Tough Girl Podcast

Monisha Rajesh is a British journalist and travel writer whose writing has appeared in Time magazine, The New York Times, The Guardian, Vanity Fair and The Sunday Telegraph in which she wrote a monthly column about travelling the world by train.    Her first book Around India in 80 Trains (2012) was named one of The Independent’s top ten books on India, and her second book Around the World in 80 Trains was published in 2019 to great acclaim.    Monisha was born in Norfolk and mostly raised in Yorkshire – with a brief stint in Madras. She currently lives in London with her husband and two daughters.   Show notes Who is Monisha Moving to India when she was 9 years old Doing a French Degree at Leeds Moving to London Where her love of travel comes from Moving around a lot when she was younger Wanting to travel around India via trains F28 The cultural aspects of travelling The magical moments from India Her writing process Using a paste board Fitting writing into her life Writing her second book being 8 months pregnant Feeling happiest when writing  Planning an around the world train adventure The route Day to day life on the trains The community on the trains The epic train journeys The Qinghai–Tibet railway  Being ready to head home The challenges of travel in North Korea Arriving back into London Sending 7 months on trains around the world The 3rd Book! The importance of sustainable travel The challenges and stresses of air travel  Buy from an independent book shop! Buy signed copies of her books from - Queen’s Park Books      Social Media   Website - www.80trains.com    Twitter @monisha_rajesh    Instagram @monisha_rajesh

Kat is a climate change consultant based in Oxfordshire. Striving for a healthy work-life balance Kat spends as much time as possible outdoors, mostly walking and cycling, with a splash of paddle boarding.    Kat also spends a lot of the time with grease on her face as a volunteer mechanic for Broken Spoke, a community bike project in Oxford.   Listen to Kat on the Tough Girl Podcast!!    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 Early childhood and being an active family Having a passion for the environment  Having a work life balance  Starting her blog ‘Attitude over Ability’ Writing about her experiences  What does Adventure mean to Kat? Why you don’t need to suffer to have adventure  Why it’s ok to have a nice time and to have fun Deciding to walk across Switzerland solo The Alpine Pass Route, Switzerland Training and fitness for the challenge Doing a 2 day Mountain Training course  Having an infinity for crossing countries on foot Deciding to hike the South Island of New Zealand  Planning for a 3month trip on the other side of the world Money and budgets Concerns before the challenge The challenging weather in New Zealand The safety of crossing the rivers  Dealing with wet feet day after day  Being social or wanting solitude  Being ill with heatstroke  Dealing with the adventure blues after time away on an adventure  Attitude to life and adventure  Final words of advice  Separate her self worth from her achievements    Social Media   Twitter: @KEYoung29    Blog: attitude-over-ability.com    Instagram: @kattheyoung

