Tough Girl Podcast

International human-rights advocate, Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan, deep in the throes of an aggressive, fatal muscle-wasting disease, ventures out on a daring, 12-day Grand Canyon descent and expedition – on horseback and in whitewater rafts.    The journey into the Canyon mirrors Cara’s personal journey, as she and her team battle physical and mental adversities that threaten to kill, wound, or undo them without warning. But a journey that begins as a quest for representation and dramatic advocacy quickly becomes an exercise in survival.    When Cara suffers a serious head injury one hour into the descent, the team and crew realize that her life, and theirs, hang on each step, each handhold, each group decision.    Cara’s journey to live an extraordinary life and shatter stigma against people living with disabilities unexpectedly becomes a deep dive into fear, trust and vulnerability. As the entire expedition team grapples with unanticipated dangers in a truly remote wilderness, they also come face to face with their individual demons, insecurities, and internal conflicts.    HER INESCAPABLE BRAVE MISSION is a story of fear, adrenaline, ambition, determination, hubris, courage, and perseverance against the odds. An emotional and transformational journey for anyone who has ever found themselves, inescapably, on the edge of a cliff.   Cara in her own words: - My life has been extraordinary, full of ups and downs. I’ve had enormous privilege and a fair share of adversity to overcome. I was born in India, November 20, 1976 to an Indian father and English mother.    We immigrated to Canada where I grew up and completed my studies up to my undergraduate degree. Thanks to a lot of determination and hard work, I fulfilled my childhood dream to help vulnerable and marginalized children  by working with the Untied Nations.     So far it’s been an exhilarating international career that has spanned 11 countries but not without enormous challenges.   At age 30 I was diagnosed with a rare muscle wasting disease that leads to quadriplegia: Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathy (HIBM). It was frightening news because I did not have any experience with disability or chronic illness. But the journey has been powerful.    I now live proudly as a woman with a disability, and advocate against stigma and discrimination to break as many glass ceilings as possible.   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss out!   *Please be aware suicide in mentioned during this episode (we do not got into any details) but it is talked about.   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 Cara Being born in South India to an Indian Father and a British Mother  Moving to Canada as a baby Figuring out what she wanted to do when she was 6 years old Wanting to help children Wanting to work for the United Nations Growing up shy Getting through major life challenges Losing her mother at 17 years old Having amazing role models in her life Correlation between confidence and performance  Doing her Masters after 10 years of working Winning an international competition with the UN to do a paid internship Being poached by the private sector Having a life shift in her career Being diagnosed with HIBM - Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathies The impact on her life and career Moving to the USA at the end of 2013 Wanting to have a grand adventure in America 2014 - 2018 - the planning and preparation Learning how to ride a horse The challenges of the descent into the Grand Canyon Making a movie/documentary film Finding out she was scared of heights Dealing with a head injury on the descent down Lessons learned from the challenge Why you will surprise yourself Final words of advice   Social Media   Website - https://carayarkhan.com    Twitter @carayarkhan    Instagram @cara_yarkhan     Facebook @cara.e.khan    Ted Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/cara_e_yar_khan_the_beautiful_balance_between_courage_and_fear

Ashly Winchester an avid ultra-runner, backpacker, rock climber, and mountaineer. She also loves chasing FKT's (Fastest Known Times) and revels in immersing herself in solo, unsupported records in the wilderness.    Ashly created and began hosting the podcast, Womxn Of The Wild, in December 2019 with the aim to inspire, educate, and empower women in the outdoors.    Ashly in her own words:   “As I developed my skills and proficiency in the outdoors, I started meeting and connecting with a ton of really amazing ladies. I realized that I wanted to help bring more women into this world of adventure. I don’t care what anybody says, we belong out there. I want women of all shapes and colors and abilities and ages to understand that you can do these things too, and it’s never too late to start.”   New episodes 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 Ashly Quitting her job Deciding to make big changes in her life Becoming a freelance writer Being in an abusive marriage Being deep in depression and not knowing what to do with her life Going backpacking with a friend Her love of being in the wilderness  Making a living from freelance writing The financial struggles of writing  Living a nomadic lifestyle Getting into Fastest Known Times (FKT's) Getting to explore different areas Getting into running Running further and further distances Training solo Evidence for FKT’s Training for FKT’s Running 74 miles through the desert Race tactics and strategy Dealing with periods while running Using 2 cups What’s going on mentally Wild animals… Using FKT’s as training runs Womxn of the Wild - community and podcast Why the X in Womxn Learning about the challenges of podcasting Focusing on quality content Final words and top tips and advice for you   Social Media   Website - https://womxnofthewild.com    Womxn of the Wild Podcast - aims to highlight the badass women who explore, adventure, and crush in the outdoors.    Instagram @womxnofthewild  @ashly.winchester    Facebook @womxnofthewild

