Meet Dr. Erin Ayala, a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant from Minnesota, specialising in supporting female endurance athletes. With over a decade of research and clinical experience, she’s a published author, sought-after speaker, and advocate for mental health in sport.

In this episode, Erin shares insights on:

• Building mental resilience for endurance challenges
• Strategies for coping with performance pressure and burnout
• Balancing high-level competition with wellbeing
• Lessons from her own journey as a competitive cyclist

A must-listen for anyone looking to strengthen their mind while chasing big goals.

***

 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x

***

Show notes

• Who is Dr Erin - Licensed Psychologist and certified mental performance coach 
• Being based in the twin cities, Minnesota, USA
• Her love for working with female athletes
• Her backstory and being a multi-sport athlete in High School
• Getting to grad school and starting to get into running 
• Joining a run club and getting the running bug
• Working her way up to marathons
• Meeting her spouse and getting into cycling, triathlons and doing Ironman
• Moving to Minnesota in 2016 
• Joining a cycling club and being encouraged to start racing bikes
• Gravel racing for the past 10 years
• Growing up in a small, midwestern town.
• Wanting to look after herself better 
• Being a workaholic and not prioritising her health or wellness 
• Stretching herself to thin and not feeling proud of what’s going on inside
• Being very achievement driven
• Needing to match the internal to external 
• Being consistent with therapy since undergraduate 
• Why running and riding can be therapeutic but it can never replace working with a licensed therapist. 
• Thoughts while running and how they have changed over the years 
• Being a smoker, waking up coughing and not feeling good
• Starting running to be healthy and fit again
• Why it became so much deeper so much quicker 
• External motivation can only get us so far 
• The internal motivation is what keeps us going 
• How running helps her prioritise her “me” time
• Figuring out the WHY
• Wanting to get off Strava, not following anyone on it, and not worrying about the social comparison game
• Getting sucked into the world of social media
• Starting with your WHY and what does that actually mean 
• What words do you want people to use to describe you as a person
• Setting herself up for success 
• Why her favourite clients are women in their 50s
• Getting the balance right between going after your goals and managing a relationship 
• Being supported on her bike adventures, both on and off the road   
• Doing really long road trips and going back country hiking together 
• Doing 2 big events per year
• Planning a race strategy and what the mental side of a race strategy looks like 
• Nothing new on race day and why the same applies to mental work and mental skills
• It’s never too soon to start. 
• Doing meditation every day via a free app
• 3/4 weeks out and getting series about her race goals 
• Being ready to reassess her goals based upon life circumstances 
• Taking into account- life - when setting race goals 
• Life gives us training scores too
• Tips and tricks while being on the start line to get into the zone.
• The cognitive piece and psychological piece 
• Here are my pre-race jitters
• Feeling anxious at the start line e.g. going to the bathrooms multiple times before the start.
• Take a deep breath? Breathing 
• The importance of low and slow breathing and how it helps to balance out the nervous system.
• The concept of the pain cave 
• Courtney Dauwalter
• Taking it to the next level- finishing strong - the final push over the finish line
• Figuring out - What is the most difficult or most important part of the race?
• Visualising success…. Toxic positivity 
• How am I going to respond once the feeling hits?
• If - then - situation 
• Responding and dealing with failure and set backs 
• Letting the disappointment settle in 
• Reminding yourself that just because you didn’t reach your goal didn't mean you are a failure and did anything wrong 
• Doing everything right and still not hitting your goals 
• Outcome goals are how we compare to other people 
• Set process goals and why they are more effective than outcome goals
• Starting a new podcast with Fiesty Media 
• Focusing on what she can do
• The noise on the internet
• The Feisty Women’s Podcast - January 12th 2026 was the launch date - with weekly episodes going forward.
• Women and sleep and why women are more efficient sleepers than men
• Focus on the basics
• Taking on the more taboo topics
• Book: The Stronger Sex: What Science Tells us about the Power of the Female Body. By Starre Vartan 
• Sports psychology and why there is so much work to do in this space for women 
• Research which is specific for women
• The lack of large scale studies in sports psychology for women
• How to connect with Erin online 
• “Skadi”- The Norse Goddess of ice, snow and mountains
• Words of advice to motivate and inspire other women and girls 
• Being willing to ask the hard questions around where our expectations are coming from 
• Why it’s ok to make our own rules and break them 
• Going back to your value system
• Does leaning into this experience make sense for me?