The Queen Of Abs, Santia Deck, is a history-making Female Professional American Footballer and Social Media Influencer with over 700,000 loyal and engaged followers.   Santia Marie Deck was born in South Carolina and raised in Houston, Texas. She now resides in Atlanta and travels often. Since childhood, Santia has been running full speed after her dream of success. Now, she works tirelessly to inspire and empower young people and women around the world with her passion and determination.   Santia, 28, recently made history by becoming the highest-paid woman to play the sport, signing a multi-million-dollar deal with the WFLA. Recently, Santia made history again - becoming the first female athlete to own her own sneaker company, TRONUS.    Santia’s talents are by no means limited to the pitch: she is also a published author, a fitness model, TV personality, and a TV host. She has kept her fitness trainer certification and offers a variety of services to celebrity clients worldwide and her wide-ranging community of online supporters.   She became a published author whilst studying at school in 2016 with ‘The Struggle’. Whilst Santia gained a degree in English, she felt her passions lay elsewhere and set out to fight against the stigma of women competing in popular male sports. She has often expressed her desire to give young aspiring sports women a platform of strength and courage. Even after becoming a worldwide phenomenon, she claims to still receive negative comments across social media from men such as “you belong in the kitchen” and “leave real sports to men”. These comments have only fuelled her determination and resilience as her star has grown.    She has 3 brothers who all play running back. Growing up, she trained religiously with them, unaware that she was moulding herself to become the highest-paid female American Footballer. Santia started as a track star before moving onto rugby and then flag football. Now, she is the first woman in history to sign a multi-million-dollar deal with the WFLA. She has made headlines around the world as a powerful role model to young budding female athletes.   "Remember, nothing is impossible. If you want it, go get it." - Santia Deck   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 Santia and what she does Growing up and how sports played a massive part in her life Playing tennis at 4years old Dreaming of becoming an Olympian Getting a full ride scholarship to college How American Football works for women WFLA - who is owned by Lupe Rose Getting paid to play sport What’s changed Training and fitness Working with 4 coaches  What a typical week looks like Training 3/4 times a week for 1.5hrs each day Nutrition and figuring out what is best for her body Trying to maintain wight and muscle mass Recovery after training and matches The challenges while playing Being hard on herself and striving for perfection  Getting back up again after a big hit or when a play hasn’t gone right Building business and being an entrepreneur  Building followers on Instagram  Being inspired by her mum Staying focused on her dream when other people don’t believe in you Proving a point to others The 5 year plan/vision Not being able to play American Football at school or college The sisterhood and playing as part of a team American Football and head injuries Advice for other women who want to play American Football The start of the season in May Role models in American Football Advice for the little girls growing up Being known as - Queen of Abs! Why be a Princess when you can be a Queen! Starting her own story  Quick Fire Questions    Social Media    Website www.queenofabs.com/about     https://tronusofficial.com    Instagram  @trackbaby001    Twitter @santia_deck    Facebook @queenofabs

Kim in her own words   I'm Kim Ingleby, Multi Award Winning Mind Body Coach, Author and TEDx Speaker.  With a passion and purpose to help you sharpen your mind, define your body, awaken your soul and lead the life you hope and wish for.     I am passionate about helping people embrace fear, grow their confidence, commit to themselves and take action. I coach incredible people from all walks of life around the World, including Team GB Athletes, Strictly Come Dancing Pro's and Media Personalities.    I founded Energised Performance in 2004, offering complete mind body management to help unlock your potential in life, sport and work.      I have a passion for helping others and making a difference, raising over £85,000 for charities through community events & running 10 wild world marathons, 1 ultra & 1 Ironman, and volunteering on aid projects in Sierra Leone, Nepal, India & Belize.    I'm currently healing post Weil’s Encephalitis, and trauma -  these experiences have added value to my professional coaching and public speaking. Whatever your hopes or fears are, I believe in you and have the tools, empathy and support to help you ignite the spark and take action today.   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit that 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 Growing up Being bullied How her life changed at 14 Her dreams when she was younger Not enjoying sport How riding horses was her passion Getting into running and starting to enjoy it more Working with other coaches Running the Sierra Leone Marathon and raising money for charity What Weil’s Encephalitis is and it’s impact What Kim does at the moment The “What if goal” The journey to running 100 miles in the Himalayas  Dealing with setbacks  What the race was like day to day  Dealing with loss  Wanting something positive to come out of the year Dealing with PTSD and trauma Embracing adversity and overcoming it  Habits and having a purpose Being adaptable  Not putting pressure on ourselves Having a morning routine The Hound of Happiness - 52 ways to feel good  Being helpful to yourself and valuing yourself The 3 peaks Adventure Challenge in 2018 with Adventurous Ewe  Taking the first step What is the most important thing you would like to do over the next year? Feeling nervous and unsure before an adventure  Being known as the “Mind Body Ninja” and Kimpossible Dealing with voices in your head The power of writing things down and using a journal   Social Media   Website - www.kimingleby.co.uk    Instagram @kimingleby    Twitter @kimingleby    Facebook @kiminglebycoach

