Tough Girl Podcast

We first spoke with Jessie on October 19th 2021 where she shared more about her cycle challenge of riding 570 miles to Glasgow for COP26. During this episode we catch up with Jessie to find out about her journey, the challenges faced and overcome, what it was like arriving in Glasgow and her thoughts on COP26 as well as her plans for the future.   Jessie in her own words:   I am a youth activist who cares deeply about the power of people to create change and this is exactly what I want People Pedal Power to do. The idea to start the movement came from my fears that more inaction would come from COP26.    I knew that we didn’t have time for this to occur, as this summit has to be the one where real change is created, if not by our leaders but by the power of individuals creating collective action.    As can be seen from the youth climate movement across the world, individuals really do have the power to create change, and so I decided to harness this!   I also believe in the immense power that words and storytelling have in helping us as individual to learn, understand and ultimately engage in the climate crisis. I have been trying to do this for the past 2 years with my monthly newspaper columns and other writing projects which discuss the climate crisis from the youth perspective.   Listen to Jessie now on the Tough Girl Podcast. New episodes go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media.    Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and support. Thank you.   Show notes Who is Jessie The day before the start of the challenge Getting going and feeling relief Partnering with the Adventure Syndicate  Film maker - Catherine Dunn  Starting with 50/60 people Meeting people along the way  Magical moments from the experience Why everyday was special One of the hardest days on the bike Tips and tricks for dealing with the tough times Using music to change her state of mind Coping with riding 100km per day Why it was harder mentally Arriving in Glasgow for COP26 Feeling unsettled in Glasgow Partnering with Eco-Schools Trying to get the youth voice in the media The challenges at the event Thoughts on COP26 Did attending the event help to make a difference What it was like inside the conference What it was like outside the conference People power and feeling empowered  What’s next for Jessie? COP27? Cycling during the winter months Final words of advice     Social Media   People Pedal Power - Demanding Climate action and greener more accessible transport.   Website: httpspeoplepeddlepower.wordpress.com/   Instagram: @people_pedal_power   Personal IG: @climate_jess_    The Adventure Syndicate is a collective of extraordinary cyclists who happen to be women and who aim to challenge what others think they are capable of.   Website - theadventuresyndicate.com    Instagram: @adventuresynd

Adelle is a British middle distance track athlete, who has competed for Great Britain over 800m on a number of occasions. Adelle has competed internationally on a European, Commonwealth and World stage for over 10 years.   Adelle's international debut was a the European Youth Olympics in 2009, where she won a Silver medal at 16 years old.    Since then, she has gone on to compete for Great Britain at a senior level competing at two European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam 2016 and Berlin 2018, at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Portland 2016, World Athletics Championships in London 2017, World University Games in Taipei 2017, the Commonwealth Games for team England in Gold Coast 2018 and at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow 2019.   Throughout competing as a senior athlete on the international stage, Adelle has balanced her life off the track working as a Hair & Makeup artist.   Adelle is a Woman's Sport Trust 'UNLOCKED' Alumni and proud ambassador for the British Dyslexia Association & Dementia UK, two causes very close to her heart.   "Sport has so much to offer, I’d love all woman to have the opportunity to enhance their life with sport. There is so much power in lifting each other up and continuing to create spaces for woman & girls to flourish.” - Adelle Tracey   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.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    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 Adelle Wanting to be an athlete  Being inspired by the Olympics Being inspired by her head teacher - Mr Potter Excelling at sports day Getting involved in the school running club Making her first GB team at 16 Achieving her first Silver medal Discovering make up later on Remembering back to the Youth Olympics Being part of a team Being inspired by female role models Looking up to Dame Kelly Holmes  Running the longer distances  Endurance sports in athletics Winter training and weekly milage  Magical Moments from the past 10 years  Finishing 4th in the final Getting a personal best (PB) in the semi finals Tactics on the start line Working with a sports psychologist Music during the warmups  Following a cool room process Training in a winter block - an approx week and what it looks like Doing a triple day  Pre-hab, stretching and rolling  Sleeping and napping Keeping injury free Maintaining motivation levels Getting out of the door Working as hard as she can Advice for more advanced runner who want to run faster Advice for getting your mojo back Going back to your reason why The importance of goals Linking her training to her period.  