Tough Girl Podcast

Krystal Salvent is all things fitness and fun who started cycling in 2018 when preparing for America’s Most Beautiful Ride, a 100-mile ride in and around Lake Tahoe, NV to help fund research for Leukemia and Lymphoma. That same year she moved from New York City to Colorado in the chase of more cycling adventures.   “Bikes have allowed me to journey, adventure, and give back but also build a community.” says Krystal. This is why she is a co-leader with Black Girls Do Bike Denver to help promote cycling among a community of BIPOC women, femmes, and girls in Colorado.    Krystal is an ambassador of OUTRIDE, a non-profit focused on providing evidence-based cycling interventions to improve social, emotional, and cognitive health in youth.    Since moving to Colorado, she has experienced some of the most exhilarating times on the bike, connecting with other athletes, who like her, want to let everyone know that they TOO love to ride bikes. Her excitement for a future when it's safe to group ride has her more excited and motivated than ever.   When Krystal is not riding bikes, you can find her hiking with her pup, Latte, and snowboarding.   “IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, YOU’VE JUST GOT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.”   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 Krystal What she’s involved in Being with 2 puppies Not growing up with bikes Bikes as a form of transportation Not seeing bikes as a sport Being an athlete from a young age Growing up with 4 brothers Being inspired by track stars and wanting to be a runner Wanting to move her body Getting into cycling through spinning Moving to NYC and getting involved in the fitness industry Taking her “spinning” outside Being born on 9/11 Team In Training - Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Learning how to ride a bike outdoors Main concerns and considerations from moving from a stationary bike to riding outdoors Being overly ambitious Being supported and encouraged Getting uncomfortable  Being inspired by everyday athletes  Making the decision to move to Denver, Colorado Black Girls Do Bike: Denver  Riding 100 miles per week during covid and getting back in training mode Getting into mountain biking  Growing the community and the magical moments Training and looking for a coach Spending time in the saddle Moving on from dentistry  A typical training week Rest and recovery Having a shower beer! Figuring out food and nutrition while riding Slow climb or fast descent? Getting back on the bike after a crash Being an Ambassador for Outride Being a role model for her nieces and nephews Final words of advice to motivate and inspire you      Social Media   Instagram: @krystalsalvent    Twitter: @krystalsalvent    Black Girls Do Bike: Denver - Promoting cycling among our community of Black women, femmes, and girls in Colorado.    Instagram:  @bgdbdenver

Rosie Stancer has dedicated the last 20 years of her life to expeditions of increasing severity. Her endeavours have earned her a high public profile in the UK amongst living explorers.   On each of the expeditions, Rosie undertakes research – meteorological, environmental and physiological. Data from the latter is processed into published scientific papers with a view to helping both athletes and other expeditioners content with the challenges of their undertakings.    Since her first expedition, Rosie has always championed the need for any endeavour to forge a wealthy legacy of learning, sharing and inspiring others.   Rosie’s expeditions include:   1997 THE ALL WOMEN NORTH POLE RELAY  - First all women team to reach The North Pole, A world 1st.   2000 MILLENNIUM WOMEN’S SOUTH POLE EXPEDITION  - Rosie was a member of the 5 women team to reach The South Pole. They were the 1st all-women team to do so. World 1st.   2003 SNICKERS SOUTH POLE SOLO - Rosie embarked alone on a solo expedition of 1,000k  with no resupplies & a sledge of 120 kilos to the South Pole. She smashed all previous speed records reaching the Pole in 43 days. (fastest previously some 64 days).   2007 MARS NORTH POLE SOLO - A record-breaking Expedition which had never before, nor since, been bettered. Rosie skied, climbed & swam across the frozen arctic ocean, alone for 84 days, setting another world record as the longest and furthest solo expedition to the north pole by any woman.   2011 Rosie explored the sea ice around Broughton Island in the high arctic, with award-winning photographer, Martin Hartley, in an area densely populated with polar bears. She spent time living with the Inuits, learning their ways of coping with climate changes & the modern-day challenges.   2018 Rosie led her team of women and two ex-military men through the more remote and less trodden dunes of the Wahiba sand. The expedition was undertaken as a training exercise in navigating, survival and cameleering in anticipation of A forthcoming major expedition through the length of the Interior of the fearsome Taklamakan desert in China, the country’s largest giant-dune desert, second in size only to the Sahara.    