In 2006 Sophia became the first African American and first Black woman to climb Mount Everest in the Himalayas.   Sophia first major climb was at Mt Rainier in Washington State in 2002.  Over the next two years she climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt Baker, and Mt Kenya.     In 2005 she scaled five peaks: Grand Teton, Mount Katahdin, Mount Denali, Mount Tasman, and Ama Dablam.   During this episode Sophia shares more about her passion for mountaineering and how her climbing evolved. Sophia talks about her Mt. Everest experience and what it was like on the mountain for summit day. She shares advice and top tips to help you achieve your goals.   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 Having an unusual childhood and growing up between Japan and the USA Not being sporty but spending time in the outdoors Not growing up with indoor plumbing Moving to Chicago in the middle of winter at age 6 The culture shock of moving countries Going back to visit Japan after college and living there for 4 years Her passion for the mountains  Learning to climb outdoors  Being inspired by her friend to go and climb Mt. Rainier in Washington State Using all her holidays to climb Why she loves spending time in the mountains 4 years before climbing Mt. Everest Feeling free to fail  The challenges faced while climbing Going to climb Cho Oyo (sixth-highest mountain in the world at 8,188 metres (26,864 ft) above sea level) How the Mt. Everest climb came about Making the decision to climb… Giving herself permission to fail The reactions of friends and family  Dealing with the paperwork for Mt, Everest The Body Disposal Form What happens if you die on the mountain Fears….. or feeling scared? What summit night was like Reaching the summit of Mt. Everest!  Moving at pace on the mountain and using the smaller oxygen tanks Breaking trail through the snow  Climbing with International Mountain Guides (IMG)  Doing yoga and meditation  Dealing with a few back problems Advice for women and girls who want to get into mountain climbing    Social Media    Website www.danenberg.org    Instagram @sophiaclimbs

In 2019, Lauren Woodwiss, alongside her friend Jemma Rix, set the World Record for the fastest female pair to row across the Atlantic Ocean. 8 weeks after stepping on to dry land, she then went on to finish 4th female at the infamous Marathon des Sables.   Currently living on the island of Borneo, she's also recently set up Frontier Sapiens; a UK-based film and live events company celebrating human spirit and the untold stories of inspirational people from around the globe.   Although her real passion lies in mountain running and mountain sports, Lauren discusses what led to her rowing across the Atlantic Ocean with zero rowing experience, and how the crossing encouraged her to set-up Frontier Sapiens.     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 Lauren and what she does What her childhood was like Getting into the mountains  How the mountain running evolved  Doing the Mount Blanc Marathon in 2014 Wanting to row across the Atlantic Ocean…. 18 months to plan and prepare for the row The steps that needed to be taken Figuring it out as they went Not thinking big picture Splitting the responsibility  Both working full time while preparing for the row Paying for the race and figuring out funding Taking out a loan on the boat Sticking to a tight budget Saving money on food Dehydrating their own food - https://activeatfoods.com  Comparing progress with other teams Handling the stress and pressure before the row The reasons for doing the row FOMO The strategy for the race What do you want to achieve Having 3 goals…. Building up rowing endurance Making yourself strong and stopping injury Chafing and salt blisters The magical moments on the row across the Atlantic  Then mental side of the race "You before me” Reaching the finish line and feeling overwhelmed Beating the record by 1hr 7 mins… Being signed up for the Marathon des Sables while on the row Making the transition from rower to runner Not training massive miles Having the attitude of ‘what will be, will be’ Running with her husband Dealing with injury  Running MDS again Starting Frontier Sapiens  Connect with Lauren online  Final words of advice to motivate and inspire you   Social Media   Instagram @laurenwoodwiss    Frontier Sapiens - Celebrating stories of human spirit through film & live events    Website - www.frontiersapiens.com    Facebook - @frontiersapiens    Instagram - @frontiersapiens    Jemma  - Activeatfoods

