Tough Girl Podcast

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Tori Murden McClure - 1st woman and 1st American to ski to the geographic South Pole (1989), and 1st woman to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean (1999). 0

Jul 26, 2022

Tori is perhaps best-known as the first woman and first American to row a boat solo across the Atlantic Ocean, having accomplished the feat in 1999 after 81 days at sea.

A decade earlier, she became the first woman and first American to ski to the geographic South Pole during a 50-day, 750-mile expedition.

Tori is author of the memoir, A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean, which details her life and journey across the Atlantic.

The book is the basis of a stage musical, called, Row, which made its world premiere at the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts in the summer of 2021.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

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Show notes

Who is Tori
Growing up all over the east coast of the United States
Spending a lot of time outside as a kid
Having an intellectually disabled brother
Bullying that she and her brother experienced in the past
Going to Smith Collage and playing basketball
Meeting Rita Benson who had been at Smith since World War II
Learning to row and to ski
Skiing to the South Pole a few years later
Getting a degree in psychology
Working in the National Outdoor Leadership School in Alaska
Ending up at Harvard Divinity School
More details about her skiing journey
Falling in love with travelling in a very remote country
Applying for the expedition team to the South Pole at the age of 24
The 750-mile journey across Antarctica
Psychological challenges she experienced
Being the first woman and the first American to reach the Geographic South Pole
Having a cassette recorder and cassette tapes
Solitude as the biggest challenge for them
Talking more about Harvard Divinity School
Wholeness in seeing nature
Changes to her after the challenges and adventures
Finishing Divinity School and returning to Louisville, Kentucky,
Working with homeless people in Boston
Going to law school
Working for the mayor of Louisville
Training rowing for the Olympic team
Being too slow to make the Olympic team
Signing up to do the Atlantic rowing race
Being asked by a sponsor if she would consider rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean
Getting into more detail about the sponsorship in 1998
Being hit by the hurricane Danielle
Hurricanes Dania and Earl
Having an overwhelming sense of failure
Spending almost a year working for Muhammad Ali
Creating the Muhammad Ali Center
Being lifted up by Muhammad when she was broken
The difference between having a growth mindset and a fixed mindset
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Her fears on her second journey
Hurricane Lenny - first hurricane in recorded history to travel 1000 miles west-east
Getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere for weeks
Her book: A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean
Meeting and falling in love with her husband, Mac McClure
Adventures in her life at the moment
Final words of advice

Social Media

Website: https://spalding.edu/president/

Instagram: @torimurden

Facebook: www.facebook.com/torimurden

Twitter: @toriposu

Book - A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean

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Claire Smith - Ultra endurance athlete - Only person in the UK to have finished a continuous Double Deca (20x Ironman). Training for the Arch To Arc Triathlon (Sept 2022). 0

Jul 19, 2022

Claire in her own words:

“I have always been a highly motivated person, but when I was younger, I was highly motivated to self destruct!

Over the last ten years, I have learnt how to use my drive, ambition and general craziness for a better purpose. I completed my first marathon, Ironman and then Double Ironman... Many more ultra triathlons followed and also, Brutal Events was born.

I will be honest and admit I have struggled with addiction (and the depression and self-esteem issues that come with it), but almost eight years ago, I finally turned my life around and have not looked back since. Of all my achievements, this is what I am most proud of, but it’s the one I don’t speak about. Well, until now…

I often get asked why I do the ultra endurance stuff, and I guess I love the fact that you can do anything if you train well and really want it.

In other news, I am a mum of two children (that aren’t kids anymore), a graphic/website designer, a writer, and I also run Brutal Events - brutalevents.co.uk"

Content Warning - I’ve marked the episode as explicit as we do talk about weight and disordered eating. We don’t go into specifics but it is mentioned.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

Show Notes

Who Claire is in her own words
Setting up her business Brutal Events
Writing and publishing books
Moving back to Bournemouth from Hereford
Getting a bit more rebellious
Doing her own thing at school
Starting to run at 20
Challenges she faced as a single parent
Completing her first half marathon
Meeting her husband
Having no idea what Ironman is but wanting to participate
Not having a bike and being unable to swim
Splitting up with her husband
Getting a tattoo
Keeping friends with her ex-husband
Completing the Double Ironman
How important is it for her to complete the Ironman
Her Double Ironman finishing experience
Not working with coaches
How she balances training with two kids
Managing the pain from her ongoing injuries
Having Hyperlordosis
Focusing on her routines and plans
Things that help her manage her pain
Feeling like giving up
How and why did she keep going
Training for the Arch to Arc Triathlon
How she feels about the challenge
Being on the right track after 13 years
Struggling with panic attacks
Managing her stress and anxiety
What causes her panic attacks in the water and swimming through it
How much does it cost her to do this challenge
A big bag of crisps and Netflix
Being addicted to sugar
Having to eat more than she wants to gain weight
Needing to step away from junk food and eat better food
Struggling with an eating disorder and monitoring herself against it
Writing her book, Becoming Brutal
Getting into more detail about Brutal Events
Doing the Snowdonia marathon
Where does "brutal" come from
Final words of advice

Social Media

Website: www.brutalclaire.co.uk

Instagram: @brutalclaire

Facebook: @brutalclaire

Book: Becoming Brutal

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Anisa Aubin - Experienced ultra cyclist competing events such as the Transcontinental Race, the Transatlantic way and GBDURO Adventure Challenge. 0

Jul 12, 2022

Anisa Aubin, from Reading and Wokingham Cycling clubs, is an experienced ultra cyclist who has completed well know challenging events such as the Transcontinental Race (TCR) and Transatlantic way (TAW).

In 2020 she was one of 20 people who set off in the midst of a global pandemic to complete a different, rigorous format of the GBDURO adventure challenge where only 5 people finished.

The GBDURO20 required riders to be completely self-sufficient from start to finish while cycling the length of Great Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats. They could receive no supplies or assistance whatsoever for the duration of the ride. With the exception of publicly available water outside, riders carried everything they needed to be able to reach the finish.

Anisa in her own words:

“I started cycling with the goal of riding a 4,000km ride for charity, and then realised there was a lot more to learn for the journey, about the bike, the training, and myself (mind and body).

I learned from everyone around me; at the local bike kitchen, on club rides, and from Audaxers. My introduction to long distance cycling started with the Transcontinental, followed by the North-cape Norway to Tarifa Spain, the Transatlantic way, and the Paris–Brest–Paris (PBP).

Eventually, I started dabbling in off-road and when the pandemic hit and GBDURO (self-sufficient) was the only event option I took the opportunity to see what was possible.

I want to see more people encouraged to try new things, and not let other peoples perceptions of what you should be capable of stand in your way.”

During this episode Anisa shares more about her passion for cycling, what it’s like being on the bike day to day, plus how her body copes with these challenges when she’s being pushed to her limits.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out.

To support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media.

Show Notes

Who is Anisa
Being based in the UK
Growing up in Africa
Studying for her PhD
Her love for the outdoors and passion for cycling
Her cycling journey which started 4/5 years ago
Being inspired by her cousins who rode the Tour Divide
Wanting to raise money for a Children’s Home
Deciding to get a road bike to learn the skills
Learning about the Transcontinental Race (TCR) and signing up for it
What is the Transcontinental Race
Being solo and having to look after yourself
Taking 15/16 days the first time doing the race
Magical moments from the TCR and falling in love with the bike
Learning more about herself from spending time alone in nature
Not knowing if it was possible to get to the end
Deciding to do the race again and why it was an accident
Having 24hrs to prepare before the race
Her experience the 2nd time around
Being able to relax once the race started
What a typical day looks like while out racing
How her body copes with the physicality of riding hard every day
Recovering after the races and starting to take more rest
Losing small motor function in her hands
Doing the GBDURO Adventure Challenge 2020 during Covid
Riding from Land’s End to John O’Groats (2,000km) and the challenges she dealt with
Being so focused that she doesn’t remember the weather
What cycling looks like now and how it fits into her lifestyle
How many bikes?!
Getting into rowing and working with a rowing coach
Being active everyday
Being a mentor to other cyclists
The Ultra Distance Scholarship
Being inspired by Carla Molinaro
The divide between the mental and physical side of the challenge
Top tips for mental toughness and resilience
Plans for 2022 - rowing, hiking and plans for walking the Camino
Planning some smaller UK walks
Connect with Anisa on the socials
Final words of advice

Social Media

Restrap www.stewardship.org.uk/pages/Dreamriders

Instagram @anaubie

Facebook: @DreamRiderAnisa

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Susanne Masters - Ethnobotanist looking at the interactions we have with wildlife. Author of Wild Waters. 0

Jul 5, 2022

Susanne in her own words:

“I think we have become dangerously complacent about referring to how we are disconnected from nature.

Actually, we are inescapably connected to nature.

For every single breath we rely on plants doing the photosynthetic work that also yields oxygen for us to breath, and half of that work is done by ocean dwelling microscopic plants.

When you start looking into agricultural products you see how dependent these outputs are on rain cycles and aquifers. Marine bioprospecting is a frontier of hope in finding non-addictive treatments for chronic pain and novel chemicals for treating cancer.

The deeper you dive the more connections you find between people and wild species.

