Tough Girl Podcast

Alex in her own words:    I had my first taste of climbing mountains in March 2012 when I made a solo three-week trek in the Nepal Himalayas. The experience was life changing and inspired me to reach even greater heights by setting one of the biggest goals of my life so far – to climb the 7 summits.   I tackled the first of the 7 summits on 9 June 2014 as a very proud member of the first team to summit Russia’s Mt. Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, from the difficult north side in pre-season.   Less than six weeks later, on the 17th of July, I successfully climbed Mont Blanc solo, without a guide, team or support. I summited at 6.45am, reaching the top in just over four hours.    I have also successfully summited Kilimanjaro in September, second of my 7summits.    On the 6th of December 2014, I stood on the top of the highest point of Antarctica, Mt Vinson.    After months of hard training and preparation I summited one of the most difficult one; North America’s highest peak Denali in June 2015.    Continuing my 100% summit success, I climbed Aconcagua in South America on the 2nd of January 2016, the highest mountain in the world outside the Himalayas and stood on the top of Oceania's highest point, Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia on the 19th of March 2017.   To keep pushing my boundaries, I successfully climbed the Matterhorn in August 2017 without acclimatisation. After a 6-months focused training I scaled Mt Everest, the highest mountain in the world on the 18th of May 2018.    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 Growing up in Hungary Coming from a sporty family Moving to the UK 14 years ago Building a career in marketing Deciding to make a change in her life Quitting her job in 2012 with no plans Travelling to Nepal Falling in love with the mountains Making the decision to climb the 7 summits Overcoming her fear of heights Heading off to climb Mt. Elbrus  Putting a plan in place to climb the 7 summits Practical steps of making it happen Writing everything down Focusing on safety Working with local guides and companies Funding and paying for the 7 summits Taking out a loan and maxing out credit cards Feeling exhausted from the challenge Reflecting back on the different mountains  Doing more research and asking more questions Surrounding yourself with positive people Feeling ready to take on the mountains Not telling many people at the start Why climbing Mt. Aconcagua was so hard Struggling with injury 2 weeks before the start Turning the negatives into positives Leaving for the summit… Dealing with adventure blues Challenges and adventures after Mt Everest Her passion for mountain biking  Thinking about the next challenge The impact of Covid  Follow along with the adventures Final words of advice and why you should just go for it.   Social Media   Website http://www.alex7summits.com    Instagram @alex7summits

Fighting Chance is written by Alicia Doyle, an award-winning journalist who discovered boxing at age twenty-eight in the late 1990s when she went on assignment at a boxing gym for at-risk youth called Kid Gloves.    For two years, she simultaneously worked as a newspaper reporter while training and competing as a boxer, making her one of only a few hundred women in America who infiltrated this male-dominated sport.    During her boxing career, she won two Golden Gloves championship titles and earned three wins by knockout – and her pro debut at age thirty in the year 2000 was named The California Female Fight of the Year. Fighting Chance offers an inside look at what’s considered the toughest sport known to man.   *Trigger Warning - abuse & domestic violence is mentioned during this episode.   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!   Show notes Who is Alicia Not being sporty growing up Discovering boxing at 28 Not respecting boxing  Working as a journalist Breaking up with an abusive partner Learning new skills in boxing Feeling intimidated at the gym Being the only female doing boxing Earning respect Not wanting to step into the ring and fight Women being allowed to box in the Olympics 2012 Being a pioneer in the sport Fighting for equality Being changed from the inside out How boxing changed other areas of her life Being terrified and scared Managing fear Being in the moment Being brutally honest and facing pain Managing emotions  The power of visualisation  Training while working a full time job The benefits of skipping Moving from amateur to pro boxing How boxing has changed over the past 30 years The support and encouragement from men Deciding to write the book  Being afraid of being vulnerable Wanting to help other women by sharing her story  Why you should give boxing ago The stronger your body - the stronger your mind Building confidence through your body The movie! Who will play Alicia in the movie?   Social Media   Website https://aliciadoyle.com    Instagram @disasterdivaboxer   Facebook @fightingchanceauthor   Twitter @aliciakdoyle