Social Media

Website: www.skadisportpsychology.com 

Instagram: @skadisportpsychology

@feisty_womens_performance

Fiesty Media Podcast: feisty.co/podcasts 

Jennifer is an adventurer, wellness professional, and founder of The Adventure Wellness Club, helping women connect with nature, challenge themselves, and build lasting friendships through experiences grounded in the 3 Cs: Challenge, Connection, and Community.

She designs international hiking adventures and UK-based experiences that blend movement, mindfulness, and wellness. Her work spans everything from planning logistics and designing programs to facilitating group hikes, yoga, sauna and ice-bath sessions, and breath work.

Jennifer lived in Trentino, Italy for four years, where she learned to speak Italian and fell in love with the mountains and the sports within them, including ski touring. Over time, she has also run ultra marathons and bike packed long distances. Adventure is what makes her feel alive!

As a late-diagnosed ADHDer, her adventures are rooted in wellness and informed by research like the 3 Day Effect, showing that just three days immersed in nature can boost attention, creativity, and emotional resilience — benefits especially meaningful for neurodivergent women. Each international trip ends with a sauna experience, which she considers essential for physical and emotional wellbeing.

Her experiences encourage women to step outside their comfort zones while feeling supported, mindful, and fully present. Through adventure, movement, and shared experiences, Jennifer helps women slow down, feel capable, and reconnect with themselves and each other.

***

 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x

Show notes

• Who is Jennifer
• Original from Manchester, but now based in Sheffield
• When her running journey started
• Maintaining a good level of base fitness
• Running 50k in January 
• Feeling the need to go for a run
• Getting into ultra running 
• Supported a guy who did the Bob Graham Round and running one of the legs
• If he can do it - I can do it to
• Knowing that she was capable of achieving 
• Breaking down the goal 
• Seeing the behind the scenes of planning a run and how it inspired her
• The Japanese Odyssey 
• Doing the next best thing - signing up to a race in Italy 
• Being supported by people along the way 
• Running the Edale Skyline with Barefoot John 
• Digging into the planning and learning new planning skills
• Being impulsive and spontaneous 
• Being determined enough to do it 
• Why it’s not just about the planning, but also about the execution 
• Coming up with a rough plan 
• Planning, hormones, structure 
• Not having the energy for hill reps and feeling fatigued
• Beating herself up for not achieving it
• Having to reframe the situation 
• The night before the race and doing a race strategy with Chat GPT 
• Working with a coach - S&C and following a 12 week running plan 
• Why there isn’t a right and a wrong - why it’s what works for you
• Looking at the training plan and listening to her body 
• Running the ultra marathon while menstruating 
• Fitting training into life and work 
• Running to her cleaning job 
• Starting a marketing contract for 4 days a week
• Having a rest day on Monday
• Being forced to find the time
• Combing running with life 
• Starting with a running coach and training for a 50k in April in Wales (She Ultra) 
• The Ultra Race in Italy - being the only British women running 
•  Her aim for the race
• Why it’s not about the other people racing - it’s about you
• Treating it as a fun day out - chatting to people in the mountain huts, changing her top, taking things steady
• Teaching herself that she could do it
• Sprinting towards the end, just trying to get there 
• Gaining new experience 
• SheUltra Race 
• Wanting to build her confidence in her physical abilities 
• Getting into plyometrics - for building bone density 
• Founding the Adventure Wellness Club and what it’s goals are
• Wanting to bring people together to share her passion 
• Being diagnosed with ADHD and starting to understand how her brain works and working on her self confidence 
• Pushing herself out of comfort zone with travel and adventure
• Delivering her first trip in 2025
• Teaching herself that you can make your idea a reality 
• Ending each trip with a sauna and spa experience 
• The “3 Day Effect” - spending 72 hours disconnected from technology and surrounded by nature has a breadth of benefits for your mind.
• Why adventure is key to wellness
• Looking at herself with more compassion
• Why it’s not just a focus issue
• Why a diagnosis does change everything
• Trying medication and working with a nurse practitioner 
• Starting to realise how awesome she is
• Seeing yourself in a different way 
• Issues with ADHD, perimenopause and mental health 
• Her feelings with turning 40
• Becoming more comfortable with not having children
• Being more comfortable with how her life is
• Wanting to age as strong as she can - keep pushing it, keep learning what it is capable of 
• Wanting to go ski touring in New Zealand 
• How to connect with Jennifer on social media 
• Developing her website at the moment
• Final words of advice for other women who want more adventure in their life 
• The thing that you’re thinking of doing that seems scary, follow the thread of that curiosity, it’s there for a reason. 