Perhaps I am more aware of the reliance we have on wild species because of my research on wildlife trade at Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Seeing the work of my academic peers who also look at supply chains feeding markets for products derived from wild species shows that wildlife trade spans both the earth and the phylogenetic tree of life far beyond the niche of wildlife trade that I work on (edible orchids).

The problem is we are connected to nature, but we loose sight of that connection.

This is coupled with barriers in being able to commune with nature including public wildlife areas being difficult to reach by public transport, terrain presenting physical challenges, and social challenges to people being allowed to feel comfortable, safe, and welcome in outdoor spaces.

Biodiversity and ecological illiteracy are additional limitations.

So when I write about people outdoors or wildlife it feels more like introducing the reader to an entity—a landscape or a species— that they might consume in products they buy or forage, and that they might see when they are out and about.

I love being out in wilderness. But I am particularly interested in nature that is easier to find—wild species hidden in products that appear on supermarket shelves, wildlife that inhabits cities, creeps along canal paths, or inhabits shorelines where you can find it without needing a boat or dive gear.”

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media by signing up as a patron. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - every patron makes a difference. Thank you for your support.

Show notes

Who Susanne is in her own words
What she does
Loving the outdoors, nature and wildlife
Studying and her progress as a scientist
Doing biology, chemistry, geography, physics and English literature
Choosing a degree as a teenager
Volunteering in the mental health service while at university
Moving to London
Working in mental health and substance misuse support services
Always having more interest in plants
Doing taxonomy studies on the side
Getting into more detail about taxonomy
Doing an 8-month journey around England, Wales, and Scotland in a campervan
Realising that knowing things about plants could be a job
Getting a Master's degree in Ethnobotany
Interviewing people about the plants they use for homebrew
Recognising how people connect with wild landscapes
Making her own homebrew
How she enjoys outdoor swimming
Having a dog around her
Moving to Bournemouth
Swimming at high altitude in Bhutan
Learning and understanding how the body works
Attending a big science conference in Bhutan - The International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE)
Hiking in Bumthang Valley
Her book: Wild Waters: A wildlife and water lover's companion to the aquatic world
Meeting and working with Alice Goodridge
Continuing swimming all throughout the year
Her plans for 2022 and 2023
Planning to finish her PhD next year
Having a sister with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Looking after her niece along with her mom and dad
Doing a PhD on the International Trade in orchids
Final words of advice

Social Media

Website: https://susannemasters.com

Instagram: @mastersmiss

Twitter: @Ethnobotanica

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Kelda Wood - First female adaptive athlete to summit Aconcagua and row solo across the Atlantic Ocean! 0

Jun 28, 2022

Kelda started her sporting career playing netball at a national level as a teenager. Sport very quickly became the thing that defined who she was and the person she wanted to be. Her real passion lay with horses and her ultimate goal was to ride for her country and represent Great Britain at the Olympics.

Unfortunately, after a serious leg injury in 2002, Kelda’s hopes of competing at an international level seemed to have disappeared. The leg injury had a huge impact on her life, leaving her no longer able to run or play many of the sports that meant so much to her. This had a huge impact on her confidence and self-belief, and she spent nearly 10years fighting to accept who she was.

In 2002 she decided to climb Kilimanjaro, and this proved to be the start of a new direction in life. She returned and began retraining as an outdoor instructor. As a result of the dramatic effect the outdoors had on her own mental and physical recovery, Kelda decided she wanted to help others facing similar challenges to herself, and this led her to set up the charity Climbing Out.

Kelda went on to represent Great Britain in Paracanoe and competed at the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World Championships. The ultimate goal was the Rio Paralympics.

Unfortunately she just missed out on selection for Rio, but she went on to join an Adaptive Team attempting to climb Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America at 7,000m.

On the 19th January 2017 she became the first recorded adaptive female to summit the mountain.

In summiting, Kelda found many of the answers she’d been searching for since her injury and this inspired her to attempt a solo row of the Atlantic. After 76 days unsupported at sea, Kelda became the first adaptive person to ever solo row any ocean.

But the challenges didn’t stop there. 12 months ago Kelda was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided to set herself the goal of completing a triathlon as motivation to push through her recovery.

She completed her first triathlon just 4 months post mastectomy and went on to complete 2 further triathlons last year, including the Snowman Triathlon, known for being the toughest triathlon in the country. She now has her sights set on completing a half ironman in 2022.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out.

To help increase the amount of female role models in the media. Sign up as a patron! www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Show Notes

Who is Kelda
Being based in Shropshire
Her 4 legged family
Her early years and her passions for sports
Playing netball at a national level
Her dream of wanting to ride at the Olympics
Hanging around the local stables
Getting her first horse at 16
The riders who inspired her
Being in an accident with her horse
Dealing with the trauma after the accident
The start of her resilience journey at 21
Losing her confidence and going back to riding too soon
Moving away from horse and going travelling to Australia
Getting into eventing and gaining her confidence
The accident that changed her life completely
Trying to be the person she was before the injury
Feeling like a failure
Learning acceptance
Deciding to climb Kilimanjaro and why that was the start of her recovery
Not being able to get the mental health support that was needed
Table legs….
Video resources to help with resilience
Being dumped…
Lessons from climbing Kilimanjaro
Needing to change her attitude and focus more on what she could do
Deciding to retrain as an outdoor instructor
Figuring out how to get sport back in her life
Aiming for the para-olympics for 2016
Meeting Martin Hewitt - Adaptive Grand Slam
“It’s not about saying I can’t, it’s about saying how can I”
How can I make it possible to climb Aconcagua?
Figuring out the how
Advice for people who are feeling like a failure
The importance of being honest with yourself
Being brave enough to try
Being judged by people and why it doesn’t matter
Deciding to solo row the Atlantic
Finding peace on the mountain
Fundraising for Climbing Out and wanting to raise £50K
Advice regarding sponsorship
Being super clear on her WHY
3 questions about the row
The challenge of the solitude while out on the row
The challenges of 2020/2021
Being diagnosed with cancer and having a single mastectomy
Wanting to get back to normal and feel like herself again
Getting back into exercise and following a routine again
Why you have to try
Training for 4 triathlons in 2022
Challenging the belief that she had that she couldn’t run
Swimming after a mastectomy
Doing an half Ironman in June 2022
Connect with Kelda
Final words of advice - Keep Moving

Social Media

Website: Climbing Out

Instagram: @kelda_wood

Facebook: @ClimbingOutCharity

Personal: www.facebook.com/kelda.wood

Twitter: @ClimbingOut_

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Mary-Ann Ochota - Anthropologist and lover of the outdoors. Hillwalking ambassador for the British Mountaineering Council, and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. 0

Jun 21, 2022

Mary-Ann is a broadcaster, anthropologist and lover of the outdoors. She mostly makes TV shows about archaeology and anthropology, and her work has taken her from yak herders' camps on the Tibetan plateau to the slums of Dhaka in Bangladesh, the deserts of Australia and crofters' cottages on the Scottish islands.

She's currently pinned in one place (give or take) by two small children, and is working out ways to live an adventurous life with kids and a mortgage.

Mary-Ann is also passionate about helping people from diverse backgrounds find outdoor adventures, and challenging the systems that mean access isn't equal for all. She's a hillwalking ambassador for the British Mountaineering Council, and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please check out www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Show Notes

Who is Mary-Ann in her own words
Growing up in Cheshire loving outdoors
Learning and working with adults as a kid
Wanting to be a vet back then
How she got into Anthropology
Her first research as an Anthropologist
Challenges getting on adventures as a mum of two kids
Joining a 40-day expedition in the Simpson Desert in Australia
Making positive choices rather than missing out
Her role as the British Mountaineering Council's hillwalking ambassador
'Finding Our Way' Podcast and what this is about
Celebrating people who are making a difference
Seeing Sarah Williams as a role model
Being inspired by Izzy Lynch and Tessa Treadway of Motherload
Getting into more detail about her role as a Royal Geographical Society fellow
Future challenges she would like to take on
Wanting to hike the Cape Wrath Trail
Her goal of travelling more in the east and west of Africa
Wishing to go on a long journey with horses
Spending time with the yak herders
Having deep connections with animals and landscapes
Biggest challenges she faced in her 20's
Budget and travel with confidence
Gender and safety
Final words or advice

Social Media

Website: www.maryannochota.com

Instagram: @Maryannochota

Twitter: @MaryAnnOchota

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Lael Wilcox - Ultra-endurance bike rider and racer who won the Trans Am Bike Race in 2016, and set Tour Divide's women's course record on an individual time trial in 2015. 0

Jun 14, 2022

Lael Wilcox is an ultra-endurance bike packer from Alaska. In racing, she’s excited to compete against the whole field and sometimes wins overall. She’s extremely motivated to encourage more women & girls to try bike packing.

She organizes a girls cycling mentorship program, women’s adventure scholarships & bikepacking challenges.

Lael started bicycling in 2008 at age 20, when she and her partner decided to tour the world. Working stints to collect money, the two set out on a bicycle tour of over thirty countries. They started in North America, then traveled in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, logging over 100,000 miles.

Lael entered the Holyland Challenge, a 1000-mile unsupported race across Israel. She was both the youngest rider and the only woman. She led the race by 25 miles the first day, and although she did not win the race, she became hooked on endurance racing.