Lipa was formally a semi-professional footballer and now she's a grassroots coach and sports activist. Lipa's passion for football is constantly growing and led her to coin her catchphrase “I’m going to change the world with a hijab on my head and a ball at my feet.”    Lipa wants to be the change, and will continue to challenge herself and engage with minority communities; by doing so her catchphrase will become a reality.   Lipa is a co-founder of the podcast called ‘I Think She’s Offside’ where she and co-host Fadumo Olow talk about all things woman’s sports. The podcast aims to stay connected to the local community, discussing The FA’s Women Super League with some BPL. Lipa and Fadumo came up with the podcast to give underrepresented individuals a voice.   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!   Show notes What Lipa does Here passions for sports Playing semi-professional sports Being a little feminist  Having a supportive family Challenging the PE teachers to make sure she could play football Being encouraged to do a trial for a local football team Becoming part of a team Training 3x a week Progressing to the first team Gaining new confidence Making decisions boldly Starting to hate football Deciding to go to university and choosing her course.. "I’m going to change the world with a hijab on my head, and a ball at my feet.” Striving for more The lack of women across all levels of sport Being pushed beyond her comfort zone Supportive men Feeling fed up about the lack of change Becoming a coach  The challenging of working with children Getting more girls involved in football from a young age Starting 'I Think She's Offside' Podcast Making change happen Being proactive Being self employed while doing a rebrand for the podcast Being an Ambassador for the Youth Sport Trust Being at the Women’s World Cup in France 2019 Final words of advice for you     Social Media   Instagram    @lipa_nessa @sheisoffside   Twitter    @Lipsy_28 @sheisoffside

Ailsa, 39, is an ultra endurance athlete who has a passion for long distances races and triathlons! Ailsa holds six course records and two overall wins at the ultra-running distance. In 2017 she won the 50K and 100 mile Canadian National Champion title. In 2018 she won Ironman Canada. As well as training for her races, Ailsa also balances a full time job in an oil field in Northern Alberta.    During this podcast Ailsa shares more about her passion for running, how she got into cycling and swimming, how she coaches and trains herself, as well as sharing more about mental resilience and how she has developed her mindset over the years.   Listen to Ailsa as she shares her story on the Tough Girl Podcast. 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 Ailsa in her own words Spending her summers in Scotland Living in Canada Getting into running and cycling Training for her first marathon  Building up her swim fitness Finding a talent for endurance events Her love for running and keeping fit Being her own coach Working in the oil fields 10 days on - 10 days off The mental side of races Strategy for 100 miles races Hitting mental lows and going into a downward spiral Hitting a low point around the 80K mark Doing her first 100 mile race Using neurofeedback  to help with race preparation Dealing with solitude while running Thinking while running Tips to maintaining positivity while running Western States 100 miler and the mistakes she made Dealing with the pressure of performance Not wanting to let people down Learning from her mistakes Suffering Ironman Canada 2018 Being a competitive person Final words of advice.   Social Media   Instagram @ailsamacdonaldrunner

Nicole purchased Girls Fight Back in 2020 because of her passion for empowering women and helping others. She is dedicated to bringing the message of living a fearless life and combating violence to millions of young women across the country.    Nicole received a full scholarship to Cal State Long Beach as a President’s Scholar, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Speech Communication.  Her self-defense training includes IMPACT LA (where she is also a lead instructor), Defense Against the Armed Assailant training, FAST defense & the GFB Speaker Academy.     Nicole is an NACP Credentialed Advocate and currently sits on the board of IMPACT Personal Safety.  Nicole was featured in a self-defense instructional video by Tastemade Travel that won a People’s Voice Webby Award in May 2020 and she is the creator of Outdoor Defense, an IGTV series that aims to help people stay safe while enjoying the outdoors.     She is a collaborative partner with Difference Makers (10 Strong) and has traveled the world speaking and facilitating workshops at military installations, colleges, high schools, corporations, and private groups.  In 2017 she volunteered in Fiji to teach self-defense to the women and girls in local villages.     On her spare time, Nicole loves to hike, camp, horseback ride, play sports and travel the world; often on her own and is an active volunteer in her community.   Show notes What Nicole does Family Travelling solo for the first time Learning self defence  Wanting to be prepared  Getting involved in a social justice group Girls Fight Back Becoming the CEO of Girls Fight Back Practical tips and advice Trusting your intuition  The Gift of Fear - By Gavin de Becker Working in Fiji  The power of education Black Girls Trekking Dealing with fears for new hikers hiking for the first time Doing a land acknowledgement Hiking in New Zealand Why hiking is meditative  The restorative power of nature Dealing with Covid Taking the Girls Fight Back program online Becoming an urban hiker Tips and advice for new hikers Doing preparation for your hike You are powerful - You are a force Plans for the future of Girls Fight Back Dreaming big   Social Media   Website http://www.girlsfightback.com    Facebook @girlsfightback   Instagram @adventuresofnik @girlsfightback @studentsfightback Twitter @girlsfightback

