure ofracing while out at sea and keeping the focus on driving the boatforward
• Learning as much as they could while sailing, and dealing withthe highs and lows while out at sea
• Dealing with set backs, never giving up and fighting all theway to the finish line
• The training they needed to do, to get as fit and strong aspossible before the race starts.
• Getting respect from the guys for the job they were doing
• The reasons behind the MagentaProject and what their aims are
• The challenges going forward especially around gainingsponsorship 
• Why you should give sailing a go!

“Thank you for showing girls and women around the worldthat we can accomplish anything and to dream big. Your perservence,drive and commitment to this gruelling competition is inspiring.” Billie Jean King 

The MagentaProject - aims to increase the participation of women atthe highest level of sailing and promote inclusion, diversity andpositive female role models in society at large.

The Tough Girl Blog was highly commended at the UK Blog Awards2016! 

Check out the Tough Girl blog to learn more about theinspirational women on the Tough Girl Podcast

In 2003 Lois decided she’d had enough of working at the BBC and decided to leave it all behind to take a trip on her motorcycle. She headed to Alaska and started the twenty-thousand miles journey  down to the southern most tip of South America. This was the start of many epic adventures. 

During this podcast Lois shares the reasons behind the decisions she’s made, the highs, the lows, what she’s learnt on the way and why everyone should take a trip and go travelling.

Show notes

-Lois introduces herself and shares more of her story; how being a bored 29 year old, passing her motorcycle test and having itchy feed led to the adventure of a lifetime

-Deciding to make a big change in her life and how you can make that change

-Deciding to get her motorcycle licence and why she decided this was the way to see the world

-Planning and preparing for the 20,000 mile ride

-Dealing with FEAR - your own and others

-Why you do need to modify your behaviour and apply common sense to situations

-Crossing the border from California into Mexico

-Having a goal to keep you focused and something to aim for

-The challenges she faced while out on the road; crashes, breaking down, getting lost!

-What she learnt about herself while travelling

-Her feelings on getting to the end of the trip 

-Taking on Africa - “The greatest motorcycle challenge in the world!”

-Why it’s always about the people the meet

-The logistic of travelling - Map reading, GPS systems, getting lost in big cities!

-Why she decided to go to Iran

-Her top tips for women who want to go travelling or go on an adventure!

Say hi to Lois on twitter @LoisPryce - I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

Lois co-founded The Adventure Travel Film Festival with her husband. This will be happening in the UK on the 12-14th August - You can get your tickets HERE!

Julie Creffield is a women on a mission. She wants to get One Million women in the UK active and running. She’s focused on the women who don’t get any support, the women who may feel they’re too fat, too overweight, and too curvy to do exercise. 

Julie has been providing people wrong over the years, she was told by a doctor she was “too fat to run” she wasn’t -  she went on to run a marathon. 

People have been telling her all her life she’s too fat to do things, she decided enough was enough. Just because you weren’t slim or you don’t fit the stereotypical image of what a women should look like doesn’t mean you can’t do exercise and Julie’s proof of this.

No matter your size, you’ll be able to relate to Julie and the message she’s spreading.

Show notes

• How the blog idea came about, and how its developed as Julie has grown more comfortable in her own skin
• Going back to start and finding out more about Julie and what drives and motivates her
• Getting the wake up call, when a child shouted “Run Fatty Run”
• Not having the confidence to join a running club, and being embarrassed about running outside.
• The far off dream of running a marathon…
• The discrimination of women based on their size. The judgement women are constantly under and why it can be easier to not run
• Why larger women need to be more visible. Why women of all sizes can get outside and run
• Her take on running clubs, but why they don’t necessarily work for working mothers with children.
• How being a part of a running club can help you become part of a community and can help with accountability.
• One Big Fat Run - A virtual 5K that takes place on the last Sunday of every month
• Why it’s about the participation at the end of the day!
• Her experience of running the London Marathon and what she learnt most about herself 
• Top tips for women who want to get out there and start running. 
• Her program; from couch to 5K and why its not just about the distance, but also about facing fears, creating new habits and becoming a runner.
• Facing individuals personal fears; from being seen in public, telling your partner you want to run, wearing lycra, to getting fitted for trainers for the first time.
• How running has changed her habits for the better
• The Brighton Marathon & why the race stands out for her
• Dealing with race pressure and how she learnt to cope with it
• Why she’s not concerned about loosing weight anymore - and why for her its about living a healthy and happy life at any size.
• Why its about living in the NOW!
• Confidence and why you need to understand your WHY!
• Richard Branson’s Virgin Business Competition - VOOM!
• Her mission - to get 1 Million overweight women in the UK running! 
• Final words of advice and why you need to learn to trust yourself and make your own decisions - Put Health & Happiness at the forefront of your life.