In 2016, Lael participated in the 4,400 mile Trans Am Bike Race that crosses the United States from west to east. Lael averaged 235 miles per day for 18 days, averaging less than 5 hours of sleep per night and ending up winning the race outright.

In 2018, Lael became only the second female to complete Switzerland's Navad 1000 bikepacking race, finishing in second place. The race features 627 miles distance and 99,770 feet of climbing.Lael's race was commemorated in the film I'm Not Stopping produced by Rugile Kaladyte (who is now her wife!)

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

To support the tough girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Please sign up as a patron www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast Thank you.

Show notes

Who is Lael in her own words
What was it like to grow up in Alaska
Being obsessed with sports
Starting to cycle at 20
How her passion for bikes started
Her travel and biking journey in the Middle East
Talking about her first race
Getting a job as a bicycle taxi driver
Working in a restaurant
Saving up money and getting back on her bike
Not expecting bicycling as her lifestyle
Riding in the US, traveling to Europe, Africa, Middle East, etc.
Seeing more remote places and meeting interesting people
Expecting to go to medical school and become a doctor
Working hard organising girls scholarships and mentorship programs while doing another job
Feeling stressed out for about 3 years
Getting worried about not having enough time to do everything to live a healthy and happy life
Getting support from people within the industry
Talking about the 1400 km bike race in Israel
Taking on the challenge as a woman
Utilising only the equipment she has to win the race
"I didn't know I'd love it until I did it."
Why does she love bike packing
Riding the Tour Divide in 2015
Her breathing experience in the Tour Divide race
"I don't have to quit; the race will keep going, but I can just rest and see how I'm doing."
Becoming sick and being diagnosed with asthma while on the race
Finishing the race and breaking the women's record
Experiencing tough situations and how she deals with it
Recovering from exhaustion physically and mentally
What is Trans Am and its history
Road racing is not as easy as it seems
Sleeping in a sleeping pad or sleeping bag
Averaging 183 miles per day for the Tour Divide and 237 miles per day for 18 days for the Trans Am
Eating while on the race
Talking more about her bikes
Getting into detail about the film I'm Not Stopping
Meeting her wife Rugile Kaladyte
How Rue asked to marry her in 2020
Her wedding and how it felt
How she encourages girls to get into bike packing
Starting a program in Tucson in 2022
Hosting 2 women's bike packing challenges with Komoot
Hosting 3 women's scholarships
Final words of advice
"It doesn't have to be the biggest goal or the biggest achievement but start doing some part of it."

Social Media

Website: https://laelwilcox.com/

Instagram: @laelwilcox

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lael.wilcox

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Jillian A. Brown - Paddling a tandem sea kayak down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and becoming the first Canadian to paddle across America; 6,500km in 150 days. 0

Jun 7, 2022

After leaving her entire life behind to escape an abusive relationship, Jillian found herself living in a tent in the woods.

Confused, depressed and feeling a lack of control over emotions and herself, she learned of her diagnosis of PTSD.

Refusing medication, she shifted PTSD to fuel her drive to connecting back to fitness, health, nature, adventure and herself.

She is now particularly known for her niche of integrating her imagery and story telling in powerful presentations, offering healing and connection for others.

She has also reframed her definition of PTSD to - Perseverance - Trust - Strength - Determination

In the past few years Jillian has pushed herself to achieve a world first: Paddling a tandem sea kayak down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and becoming the first Canadian to paddle across America; a journey of over 6,500km completed in 150 days. This involved going through 16 states with 23 portages (carrying the kayak), including 675kms over the Great Divide, which she did on a broken foot.

“Nothing is placed in front of us, that we don’t have the strength to overcome. It’s just believing in ourselves enough.”

* Content Warning - Abusive relationships are discussed as well as PTSD - we don’t go into specific but it is mentioned and talked about.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media by signing up as patron Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast Thank you.

Show notes

Who is Jillian
What does she do
Growing up and spending half of her life in Winnipeg
How did her love for the outdoors and nature start
Growing up in an island with her entire family
Discovering and finding their own hobbies and activities in the woods
Wanting to be a naturalist and being creative as a kid
Taking photos and having camera in hand since 10 years old
Making plans of going to specific school or university to study photography
Struggling in university studying fine arts
Getting into Prairieview School of Photography
Feeling stuck again after finishing the program
Returning to the island in northwestern Ontario to reconnect with nature
Falling inlove with the mountains and oceans
Packing up and driving to the west coast with her dog
Landing a photography job
Becoming a live-in nanny
Getting fitness while doing photography
Having a musher partner and friends
Starting their own team and a dog sledding company
Having an abusive relationship and leaving everything behind
Living in a tent in the woods with her dog for seven months
Living in the best home she could ever have that moment
Dealing with trauma
Becoming concerned about her negative thoughts
Meeting a counselor and being diagnosed with PTSD
Believing a counselor is not for her
Discovering her own healing tool out in nature
Having a supportive family
Doing a solo roadtrip across Canada
Wanting to reconnect with her passions and family
Not opening up about her abusive relationship to her family
Writing an article published in the Canadian Women's Foundation
Talking about her solo travel experience
Having others inspired by her article and her story
Shifting her mindset around PTSD
"I've been able to basically utilise that kind of diagnosis and what we affiliate as a negative to be my fuel to accomplish goals and allow me to accept saying yes to things, new experiences, and push myself. I believe wholeheartedly that nothing is placed in front of us that we don't have the strength to overcome."
Perseverance, Trust, Strength, and Determination
Being a CEO and lead guide of a camp
Being able to share all of her knowledge to help others get through life's challenges
Becoming the first Canadian to paddle across America
How she started the journey with Jaime Sharp @jaimesharp_adventures
Her journey on paddling a tandem sea kayak through the Grand Canyon
Getting into more detail about paddling across America
Ending up paddling up solo on a trip
Needing a break...
Being mentally broken back then
Getting support from people and her sponsors
Why she decided to keep going
Sharing more experiences about her journey
Getting injured and how she recovered
Most valuable lessons she learned on her journey
Doing a 75-day expedition flipping a 400lbs. tire up to mountains with 60 lbs. of steel chains in 2021 to raise awareness to PTSD
Being stationed as Ecoguardian at Race Rocks
Final words of advice

Social Media

Instagram: @jillianabrownphotography

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Donna McConnell - The Iron Empress. Ironwoman - IM Barcelona 2021. Working to increase female participation in Ironman races. 0

May 31, 2022

Donna (@fitfetishtri) 52, mother of one (27yrs). Recently completed Ironman Barcelona (Oct 3rd 2021) her first full distance endurance triathlon after being inspired to sign up by 10 Ironwomen, a group who are working to increase female participation in Ironman races.

Donna was one of 194 women that took part in the event out of 1500 athletes.

It was only her third triathlon event, she had also never run a marathon before.

Learn more about Donna, her early years, her reasons for wanting to do an Ironman, her training, journey to the start line, lessons from the race as well as advice and tips to help you take on your next challenge.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out!

To support the Tough Girl Podcast and to help increase the amount of female role models in the media become a patron www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Show Notes

Who is Donna
Growing up in London
Always enjoy reading as a kid
Starting to think about her future career
Acquiring a journalism degree
Getting into fitness in her early 20s
Having no interest in running a marathon
Signing up for her first triathlon at 46
Aiming to always be fit
Riding and owning three bikes in her teenage years
More details about Ironman training
Doing online workouts and keeping herself positive to stay fit
Getting into the details about Ironman
Being inspired by 10IronWomen @10ironwomen
Signing up for Ironman Barcelona 2020 at the age of 50
Representing and encouraging women of colour
Her main concerns about the challenge
What is it like to be part of 10IronWomen
Becoming more driven by achieving the goal
Forming a training plan with the help of the book Be IronFit
More information on her preparation and training
Not wanting to skip a session
Personal challenges associated with menopause
Listening to podcasts to keep herself mentally healthy
Working on strengthening her mindset
Dealing with anxiety when in Barcelona
What it was like prior to the event
Being determined to complete the challenge
Looking back to when she was out on the course
Biggest challenges she experienced throughout the Ironman
Her reaction when she crossed the finish line
Wanting to do more cycling challenges
Planning to sign up for another 10IronWomen event in Barcelona in 2023
Other future challenges she wants to take on
The story behind her name "The Iron Empress"
Final words of advice
"Signing up for Ironman and pushing myself to the limit physically, has really shown me that I am capable of so much more."

Social Media

Instagram: @fitfetishtri

10 Iron Women - Striving for a 50:50 Gender Split in an Ironman Event

Follow us as we inspire more women to take on the unthinkable, and our goal of a 50/50 gender split in an Ironman event in 2023

Website - www.10ironwomen.com

Twitter - @10ironwomen

Instagram - @10ironwomen

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Kate Pilcher - Founder & guide of Globetrotting - sharing her passion for horses and exploring horse cultures around the world. 0

May 24, 2022

Kate Pilcher is the founder & guide of Globetrotting, a worldwide travel agency that specialises in horse riding experiences to all corners of the globe. Kate discovered this form of travel as part of a quarter-life crisis and ran away to Argentina and then Kenya to discover herself from the back of a horse. Now in her forties Kate leads globetrotting rides to some extraordinary places with her three daughters and husband in toe.

