Tori James is most well known for being the first Welsh woman to conquer Mount Everest in 2007. However, she has also raced to the magnetic North Pole in an all female team, cycled the full length of New Zealand and completed the first Beeline Challenge in Britain.
Tori loves a challenge and an adventure, when she sets her mind to a goal, nothing or no one will stop her; not sea sickness, not injury, not the cold, and certainly not people telling her she can’t do it because she’s too small! Tori at 5’1 is not afraid of pushing herself to her limits and finding out what she’s capable of doing. (Which is a lot!)
If you want to be inspired and learn more about one women's journey from being in the Girl Guides to scaling Everest, then this is the podcast for you. Hear about her journey, what drove her and understand the steps she took to achieve her goals. Learn how you to can break down your next challenge and make it happen.
During this podcast, Tori takes us right back to where her love of adventure really started and we get to go with her as she re-lives her challenges in detail. We get to hear about her first big adventure with British Exploring, where she spent four weeks on a glacier in Iceland when she was just a teenager. This cemented her love of geography and the cold!
Tori continued to take advantage of the different opportunities that came her way, this was why she and two others decided to compete as the first all female team to be involved in a polar race to reach the magnetic North Pole.
These challenges helped to prepare her and teach her valuable skills which paved the way for taking on the highest mountain in the world - Mount Everest. Tori talks through her mental and physical preparation, how she dealt with the risks; the ones she could control and the ones she couldn’t and how she handled the negative comments that were directed to her when she shared her dream.
Tori discusses team work, how to keep going when you really want to stop and how to build confidence and belief in what you're doing. This is not an episode to be missed!
We also have an exclusive announcement about the Duke of Edinburgh Diamond Challenge to celebrate 60 years of the award. Listen here as Tori explains it all!
Tori is on twitter @torijtweets, I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL please do send us a tweet once you’ve listened to this podcast episode. Don’t forget to subscribe and I would love for you to leave a review and share the podcast with your friends and family.
Let's spread the motivation and inspiration!
New Tough Girl episodes are published every Tuesday morning at 7am.
Have a fantastic week and I’ll be with you all next Tuesday for another awesome episode of the Tough Girl Podcast.
Thanks for listening!
Your Tough Girl Host - Sarah xx
In this episode we get to hear from Great British high jumper, Isobel Pooley who is a remarkable young women, she’s passionate, driven and loves what she does. Isobel has had a stunning start to her career, winning a medal at the Commonwealth games in 2014 and then going on to smash the British high jump record which had stood for over 32 years.
It hasn’t alway been easy for Isobel, she has faced challenges from a young age, being over six foot tall in her teens, and having to deal with random strangers coming up to her and commenting on her hight. She has dealt with loneliness, being unhappy and not fitting in. During this podcast, she talks openly on how she coped and handled these situations.
Isobel shows a real love for her sport and she has shown commitment and maturity in her approach to how she trains and how she gets the best out of her body. She talks about physical and mental preparation for competitions as well as what it feels like being in the big sporting arenas. While she talks, I could picture myself in the stadium, seeing what’s going on in her head as she prepares to jump. You too will be able to learn from Isobel, she is positive, optimistic, and isn’t afraid to be tough as she speaks her mind about topics she feels strongly about.
Isobel has been on a journey of discovery, building her confidence and belief in what she can accomplish in the high jump. She now knows who she is, what drives her and she has finally accepted herself and her height and sees it for what it really is, a unique and special gift. She is one of Britain's great hopes for Rio in 2016 and I know after listing to this you will understand why she’s so good at what she does.
Isobel is on twitter @IsobelPooley do give her a follow and check out her website and blog to be kept unto date of whats she’s been up to. I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL please do tweet us a shout out once you’ve listened to this podcast episode.
Don’t forget to subscribe and I would love for you to leave a review and share the podcast with your friends and family. Let spread the motivation and inspiration! New Tough Girl episodes are published every Tuesday morning at 7am.
Have a fantastic week and I’ll be with you all next Tuesday for another fantastic episode of the Tough Girl Podcast. Thanks for listening!
Sarah
Tough Girl Challenges is all about motivating and inspiring women and girls. This is an episode not to be missed, especially if you’re interested in swimming or want to know more about open water swimming.
Lisa Williams is a down to earth normal woman in her thirties, who has gone on to do an extra-ordinary challenge. Lisa has just swam the English Channel, the 21 miles from England over to France!
During this podcast, Lisa explains how she first got into swimming as a young girl and why she decided to take it up again later on in life. She clearly explains everything, and gives awesome actionable tips on how to get involved in swimming through masters clubs, and how to make an individual sport, fun and sociable. It has certainly encouraged me to go for a swim, but definitely in a heated pool!
