Zahra Rose, a brand ambassador for Sports Shoes and The North Face, and has achieved incredible feats such as trekking to Everest, Broad Peak, and K2 Base camps, as well as summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.
In addition to her love for adventure, Zahra is an active member of the Muslim Hikers Community and uses her social media platform to promote representation of Muslim women in outdoor activities.
Zahra is a strong advocate for breaking down stereotypes of the "Hijabi woman" and inspiring the next generation to pursue their dreams.
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
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Show notes
Social Media
Instagram: @ZahraRosea
Muslim Hikers - Inspiring Muslims to get OUTDOORS.
Website: muslimhikers.com
Instagram: @Muslim.Hikers
Allie Mason is an autistic children’s author and micro-adventurer who has just published her first book, The Autistic Guide to Adventure: Active Pursuits from Archery to Wild Swimming for Tweens and Teens.
Allie lives in the English countryside with her partner and their beloved Labrador. The purpose of her writing is to give neurodivergent young people a place where they recognise themselves and feel that they belong.
Allie in her own words:
“When I was 23 years old, I was diagnosed as autistic. It was a bittersweet moment for me. On the one hand, it answered a lot of questions that had been accumulating since I was a child. On the other, it highlighted that a lot of the struggles I had faced when I was younger could have been avoided with the right support.
I was (and still am!) an avid reader, but I never felt that I recognised myself in the pages of a book. The characters didn’t face the same struggles as me, didn’t think the same way, so as much as I tried to immerse myself in these fictional worlds, there was always something missing.
Now, as an adult, I write books that neurodivergent kids and teens, like I once was, can see themselves in.”
***
About the book:The Autistic Guide to Adventure: Active Pursuits from Archery to Wild Swimming for Tweens and Teens.
Outdoor adventuring can be life changing - it makes you physically and mentally stronger, takes you to new places and introduces you to new friends, as well as being an exhilarating challenge - but it can be stressful when there are unexpected social and sensory challenges involved. Allie Mason, autistic adventurer extraordinaire, is here to help.
Join Allie as she introduces activities ranging from archery to stargazing, sailing to fossil hunting, snorkelling to nature-writing - and so much more. Each easily digestible factsheet comes with a short introduction, a summary of the sensory experiences involved, suggestions on approaching activities for when you're just getting started, as well as a handy budgeting system.
With personal anecdotes and interviews with awesome autistic athletes, this book will give you the support you need to take on the great outdoors.
***
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Show Notes
Social Media
Website: www.alliewrote.com
Instagram: @alliewrote
TikTok: @alliewrote
A couple of years ago, Julia embarked on a solo hike along England's 630-mile South West Coast Path. Since then, she has cycled King Alfred's Way, a 217-mile mainly off-road cycle route in southern England, and walked the Camino Frances and Camino Portuguese!
But Julia's adventures don't stop there. In between her travels, she's been busy writing about her experiences, hoping to inspire others to embrace their own bucket lists.
During this process, she's discovered a love for hiking and is also writing walking guidebooks to encourage others to get outdoors and explore.
Julia's story is a testament to the power of setting goals, pursuing your passions, and living life to the fullest.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Website www.juliags.com
Instagram @juliagsauthorspeaker
Facebook @juliagsauthor
Youtube @JuliaGSAuthorSpeaker
Listen free of charge to the first three chapters of Live Your Bucket List: www.juliags.com/
Free Pilgrimage Planner pdf: www.juliags.com/camino
Julia's books: www.juliags.com/writing
15 short walks on the Malvern Hills: www.cicerone.co.uk/short-walks-on-the-malvern-hills-first
India Pearson, is an Outdoors Advocate, Presenter, and Yoga Teacher based on the Kent coast.
India's passion for wellbeing and nature has lead her to produce and host the podcast 'Start a Ripple ...' which celebrates the power of moving in nature for the mind, body and environment. Guests have included TV adventurer Ben Fogle, Olympian Michelle Griffith Robinson, BBC Spring Watch Presenter Megan McCubbin and Emmy Award Winner Doon Mackichan.