Kate in her own words:

“I started Globetrotting a bit over a decade ago, thanks to a quarter-life crisis. You see, I had turned 25 and went on a 10-day horse riding safari in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, where my mind was blown by witnessing the wildebeest migration astride a safari horse.

It was THIS crazy, colourful, life-changing experience that led me to step away from my business (Salt magazine), my boyfriend (now husband – thankfully Steven is a very patient man), mortgage and flee to a remote 100,000 acre estancia in Patagonia only accessible via horse.

For the next nine months I jumped from saddle to saddle, driven by an unquenchable thirst to explore horse cultures in South America and Africa. When I finally returned home, Globetrotting took form alongside my business at the time, Salt magazine.

You see, I fell in love with this form of travel – Globetrotting – where the pace is slower and the experience richer.

Rather than travelling in a tour bus (conveyor-belt travel, I like to call it), when you’re astride a horse, you climb under the skin of a country, absorbing every nuance it has to offer.

I knew it was the only way for me to travel, and I was determined to share this passion with other horse folk and I have.

This is a true calling for me.”

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Show notes

Who is Kate
What is Globetrotting
How they use horse riding to change people's lives
A little background about her family
Her first and earliest memory of horses
Having a little interest in horses back then
Never thought of horses as part of her career
Having no idea what she wanted to do
Working in small businesses alongside her degree
How sales and marketing interest her
She enjoys marketing and sales
Moving to the UK after finishing her degree
Returning to Australia and having the chance to ride a horse once again
Exploring Maasai Mara in Kenya for 10 days
Wanting to get away from everything
Feeling that she isn't living the life she was meant to live
Rejecting Steven's marriage proposal
How Globetrotting started
Background on how and why she took the risk of changing careers
Wanting to be invited to the world's oldest horseback riding event
Being able to open many people's doors through her space
Getting more detailed about horse riding
Different types of rides and items to carry on the journey
Ensuring that each client is well-cared for from start to finish.
Her favourite horse breeds
Talking about horse therapy
Road testing in European rides in 2018
Riding with a baby and just wanting to go home
The most challenging time she had during her riding journey
Having her husband's support and encouragement
Being a mother and how it affects her work
"Home is my family and we can go anywhere and have adventure."
Planning a six-week adventure in August with family and guests
Experiencing the most terrifying adventure with her girls back in 2021
Returning to horse riding after having children
More information on the Silk Road Adventure - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Mongolia
Partnering with Katy Willings
Final words of advice

Social Media

Website: www.globetrotting.com.au

Instagram: @globetrotting.com.au

Facebook: @globetrotting.com.au

Youtube: Globetrotting - Horse Riding Holidays

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Dr. Sophie Redlin - Expedition Doctor, Researcher and emerging filmmaker with a passion for improving mental healthcare through cross-cultural learning and promoting access to natural environments. 0

May 17, 2022

Sophie in her own words:

“I am a GP and mental health trainer practising in West London. My exposure to diverse pockets of humanity has taught me that social struggles, such as loneliness, don’t discriminate and that the resulting emotional distress is real and reaching pandemic levels. My heart lies in challenging perceptions of these problems and how we support those suffering.

I am striving to increase awareness and education around responding to distress within the current UK system through my work with the organisation 4MentalHealth, while seeking out ways to change the system through the undertaking of research into the root causes of distress and alternative approaches to healing globally.

My growing interest in the relationship between mental health and community led to the creation of 'The Patient's Voice Project' in 2016. I'm delighted this year to expand the project and focus in on cultural influences on mental health and healing through a Winston Churchill Fellowship exploring the potential translation of indigenous traditional practice elements to western society as alternative forms of therapy.

I've also had the opportunity to relay my work more widely; engaging with corporate audiences through talks on community at the Airbnb London Headquarters and contributing to policy change through work with the Jo Cox Foundation and the ‘Campaign to End Loneliness’ .

My work has also fostered a growing awareness of the transformative potential of the natural environment on psychological well being.

I enjoy getting outdoors as much as possible in the role of Expedition Doctor and most recently accompanied a group of young people to the Scottish Highlands with the British Exploring Society.

When not working you will usually find me Scottish country dancing, falling off a surfboard or practising the ukulele.”

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

Show notes

Who is Sophie
Being based in London and working as a GP
Her Special interests
Doing mental health research
Being an expedition doctor
Her love of travel and expeditions
Her early years growing up in the Yorkshire Dales
Where her love of travel and adventure came from
Being inspired by her Grandfather
Going to Kenya and doing her first expedition at 17
Trekking across the States on the Lewis & Clark Trail
Going to medical school at St. Andrews
Getting into expedition medicine
Being afraid of taking the next step
Going on a trip to Antarctica in January 2020
How the trip on a tall ship changed her life
The mental side of adventures and challenges
Stress
Anticipation and preparation
Coping strategies for extreme environments
Creating your own safety plan
The emotional kit list
Why strategies are very personal
Having a safety plan for general life
Creating your own Safety Plan
Heading to the USA in 2019 for research
Winning a Winston Churchill Fellowship
Talking circles
Going on a tall ship in Costa Rica
Personal boundaries and looking at your own mental health
Keeping expedition fit
Having to want to be on the expedition
Visiting Antarctica and getting free vodka
Being an emerging film maker and what that means
The Patients Voice Project - 2016
Looking to do a Masters later on in 2022
Connect with Sophie
Final words of advice
Be curious about the world

Social Media

The Patients Voice - A global project researching and collecting patients’ stories from around the world to enhance our collective wellbeing.

Website: www.thepatientsvoiceproject.com

Instagram: @drsophieredlin

Twitter: @DrSophieRedlin

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Shikha Tripathi - Outdoor Writer and Adventurer who has participated in expeditions in the Himalayas. 0

May 10, 2022

Shikha is a writer based in Uttarakhand, India. Specialising in stories woven around nature and the outdoors, sustainable living, and those with a cultural insight from the remote mountains of India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Her travel stories appear in a wide variety of publications such as the National Geographic Traveller, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, Lonely Planet, and more.

Her environmental and social interest stories have appeared in newspapers such as The Hindu, The New Indian Express, and on platforms such as Nature InFocus and RoundGlass Sustain.

Born and brought up in the mountains, she is a qualified mountaineer who has participated in expeditions in the Himalayas. Her mountaineering stories have appeared in The Outdoor Journal and online on the Red Bull forum.

Shikha is the recipient of a Commonwealth Writers fellowship for her stories on Himalayan ecology, and has also authored an award-winning children's book on Northeast India's first female Everester, Tine Mena, for a literacy NGO, Pratham.

Most recently, she authored a series of Lonely Planet pocket guide books on Nepal.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out.

To support the tough girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Show Notes

Who is Shikha
Growing up in the mountains in India
Her love of exploration
Deciding to become a professional writer
Being curious about the world
Quitting her job to backpack across the Indian Continent in 2008
Her love of writing and not wanting to be confined to an office cubicle
Being drawn to the mountains and wanting to spend more time there
Her year of self discovery
Her childhood and early years
Going into higher education
Making the decision to quit her job and go on a gap year
Planning her year out and travelling on a shoe string budget
Wanting to get off the regular tourist circuit
Heading to the North East of India
Spending time in Nepal and Bhutan
Building her career as a freelance writer
Travelling solo in remote places
Advice and tips for solo travel
Why planning a little ahead can make things a lot easier
Advice for travel writing
Why you need to find your niche
Finding your writing voice
Telling the same story but in a different way
Learning mountaineering skills
Encouraging more women to gain skills in the outdoors
Challenging times in the mountains
Walking on unmarked trails
Being underprepared on the mountains and the lessons learned
Dealing with challenging situations and her process for handling it
Staying positive and having a back up plan
How to connect with Shikha
Putting together her website
Writing her award-winning children's book on Northeast India's first female Everester, Tine Mena.
Wanting to inspire young girls
Advice for women and girls to spend more time in the mountains
Future dreams and goals

Social Media

Instagram: @shikha_trip

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Dr. Eleanor Drinkwater - Bug nut and Adventurer. Awarded Inspirational Explorer of the Year award by the Scientific Expedition Society. 0

May 3, 2022

Eleanor Drinkwater is a bug nut and adventurer. Her love of all things creepy-crawly has led her to carry out research in field sites across the world, from Australia to the Amazon.

She is fascinated by invertebrate behaviour and has been awarded Inspirational Explorer of the Year award by the Scientific Expedition Society for her work looking into the behaviour of the biggest beetle on the planet.

However, she is equally fascinated by the weird and wonderful critters we have in the UK and has recently she finished her PhD which researched how and why woodlice have personalities.

Eleanor is passionate about communicating and sharing her enthusiasm for invertebrates. She is currently working as a lecturer at Writtle University College where she teaches about ecology and conservation. She also really enjoys encouraging little bug enthusiasts through running bug-hunting events with community groups and schools.