Genny is from the sunny Dutch Caribbean Island of Aruba and moved to London 12 years ago. Prior to moving to the UK, Genny attended the University of New Brunswick in Canada where she fell in love with the great outdoors and learnt to cross-country ski and snowshoe and got into white water rafting and kayaking.   Genny in her own words:   In June 2008, I moved to the UK and lead a fairly healthy and active life until late 2013 when I suddenly fell inexplicably ill. Unbeknownst to me I had contracted Lyme Disease and my quality of life was severely affected until I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in the summer of 2016.    Once I had recuperated I knew I wanted to do something to raise awareness on the seriousness of misdiagnosis and how it can affect every area of life. I knew I had the choice between becoming angry and embittered at the system which had missed the tell tale signs of the disease or the choice to speak of up for the untold number of patients who were suffering unnecessarily.   The Goal   In the winter of 2021, Genny will attempt to become the first woman from the Caribbean island of Aruba to ski roughly in Antarctica to the geographical South Pole. During the expedition, Genny will ski approximately 120km whilst pulling a heavy sledge containing her tent and provisions. The conditions will be extreme, with temperatures of -50° celsius and severe winds.   The aim of the expedition is to raise £25,000 for Lyme Aid UK who provide grants for people with lower incomes to get privately tested for lyme disease.     New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast are every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit that 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 Where Genny is from Living in London for the past 12 years Working in the mining industry Her childhood in Aruba Her dreams as a little girl The December 2021 expedition  Dealing with cold weather The why behind the challenge Being diagnosed with Lyme disease What is Lyme disease Turning the dream into a reality  Not having any ideas about money or the time it would take Being naive  Getting corporate sponsorship Learning to embrace failure  Figuring out the timeline and date to go Dealing with setbacks and keeping motivated The planning and preparation for the adventure  What do I want this to look like? Feeling overwhelmed with excitement and emotion Dealing with concerns Being prepared What if I don’t like it… Being able to risk assess Getting the balance right with training What a typical week looks like Having a funding gap… Doing a practice expedition in Northern Norway Luxury items or minimalist  Having a nice G&T while on the ice Figuring out the snacks 8hr cream Dealing with uncertainty Taking time to breathe and to just be Why movement is so important  Blog post - The Vortex of Uncertainty - September 2, 2020    Social Media   Website: www.antarcticaruban.com/   Instagram: @antarcticaruban    Facebook: @antarcticaruban

Katie Holmes is a UK-based runner and charity consultant who loves cross country, track and park run. On her website she shares the stories of female runners over 50 and highlights their achievements.   Katie is also an independent sports historian, focusing on the history of women's endurance running. Her work is driven by a desire to capture stories which might otherwise be lost and to recover, and uncover, stories which have faded out of the collective memory due to the marginalisation of women in sport.    In 2020 she was awarded an Independent Researcher Fellowship by the Women's History Network.   Listen to Katie on the Tough Girl Podcast!   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 Katie Starting running in her late 40s Being born in Scotland What life was like growing up Having a love for the outdoors Not being active in team sports Why she decided to start running Joining a local running club Going to Park Run Becoming part of the running community Figuring out that she could run faster Signing up for the Robin Hood Half Marathon  Turning 50 in 2013 Blogging about women runners over 50 Dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis in her late 20s and yearly 30s Wanting to get a range of different women with different experiences  What a typical running week looks like Running her first ultra in 2019 Equinox 24 hour race  Running through the night Speaking to runners over 50 about what motivated runners to participate in this event Being inspired by her sister Judith who is 2 years older South Downs Way 50  The history of women’s endurance running  Run Equal Campaign  Advice for new runners Park Run Learn to run courses Racing a marathon using the  “run, walk, run” method Final words of advice   Social Media   Website - www.runyoung50.co.uk    Twitter - @RunYoung50    Instagram - @RunYoung50    Facebook - @runyoung50    Run Equal - https://runequal.org