You can also find India presenting in front of the camera, on the highly successful Youtube Channel Holiday Extras Travel Guides, which over the last 4 years, has taken her all over the world making documentary style videos on sustainable tourism.
During her time with Holiday Extras India co-founded a sustainable travel podcast 'Green on the Go' which saw her speak to industry professionals and travellers about eco tourism. In 2019 India won the Holiday Extras Difference Award for her efforts to encourage customers and colleagues to travel and live more sustainably.
As a lifestyle model India has worked with a variety of brands across different industries both nationally and internationally.
India uses social media for discussions based around her passions and expertise in paddle boarding, yoga, environmental activism, and getting outdoors as a new mum to her daughter Malou. India has been featured in publications such as Women's Health and Women and Home, and is also also an ambassador for Gill Marine and Hatha Paddle Boards.
When she's not presenting, India can mostly be found by the sea, either on her stand up paddle board or practicing yoga on the beach.
In 2020 India founded Fin & Flow, a hub for like minded people to connect through wellbeing activities by the sea such as yoga, paddle boarding, and beach cleans.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Website: www.finandflow.co.uk
Instagram @with_india
The Start a Ripple podcast was founded on the belief that ripples are made when we connect movement with nature, not only for our mind and body, but also the environment too. Every episode India speaks to a guest who shares their story and approach to moving in nature, with the hope that these conversations will encourage you to get outside, move, dream big, and start making your own ripples.
Listen here - https://www.buzzsprout.com/
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu, a seasoned hiker, backpacker, rock climber, and youth advocate for the great outdoors. Since the age of six, Saanvi has been exploring the stunning landscapes of the United States, and has completed some of the most challenging hikes in the country, including Kala Pathar, Half Dome, and Mt. Whitney. She recently accomplished the feat of reaching the Everest Base Camp, and is now gearing up for a 120-mile trek across the Tour du Mont Blanc in Europe this summer.
Saanvi has hiked over 800 miles and has visited more than 25 National Parks, making her a true champion of nature conservation. Her passion for the environment has been recognized by national media outlets, who have featured her on the front page of newspapers and in articles in major magazines.
As a National Park Trust Ambassador, Saanvi has been supported by the National Park Service, renowned conservationists, mountaineers, and wildlife photographers. She is also the founder of 'Young Roots', an environmental and ecology club at Frisco ISD, and runs 'Nature Worthy', a non-profit organization that aims to raise awareness of the benefits of connecting with nature.
Join us as Saanvi shares her insights on the transformative power of nature, and her vision for a more sustainable future.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Instagram: @chalkbagsntents
Jen Price, is a former British Army Officer who spent the entirety of 2022 undertaking an extreme set of adventure and endurance challenges on behalf of the Veteran’s Foundation.
The solo challenge she set herself was to complete 12 challenges in 12 months, in quick succession. The challenges were multi-discipline and included the Devizes to Westminster international canoe race, an ironman, a multistage desert ultra-marathon, summit of Aconcagua, and a 1000 mile self supported Lands’ End to John O’Groats cycle. None of the challenges were events she had attempted before and, in total, she covered over 3500km and climbed two of the Seven Summits.
Jen has raised nearly £35,000 for the Veterans’ Foundation and she continues to fundraise in her spare time by speaking about the challenges at schools, universities and business. She also has two outstanding challenges to go this year (replaced due to severe weather) which she will also fundraise for: paddle boarding across the English channel and climbing the famous Matterhorn.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Website: jennevolve.co.uk
Instagram: @jennevolve
Just Giving: https://www.justgiving.com/
Emily is an adventurer, solo traveler, mountaineer, quote collector, and all around lover of things that get people out of their comfort zones. Put on her first international flight at 3 weeks old, she's been adventuring in one way or another ever since.
From wandering the forests of Sweden alone at the age of nine, to solo trekking in the Himalayas of India, to joining the circus as a professional aerialist, Emily is a big fan of the "just get out there and do it" mentality. She considers it her mission in life to inspire others to go outside, travel, and get curious about everything. As John Muir so aptly put it, "going out is really going in.”
Emily is a columnist and longtime contributor to Outside. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, Adventure Journal, REI, and Backpacker, among others.
Emily has visited every national park in the United States, and her book Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America’s National Parks, came out in February 2023.