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Tanith is your normal everyday women, she has her own business on the Wirral, she is a mother and at 44 had never been a runner. 

That all changed on May 9th….. 

Learn more about Tanith’s story and be inspired to take on your own personal challenge.

Show Notes

• Tanith introduces herself and shares why she wanted to do the ultimate running challenge - The London Marathon
• The importance of having a bucket list, the power of visualisation and how you can make any idea happen.
• Her first running experience, running her first mile and how she had no idea what she was doing!
• How she broke it down and started to take small steps in order to accomplish this massive goal she’d set herself
• Telling the world she was running the London Marathon when she didn’t even have a place!
• Doing it on her own and what she learnt on the way, taking advice from running forums, an app and why she decided to keep it really simple

“If you want to get good at something you have to keep doing it”

• Being a fitness instructor, but not really being fit. Drinking, smoking and how she’d never really embracing the fitness way of life
• How running started to help change her social patterns, and how running changed her habits for the better
• Completing her first half marathon and celebrating with a beer and a fag and thinking she was now an athlete!
• Why park runs are fantastic, whether your running at the front or the back!
• Why it’s not about the time - A mile is still a mile no matter how long it takes you!
• The mental battle of getting through her first half marathon and how this helped her to plan for the London Marathon
• Starting to get serious in January 2016 and the barriers she had to overcome; chronic fatigue, having an underachieve thyroid, bad knees, posture problems, a tilted pelvis, and her glutes not working!
• The thoughts running through her head before the marathon and the pressure she was putting on herself
• Marathon day and what she learned! The wall, lead legs, counting back from 300, why she didn’t care about the time, crossing the line, getting her medal & loving protein shakes!
• Her top tips to take you from the couch to running a marathon!

If you want to run the London Marathon in 2017 you can apply through the ballot between the 2nd - 6th May - CLICK HERE!

Sponsor Tanith - CLICK HERE! Tanith is raising money for Claire House Children's Hospital which offers respite and care to children and young people with life limiting medical conditions, as well as support for the entire family.

You can accomplish any challenge you set your mind to. What challenge are you going to accomplish this month?! Let me know - send me a tweet @_TOUGH_GIRL

Become a Patron! Support the Tough Girl Podcast - CLICK HERE!

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

The Marathon des Sables is one of the ultimate multi-stage endurance races in the world. It consists of running six marathons in six days across the Sahara desert. It’s been around for over 30 years and according to the Discover Channel has the reputation of being “one of the hardest footraces on earth”. It’s brutal, it's challenging and according to pretty much everyone I speak to, a crazy race to do!

During this podcast I will share my journey of the challenges I faced on getting to the start line and running the toughest footrace on earth!

Shownotes

• Introduction from Saira
• The MDS and when the seed got planted 
• The start of the journey in September 2014
• Preparation for the race - How I changed my fitness routine and diet
• Weight lifting and how it changed my body
• Starting to feel tired, lethargic, aching legs, no energy…..over training
• My low point - not having the energy to get out of bed
• My body failing me & being so disappointed in myself
• Dealing with candida and having to drastically change my diet
• Having to postpone the MDS until April 2016
• Working with a Personal Trainer - Jack Clover from JC Performance
• Why its so important you listen to your body
• The importance of being specific with your training and not just training for training sake
• Heading to Australia for endurance training
• Dealing with issues during training such as a broken little toe!
• What I learned from training in the heat
• What a typical week of training looked like
• Kit & equipment (You can also watch videos on the Tough Girl - YouTube Channel for more info)
• Top tips for preparing your feet and why it’s so important
• Dealing with the nerves before the race, and why its important to be relaxed!
• Getting the hair right for the race!
• Travelling to the start of the race & what it was like out in the desert
• The importance of receiving e-mails and the extra motivation they provided  - THANK YOU to everyone who wrote to me!!
• Cut off times and why you need to stay a head of the camels!
• Why it was important for me to run my own race. We also discuss the high points, the low points and handling day 4, the long day (80K - 52 miles)
• How I used gratitude in the race and why I found the finish of the race a bit of a let down
• Why I wouldn’t race the MDS again and what I’ve got coming up next
• My top tips for the MDS & dealing with pressure from the race
• Some final fun questions and what made me emotional after the race!