2019 A sledging expedition the full length of the frozen Siberian Lake Baikal, the largest, deepest and oldest fresh-water lake in the world. This was a ‘Solo’ & unsupported endeavour, undertaken jointly with another teammate but with both starting at opposite ends then ski-ing the furthermost southerly, westerly, easterly and northerly points of the lake. A total distance of some 675 km. The represented the first and longest full crossing undertaken solo by a woman, Rosie’s most recent ‘first’.   Rosie holds the Explorers Club Medal, The Mirror Pride of Britain medal and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and is Vice President of SES – Scientific Exploration Society.   CONTENT WARNING - We talk about the self-amputation of toes with a penknife.      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 Rosie? Being an explorer of the poles and deserts Wanting to share stories to motivate and inspire others Being inspired by Liv Arnesen What Rosie was like as a little girl Being brought up by nannies and going to prep boarding school at 7 in Scotland Not having dreams to go to the poles Being aware of opportunities and going after them Applying for the first all women expedition to the pole Going though a year long selection process Friends and family and what they though of her dreams Being supported by her husband The advantage of being part of an all women polar team Sponsorship and raising funds Getting out to the North Pole for the first time What people need to know about the poles Why the Arctic is more dangerous  Mental preparation for the first polar expedition What’s in your head and your heart and your “ying” strengths Gaining mental confidence and mental resilience Resilience and flexibility Solo Expeditions and being sponsored by Snickers and Mars Preparation for taking on a solo challenge Working with researchers and academics The importance of staying positive Being fascinated by fear and how you cope with fear when you are on your own How her fears changed whilst out on the ice Having a fear of failure  Why it’s about the journey Self amputation of toes…. whilst solo on the Arctic Dealing with extreme temperatures of -60 and getting frostbite in her toes Dealing with pain Getting up full of positivity and optimism Coping with isolation Dealing with the adventure blues How motherhood changed adventure  Lessons learned from expeditions What day to day life is like now Future expedition planned for August 2021 Quick Fire Questions Training to be fit like an animal Words that Rosie lives her life by Final words of advice   Social Media   Website - rosiestancer.com   Instagram - @rosiestancerexplorer    Facebook - @RosieStancerExploration

Dora is a Running Coach for Nike UK and has launched Ultra Black Running - a community of Black Women and Non-Binary people to explore and experience the world of trail running.    “I’ll do everything I can, to make sure trail running becomes more diverse and work towards overcoming any barriers we may face”   Dora is a youth mentor and works on self-development programmes to encourage young people to engage in sport based initiatives.   Listen to Dora on the Tough Girl Podcast! New episodes 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 Why running is a really useful life tool Starting running in 2013 Getting into running via boxing  Getting into boxing via a friend Starting to take training seriously Finding her tribe The struggle with starting to run Pushing herself to see how far she could run Doing her first 10k The importance of going back to you why Having people to help hold you accountable Struggling with the label of being "a runner” Going to a run club for the first time If you run, you are a runner What happens at a run club Feeling part of a team Becoming a running coach Leadership in Running Studying Sports Coaching at University Deciding to take on The Speed Project!  Running from LA to Las Vegas  Being part of a team of 8 Doing intense training Running in Death Valley Fears and concerns before the race Getting through tough sections Her role in the team The push to the finish line and celebrating the end! Needing a new challenge… Deciding to the Speed Project a second time!! Her favourite distance to run What a typical running week would look like Training for life Running the Virtual Race to the Stones (100k in 7 days)  Getting out of the door in the morning Having to be tough on yourself to get things done Foam rolling & stretching…. Advice from her physio around active recovery Founding Ultra Black Running in July 2020 Wanting to do something for Black Women Getting into trail running Starting to fall out of love with running Feeling overwhelmed and anxious Wanting to share the joy with other people Waning to create a space for Black Women and Non Binary people Encouraging others to get into trail running Her dreams and thinking 5 years in the future Wanting to continue doing the work she is doing Loving South African House music Follow Dora on Spotify Final word of advice to encourage other women to get running    Social Media   Instagram    @doradontexplore    Last Pick Athletics Club (LPAC) was created by and for individuals who want to change the way they look at exercise and fitness.   Website - www.lastpick.co.uk   @lastpick.ac    Ultra Black Running - Celebrating and championing Black women and Black non-binary people in Trail running and beyond.   Instagram @ultrablackrunning