About Feral: A bracing memoir about self-discovery, liberating escape, and moving forward across an adventurous and volatile American landscape. One year. One national park at a time.
“After a decade as an assistant to high-powered LA executives, Emily Pennington left behind her structured life and surrendered to the pull of the great outdoors. With a tight budget, meticulous routing, and a temperamental minivan she named Gizmo, Emily embarked on a yearlong road trip to sixty-two national parks, hell-bent on a single goal: getting through the adventure in one piece. She was instantly thrust into more chaos than she’d bargained for and found herself on an unpredictable journey rocked by a gutting romantic breakup, a burgeoning pandemic, wildfires, and other seismic challenges that threatened her safety, her sanity, and the trip itself.
What began as an intrepid obsession soon evolved into a life-changing experience. Navigating the tangle of life’s unexpected sucker punches, Feral invites readers along on Emily’s grand, blissful, and sometimes perilous journey, where solitude, resilience, self-reliance, and personal transformation run wild.”
We first spoke with Emily on 17th December 2019. You can listen to that episode here - https://www.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Website: www.brazenbackpacker.com
Instagram: @brazenbackpacker
Twitter: @BrazenBackpack
Book: Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America’s National Parks
Vivianette Ortiz is a Latina originally from Puerto Rico. She grew up in the beach and mountain town of Patillas, Puerto Rico. She grew up running the hills of her hometown, bodyboarding, loving the ocean, and playing hide-in-seek barefoot through the farmlands.
Vivianette moved to North Carolina at the age of 17. She is a dedicated mother, daughter, and granddaughter. For a long time, she worked countless hours daily with 2 or 3 jobs at a time. Her adventurous soul went dormant for many years due to everyday responsibilities.
Since arriving in North Carolina she has always gone back to the island to visit family and enjoy the feeling of freedom there. Going back to the island would help the homesickness she felt here on the mainland. Due to Covid restrictions, her traveling ceased for a while she found herself extremely homesick and depressed.
Through social media, she found a North Carolina hiking group page. Discovering the outdoors again provided her with a connection to home. Her love for nature and the Latino community led her to be one of the founders of the group Latinos Aventureros en las Carolinas. She is proud to combine her love for the outdoors with her passion for the Hispanic community through her role as the Executive Director of Latinos Aventureros.
She has completed over 130 hikes throughout the Carolinas in 2022, and 76 hikes in 2021.
In 2022 was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of visiting Peru, and completing the Inca Trail. She hopes to start the Appalachian Trail by sections in 2023.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Instagram @vivi.la.exploradora
Facebook - Vivianette Ortiz
Facebook Group - Latinos Aventureros en las Carolinas
Linktree - https://linktr.ee/
On 5th June 2022 Laura set off on the back of a tandem, with husband Stevie, from the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin... 180 days later she returned having circumnavigated the World and with a new Guinness World Record!
But, the ride wasn't straightforward; with closed borders, sickness, monsoons, sub -10 degree temperatures and a motorcycle collision that nearly ended the trip it took everything to reach the finish line on target.
Laura blogged and updated social media throughout the trip and relied on her skills in project management and from her ultra-distance background to make the trip a success, as well as the ultimate team work of surviving 6 months on a bike with her husband.
We first spoke with Laura on 27th January 2022 - You can listen to that episode here.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Website: www.stelatandem.com
Instagram: @stela_tandem
Facebook: SteLa Tandem Round the World Record
Twitter: @StelaTandem
Youtube: SteLa Tandem
Shandi’s love of running began when she was very young, and throughout her life, it was something that always helped her to cope with stress and anxiety. However, as she got older, she became consumed with the idea of proving something to others, and the pressure of the pursuit caused her to have a nervous breakdown during the 2013 Boston Marathon.
During this episode Shandi shares more about how she got into running, how running the NYC Marathon changed her life, especially the second time she ran it, when she ran a Boston qualifying time of 3 hours and 12 mins.
After qualifying for Boston, she set herself the goal of breaking a 3 hour marathon. Shandi put a lot of pressure on herself to perform well.