Ultimately, she believes that there’s a real need to encourage budding bug lovers (of every age) and hopes to share some of her enthusiasm with future bug enthusiasts.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

Show notes

Who is Dr. Eleanor
What exactly does she do
Getting into more detail about her fascination with bugs
Growing up with environmentally conscious parents
What was it like to study Developmental Biology and how did it go
Her desire to go on expeditions and study butterflies.
Her story of how she got her first project, which began her career
Over-confidence as her real turning point
Finally getting into a PhD program
Volunteering in the Peruvian Amazon with Crees Manu
Taking part in research expeditions with lots of help and connections
Memorable and fun experience she had while crossing a river
Lessons she learned from her previous expedition
What new expeditioners and researchaer should know and talk about before starting their journey
Her love for an expedition-focused research centre
Having an amazing research trip in Honduras
Being extremely lucky to have been successful on all of her expeditions
Wanting to be the first person to do a recorded behaviour study of various creatures
Getting into more detail about the Titan beetle
How thrilled she is to find the first creature
Challenges she had in catching the beetle in such a short period of time
How she managed to stay motivated while dealing with a lot of stress
Bugs and insects for human consumption
Cricket protein powder Protein Rebel
Her thoughts on eating live invertebrates for entertainment
Finishing her PhD and what are her future plans
Talking about woodlice and its personality
Keeping a hedgehog and giant African snails as pets
Participating in a short film and rewilding project with Citizen Zoo

Social Media

Website: www.eleanordrinkwater.com

Instagram: @dr.drinkwater.eleanor

Twitter: @E_Drinkwater

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Helen Butters - Having a positive mindset during times of immense stress. Lessons learned from rowing the Atlantic Ocean. 0

Apr 28, 2022

Helen Butters is a Sunday Times Bestselling author, keynote speaker, communications & engagement expert, qualified performance coach with NLP, and a member of the National Council of Psychotherapists.

In 2016 she followed her dream of rowing across both the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean with a team of 3 amazing women and gained a Guinness World Record and an Honorary Doctorate.

A lot of people ask Helen how she coped with the level of endurance rowing, 2 hours on and 2 hours off 24 hours a day. What got her through, was a positive mindset and understanding how to keep it that way, in times of immense stress

Adventure and business have many similarities.

Helen uses her row across the Atlantic as a backdrop, and adopts a unique, interesting, and amusing approach that sets her apart from many motivational speakers. Helen is extremely relatable as she’s not a professional athlete: She’s a mum with a busy career who has many barriers that could have stopped her from undertaking a big adventure. Helen has many examples of how attendees have been inspired to look at life using new perspectives, become more attentive to their own talents which in turn has caused many to leave her talk feeling prepared and motivated.

Helen qualified as a performance life coach in 2019 with the aim of helping others to live a more fulfilling and satisfying life both professionally and personally. She works collaboratively with her clients to find meaning, understanding and solutions: empowering them to come up with the answers.

She is passionate about the ethos of coaching as a powerful positive discipline and uses flexible effective tools which enable her clients to turn their belief into reality. She has a specific interest in the power of mindset and has put together a mindset reset programme for clients.

Helen will be swapping 40-foot waves for the Pyrenees as her next adventure will see her cycling 1000 miles through 4 countries from Maggie’s Leeds to Maggie’s Barcelona in April 2022. Helen and her team will be raising money for Maggie’s Yorkshire.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Thank you.

Show notes

Who is Helen
Wanting to row across the Atlantic Ocean
How she met Janette Benaddi
"If you plant something in your head that you actually want to happen, your brain subconsciously looks for those opportunities. And when opportunities arrive, that's when you instantly say yes."
How grateful she is that she said yes
Speaking with Melanie Sykes
Getting a No from her husband and Yes from their children about rowing
Involving her children in everything
Feeling safe with the team despite the risks and dangers
Making sure to use all the expertise and that the right people were in place
Being good at communicating and building relationships
Coaching as her new career
Helping Niki Doeg to stay motivated
Being strong and positive on the boat
Doing mental training in preparation for the row
Doing mindset reset and anchoring techniques
Crying and holding back her feelings
Feeling unhappy when she shouldn't have been
The need to prepare mentally before the adventure
Having an adrenaline hangover
Not getting help and how she struggled mentally for 18 months
Using her experience to help other rowers before and after their journeys
Her journey into coaching
Becoming a qualified performance life coach
How self-expansion excites her
Believing that everyone should have a coach and why it is important
Mindset reset and what is it
Teaching people deliberate thinking
Jealousy and its positive effects on people
The story of her cycling journey for Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre
Fundraising event for Maggie's
Cycling from Leeds to Barcelona in April
Having no prior cycling experience
Worrying about her physical fitness
Meeting people along the way
Raising money for people experiencing complex grief with children and families
Final words of advice

Social Media

Personal

Website: www.helenbutters.com

Instagram: @butters_and_beyond

Facebook: www.facebook.com/helen.butters

Yorkshire Rows

Website: www.yorkshirerows.com

Instagram: @yorkshirerows

Facebook: @yorkshirerows2015

Twitter: @yorkshirerows

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Michelle Moore - Real Wins - Race, Leadership and how to Redefine Success. One of the UK’s 50 Most 'Influential Women in Sport’. 0

Apr 26, 2022

Michelle Moore is an award-winning leadership coach, author, speaker and educator voted as one of the UK’s 50 Most 'Influential Women in Sport’.

Based on a twenty year’ career in senior leadership roles across sport, government and education, her pioneering work and coaching and leadership programmes have transformed the lives of professionals, young people, athletes and the culture of many organisations.

Winner of the 2016 UK Precious Award for ‘Outstanding Woman in Sport’, a Football Black List award and an esteemed national Change Maker award. Michelle is a globally recognised executive on leadership, race equity and sport for development.

A sought after experienced speaker and moderator hosting events and delivering keynotes for The University of Cambridge, The NBA, and UNICEF UK. She has chaired events at the United Nations and presented to the House of Lords. Michelle makes regular appearances for top tier media outlets including BBC Radio 4, TRT World, Channel 4, BBC World Service Sportshour and been featured in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Independent. Michelle is a regular contributor on BBC radio.

Michelle combines her campaigning roles with board positions for SportsAid, a Sport England Talent Inclusion Advisory Board member and is commissioner for The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket. She is a senior honorary associate lecturer at the University of Worcester.

Michelle’s book Real Wins was published November 25 2021, by John Murray Press, Hachette UK.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

To support the Tough Girl Podcast and learn more about becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Show Notes

Who is Michelle
Her work in the world
Using sport to address inequities
Supporting individuals in their leadership journey
Helping people to transform themselves and their communities
Being based in London
Working as a former teacher and having a love of education
Learning more about Michelle’s early years
Growing up as a twin in the 70s
Being at athlete and being encouraged by her mum to do sports
Being a Black woman of mixed heritage
Being surrounded by love and culture and sports
Future dreams and ambitions
Wanting to be the best athlete she could be
The lessons learned from sports
Dealing with losses
Showing up every week to train
Wanting to be of service and to make a difference
Leaving athletics behind after going to university
The challenges at university
Having an honest conversation with herself
Using sport to develop leadership
Changing your mindset around fear
How we achieve success which is defined by ourselves
Why we need to ask ourselves better questions
Learning to practice self compassion
Write the newspaper headline for tomorrow
Why we are not our thoughts
Why you have more power and control than you realise
Definitions of success and how they have changed
Figuring out strengths and talents
Wanting to talk to young people about well-being
Why the biggest competition is always yourself
Living in the moment and being present
Going through the process of writing her book
Attracting different opportunities into our lives
Why you should be successful at a job if you’ve been doing it for 10 years
Why 20% was good enough
Creating her own leadership seminars
Backing herself
Turning up and being me
Focusing on what I can control
Writing for herself
How to connect with Michelle
How to support Michelle and why it makes a big difference
Final words of advice
Wanting to be seen, heard, valued and respected
Why the small things are important

Social Media

Website: www.michellemoore.me

Instagram: @michellemoore.me

Twitter: @hellomoore

Book: Race, Leadership and How to Redefine Success.

Real Wins is an urgent call to action from one of the most influential women in sport. In her unflinching style, Michelle Moore seeks to redress inequality at all levels and shows us how to channel our inner Serena Williams or Raheem Sterling to challenge stereotypes and tired assumptions.

Through this timely, eye-opening insight into her experiences both on the track and in the boardroom, Michelle shows us how to face our fears, build resilience and find our own unique leadership style. She shares stories from athletes, leaders and many other inspiring people, as she redefines the relationship between identity and success for both individuals and organizations.

Giving you the practical strategies of self-awareness and resilience to run your own race, Real Wins will empower you to take responsibility for your own prejudices, actions and ultimate success.

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Jill Heinerth - Underwater Explorer, with expeditions into icebergs in Antarctica, volcanic lava tubes, and submerged caves worldwide. Author of INTO THE PLANET. 0

Apr 21, 2022

Jill is an underwater explorer, writer, photographer, speaker, and filmmaker.

A pioneer of technical rebreather diving, she has led expeditions into icebergs in Antarctica, volcanic lava tubes, and submerged caves worldwide.

Jill is the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Her memoir, INTO THE PLANET, has been lauded by the Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, and the New York Times.

