Tough Girl Podcast

Alice is currently the only black person swimming for Britain on senior team. She is the World Junior marathon swim champion (2016). and is training to qualify for the Olympic games and when she does, she will become the first black woman to compete for Great Britain at the Olympics in swimming.    Alice is a Co-founder of the Black Swimming Association (BSA) which is promoting and advocating for the inclusion and welfare of people of colour in aquatics.   Alice is studying for an MA in Social Media and Political Communication.   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 Alice What life was like growing up Getting into swimming and falling in love with it Getting a swimming scholarship at age 12 Education or swimming Her dreams of what she wanted to be Wanting to be a lawyer Could she make a career as an elite swimmer? Her amazing mum The sacrifices made The balance between education and swimming Motivation and the reason why? The mental side of the preparation Her first experience of open water swimming  Say yes to the next race… Going into survival mode What’s going on inside her mind The races that stand out Making progress at the elite level Dealing with lockdown Not having access to water Women’s Sports Trust program - Unlocked Wanting to make a positive change in swimming Wanting to encourage more Black people to swim Barriers to Black women for getting into swimming Working with SolCap Future dreams Being a co-founder of Black Swimming Association  Swimming being taught in schools Final words of advice    Social Media   Instagram - @alicedearingx    Twitter - @alicedearingx    Black Swimming Association - Diversifying the sport that saves lives     Instagram @blackswimmingassociation

Jeannette is the 1st South African woman to summit Manaslu, the 8th highest mountain in the world. She is also the first South African to ever attempt Dhaulagiri, 7th highest mountain.  She is passionate about leading individuals and teams to achieve things they never thought possible. She consistently achieves this with enthusiasm and empathy.    Jeannette balances a corporate career leading the mining services business for a blue-chip Australian company with her mountaineering pedigree and passion.   Jeannette is a Non-Executive Board member and holds a PhD from the Colorado School of Mines.    Jeannette has been chief instructress for Veld and Vlei, now Outward Bound; a guide for the South African National Parks Board; and the first female leader in 20 years for the Mountain Club of South Africa’s winter camp.     8000m mountaineer - with Manaslu summited, and 1 attempt on Dhaulagiri (first South African ever); my mountaineering goal is 7x 8000m summits, my version of the "7 Summits" The challenges and realities of 8000m are extreme and under anticipated. I've grown up in the mountains organically acquiring knowledge over a lifetime (not coming to this via a milestone birthday or event as many others have) But did get to over 100kg and went from a couch back to 8000m - which took 5 years from decision to attempt 1 and eventual summit. I know about goal setting and resilience and how to navigate a career (one of a few women in underground mining production at the start of my career) and a time consuming interest. As the Mountain Mentor I can fast track the learning curve for people, saving time not making mistakes or being the best prepared for a mountain adventure: be it Kili, Inca Trail, Island Peak or Everest   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 Being based in Melbourne Growing up in South Africa Getting into mountaineering  Going out with the Mountain Club of South Africa  Climbing her first mountain at 8 years old - Lion’s Head Her dreams as a little girl Loving the outdoors and enjoying spending time in nature Wanting to work in nature and conservation Wanting to climb the big mountains around the world, over 8,000 m Lack of female role models in the 80s and 90s Not knowing it was practically possible to climb these mountains Making big changes to her life in 2013 The realities of climbing 8,000 m mountains Being overwhelmed and confused at the start Making around a start by walking around the block  Getting over the mental hurdle Starting with something very easy  Not having an expectations What it’s like being at altitude Climbing her first 6,000 m peak in Peru  What’s going on mentally while climbing mountains Mental resilience and mental grit  How mountaineering has changed over the years Wanting to climb Manaslu Mountain in Nepal (eighth-highest mountain in the world at 8,163 metres)  The biggest challenge of climbing Manaslu Dealing with queues on the mountains Handing the frustration of being stuck in the mountains Being mindful of where you are Cold management and oxygen management Practical information regarding summiting Manaslu Wanting to climb 7 - 8,000 metre peaks Next mountain to climb - Dhaulagiri in Nepal Practical information regarding climbing Dhaulagiri Magical Moment in the mountains! Mountain leadership and mentoring Final words of advice to motivate and inspire you to step outside your comfort zone   Social Media   Website - https://www.mcgillsmountains.com/    Instagram - @mcgills_mountains