Vedangi Kulkarni recently became the youngest woman to have circumnavigated the world on bicycle. It took her 160 days to pedal 29000km, across 14 countries. She was 19 when she started, and 20 when she finished, celebrating her 20th birthday around the halfway point in Canada. Most of her journey was solo and unsupported.   Vedangi in her own words:   My childhood was a lot about my parents and I travelling out and about through every summer/winter break. I used to write poems and short stories. My father encouraged me to explore the outdoors- mountains and sea, from his own travel experiences. From tying a rope between the safety door and gymnastic rod, experimenting with valley crossing in our own house to creating an Everest out of the high end of a wall, and mountains in the vicinity, my father has been a rockstar in my adventurous upbringing.    Of course, my school played a major role too. Although I didn’t have many friends as a kid, I definitely had an outdoorsy spirit and schools’s extra-curricular activities made sure that I spent more time with the like-minded, doing things that I really loved.   But when, as a 17 year old, I decided to cycle across the Himalayan passes, my perspective towards the world really changed. It was truly exciting, and I felt the most confident when putting myself through tough situations or getting better at pushing my previous limits. The harder it got, the better I felt, and the better I felt, the more I wanted to push myself further into any challenge.    New episodes 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 How her journey into cycling and adventure started Moving to the UK at 18 Finding it hard to make friends Being inspired by Juliana Buhring   Deciding to cycle around the world How the adventures went wrong Planning expeditions for others Her passion for the outdoors and getting inspired by her father Being inspired to dream bigger Cycling 800 km across the Himalayas at 17 Falling in love with the outdoors Female role models growing up Wanting to become text book worthy Getting exposed to bike packing in the UK The planing and preparation for her round the world cycle ride Wanting to film the expedition The biggest issue with getting visa’s Having to start in Australia due to visa issues Pausing university Canada and the grizzly bear The end of her record challenge for time in Spain Dealing with concussion  Losing her confidence Getting her performance back  What’s happening with the film/documentary Thinking about cycling around the world again… Launching an adventure planning crash course Wanting to make adventure accessible Starting a youtube channel Final words of advice and top tips   Social Media Website: https://vedangi.info Instagram: @thisisvedangi LinkedIn: Vedangi Kulkarni Twitter: @thisisvedangi Facebook: Vedangi Kulkarni YouTube: Vedangi Kulkarni Link to donate me a small amount: Buy Me A Coffee

Rosaria “Rosie” Barreto, also known as the Vitality Coach, helps women and seniors live happier and healthier through the power of exercise! With a background in clinical exercise, she is on a mission to change the mindset from 'exercise is for active individuals' to 'exercise is also for people who struggle to move due to clinical health limitations’.   Rosie runs the Vitality Hub which is a health and fitness movement encouraging people who find exercise difficult to move more, eat well and feel amazing.   You can listen to Rosie on the Tough Girl Podcast - new episodes 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 Running a health and wellbeing business Working with women and older adults Running a Youtube Channel  Being the eldest of 9 children Being a role model and encouraging others to get involved in sports Wanting to work in health and wellness Growing up active Hating school and academics Deciding what to do next  Her role models when growing up  Wanting to be a personal trainer and be self employed Developing her business plan  Trying new things and failing Dealing with personal challenges at university July 2018 finding her niche in health and wellbeing Moving to Kent £50 p/h —->> £8 p/h Building the business up Needing to cover running costs Taking a part time job Dealing with the stresses of making a difficult decision Dealing with Covid-19 Moving the business online  The reality of being self employed during 2020 Figuring out new technology Movement is medicine Helping patients Wanting to encourage more people to exercise  Helping people to move more Talking to your friends and family The power of group exercise  Dealing with the problems of social isolation  Starting a new project for virtual services for older adults Why movement is about  having fun  50 challenges in 2020 Final words of advice to motivate and inspire you   Social Media   Website - http://www.vitalityhub.co.uk   Facebook @VitalityHubUK    Instagram @the_vitalitycoach