Charlotte graduated from University with a BA in Drama and Classical Archaeology and a MA in Social Anthropology (Specialising in Visual Anthropology).    During her MA she lived and filmed with a community of Maya deep in the Central American rainforest for her research and discovered, what the archaeological remains of Belize, hold for the Maya people of today.   In 2019, she was named the Scientific Exploration Societies River Foundation Explorer for Health and Humanities 2019.   With this award she returned to live with the Maya of Central America to produce educational resources in their native language, explore the surrounding jungle for ancient Maya archaeology and deliver dental hygiene workshops.   She is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a member of The Explorers Club.    In addition she is an author and educator, currently working remotely from a small volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean.   When she is not exploring, she enjoys boxing and weightlifting.     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 Charlotte Spending time in Central America Living and teaching in the South Atlantic Ocean  Growing up in the countryside  Her dreams as a little girl  Not knowing what she wanted to do with her life Deciding to study Drama and Classical Archaeology Doing her Masters in Social Anthropology (Specialising in Visual Anthropology).  What is Anthropology? Deciding to spend time with the Maya people Organising her first expedition at 23 years old Wanting to study the Ancient Maya culture Planning and funding the expedition  Making some mistakes on the first expedition Spending a month with the Maya people and what that entailed What a typical day was like Gender roles and how they are changing The importance of family and friends  Eco Tourism and the community The languages spoken Working in the film industry and wanting to keep her options open Applying for an expedition to Kenya in 2018 as a filmmaker Magical moments with wildlife while in Kenya What happens with regards to filming and the role of film co-ordinator Advice for aspiring filmmakers The challenges of filming in the heat SES Rivers Foundation Explorer 2019 The financial awards available  The 2nd expedition to the Maya in early 2020 The logistics of planning for a larger expedition Hearing about Covid via the radio while being in the jungle Working with the children and writing down the myths and legends from the culture Working with local members of the community on special projects The loss of the local language Trekking through jungle and swimming in water caves What does adventure and exploration mean  Tips and advice for women who want to do more solo adventures  The importance of being prepared Giving talks in girls schools and giving advice for girls who want to get into the sciences and engineering What’s next for Charlotte Being interested in Medical Expeditions Final words of advice   Social Media   Website www.charlotteaustwick.co.uk    Instagram @charlotteaustwick   Twitter @casa1009

Preet in her own words:   “I’ve always been ambitious and enjoyed pushing my boundaries. I had limited knowledge of polar travel when I decided I wanted to do a solo Antarctic expedition.    I wanted to inspire people to believe in themselves. Nobody starts as an expert, everybody starts somewhere, you learn as you go and the more you learn, the closer it brings you to your goal. I started on google reading about polar expeditions and now I’ve completed training and expedition in Norway and Greenland, ready for my next step to Antarctica.   I’m an Army Physiotherapist and I love adventure and finding new ways to push my limits.    After playing tennis full time as a teenager training in the Czech Republic, I moved back to England at 19 to pursue a different path and to gain my degree in Physiotherapy. This will remain one of my biggest achievements as I came back to the UK with minimal GCSEs and no A-levels.    I completed my first half marathon at the age of 20, this progressed to ultra marathons and I’m now training for a 700 mile solo, unsupported expedition in Antartica.   This expedition will make me the first Asian female to complete a solo journey on the continent.    Hopefully it will inspire so many other people, it aims to inspire future generations in achieving whatever they desire and pushing boundaries. It is a solo expedition but i want to bring as many people on the journey with me as possible.”     