Following the breakdown of her marriage and at the age of 48 in 1998 Jacqui decides to leave her job in health visiting and set off on a years adventure, alone backpacking in South East Asia.

This was to be the beginning of a journey that left conformity a distant memory. Finding herself bitten by the travel bug she then set off again, at the age of 50 with the Dutch Man this time combining her love of travel with her other passion … motorcycling.

During this podcast Jacqui share stories from her 7 years on the road, where she visited 20 countries with no plan. Jacqui speaks with warmth and an openness, sharing the mishaps, the mistakes, the broken leg, the food, and how she dealt with storms, castaways and pirates! 

Show notes

• Currently living in Tasmania, Australia 
• Heading off to go backpacking at 48
• Having her marriage breakdown
• Liking travelling and meeting awesome people
• Meeting the Dutch man
• Deciding to buy a motorcycle to travel around the world
• Deciding to travel solo 
• Reactions of friends and family when she headed off to go travelling at 48
• Wanting to get away from it all
• The plan for her year off
• Never being on her own before
• Staying in a hotel for 3 days and crying
• Learning who she was
• Wanting to slow down and to go at her own pace
• Being frugal and managing a budget while travelling
• Making mistakes and being wrong
• How her confidence has grown over the years
• Being a people pleaser and wanting to change that
• Heading back to the UK after her first gap year and seeing that nothing had changed
• Deciding not to go back to her old job as a health visitor
• The return of the Dutch man!
• Moving back in with her mum
• Deciding to buy her own motorbike
• Riding with a partner throughout India
• Riding from India into Nepal, then spending time in Pakistan
• Breaking her leg
• Getting back on the bike after the  crash
• Why she loves Australia
• Dealing with pirates, storms and castaways!
• Sailing with interesting characters….
• 7 years of travelling and being on the road
• Travelling with guilt 
• Taking another 7 years to write a book
• The difficulties of heading home 
• Doing an A’level in history
• The next part of the journey 
• Plans for 2019 - “Plan what plan?!”
• Advice for going with the flow and why you have to want to 

Social Media

Website - www.jacquifurneaux.com/ 

Facebook - @JacquiFurneauxTravels  

Instagram - @JacquiFurneaux

"I have found that all I need in life is the right attitude. And what can be comfortably carried on an Enfield."

Jacqui Furneaux

Jenny is passionate about human powered endurance challenges and loves combining this with her love of the mountains. At the moment, Jenny is making her way around the globe, running across a mountain range on every continent. In 2016 she ran across the Tien Shan of Kyrgyzstan, in 2017 she ran across the Atlas of Morocco, and most recently ran across the Bolivian Andes. In 2019 Jenny will be tackling her fourth expedition, the Southern Alps in New Zealand! 

Jenny first came on the tough girl podcast in February 2017 when she shared more about her first challenge, exploring the Yukon of North Canada by cycling over 3,000 km. After her ride to Yukon, suddenly being fit enough to take on a running endurance challenge seemed like a possibility. Jenny decided to run solo, self-supported across Kyrgyzstan over 900km!

On the Tough Girl podcast, Jenny Tough shared stories from several of her adventures and the lessons she learned along the way. Whether you’re thinking about a major challenge or want a little more adventure every day, you can learn something from this incredible woman.

Show notes

• Her next big challenge 
• How the idea came about
• Loving the mountains and her passion for running
• Being looked after by local people
• Deciding on her 2017 challenge
• Getting into the zone
• Moving from the survival stage to the thriving stage
• The Atlas Mountains in Morocco
• The planning of the trip
• Making it up as she goes along (to a certain extent!)
• The excitement!
• Getting in shape for the challenge
• Getting injury proof
• The gear:- backpack - poles - shoes
• Fast packing
• Why weight is everything
• Mental preparation and dealing with the unknown
• The fear and doubt
• Be the expedition buddy you wish you had brought
• Tricking your brain
• Covering 55k on her first day
• Meeting the Berbers
• Over coming language barriers
• The beauty of the desert
• The challenges of North Africa
• Dealing with the Police
• Not being able to enter cafe and restaurants
• Helping to change attitudes
• Adventure blues and finishing the challenge
• Recovery time after a challenge
• Trying to get better at patience
• Her 3rd run- October 2018 heading off to Bolivia
• Dealing with the altitude
• Dealing with bad weather and storms
• Doing constant risk assessments
• Insurance
• Paying for the challenges
• Her plans for New Zealand - only 1200 km!
• Being an introvert and dealing with the remoteness
• Being more mindful when using a camera

Social Media

Check out Jenny’s website - www.jennytough.com

Jenny is on Twitter @JennyTough

Callie 32, is a winter sports enthusiast who loves skiing and being in the mountains. She grew up in Southern California, before moving over to Alaska. One of Callie’s first challenges was bike touring from Dushanbe, Tajikistan to Ulaan Baaar, Mongolia. Callie has then gone on to successfully climb Mount Denali the highest mountain in North America and Aconcagua the highest mountain in South America.  Both were unguided expeditions! Her most recent challenge led her to complete a 5,000 mile unsupported ski, kayak and bike from Arctic Russia (in mid-winter), to the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul! 