Her children’s book THE AQUANAUT is a Blue Ribbon Selection for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Jill is a Fellow of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, Women Divers Hall of Fame and the Explorers Club, which awarded her with the William Beebe Award for ocean exploration.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

Show notes

Who is Jill
Loving water since she's a baby
How she got into diving
Becoming a lifeguard at 16
Taking a Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual communications design
Talking about her expeditions
Icebergs and cave diving
Exploring the B-15 iceberg for 60 days
Leading the dive team
Writing and producing the documentary film for National Geographic
Qualities a good cave diver should have
How dangerous cave diving is
Having a scary experience while underwater with a scientist
Her best piece of advice to deal with fear
How she dealt with and processed trauma
Processing and overcoming challenges with her husband
Having supportive mentors and colleagues
Being a woman in the diving industry
Becoming the Explorer in Residence at The Royal Canadian Geographical Society
Not having female mentors as a kid
Wanting to go to schools across the country and give talks about diving and exploration
Having a growth mindset
Writing her book Into The Planet
Jill and her husband's podcast Into The Planet Podcast
Impact of technology and natural world changes on the environment
Her passion to increase awareness about the big issues we face
Top tips and advice
"Be willing to step into the darkness to do something that you've never done before. Trust me, your eyes will adjust to the light, and that's when you stand on that threshold of true opportunity to become an explorer."

Social Media

Website: www.IntoThePlanet.com

Instagram: @jillheinerth

Facebook: @jillheinerth

Twitter: @jillheinerth

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Abi Melton - Neurodivergent, Fat Cyclist, Co-Author of ‘Gears for Queers’. Promoting body positivity and encouraging everyone to get on their bike. 0

Apr 19, 2022

Abi is a white, neurodivergent and fat writer, artist, cyclist and student nurse.

She recently featured in Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling 2021 for her working promoting fat lib in cycling.

Abigail was nominated for the 100 Women in Cycling by Chloe Bramwell who said:

"Abigail shows that cycling is open to everyone. Not just only women, but LGBT women, too. Her work embracing body positivity has made me change my relationship with my own body. I make healthier choices for myself because I love my body rather than to punish it. I admire her vulnerability and strength in showing how she sees herself. I admire that she holds the cycling community to account by expecting accessibility for everyone. I admire her for showing that cycling is for us all.”

Abi is the co-author of her first book all about cycle touring ‘Gears for Queers’.

She lives on the Fife Coast with her partner Lea and cat Boba. She can normally be found riding her bike, cooking vegan feasts or obsessively playing The Sims!

"I believe that if people see a diversity of bodies on bikes and trikes, more people will feel like cycling is for them. I feel so happy when we get messages on social media from people who have got on their bikes again after reading our book or blogs. In the future I’d love to organise a big fat cycle tour!” - Abi Melton

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

To find out more about supporting the Tough Girl Podcast and becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Show Notes

Who is Abi in her own words
Here passions and interests
Publishing her first book in June 2020
Being a 1st year student nurse
What is neurodivergency
Examples of neurodivergency and how it’s impacted Abi throughout her life
Challenges with communication
Using masking as a technique to appear normal
Her early childhood and growing up in Norfolk
Being the eldest child
Living by the coast
Going to holiday camps and wanting to try everything available.
Being an avid reader and wanting to be the hero of the story
Wanting to be going out and having adventures
Not having a lot of opportunities
Her late teenage years and her early 20s
Struggling with her mental health for 16 years onwards
Going to Edinburgh University to study English Literature
Why she stoped riding bikes
Becoming more self conscious
Not knowing how to travel or go on adventures
Meeting Lea
Woman on the Edge of Time: The classic feminist dystopian novel - By Marge Piercy
Going on an accidental mini-break to Brighton
Deciding to go on a cycle adventure in Europe
Fears and concerns before heading out on the cycle adventure
Feeling anxious about fitness levels
Going with a partner and handling tough situations while on the road
Magical moments while travelling and the places that stand out
Being vegan and gluten free and trying to find food to eat
Budgets and paying for the trip
Having a supportive family
Mental health while travelling
Writing the book - “Gears for Queers” and how it came about
Going on a 2nd cycling tour
Planning their 3rd cycle tour
Going back to university to study to become a nurse
Following your passions and dreams
Being featured in Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling 2021
Wanting to promote adventure for everyone
Advice for women who want to go cycle touring
Enjoying having a purpose for cycling
Not cycling for fitness or weight loss
How to connect with Abi
Final words of advice

Social Media

Blog: https://gearsforqueers.squarespace.com

Instagram: @gearsforqueers

Facebook: @gearsforqueers

Twitter: @gearsforqueers

Book: Gear for Queers

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Omie Dale - Keen outdoor swimmer and coach, who loves getting people swimming outdoors for the first time. 0

Apr 14, 2022

Omie in her own words:

“I’m a keen swimmer and swim teacher, having worked in the leisure industry since 2013. In my teaching role I've worked with a variety of different ages and abilities both in the UK and abroad.

I have been exploring the issue of diversity in aquatics and the leisure industry with my own project titled, ‘If 71% of the world is water, how can we feel at home if we don't know how to swim?’.

I currently work for the Black Swimming Association in community engagement and communication and volunteer in my spare time for Pride in Water, and work as a volunteer swim host for Mental Health Swims in the London region.”

“Swimming has given me so much – employment, friendships and both physical and mental health benefits.”

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

Show notes

Who is Omie
Her work and love for swimming
Getting into swimming from a young age
Her love for teaching people
Not being able to join a swim club
Swimming competitively for her school
Role models who inspired Omie growing up
What she wanted to be
Being academic at school
Talking with non swimmers
Teaching people how to swim
Wanting to make people feel as comfortable as possible
The joy of swimming
Loving outdoor swimming
Swimming in London
The support of the outdoor swimming community
The stress of swimming in pools
Advice and tips for outdoor swimming
Go with experienced people when it’s your first time
Why you need to be prepared
Working for the Black Swim Association
Working on a research project with the University of Portsmouth regarding Bone Density
Engaging with community leaders across the UK
Mental Health Swims and being a swim host
Working with Patagonia in 2021 on the Outsiders Project
What’s changed in swimming over the past few years
Plans for 2022 and wanting to go with the flow a bit more
Managing her mental health and putting herself first
Needing to talk about other stuff apart from swimming
Enjoying reading and writing
Needing a creative outlet
Connect with Omie on the socials
Final words of advice
The power of community
Being surrounded by people who are proud of you and support you

Social Media

Website: omie-dale.com

Instagram: @omiedale

Twitter: @omie_dale

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Abhejali Bernardová - Completing an extreme ultra-triathlon from Dover to Prague (1,111 km) in 7 days 12hrs and 5 mins. 0

Apr 12, 2022

Abhejali Bernardova (44, Czech Republic) of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team completed an extreme ultra-triathlon from Dover to Prague, during which she covered a total of 1111 km across the 3 disciplines: 34 km swimming, 895 km cycling, 182 km running. It took her 7 days, 12 hours and 5 minutes.

She started on Monday September 13 2021 at 3am from Dover. In very challenging conditions, with the wind at force 5, she swam the English Channel in 15 hours and 33 minutes. The only other successful crossing on the same day was a 5-person relay team. It was her last chance to swim this year and the swim had already been postponed a few times.

Restrictions did not allow her to stay in France, so she had to take a detour back to Dover and then take a ferry to France. She then cycled from Calais to her hometown of Cheb, near the Czech/German border.

The cycling leg, which took her 4 days, was approximately 900 kilometres through France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. She arrived in Cheb on Saturday afternoon, then ran 182km to Prague, arriving on Monday afternoon. Her daily average was 220km cycling and 2 marathons running.

The Czech athlete successfully completed her first English Channel swim 10 years ago. In 2018 she became the 1st Czech, the 10th person in the world, 4th woman and the 1st person from a landlocked country to complete the Oceans Seven*, seven difficult long-distance swims around the world. She is also the only Czech holder of the Triple Crown** of long-distance swimming.

With her ultra-triathlon she aims to connect people and places and inspire others to break down and cross barriers in their own lives. If she can go from the UK to the Czech Republic under her own steam, then we really are closer to each other than we realise, we just put up unnecessary walls between us. She also tries to inspire others to overcome their own limits and show that these limits are often self-created.

(*) Oceans Seven include: English Channel, Gibraltrar Strait, Tsugaru Strait, Catalina Channel, Molokai Channel, North Channel, Cook Strait – all solo, non-wetsuit. See also: https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Oceans_Seven
(**) The Triple Crown includes: English Channel, Catalina Channel, around Manhattan. https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Open_Water_Swimming

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Show notes

Her love for swimming in the ocean
Wanting to share her adventures
Her childhood and growing up in the Czech Republic
Learning to swim in Russia
Not coming from a sports family
Hearing about the English Channel
Starting meditation at 18 years old with Sri Chinmoy
Wanting to know herself better
Wanting to step outside her comfort zone
Going to university and getting into running
Going after longer and longer distances
Running a marathon doing laps
“I can do more”
Swimming the English Channel in 2011
Getting into flow while swimming
Completing the Oceans 7 Challenge in 2018
Coping with the cold water
Taking cold showers in the morning
Being scared by sharks
Beautiful moments while swimming
Advice for going further with swimming
Tips and advice for recovery
Sleeping for 7 hrs a night
Being a Peace Ultra Runner
The Peace Run
Loving the 24hrs races
When it gets difficult on the 24hr races
Deciding on a new challenge
The logistical challenges of putting the plan together
Being dependant on the weather for the swim
The training involved to get physically ready for the challenge
How her body has changed from 34 to 44
Needing more time to recover
Finishing in Prague
“I can do it - I have already done it”
Use your imagination even while training to tell yourself you can do it
Why you should DREAM BIG!!!
Future dream challenges
Adventure blues….
Thank you to Abhejali

Social Media

Website: abhejali.cz

Instagram: @abhejali

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Rebecca Lowe - Author of “The Slow Road to Tehran” - documenting her year-long cycling journey from London to Tehran. 0

Apr 7, 2022

Rebecca Lowe is a freelance journalist from London who specialises in human rights and the Middle East.