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 Preet? Seeing an advert for the army and deciding to sign up Playing professional tennis from 14 years old Not enjoying tennis anymore and deciding to leave the sport Feeling as though she was behind all her peers at 19 Making the decision to go to university Getting advice from a variety of different people Female role models Not feeling very academic  Wanting to inspire her 9 yr old niece Her progression in running from a half marathon to ultra marathons Doing a 30hr endurance event Spending time in South America Doing Marathon des Sables   Mental resilience and mental grit Focusing on what she can control Talking to friends The power of writing things down Where the dream of going to Antarctica came from Starting with the research, getting on google and reading blogs Connecting with Louis Rudd MBE (record-breaking polar adventurer)  Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions  Needing to gain more winter experience Deciding to book a trip to Iceland to get glacier experience  Booking onto a polar training course Money and paying for trips Asking people for help Team Army  Getting her first sponsor Dealing with cultural norms and pressures of expectation Being labeled a rebel When are you getting married? The power of eduction Wanting to break down barriers Following a physical training plan and working with a coach Being sensible with her training and not wanting to peak too soon Final words of advice to encourage you to step outside your comfort zone   Social Media   Website www.polarpreet.com    Instagram - @polarpreet    Facebook @polarpreet    Go Fund Me - www.gofundme.com/f/polarpreet

Maria Coffey is the author of twelve internationally published, award winning books, the co-owner of an adventure travel company and an adventurer in her own right.   Growing up in England, Maria always dreamt of having a freewheeling life, with no real idea of how she could make that happen. In her twenties she fell in love with an elite Himalayan mountaineer, Joe Tasker, and her adventures became vicarious ones, as she waited at home during his long expeditions. When Joe disappeared on the NE Ridge of Everest, in 1982, Maria was devastated. “His death blew my life apart,” she says, “but ultimately it jolted me alive.” A few years later she moved to Canada. She met a man who shared her dream of travelling the world, and together they began to make it a reality.   Shortly after marrying Dag, Maria wrote her first book, Fragile Edge: Loss on Everest, an account of her relationship with Joe Tasker and her own journey to Everest in the wake of his death. The writing was pure catharsis, an untangling of emotional knots in her past so that she could move into the future. Originally published in 1989, Fragile Edge became a classic in mountaineering literature and has won several prizes. Years later Maria wrote Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow: The Dark Side of Adventure, about the emotional toll of climbing, which won the Jon Whyte Literature Prize at the 2003 Banff Festival and a 2004 National Outdoor Book Award. She completed what she calls ‘an unintentional trilogy’ with Explorers of the Infinite, an examination of the link between adventure and spiritual experience. For these three books she was awarded the 2009 American Alpine Club’s H. Adams Carter Literary Award.   In the meantime Maria was publishing books about her exploits with Dag. Throwing up secure careers, they became expedition kayakers and a writer/photographer team. They paddled through the Solomon Islands, down the River Ganges, up Lake Malawi, and around Vancouver Island. They travelled the length of the coast of Vietnam on local boats and bikes. Dag, who is a large animal vet, did seasonal work in rural areas of Wales and Ireland, and they were head-hunted by a US travel company to develop international kayaking trips. In between all this kaleidoscopic activity, their home base was a tiny island in British Columbia, from where they commuted to the nearest town by kayak.   In 2000 they set up Hidden Places, a boutique adventure travel company, taking small groups of like-minded travellers to remarkable corners of the world. When they weren’t leading trips, they were still exploring themselves. After Dag had a life-changing experience with an elephant in Rajasthan, they established Elephant Earth, advocating and fundraising for elephant conservation and welfare in Africa and S.E Asia.   After Explorers of the Infinite was published, Maria took a break from writing. She is now back in her author’s skin, working on a memoir about choosing to be an adventurer instead of a mother. In the growing body of literature about the childfree choice, her book will fill an important niche, giving the perspective of an older woman – Maria is in her late 60s - who has led, and is still leading, an extraordinary life.   When they are not travelling, or sailing aboard their tiny boat, Maria and Dag divide their time between downtown Victoria, BC and a medieval village in Catalonia, Spain.   