Social Media

Website: www.adventurewellness.club 

Instagram: @adventurewellness.club 

Facebook: @adventurewellnessclub

Amanda Duling is an endurance athlete, writer, and founder of One Gear Short of Normal™. 

A post-bariatric, perimenopausal gravel cyclist and Ironman 70.3 finisher, Amanda uses grit, science, and unapologetic humour to tell the stories no one else is telling about endurance sports, women’s bodies, and doing hard things later in life.

Through her writing and community work, she challenges the “suffer in silence” culture of endurance athletics and advocates for smarter fueling, better hygiene, realistic training, and radical honesty—especially for women navigating menopause, major weight loss, and endurance sport at the same time.

When she’s not riding gravel roads or lifting heavy things, Amanda writes research-backed, laugh-out-loud essays on endurance life, parenting, and why choosing your hard matters more than perfection.

***

 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x

***

Show notes

• Who is Amanda
• Living in Kansas City, USA
• Working as an IT professional during the day
• Mum to a special needs son 
• Building a brand in relation to being a post-bariatric endurance athlete 
• Publishing an e-book in relation to saddle sores 
• Why reinvention is possible 
• Growing up in a small rural community 
• Being into reading, writing and art
• Having a lot of anxiety about her body and body image
• Enjoying being active 
• Not having the confidence when she was younger 
• Getting married and settling down
• Having gastric bypass surgery in her early 40s 
• Having an Roux-en-Y gastric bypass - having a large portion of her stomach removed along with a large portion of her small intestines 
• Having the surgery at the beginning of COVID and being stuck at home
• Her journey with food, health and fitness 
• Going for walks with her husband 
• Finding the motivation for the next step
• Feeling uncomfortable wearing shorts and form fitting clothes 
• Starting to walk a little quicker 
• Hiring a personal trainer at the gym to gain some of the lost muscle back
• Seeing her strength coming back 
• Thinking about doing a half marathon 
• Finding a couch to 5k program 
• Not making a lot of progress due to not being able to eat a lot
• Starting to work with a dietician 
• Having to re-learn eating 
• Passing out after exercise and having no energy 
• Dumping syndrome - when the body is not able to process sugar
• UCAN and Waxy Maize
• Finding support through community 
• Joining a run club and meeting new people 
• Being able to complete the half marathon 
• Confidence and having confidence around her body
• Building her self confidence
• When things started to change
• Showing up to different races
• Doing hard things 
• Wanting to encourage individuals starting out to volunteer at a couple of events
• Overcoming a challenge during a race
• Gravel cycling/racing, and why it’s the hardest disciple in endurance sports
• Unbound Gravel Race 
• Breaking down the challenge into smaller and smaller steps and grinding it out
• Logistics of gravel racing in relation to hydration and fuelling 
• Electrolytes
• UCAN Fuel— ucan.co 
• Running on sheer grit 
• What training looks like and why she needed a lot of structure
• Training Peaks
• Learning about heart rate training 
• Training in the morning and making training work for her and her family
• The importance of social interactions during workouts
• Being surrounded by the right people and how it can help with motivation 
• How to connect with Amanda on social media
• Her love for writing and sharing her stories on Substack
• Final words of advice to motivate and inspire you
• The importance of showing up 

Social Media

Website: onegearshortofnormal.gumroad.com/l/prrdc

thecookiewaitlist.com

Instagram: @onegearshortofnormal

Facebook:  Amanda McMahon 

Substack: @onegearshortofnormal1

Youtube: One Gear Short of Normal

Growing up near Boston, Sugar discovered hiking in her early twenties while exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire. After getting sober at 30, she found herself with the clarity, time and capacity to pursue the life she truly wanted. What followed was a decision to live authentically, prioritise long-distance hiking, and become what she proudly calls a professional dirtbag.

In 2021, Sugar set out on the Appalachian Trail. While she knew she was a strong hiker, she also faced the uncertainty of what it would mean to walk the trail as a trans woman. Feeling the isolation of not seeing many stories like her own pushed her to begin writing, speaking openly, and becoming someone other queer and trans hikers could reach out to.

Since then, she has become the first known trans woman to complete the Triple Crown of long-distance hiking, founded TrailQTs – a free mentoring programme supporting first-time queer and trans thru-hikers – and in 2024 pioneered the Divide to Crest Route, a 3,000-mile backcountry journey from the Mexican border in New Mexico to the Canadian border in Washington.

In 2025, Sugar set a new women’s self-supported speed record on the Appalachian Trail southbound, breaking the previous record by more than a day and a half.

