Tough Girl Podcast

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.    Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.   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

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.    Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.   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

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.    Sign up as a Patron:  www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you.    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

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

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_  

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

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

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

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

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