Tough Girl Podcast

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.

Elise in her own words:   “To me, Alexandra David-Néel’s book My Journey to Lhasa was one of those books I just couldn’t get over. You know when you read a book or see a film and you keep thinking about it for weeks afterwards, it was like that. Except that with this book, I never stopped thinking about it. The book recounts the final six months of Alexandra's epic 14 year journey through Asia, her quest to reach the forbidden city of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Against all odds, dressed as a poor pilgrim, she reached Lhasa in 1924.   12 years after reading this book for the first time, I was still wondering just how she managed to achieve what she did. 14 years of dealing with the cold, the wet, illness and of course the constant pressure and difficulty that came with being a female traveller in the early 1900s.   So, I decided to act on that idea that had always been in the back of my mind - to recreate Alexandra’s journey in some way, and to experience life travelling as a woman as closely as she would have done. I realised that the only way to truly do this, and to truly do her journey justice would be to do exactly as she did, taking with me only what she had. This meant NO modern day mountain equipment. So with my yak wool coat, a wooden backpack I made out of an old chair and an all-female team in tow, I set off in search of a special cave, the worlds third highest mountain and answers to questions I'd had for the last 13 years.    After returning from this life-changing first expedition, I realised that the stories and achievements of histories female explorers like Alexandra should be celebrated and never forgotten. I've made it my mission to bring these stories back to life, to inspire this generation and the next the same way they have inspired me. In July 2019 I set off on my second adventure to the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, to follow in the footsteps of Nan Shepherd, one of the UK's best known nature writers and mountain wanderers.”   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 Elise/lise and how she would describe herself Reading Alexandra David-Néel book "My Journey to Lhasa" at 16 years old  Growing up in the country side and spending lots of time in the outdoors  Not knowing what she wanted to do Doing an art degree and wanting to be an artist Starting to work at a travel company  Starting Women with Altitude website  Deciding to do the first trip at 28 years young The planning and preparation process Trying to find the old equipment Figuring out the route  The gear…. and why it was better than you think Heading over to India for the start of the journey  Being joined by a filmmaker (Emily) and a local guide (Jangu) The magical moments from the trip   Dealing with the altitude sickness and the cold  Managing periods while on the adventure  Spending a month in the mountains Finding the cave where Alexandra meditated for 2 years Tummo breathing  After completing the challenge and heading home  Dealing with anxiety, panic attacks and having a lack of confidence Wanting to take on a new adventure  Trying to highlight a woman from the UK - The Nan Shephered Trip Who is Nan Shepherd?  Her book - The Living Mountain  Making a plan to go to Scotland What her time in Scotland was like  Being vegetarian and trying to eat like the 1940s Not having any modern equipment  What days were like Dealing with the nerves before the trip starts Journey number 3 Grace O’Malley the Pirate Queen of Ireland  Dame Freya Madeline Stark DBE - Anglo-Italian explorer and travel writer. Figuring out how much things costs and paying for challenges Pitching the idea to TV channels The women who have inspired Elise Final words of advice   Social Media   Website: www.womanwithaltitude.com    Instagram: @woman_with_altitude    Facebook: @womanwithaltitude    Twitter: @altitudewoman    Jangu    IG @jangu_adventures   Emily Almond Barr - Film maker   Website - www.emilyalmondbarr.com   Instagram: @emilyalmondbarr

Clare Rutter grew up in rural, coastal west Wales with childhood days often spent with her brother playing and exploring in nature, climbing trees, jumping hay bales, cycling the green and lush country lanes and time spent on the beaches exploring rockpools, playing in the sand and swimming in the sea. Everyday was a mini-adventure in Clare’s eyes which was only added to by joining the Brownies, the Guides and later the Scouts when girls were (finally!) permitted to join across all age sections. At age 6 and continuing through her participation in these youth organisations, Clare began her journey in paddlesport thoroughly enjoying kayaking and canoeing.    Now, after more than 25 years spent in the Scouts, Clare has many ‘on the water’ hours paddling and has been on many Scouting adventures including working at a large, commercial Scout summer camp and activity centre, expeditioning in Africa, multi-day tall ship sailing, led the Welsh Contingent at a Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree and volunteered as a staff member at two World Scout Jamborees in both England and Japan.    