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 Maria? Moving to Canada in the 1980s Giving up her teaching career in her early 30s to lead a life of adventure Writing 12 books and being the co-owner of an adventure travel company  Her early years and having a very sheltered childhood in Wolverhampton Being the youngest of 3  Having different dreams from an early age Being inspired by Alice in Wonderland Going to Liverpool University  Finding a teaching job  Trying to figure out how to have a life travelling the world Longing for a bigger life Being drawn to people who were leading adventurous lives Getting involved in the mountain climbing community  Falling in love with a big mountain climber called Joe Tasker Dealing with grief and loss when there is no body Being supported by the adventure community Not knowing how to rebuild her life Wanting to live intensely  Having a near drowning experience at 21 in Morocco Deciding to move to Canada on a teacher exchange experience Meeting a Dag and sharing the same dream The life as a supportive partner to an adventurer Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow: The Dark Side of Extreme Adventure   Becoming super independent  Getting married to Dag Taking a year out to go travelling on a massive adventure in 1981 Role models and figuring out how to make a freelance lifestyle work Being a pioneer in expedition kayaking  Planning Vs being flexible  Being determined to be on the river Creating Hidden Places in 2000 Heading to Vietnam in 1994 Being adaptable to changing plans Becoming part time kayak guides by accident  What adventure means to Maria Choosing to be an adventurer instead of a mother The childfree choice Looking for a publisher Turning back to writing after taking a break Final words of advice   Social Media   Website www.hiddenplaces.net     Instagram @insidehiddenplaces    Facebook   @hiddenplaces  @maria.coffey.370    Twitter   @BooksCoffey  @hiddenplacestvl

Soraya believes in taking a holistic approach to making the world a better place, and writes about sustainability, nature and adventure travel. Soraya is Lonely Planet Sustainable Storyteller 2021 and founder of the All The Elements – a community working to increase diversity in the UK outdoors.   Soraya in her own words:   In 2014, I left my ‘dream job’ to make a difference. I kickstarted my new career by studying sustainability for business. As a reward to myself for handing in my dissertation, I went wild camping and canoeing on the Mississippi river. This trip was far more than an adventure holiday – it was a re-connection to nature. I want to help you to be more mindful in what you do and to understand that individual decisions can make a positive impact on our planet. When I'm not travelling, writing or creating net-positive artwork, you'll find me tackling diversity in the UK outdoors, organising all-women sailing trips exploring plastics and toxics in our ocean and walking my labradoodle Rory.   Listen to Soraya 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 Who is Soraya What her childhood was like  Having a passion for horses Going to university to study law Pivoting her career into sustainability Not being happy in her dream job Figuring out her purpose Wanting to study sustainability for business What does sustainability mean to Soraya The One Planet MBA - University of Exeter  Adventure and sustainability  Why adventure has to have a purpose Why are we going to these places? How are we communicating what we are seeing? Travel with a lower impact Getting involved in the adventure community Being inspired by Ben Keene   Rebel Book club  Love Her Wild  The Yes Tribe  Adventure Uncovered  Explore at the RGS  Starting to travel on her own in 2016 Taking a trip to the Sahara desert  Canoeing on the Mississippi with Dave Cornthwaite and Emily Penn  Liking to have shared experiences while adventuring  Losing the fear The Sail Britain Voyage  Not always being artistic, but always being creative Wanting to be able to paint and draw Drawing while on expedition  Heading to Vancouver in 2018 The challenges to tacking plastic Feeling overwhelmed  Breaking the challenge down Black Lives Matter  How can we create change? What are you most passionate about? Making informed decisions All the elements which was set up in August 2020 The importance of role modelling Stepping into the light The many aspects to diversity  Bringing everyone together  Sharing her story online and feeling uncomfortable at the start Taking on a new project with her mum and dog (Rory) Deciding to walk the South West Coast Path  Final words of advice Working out what is important to you  Not worrying about what other people are doing   Social Media   Personal Website - www.soraya.earth    All The Elements - A network to support everyone working to increase diversity in the UK outdoors #diversifyoutdoorsuk.     Instagram    @sorayaearth  @alltheelements_    Facebook @sorayaearth    Twitter @sorayaearth