If you listen to this episode before the 29th April - You can vote for me to be your role model with Panache!

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Special thank you to Saira Khan for being an awesome host of the Tough Girl Podcast!

Jacki Hill-Murphy has always been passionate about having adventures and traveling. Along the way she added her passion for learning more about the female explorers of the past, who have largely been ignored or forgotten by history. 

During this podcast we get to learn more about the decisions Jacki has made on the way and how she’s followed her passions for traveling off the beaten track. We start with her first major expedition in 1988 when she traveled through Africa in a Land Rover!

Show notes

• The early years and were she got her love for travel and adventure
• Discussing fond memories from Camp America!
• Her adventure across the Sahara, the reasons behind it, how she made it happen and what she learnt about herself on the journey
• The benefits of travel and why its always about the people and not the places
• Isabella Godin's who was the first known woman to travel the 500 mile length of the Amazon river in a dug out canoe in 1769 and how Jacki is recreating her version of the journey
• Learning about Mary Kingsley's and her adventures in Cameroon. In 1885 she stopped the ship she was sailing on to go and climb up Mount Cameroon! 
• Heading off to Yakutia in Siberia to learn more about Kate Marsden and the journey she took while looking for a cure for leprosy.
• The scandal that surrounded Kate Marsden which overshadowed her achievements in crossing Siberia - “Mad, Bad or an Angel - The Story of Kate Marsden”
• Being able to retrace the steps of Isabella Bird, and being able to compare the differences and see the changes that have taken place since the two journeys took place.
• Having an audience with the  King of Ladakh
• Using the Valverde Map to look for the Inca Gold, which if found would be worth billions today…. It's never been found, but Jacki believes it’s out there...
• Her future challenges!
• What she's learnt most from the women she’s researched over the years
• The global village and how modern technology has shrunk the world

Books

Adventuresses, Rediscovering Daring Voyages into the Unknown 

Jacki is currently writing a biography about the Victorian nurse Kate Marsden

Social Media

Jacki is on twitter @jackihillmurphy - I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

To learn more about Jacki - Please visit her website  - http://jackihill-murphy.co.uk/ 

Become a Patron! Support the Tough Girl Podcast - CLICK HERE!

Parys is an age group athlete, who has won the World Championships at both the Olympic and 70.3 distances, along with European, British and English National titles. At the age of 38 she decided to turn her passion for triathlon into her profession. Parys is originally from Zimbabwe before she moved over to the UK 14 years ago. 

Show notes

• Parys introduces herself and shares more of her life growing up in Africa
• Being a professional hockey player, and the frustration about never quite making it to the national team
• Handling that frustration and what she learned on the way
• Why she decided to give triathlon a try! Even though she could hardly swim, and hadn’t ridden a bike since she was a child

“Thriving on overcoming the pain and digging deep”

• How she has improved her swimming and why its a labour of love. Parys also provides top tips to help you improve your swimming.
• Borrowing a bike and a trisuit for her first race and what she remembers from the experience
• Making the decision to turn professional and why she decided to go for it
• Grey zone training and why you need to avoid it
• The benefits of getting a professional coach involved
• The mental strategies she’s uses to help her cope with the pressure of racing at a professional level
• Being on the start line and how she channels her thoughts 
• How she deals with challenges while she’s out racing.

“Power, Love & Self-discipline”

• Why she wants to be tough - Why she wants to be the egg & not the potato!
• How to cope with injury and getting back to full fitness and why you need to focus on what you can do, and not what you can’t
• Advice for women who want to get into triathlon and why you need to break it down and not be afraid of it
• The bucket list races she wants to do
• Top tips for racing in hot conditions
• The role models who have inspired her throughout her life

Check out her website and blog here - www.parysedwards.com

Parys is on twitter at @parysedwardstri I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

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Show notes

• Ragen talks about her childhood, being an athlete, and battling with an eating disorder
• The word “FAT” and why Ragen’s reclaiming it
• The story behind the dances with fat blog
• Why we should decouple the health & body size conversation
• How you can learn to love your body and be happy, whatever your size by having gratitude for your body and what it can achieve.
• Why she made the decision to challenge herself with a marathon - “cross finish line, get medal”
• The “good fatty” V the “bad fatty”
• “What happens if I do something that I’m not good at?”
• The disaster of the marathon and why she wanted to quit with every single step
• Learnings from the marathon experience and how’s she applied it to other areas of her life
• Handling the negativity that’s been thrown at her and how she turned it around and used it to her advantage
• Her next big goal - becoming at Ironman & the steps she's been taking to make it happen
• Dealing with haters, how she copes with online bullies
• Advice for women who may be holding themselves back from going after their goals

Become a Patron! Support the Tough Girl Podcast - CLICK HERE!