Let Lisa tell you more about the challenges involved in training for the English Channel swim, the hours of dedication over a two and half year training plan and having to put on over two stone in weight!
Lisa is knowledgeable and passionate about swimming and she will also inspire you to give it a go - Like all the challenges we talk about on the Tough Girl Podcast, it's not just about swimming the English Channel and doing a massive challenge. It’s about getting fit, active and doing something fun for you.
Swimming may or may not be right for you but it’s fascinating to hear about her experience of what she went through to raise money for an incredible charity - The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. To donate any amount large or small please donate here.
Lisa has a Blog where she has recorded the day to day trials of training for the swim. She’s also on twitter @lisa_j_williams I'm also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL.
Once you’ve listened to the podcast do send us a tweet and let us know! It would be great to hear from you.
New Tough Girl episodes are published every Tuesday morning at 7am. Don’t forget to subscribe and I would love for you to leave a review and share the podcast with your friends and family.
Let's spread the motivation and inspiration!
Have a fantastic week and I’ll be with you next Tuesday.
Sarah
Tough Girl Challenges is all about motivating and inspiring women and girls. As well as interviewing athletes, explorers and adventures. I also think it’s important to interview the women behind the scenes, the women who support and help others to achieve their goals.
In this episode I interview Gale Bernhardt, she has a real passion for helping others and she found this passion when she was sixteen years old. As a renowned Olympic Coach with over twenty years experience she knows what she's talking about. She’s also heavily involved in cycling and multi-sport athlete development.
In this episode, Gale gives a fascinating insight into how the sport of triathlon has grown over the years since its birth in 1976. She has been there from the start. Gale was one of the first female coaches to realise how big triathlons were going to be in the future. Gale reminisces about her first event, and why she became hooked on the sport. She provides advice and tips for women who want to do their first sprint triathlon and its not as difficult as you think it would be. She is realistic about the training and the time frames needed to complete an event and its not the twenty or thirty hours of training each week as you would expect. You can train for your first sprint triathlon in five hours a week!
Gale also discusses the importance of goal setting and gives great advice on how to sit down and do this. I also share one of my more outlandish goals!
She’s worked with Nicole Freedman a road racer who wanted to go to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She had been written off by everyone else in the States and no one else believed she would be able to get there. She was overtrained and undertrained at the same time, and was in a really difficult place. Gale helped her and she can help you to!
This is an episode not to be missed, especially if you’re interested in triathlons and want to know more about how to start. Gale also talks about mental preparation and the importance of nutrition in your diet. Please visit her website www.galebernhardt.com.
Gale is on twitter @GaleBerhardt I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL. Listen to the podcast and send us a tweet! It would be great to hear from you.
Please check out the website - ToughGirlChallenges.com and subscribe to the newsletter to be kept updated of future podcasts and challenges.
Tough Girl Challenges is all about motivating and inspiring women and girls. In this episode I interview Liz Yelling.
Liz is a British long-distance runner, who excelled in the marathon distance (26.2 miles), and her personal best is a staggering time of 2 hr 28 mins 33 seconds! Liz has competed in two consecutive Olympics Games, Athens and Beijing, she’s also a Commonwealth medalist winning a Bronze medal in Melbourne in 2006.
During this podcast, Liz talks about how she first got into running, and how she progressed from running cross country at school, to joining an athletics club before becoming a professional and making the transition from 10K races, to marathons.
For anyone interesting in running and wanting to understand the mind set of how runners train for the big event. This is the podcast you need to listen to. Liz has a fascinating story to share, its full of highs and lows and during this interview she is very open as she discusses a variety of topics, from confidence, how she trains and what she learnt from training over the years, her mental and physical preparation before races as well as her life after running.
Liz has dealt with a lot over her running career and it hasn’t always been a smooth road, she’s dealt with injury, chronic fatigue, and lack of belief in herself. She talks about overcoming disappointment in her career and how she moved herself forward and handled potentially career ending set backs.
Her outlook on life is hugely pragmatic and positive. I personally really enjoyed hearing about her Olympic runs in Athens and Beijing and how she trained and got herself into the best physical and mental state possible so she was ready to do what was needed on the day.
For Liz, running will always be a huge part of her life, she now runs for pleasure, taking her children with her. Liz also coaches athletes through, Yelling Performance which she runs with her husband Martin. Here she shares her knowledge of running with complete beginners to more experienced runners.
This is an episode not to be missed! Liz is on twitter @girlwhatruns I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL. Listen to the podcast and send us a tweet! It would be great to hear from you.