Unfortunately things did not go to plan, she realised early on she wasn’t going to hit her goal, but she still managed to cross the finish line, where she was immediately ushered to the medical tent. Her body had finally given in and later on she would find out that she had had a nervous breakdown.
*Please be advised that in this episode, we will be discussing the Boston Marathon bombings, which took place on April 15, 2013. This event resulted in the tragic loss of three lives and injured hundreds of others. We understand that this topic may be sensitive and triggering for some listeners.
Our guest, Shandi, will be sharing her personal experience of being at the 2013 Boston Marathon, and the impact it had on her mental and physical health. If you feel that this topic may be difficult for you, we encourage you to prioritise your emotional well-being and listen at your own discretion.
Shandi shares more about the aftermath, how she needed to heal her body and mind.
She did this by making big changes to her life; from leaving her job as a television producer and moving to be closer to the mountains. She also started to freelance as a creative producer.
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Show notes
Social Media
Website www.shandikk.com
Instagram @shandikk
Nicky Button was born in Gloucester and grew up in Worcester. Having a very happy childhood.
Nicky was always last to be picked for any teams at school and was the most uncoordinated and non sporty child being told to go and swim after a term of tennis when she still hadn’t hit a ball. Her teens and twenties removed around horses and children , whilst she ran a yard starting and schooling young horses and teaching people to ride alongside being a foster mother.
In 2000 with an eight year old daughter she moved to Surrey where she spotted a group of people kayaking on a local canal, she went along to the club and heard only two parts of the sentence, Wednesday nights are adults only, whitewater training and we go to the pub afterwards. Six months later she was staring at her first White water river in Wales. Several swims later and at the end of the river she was hooked.
The kayaking totally changed her life and she soon realised that whilst she certainly wasn’t the most proficient, she had found her tribe. Through the kayaking she was invited to help on set on Midsummer Murders and the rest as they say is history, she retrained learning swift water and rope rescue, working at heights and confined spaces, with fire and setting up stunts and rigging. There then followed some incredible years where she felt that she was being paid to have the best time in life.
In 2013 after going away skiing she returned and was unable to see her daughter across the room. Four months later she’d had her driving license removed which knocked onto no job and then no home. Her life felt as though it was falling apart.
She moved to South Devon and stormed along the South West Coast path. A few years on and she was part of walking groups for people with Visual Impairment and encouraging people to get out walking.
On moving to Worcester in 2021 she met an amazing group of strangers who became friends, a trip up Ben Nevis was followed by entering her first Ultra challenge a 50km over Exmoor. When she completed that she looked for her next challenge.
During lockdown she’d dreamed she’d walked from Scotland to Devon, she decided to make this a reality and so Nicky’s most marvellous ridiculous adventure was born. Walking from the Orkney Islands to the Scilly Isles. Solo and unsupported.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Instagram: @blind.girl.walking
Facebook: Nicky’s most marvellous, ridiculous adventure
Just Giving: https://www.justgiving.com/
Sasha DiGiulian began climbing in 1998 at 6 years old. She won the World Championships for Female Overall, a Silver in the Bouldering World Championships, as well as Bronze in the Duel.
Sasha was also the undefeated pan-American Champion for over a decade. Outdoors, Sasha is the first North American woman to climb the grade 9a, 5.14d. Additionally, she has on-sighted multiple 8b+’s, 5.14a’s, ascended groundbreaking, multi-pitch routes of over 1500 feet of 8c climbing, and accomplished multiple First Ascents and over 30 First Female Ascents around the World.
Sasha is a graduate of Columbia University in New York City where she studied Non-fiction Writing and Business.
She is on the Board of the Women’s Sports Foundation, and is an Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play, Up2Us Sports, Access Fund, and American Alpine Club. She is the founder of SEND Bars and Female Focused Adventures, and is a co-founder of RoamTV.
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Show Notes
Social Media
Website sashadigiulian.com
Instagram @sashadigiulian
Facebook @sashadigiulian
Twitter @sashadigiulian
India in her own words:
“I am India Cook, an avid Atlanta-based runner, marathoner, race announcer, YouTube vlogger, podcast host, and RRCA-certified run coach. I have a love for running and road racing, but I also have a passion for encouraging and guiding runners and those who aspire to become runners. I advocate for all paces and body types in the space of road racing.