Lola has photographed and dispatched from 70+ countries for various publications. She is the 2018 Travel Photographer of the Year Bill Muster Award recipient.   In addition to contributing to several books, she is the author of the following books – 2018 Lowell Thomas Award winner for best travel book, DUE NORTH, & bestselling LAGOM: Swedish Secret of Living Well available in 18 foreign language editions.    Lola has been recognised with multiple awards and nominations for her work, including a Pushcart Prize nomination, and was honoured with a MIPAD 100 (Most Influential People of African Descent) Award within media and culture in 2018.    Lola owns and runs Geotraveler Media – a multimedia and travel consulting agency providing a spectrum of travel media-related services.   Listen to Lola now 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 Being a visual story teller Getting into photography by accident Becoming a travel photographer  Growing up in Nigeria  What her childhood was like Her passion for exploring culture Moving to the USA for college Deciding to switch careers into the travel industry Coming from a travelling family Getting into solo travel Being a slow traveller and finding her own rhythm with travel Making the transition from a corporate job to following her passion Volunteering with an eco organisation in Fiji in 2002 Putting a plan in place Volunteering with the Swedish Red Cross  Figuring out what type of photographer she wanted to be  Getting your photos published in places like the National Geographic  Needing to create a story of the place Having a visual voice What’s the best thing that could happen Overcoming challenging situations while travelling as a Black women What adventure means to Lola  2018 Lowell Thomas Award winner for best travel book, DUE NORTH The North Pole Dream TedX Talk - The power of asking why not  Why not Being disappointed with friends  Needing to have different types of friends  Being an optimistic idealist  Making the decision to move to Sweden The secrets of living well Being impacted by Covid 19 Advice for women who want to get into the travel industry Why you need to find your own niche Dealing with the cold weather GeoTravelMedia - Exploring culture through food, tradition, and lifestyles Final words of advice to motivate and inspire you     Social Media  Websites - https://akinmade.com    www.geotravelermedia.com - Exploring culture through food, tradition, and lifestyles    Twitter - @LolaAkinmade    Instagram - @LolaAkinmade    Facebook - @GeotravelersNiche

“Road To 50 Miles” chronicles the journey of two women as they train for and run a 50-mile race, an ultramarathon.  Their journey leads them on a discovery to find their true heroes and inspires an entire community to help them get across the finish line.    Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUMZYK0Y_vU   Kara Wilson in her own words:   As a child I was always one of the fastest in the class. I was tall and skinny and though awkward I was light and could fly confidently quicker than most on the field or the track. Running wasn’t a chore back then. If I would get a pair of fresh sneakers I would want to see how fast and far they could take me the minute I fastened them to my feet. It wasn’t until I hit puberty that I started to slow down a bit and running soon became a bore. I didn’t need to run to lose weight and I didn’t quite understand why anyone would want to run  longer than once around a track. As time passed by I just grew completely disinterested in it. It wasn’t until I moved to England at 38 that it became a thing. I currently find myself running. Running here and there and everywhere for everyone but most importantly running for myself.   Jen McMahon in her own words:    I remember distinctly when I was on the cheer squad in high school, we had to run 1 mile as a warm up everyday before practice.  I would basically do whatever I could to avoid the mile or cut it short or just complain through the whole thing.  It never occurred to me that I could actually do this for fun.  I’m not really sure where the motivation came from, but when I was about 26 and about to get married, I decided I wanted to run a marathon.  I had NO race experience and I just decided to start training (just barely).  A couple friends of mine and my husband (fiancee at the time) start running all around Huntington Beach to prepare. We ran our first marathon, the Rock ‘n Roll San Diego that June and I have been running in some way or another ever since.  After having kids I stopped doing marathons and half marathons decided to focus more on 5ks, 10ks and sprint triathlons. Then one day, Kara said, “Hey, you wanna run an ultramarathon with me?” It had never occurred to me to run a distance like this before and I didn’t want to let the opportunity pass me by, so here I am!     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 Meeting Kara and Jen The idea to run 50 miles Having the conversation about running 50 miles Panic… Running a lot but not running longer distances Buying the book -  Following a training plan Starting from being able to run a half marathon Not training together  Holding each other accountable Getting the long runs in Getting the idea to film and document the 50 mile journey Dealing with pressure Challenges during training American River 50 Endurance Race  Running together and the race strategy The strengths that each other bring to the team The feelings on the start line The best mile and the worst mile The finish line Would they consider doing a 100 mile race!! What they would improve on Using Kickstarter to fund the movie/documentary Top tips for running an ultra Final words of advice    Social Media   Website - https://roadto50miles.wordpress.com   Instagram @ultratrainingwheels