As studying for a degree, worklife and life in general took over; paddlesport unfortunately had to take a back seat. In 2016, Clare fulfilled one of her lifelong goals and moved abroad to Gran Canaria which in itself was an almighty adventure. Unfortunately, Clare experienced some kind of a medical episode whilst on her way home from work, passed out, hit the deck and entered a 30 minute unconscious seizure state. This episode resulted in a life changing traumatic brain injury.    After several months with no signs of recovery from the resulting symptoms which included headaches/migraines, severe fatigue, insomnia, tics and balance and cognitive issues and declining mental health; Clare decided to give up her home in the sun and return to Wales for further neurological investigation and treatment and to have the support of her family and friends. Clare, at this point was mostly bed bound and used a stick to aid walking but returned to Scouting as illness allowed.    Clare’s Brain Injury Team Occupational Therapist encouraged her into some further volunteering which, returning to her childhood roots, she undertook at a local outdoor activities centre offering land and water adventures including canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddleboarding.    A change in medication tackled Clare’s condition to the point where she could function better on a daily basis, could ditch the walking stick and experience better mental health. After a season at the centre, Clare was offered a full-time position which she gladly accepted and begun her journey towards training and qualifications to be a paddlesports Instructor on a permanent basis.    A short time after the first Covid-19 lockdown, Clare was informed that she had been selected from multiple applications to be the first ever women’s paddling ambassador for Wales, a #ShePaddles Ambassador; a role to tackle the low numbers of females getting into and staying in paddlesport. Despite the lockdowns, Clare threw herself into the voluntary role and together with Canoe Wales and British Canoeing had an incredibly successful first year providing an online Welsh women’s friendly and welcoming paddling networking hub and providing paddlesport taster sessions to hundreds of females at #ShePaddles ‘On Tour’ events across Wales.    Whilst still battling illness, known as Post-Concussion Syndrome, with her symptoms mostly masked, Clare is now a full time, qualified Paddlesports Instructor & Leader and regularly supports clients with neurological conditions, mental health issues and a range of disabilities enabling participation, enjoyment and progression in paddlesports utilising the outdoors as therapy and rehabilitation as she did.    She’s also a guest speaker speaking at events sharing her motivational and inspirational brain injury story and is still heavily involved in #ShePaddles and #ShePaddlesCymru (in Wales). Clare is passionate about paddlesport and you’ll usually find her on the water in her spare time, committed to relearning, redefining and challenging herself and her abilities to prove that given some adaptations and self-belief that almost anything can be achieved. Aside from paddlesport, Clare also enjoys writing, camping, geocaching, photography and videography and enjoys sharing her experiences, challenges and adventures across her social media channels.   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.    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 Who is Clare Growing up in Wales by the coast Being a paddlesports instructor and a scout leader Getting into swimming at a young age Going into Brownies and then joining the scouts when girls were allowed in Collecting all the interest badges Wanting to join the police force and wanting to help people Getting into paddlesports Going to university as a mature student Getting her level 2 youth work qualification What it was like going back to university as a mature student Her twenties working as a chef and in security Her lifelong goal to live and work abroad in a hot sunny place Starting to learn Spanish Moving to Spain! The reality of living and working abroad Making friends Having a medical episode in 2017 Being taken to the hospital Finally getting to see a doctor and getting a CT scan done Being housebound for 6 weeks Not knowing what to do and thinking she was going to die Struggling on for 9 months Deciding to move back to Wales Getting the support she needed Using a walking stick to help her walk Trying new medication and starting to feel better within 48hrs Being encouraged to get into volunteering Being encouraged and supported  Being offered a full time job Lessons from having a brain injury Being back in the outdoors and spending time in the sea and river Getting qualifications in paddlesports Learning how to manage her fatigue Wanting to