During this podcast Callie talks about her journey, the challenges she has faced along the way, the high points, the low points, the dangers and realities of being out on the road. What she has learned about being brave and why women should get out there.

Show notes

• Who is Callie
• Growing up in California and moving to Alaska 10 years ago
• How a SoCal girl ended up in Alaska!
• Going to university and taking extra classes to get though university quicker
• Her first big adventure - a big bike trip across Asia
• Going to graduate school 
• Deciding to go cycling with her best friend 
• How her plans changed and why she decided to carry on solo
• Transitions from being in a pair to being solo
• Deciding to go to Afghanistan 
• What it was like in Afghanistan in 2013
• Learning between bravery and recklessness
• Being reported as missing…
• Speaking to her parents 
• What happened next
• Not being able to get out of the country
• Managing fear and keeping calm
• Getting back on the bikes again
• Deciding to go skiing in Kashmir
• Cycling through India and why it was her least favourite place to go as a women
• Having to be so aware of her surrounding and the people she was engaging with
• Planning where to sleep at night and making use of cheap hotels
• Talking herself into leaving Delhi 
• Deciding to finish after a year of cycling
• Being attacked on the side of the road
• Being angry at men and why cycling wasn’t fun anymore
• Heading to Turkey to meet a friend
• Going to graduate school in Dublin
• Studying - Philosophy of Peace 
• Getting into climbing and the mountains
• Becoming a more competent mountaineer
• 2016 and climbing Mount Denali and giving herself 6 month to plan
• Climbing Aconcagua in South America in 2014
• Climbing before the busy season - being there for Christmas and New Year
• What happened while on the mountain
• 2 summit attempts and the weather window
• Knowing when to turn around
• Heading back up by herself
• Summit day!
• Costs of climbing Aconcagua  - permits, food, & flights - less than $3,000 
• Deciding to climb Denali
• Gaining mountaineering skills and learning from friends
• Being injured at the moment with a torn ACL and MCL…
• Waiting to have surgery
• The Russian Expedition in 2017!
• A break down of the challenge
• Dealing with the cold …. Siberia in winter …. - 40!
• Going from skiing to bikes and then into kayaks!
• Navigating though the mountains
• Keeping positive in challenging situations
• Why everything is easier with a partner
• How the challenge came about 
• The challenges during the kayaking portion
• Dealing with the Russian Army & Police
• Future plans for 2019
• Not being on social media
• Final words of advice for women out there

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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. 

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Favia is a 30 year old Pathologist living in New Mexico, she is a keen climber and has been a competitor on American Ninja Warrior! During this podcast Favia shares more about her life, growing up with a single mum, going to Harvard University, deciding to go to medical school and what it was like being diagnosed with cancer. Favia, shares more about the challenges she faced and overcame and why climbing is such an important part of her life. 

Favia gives practical advice and top tips about how to schedule your time to be efficient and, why you may have to say no. Favia talks about mental sadness, the feeling of frustration and angry while dealing with cancer and how she managed to get through the chemotherapy and the recovery process to be able to start living her life again.

Show notes

• Favia introduces herself
• Her childhood and being raised by a single mum
• Attending Harvard University
• Going to Colombia to get her Masters and coming across rock climbing
• Not liking climbing to start with
• Setting the goal to go to Harvard when she was 5 years old
• Her dream of being of Doctor
• What life was like at Harvard
• Deciding to give rock climbing another chance
• Moving to Ohio and going to the rock gym to make friends
• Being welcomed into the climbing community 
• Being scared of spider and bugs
• Recovery tips for climbing
• Being diagnosed with cancer
• The cancer journey and why training as a Dr. helped to save her life
• Not being believed by the doctors
• Standing up for herself
• Getting through the toughest 6 months of her life
• Getting back into sport and climbing
• Living minute to minute
• Doing radiation or not?
• Trying to get out of the house and live again
• Dealing with the anger and frustration from her condition 
• Chaining her mental state
• Working out her mental sadness
• Needing a reason to not give up
• Her reason for living
• American Ninja Warrior
• Learning how to schedule her time to be efficient
• Getting fit with her husband
• Having to get 9 hours of sleep and not getting up to early
• Advice and tips for women who want to get into climbing
• Advice and tips for women who are going through a tough time 

Social Media

Website - www.traversegirl.com

Instagram @FelineFavia 

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. 