Please checkout the website - ToughGirlChallenges.com and subscribe to the newsletter to be kept updated of future podcasts and challenges.
Tough Girl Challenges is all about motivating and inspiring women and girls. In this episode I interview Ann Daniels a record breaking polar explorer. Described by the Times as “living proof that humans really can reach new peaks”.
In 2002, Ann became the first woman in history to ski to the North and South Poles as part of all women teams. She has sledge-hauled over 4000 miles, completing over 10 polar expeditions and surviving over 400 days on the ice.
During this podcast Ann talks about how she took her first steps to becoming a polar explorer. At thirty years old she’d never done anything like this before. She was going through a tough divorce and she had just given birth to triplets! Ann decided she needed to follow her dreams and she wasn’t going to let anything or anyone stop her.
She applied for a relay expedition to the North Pole in 1997. She was not one of the strongest candidates, with her limited knowledge and experience. But she made up for this with her work ethic and drive. She set her goal and she went for it, she kept on learning and she kept on adapting.
She faced huge challenges in one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet and that’s were she learnt the most about herself and what she could achieve. She built her own self confidence; she overcame monumental physical and mental challenges and became stronger and tougher because of it. She developed a mindset where she would not give up.
On this podcast you can listen to Ann in her own words as she explains in detail how she coped with serious setbacks in the Arctic. How she honed her leadership skills and empowered herself and others along the way. Ann provides tips and advice and is passionate about what she does.
She also talks about a future challenge that’s going to take place in April 2017. Her eyes were opened to the difficulties that young people face in terms of dealing with mental illnesses and the stigma that surrounds it. It was brought closer to home when her eighteen year old daughter was take ill. Ann will lead an expedition of six young people on a journey to the Arctic that they will never forget and in the process raise £3 million pounds for charity. To learn more about Ann and her challenges please visit her website www.anndaniels.com.
This podcast will inspire you, and get you to think about what you’ve always wanted to do? What chances do you need to take to go after your dreams? What’s really stopping you? What excuses are you telling yourself?
Ann will encourage you to believe in yourself and believe in the opportunities that are coming available to you.
Listen to Ann and go for it. Give it a go and see what happens. No matter what, you will learn more about yourself by saying yes, than you ever will by saying no.
Ann Daniels is on twitter @AnnDanielsGB I’m also on twitter @_TOUGH_GIRL. If you’ve enjoyed this episode lets us know and send us a tweet! It would be great to hear from you.
Please checkout the website - ToughGirlChallenges.com and subscribe to the newsletter to be kept updated of future Tough Girl podcasts and challenges.
"If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn't change you."
Tough Girl Challenges is all about motivating and inspiring women and girls. In this episode I interview Emma Timmis who is a phenomenal endurance athlete. Emma has done some extreme adventures where she’s pushed her body and mind to her limits.
Emma was the winner of the National Adventurer of the Year Award in 2015 where she was recognised for her achievement in physical endeavour by running across Africa! This journey took 89 days, starting at the Atlantic Ocean at Henries Bay in Namibia with her running all the way across to the Indian Ocean at Pemba in Mozambique a total distance of 3,974km.
Emma has just made her way via bike from Manchester down to Dover, where she is catching the ferry over to France, she will then be cycling over to Italy to do a month of rock climbing before cycling home. We recorded this interview while she was waiting to board the ferry, so you’ll have to excuse the noises in the background!
In this podcast, Emma talks about how she got a love for adventure and fitness from her family and how these big challenges came about, she talks about the training and the impact on her body and mind. She also provides advice and tips for those who are looking to get out of their comfort zone.
Through her adventures, Emma has also raised a lot of money for two charities (RSPCA & The Seed Project) they are charities that are close to her heart and she explains how they have benefited from the money.
It was clear from interviewing Emma that she’s a passionate believer in getting more women and girls to be active. It doesn’t have to be massive challenges, but they do have to be fun!
Please see more about Emma by visiting her Website www.emmatimmis.com and she is also on Facebook and twitter @runemma.
To keep up to date with Tough Girl Challenges, subscribe to the newsletter via the website www.toughgirlchallenges.com
If you’ve enjoyed this podcast please take a few minutes to leave a review and share with your friends!
Amy Hughes is a normal girl from Oswestry in Shropshire, who did an extraordinary challenge.
Amy ran 53 marathons in 53 days and raised over £53,000 becoming a world record holder at the same time.
During this podcast, Amy talks about her start into fitness and making the decision to take up running. Initially, she was so embarrassed, she would go for runs at six in the morning so no one else would see her.
Learn how Amy persevered and went from a standing start to running marathons and beyond.