encourage other women to get into paddlesports #ShePaddles why it was created and what it does Getting her life back together  Trying to encourage more women and girls to get into paddlesports thinking creatively and being supported by Canoe Wales Creating a FB Group for women  Getting into paddle boarding (SUP - Stand Up Paddle board) Needing something to look forward to  Supporting women who don’t have gear but still want to have ago Having a supportive boss - www.adventurebeyond.co.uk  Practical tips and advice for women and girls to get into paddlesports The She Paddles Effect Final words of advice - why there is always an opportunity you can create or take advantage of   Social Media   Personal Website: www.clarerutter.com    Instagram: @clare_rutter.ba.hons    Facebook: @clarerutter.DBA    Facebook groups: Women's Paddling Community and #ShePaddlesCymru     Hashtags: #ShePaddles #ShePaddlesCymru   Twitter: @clare_rutter    Other Resources:   www.britishcanoeing.org.uk   www.canoewales.com

Kwesia grew up in Deptford, an inner city area of South-East London. Along with many of her friends, neighbours and peers, she experienced a great deal of challenges that come with living in an area, and with people, who have been neglected, excluded and marginalized.   At 17, Kwesia found herself homeless, moving from sofa to sofa. Her life was chaotic, often harsh, without any meaning and lacking a clear sense of direction or purpose.   At her lowest point, Kwesia received an opportunity to become apart of a British Exploring Society’s expedition to the Peruvian Amazon Rain-forest. Grabbing the opportunity, Kwesia spent 3 weeks in a remote part of the jungle, with no phone, and no contact with the outside world, with a group of individuals she barely knew.   It was a life-changing experience for her.  She experienced the beauty of nature, there was no judgement, just new friendships, new energy, a chance to be herself, to experience new energy and to think about new opportunities.   On her return to the UK, Kwesia wanted to give back to her community, she wanted to connect with young people like herself, and inspire them to spend time in nature, to give them new opportunities and new experiences away from their life of poverty and hardship.     Kwesia created, City Girl in Nature. This was her way to share her love and passion for the outdoors, and her belief that everybody should have the chance to be healed, to be nourished, and to live a life filled with abundance.     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 Kwesia and what she does Being based in South East London Growing up in Deptford Being homeless at 17 Not getting on well with her mum Struggling to get support and the challenges of finding housing Not having a place to call home Dealing with inner city trauma  Having to be resilient from a young age Going to college and working as a football coach Getting the opportunity to go to the Amazon with the British Exploring Society Not having any experience of the outdoors Being open to learning and connecting with others Going on a practice weekend and getting to meet other members who were going on an expedition Heading out to the jungle! Being sponsored  Concerns about going on the expedition What camp life was like Being apart of a “fire” group  The lessons learned from the expedition Being a leader  Taking a while to process what happened on expedition The power of spending time in nature Speaking at the Adventure Mind conference Being featured in Belinda Kirk’s book - Adventure Revolution Trying to figure out how to give back to her community Her Youtube Online Series  Speaking with Rhiane from Black Girls Hike Getting out into nature  Top tips for women and girls for getting into the outdoors Why its important to find what you enjoy How can people support and get involved with City Girl In Nature Final words of advice to share with you.    Social Media   Website: citygirlinnature.com    Instagram: @citygirlinnature    Twitter: @citygirlnature    Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC9jqCgQ5rOBHV5EVj0vwFyw    Donate/Support City Girl In Nature - www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=Z3VU9MJTB6K5Y

Jessie in her own words:   “It would be a lie to say that I have always been aware of the climate crisis, because I haven’t. Frankly, that is the problem.   Whilst always enjoying spending time in nature whether that be up at our allotment or walking on the wilds of Dartmoor right on my doorstep, it was only a few years ago that I became aware of the dire straights our climate is in.   It was at this moment that like many youth activists, I began to realise that I really had no choice but to fight for it. This didn’t mean that it necessarily was something I wanted to do, because most young people just want a care free experience as they grow and develop, and activism is certainly not these things. However, I felt a duty to do this, because the vast majority of adults around me and in society were choosing not to.   