Darcy Gaechter is the first and only woman to kayak the Amazon River from source to sea. She has been whitewater kayaking for twenty-one years and, for the past fifteen years, she has been considered one of the world’s best female kayakers and one of the most accomplished expedition kayakers.    Darcy has won whitewater kayaking races throughout the world, and has participated in and led kayaking expeditions in eighteen different countries. In addition, she has been a kayak, raft and adventure travel guide for two decades and has owned and operated two kayak guiding businesses. She currently spends half the year in Ecuador running Small World Adventures and showing kayakers down some of her favourite rivers in the world.    Darcy has long been a groundbreaker of women pushing the limits in both kayaking and other outdoor pursuits.    Leading by example of what women can accomplish in a predominately male sport, she has inspired other women athletes to push themselves to achieve extraordinary things.   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Make sure you 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 Who is Darcy What life was like growing up Growing up in the mountains and spending time outdoors Wanting to follow in her dad’s footsteps Changing the direction of her life Going to Nepal at 19 years old Exploring parts that other tourists don’t get to see Wanting to get better at kayaking Figuring out the combat role Deciding to go kayaking in Ecuador Saying yes to opportunity Meeting the people that would change her life Female role models in kayaking Saying yes to a job in Ecuador How the idea came about to kayak the Amazon River Stats  - 4,300 miles done over 148 days Having the adventure fully funded Figuring out the logistics for this challenge Dealing with naysayers Balancing the risks Getting mad and getting determined Being the only woman on the team Cutting off all her hair Magical moments - Day 135 What a typical day was like out on the river Dealing with sand flies Paddling for 8 - 10 hours per day The perfect last adventure When will they settle down? Getting to the end point and what it was like Coming up with new goals The book of legends in Siberia The motivation for writing the book To film or not to film What happened after the adventure Final words of advice    Social Media   Website  darcygaechter.com   Small World Adventures www.smallworldadventures.com    Instagram  @darcygaechter @smallworldadv   Twitter @GaechterDarcy

Black Girls Hike (BGH) is a safe space for black women to enjoy the outdoors and be themselves without feeling judged or misunderstood.  It's is about removing barriers and challenging stereotypes and reinforcing the message that the outdoors is for everyone.   In Rhiane’s words:   Created in 2019, Black Girls Hike UK is an organisation that offers a safe space for black women to explore the outdoors. We know that the outdoors is great for mental and physical health but it’s not very inclusive.    For many black women, getting outdoors can feel intimidating especially when you don’t see people you identify with.    That’s why BGH was created; to empower black women to feel comfortable outdoors and create a community and sisterhood.    We believe representation matters and aim to diversify all aspects of the outdoors.   New episodes 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 Who is Rhiane Feeling the pressure of going to university Going to Open University  Struggling to know what to do Wanting to work in international development What childhood was like Being in every sports team Starting to play rounders again Getting into walking in 2019 Taking the first step into hiking Setting up an Instagram account for Black Girls Hike  The 5 best walks around Manchester  Not knowing what she was doing The support of family and friends  Her love for getting outdoors How Black Girls Hike has evolved Having a Midlands and London BGH group Having over 100 people attending a walk Being overwhelmed by the numbers  The lack of Black women role models in hiking Balancing a full time job with building the BGH community The dream for BGH and becoming a non profit Training up the regional leaders in Low Land Leader Qualifications Favourite walks Black Girls Hike - Snowdon Challenge! Tales of a hiker Doing an instameet up with @beckythetraveller  Dream hikes…. Helping to build confidence in other women who come hiking Being nominated for a National Diversity Award Fundraising Black Girls Hike Healing Retreat Dealing with racism all the time Forest bathing, grounding and hugging trees Quick Fire Questions Final words of advice - “start small and start local”   Social Media   Black Girls Hike   Instagram @bgh_uk   Twitter @UkBgh    Go Fund Me Black Girls Hike Healing Retreats    Tales Of A Hiker - Where adventure enthusiasts share their stories   Website - https://www.talesofahiker.com    Facebook @talesofahiker   Instagram @talesofahiker