On the 5th Year Anniversary of the Tough Girl Podcast I’ve taken this as an opportunity to share more about what’s been going on over the past 12 months and sharing more about what’s been happening behind the scenes and answering questions from the patrons and members of the tough girl tribe community.    If you would like to listen to other solo episodes these can be found here:   2016 - Reflections for 2016 & Plans for 2017 (Released 30th December 2016)   2017 - Reflecting on 2017 and the plans for 2018 (Released 30th Dec 2017)   2018 - Reflections on 2018 and the start of 2019. Plus plans for Tough Girl Challenges. (Released 4th August 2019)   ********************************************************   Marathon des Sables - Sarah Williams - psychological demands and overcoming mental challenges, being interviewed by Ali Mahoney-Johnson (6th October 2016)   Boxing - Sarah Williams - answering all your questions about Boxing! (Released 8th December 2018)   Appalachian Trail - Sarah Williams - Thru hiking the Appalachian Trail (2,190 miles) in 100 days! (Released 19th September 2017)   Pacific Coast Highway - Sarah Williams - Planning and Preparation for the Pacific Coast Highway & the Baja Divide! (4th September 2018)   Pacific Coast Highway - Sarah Williams - Cycling the Pacific Coast Highway & the Baja Divide! (Released 24th December 2018)   ******************************************************** 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 I am and what I do  A brief history of my background The start of Tough Girl Challenges in 2014 Personal challenges The mission of the tough girl podcast Why I started the Tough Girl Podcast Starting on the 4th August 2015 The lack of female role models Not wanting to complain about it Finding guests Doing batch interviewing Reflecting back over the past year August 2019 onwards Not having any plans in 2019 Pre-loading podcast content until the end of November Keeping my options open Working with Cicerone  Walking the Camino Portuguese Speaking with Kat Davies about walking the Lycian Way, Turkey Starting 2020 in Australia  The first 6 months of the year The challenges of adventuring with somewhere else Getting the balance right Using the world Harmony  Don’t compare yourself to other people Doing long solo trips and loneliness Training and working with a personal trainer Luxury Items…. Having doubts on the Overland Track Inspiration…. What would I do differently What I’ve learned about myself Being patience and enjoying the journey  Numbers from the podcast and Social Media! Hitting 1 Million downloads in December 2019 50,000 listens in 1 month…. What is next… What 2020 was going to be.. 10 year plan… Being at home  Wanting to be the most productive person I could be… Getting out of good habits Final 6 month of the year Not wanting to waste this time Needing a goal to work towards for the end of the year Focus on podcasting, health and building strength THANK YOU to YOU!! Getting closer to hitting 300 patrons - currently at 288 Patrons strong!!!  Being worried about Covid and it’s impact Focusing on what I can control    Social Media   ✩ Twitter - @_TOUGH_GIRL  ✩ Instagram - @toughgirlchallenges  ✩ FaceBook - @toughgirlchallenges  ✩ Pinterest - https://uk.pinterest.com/Tough101/  ✩ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/ToughGirlPodcast?ty=h ✩YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/SarahWilliamsToughGirlChallenges  

Mya-Rose in her own words:   “I love birds and wildlife & am a naturalist, conservationist and environmentalist wanting to save our planet and everything on it. I believe that we have to do everything we can to save the environment from damage and I want to try and persuade as many people about that as possible, especially those in power.    Birding in different countries has given me the opportunity to see the damage being inflicted on places and the indigenous peoples who live in them, by our consumerism in the Global North. I believe that climate activism must demand global climate justice which is not happening at the moment.   I am an anti-racism activist, writer, speaker, journalism and broadcaster. I have had over four and a half million views on my blog, www.birdgirl.com from around the world.    I am also an anti-racism activist and campaigner, fighting for Visible Minority (VME) Ethnic people to have equal access to nature and wildlife films. I also fight for the rights of indigenous peoples especially against the conservation movement.”     Show notes How she got the name “Bird Girl” Her passion for birding What twitching is How does bird watching work? Being a competitive bird watcher when she was younger Seeing over half the world birds! Her favourite place to birdwatch  A favourite bird…. Birding in Brazil Female role models in birding Being inspired by - Phoebe Snetsinger  Liking birding in a non scientific way Wanting to study Politics and International Relations at University Her passion for the environment and life as an activist Black to Nature Being involved in campaigns  Dealing with the pressure of an online presence Starting a conversation about race  Being an Ambassador for Bristol 2015 focusing on green issues Maintaining momentum Planning…. Learning new skills Advice and tips for people who want to get into activism Why you do have a voice  The power of talking about what you care about Making sure not to burn yourself out ‘C’ Licence - what is it? Birdwatching in the UK Advocating for trees and why they are so important Plans for the future Gaining in confidence Having difficult conversations Final words of advice    Social Media   Website - http://www.birdgirluk.com   Facebook - @myarosebirdgirlcraig   Instagram @BirdgirlUK   Twitter @BirdgirlUK