It was then that I decided to create People Pedal Power and cycle to COP26 both as a personal challenge and as a way to bring the many individuals concerned about the Climate Crisis together. As a way to highlight the power and joy that is created when people come together to create change.   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 this upcoming COP. 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.”   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 Jessie Being interested in the environment  Being aware of the climate emergency  Wanting to make a difference  Being on a learning journey  Delaying with climate anxiety and climate grief Is the climate a concern for young people Why it’s a split issue Wanting to find your tribe Growing up and being supported by her family Studying for A’Levels at 6th fort What does being a Youth Climate Activist mean How Jessie is driving change Being passionate about writing Hearing from the youth Growing up in the 2000s What is - People Pedal Power What is COP (Conference of the Parties) COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland  Adults putting profits before people. Wanting to get the youth voice into the political sphere.  Partnering with the Adventure Syndicate How the partnership is going to work Creating a cargo bike relay  Why it’s not just shouting about what’s wrong Why the moment is going to be joyful and highlighting the issues and the way forward How the movement has evolved Getting into cycling and loving the journey  The route and the logistics of cycling from Devon to Glasgow Making sure to factor in mental rest  Riding 570 miles and hoping the training has paid off Concerns about the journey and thinking about the impact of the weather Dealing with all of the unknowns about the challenge  How it’s going to work once she’s arrived in Glasgow  Working with Eco-Schools  Wanting to bring more of a youth perspective to the summit Tough Girl Podcast Extra episode coming on the 13th November to follow up with Jessie and her journey. What does Jessie want to happen over the next few weeks. Good luck to Jessie!   Social Media   People Pedal Power - Demanding Climate action and greener more accessible transport.   Website: httpspeoplepeddlepower.wordpress.com/   Instagram: @people_pedal_power     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

Kirsty in her own words:   “I’m a mixed-race freelance mountaineering and climbing instructor from the west coast of Scotland. I love being able to introduce and share so many of the incredible Scottish environments, whether it’s the mountains in full winter conditions or a beautifully still sea with views out to the Hebrides.    Climbing in all forms is pretty much my life but earlier this year I also started mountain biking and roller skating, which are both great fun and very different!    Outside of work and play, I’ve been a member of Oban Mountain Rescue Team since 2013. I’m a callout manager and the Training Officer on the team, and love being able to give something back to the mountaineering community.    I’m the founder of Our Shared Outdoors, an organisation set up to tackle and change the lack of diversity in the outdoors and promote underrepresented groups. I’m really passionate about making outdoor communities as accessible as possible to everyone, because it should be!   I’m also a panellist on On the Outside podcast, where we discuss outdoor news in the UK with a panel of diverse outdoor enthusiasts.”   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.    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 visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.   Show notes Who is Kirsty What she does Her passions and interests Moving up to Scotland when she was 9 years old Getting to spend time in the outdoors as a child Her dreams as a little girl How she got into outdoor instructing  Doing work experience at an outdoor centre  Becoming a volunteer during the summer holidays Getting an outdoor education apprenticeship  What was involved in being an apprentice  What she loves about her job Mixing her passion for the outdoors with her job Deciding to join the Mountain Rescue Team as a volunteer  What the call out manager does The stresses of the job Wanting people to be as prepared as possible for the outdoors Being a founder of Our Shared Outdoors  Changing the narrative  Call to the Mountains Film (Jan 2020)  The women who inspire Kirsty Advice for women who want to start doing their qualifications Summer and Winter Mountain Leader Training  Why we need to go and do it Being a panelist On the Outside Podcast  The barriers that stop people going outdoors Struggling with equipment and finding kit to fit The changes over the past 10 years How the statics haven’t changed in 30 years Having a 10% female membership…. Why women are less likely to wing it Support for women who have children  Dealing with skill fade Kirsty’s favourite walk/hike up in Scotland   Social Media   Personal -  Instagram: @kirstypallas    Facebook: @kirstypallas    Our Shared Outdoors - An organisation working to redefine the outdoor narrative to become inclusive to all. Join our community by sharing experiences #oursharedoutdoors    Instagram: @oursharedoutdoors    Facebook: @oursharedoutdoors    On the Outside Podcast Launched Summer 2021 - is a UK based news-panel podcast sharing diverse views on outdoors news.   Instagram: @ontheoutsidepod    Facebook: @ontheoutsidepod