My running journey started in 2008 on the quest to lose weight and also engage in a healthy social activity. Since 2008 I have completed distances from 5K to marathons.
Throughout my running journey, I observed that there were limited running resources created by women of color to help individuals get into running or resources for those already engaged in the sport.
Therefore, I developed a vlog “Miles From India” on YouTube. The vlog’s purpose is to educate, inspire, and motivate runners. Viewers can find tips and how-to videos that aid in helping runners navigate running effectively. Within the running community, I also find it important to ensure diverse running experiences and stories are highlighted.
In 2018, I became a podcast host of, The Run Duo Podcast, with my co-host, Tommy Mitchell. On our bi-weekly podcast, we talk all things running as we educate and entertain our listeners and also interview casually to elite runners.
In addition to content creation, I am also a race announcer and event emcee. I am the amazing voice that you hear at the start and finish line of a race that motivates you to keep going and cheers you in at the finish. As a fellow runner, I find it important to feed positivity and love during all points for racing and I am your fun energetic voice that does that.
On the coaching side of the sport, I have a focus on helping ladies run confidently in any phase of their run journey, my background in mental health not only allows me to have a positive and healthy relationship with running but also enables me to help athletes build a similar relationship as well. I find it essential to make the sport of running less intimidating and relatable for all levels.
My goal is to make the sport of running more diverse, inclusive, and less intimidating to my listeners and viewers.
I will continue to use my training, experience, and voice to guide others in the community of running through coaching.
I take the approach that everyone's journey is unique, and we should celebrate every step, stride, and mile. I believe that running not only boosts physical health, but it also rejuvenates your mind and fuels confidence”
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
Show Notes
Social Media
Website: www.milesfromindia.
Instagram: @i_of_endigo_runs
The Run Duo Podcast: https://linktr.ee/Therunduo
Link to all places: https://linktr.ee/
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/c/
Maddy is a 72-year-old runner, cyclist, mother of four, and grandmother to three. Her goal is to fight aging and show that we can do things long after we thought we couldn't.
Maddy has always enjoyed being outside since she was a child. At school, she enjoyed sports and spent a lot of time swimming with her brother.
Maddy has been running for more than four decades. She began running in 1977 at the age of 26. She was working for the military in a child guidance clinic in Munster, Germany.
Maddy was just running for pleasure, and prioritises her children after work. She was a social worker before becoming a teacher. She joined the Harriers in the 1990s and began running seriously in 1997–98. She has competed in every imaginable race, as well as loads that no longer exist.
In 2017, Maddy competed in over 30 races, winning the majority of them in her age category (V65). From 2004 to 2018, she ranked in the top 50 in the UK for her age group at distances ranging from 5K to marathon. She finished 14th among V65 women in the UK in the half marathon in 2017.
Maddy also finds time to coach and support other runners, and she has helped organise local parkruns. She set up Mansfield Runners in 2012 with Sue Bellingham's help. They started it when Run England was promoting beginner's groups. It is now a RunTogether group.
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
Show Notes
Social Media
Instagram @collingemaddy
Amy Rusiecki is a full-time engineer with a passion for ultrarunning.
Amy, who has been running her entire life, started out with orienteering when she was only six years old before moving onto cross country running and then transitioning to road racing (during which time she escaped to the trails to train).
During her ultrarunning career (Amy has completed 82 ultras and has won 33 of them), she has found confidence, joy and her husband.
She is the Race Director for the Vermont 100 and coaches other ultrarunners through The Run Formula.
She is a three-time member of the USA Trail Team, and is sponsored by Inov-8 and Drymax.
Amy, her husband and their kitty live in western Massachusetts and mainly race throughout the East Coast.
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
Show Notes
Social Media
Seven Sisters Trail Race - 12 miles of technical, single track trail on an out-and-back course with over 3,500 ft. elevation gain
Vermont 100 - 100 mile race
Vermont Adaptive: www.vermontadaptive.
Beast Coast Trail Running: www.facebook.com/
Ingrid has loved competitive sports since a young age. Originally swimming was her passion and she began swimming competitively at 6 years old, she swam throughout high school and attending UCLA (a division 1 school) where she swam competitively for 2 years, while studying Sociology.