In 2009, after a crippling divorce that left her heartbroken and directionless, Kristin decided to accept an offer to live at a friend's cabin outside of Denali National Park in Alaska for a few months.  In exchange for housing, she would take care of her friend's eight sled dogs.    That winter, she learned that she was tougher than she ever knew. She learned how to survive in one of the most remote places on earth and she learned she was strong enough to be alone.  She fell in love twice: first with running sled dogs, and then with Andy, a gentle man who had himself moved to Alaska to heal a broken heart.   Kristin and Andy married and started a sled dog kennel.  While this work was enormously satisfying, Kristin became determined to complete the Iditarod -- the 1,000-mile dogsled race from Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast.   On her blog at www.kristinknightpace.com, she writes:   “What our hands do these days is shape the dream of our childhoods. There it thrived in two different kids, and as we grew up and in turn grew older, even when our attentions turned to other things, the dream waited there patiently. Whether or not we knew the kind of purchase that dream held in our insides did not matter, because we both ended up following it. The drive of it, the excitement it held, the pure and simple promise in it – all those things were impossible to ignore. Very much the same fear in each of our hearts cast a net toward something familiar and we ignored it, facing instead north and driving away, away. Something in us must have known all along how that dream would be nurtured by Alaska, even if we could never have known the rare kind of love we would find in one another here. And to see that clearing in the woods now, the footprint of our home in the wilderness made by our four hands…The dogs are the only ones who can perfectly describe what that reward feels like - they being incapable of speech and capable of the purest joy, manifested in leaps and snorts and rolls and howls. It is the filling in my heart.”   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Make sure you 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 Growing up in Texas Ending up in Alaska in 2009 Accepting an internship in Alaska Dealing with heartbreak Being in the wilderness in Alaska Driving from Montana to Alaska Arriving at the remote cabin A new beginning Getting through the first winter Moose & Maximus Becoming a dog musher Her first 1,000 miles race in 2015 The joy of travelling with dogs Dealing with the freezing cold The Yukon Quest Running with a team of 14 dogs Not wanting to finish the race What the Quest taught her Meeting Andy for the first time Surviving in Alaska Needing to take a break from the lifestyle Being a woman in dog sledding Being supported and encouraged What makes a good dog driver? Calm and assertive  Writing the book    Social Media   Website   Personal - https://www.kristinknightpace.com   Business -  https://www.heymoosekennel.com      THIS MUCH COUNTRY: A Memoir (Grand Central Publishing; March 10, 2020) is about the love between a woman and her dogs, which intensifies with every rollicking adventure and mishap, from mushing under the northern lights to literally running smack into a 2,000-pound wood bison with a dog team.    It is a story about starting from scratch, stripping away all but necessity and living by animal instincts to find life’s richness. From the first time Kristin hooks up a dog team to the moment she roars across the finish line of the Iditarod, readers witness the chaos of starting over in the din of barking, lunging dogs and the peaceful resolution of 15 dogs moving in unison as the Kristin comes to her own realizations about what it means to be wildly singular.

Dr. Tekemia Dorsey is the CEO of the International Association of Black Triathletes, and Owner of IABT MultiSport Racing. Dr. Dorsey is the founder of the 2018 “Youth & Junior TRI-Conference®/EXPO*Event!”    Dr. Dorsey received her Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix and Masters of Education in Guidance & Counseling from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.    Using her leadership principles and core pillars, Dr. Dorsey has become an established, best-selling and awarding winner author and business professional, keynote speaker, facilitator/workshop presenter, curriculum specialist, publisher, professor, entrepreneur, radio show host, executive leadership trainer/coach, community activist, athlete and Child of God.    She is a well-rounded athlete as a runner (marathoner), duathlete, triathlete, and an IRONMAN.   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time! Make sure you 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 Who is Tekemia Getting into sports  Playing softball at college Getting into running Running her first race Falling in love with running Inspiring people with her running Making the transition into triathlon in 2013 Starting with a Duathalon - run - bike - run Doing her first Ironman - Ironman Eagleman Learning how to swim Why she does challenges Why quitting has never been an option Applying lessons from her life to doing the Ironman Creating SMART goals and achieving them Being her own worst enemy “Failure is not an option” Being raised by her grandmother Starting the IABT - International Association of Black Triathletes The vision and the goals for IABT Being new to the multi-sport industry Figuring out her niche Getting her children involved in triathlon Having a focus on youth Getting to understand the industry more Creating a guaranteed pathway to college through triathlon Creating opportunities for youth Dealing with set backs and stress Being a single mum  Changing the narrative What a typical week looks like Launching a new initiative      Social Media   IABT/IABT MultiSport Racing - Mission is to develop athletic talent and the whole Child, living in urban communities through the Multi-sport Industry.   Website - https://www.iabtyouthnjuniortriconference.org   Facebook - @IABTriathletes   Instagram - @iabtriathletes