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Show notes

• Roz introduces herself in her own words and talks through her childhood and the conventional decisions she made along the way. 
• It took her 11 years before she realised what she was doing, was not making her happy and how she stumbled into the crazy world of becoming an ocean rower.  
• How she made the decision to change her life and the steps she implemented to do it. 
• Making the tough decisions to become free
• Getting rid of the possessions that hold you back
• How friends and family reacted to the change in her life and how she got to the stage where she didn’t care anymore about what people thought
• How she went on to develop her own confidence
• Being alert to the opportunities coming available to her
• Heading off to Peru on her first expedition and how taking that first step, led her on a pathway to becoming an ocean rower.
• How not to get overwhelmed by the size of the challenge facing you. Roz gives advice on how you can get past those feeling to go on and achieve your goals
• Her motivation to keep going before she got onto the water and while she was out there rowing
• Getting physically ready for the challenge and the mistakes she made on the way
• The mental preparation she undertook before she even got into the boat and how her mental toughness developed while out rowing - she shares her mistakes, her learnings and how she made it work for her
• Routines, daily habits and systems you can implement to move you forward in your life.
• The highs and lows of rowing across the Atlantic - the challenges she had to face and overcome from broken oars, salt water soars, to the negative voices in her head
• Why she could not quit the race
• How she felt on arriving in Antigua and re-living that moment of celebration and most importantly getting a big hug from her mum!
• Why having a clear vision is so important
• Why she’s so passionate about the environment 
• What happiness means to Roz
• Receiving her MBE and what it means to her
• Opting out of corporate life and why companies need to evolve out of the corporate dark ages

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

Roz is on twitter @RozSavage, I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

Kate is an adventurer, explorer, educator and speaker. She’s completed challenging expeditions all over the world, from cycling round her home country, Australia. To cycling across Africa and Russia. 

During this podcast we get to discuss in detail her expeditions, the reasons behind them, what she learnt on the way and how she’s applied that learning to her life. Kate also shares top tips and advice for you in completing your own personal challenges. 

Show notes

• Kate introduces herself and shares more about her early years growing up in Perth the most remote city in the wold
• Why she loves to travel by bike and remembering back to her first bike - a Malven Star Dragster!
• Heading off to explore the world at a young age and how she did it, even when she wasn’t confident
• Why structure is important to her when planning cycle routes
• The reasons behind her dream of cycling across Russia in  1993 and becoming the first woman to make the unsupported bicycle crossing.
• How the Trans- Siberian Cycle across Russia came about, from the planning, to finding team mates and communicating before e-mail
• How she built her confidence over the years with tips and advice for you to build your own confidence. 
• The problems she faced on the journey from trying to get out of St. Petersburg, crossing swamps, using old US military maps to getting accommodation while on the road. 
• What the physical demands were on her body and how she coped mentally with the challenge
• Why its important for you to understand the reasons behind your mission
• Why you should focus on the beauty of your surroundings and why your perception is your choice.
• The power of expeditions and what she’s learned on the way and how she’s applied it to her life going forward
• “GRACE” - The GReat Australia Cycle Expedition
• Being the first women to cross the Canning Stock Route (1,800 km long with over 1000 sand dunes) and the challenges involved and why it was one of the most spiritual experience of her life
• Coping with being alone and why she prefers it.
• Sustainability and why it’s so important for us all
• “Breaking the Cycle in Africa” - 2010 -22,040km journey across Africa from Point des Almadies in Senegal to Cape Hafun in Puntland, Somalia
• The story behind naming the book and film - “Njinga” 
• How she found the writing process and why its hard but worth it; her rules for writing and why hope plays such as important role in her stories
• Practical steps you can take to mitigating risk on expeditions from how to carry your money, from what support systems to have in place, from where to camp at night
• The Next Challenge: “Breaking the Cycle - South Pole” -  Once completed she will be the first person to cycle across the Antarctic Continent!

“What do you really want to do?”

Learn more about Kate here - www.kateleeming.com

Kate is on twitter @Leeming_Kate  come say hi!!I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

During this podcast interview we get to learn more about Verena, her passion for racing, the challenges she'd faced and overcome and why she does what she does. 

She shares, advice, tips and will inspire the listener to go after their own personal dreams. 