Lindsay is a coach, author, speaker, and lifelong athlete. She is an Olympic gold medalist, a three-time World Champion, five-time World Cup medalist, and a National Rowing Hall of Fame inductee. Lindsay lives in Florida, where she daily seeks to mentor, inspire, and improve the lives of others by sharing her knowledge of health and wellness along with her journey of self-discovery from ultimate defeat, to Olympic gold. Think of any sport, and Lindsay played it growing up. She was a driven athlete, good student, and happy teenager. But when she went to college, everything changed. She quit basketball, gained weight, and skipped classes. Her drive was gone.  After a sleepless night and fateful turn of events, Lindsay made the decision to become her best self. She discovered rowing, and the sport became her outlet for transformation.  In just one year she became an NCAA Division-I All-American; in four, she broke a world record and won her first World Championship.  Within six years, Lindsay won Olympic gold.  In Better Great Than Never, Lindsay shows you how to seize your full potential by removing self-imposed limitations. She demonstrates how to embrace every step, good and bad, to find greatness.  For Lindsay, life isn’t about winning. As long as you learn throughout your journey, you can never lose.   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.  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 Being based in Miami Beach Florida Working in Ocean Rescue Being an athlete and an educator Dreaming about the Olympics… Being very sporty from a young age and playing a whole variety of different sports Graduating from high school at 17 Going to the University of Virginia  Stumbling across rowing in her junior year at rowing Not feeling confident at playing sports at college level Being tall at school and feeling awkward while growing up Falling in love with rowing  Why there is always something that you can be improving in What motivates Lindsay  How sports psychologists played a role in her rowing Learning from every opportunity  Being self reflective and being intrinsically motivated What does it take to achieve at these high levels What training was involved  Her first day or rowing practice Learning to be accountable to ourselves, our equipment and to one another Why sleep was the most important thing Wiring a book about her story and being able to reflect back on her journey  Staying injury free for 7.5 years Removing as much stress as possible  Keeping detailed training logs Sleeping for 10 hrs a night and taking naps during the day Starting rowing January 2002 and winning medals a few years later Even through it was hard, it was fun Knowing what her role was in the boat Being the connector  The Beijing Olympic Games Why it’s just another race Go out and do what you do  Doing extra deep breathing to relax What it was like sitting at the start line Why nerves on the start line are a good thing 6 mins - 6 secs Getting into a flow state and just feeling Reflecting back on the journey  the luxury of being an athlete Where you can find Lindsay on the Socials Having a middle name “Dare” Advice for other women who want to dare to be great Why her advice is Patience Staying Patience, Positive & Determined throughout the process Finding the one thing and to do well   Social Media Website: www.lindsaydareshoop.com  Instagram: @LindsayDareShoop Youtube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCQEzWRsCnke6ws_wJTKg8uQ/about  Book:  Better Great Than Never: Believing It's Possible Is Where Champions Begin   

Jenny Valentish has been devoted to dancing around the void for many decades, first in the pub and then the boxing ring as a kickboxer. Jenny is the author of the acclaimed Woman of Substance: A Journey into Addiction and Treatment and her new book, Everything Harder Than Everyone Else: Why Some of Us Push Our Bodies to Extremes.   About the book: There is a part of human nature compelled to test our own limits. But what happens when this part comes to define us?    When journalist Jenny Valentish wrote Woman of Substances, a book about addiction, she noticed that people who treated drug-taking like an Olympic sport would often hurl themselves into a pursuit like marathon running upon giving up.    What stayed constant was the need to push their boundaries. Everything Harder Than Everyone Else follows people doing the things that most couldn’t, wouldn’t or shouldn’t. By delving into their extreme behaviour, theres a lot that us mere mortals can learn about the human condition.    