Working with Fitrwomen  Future goals  Funding and paying for her lifestyle Why 2020 was such a difficult year Dealing with financial stress Ending the season on a high Having a vision board and writing down goals Final words of advice     Social Media   Website: www.adelletracey.com    Instagram: @adelletracey   Twitter: @adelle_tracey

Steph in her own words:   “Being a very shy and uncoordinated child I used to avoid anything active until a family holiday to the Lake District ignited a passion for walking and the outdoors.    I love to get outside and active and to push my body to see just what it’s capable of.    The excitement of tackling a long-distance trail appeals to me, but I also enjoy discovering the adventure my local area has to offer. I find joy in immersing myself in nature- wherever you are you can find great beauty.    Middle age is a time when people tend to slow down and stop being active. I want to inspire other people in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond that you are still capable of doing some pretty amazing things and that it’s never too late for adventure.”   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.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    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 Turning 50 and being passionate about getting outdoors Wanting to do more and more Being very shy and uncoordinated while growing up Doing everything to avoid physical activity Being inspired by spending time walking in the Lake District Progressing her walking and joining the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA)  Getting involved in Challenge Walks with the LDWA Deciding what challenges to do next Doing the coast to coast walk Feeling scared at the start  How her confidence grew through experience  Walking with a friend on the Isle of Man Walking the Pennine Way and why it was challenging due to lockdowns and covid Dealing with the British Weather…. Planning and preparation for walks The importance of long training walks Equipment and gear on a budget Ways to keep the costs down as a single traveller Doing her first overnight camping trip A Pennine Journey (247 miles) The plan… Food and nutrition while on the challenge Training and getting physically ready Wanting to share her stories with others Signing up for the Marathon des Sables (MDS) to document the training of the journey  Start small and build up  Running the London Marathon  Marathon des Sables Building up fitness and training for the MDS Preparing the mind and getting mentally ready for the challenge Running the wettest MDS ever! Lessons learned from finishing the MDS Dealing with stomach issues Craving coffee Follow along with Steph on social media   Part 2 A Pennie Journey The route Why things didn’t quite go to plan Dealing with blisters and the Summer heat wave Building her confidence with camping and using her tent The magical moments from the experience  Getting resupply on the route Going solo and meeting other walkers Making a few changes to stay out on the trail for 17 days Dealing with blisters and pain Feeling a little disappointed at the end Final words of advice Starting small and building up Going on local adventures   Social Media   Website: www.endurance-adventures.co.uk    Instagram: @endurance_adventures    Facebook: @enduranceadventures

Patti Shales Lefkos is a Canadian writer and journalist. Her Himalayan adventure travel memoir Nepal One Day at a Time celebrates her creative non-fiction debut.   Nepal One Day at a Time is the story of her first trekking trip on her own.   Born and raised in Toronto, she has also lived in Neuchatel, Switzerland and Vancouver.    Following a rewarding career as a teacher, educational consultant, administrator and advocate for inner city children, Patti studied journalism at Langara University. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Toronto Teachers’ College, Simon Fraser University and the Wilderness Leadership Program at Capilano College.   In 2006 she set out to pursue international adventure travel.    Whether canoeing the Yukon River, backcountry skiing in BC’s Monashee Mountains, hiking in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides or trekking in Tibet and Nepal, she embraces the culture and environment of wilderness areas.    When not travelling, she skis downhill, nordic and backcountry from her home base at SilverStar Mountain Resort in BC’s Okanagan Valley.    