In this episode, we dive into sobriety, transition, representation, burnout, post-trail blues, building community, and what it really takes to push the body day after day. Sugar also shares practical advice on training, fuelling on a budget, protecting your feet, and why big dreams are built through small, steady steps.

This is a conversation about courage, visibility, and creating the path you wish had existed when you started.

***

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time). Hit subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

 Want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x

***

Show notes

• Who is Lyla
• Using she/her programs 
• From the North East of the USA
• Living in New Hampshire
• Working with kids and doing bar tending and other odd jobs
• Growing up just north of Boston, on the North shore, about 3 hrs away from the Appalachian Trail
• Playing team sports 
• Getting into hiking in her early 20s, with the help of a friend 
• Hiking in the White Mountains in New Hampshire 
• Getting sober at 30 years old and being sober for over 8 years now
• How it changed her life, having more time and capacity to do more hiking
• Spending time exploring the local trails in the area 
• Starting her gender transition 
• Knowing she was trans in her late 20s but not having the capacity to do anything about it
• Getting sober and how it opened up lots of doors for herself 
• Living her authentic life 
• Deciding to leave her job, sell her car and go and hike the Appalachian Trail
• Hiking the Appalachian Trail in late March 2021
• Spending the past 5 years making long distance hiking her priority
• Being a professional dirtbag
• Channeling all of her energy and resources into hiking 
• Managing fears and concerns before taking on the Appalachian Trail 
• Knowing she was a strong hiker
• Having concerns related to being a trans woman on trail and what unique challenges she would face
• Trying to learn more about other trans experiences on the Appalachian Trail
• Feeling a bit alone and not wanting others to feel the same way
• Deciding to write for an outdoor website called the trek
• Sharing more of her life online
• The power of seeing trans people in the outdoors 
• Speaking publicly and telling her authentic story
• Trying to be someone queer and trans folk can reach out to 
• Wanting to be accessible for other people 
• Documenting and sharing her story while hiking 
• Blog post - Trans competent on trail 
• Magical moments while being on the trail 
• Getting her trail name “Sugar”
• Suffering with burnout and adventure blues?
• Post trail depression and planning for it 
• Mental health and the importance of spending quality time in nature 
• Mental health habits and what’s worked for her
• Having a rich community of people in her support network
• Having people who understand where you’re coming from 
• Having good friends 
• Spending time along
• Self supported FKT SOBO on the Appalachian Trail 
• Pushing yourself hard while on the trail
• Day 1 of the project and why it was a year before starting on the trail
• The first couple of weeks and the challenging terrain 
• Why it’s fun for her
• The physical challenge for her body and thinking more about millage 
• Wanting to know how much she could push her body
• The planning and preparation before the start of the hike 
• The Divide to Crest route 
• Trying to figure out how to make it financially viable 
• Looking for sponsorship from outdoor brands
• Physically training and breaking it down into 3 separate chapters
• The Arizona Trail 
• Why your feet are everything
• The New England Trail 
• Using her home as basecamp
• Dealing with a little tendonitis at the start
• Getting hiker legs
• Food and nutrition while on the trail
• Taking a B vitamin supplement every day to help with energy
• Taking electrolytes especially with the hot weather
• Maple syrup and salt 
• Doing the trail on a budget - salt, fat, carbs….
• Eating foods that she can stomach while on the trail
• The importance of getting calories in 
• The idea behind the Divide to Crest Route
• Getting into route creation 
• The Great Basin Trail 
• Finding out more info about the Divide to Crest Route
• How to connect with Lyla on social media
• Finals words of advice for women who want to take on a new challenge and step outside their comfort zone
• Think about scaffolding 
• Why you don’t need to do everything at once. 
• Build your skillsets over time
• What can you do this year to move you closer to your goal. 

Social Media

Instagram @seltzerskelter

From ultra-light hotel bikepacking on a road bike to six-month expeditions in remote regions on a heavily laden hybrid, Emma has experienced nearly every form of bike travel, including ultra-endurance racing.

She is a passionate advocate for slow travel as a means to reconnect with nature, embrace minimalism, and discover alternative ways of living. Her travels have shaped a deep commitment to sustainability, wild camping with minimal impact, and challenging the idea of nature as a park or playground, separate from our everyday lives. You can sign up to her newsletter for monthly updates and tips.

She is particularly keen to empower others, especially women, to embrace solo adventures, and she shares both practical guidance and philosophical reflections through her writing and events. 