Topics covered during the podcast interview -

-How she first got into motorsports and how she developed a passion for it

-Going to stunt school and the reason she did that first

-Coping with intimidation when dealing with a new situation

-Being encouraged to try new things from a young age

-What Drag Racing is!

-What’s she's thinking about while racing and how she can overthink things too much

-Why rallying is a whole other ball game 

-Working with her co-driver and how she knows how to push her buttons to make her go faster

-Driving with her “ears” and not her eyes!

-Transitioning from being a model to a racing car driver & the challenges she faced.

-Why it didn’t matter what they thought - “This is my dream” & why she had to make it happen herself

-What drifting is and why its so mentally challenging. 

-Being in Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift - Why do you drift?! Money, fame, girls?!

-Winning her first Championship in the Red Line Attack Series

-Racing in Rally America & having to find sponsorship

-Tips for getting sponsorship & why you have to keep going for it

-The highs of her racing career & the biggest challenges she had to face and overcome

-Tips & advice for women who are wanting to make a change in their life. 

-Why more women should get involved in motorsport.

-Why women can end up talking themselves out of what they’re doing.

-Why women supporting each other can make us all stronger.

Verena is on twitter @VerenaMai you can also learn more from her website 

“My life is an adventure. I’m a big dreamer, and believer that anything is possible. When I have a goal, I work relentlessly to make it happen.”

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Jenny Tinmouth is the first female rider in the British Superbike Championship and is the only female rider to be racing!

Jenny is 100% passionate about what she does, you can hear the passion in her voice as she talks about racing and how much fun she has on the track. Jenny enjoys the adrenaline, going fast and competing with the best.

Jenny is down to earth, humble and it was fantastic to get to speak to her in more detail about her career and how she's got to where she is!

During this podcast we also discuss the following :-

• What it was like growing up, and learning what & who influenced her love of motorsports
• Leaving school at 18 and trying to decide what to do next
• Getting her motorcycle license the 2nd time round!
• Working in a local dealership and why she thought they wouldn’t take her on because she was a girl!
• Getting her start in racing and how her journey progressed and the steep learning curve she needed to conquer
• Her ambition and the reasons she kept it quiet
• Sexism in motorsports?
• Having to raise her game and knowing what she needed to do to take her riding to the next level
• The skills needed to be a good rider
• Crashing! Broken bones! Bouncing down the road at 100 mph!
• The IOM TT 2009 Race where she became the fastest female ever, gaining her first Guinness World Record
• How she prepared for the IOM TT and what makes it such a special race
• Dealing with nerves before the race and how she handles them
• Why the “easy laps” are the fastest laps!
• The habits she follows before a race
• Jenny discussing her most challenging season yet and why she almost gave up on her dream. 
• The challenge of getting sponsorship and why she struggles when asking for money
• How a change in the scoring lost her, The British Super Sport Cup Championship and she ended up coming 3rd
• Advice for girls who want to get involved in motorcycle racing and why you should just - GO FOR IT!!!
• Starting & running her own racing team - Two Wheel Racing
• How she became a Honda Rider!
• What she gets up to during the off season
• Why fitness become more and more important as the bikes get bigger and faster
• The goals for the 2016 season

Jenny has her own website, she’s also on twitter, Facebook and Instagram! 

As a listener of the Tough Girl Podcast you can be rewarded for being a patron & sponsor!

Become a Patron NOW! Support the Tough Girl Podcast - CLICK HERE!

Tough Girl - Jade Paveley a professional sports car driver for Mazda Motors UK & competing independently in the Motorsport New MSV Championship for 2015/16.

Jade introduces herself and shares more about how she got her start in racing!

We also discuss:

• How her Dad pushed her from a young age to try new things and purposefully put her in situations to challenge her!
• Racing karts at 15 years old and how she found it at that age. 
• Moving from karts to race cars when she was 17.
• The differences between racing verses driving on the roads!
• Why self belief is so important not just for racing but life in general - and how you just have to get on with it.
• Explaining the difference between racing and rallying.
• Are women bad drivers?!
• The experience of racing, the highs, the lows, the crashes, the adrenaline and the danger!
• Top tips for getting over her nerves before the start of races. 
• Working closely with her navigator, Sarah while rallying and why team work and communication are so important!
• Why its important to look to where you want to go!
• Describing how endurance races work and what some of the tactics are!
• Why fitness is so important, the training she does to keep her in the best physical condition and how that helps her concentration and focus.
• Understanding how formula one works and why there are no female racers.
• Sponsorship for women in the motorsport industry - and why being a female in a male dominated sport has helped her.
• Top tips for driving & why following the speed limits on the roads are important!
• Jade’s career highlights so far, and her goals for the future.