In summer she paddles canoe, kayak and stand up paddle board at her Ontario island cottage.   Listen to Patti on the Tough Girl Podcast. New episodes go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time.   Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please check out www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.   Show notes Good Morning! Who is Patti and what she does Where her love and passion for the outdoors came from Buying her first typewriter and wanting to be a writer Lost Horizon by James Hilton  Becoming an outdoor girl Doing all the expected things and becoming a teacher Moving west to Vancouver  Working in inner city schools Riding her bike to school and doing her first marathon Moving from marathon to triathlon Meeting her husband Barry Not travelling until they retired in their 60s Heading to England in 2007 and walking the coast to coast  Taking on bigger adventures and going to higher and higher levels of altitude Spending time in Nepal Wanting to volunteer in Nepal in 2014 Having to go solo at 67 Facing her fears to go by herself Making the transition from working full time to being retired Writing the articles she wants to write about adventure travel Choosing her work Her first experience of travelling and trekking to altitude Making a list of her fears  Her plans for Nepal The biggest challenge while out trekking Writing her first book Supporting the village affected by the earthquake in 2015 The realities of starting a non profit Figuring out what is good help to provide Why 97% of the money goes to Nepal The realties of trekking at altitude in your late 60s Bucket list destinations Final words of advice  The power of spending time with young people and being of service   Social Media   Website :  pattishaleslefkos.com   Facebook: @plefkos   Facebook Non-profit Nepal One Day at a Time Society on Facebook    Buy Patti’s book NEPAL ONE DAY AT A TIME on Amazon   Partner NGO in Kathmandu, Nepal. Sambhav Nepal   Recommended Trekking Company in Kathmandu, Nepal. Ace the Himalaya   IN CANADA:   How to buy NEPAL ONE DAY AT A TIME book directly from Patti   COST:  $32 ($25 for the book, $7 for postage)   All profits go to education in Ratmate and Aprik Villages, Gorkha, Nepal.   BY CHEQUE:    Mail cheque for $32 to Patti Lefkos Box 3093Vernon, BC. V1B3M1 *** REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR MAILING ADDRESS***   BY eTRANSFER:   $32 to pattilefkos@shaw.ca ***REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR MAILING ADDRESS***

Anisah is the founder of the new blog: Outside Our Way which features interviews from other disabled and chronically ill folks, sharing their stories of their outdoor experiences.   Anisah in her own words:   My name is Ani. I have multiple chronic illnesses and I am disabled. That probably brings an image to your mind of what it means to be ‘disabled’, But when you look up the definition of ‘disability’ you’ll find various ways you can categorise it - as well as plenty of opinions about what it means to be disabled.   The UK Equality Act 2010 classifies disability as: “a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”    The truth is there are so many variations and types of impairments that fit this definition. There are visible physical disabilities, there are hidden physical disabilities, there are learning disabilities, and there are mental health disabilities. The variations and combinations are endless and as a result each person’s disability or impairment is unique. How that affects their daily life is completely individual to them.   I have what is called hidden disabilities or invisible illnesses. I’m diagnosed with Lupus SLE and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD). I have chronic pain, fatigue and memory loss along with other symptoms that affect me daily.    People often think that I’m not disabled or chronically ill.  There’s a common stereotype that comes to a lot of people's minds when the words “sick” or “disabled” is used, and like so many I don’t really fit that image. Most of the time when you look at me I don't look like I’m in pain or fatigued. I walk without aids. I take part in active outdoor activities.    People don’t realise that I don’t look in pain or fatigued because I have a lifetime's worth of experience pretending I’m not. I time my painkillers to kick in before I see someone. I’ll make sure the environment I'm in when I'm with people is one that won’t drain too much energy or add to the pain. I’ll plan my week prior and after to ensure I’m rested enough and won’t crash.    Finally, when I’m too exhausted to handle a simple conversation despite all my planning and methods… I will cancel and you will not see me in that state at all. The same amount of work goes into planning any outdoor activities. I have to use tactics and creative methods just to take part. I need extra preparations and plans to get by in a world that was created with non-disabled people in mind. This is the aspect of disability that people might miss.    