***

 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x

***

Show notes

• Who is Emma
• Working as a cycling journalist and tour guide
• Moving around a lot and not really having a home base
• Currently writing a guidebook on French Guiana 
• Having a normal childhood and not being particularly sporty 
• Growing up in France and starting running at 16 
• Running and rowing throughout university 
• Taking a gap year after university and heading to South America in 2016/2017
• Fundraising for 6 months before starting from Ushuaia and heading to Lima in Peru.
• Having a very small/tight budget 
• Wild camping as much as possible 
• What it was like on the trip - starting in January and dealing with prevailing winds all the way
• Travelling in a group of 3 and what it was like
• Being totally tolerant for a month
• Doing a few more little trips, before heading with her partner on a European cycle trip
• Journaling on the trip and writing a little bit each evening 
• Her bike set up and how it’s changed over the years
• Getting a vintage road bike, a carbon road bike, a gravel bike….
• Dealing with saddle sores
• Brooks Leather Saddle
• Planning and logistics 
• Spreadsheets….
• Route planning and starting with google, to find official routes, or to see if other people have created a route
• bikepacking.com
• komoot.com
• Thoughts on being brave
• Managing personal fears
• Encountering risk in everyday life
• Following gut instinct 
• Moving away from being a nice girl
• Travelling on your own
• Being allowed to change your mind
• Deciding to do more cycling competitions 
• Ultra races and why the winners are the ones who sleep the least
• Trying out new challenges
• How expensive ultra endurance races can be
• The joy of long trips and how it can change your perspective of time 
• The dream 6 month to a year trip
• Wanting to go back to South America or cycling from Europe to Asia
• Being content with taking her time on trips
• The cycling guidebook about French Guiana.
• How to connect with Emma online
• Final words of advice for other women who want to go on adventures and discover more of the world
• Do it in a simple and gradual way.
• The power of keeping it simple 

Social Media

Website: www.emmakarslake.com
Newsletter: www.emmakarslake.com/newsletter
Insta: @emma_up_cycles
Linkedin: Emma Karslake

Jacquetta Megarry didn’t grow up in the outdoors, and she certainly didn’t see herself as an adventurer—or a publisher. But turning 50 sparked a journey that would transform her life. From walking the West Highland Way with friends to summiting Mt Kilimanjaro, Jacquetta discovered the power of pacing yourself, listening to your body, and building unshakeable self-belief.

Her adventures inspired her to found Rucksack Readers, a guidebook company that helps hikers navigate trails around the world. Over 25 years later, Jacquetta shares stories from her experiences—from hiking in the UK during Storm Amy, to trekking the Inca Trail, to exploring Antarctica—along with lessons on making mistakes, learning from them, and embracing challenges at any age.

In this episode, Jacquetta shares how stepping outside your everyday life can open doors to new passions, transform confidence, and even create a career doing what you love. She offers practical tips for hikers, insights into publishing, and encouragement for women ready to explore the world on their own terms.

This episode is for you if you:

• Want inspiration to start a new adventure at any age
• Dream of hiking, trekking, or exploring the outdoors
• Are curious about publishing guidebooks and sharing your knowledge
• Believe it’s never too late to embrace challenges and grow

Ready to be inspired? Hit play and let Jacquetta take you on a journey of mountains, maps, and life-changing adventures.

***

 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x

***

Show notes

• Who is Jacquetta
• Growing up in London and going to school there
• Living all her adult life in Scotland 
• Living in Edinburgh
• Founding Rucksack Readers a guidebook company 
• Not being sporty or into the great outdoors at a young age
• Turning 50 and deciding to go and walk the West Highland Way with 4 female friends to celebrate 200 years of womanhood 
• Feeling dissatisfied with the official guidebook
• This frustration lay dormant for 18 months 
• Heading off to climb Mt Kilimanjaro for the first time and why the altitude was a great leveller
• How climbing Kilimanjaro gave her the self belief in order to make a career change 
• Going from working in IT to starting a guidebook company 
• The importance of pacing yourself and listening to your body
• Building self belief on the mountain 
• How only 9 out of the 16 made it to the summit
• Feeling health, taking photos and enjoying the experience 
• Doing something so far outside your normal everyday life and how it can make you think differently about life
• Becoming a publisher and having the confidence to think you can write a guidebook after one experience
• Deciding to do the Inca Trail in 2001 and the challenges involved in gathering the info for a guidebook 
• Why would you not want the paper to be rainproof?
• Hiking the Dales Way during Storm Amy
• Creating little map booklets for hikers (waterproof)
• Apps verses Guidebooks 
• Planning a walk with ChatGPT
• The structure of the guidebook
• Mapping and keeping route information updated
• Being a volunteer - on the Xtreme Everest Project  
• Dealing with altitude sickness - keeping well hydrated and monitoring her heart 
• Maintaining a base level of fitness…
• Celebrating 25 years of Rucksack Readers
• Writing about the mistakes made in publishing
• Talking about failure and mistakes and the lessons made 
• Visiting Antarctica and wanting to go sea kayaking and see the emperor penguins 
• Dealing with the cold and the conditions on the ship 
• How her hiking has changed now entering her 70s
• The joy of being a publisher and being able to follow her passions
• Future challenge and revisiting the Dales Way
• Succession planning for Rucksack Readers
• Having a year of consolidation and looking after the future
• How to connect with Jacquetta and Rucksack Readers
• Discount code for the listeners of the Tough Girl Podcast—use toughgirl for a 20% discount of all books 
• Final words of advice for other women who want to go on more adventures and challenges around the world
• Mistakes and being afraid of getting it wrong. 
• Get out there, make the mistakes, and be sure to learn from them. 