Mina was born in the UK and moved to Nigeria when she was five years old. Mina had a carefree childhood growing up in Northern Nigeria with siblings, before deciding to move back to the UK at sixteen to continue her education.    Mina shares more about this challenging time in her life, from losing her mother at eighteen years old and having to work three part time jobs to support herself as she continued her education to become a Doctor.   Mina talks about her reasons for deciding to join the army and how she incorporated fitness into her already busy schedule. Mina talks about her passion for running and why its such a big part of life, she talks about training, jegging and taking on her first marathon and what she has learned along the way, and why she has kept on running even after being diagnosed with Lupus (autoimmune disease) a long-term condition that causes joint pain, skin rashes and tiredness.    If you are passionate about running then this is the episode for you to listen to, Mina will inspire you to take your first step and to sign up for a marathon, whether that’s taking on a fast flat marathon like the Berlin Marathon or deciding to head to New York City to experience a running atmosphere like no other.    Listen to Mina now on the Tough Girl Podcast - available on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud & iheartradio.   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 visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Monthly and annual options available.    Show notes Being born in Newcastle  Moving to the North of Nigeria at 5 years old until 16 Being the middle child Being able to walk to school and living in a very peaceful area Spending a lot of time outside Moving back to England at 16 for her education Wanting to be a Doctor from a young age Her journey to joining the military in the UK Being independent from a young age Working 3 jobs while being in full time education How it all changed in her 3rd year at University Being accepted into the Army  Being able to focus on her studies full time Broken sleep and studying for University Kindness of strangers who helped her Not getting the A’Level grades she needed Losing her mum at 18   Going back to college for another year and getting offered a place at Southhampton How fitness and maintaining her health during stressful times Finishing university and focusing on her military fitness Learning how to run and focusing on swimming Being taken outside her comfort zone Being stubborn and not liking to be told no What drives her Learning to be comfortable in her own skin Starting to love running Deciding to run her first marathon to raise money for charity Signing up for the Berlin Marathon  The benefits of going on long runs Being diagnosed with Lupus Jeffing - walk/run  Figuring out her run training and focusing on her pace The Hanson Marathon Method  Happy memories from the NYC marathon Telling her story to inspire young women The Namu Project Visiting Internally displaced people (IDPs) at camps in Nigeria Crochet with plastic bags Maintaining her positivity when there is so much to do  Needing to impact one person  Taking her children to the IDP camps How the charity is coping doing Covid Wanting to teach basic breast examination to women Final words of advice to motivate and inspire   Social Media   Namu Project - “Namu" is Hausa for "ours". A charity working towards alleviating poverty through training, education and empowerment.   Website namuproject.org    Instagram - @thenamuproject    Instagram - @justdoing.m.e

Kat spent her early years in France and England, and has lived and studied in the Middle East (Syria, Egypt) prior to studying medicine, Kat gained a BA in Arabic and Law.     During this episode Kat shares more about why she decided to change careers to become a Doctor and the challenges she overcame to make her dream become a reality, from going back to night school to get science A’levels to dealing with imposter syndrome.   Kat shares more about her recent challenge of spending 18 months living and working in the remote and isolated Bird Island, in South Gerogia, which is only accessible via a 4 day boat journey and what it was like coming back to a different world to the one she left behind in October 2019.    Kat shares more about being part of a small team and community, how the expectations compared to reality and the lessons she has learned from that experience. We learn about the wifi and living situation, food, money and what she did in her down time. This is an insightful and open conversation about this unique experience.   Kat is also a keen endurance runner and has completed many ultra races from the Spartathlon race in 2017 where she ran from Athens to Sparta! Kat has also done the Dragons Back Race in 2017, plus the Grand Union Canal Race 2016 - where she placed 2nd female, and the Centurion 4x100mile "Grand Slam" 2014 - where she was the first female. Kat shared more about her passion for running on the Tough Girl Podcast episode 367. That episode was released today (24th June) at 7am UK time. By hitting the subscribe button you won’t miss out on any bonus content!   New episodes go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time!   