Which brings me to the question - how can we help change this?   I can only be an expert on my own experience/disability/illness (and even then, that’s iffy!). After brief conversations with others with chronic illnesses or disabilities, I have come across some amazing tips to help manage my own disabilities outdoors. I have found people who can relate to my feelings like no-one else can, and have helped me pass challenges I’d previously faced alone. I've realised that there’s so much that I don’t know about people who are chronically ill/disabled and so much more I should learn.    I want to talk to people with different disabilities and conditions to mine. I want to see what challenges they face when they access the outdoors, what hurdles they have to navigate when going outdoors. I want to ask them what everyone should do to flatten those hurdles as much as we can.    Outside: Our Way is a collection of interviews to show that we as a community are here. These interviews are a chance for disabled people to shape their own narratives and tell us about their way of going outside. It’s aim is to shine a light on what it’s really like to be an outdoor enthusiast and disabled/chronically ill.   To those who are disabled or chronically ill - I hope you can find something to relate to. There’s a beautiful community that have shared experiences and can truly understand what you might think or feel.    To those who are non-disabled - I hope to show you what it takes to be disabled/chronically ill in the outdoors. And perhaps prompt you to consider how you can help us access the outdoors our way.   Listen to Ani on the tough girl podcast - New episodes go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    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 Ani Being an advocate for disability and chronic illness in the outdoor environment Getting into the outdoors and not liking it at first Getting back into the outdoors 2/3 years ago Deciding not to follow the advice  Enjoying her time in the outdoors Her life as a child and experiencing symptoms from a young age Hating going to school Learning energy management Not knowing what something was wrong dealing with pain was normal Getting the diagnosis as 12 years old Making the decision to go outside and wanting to do something Spending too much time inside Why the outdoors is her happy place Feeling empowered and enabled Learning how to balance caution and happiness Planning every aspect of her life Connecting with other women who have a similar condition Spending time around water and feeling at peace Trying to get good with cold water Making adjustments to make wild camping accessible  Figuring out how it can work for you What Outside Our Way is about The women who have inspired Ani Wanting to share her hiking journey on line Future dreams and ambitions Wanting to do a multi-day hike Hike your own hike Advice for your next adventure    Social Media   Instagram: @ani_went_outside    Outside: Our Way - A blog sharing stories from from across the outdoor sector and disability and chronic illness landscape.   Hosted by @alltheelements   www.alltheelements.co/outside-our-way   Instagram @outside_our_way

Annabel Abbs is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. She grew up in Wales and Sussex, with stints in Dorset, Bristol and Hereford. Daughter of academic and poet, Peter Abbs, she has a degree in English Literature from the University of East Anglia and a Masters from the University of Kingston. She lives with her family in London and Sussex, and is a Fellow of the Brown Foundation.   Annabel’s debut novel, The Joyce Girl, won the 2015 Impress Prize for New Writing and the 2015 Spotlight First Novel Award, and was longlisted for the 2015 Caledonia Novel Award, the 2015 Bath Novel Award and the 2016 Waverton Good Read Award. It was a Reader Pick in The Guardian 2016 and was one of ten books selected for presentation at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival. Published across the world, Annabel discussed The Joyce Girl on BBC Radio 4’s Soul Music. It is currently being adapted for the stage.   Her second novel, Frieda: The Originial Lady Chatterley, was a Times Book of the Month, then a Times Book of the Year 2018 and one of five novels selected for presentation to film directors at the 2017 Frankfurt Book Fair. Frieda has been translated into six languages. Annabel spoke about Frieda on BBC Woman’s Hour.   Annabel’s third novel, the story of Eliza Acton, Britain’s first domestic goddess, and a best-selling cookery book writer (and a poet) will be published in the US in October 2021, by William Morrow as Miss Eliza’s English Kitchen. In the UK, the novel was acquired at auction by Simon & Schuster, and will be published in spring 2022 as The Language of Food. It is currently being translated into sixteen languages. In 2021 it was optioned by Stampede Ventures and CBS.   