Social Media

Website: rucsacs.com

• use toughgirl for a 20% discount off books - valid until 20th January 2027

Instagram: @rucksack_readers

Facebook: Rucksack Readers 

Sabrina Pace-Humphreys is back on the Tough Girl Podcast for her third appearance, sharing her incredible journey as a runner, coach, and advocate for representation in trail running. From being a mum of four and grandmother of three, to taking on some of the toughest ultramarathons in the world, Sabrina’s story is one of resilience, community, and the relentless pursuit of goals.

In this episode, Sabrina reflects on her time at the UTMB, the challenges of race preparation, and the lessons learned when things don’t go to plan. She also shares updates on her work with Black Trail Runners, supporting women and runners of the global majority, and gives a sneak peek into her new book, Start Where You Are: The Beginner’s 5k Running Guide for Women.

Whether you’re chasing your first 5k, dreaming of ultra distances, or passionate about creating inclusive running communities, Sabrina’s insights, advice, and personal stories will inspire you to lace up and claim your mantle as a runner.

Listen to past episodes with Sabrina on the Tough Girl Podcast 

July 7th 2020 - Sabrina Pace-Humpreys - Ultra runner, going from Anxiety to Accomplishment - Running the MDS

August 30th - 2022 - Sabrina Pace-Humphreys - Co-founder of Black Trail Runners and running Britain’s most brutal race 

***

 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x

***

Show notes

• Who is Sabrina Pace-Humphreys
• Run coach, personal trainer and community builder 
• Advocate for representation in running 
• Mum of 4, grandmother of 3
• 3rd time on the Tough Girl Podcast!
• Speaking with Sabrina on August 30th 2022
• The final things we talked about - Back to the Trails, creating a vision board, wanting to participate in the UTMB race and wanting to write a 2nd book about running 
• What’s happened over the past few years
• 2023 Survivor! 
• Not being able to hide being a hype woman! 
• Why you will either love it or hate it
• Being voted out in the 2nd week 
• Why it was such a bizarre experience seeing herself
• Having an episode of poor mental health after the show and feeling out of control
• Using her voice to motivate a team
• Coming out of the low moments and the connection to running, community and friendships 
• Her go to tools
• Update on Black Trail Runners
• Running social runs with students of the global majority
• Creating a sustainable charity and model
• HERE FOR THE WOMEN'S RACE
• Being involved in a steering committee to get more women in the trail running space 
• Creating the black and gold t-shirt - “Here for the women’s race”
• Her journey to the UTMB
• Running stones and collecting them 
• UK race - Arc of Attrition and Ultra Trail Snowdonia
• Applying via the ballot 
• The planning and preparation for UTMB
• B and C races, planning weekends in Snowdonia and France
• Using an altitude chamber for training 
• Booking accommodation for the UTMB a year in advance
• Financial access to races 
• £15,000 for races, accommodations, travel costs, gear, supplements etc
• August on the start line of the UTMB
• Working on a film to be released next year
• Not wanting to let anyone down
• Not liking the pre-race faff
• Why it was different to what she thought it would be
• The brutal conditions and being timed out 
• Tweaking her calf the week before
• The weather challenges and the impact on the racers
• Not being able to get out of the slump
• How the race made her question everything 
• Being supported by her husband and friends
• Battling cutoffs 
• Not having it in her and the end of the race
• Working on her running book!
• New Book: Start Where You Are: The Beginner’s 5k Running Guide for Women
• How you can connect with Sabrina
• Final words of advice and wisdom
• You can do hard things 
• Claiming the mantle - I am a runner

Social Media

Website: www.sabrinapacehumphreys.com

Instagram: @sabrunsmiles 

New book: Start Where You Are: The Beginner’s 5k Running Guide for Women 

What does it mean to challenge the limits of both body and mind—and to redefine what success looks like along the way? Denisa Krásná, scholar, author, and adventurer from the Czech Republic, takes us on a journey into the world of women in extreme sports.

