Tough Girl Podcast Jenny Tough - Running 900 km via the Tien Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan!
Jenny has travelled to six continents, solo. Cycled around Europe, paddled through the South American jungle, ran marathons on four continents, hiked throughout Asia, trekked in Patagonia, dived with sharks, surfed in the North Sea, competed in numerous adventure races, and lived in five countries. She believes everyone has the spirit of an explorer within them, and that adventures are constantly at our fingertips.
On September 18, 2016, Jenny ran through the city gates of Osh, in the southwest of Kyrgyzstan, having run just over 900 kilometres in 25 days from the northeast city of Karakol via the Tien Shan mountains, solo and self-supported. The expedition took her through both stunning and challenging landscapes, where she used ancient nomad trails to access mountain passes up to 4000m, while carrying all of her own supplies on her back!
“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”
— T.S Eliot
Show notes
- Growing up in Calgary, which is close to the Rocky Mountains in Canada. Where she would spend time out in the mountains connecting with nature.
- Moving down to the Caribbean when she was 10 years old and spending a year a half living on a boat with her family!
- Taking a gap year when she was 18 and spending time trekking and exploring in South America
- After university she decided she was going to cycle to the Yukon. A ride of 3,000 km to the North of Canada!
- Having respect for planning, but also wanting to let the adventure un fold naturally!
- Having the time and making the money to go away cycle touring and why her first adventure didn’t cost her a lot of money.
- Dealing with the fears of her friends and having to deal with her un-supportive friends and how their fears wore her down mentally
- Cycling 100km on the first day of the adventure and how it motivated her to keep moving north.
- The challenges she faced being on the open road and what she did to keep herself motivated and entertained
- Finding endurance sports, meditative and getting into the zone.
- After finishing her first cycle journey and deciding to try and live a normal life. It lasted a year before she decided to pack it all in and get back on her bike and go on another adventure
- Deciding to move to Scotland and why she loves it!
- Getting into running, how running made her feel and how her relationship with running changed over the years.
- Running solo across Kyrgyzstan - 900k self supported! Why she wanted to do this challenge and how it came about
- Getting herself mentally and physically prepared for the challenge
- What it was like being in the country - meeting new people and dealing with their doubts about what she was doing.
- What Jenny has learned most from her Kyrgyzstan experience
- Why your friends really do matter and why you need to be careful of who you surround yourself with
- Her first book - “Keeping the sea to the right” - when she decided to cycle around the Baltic Sea
- Tips and tricks to help you get over challenges and why breaking it down can make a massive difference
- Dealing with a family death while being away from her family and how she dealt with her grief
- Future challenges & final words of advice!
Check out Jenny’s website - www.jennytough.com Jenny is on Twitter @JennyTough
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