Annabel’s first non-fiction book, The Age-Well Project, was published by Little, Brown in 2019, co-written with TV producer, Susan Saunders, and based on their acclaimed blog agewellproject.com, longlisted for the 2018 UK Blog Awards.   Annabel’s first foray into memoir and her first solo-authored non-fiction book, Windswept: Walking in the Footsteps of Remarkable Women, was acquired at auction by Two Roads and was published in June 2021.    In the US, Windswept was acquired by Tin House and published in September 2021, with the subtitle Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women. Windswept tells the extraordinary stories of eight women who walked long distances in wild and often remote places as they sought their own voices. They include Simone de Beauvoir, Nan Shepherd, Georgia O’Keeffe, Gwen John and Daphne du Maurier.   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.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    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 Annabel Her latest book Her interest in walking Being interested in women who do long distance walks in challenging environments Where are all the women walkers? Researching the women who walk Having a strange childhood How walking was a part of her education  the benefits for women walking in nature How wild places are not deemed safe for women  And why women are encouraged to stay at home and get their time in nature from being in the garden Why women DO long hikes Women from 100 years ago who went out walking Focusing on 6 women for the book Windswept  Recreating their walks  Feeling trapped at home Having family walking holidays  Planning the walks and incorporating her writing within the walks Using old maps to help plan Encouraging women to be able to navigate What Nan Shepherd said about walking in Scotland  Why river journeys and coastal journeys were quite popular Why women should learn to navigate Doing the walks solo and the challenge involved Thinking of all the things that could go wrong Why walking is so much more complication for a woman What is was like walking solo  Women and their relationships with the mountains  The struggle of mental preparation before heading out to walk solo The long history of women doing walking pilgrimages on their own Why we need to see more women out there walking The dark side of walking solo and spending time on your own Walking in Texas, USA - night hikes? The importance of legacy Final words of advice   Social Media   Website: www.annabelabbs.com    Instagram: @annabelabbs    Twitter: @annabelabbs    Book: Windswept   Windswept is a feminist exploration of walking in wild landscapes.    Annabel examines the role of walking on the lives, writings and art of several women including Gwen John, Frieda Lawrence, Nan Shepherd, Georgia O’Keeffe and Simone de Beauvoir.  As Annabel walks their paths – the empty plains of Texas, the mountains of Scotland, the rivers and forests of France – she looks back at her childhood in remote Wales and asks why women have been overlooked in the literature of wild-walking.

Tiphaine in her own words:   "My name is Tiphaine, I’m from France and since I was a child my parents took me backpacking in other continents. They’ve opened me to the world. After three years of studies to obtain my Specialized Educator diploma, I felt the urge to explore more of this planet. I went to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa for a year. The adventures I’ve experienced there made me reconsider my whole perspective on life.   Inspired by my short cycling trips in Australia and New Zealand, I bought a bicycle and left, in June 2017, on my 23rd birthday. I started from my home in Paris, without a real plan, without a final destination and ended up cycling 20,000 km in 14 months, half of it with Martin (@hi.martin.cycles).    This trip, more than any others, showed me that dreams can come true and that travelling is a matter of motivation. Since then, I dare to live a different life, “unstable”, full of changes, adventures, experiences, that make me who I am today.”   Listen to Tiphaine on the tough girl podcast.   New episodes go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    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 Tiphaine Wanting some adventure  Deciding to head to Australia on a working holiday  Wanting to continue living this different lifestyle Her younger years and spending time backpacking with her family  Not being afraid of travelling solo Having a plan verses being more flexible and playing things by ear Wanting to join the Civil Service in France Rethinking her whole perspective on life Realising how little you need to be happy Coming back to Paris after 15 months of travelling Not knowing what to do next  Paying for her cycle trip and saving up money Why its cheap to travel by bike Keeping costs down while on the road Leaving Paris on her 23rd Birthday  The route and the plan Meeting Martin in Africa @hi.martin.cycles and deciding to cycle across the Sahara together Using Warmshowers in Europe  Wanting to explore more of Africa and heading to East Africa for 7 months Dealing with elephants close to the tent!  