The athlete using childhood adversity as grist for the mill. The wrestler turning restlessness into curated ultraviolence. The bare-knuckle boxer whose gnarliest opponent is her ego. The dancer who could not separate her identity from her practice until at deaths door. The bodybuilder exacting order on a life that was once chaotic. And the porn star-turned-fighter for whom sex and violence are two sides of the same coin.    Their insights lead Jenny on a compulsive, sometimes reckless journey of immersion journalism.   * CONTENT WARNING - Drugs, Sex, Self Harm, Cutting Weight, Eating Disorders, Obsession, Suffering, Addiction.   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast 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 Who is Jenny? Growing up in Slough Being a journalist and an author Writing her 4th book - Everything Harder Than Everyone Else Being interested in the mental side of endurance  Her starting point for the book The link between addiction and endurance racing Asking the question - how far can I push myself Pushing your body to the extreme The anticipation of entering a race and the anticipation of getting a drug to get high Getting a sense of validation from other people Why balance is over rated? Having obsessions from childhood How her obsessions changed when she got into her teens and early twenties Finding kickboxing, and training 5x a week Finding a positive obsession Starting to research the book  Finding people who would trust her Why am I doing this thing - which puts a lot of pressure on my body? Super elite athletes and their link to past suffering in childhood  The Dark Side of Top Level Sport: An Autobiographic Study of Depressive Experiences in Elite Sport Performers  Suffering as an adult athlete and being able to push through the pain Why certain sports attract certain personalities  The rise of women taking up strength sports The feeling of POWER and women wanting to take up physical space Social Media Project - #YouLookLikeAMan  Her journey in kickboxing Taking on her first amateur fight What it was like being in the ring…. The fear of getting back into the ring Wanting to be a threat in the ring The ability to suffer Learning How to Suffer with the Queen of Pain: My Conversation With OCR Super-athlete Amelia Boone Over exercising and using sport as a way to sanction diet and what you consume The Recovery I needed - By Amelia Boone  Book: Women of Substance: A Journey Into Drugs, Alcohol and Treatment  Self care? Knowing your Why  The next book!   Social Media   Website: www.jennyvalentish.com    Instagram: @jennyvalentish_public    Twitter: @JennyValentish

Verna is the founder of Native Women Running, a Hoka Global Ambassador, she serves on the Running Diversity Board, and represents several organizations: Red Earth Running Co, UltraRunning Magazine, and Native Women's Wilderness.   Verna in her own words:    “My name is Verna Volker and I am from the Navajo Nation.    My clans are Tódích'íi'nii (Bitterwater) nishlíi, Hashtl'ishnii (Mud People) bashishchiin,  Ta'neeszahnii (Tangle) dashicheii, and Tó' áheedlíinii (Water Flows Together) dashinalí.    I grew up in the Dzilnaoodilii area of New Mexico, but currently live in Minneapolis, Minnesota with my husband and four children. I work as a second grade teacher.   In 2009, I started my running journey to lose weight, but it has turned into a quest to find out who I am internally.    This journey has taken me from a newbie runner to a marathoner and recently to an ultra-marathoner when I finished my first Ultra 50-mile race.    My desire is to use my running to inspire others.”     New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Subscribe 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 Introducing herself in Navajo Who is Verna  How the outdoors played apart of her life growing up  Loving sports but not being into running Why Verna got into running Signing up for her first Half Marathon in August 2009 Struggling with her weight Falling in love with running How her running journey progressed Putting herself first and not feeling guilty Having a 4th child Becoming an early morning runner Waking up at 4.15am…. to go running Having female role models at the start of her running journey  Native Women Running - Founded on Jan 23rd 2018 The lack of visibility for Native women runners Not seeing women who looked like her Using the power of instagram to create change How Native Women Running has evolved over the past 3 years Inter-generational trauma and the power of running to heal Creating a call to action - MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) May 5th - National Day of Awareness for MMIW Using running to heal trauma The murder of native children and finding the reminds of native children in residential schools Connecting with a running community Coping with the trauma  Being resilient and being in a leadership position Why it’s ok to detach yourself from social media Magical moments while running Deciding to run her first ultra marathon 50k