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 Kat Coming back from Antarctica to a different world  Not wanting to become a Doctor How medicine was a second career Moving to France when she was 12/13 Studying Arabic and Law for her first university degree Heading back to study medicine in 2007 Working in Malaysia and Egypt Going back to night school to get science A’Levels Going into medicine at an older age Dispelling the myths about being a Doctor in Antarctica How the job came about  Being ready to commit 2 years of her life 6 months of training with the British Antarctic Survey  Being single and taking the opportunity that came available  Heading to South Georgia, Bird Island Wanting to live and work in a small team in a small community Expectations V Reality Being on call all the time Helping each other out with the running of the station Downtime and learning how to weld Wifi and connection with the outside world Setting up a running club  Team dynamics with a group of strangers who may or may not get on with each other Having her own room for the 7 months of winter Feeling guilty about not being in the UK and not being able to help with the pandemic Missing cuddles and physical contact Romance?! Best memories from the trip Money - not having to pay for rent and food  Would she go back? Salads, cheese, fresh fruit & vegetables Advice and top tips for those people wanting to go to Antarctica    Social Media   Instagram - @katganly    Twitter - @katganly

Kat is a keen endurance runner and has undertaken many of the Toughest Endurance Races - from running across the Sahara Desert in Morocco while competing in the Marathon des Sables. Or challenging her body to take on 4, 100 miler races in the UK - which is known as the Centurion “Grand Slam” which she did in 2014 and placed as first female.    Every year since Kat has looked to take on a new running challenge which would test her from the Dragons Back race in 2015 - where she got her first DNF, to taking on the Grand Union Canal Race race in 2016 -where she placed 2nd female.   Not to be deterred by her DNF in 2015, Kat took onboard the key lessons she needed to work on, trained hard and heading back to face the race in 2017, where she finished with a smile on her face.    With her 100 mile race times, Kat qualified for the Spartathlon ballot in 2017.  When her name was pulled out the hat she was in shock, she didn’t think she’d be taking on the 250km timed race from Athens to Sparta quite so soon!    The race takes place in the September of every year in Greece. It is one of the most challenging ultra-distance races plus it has a very unique history.    Kat will be sharing more about her different ultra races, how she got into the world of ultra running, the lessons she has learned along the way, how she trains, what she eats to fuel her challenges as well as talking in detail about her mindset, staying resilient and overcoming setbacks and failure.    There is also a Tough Girl Extra BONUS episode with Kat - where she will be sharing more about her life as an Antarctic Doctor (Oct 2019- March 2021 - South Georgia, Bird Island and RRS James Clark Ross) - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. This goes live at 11am TODAY!!   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time.   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 Her first experience of running  Deciding to enter the 2010 Brighton Marathon  Hearing about the 2013 Marathon des Sables  Why she decided to enter… Deciding to treat herself as a gradation present   Wanting to take on a 100 mile single day race Discovering the Centurion Grand Slam Event (4 - 100 mile races in a calendar year)  Making friends in the long distance running community The Dragons Back Race 2015 Dealing with failure and having her first DNF Turning failure into a challenge Deciding to run the Dragons Back Race in 2017 The Grand Union Canal Race (GUCR), UK, Birmingham to London, 148 miles  Being able to enter the ballet for the Spartathlon Race  What’s involved in the Spartathlon Race and why it’s so hard Getting a trainer and following a training plan while working full time as a Doctor Her motivation for training 2018/2019 preparing to go to Antarctica Mindset from making the change from a multi stage race to a single stage race What’s the next thing which is a bit harder? Breaking down the challenge to make it more manageable  Keeping focused on the present and not looking too far ahead Recovery in between races when taking on 4 - 100mile races in a year The benefits of gentle walking and taking time away from running Planning her training before getting a running trainer Running 6/7 days per week, plus long runs at the weekend To get faster you have to run faster What happened in the 2015 Dragons Back Race Not being able to recover between day 1 and day 2 Dealing with failure and the lessons learned Top tips for people who want to enter the Dragons Back Race The importance of hill training and navigation Eat on the ups Eating while running and go to nutrition Working with a trainer and the mental side of preparation for the Spartathlon Race The benefits of proper, focused training Missing a session…. The Spartathlon Experience Needing assistance at the end Feeling relief at the end of the race Feeling deflated after getting home from Greece Top tips for runners   Social Media   Instagram - @katganly    Twitter - @katganly