You can follow Jade on Twitter @JadePaveley and like her Facebook page Jade Paveley Racing. I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

The Tough Girl Blog has reached the finals of the UK Blog Awards 2016! Check out the blog to learn more about the inspirational women on the Tough Girl Podcast. You can also be kept unto date with my training for the toughest footrace on earth - The Marathon des Sables, which I’ll be running in April 2016!

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

During this podcast we also discuss how she was the first person to bum board from over 8,000 metres, a title she gained on Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world. Squash has also summited Aconcagua, Mustagata and Mount Everest.

Squash is a fantastic speaker and very passionate about sharing her stories and adventures. One of the many things you’ll learn on this podcast is how by having the right attitude every one of us can achieve incredible things.

We also discuss:

• How it all started for Squash, and making the decision when she was younger to try as many life experiences as possible.
• Her first big mountain attempt in South America - Aconcagua. Learning as she climbed and how she started to challenge herself both physically and mentally

“Whats to lose? What's the worst that can happen? Am I prepared to live the rest of my life this way?”

• Being open to opportunities and being ready to take advantage of them
• The challenges she faced while climbing Mustagata, from dealing with death on the mountain, to horrendous weather conditions and deciding when to turn back
• Advice for dealing with emotionally challenging situations and how deciding to go after your dreams can be hard
• How she deals with failure and why she says it’s not important and why its, your decision on how to look at failure
• Her adventure on Cho Oyu - the 6th highest mountain in the world
• Learning how to paraglide
• How by sheer determination she rode a motorbike from the UK to the foot of Mount Blanc, before summiting  and then flying from the top!

“Fear can focus you”

• Remaining calm while falling off the mountain and what she learnt from that experience
• How the challenge of climbing Mount Everest came about, and how she dealt with the negativity from friends when she told them about it
• Finding her own pace on the mountain and how she used her time alone to think about the challenge ahead and to prepare herself.
• How she found a deeper level of mental and emotional strength, when she had nothing left to give which helped to get her off the mountain safe
• Tips & advice to help you achieve your goals - “If your knickers are right, your day goes right!”

Learn more about Squash by visiting her website  - Come and say hello to Squash on twitter @SquashFalconer . I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

If you’ve enjoyed this episode please share with a friend! Help to spread the word about the Tough Girl Podcast!

The Tough Girl Blog has reached the finals of the UK Blog Awards 2016! Check out the blog to learn more about the inspirational women on the Tough Girl Podcast and be kept unto date with my training for the toughest footrace on earth - The Marathon des Sables, which I’ll be running in April 2016!

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

Helene is based in Las Vegas, Nevada and she has an incredible story to share. 

She’s always asking herself what more can she do, to inspire and motivate nurses to become better ambassadors for health and fitness.

During this podcast we discuss:

• After surviving cancer, numerous brain surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, at age 50 she wrote her first book - Nurses In Shape. To promote the book, she decided to take it on the road.
• In 2010 - She become a transcontinental runner and decided to run across the southern states of America. It took her just 93 days to cover the 2,520 miles from Ocean Beach, California to Atlantic Beach, Florida.
• She was the first person to run this route during the summer. Averaging about 25 to 30 miles each and every day. 
• Helene provides advice about how she got through the tough days when she was out running on the highways alone and why it was important for her to get into the zone.
• Her inspiration to keep on going and to keep others going.
• How she coped with the heat, tips for running in extreme weather and what a typical day was like for her.
• Continuing her journey around the continental United States and dealing with her own personal challenge from the loss of her bother, to being diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma.
• Why she has to just, “keep on going” and why you can always be an example to someone else.
• What she learned from body building about nutrition and how its helped her to become a better runner. 
• Her top 3 health tips! 

Helene is out there on the forefront of promoting health and is inspiring others to make a change to their lives. One mile, one state and one person at a time. Her motto is to INSPIRE, MOTIVATE & CHALLENGE.

Visit www.toughgirlchallenges.com for more information! Enjoy xx

Arita is an explorer of the physical and mental world; she’s spent decades following her passion for the desert, as well as visiting the remotest and most inhospitable places on the planet. She’s ventured into the unknown not knowing how things will turn out. 

This episode will get you to think more deeply about who are you and what you want to achieve in life. Arita will explain, why it’s so important for you to take the time to think about it.