In 2015-16, she cycled 11,000km solo from London to Tehran.

Her first book, THE SLOW ROAD TO TEHRAN, documenting her year-long journey, paints a living portrait of the Middle East through its people, politics and historic relationship with the West, and challenges much of the perceived wisdom about this region of the world. It was published in March 2022 by September Books in the UK and MVG in Germany.

During her career, Rebecca has written for the Guardian, BBC, Independent, Huffington Post, Economist, Sunday Times Magazine, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Spectator and IranWire, as well as numerous travel, music and sports magazines.

From 2010-15, she was the lead reporter at the International Bar Association, where she focused on human rights and the rule of law, and in 2018 she contributed to the adventure travel anthology THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS: TRAVEL STORIES THAT MAKE YOUR HEART GROW, published by Summersdale.

Rebecca is a Fellow at the Royal Geographical Society and holds a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University and an MA in Journalism from Stanford University, where she was awarded a scholarship.

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Show Notes

Who is Rebecca
Being a journalist for over a decade
Becoming interested in the Middle East
Deciding to quit her job and cycle from London to Iran
Becoming a new mum while finishing off her new book
The challenges of motherhood and juggling work
Being adventurous and having an independent spirit
Being into sports and playing with the boys
Where her interest in the middle east came from
Always wanting to become a writer
Explaining what the Arab Spring is (2010- 2011)
Her journey with cycling
Trying to find a bike via sponsorship
Learning to cycle with Panniers
Packing everything!!
Not feeling prepared before the trip
Learning how to deal with new situations
Getting into her cycling rhythm
Going from West to East
Feeling overwhelmed by undertaking big challenges
Concerns and fears before starting the journey
The challenges of being a journalist while travelling
Taking precautions before the trip
The benefits of being a woman in the Middle East
What it was like day to day
Having a budget of £15 per day
Trying to avoid the heat
The wonderful food!
Learning different cultures
Getting to the end of the trip and being ready to finish
Dealing with punctures
Arriving into Tehran and getting to the finish line
Missing the Uk
The lessons learning from time spend on the road
Feeling more confident and being able to cope with new situations
Connect with Rebecca
Final words of advice
Start slowly and push those boundaries
Why you can go on Big Adventures
Mantra and powerful quotes

Social Media

Website: thebicyclediaries.co.uk

Instagram: @reo_lowe

Twitter: @reo_lowe

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Kumbirai Kariwo - Senior NHS Nurse and climber - sharing her love for the outdoors to inspire others to explore and be adventurous. 0

Apr 5, 2022

Kumbi in her own words:

“I’m Kumbi, a fun loving adventurous woman. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and came over to England to study nursing when I was 18.

I love all things outdoors, from climbing, hiking, camping, cycling.

I am a senior nurse in the NHS, and I have been very thankful that I have the ability to go outdoors and destress.

It is one of the places that I am able to practice Mindfulness, which has kept me grounded through some of the most challenging times that I have experienced during this pandemic.

I hope to share my love and inspire others to explore and be adventurous!”

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The tough girl podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please check out www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Show Notes

Who is Kumbi
What she does and her love of the outdoors
Being an outgoing child
Spending time in the outdoors
Wanting to be a lawyer
Her current role in the NHS
Looking at health inequalities
Making the move to the UK
Growing up speaking English
Her university days and not having a car
Going back to the start of the pandemic
Being redeployed to 111 (Non emergency help line in the UK)
Needing to have a break between work and home life
Getting back into climbing again
Becoming a member of Extreme Sports Central
Making the transition from the gym to climbing outside
Joining the British Mountaineering Council (BMC)
The Women's Trad Festival
Overcoming fears while climbing
Learning to be kind to herself
Breaking problems down step by step
Looking at diversity in the sport
“Climbing is for all and everyone is welcome”
The role models and women she looks up to
Learning to be kind to herself
Climbing goals for 2022
Magical moments in the outdoors
Type 2 and Type 3 fun
Being a speaker at Kendal Mountain Festival
Wanting to be a role model
Final words of advice

Social Media

Instagram: @here_climbs_krumbles

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Nicola Hardy - Adventurer and outdoor writer - Climbing all 282 of Scotland's Munros and walked 330km from her birthplace in Sheffield to her new home in Cockermouth, Cumbria. 0

Mar 31, 2022

Nicola Hardy worked in IT in South Yorkshire for a decade before diving into freelance life as an adventurer and outdoor writer in 2019. She began by climbing all 282 of Scotland's Munros and - after her plans to hike 3000km in New Zealand were scuppered by Covid - she continued adventuring closer to home.

In 2020 she walked 330km from her birthplace in Sheffield to her new home in Cockermouth, Cumbria, journeying on foot across three national parks; and in 2021 she climbed all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District over seven long weekends, a quirky book-by-book peak-bagging adventure.

Nic in her own words:

“I'm basically half IT organised spreadsheet nerd and half outdoor adventure loving hiker. I've taken a series of steps over the last 5 years to make my life as outdoorsy and adventurous as possible. I quit my job and sold my house in April 2019 and had 6 months of Scottish hill walking adventure, since then I've dabbled in route writing, gear reviewing, festival speaking, outdoor magazine/website writing whilst spending as much time outdoors around all that as I can.

I also now work a 2-day a week job to keep regular income coming in whilst doing my freelance work and adventuring around that. Flipping the 5-day working week on its head and ensuring my love for the outdoors doesn't become stressful due to the need to focus constantly on monetising it.”

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.

The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8 supporting the #MarchDailyMile Challenge.

If you’re interested in Inov-8 products send me a DM – I have a special discount code for you!!

Show Notes

Who is Nicola Hardy?
Getting into the outdoors 5 years ago
Being inspired by her parents to be active
Growing up in Sheffield
Falling in and out of love with running
Reaching her early 30s in a senior management role
Living to work
Making changes to her life in 2016
Planning some walks in the Peak District
Spending more time in the outdoors in 2017
Wanting to go higher, further and to really challenge herself
Making a commitment to spending time outdoors
Deciding to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro and getting a team together
Having 100 followers on Instagram
Meeting her partner James though an IG meet up
Peak Bagging and getting to explore more of the Lake District
Enjoying the planning of routes
Wanting to do more but being held back by work commitments
Making big changes to her life
Selling her house and quitting her job
Wanting to make a full time living from Adventure
How she approached the first few months
Planning to hike all 282 munros in Scotland in a 6 months period
Wanting to try a thru-hike
Not looking after herself when it came to nutrition
Wanting to have a healthy work life balance
Going tunnel vision on a task
Wanting to leave a legacy and to show people they can make brave choices
Connecting with adventurers through instagram
Getting into volunteering
Walking home 2020
Settling in the Lake District
2020 and working with Komoot
Working 2 days per week and having 5 days off to adventure
Creating a life that works for her
Talking through the planning process of turning an idea into reality
Starting with maps and picking something which is a bit quirky
Using public transport to get around all the Wainwrights in the Lake District.
Nutrient and current diet
Making sure to fuel adequately during hikes
Maintaining fitness and what training looks like
Magical moments out in the mountains
Getting nervous about parking
Working as an ambassador for Inov-8
Inov-8 creating gear for the fast and light, hiker market
Super light hiking boot - ROCFLY G 390 - World’s first hiking boot with Graphene foam. 390g
My next challenge…
Advice and top tips for other women who want to get into the mountains
The benefits of spending time with other people who have more experience
Trying new things and figuring out what you enjoy
Dealing with the rain in the mountains and reframing it
Finding the one sport that you love
Finding ways to get through the tough times
Connect with Nic on the Socials
Future plans for 2022…

Social Media

Website adventurernic.com

Instagram @adventurer.nic

Twitter @adventurernic

Facebook @adventurer.nic.official

Komoot Adventurer Nic

Recent adventures are all catalogued in a series of komoot 'Collections' here - https://www.komoot.com/user/979759071586

***

The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8

Website: www.inov-8.com

Instagram: @inov_8

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Tasha Thompson - Founder of Black Girls Do Run UK - A community to inspire, encourage and motivate Black women to run. 0

Mar 29, 2022

Tasha, 43, from London is the founder of Black Girls Do Run UK.

In 2019, Tasha set up the online community to inspire black women to run for their health, fitness and mental wellbeing.

Tasha talking about running:

“I am a runner and running is definitely part of my identity and how I am often identified by others. For me, being a runner is to simply be someone who runs, enjoys running and becomes miserable if they cannot run – because it is such a big and important part of your life and who you are. It is not about racing, speed, distance, fitness levels or running daily, it is a feeling where life isn’t quite right without running.”

Listen to Tasha on the Tough Girl Podcast as she shares more about her life, her passion for running, how she got into running, what she loves about it as well as giving you lots of top tips to help you with your running journey.

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live 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.