Carla in her own words:   I am an elite ultra runner, running coach and adventurer who seeks out events that are slightly harder than the average. I love pushing my body to the limits by running a long way, up mountains, around islands and recently running the length of Great Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats and setting a new ladies World Record along the way. It’s safe to say that I have caught the ‘micro-adventure’ and exploration bug.   I have represented Great Britain at the 100km World Championships and I currently compete for Team Massmart, an elite woman’s running team based in South Africa.    With my experience in sport from grass roots to elite level, my degree in Science in Health, Exercise and Sport, UK Athletics Coaching, Personal Training and Sports Massage qualifications I love to work with aspiring runners and athletes to get the best out of themselves and push their boundaries!   I am happiest when on the trails carrying out my own adventure be that running around Mont Blanc or running the length of Great Britain. There is something magical about planning your own journey and going on an adventure.   During this episode Carla shares more about her passion for running, and goes into detail about the training, planning and preparation for her most recent challenge running the length of Great Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats which she did in a record breaking time of 12 days, 30 mins and 14 seconds.   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time! Make sure you 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 Reflecting back on her childhood and growing up sporty Her passion for running Getting into adventure in her lat 20s Wanting to do an ultra marathon Combining running with mountains Not knowing many people in the ultra running world Being inspired by Mimi Anderson Making a change from an office job to a running coach Wanting to run from Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) Getting the full support team together in April 2020 Deciding to go for it in 2020 Making a list of everything she needed 3 months of planning and preparation  Funding the challenge via sponsorship and crowd funding Having a stress fracture in April 2019 Physical training and preparation  Mental preparation Accepting that it was going to be difficult and hurt Being concerned about injury Getting to the start line Managing stress Having to run 70 miles per day Food and nutrition during the run Making sure to eat something every 30 mins Bodily functions - Poo & periods! Why sleeping was so painful Not wanting to get out of the bed in the morning The magical moment on the run (not the finish!) Struggling to run at the end and dealing with injury Lessons learned from the run and why you can do so much more than you think you can Future dreams and ambitions… Running around Great Britain?! Final words of advice to encourage you to take up running   Social Media   Website https://www.carlamolinaro.com    Instagram @carlamolinaro   Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/1785161

Lauren is a single mom with a propensity for adventures, travel, and nature. Lauren works as a travel writer and social media influencer who is passionate about inspiring black women to step out of their comfort zones to have experiences in travel and adventure, to use nature as healing and therapy, and to embrace outdoor recreation.   Lauren in her own words:   I don’t believe we were put on this earth just to exist. We are here to learn as much as we can and leave our imprints as we go. People have always been encouraged and even surprised at the things I’ve been able to expose my son to. Especially, because as a black single mother, exposing my son to things like hiking, snorkeling, and camping are seen as out of the ordinary in our community.   I decided that a life this blessed deserved to be shared. If I inspire anyone at all to pursue a dream, to step out of their norm, and to really take time to appreciate the beauty of the world we live in then it will all be worth it. Being the “Outdoorsy” type doesn’t mean you wear cammo or that you’re any less feminine. And being feminine and liking designer purses doesn’t mean you can’t connect with nature, even if you make a fool of yourself in the process. If this girl can get in touch with her outdoorsy side then so can you!   Life is about creating moments and I look forward to sharing my moments with all of you. Adventure is a lifestyle!   “It’s only the great outdoors….what are you afraid of?”    Listen to Lauren as she shares more on the Tough Girl Podcast. New episodes go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time!    Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss out!   Show notes Not growing up in the outdoors Her first experience of the outdoors Going to explore waterfalls Making the transition from being a novice in the outdoors Diversity and inclusion Meeting people who were outdoorsy Figuring it out for herself Being intentional about adventure Nature as therapy Seeking peace in the outdoors Starting the blog - www.OutdoorsyDiva.com  Being a girly girl Doing adventures with her son Being afraid of the outdoors Car camping… Camping solo Magical moments while travelling Dealing with asthma Tips for travelling solo  Starting the Outdoorsy Diva Podcast Next season of the podcast Bucket list  Final words of advice   Social Media   Website - www.OutdoorsyDiva.com    Facebook @theoutdoorsydiva   Instagram  @outdoorsydiva  @blackwomenoutdoors   Twitter  @outdoorsy_diva