Alison Walker is a U.K. based Malaysian ultra runner who started running ultras in 2019.    Alison holds several fastest Malaysian ultra times and has most recently the first person to complete the Smog Graham Round.    Over lockdown, she had also completed 4 other FKTs from 18 miles to 120km.   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 Alison Growing up in Malaysia and going to school in Singapore  Not being into sports or exercise when she was younger moving over to the UK to attend university Getting into running for the first time  How her running increased  2015 moving to East London Running with a group called - Run Fast  Starting with a running coach in late 2018 Being coached by Peter McHugh  Recovering from an ankle injury  Book - Running Up That Hill: The highs and lows of going that bit further - By Vassos Alexander Wanting to qualify for the 153-mile Spartathlon Race  Wanting to run 100 miles in under 22 hrs The importance of finding the right coach for you Running 100 miles and the importance of breaking down the challenge Being a fan of loop courses and repetition Starting to think more about kit and starting to invest in better quality gear The mental side of running ultras Not running with music What a typical week looks like in training Not having a rest day… Listening to her body Needing a McDonalds after a race! Sleeping, massage and stretching What the Smog Graham Round in London is Starting at her flat in London The challenges of navigation The wildlife in London - cows & horses! Starting off at 5am The biggest challenge on the Smog Graham Round Doing Fastest Known Times (FKTs) The challenges of arranging the logistics of FKTs The plan for running the Spartathlon Race Final words of advice for women who want to get into ultra running   Social Media   Blog - runandcake.wordpress.com    Instagram - @_alisonwalker_

Gillian Larson and her equine partners have accomplished numerous long distance solo rides on remote wilderness trails in the U.S. Together they have traveled from Mexico to Canada three times: twice on the Pacific Crest Trail (2014 and 2016) and most recently on the Continental Divide Trail (2018).    Gillian has also completed the Arizona Trail and the Colorado Trail in 2017 and rode from the Grand Canyon across Utah to Wyoming in 2019.    Since embarking on her first thru-ride at age 22, Gillian’s main goal has been to learn how to mitigate the many challenges of wilderness riding through proper planning and preparation, and to share this information to help others safely explore backcountry trails on horseback.   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 Growing up in a horsey family Leaning to ride on a shetland pony Her passion for reptiles Going on her first overnight with the horses Going on the Pacific Crest Trail as her first challenge Why the PCT? Studying biology and going to grad school fro ecology and evolution with a focus on reptiles How to thru-ride with horses The logistics of the challenge Why its so hard to thru-ride the PCT The costs involved  2 trucks and 2 trailers Having to wait for the snow to melt Figuring out the resupply and keeping your horse well fed Why horses need quantity of food and not just quality To have a dedicated support person who drives the truck and meet you on the trail Why June is such an important month on the thru-ride Dealing with the wildlife on the trail Her horses - Shyla and Dakota  Learning her craft The difference between hiking and riding  Making sure you get the right saddle Relaxing ?  Averaging about 25 miles per day with 2 days off per week for the horses Magical moments on the trail Loving camp life Snuggling with the horses? How horses sleep Earning a living Being an egg donor to fund her lifestyle  Turning 29 and going back to grad school The dream list of thru-riding Final words of advice   Social Media   Websites    www.gillianlarson.net  www.pacificcrestquest.org   Instagram @thru_rider