From her early days trekking with her parents to highlining hundreds of meters above the ground, Denisa has always been drawn to adventure, isolation, and pushing herself beyond comfort. She co-edited Flow: Women’s Counternarratives from Rivers, Rock, and Sky, an inspiring anthology celebrating diverse women’s voices in adventure sports—whitewater kayaking, climbing, mountaineering, and highlining—challenging stereotypes and redefining what it means to be successful in the outdoors.

In this episode, we explore:

• Denisa’s path from scholar to adventurer and author
• How fear, frustration, and failure can become tools for growth
• The mental game behind highlining and extreme sports
• Stories of resilience, creativity, and empowerment from women across the globe
• Why inclusivity, mentorship, and community are key to thriving in adventure sports

Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a woman seeking inspiration, or simply curious about the stories behind extreme adventure, Denisa’s insights will leave you reflecting on your own limits—and inspired to push past them.

Tune in for a conversation about courage, flow, and the power of women redefining adventure on their own terms.

***

🎙️ New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

💪 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

🙏 Your support makes a difference. 💖 Thank you x

***

Show notes

• Who is Denisa
• Growing up and living in the Czech Republic 
• Working as a scholar at university 
• Loving research and writing about her adventure 
• Writing books and academic articles
• Her early years growing up 
• Travelling with her parents all the time
• Going on trekking adventures around the world from places like  lapland to Nepal 
• Her love for being outdoors and being isolated 
• Being introverted 
• Wanting to talk to adults and discuss ideas 
• Her passion for reading, researching and academics 
• Being active every single day
• New Book: Flow: Women’s Counternarratives from Rivers, Rock, and Sky
• How the book came about with her friend Alena Rainsberry 
• Getting a grant to work on outdoor counternarratives 
• Being do-ers  and getting things done
• Reaching out to potential authors 
• The gap in the literature 
• What does counternarratives mean?
• What the typical story of success currently is in outdoor sports
• Wanting to show that success is something that should be defined by the individual - it should be fluid.
• Including stories from professional athletes who define success in the more conventional way 
• Representation of women in adventure stories 
• The stories that resonated and made her think in a different way
• Why every story can make you think 
• The unique view of Rae Raptor aka Cheryll Glotfelty 
• The advantages that her age gives her from money and time 
• Talking about fear and how fear manifests in so many different ways 
• Rocky Mountain Books
• Denisa view on fear and how she experiences it 
• Why her view on fear is very rational and being able to distinguish between the objective and subjective fear
• Highlining and slacklining 
• Her journey into highlining 
• Buying a slackline during covid
• Why the improvements were related to the frequency of training 
• Having quick initial progress
• Being introduced to the local slacklining community and getting a mentor
• The state of flow 
• Why flow is also a word game and why it has multiple meanings
• The photo on the cover of FLOW - with Brenda Gor 
• What free style highlining is and how it is different from walkers
• The mental side of highlining  - zoning out 
• The importance of preparing before you even get on the line 
• Using rituals to get mentally into the right state of mind 
• The number one cause of death in highlining 
• Human mistakes and how it can happen to experienced professionals 
• Why it’s good to be slightly afraid 
• Always respect that you are doing an extreme sport 
• Why the mental game is different for everybody 
• Needing to take a few steps to get into the mental zone 
• Specific training needed for the sport 
• Frustration with slacking and not seeing progress 
• Why you should’t give up when you first start
• Why the start can be very painful
• Why you need to trust the process 
• Focus on the positive things
• Don’t lean into the frustration 
• Needing to work on the mental side of highlining 
• Walking 200m lines and falling once at the end on the seemingly easy part
• The struggle at the end 
• Fighting the doubts in her mind 
• Why these sports are like a mirror into our inner selves 
• Flow, Fear, Frustration, Falling - dealing with a sense of Failure 
• The lessons learned from failure - Dorothea Hamilton 
• Women being framed as too ambitious and that being seen as a negative 
• Climbing half dome with Alena Rainsberry
• Why it was amazing and traumatic! 
• How to connect with Denisa
• Final words of advice for other women who want to take on more adventure sports
• Why it’s important to find people to do the activity with, people who support you and people who motivate you. 
• Reading memoirs written by other women 

Social Media

Website: www.riversrocksky.com

Instagram: @vegi.deni.slacks

Book: Flow: Women’s Counternarratives from Rivers, Rock, and Sky 

Happy New Year! I’m taking a moment to look back at the last six months of 2025—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what the numbers tell me about the year so far. I reflect on the journey I’ve been on, the adventures, the challenges, and the mindset shifts that have shaped my life.