After leaving college, Ingrid made the transition from swimming to running and also decided to become an actress. Played lifeguard Sheryl Whelan, on Baywatch as well as having roles on Scandal, Grey's Anatomy, Castle, and Parenthood, to name a few!
At the age of 47 after running her fastest marathon ever, 2hr 48 mins in the 2019 LA Marathon.
Ingrid was feeling the strongest and fittest she’d ever been.
However, while training for her next challenge, she started to not feel well and after seeing her doctor was diagnosed with breast cancer. Ingrid underwent a double mastectomy, and continued to run while undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy as well as radiation.
Ingrid is a member of Janes an elite women’s running group based in LA and in 2021 Ingrid was inducted into the National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame.
RUNNING CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2014 3rd Place Masters Female Chicago Marathon
2014 2nd Place Female Overall Orange County Marathon
2016 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championship: 5th place Masters Woman Overall
2021 2nd Place 50+, 12th Overall USATF Masters XC Club Nationals Tallahassee,FL
2022 1st Place 50+, 8th Overall USATF Masters XC Championships Mission Bay, CA
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
Show Notes
Social Media
Instagram @ingridwalt
Janes Elite Racing - www.thejanes.net
A Swiss-born ultrarunner, Luzia Buehler now lives in the mountains, trying to live a good life while protecting what is most important to her.
Luzia has always been an athletic person since she was a child because of her great love for the outdoors and the mountains. Luzia discovered her passion for trail running when she was about 20 years old, and she has since competed in all of the most important international races.
In 2016, Luzia competed in the Western States 100 race for the first time, finishing 27th (27hrs 03mins) and 11th (20hrs 23mins) in 2019.
Having run this race twice, which has greatly prepared her, Luzia, 40, has rocked the world’s oldest 100-mile trail race, the Western States Endurance Run, by becoming the 4th place women's finisher in a time of 18 hours, 08 minutes last year.
Luzia is also a social worker who enjoys skiing and snowboarding during the winter.
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
Show Notes
Social Media
Instagram @luz.s.y
Allie spent a lot of her life seeking approval from people she thought were cool, believing that in order to be successful, you had to act a certain way. For her, success is seeing someone who doesn't believe they can do something transform into someone who does.
After working for major record labels for 12 years, Allie realised that music, which she had once loved, was slowly killing her. Her dream career had turned her into a nightmare, and she was completely lost. Allie has struggled to find her place and suffers from depressive demons, anxiety, and existential misery.
After taking part in the inaugural Rat Race Test Pilot trip to Mongolia in 2018, she realised it was the first time she had truly had time to stop, think, and be completely at peace. Fast forward, after three and a half years, numerous journeys, a pandemic, some questionable decisions, and a lot of planning and running, Allie is now coaching other people to do amazing things.
Allie holds several world firsts to her name, including running across Mongolia's Lake Khovsgol and crossing the Namib Desert twice. Allie is the first woman to run the entire length of the Panama Canal. She has also run the length of the Outer Hebrides, crossed Scotland on packraft and foot several times, and completed over 100 marathons and 60-70 ultramarathons, including nine 100-mile plus races.
Allie started running 10 years ago and have only being doing the ultra thing for 6 years, but she absolutely love it. It's a game changer. Allie believes that it is something that anyone of any age and from any background can participate in.
Allie has been extremely lucky to have discovered something she truly enjoys doing, and her favorite thing in the entire world is seeing people achieve things they never thought were possible
"There's nobody funner than an Ultrarunner" - Allie Bailey
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
* We have previously spoken with Allie on 18th Dec 2018 - Listen here
FYI marked as *Explicit - as there are a few little swear words!
Show Notes
Social Media
Website www.alliebailey.co.uk
Instagram @ab_runs
Twitter @AllieBailey
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/user/
Rav is a mum of 3 teenagers and works as a management consultant.
Rav only found running later on in life when she was in her late 30’s. She started running to prove a point to someone who said she couldn’t run. Rav soon realised that fitness initiatives such as Park Run and races just weren’t for her.