Use TOUGHGIRL20 to get your 20% discount on all trainers and running gear —>> www.inov-8.com

Show notes

Who is Tasha
Living in London
Being a runner for 23 years
Doing her first race in 1999
Growing up with an older sister in there early 80s
Spending time in the outdoors
Being a runner at school and being encouraged to join the athletics team
Running 800m and 1500m
What happened after leaving school
Her early 20s and not being active
Exercising 3x a week?
Wanting to lead an active lifestyle
Loving the treadmill
Going running outside for the first time and why she loved it
Doing her first 5k and why it helped to change her life
Being encouraged to sign up for her first race
Being a runner and identifying as such
How running makes her feel
Her running journey
Being inspired by the London Marathon
Doing the London Marathon in 2000 and raising money for charity
How it felt finishing the race
Doing the Paris Marathon in 2004
The women who have inspired Tasha
Being inspired by Paula Radcliffe
How you entered the London Marathon before it being online
Being inspired by everyday women
Making running work for her
Fitting running into her life and having to be creative with her time
Choosing to run at 5am
Training for a half marathon in April
Founding Black Girls Do Run UK in 2019
Her goals for Black Girl Do Run UK and how it has grown over the years
Keeping the community together during Covid
How running has changed over the past 23 years
Representation in magazines and in races
Advice for new runners
Why the most important thing is that your moving
Losing your running mojo
Training herself to run without music
Using Strava
Connect with Tasha and Black Girls Do Run UK
Final words of advice and wisdom
Start small and be consistent

Social Media

Instagram: @blackgirlsdorunuk

Facebook: @blackgirlsdorunuk

Twitter: @bgdrunuk

***

The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8

Use TOUGHGIRL20 to get your 20% discount on all trainers and running gear.

Website: www.inov-8.com

Instagram: @inov_8

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Miriam Diaz Gilbert - Runner since 1989; ultra-runner since 2005. Training for her 30th ultra - the Dawn to Dusk to Dawn 24-hr track ultra in May 2022. 0

Mar 24, 2022

Miriam in her own words:

“I am also an ordinary ultra runner. I have finished eight 50 mile ultras, three 100 mile ultras, six 24-hour, 1 48-hour ultra, and one 60 hour ultra. I also ran several virtual ultras and marathons during the Covid-19 pandemic.

I began running ultras after watching Leslie Stahl interview elite world-class ulta runners Dean Karnazes and Pam Reed on 60 Minutes in 2004.

I have been running ultras since 2005. Prior to running ultras, I completed nine marathons, eight half-marathons, one 10 miler, and five 5Ks. I have been running competitively since 1989.

I am a published author, freelance writer, interviewer, and book reviewer. You can read my publications in the Writing Life tab. In my blog you'll find interviews with ultrarunners, such as Jacob Moss, Kevin Hoegler, Dean Karnazes, Camille Herron, Bart Yasso, Charlie Engle, Pamela Chapman Markle, Catra Corbett, Gene Dykes, and Peter Morgan.I write book reviews, and articles about gardening, the national parks, spirituality, cancer caregiving, and more.

I am a cancer caregiver. I have been running virtual ultra running events during the Covid-19 pandemic to raise money for a GoFundMe campaign I established - Ultra Care for Cancer Caregivers."

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live 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

Use TOUGHGIRL20 to get your 20% discount on all trainers and running gear. www.inov-8.com

Show notes

Who is Miriam
Born and raised in Connecticut
Starting to get into running after a break-up
2005 - running her first 50 mile Ultra Marathon
Getting hooked on ultra running
Why she loves running
Plotting her next ultra
Turning 63 years young
Being a writer and a blogger in 2017
Writing for the Huffington Post and working on her memoir
Being her husbands cancer care giver
Learning more about her childhood and early years
Not being athletic as a child
Being the tallest girl in the class
Using running to reduce stress
Running 9 marathons but finding that there were too many people
Placing 3rd in her first 24hr race
Running a 3 mile loop around a lake in Massachusetts
Dealing with some health challenges
Having a hysterectomy in 2012
Dealing with complications post surgery
Allowing her body time to heal
Going back to her first ultra
Running an ultra of gratitude
Mental resilience while running
Using running to heal her body
Feeling blessed to be running
Why she knows she is never running alone
Feeling god’s presence
Running with purpose
Coming in dead last in her 2nd ultra and why it was joyful
Focusing on track ultras
Making running work for her and John
Celebrating her 60th birthday by running 60 miles on a 1 mile loop
Dedicating a run to John and his surgeons
Running for others and wanting to raise funds for Cancer Care Givers
Ultra Care for Cancer Care Givers
Training for her 30th ultra track race
99 laps to go!
Pacing while running on a track
Running speed to reach 100 miles
How her running speed has changed over the years
Starting off fast on track races
What can happened during track ultra races
Dealing with variables that you can’t control
Not wanting to risk any injury
Fuelling and nutrition while running ultra races
Having a vanilla milkshake at 50 miles
The power of ginger and how it helps with feelings of nausea
Dealing with sleep deprivation at mile 60/70
Starting to do strength training and going indoor climbing
Not doing anything differently for rest and recovery
Sleep is overrated!!!!
Waking up automatically at 7am
Going to bed at 1am/2am
Her love of reading and writing book reviews for her website blog
Having over 1,300 books in her home
How you can connect with Miriam
How she got the name UltraMiriam
Final words of advice to get you into ultra running
Why you should work your way up and build up endurance
Why you shouldn’t compare yourself to other runners

Social Media

Website: www.miriamdiazgilbert.com

Facebook: @ultramiriam

Twitter: @ultramiriam

Instagram: @ultramiriam

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZtmb5-6ke5qkoVGMVRpCqw

***

The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8

Use TOUGHGIRL20 to get your 20% discount on all trainers and running gear.

Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge.

Website: www.inov-8.com

Instagram: @inov_8

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Dr. Sarah McCormack - Mountain runner and UK Athletics-Certified Trail & Fell Running Coach. Inov-8 Ambassador. 0

Mar 22, 2022

In 2019 Sarah was crowned World Cup champion by the World Mountain Running Association.

After a series of seven races throughout the season, including a win in Wales, Sarah secured victory with a second place in Slovenia, the final race in the series.

Sarah is a Cumbrian-based athlete, a brand ambassador for Inov-8 – who sponsor the Lakeland Trails series – an Irish international mountain runner (representing her country no less than 25 times!), a qualified ecologist and a professional running coach.

She lives with her partner – and fellow Inov-8 brand ambassador – Paul Tierney and their two border collies, Quilla and Lupo, in a shepherd’s hut in Windermere.

“You can’t have a good race every time, but you can gain something from each and every run. If you have a bad race, find one or two positives to take away from it, even if it’s just something you now know you’d do differently, and then start looking ahead to the next one.”

Info/Stats:

UK Athletics-Certified Trail & Fell Running Coach
PhD Biogeochemistry, MPhil Chemistry BSc (Hons) Biochemistry
Mountain Running World Cup Winner 2019
Italian Mountain Running & Vertical Kilometre Champion 2020
Top ten - World/European Mountain Running Championships - 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018
Winner, Snowdon International Mountain Race 2014, 2015, 2019
European Cross Country Championships Team Gold 2012
Irish Cross-Country Champion 2014
5k PB 15:46 / 10k PB 33:33

Listen to Sarah now!

New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live 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.

Use TOUGHGIRL20 to get your 20% discount on all trainers and running gear —>> www.inov-8.com

Show notes

Being based out of the Lake District usually
Woking as a running coach
Living in a camper van in Spain
Welcoming the sunshine
Doing van life for the past 5 years
Heading to the Alps and Ireland
Growing up and her early years
Racing short races from 6 years old
Moving to America and having the American high school experience
Moving back to the UK at 21
Being on the girls track team
Going to college/university to study biochemistry and joining the running team in her final year of Michigan State University
Training with the university team and learning how to become a better runner
Her ambitions with running
What happened after leaving university
Not seeing a future in running and focusing on getting a job in the UK
Doing a Masters at Sheffield University, UK
Winning her first race in 5 years
Key races and her love of the Italian mountain races
How running makes her feel
Loving the simplicity of running
Getting into cycling
What is mountain running and how it’s different from ultra running
Climbing at a 30% gradient
Running uphill? Running or power walking?
Why walking is encouraged
Not fully trusting her ankles
Magical moments in races that really stands out
Training and working with a running coach - Robbie Simpson
Example of a training session for the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Race
Dealing with injury
Rest and recovery
Mental side of running and Sarah’s top tips and advice
Writing down goals….
The Dream Race — Jungfrau Marathon 2022
Taking the van to Switzerland
Having 3 passports!
The early start of van life and how it progressed
A day in the life of Sarah
Nutrition and fueling being a vegetarian and focusing on protein at every meal
Working with a running coach
Being supported by Inov-8 and working as an ambassador
Connect with Sarah online
Final words of advice and wisdom for women who want to get into running
How having the right gear can help with confidence in the mountains

Social Media

Website: www.missinglinkcoaching.co.uk

Instagram: @missinglinkcoach

Facebook: @MissingLinkCumbria

***

The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8 throughout March.

Use TOUGHGIRL20 to get your 20% discount on all trainers and running gear.

Website: www.inov-8.com

Instagram: @inov_8

Download this Episode