We also cover off the following:

• Her passion for the desert and how she made it a reality after her studies 
• Heading over to Egypt to explore deserts with only her camel, a compass and a simple old map
• The challenges she faces; and how she survived being alone 
• We discuss identity and the importance of knowing who you are - and how the desert taught her, about herself.
• Overcoming fear and heightened emotions. With tips for you to overcome your own personal fears and how you too can find your own inner strength
• What she learnt about herself while travelling in the desert, and how she dealt with her own internal demons
• Why she fell out of love with the desert and needed a new challenge, a new obsession
• Heading to Siberia and looking for the legend of “Shambhala" - Paradise in the Altai mountains
• After seven years of searching Arita found her answer, she also explains how she had to leave her rational mind behind to do it.

A truly unique women, who’s prepared to push herself to the absolute limits, to be judgement free and open to the journey, that is life. Arita is also the author of numerous books which you can buy on amazon or through her website, where she also shares more about her life and experiences.

Say hi on twitter @aritabaaijens

Come and say hello to me on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL

 If you’ve enjoyed this episode please share with a friend! Help to spread the word about the Tough Girl Podcast!

Learn more about Jo and how she changed her life to became a mountaineer and expedition leader. 

During this podcast we get to experience Jo’s adventures around the world. From cycling in Peru, to climbing Kilimanjaro, Manaslu & Everest. 

Jo shares with us, how one challenge eleven years ago changed her life, she also shares how she overcame her fear of heights and switching her thinking, from negative to positive thoughts. Jo provides advice and tips to help you overcome your own personal fears. 

We also discuss;

• What it’s like being at altitude and what altitude sickness is and how it impacts the body
• Explaining more about Kilimanjaro and what makes it’s such a challenge, and why its so phenomenal. We discuss the routes, and why you can never tell who'll make it and who won’t
• Why having the right attitude is so important for everything you do
• Top tips for climbing Kilimanjaro and why fitness is so important!
• What it’s like walking to Everest Base Camp and the atmosphere when you get there
• The dangers of Everest and why it’s a scary challenge. What it was like being on Everest while the earthquake struck in 2015, dealing with the destruction, death and how she thought it was all over.
• How’s she training for Everest this year and why she’s more relaxed about it 
• Sharing her experience of being one the few British Women to reach the true summit of Manaslu - the worlds 8th highest mountain.
• Learning about ice fields and why it’s one of the most dangerous part of climbing Everest.
• Tips you can use and take away to help you face your fears, and how you can approach and overcome problems.

If you want to support Jo and her charity work - Check out - Place2Be  & Support4Sherpas

Learn more about Jo and the different challenges she’s done via her website.

You can follow Jo on twitter @29029feet I'm also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode then please tell a friend and share on your social media. Help to spread the word about the Tough Girl Podcast!

In today’s podcast we catch up with Susie Cheetham who’s a professional triathlete and came 6th at the Iron Man World Championships in 2015. 

Susie provides advice, top tips and tactics for all aspects of the race from the the swim, cycle, run and how to make the transitions work best for you. 

Susie shares her first experience of fitness  at a young age and how by deciding to join a running club, it's changed the whole direction of her life.

We also discuss the following:-

• The importance of trying new sports and seeing what works for you. 
• Getting back to basics - what’s involved in a Half Ironman and how her first experience went. 
• Discussing some of the myths that surround an Ironman - from drinking coke on the run to it being boring! 
• How to choose what advice to listen to and what advice to ignore.
• Learning to take confidence in the decisions you make - for triathlons and for life.
• The high points for Susie during an Ironman, as well as the low points and how she deals with them. From punctures on the side of the road to receiving a time penalty for dangerous riding.
• How your mental attitude can change throughout the course and how having the right attitude can impact on your race.
• Susie shares her tips on mental toughness preparation especially in the toughest races like Kona.  
• How to cope when your mind takes you to dark place during the race. 
• Advice, tactics and top tips for the open water swim for both experienced swimmers and novice swimmers. 
• Pacing lines, overtaking and tactics for the cycle part of the race
• How you can have the best transition for you!
• Advice and tips for the run section and why being comfortable is so important for having your best race.
• Learn more about the Iron Nun and why age is just a number! 

You can learn more about Susie by visiting her website, and she's also on Twitter @SusieCheetham 

Are you training for a triathlon? Want to learn more? Then listen to Helen Russell (World Champion Duathlete & Triathlete) and Gale Bernhardt (USA Olympic Triathlon Team & Olympic Cycling Coach) on the Tough Girl Podcast!