Her joy for running came from the solitude and peace she found while on an empty trail or a calm street.
Rav now runs for fun, for her mental well being and to keep fit. In 2022 she completed a goal she had had for 20 years - running the London Marathon.
Rav is currently on a run streak where she has been running outside every day for almost 5 years. She is also training for her next challenge: a 32 mile / 52k Ultra Marathon in the Peak District taking place in the Summer of 2023!
“Find what makes you happy. Do more of it”
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
Show Notes
Social Media
Twitter @ravbillan
Instagram @ravbillan
Grace in her own words:
“I’m driven by the need to inspire other people of colour on to the trails.
I want to increase diversity and participation in endurance running.
I’m also tired of being the only Black person at endurance events and feeling like I don’t belong.
I’ve run 70+ marathons including ultras, and I’m still going.”
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live in March every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
Show notes
Social Media
Instagram @marathongracefully
Keri Wallace is the founder & guide at Girls on Hills, the UK’s only trail, fell and skyrunning company for women. After her second child, Keri decided to quit the desk-job and find a way to combine her passion for mountain running with flexible working, so that she could fulfil a life goal and be mum to two toddlers at the same time.
Keri in her own words:
“I started Girls on Hills with my colleague Nancy Kennedy in 2013, as a way to encourage more women to try trail and fell running. It was a terrifying leap of faith and a dream-come-true rolled into one. It felt like the opposite of a mid-life crisis though; like I’d finally found the confidence to stand up and do something I should have done a long time ago. But I had no idea whether it would take off!
We only ran a handful of courses the first year but it soon became clear that there was a real appetite out there for the kind of freedom and empowerment that comes with this type of running – across all ability levels.
I love guiding women around the rocky hills of Glencoe, helping them build the confidence and skills they need to become more independent in the mountains (usually a simple case of revealing how much they are already capable of!) Mountain running is such a multi-faceted sport, with benefits that reach out and touch all other areas of your life.
As Girls on Hills has grown over the years, we have learned more about the barriers that many women face, across all levels of our sport, from beginner access, right through to elite-level racing. Today we advocate strongly for equity and inclusivity and seek to increase female participation in technical and ultra-distance events, where the gender gap is greatest.”
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live in March every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.
The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com
Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March.
Show notes
Social Media
Website www.girlsonhills.com
Instagram @girlsonhillsuk
Facebook @GirlsOnHills
Kate in her own words...
"My name is Kate Strong and I don’t believe in living a compromised life. From an early age, I felt I was different. I was curiously questioning almost everything I did, and realised that living within society’s comfort zone doesn’t always create inspiring and extraordinary results.
My mission is to inspire and empower people just like you to step up and achieve what you know intuitively that you know you want.
Add clarity, direction, a sense of purpose and methods to maintain your desire to move forward to achieve and live your dreams.
For over two decades, I tried to fit in. I put what other people expected of me ahead of what I truly wanted to do. I was not being entirely me – I was conforming and compromising.
At university, I studied Engineering – to please my parents (I did enjoy the challenge of learning a new topic, but being an engineer was never my dream).
After graduating, I went to Latin America. Yet, I eventually ‘returned to normal’ and started to ‘settle down’ – following the unspoken rules of society.
I find it curious why most people wait until a ‘cliff edge moment’ before making significant changes. I was no different, waiting until after a dramatic break-up with my fiancé that left me financially in debt and emotionally distraught did I finally accept that things needed to change. I needed to change.
It was time I started to live for me and feed what could be rather than resign to what is already. Far too many people are settling for below their potential, in a state of discomfort: Living for Friday afternoon and the next pay cheque. Life doesn’t have to be like this.
Applying this philosophy, I took up running and became age-group World Triathlon Champion. I have been striving to stop reacting to circumstances and instead continue to consciously create a life that inspires me and others."
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Show Notes
Social Media
Website katestrong.global
Instagram @katestrong01
Facebook @katestrong01
Twitter @katestrong01
Nirjala is a 41-year-old Nepalese national triathlete and a mother of two. She was Nepal's national mountain biking champion for 12 years, from 2001 to 2012, and after dominating the mountain biking scene for 12 years, Nirjala was known as the "Mountain Queen" by her peers. Nirjala is now a triathlete on the Nepal National Team.