Megan is a runner, writer and adventurer from Manchester, UK.    Megan in her own words:   “I’m a relentless optimist who always tries to say yes to living life to the fullest. I was born hearing impaired, I am completely deaf in my left ear and partially hearing impaired in my right ear.   In 2018, during one of the hottest heatwaves Britain has ever had, I ran from John O’Groats to Land’s End completely unsupported, becoming the youngest woman to do so. I covered around 1000 miles in 40 days and I’m now writing a book about it.    I believe in being good and kind, I believe in saying yes and I believe in the power of positivity.”   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 note during this episode we do talk about mental health, trauma, & PTSD.    Show notes Moving to the Peak District, UK Growing up in Manchester Not really being that into sports at school Going to University in Wales Falling in love with the outdoors Stepping outside her comfort zone Getting to know new people Getting into running Signing up for the Manchester 10 Km Suffering a bad ankle injury  Going through a difficult break-up Getting back into running after university Signing up to the Chester half marathon and the Manchester Marathon Loving running and deciding to run across the country Enjoying the process of running Deciding to run from John O’Groats to Lands End - the length of the UK The strategy for the run and wanting to camp at the start Figuring out the accommodation for the route Wanting to follow trails and try to avoid the roads as much as possible Feeling excited during the planning stage  When reality for the challenge hit and starting to feel overwhelmed Reaction from friends and family Being hearing impaired and not being able to hear out of her left ear  Fears and concerns before the run Being focused and dedicated to the challenge The start line! The top of the UK at John O’Groats Running with a hearing impairment  The physical, mental and emotional challenges of the run Dealing with her period on the run The challenges of doing it solo and being alone A challenging day down in Cornwall Keeping the motivation going during dark times Letting things go and staying in the present Managing her period during the challenge The financial costs involved  How the run has changed things afterwards Dealing with trauma and an iron deficiency Writing about the challenge and the struggles involved Final words of advice 

Charlotte Fowles - also known as The Executive Adventurer - helps corporate leaders who are frustrated, lost or bored to rediscover their purpose, passion and fun without sacrificing their current success. She is an author and public speaker.   Always one to practice what she preaches, she has spent a lot of her life pushing herself way outside her comfort zone in pursuits such as free-diving and scuba diving; marathon running; solo-hiking whilst on chemotherapy; and crossing the Australian outback for months in an ancient 4x4 truck. After enduring over a decade of significant personal trauma, she is an expert in resilience and creating triumph from tragedy and living life in spite of this, and she brings this epic resilience to her coaching. She is passionate about mental wellness and the outdoors and is fascinated by the combinations of these elements that can bring about incredible change.   It is this unapologetic energy and relentless pursuit of her clients' complete success that gets results. She knows that as long as you're willing to step outside that comfort zone where you've been feeling so restless, the world that you want to create is all yours.   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 What life was like growing up Getting into the outdoors in her mid to late 20s Moving to Australia Getting into scuba diving and loving it Getting into coaching  Why she’s called the Executive Adventurer  But.. What next? Book - Playing Big Wanting to live and work in a different country Exploring the outback in Australia in a 4x4 Leaning new skills Magical moments in the outback Falling in love with the outdoors  Getting away from people Wanting to challenge herself  Being inspired by Bex Band - Love Her Wild  Leaning how to camp in the cold Doing her first winter bivvy in the UK Getting into cold water swimming and loving it!! Building resilience for when things are good FREE 'Strategies for Building, Increasing, and Staying Resilient' guide  Dealing with a lot of personal challenges, all at the same time. Wanting to celebrate what our bodies can do Breaking her leg in two places and having to learn how to walk again Going into therapy for depression Diagnosed with Stage 3B skin cancer in 2019 Focusing on the CAN Deciding to go on a solo hiking adventure Confidence is a result not a requirement Blistered and bleeding feet Hiking the Trans Catalonia Trail  The Biggest Book of Yes  To keep moving forward  Being a positive person and working on it #RealAdventureSelfies Having to get on with it Not having a choice Dealing with false summits Advice and top tips about taking the first step     Social Media   Website www.charlottefowles.com    Instagram @FOWLES.CHARLOTTE