Resupply and accommodation in Africa  Route planning and the challenging in Europe  Trying to pick the nicer routes and avoiding the main roads Maintaining the bike on a long journey  Not knowing how to change a flat tyre at the start Buying a simple bike for 450 EURO Learning new skills on the road Writing her first e-book: Little Miss Pedals: 20,000 km on a bicycle through Europe and Africa  Final words of advice to encourage you to take on your own challenge or adventure. Why it’s worth it!   Social Media   Website: www.dreamsontracks.com    Instagram: @littlemisspedals    Facebook: @littlemisspedals    Book: Little Miss Pedals: 20,000 km on a bicycle through Europe and Africa

Aneela is passionate about encouraging people from all walks of life to ride bikes and she works with individuals, organisations and the cycling industry to encourage wider participation. She works tirelessly to increase diversity in cycling and mountain biking and firmly believes that mountain biking is more than a sport - she’s a champion of the wider benefits of mountain biking in building confidence, strength and resilience in everyday life.   With 20 years+ diversity and inclusion experience, Aneela is particularly interested in diversity and wellbeing; women in MTB leadership; diversity role models; young girls in sport and promoting mental health. She offers training and workshops; inspiring talks and presentations; diversity audits; participation and engagement activities as well as professional advice and consultancy.   ANEELA'S JOURNEY 20 years+  Diversity and Inclusion experience in the public sector Co-Chair, British Cycling’s new Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group 10 years+ running Go-Where Scotland 5+ years professional MBL/Level 3 mountain bike guide Board Member and Secretary of Tweed Valley Trails Association Cycling UK Trail Inspector, and, Trail Maintenance Coordinator Cycling UK Outdoor Expedition qualification  Masters Degree, Equality and Discrimination, University of Strathclyde Personal Fitness Trainer   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.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    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 Aneela Her early years  Growing up in Glasgow How her parents moved over from Pakistan  Visiting Pakistan  Her dreams as a little girl Getting into mountain biking Pivotal moments from being on the mountain bike Taking friends out on the bike Her journey of becoming a coach and leader Giving people the opportunity to empower themselves  Not having a great experience in childhood Being the only women during the assessment and training Being worried about being the only woman  Being supported by her husband Lost opportunities  Having to have faith in herself Battling again self doubt Being encouraged by her tutor  Having to prove herself in a male environment Changes in the mountain biking industry over the past 10 years Creating empowering spaces Encouraging women to take the next step The lack of role models and how it is chaining slowly Encouraging women to become coaches Being inspired by her friends  The FNY Collective and what it stands for… What the word fanny means in Scotland Getting charity status and being able to look for funding How many bikes… Being an ambassador for Juliana Bicycles The power of bikes  Working to support refugees  Working with Endura Sport  Working on a film about - bikes, love and discrimination “After the Storm” premiere at Kendal Mountain Festival  Advice for other women for being brave The power of knowing you are not alone Advice to encourage women to try mountain biking Being on a learning journey and why everyone has to start somewhere #Ridemòr (mòr - big and great)   Social Media   Go-Where | Ridemòr - Scotland’s award-winning curator of guided & self-guided bicycle experiences. Advocates for wellbeing, diversity & inclusion. #ridemòr #mòrdiversity   www.go-where.co.uk   Instagram: @gowherescotlandmtb    Facebook: @gowherescotland    Personal   Instagram @mrsgowherescotland   Twitter: @AneelaMckenna    MÒR DIVERSITY -  From diversity, inclusion and wellbeing to leadership and resilience training - we offer professional services to help unlock the human potential of organisations.   Website - www.mordiversity.com   The FNY Collective - The FNY collective: a group of Badass women passionate about riding bikes and getting more women sharing the fun on two wheels.    Website - www.thefnycollective.co.uk    Instagram @the_fny_collective