On June 6th, 2021, Nirjala completed the UK Ultimate Triathlon event in Whitchurch after 15 hours and 13 minutes. The full Ironman distance includes 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling, and 42 kilometers of running. She then became the first Nepali female athlete to complete a full Ironman-distance triathlon.
Her historic achievement was publicly recognized as the "First Nepalese Female Athlete to achieve" by Nepal Triathlon Association President, Mr. Nilendra Raj Shrestha.
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Learn more by visiting www.patreon.com/
Show notes
Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Camille Herron is an American ultramarathon runner. She was born on Christmas Day in Norman, Oklahoma. She credits her athletic ability and steely toughness to her grandpa, who earned two Purple Hearts in World War II, and her dad, who played college basketball at Oklahoma State University for 3-time Olympic Team Coach, Henry Iba. As a 7-year-old she would practice basketball without water until she would black out. When she was 17, her family became homeless when they lost their home in a tornado. She started running long on Sundays to celebrate her life.
Camille won the 2017 Comrades Marathon and holds several World Record times at ultramarathon distances. She is the first and only athlete to win all three of the road IAU World Championships for 50K, 100K, and 24 Hours. Camille also holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon in a superhero costume. She is known for running with her hair down, drinking beer, and eating tacos during ultramarathons.
In November 2017, she broke Ann Trason's 100-mile Road World Record by over an hour in 12:42:40. She is the first woman to run under 13 hours for 100 miles, exceed 150 km for 12-Hours, and reach 270 km for 24-Hours. In April 2022, she became the youngest woman to reach 100,000 lifetime miles.
Camille has overcome multiple challenges in her life, including injuries as a young runner and the loss of her family's home in the 1999 tornado outbreak in Oklahoma. In February 2019, just two weeks after surviving a rollover car accident, she won the Tarawera 100 Miler in Rotorua, New Zealand in a new course record of 17:20:52.
She was a 3-time All-Stater in cross country, 3-time State Champion in track and field, and valedictorian at Westmoore High School. As a young runner, Camille experienced many injuries and was inspired to understand why. She got back into competitive running as a road racer in her fifth year of college coached by her husband and former elite runner, Conor Holt. In 2007, Camille graduated from Oregon State University with a Master of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Science.
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
Support the Tough Girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - especially in relation to adventure and physical challenge by signing up as a patron. www.patreon.com/
Show Notes
Social Media
Website www.camilleherron.com/
Instagram @runcamille
Facebook @runcamille
Twitter @runcamille
Amy Aed is a travel writer and adventurer from Wales who was the first person to walk the entire Danube River.
Amy was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of 15, and the daily impact on her health was a struggle, but there’s nothing stopping her from living the life she wants.
On 14th September 2022, Amy finally finished the 1770-mile journey and became the first person to walk the Danube river, more or less a year after she started.
Amy is also the face behind the blog Wandering Everywhere. She enjoys writing raw, off-the-beaten-path guides to beautiful places.
Amy's writing has been featured in Sick Chirpse, The New Welsh Review, Yahoo! Lifestyle, Buzz Magazine, Wanderlust Magazine, Buzzfeed, and many more.
About the blog:
Wandering Everywhere is a space filled with raw, off-the-beaten-track travel guides on gorgeous places, with a focus on solo female travel and travelling when there’s a million obstacles in front of you.
This blog is for the travel-hungry, those who are on the constant search of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s for the people who are all about asking questions and collecting stories, sharing their passion for exploration in an outlet designed to inspire a whole community of travellers.
Wandering Everywhere is a blog set out to inspire others to live a life of a travel in a way that needn’t be scary, expensive, or isolating – where wandering and wondering go hand in hand. Let’s turn the world travel-hungry.
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media especially in relation to adventure and physical challenges. Visit www.patreon.com/
*This walk was started 1st September 2021 and finished 14th September 2022
Show notes
Social Media
Website www.wandering-everywhere.com
Instagram @wandering-everywhere
Facebook @wanderingeverywherepage
Twitter @wandrevrywhere