Tough Girl Podcast Beth French - Ocean Swimmer, Inspirational Speaker. Recovering from ME- and bringing up her son.
Beth French, an ultra-marathon open-sea ocean swimmer who was once a Buddhist nun, a single mother who home schools her autistic son and an adventurer who suffered from a crippling illness (M.E. aka Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) in her youth.
During this podcast we speak to Beth about her journey to swim across the seven most dangerous sea-channels in the world, an official challenge called ‘Oceans Seven'. For extreme swimmers it’s the ultimate test; only a handful of people have ever completed it, but it took them many years.
In September 2016, Beth set out to become the first person ever to conquer Oceans Seven in a 12-months period.
Her motivation: to prove to her autistic son that you are not determined by your circumstances and that you can fulfill your dreams and ambitions by confronting obstacles head on.
Show notes
- Not living close to the water
- Self employed single mum who home schools her son with autistic needs and sea swims for sanity
- Having ME as a teenager…
- What life was like growing up - the challenges she faces and how she overcame them
- Not being able to walk..
- Coping strategies to numb the pain
- Hitting rock bottom
- Going to see an alternative therapist
- Being told it was her fault at 17
- Writing a wish list
- Having a wake up call and taking responsibility for her life
- Becoming a Buddhist Nun - meditating for 17 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months
- Having a 2 week holiday which turned into an 8 year adventure!
- Swimming in the ocean and falling in love with it
- Learning the mental side of endurance
- Being told she couldn’t have kids… Getting pregnant and being terrified
- Wanting to adventure with her baby
- Can she do it with a baby? How did she?
- Her version of motherhood
- The Channel Swim! Generating the right emotions to push her through
- How to be true to you and to live your truth
- Why you should be full of yourself
- Not celebrating
- Heading to Hawaii for the winter
- What’s going on inside her head while she’s swimming
- Tattoos and why she has them
- Vulnerability as a strength and what’s she learn’t
- Why she stopped her last project - Oceans 7
- Going for the world record and pulling the plug on it
- Making the toughest decision she has even made
- The next challenge/adventure!
- Top tips… advice..
- Learn more about Beth via her social media channels- see below!
“I'm in it to swim it and it's not over till I run out of water.”
Social Media
- Website - http://bethfrench.co.uk
- Twitter - @bethsbigswim https://twitter.com/bethsbigswim
- Instagram - @bethfrenchlives https://www.instagram.com/bethfrenchlives/
- Facebook @bethfrenchlives https://www.facebook.com/bethfrenchlives/
On Thursday - hear more from Beth on Tough Girl Extra - The Quick Fire Round!!