Erica Terblanche is an accomplished endurance runner and adventure racer and has won numerous iconic long-distance races all over the world, including the gruelling Racing the Planet 7-day Sahara Desert Ultra Marathon among many others.   Erica is a Life Coach and psychologist with a master’s degree in Positive Psychology. She is also the founder of Teach a Girl to Fish, Thrive Guru & Thrive Run Club. Her lifelong quest is to determine how we can over time shape and mould ourselves to become ‘the best we can possibly be’.   At heart Erica is an outdoor enthusiast with over 20 years of adventure experiences.   Erica in her own words on Adventure Racing:   “Adventure Racing was a wonderful vehicle for access to extreme adventures - and over a period of five years I experienced the most extraordinary adventures while running, cycling, canyoneering, river rafting, sea kayaking, and rappelling in some of the most wild landscapes in the world and often with less than an hour of sleep a day for races that spanned five days.    This sport helped push my boundaries and has helped me to become an accomplished ultra distance trail runner, winning a number of the big 7-day stage races.    I now live in Cape Town where I run Thrive Guru and Thrive Run Club. My intention with both is to get people moving and to help people build and live their best, most vital, most fulfilling and happiest lives.”   Erica is the Author of “Run for the Love of Life” which was published on the 4th of November 2021.    Erica wrote the book to share her adventures, to motivate people to get up, get going and get out into nature. Erica wants people to know that they can do far more than they imagine they can.    Erica wants the book to inspire people to take that very first step and to find their tribe - a community of people that will support them on the journey.   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.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and sign up - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.   Show notes Who is Erica and what she does Being a keen advocate to encourage people to get into the outdoors Living in Cape Town now Starting an adventure company - Teach a girl to Fish Studying positive psychology  Being interesting in how we can come the very best of ourselves Focusing on the outdoors Finding out about her childhood, growing up on a farm and spending time outside Catching her first fish at 6 years old Learning not to be scared of the outdoors  Having a lot of freedom from a young age Bravery? Being inspired by her fearless mum Raising girl children differently from boy children Knowing in your body that you are strong Her passion for running and where it came from Getting into running in her early 30s Falling in love with Adventure Racing Not being an athlete and going to the World Championships in Adventure Racing! How women improve as races go on, especially coming into their own by day 3 Pushing her body to the limits and the lessons from the edge of the experience  The races which really challenge her Racing the Grand to Grand Ultra, USA. 275 km in 6 stages, over 7 days.  Being unwilling to give up and being able to grit it out. Racing as hard as she could and sticking to her own game plan Women who run with wolves Practical tips and tricks to help you keep going Start slowly and finish strong Tips for running in the heat Why Erica loves the deserts and spending time in that space Feeling empowered by the sunshine The importance of Vitamin D (especially in the UK) Dealing with Raynaud’s  Menopause and how its impacted on running and adventure racing The impact on Vo2 max Being more deliberate about the supplements she takes Being excited about the next stage of her life and wanting to be even more resilient “Run For The Love of Life” - the goal and purpose of the book Thrive Run Club and encouraging people to take the first step Final words of advice for other women who want to get into running and live their best life The power of community and finding your tribe    Social Media   Personal - Instagram: @erica_terblanche   Business - Thrive Guru Coaching, Thrive Run Club and Teach A Girl to Fish.   Positive psychologist, transformative life coach, internationally accomplished endurance athlete, organisational change and strategy expert   Website: www.thrive-guru.com    Instagram: @thrive_guru    @thrive_run_club    Facebook: @thrivegurus   FB Thrive Run Club    Teach a Girl to Fish - We take women on out-of-the-ordinary walking, biking and kayaking adventures.  If you enjoy being active and exploring beautiful places, especially near the big blue ocean, this is for you.  Our expeditions create the perfect conditions for you to unwind, to reconnect with nature and to rekindle your inner spark.   Website: teachagirltofish.co.uk    Facebook: @TAG2F

Kisha Jarrett shares her journey of self-discovery through hiking, from Iceland to a 1,200 mile trek. Overcoming societal norms and health challenges, she emphasizes the importance of diversity in outdoor spaces and the power of embracing failure as part of the adventure.