Amy also provides information, advice and tips about her mental and physical preparation. The day to day experience of running the 53 marathons, including the ups and downs she experienced.
Running from Oswestry to London, 220 miles in six days and then running the London Marathon! She also discusses her personal role models and future challenges.
Amy is a personal trainer and nutrition expert, she works with individuals in person and online. If you want to know more about Amy check out her new website. www.Amyhughes53.co.uk
Amy is also on twitter @53Marathons
Charities she supports.
The Isabelle Lottie Foundation - www.theisabellelottiefoundation.org
Dame Kelly Trust - www.damekellyholmestrust.org
The 53 Foundation - the53foundation.co.uk
Sally Kettle has always wanted to live an exciting life, she’s wanted to make the most of her time whilst she's here. She has thrown herself into numerous different challenges, from running the London Marathon, to rowing across the Atlantic twice! The fist time, never having been in a boat before and with her mum for company!
Sally talks through her different challenges, explaining what made her want to do them, how they came about and how she prepared both physically and mentally. She shares advice and tips and in the process will inspire the listener to think about what it is they want to achieve.
Sally is an Ambassador for a number of worthy charities and causes and she has raised significant sums of money over the years.
Sally also shares the details of an exciting new project she's working on, its a different kind of adventure, but one which still takes her out of her comfort zone.
For more information on Sally please see her website www.sallykettle.com, she is also on Facebook and twitter @sallykettle.
Check out the Tough Girl Challenges Website- www.toughgirlchallenges.com which is all abut motivating and inspiring women and girls.
Sophie Radcliffe from “Challenge Sophie” is currently living in Chamonix in the French Alps where she takes advantage of the mountains to run, cycle and to train for her next adventure. Sophie describes herself as a normal girl who just happens to love pushing herself both mentally and physical with various endurance challenges.
During this podcast Sophie talks about the mental and physical challenges she’s undertaken from completing the three peaks, cycling from London to Paris in twenty four hours and planning and undertaking the first Alpine Coast to Coast; a gruelling challenge which took her on a journey through eight countries, seven summits, 1,653 kilometres and 51,016 metres of ascent.
Sophie’s on a mission to show that challenge in the great outdoors are accessible and achievable for everyone.
As well as being entertaining and informative, Sophie also talks about; self competitive spirit, mental preparation, confidence training, nutrition & role models
Sophie is one Tough Girl and a real inspiration and it was a pleasure to interview her. This podcast will get you thinking about what your next challenge is going to be.
For more information about Sophie and her challenges, see her website and follow her on social media.
Twitter - @ChallengeSophie
Facebook - /ChallengeSophie
Cheryl Hunter is a motivational speaker, best selling author and transformational expert.
Cheryl left her small town in Colorado and headed to Europe with the dream of making it big in the modelling world. What happened next almost broke her, she was kidnapped, raped, abused and held captive. The experience profoundly changed her and her outlook on life.
In this episode Cheryl shares how she broke free of her mental prison and cracked the code for others to use.
Cheryl is very open and honest about who she is and what the impact was on her life. She provides advice and tips on how you can also break free from your limiting beliefs and whatever is holding you back.
This is real advise, and real tips from someone who has made it work.
Learn more about Cheryl mission and how she’s turned the negative into the positive and what she’s learnt on the way.
Her book: Use It: Turn Setbacks Into Success is available on Amazon.
Follow Cheryl on Twitter @HunterCheryl
Tough Girl Challenges is all about motivating and inspiring women and girls. In this episode I interview Jessi Stensland an elite multi-sport athlete and movement specialist.
As well as being a video journalist she is also the founder and creator of MovementU. Jessi has had a long and distinguished career over the past twenty years, with national and international wins. In 2004 she won the Half Ironman Mexico, her first attempt at that distance. The highlight of her career was the Olympic journey which culminated with the 2004 US Olympic Triathlon Trials where she finished 4th and 6th among the American women.
Jessi is a lover of life, a woman who loves learning about herself and pushing herself to the limits, she’s traveled the world and is passionate about motivating and inspiring others to lead fit and healthy lives.
Her bio on twitter says - “Requires a bit of epic in every day”. By listening to this podcast you will get that epic. Jessi discusses how she first got into fitness, what drove her to move across country at a young age to pursue her passion for triathlon and why she turned professional. She talks through challenges she faced and the choices she's made. She shares advice and wisdom and is a passionate and motivated speaker.
Jessi is still on her journey and she’s learning more about herself everyday and she willing to share the knowledge she’s gained.
For more information on Jessi please see her website www.gojessi.com, she is also on Facebook and twitter @JessiStensland.