We first spoke with Jessica after she had successfully completed her thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2015. Since then Jessica has continued to share her backpacking and hiking advice though her website and hugely popular Youtube channel  - Homemade Wanderlust (well worth checking out - over 150,000 subscribers!)

Jessica talks very openly about her dreams, doing what she loves, the challenges out on the trail as well as how she is funding her life. I am inspired by Dixie and what she has achieved and I know you will be as well. Enjoy this episode!

Show notes

• What does she prefer to be called?
• How Dixie would introduce herself
• Completing the recipe to be successful.. but not being happy
• Doing what she loves
• Listen to Jessica when she shares more about hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2015
• Getting back home after the Appalachian Trail
• Wanting to get hiking again
• Doing a wide variety of different jobs while growing her youtube channel
• 2017 and doing the Pacific Crest Trail - the why and the how
• Learning about the CDT
• The pressure she felt at the start of the PCT and feeling so nervous about the desert and the snow
• Gear changes and wanting to go lighter with her gear
• Getting use to dry camping
• Not being able to train before the PCT
• Dealing with the desert and the first 700 miles
• Filming on the PCT and trying to capture more of nature 
• The moment that stands out on the trail and why the bad days make the best stories
• Loss of life on the trail
• Crossing rivers
• Navigation on the trail and using the Gut Hook App
• Appreciating the trail but also taking time out for a family graduation
• Getting to the end of the trail and what it felt like
• Patreon and how patrons have helped to change her life
• Wanting to get out on the CDT in 2018
• Heading north bound - 3,050 miles!
• Create your own adventure trail!
• The challenges of the CDT 
• Food and nutrition on the trails
• Lessons learned on the CDT
• Taking risks doing thru hikes
• When things don’t go to plan
• Completing the triple crown and why it was surreal
• Life after a thru hike
• Future hikes and plans 
• 2019 plans with her mum on the PCT
• Top tips for having a successful thru-hike

Social Media

Youtube @homemadewanderlust

Website - www.homemadewanderlust.com

Verónica is a retired diver from Argentina. She earned a spot in the Olympic finals with appearances in 1980 (Moscow, Russia), 1984 (Los Angeles, Calif.), 1988 (Seoul, South Korea) and 1992 (Barcelona, Spain), with best finishes of eighth on the platform and 10th on the springboard, both at the 1992 Games. She was the only female competitor to make finals in both events in Barcelona. She is a 12-time South American champion (1980-92) while competing for her native country of Argentina, winning championships on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards and the platform. Ribot-Canales later captured a pair of U.S. national titles in the 3-meter in 1992 and 1993 before retiring in 1996 after her fourth year as a member of the U.S. national team. 

Veronica’s journey continued on from being a very driven and competitive diver at the international level, to taking up SUP racing and yoga in her late 50s. Veronica shares more about her life, the challenges she has faced and overcome and how she stays physically active, especially while training in all kinds of weather. At the same time she is also deepening her yoga practice, while opening her heart, experiencing gratitude and abundance, and inspiring others. 

Show notes

• Who is Veronica in her own words
• Getting into SUP - doing both SUP yoga and racing in the summer
• Her childhood - being born in Argentina and growing up in the Bahamas
• Getting into diving and swimming at 8 years old
• How she progressed in diving 
• Potential being able to dive for Argentina in the Olympics!
• The Pan American Games
• How her diving career progressed
• What it’s been like at the Olympics and how it has changed over the years
• Competing at the olympic level - and dealing with the stress and pressure
• the mental training they did 
• Positive and negative stress
• Perfection and the issues
• The biggest challenge she had to face and overcome in her career
• Coaching at Cornell 
• Tips and tricks for coaching
• Losing your “who am I”
• Suffering from depression
• Moving across the country with 2 small children
• Going through a divorce
• Being the only female diving coach
• Starting yoga and how it helped change her life
• Deciding to become a yoga instructor
• SUP racing and winning!
• Plans for 2019
• No comparisons allowed

Social Media

Personal Website - http://olympicheartyoga.com/about/

Yoga Website  - www.ithacasupyoga.com 

Instagram - @olympicheartyogi