Saray is the first black African woman to ski to the South Pole and summit Mt Everest 66 years after the mountain was first summited in 1953.     Saray is an award-winning mountaineer and a business executive with over 18 years’ experience in industry leading blue-chip companies which drive innovation and change both locally and internationally.    Through mountaineering and @summitswithapurpose, she has raised over R1.5 million towards literacy and education in Africa.  As a Mandela Libraries ambassador and a social entrepreneur Saray continues to push boundaries both professionally and in mountaineering.   You can listen to Saray on the Tough Girl Podcast, new episodes are every Tuesday at 7am UK time!   Show notes Who is Saray What life was like growing up Being 1 of 7 girls Her passion for education  The sky is the limit Being a tomboy Being part of a community Why education is so important Why the world is a global village Losing her older sister Wanting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro  Making the decision to climb the 7 summits (the 7 highest mountains on every continent) How it evolved into the Explorers Grand Slam Summits with a Purpose Encouraging other people to get outdoors Finding a mentor Needing to train differently for every adventure Her first Mt Everest summit attempt in 2014 Struggling to find sponsorship and self funding the adventure Making the decision to go back Mt Everest in 2015 Becoming more committed Being in an earthquake in 2015 on Mt Everest Going to pray Almost dying in 2016 after a mountain biking accident put her in a coma for 3 weeks Recognising and celebrating the small wins  Getting 100m from the summit Being left to die in the dead zone on Mt Everest Starting to question everything Risk versus reward Figure out the why  Figure out what you can do differently and go back Deciding to go back in 2019 Feeling invincible and ready to take on anything Failing forward Leaning how to ski at the South Pole Only being able to trust her compass Mental resilience and determination during challenges Coping with Covid   Social Media    Website https://www.saraykhumalo.com    Facebook @saraykhumaloSpeaker   Instagram @saraykhumalo   Twitter  @saraykhumalo

Zahrah is a Muslim woman of South Asian heritage, who lives in Scotland. Zahrah got into hiking three years ago when a friend took her out for a walk to reduce the stress of her chartered accountant exams. Zahrah shares her walks on instagram where she is know as @the_hillwalking_hijabi.   Zahrah is passionate about getting people outdoors, she share her walks and hopes others will be inspired to give it a go. Zahrah especially wants to help encourage other Muslim women to spend time outdoors, so that they too can experience the physical and mental benefits which she enjoys.    During this episode Zahrah shares more about how she got into walking, what it was like taking on Ben Nevis and what keeps her motivated when things get tough, she also shares more about the benefits that she has enjoyed from spending time outside.    You can listen to Zahrah on the Tough Girl Podcast, new episodes are every Tuesday at 7am UK time!     Show notes Getting into hill walking What it was like going into the hills for the first time Not getting hooked straight away The relief of making it to the top Chatting about gear Gaining confidence in the hills Getting support from the online community Dealing with stereotypes in the hills Sharing her stories on Instagram Keeping motivated when things get tough Snacks  How hillwalking has helped with self confidence and stress Going through a divorce Climbing Ben Nevis Maintaining fitness Quick Fire Questions Final words of advice   Social Media   Instagram @the_hillwalking_hijabi   Blog - https://thehillwalkinghijabi.wordpress.com

Karen Darke is a British Paraplegic adventurer, athlete and author. Karen was a keen runner and mountaineer (climbing both Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn), however, at 21 years old, she was paralysed from the chest down following an accident, whilst sea cliff climbing.    Karen has continues to go follow her interests and passions and loves going on adventures, which have included, hand cycling over 2,000 miles from Canada to Mexico down the Pacific Coast Highway, which she did in 2017.    Karen also become the first paraplegic woman to handcycle across the Himalayas, sea kayak from Canada to Alaska (1500 km, 2003), skied across the Greenland Ice Cap (a trip of over 600 kilometres, 2006), and climbed the kilometre high overhanging rock-face of El Capitan. She has also hand-cycled down the Silk Route, the length of Japan and across Tibet.    During this episode Karen share more about her personal challenges, Quest 79 and the Pole of Possibility.   You can listen to Karen on the Tough Girl Podcast, new episodes are every Tuesday at 7am UK time!   Show notes Being a modern day Alchemist Why 79 is such a special number What quest 79 is Wanting to encourage other people to step outside their comfort zone Winning the gold medal at Rio The defining moments in her career Surprising herself with her performance Working with a sports psychologist Asking the question - Who am I? Who are you? The Wild Way Having something to look forward to after the Rio Olympics Getting resupply on the route Struggling to wild camp in Chile  Loving the Himalayas  Dealing with descents  Riding into Katmandu Not being supported by a team Doing adventures and journeys with people you don’t know Overcoming challenges Working towards a common goal The pole of possibility The importance of having a purpose Partnering with the Polar Academy  Dealing with the cold Regulating her body temperature 79 is the atomic number for gold Inner gold Why it’s always about the journey The connection of the inner and outer worlds Learning from every journey  Why you have to feel your emotions How Covid has impacted on Karen Writing books The Adventure Mindset Program Final words of advice   Social Media   Website - https://www.karendarke.com    Facebook @karenquest79   Instagram @handbikedarke   Twitter @kdarke