Come and say hello to me on twitter! @_TOUGH_GIRL

If you’ve enjoyed this episode then please tell a friend and share on your social media. Help to spread the word about the Tough Girl Podcast!

To keep unto date on how my training for the Marathon des Sables is going visit www.toughgirlchallenges.com 

Arry hated sports, hating being active and was completely turned off exercise from a young age. At school she came up with every excuse under the sun not to get active! 

But what changed? 

What led her to take up running and to eventually taking on the challenge of being the first person to run around the perimeter of Wales via the newly opened Coastal Path and Offas Dyke. 

What were her motivations and the reasons behind the challenge? 

During this podcast we learn more about Arry and how she's inspired others to get into sports and fitness. How’s she's battled grief, anxiety, depression and haters - people who still say she ‘doesn’t look like a runner’. 

Arry’s a remarkable women, who has a fantastic story to share.

During this podcast you’ll be inspired and motivated as well as picking up loads of top tips and advice about undertaking a challenge and getting outside of your comfort zone. 

What are you waiting for! It’s time to listen to Arry’s story. 

We also talk about the following:

• What The Dragon Run 1027 is and how it came about
• Why she was able to set up the challenge and able to do it even with the odds stacked against her. e.g. never having run more than 13 miles before and never running off road before!
• Getting help and support from Elite Ultra Runners - Matt Calaghan, Phil Rosenstein, Dean Karnzes (Ultra Marathon Man)
• The preparation and planning that went into the event and why she focused more on the mental side. She provides top tips for running as well as how to make the change from road running to trail running. 
• How she approached the training and why getting up at 3 am to train became the norm. 
• Getting to the start line and her feelings on that day, followed by her first psychological battle which happened on day 2 and how she handled it.
• How she coped with injury on the way and why she wasn’t going to let it stop her.
• Dealing with grief, and why she couldn’t put it off anymore and why day 15 still haunts her and how she learned to process her emotions in a different way or else she wasn’t going to be able to carry on.

This is one inspiring story and to learn more about the Dragon Run and to be kept unto date with Arry’s next challenge - Check out her blog!

You can say hi to Arry on twitter @dragonrun1027  and say hi to me @_TOUGH_GIRL. We're both on Facebook as well! Click the Dragon Run 1027 &  Tough Girl Challenges - to follow & support!

Arry's goal was to raise £25K for Velindre Cancer Centre and Gozo CCU Foundation. The fundraising continues! You can support by clicking HERE! 

Kathryn is an author of three books as well as producing and directing her debut documentary film: HALF THE ROAD: The passion, pitfalls & power of women’s professional cycling.

During this podcast we discuss a variety of different topics from the books she's written, why she’s so passionate about road cycling, as well as women’s equality in sports and her plans for the future. 

We also discuss the following:

• Why she decided to take up the sport of triathlon before moving over into road cycling at the age of 31.
• Landing her first professional contract for cycling at age 36.
• How one assignment from ESPN changed the direction of her life forever. 
• Attempting a variety of different Olympic Sports from modern pentathlon, open water swimming, to team handball.
• We talk about racing on the road and the different tactics involved from the peloton - to what it is, how it works as well as tactics for mountain climbs
• Her career highlight bringing parity to women’s professional road cycling, starting with getting women racing Le Tour Entier during the Tour de France.
• Explaining why women are still not allowed to race in the Tour de France.
• We discuss her powerful documentary film - Half the Road - Which is not just about cycling but also equality.
• “Why we are all capable of change” and why we need to be the ones asking for and making that change.
• The three books she’s written and how they represent her collective journey she's taken over the years.
• What life is like as a pro racer and her plans for her 5th and final year. She gives an insight into her training and how she tailors it specifically to suit her and her age.
• We discuss why rest and recovery are so important and why you're only as good as your rest. 
• Why women continue to get better and better with age, especially for endurance events- and why age is just a number!
• She shares with us her future goals and challenges for 2016 and why giving yourself permission to be happy and living in the moment is so important.

Books

• As Good As Gold:1 Woman, 9 Sports, 10 Countries, and a 2-Year Quest to Make the Summer Olympics
• The Road Less Taken
•  All the Sundays Yet to Come: A Skater's Journey 

Learn more about  - Half the Road by visiting the website www.halftheroad.com

Learn more about Kathryn - http://www.kathrynbertine.com

Come and say hi on twitter!! 

 @KathrynBertine @halftheroad @_TOUGH_GIRL

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New Episodes every Tuesday at 7 am. #ToughGirlTuesday

Have a fantastic week! Sarah x