Tough Girl Podcast Ali Mahoney: Turning 50 with Purpose – Adventure, Motherhood, and the Hike Across Malta
Ali, at 50 years young, is a dedicated mother, wife, and part-time Civil Servant from South Wales. With a lifelong passion for sport and adventure, Ali transitioned from competitive athletics to human-powered challenges after knee injuries redirected her path.
To mark her milestone 50th birthday, Ali embarked on a deeply personal adventure: hiking across the island of Malta, the place where she took her very first steps as a toddler. While not her longest or most physically demanding challenge, this journey proved to be one of her most meaningful.
In this episode, Ali reflects on her evolving identity as an adventurer, the struggles of balancing motherhood, work, and the pull for personal time in nature. Her story is one of resilience, purpose, and finding space for adventure amidst life’s many demands.
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Show notes
- Who is Ali
- 50 years old
- Living in South Wales with her wife Amy and her son Ollie
- Farm- life and working in the civil service
- How life has changed since we last spoke in 2016
- Speaking with Ali in 2016 - Sport Psychology Coach who rode a bike 767 miles from South Wales to Chamonix!
- Riding her bike from South Wales to Chamonix
- Going on more mini adventures
- Knowing each other for 10 years
- Seeing each other over the years
- National Outdoor Expo
- Being older mums
- Getting married
- Celebrating their 10 year anniversary
- Fitting adventure and sport into life now
- Deciding to have a child
- The process of adaptation
- Peri menopause and menopause
- What her 40s were like
- A new chapter
- Celebrating turning 50 and what it was like
- Thinking up new ideas and challenges
- Wanting it to be meaningful and significant
- The connection to Malta
- Planning to walk across the island
- Deciding to apply for the Tim Moss Adventure Grant - “The Next Challenge”
- Have a go, you never know!
- No adventures is too small
- Being granted £150 for the cost of the challenge
- Telling her wife Amy about the challenge
- Is is practically possible? How can we make it work?
- Balancing the family dynamics
- The logistics for the hike and training for the hike
- Being in the worst shape of her life
- Figuring out the accommodation as she went
- Dealing with the heat and humidity in Malta during August!
- When the doubt started to creep in
- Mentally getting in the zone and being ready to start confident
- Being sensible in the heat
- Planning her own route on google maps
- Starting on the most easterly point
- Having time to herself to reflect and look back on life and plan for the future
- The lessons learned from the walk
- Figuring out the balance between solo time and family time
- Dealing with feelings of guilt and “mum guilt”
- Looking towards the next decade
- Penrhys Pilgrimage Way
- Glamping pods on the farm
- Living Life Differently Podcast
- Getting into a new routine
- We need more women sharing their stories!!
- Celebrating the end of the challenge and how it compares to other challenges done previously
- Why it felt so meaningful
- Don’t compare your challenge to anyone else and what they are doing
- How to connect with Ali on the socials
- Advice and top tips to motivate and inspire you
- Linking ability and belief together
- Build your belief
- Build your confidence
- Unlock the power of belief
Social Media
Facebook: www.facebook.com/themahojos
Instagram: @themahojos
YouTube: @TheMahoJos