Nazia has been defying stereotypes from an early age, from fitting into her role as an athlete and what would be accepted as a Bangladeshi female.      Her Story   Nazia spent most of her life trying to attain the perfect body, leaving her mentally and physically tired. Calorie counting, fad diets all saw Nazia spiral into a destructive relationship with her mind and body. Insecurities and lack of self love eventually took its toll and she faced a dark period of depression facing unwanted thoughts.   Feeling lost and confused Nazia was able to recreate herself. Fitness was the catalyst for her change throughout the years. Exercise helped her overcome her old self, fight off anxiety and fear enabling her to step into the best version of herself in every area of her life.    With an unshakeable mindset and determined not to give up she now teaches other females to overcome hard times by connecting neuroscience and fitness together.     Nazia's mission is to get females from all backgrounds to fall in love with their bodies. To inspire others to be their best self and embrace the journey. #Recreate #Rebuild #Reborn.   Listen to Nazia on the Tough Girl Podcast.   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.    * Please be aware we do talk about eating disorders and depression on this episode.      Show notes Who is Nazia Not growing up sporty Getting into fitness 8 years ago Going to college and developing an eating disorder Starting boxing at 21 Not knowing how to train  Being inspired by Tatiana Ali  Determination and not wanting to be average Stepping outside her comfort zone Competing in boxing Being scared while boxing Going through depression Making a career change Dealing with trauma in her life Facing pressure from society Looking at the psychology of human behaviour  Habits Putting in the work every single day Getting the poison out of her body and mind Needing to heel the trauma “I am Enough” Doing mirror work Ramadan and fasting for those who have an eating disorder Acceptance  Mindset and mental resilience and feeling emotionally fragile Learning how to work with her emotions Signing up to climb Kilimanjaro  What a typical training week looks like Morning rituals The power of gratitude Advice for women who are learning to love themselves Coping with Covid  Final words of advice   Social Media   Website: www.naziakhatun.com   Instagram @fitnessrebornuk1    Facebook @NaziaKhatun

During a journey to Nepal and the Himalayas, she first began to dream about climbing the world’s highest mountain herself. And – following four years of preparation – she accomplished the feat of becoming the first Swedish and Czech woman to reach the summit.   In 2005. Renata boarded her sea kayak at the quay in Lake Union in central Seattle. This was the beginning of an almost unbelievable adventure, circumnavigating the coast of the USA in 439 days, mostly in her kayak. The day on which she completed her journey, 15 September, has since been designated as ”Renata Chlumska Day” in Seattle.   For Renata, the thrills of adventure surpass the extreme efforts during her expeditions. The preparation process is a vital part of each new challenge: planning, financing, training, and getting the right equipment and teams together.   After each successful challenge, she focuses on the evaluation, documentation and use of her experiences to inspire others, not least as a very popular lecturer and speaker for companies and organizations, as well as schools, clubs and associations.   To Renata, a challenge does not have to be about climbing mountains or journeying into space. Adventure is always waiting around the corner, if you can recognise and accept it.    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 Renata Her dreams as a little girl Liking the outdoors and nature Her first solo adventure  Being involved in a Swedish Mt Everest Expedition in 1996 as part of the film team Building connections Spending the Spring Season in 1996 at Everest Base Camp Wanting to go higher and to see more Not being able to resist the mountains  Female role models in mountaineering  Starting climbing in 1995 Learning new skills  Cycling from Nepal to Sweden Getting to know someone while you travel Cycling in India, Pakistan, China, Russia & Finland Cycling without tech and being off the grid No news is good news! Turning her passion for adventure into a career Becoming a professional adventurer Climbing Mt Everest at 25 years old Adventure blues? Why climbing Mt. Everest was just the start Circumnavigation of the lover 48 states  Doing the challenge solo Losing the love of her life Having something to look forward to Having a reason to get out of bed in the morning Figuring out the logistics of the challenge Kayaking down the Pacific Coast  Advice for those going through a tough situation Putting her focus on safety  What’s going through her head Future Astronaut with Virgin Galactic Paying for the ticket Future dreams and goals What would you like to do? Starting to learn how to sail Having children and how it’s impacted on her career Climbing 6 of the 7 summits in 5 months  Getting back into climbing again Don’t compare when it comes to adventures Final words of advice and why you should believe in yourself Write down your dreams and break them down into smaller and more manageable pieces   Social Media   Website  - http://renata.nu/english/    Instagram @renatachlumska    Twitter @RenataChlumska