Marinel de Jesus was a former human rights lawyer from Washington, DC.  In 2016, she founded her social enterprise, Peak Explorations, and media site, Brown Gal Trekker. Both entities aim to create equity and inclusion in the outdoor and travel spaces.    In 2019, she launched the nonprofit organization, The Porter Voice Collective, which utilizes media to advocate for the rights of porters in the trekking industries of Peru, Nepal and Tanzania.    Marinel is also a writer who focuses on stories that elevate the voices of women, people of colour and immigrants.    She has recently discovered filmmaking as a means of advocacy for social changes and completed her first film project, We Are Nomads, in Mongolia where she currently stays as a result of the pandemic.    Marinel is an avid trekker and a full-time global mountain nomad.     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 What Marinel does Being born and raised in the Philippines Getting into hiking due to having a stressful job Joining a meet up group to go hiking Giving hiking a second time Starting to lead treks around the world Speaking to us from Mongolia due to Covid Thinking about making the transition from a lawyer to a hiker How can you make a career out of hiking? Taking a year long sabbatical from work Making the decision to sell her house Becoming a minimalist  Not having the confidence to start her own company  How the website and blog evolved  Losing her mum in 2017 and leaving law  What Peak Exploration is and does Educating people through the blog - Brown Girl Trekker  Becoming a global mountain nomad Being inspired by being in the mountains  Working and running her business from Mongolia Focusing on writing  From a lawyer to a mountain nomad podcast Advice for making the transition from a full time career to digital nomad Having thinking time outdoors Advice for women who want to travel solo The power of taking small steps The preparation and planning for a trip Film project - ‘Don’t date a girl who treks’ and ‘We are Nomads’ Final words of advice    Social Media   Websites: www.browngaltrekker.com  www.peakexplorations.com  www.theportervoicecollective.org   Facebook: @bgtpeakexplorations  Instagram: @browngaltrekker

As a 4x Winter Olympian, a career high ranking of 8th in the World, 7x British National Overall Champion and the only British female skier to ever win a run in a World Cup, Chemmy Alcott is widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest ever skiers.   In a time where competing at a Winter Olympics was unusual for a British athlete, Chemmy defied the odds and pioneered a skiing movement that has inspired a generation. Resulting in not just skiers, but British Winter Sport athletes as a whole seeing the Winter Olympics as a realistic and achievable goal.   Since retiring from competing on the world stage after The Sochi Olympics in 2014, Chemmy has immersed herself in the world of TV & media, where she now presents for the BBC on Ski Sunday and commentates on the World Cup Ski Series for Eurosport amongst being a guest on many other show.   Chemmy continues to constantly push her body to the limit, competing in multiple physical challenges including the World’s Toughest Ski Race in Greenland, the 100-mile road race in London and climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, raising over £800,000 for charity in the process.   Chemmy is committed to inspiring the next generation and educating people from all over the world through sport. Most notably, she created the ‘X-Elle’ scheme, which aims to develop girl’s confidence through sports she helps give them the confidence to create big dreams and do everything humanly possible to achieve them.   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 Chemmy Growing up in a ski mad family Being inspired by her older brother Starting to ski at 18 months old and doing her first race at 3 yrs The fear of falling over Loving tennis and skiing Going to her first big event at 11 years old and winning Education and skiing Spending the summer months in New Zealand Female role models in skiing Wanting to be a speed skier Meeting and racing against her idol Breaking her neck in a ski accident… Having a fused neck and having to travel with an x-ray Fear of failure and the fear of letting people down Learning to control her mind and finding a way to help herself Only being able to ski at 80% Winning her run in the world cup What’s going through her head at the start of the race Trying to replicate training runs more Learning to stay in the present moment Funding your life as an Olympian Not getting any support from the government Having to back yourself and be confident Recovering from injury  Having tiny daily goals Doing the Words Toughest Ski Race in Greenland Getting into endurance sports Making the brutal decision to retire from professional sport Dreaming of becoming a presenter on ski Sunday Wanting to become a mum How life has changed having 2 children Taking the children out skiing Skiing in a chilled way…. Using sport to help improve confidence Keeping fit and active now Quick Fire Questions     Social Media   Website www.chemmyalcott.com    Facebook  @Chemmy-Alcott   Instagram @chemmyski    Twitter @chemmyski