I talk about working in longer blocks, thinking in decades not years, and the balance between pushing hard and giving myself space to rest. I share what I’m learning about consistency, structure, and getting intentional with my time, energy, and goals.

I also get real about needing magic, wanting change, and how to show up even when life throws curveballs. If you’re looking for a little reflection, motivation, and some Tough Girl honesty, this episode is for you.

Thank you for all your support! Love Sarah x 

***

 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x

***

Show notes

• Happy New Year - Welcome to 2026
• Reflection blog post 
• Looking at the numbers in 2025 - Because data sometimes tells the story better than feelings. 
• Looking ahead to 2026
• Working in longer blocks 
• Thinking in decades, not years
• 2025 to 2035 - The purple decade 
• Level 2 Psychology Course
• The importance of structure
• Where it may lead
• Consistency
• Gym, Aim, Mone 
• New Tough Girl Buffs!
• Adventure Funds and Emergency Funds
• Editing the GR10 vlogs!! (2 left to be edited) 
• Booking in future guests for the Tough Girl Podcast
• Editing the SWCP Vlogs
• Consistency
• Digital clense - laptop and phone 
• Boring…
• Need some magic, needing a timeline shift
• Needing for something to be different
• The power of reframing situations
• Continuity or seasons
• Do I need more down time?
• 2 - Sarah’s….
• Wanting to be busy and productive
• Wanting to be in my soft girl era
• Why a lot can change over the next 6 weeks
• What is going to happen?1
• Leaving it up to fate, the universe, to magic
• Drive it, make the decisions, you take the steps to make it happen, put in the work
• Getting intentional 
• Ebbing and flowing between the two
• The journey I’ve been on, from where I’ve started
• The journey that you’re on
• Dealing with life curveballs 
• Words of comfort 
• The future is exciting
• Go in with our best foot forward
• Keep positive, keep showing up
• Thank you for your support 
• Thank you to the amazing women who have shared their story on the podcast 
• How can I live my life differently?
• Scrolling through the past episodes on the website 
• Evergreen episodes 
• Thank you! 

***

Previous Reflections/Solo Episodes 

Jan 2nd 2025 -  Sarah Williams: Reflections on the South West Coast Path, Health, Money & Future Plans for 2025

Aug 1, 2024 - Sarah Williams: Reflecting on the Past 6 Months and Future Plans for 2024 – Insights, Challenges, and Adventures.

Mar 14, 2024 - Sarah Williams - Reflections & Learnings from the 3,000km Te Araroa Trail, New Zealand.

Nov 2, 2023 - Sarah Williams - Planning and Preparation for thru hiking the 3,000 km Te Araroa Trail, New Zealand. #ChallengeWithZOLEO

Sep 10, 2023 - Sarah Williams - Solo Reflections: A Look Back at the End of 2022, Adventures and Challenges in 2023

Aug 4th 2022 - Sarah Williams - Reflects on the end of 2021 and the start of 2022.

Aug 4th 2021 - Sarah Williams - Reflects on the end of 2020 and the start of 2021.

Aug 7th 2020 - Sarah Williams - Reflections on 2019 & and the start of 2020. 

Aug 4th, 2019 - Sarah Williams - Reflections on 2018 and the start of 2019. Plus plans for Tough Girl Challenges.

Dec 25, 2018 - Sarah Williams - Cycling the Pacific Coast Highway & Baja Divide   

Sep 4, 2018 - Sarah Williams - Planning and Preparation for the Pacific Coast Highway & the Baja Divide!

Sep 19, 2017 - Sarah Williams - Thru hiking the Appalachian Trail (2,190 miles) in 100 days!

 Apr 26, 2016 - Sarah Williams - Shares her journey of getting to the start line of the Marathon des Sables (MDS) & running the toughest footrace on earth!

Social Media

Instagram @toughgirlchallenges 

Facebook @toughgirlchallenges 

Youtube @toughgirlchallenges 

Patrons www.patreon.com/c/ToughGirlPodcast