in 2018 Running a 50 miler in October 2019 Why the ultra journey has been mental Seeing her little girl at the finish line Training and planning for ultra runs Meeting her coach via Instagram What a typical training week looks like Keeping motivated to go running when not in the right frame of mind Training for her next 100K (62 miles) race Mental tips and tricks for running an ultra Dedicating miles to lost love ones Teaching 2nd grade and how working for Hoka is becoming a full time job Advice for women who want to get into running The power of being patient with yourself  Taking the next step to running an ultra What hozho means Final words of advice from Verna   Social Media   Instagram: @hozhorunner4    Native Women Running - Visibility, inspiration and community of native women runners on and off the reservation/reserve. Community. Inspiration. Motivation. Visibility.  #nativewomenrunning    Website: www.nativewomenrunning.com    Instagram: @native_women_running    Facebook: @nativewomenrunning

In the spring of 2018, at the age of 57, Kathy Elkind walked the Grande Randonnée Cinq (GR5) with her husband of 27 years. The 2,286K (1,400-mile) journey starts at the North Sea in The Netherlands and goes through Belgium, Luxembourg, and the whole length of France through the Alps to end at the warm Mediterranean in Nice.   Kathy always longed for an epic adventure, but the time was never right.    Finally, her children had flown the nest, and she had shifted from a fertile body to a not fertile body – What could this new body do?    It was the perfect time for a quest: to pause, reflect and explore. Could her marriage sustain and thrive on a long walk?   After two months on the GR5, they entered the mighty Alps—five weeks of alpine views, mountain refuges, and exertion. Her walking became more than meditative; she fell into an ethereal pace where she became the air and the landscape. In her own words: “Life was not about me. It was about the beauty of the world. This truth was what I had longed for but did not know.”   At home, she stepped into the last third of her Life, more in love with her husband, accepting the unknown, knowing her power, and brave enough to write a book one step at a time (she has dyslexia and did not learn to read until I was in 7th grade).   Kathy has come to believe it’s necessary for women entering the last third of their life to experience a quest or challenge. It can be anything they love – going to 25 art museums, swimming or dancing 50 days in a row. There is a unique challenge for every woman.   Kathy is an Eating Psychology Coach, a Teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion, and owner of Elkind Nourishment.    Kathy helps women feel their emotions instead of eating their emotions and feel comfortable in their bodies. She is writing a memoir about her adventure.   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast 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 Who is Kathy and what she does Wanting to go on a big adventure Finding the right time to go travelling Wanting to take a pause in life Being married for 27 years  Stepping into the next phase of her life Being exposed to the outdoors from an early age Never having the guts or the time to do a big thru hike Struggling with overeating  Having trouble with reading and struggling in school Using food to numb emotions and to calm her nerves  Struggling with shame and food  Becoming a teacher and raising her kids Becoming an eating psychology coach Paying attention to the emotions underneath and learning to be with them Studying self compassion  Being mindful Placing your hand on your heart and chaining your voice The power of speaking to yourself and being gentle to yourself Learning how to be compassionate to yourself The GR5 Trail  Making the decision to go on the hike Going through menopause  Moving from running to walking  Planning and preparation before the trip Making the adventure your own Deciding to bike the 1st week in the Netherland Starting the GR5 at the end of April, beginning of May Doing a preamble in Italy for a few weeks before Wanting to slow down  Listening to her body and using her intuition  Learning how to sleep in a different bed every night Being concerned about hiking in the Alps and dealing with the elevation Staying mindful and being in the present Connecting the rhythm of your breath to your walking pace The magical moment and the beauty of the walks  The lessons learned from walking the GR5 Ready to do some backpacking and camping Feeling strong and powerful Writing a book about her experience  The impact of the walk on her marriage Knowing each others strengths and weaknesses Daily Routine on the walk Top tips for taking on the GR5 Adjusting back to normal life in America  Final words of advice for other women who want to go on an adventure  Why it’s never too late The power of brainstorming      Social Media   Website: www.elkindnourishment.com    Instagram: @elkindnourishment    Facebook: @elKindNourishment