Tough Girl Podcast

Beth French, an ultra-marathon open-sea ocean swimmer who was once a Buddhist nun, a single mother who home schools her autistic son and an adventurer who suffered from a crippling illness (M.E. aka Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) in her youth.  During this podcast we speak to Beth about her journey to swim across the seven most dangerous sea-channels in the world, an official challenge called ‘Oceans Seven'. For extreme swimmers it’s the ultimate test; only a handful of people have ever completed it, but it took them many years. In September 2016, Beth set out to become the first person ever to conquer Oceans Seven in a 12-months period. Her motivation: to prove to her autistic son that you are not determined by your circumstances and that you can fulfill your dreams and ambitions by confronting obstacles head on. Show notes Not living close to the water Self employed single mum who home schools her son with autistic needs and sea swims for sanity Having ME as a teenager… What life was like growing up - the challenges she faces and how she overcame them Not being able to walk.. Coping strategies to numb the pain Hitting rock bottom Going to see an alternative therapist  Being told it was her fault at 17 Writing a wish list  Having a wake up call and taking responsibility for her life Becoming a Buddhist Nun - meditating for 17 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months Having a 2 week holiday which turned into an 8 year adventure! Swimming in the ocean and falling in love with it Learning the mental side of endurance Being told she couldn’t have kids… Getting pregnant and being terrified Wanting to adventure with her baby Can she do it with a baby? How did she? Her version of motherhood The Channel Swim! Generating the right emotions to push her through How to be true to you and to live your truth Why you should be full of yourself Not celebrating Heading to Hawaii for the winter What’s going on inside her head while she’s swimming Tattoos and why she has them Vulnerability as a strength and what’s she learn’t Why she stopped her last project - Oceans 7 Going for the world record and pulling the plug on it Making the toughest decision she has even made The next challenge/adventure! Top tips… advice.. Learn more about Beth via her social media channels- see below!   “I'm in it to swim it and it's not over till I run out of water.”    Social Media   Website - http://bethfrench.co.uk Twitter - @bethsbigswim  https://twitter.com/bethsbigswim Instagram - @bethfrenchlives  https://www.instagram.com/bethfrenchlives/ Facebook  @bethfrenchlives https://www.facebook.com/bethfrenchlives/    On Thursday - hear more from Beth on Tough Girl Extra - The Quick Fire Round!!  

What a journey it has been! There have been high points (a new baby!), low points (trying to raise £21K), focus, dedication, commitment, success and failure. New skills have been learned, new challenges ticked off bucket lists and fears overcome. I would like to extend a massive thank you to all of the seven women who have been involved in this project since December 2016. It is not easy to put yourself out there, and to share your story with the world (the tough girl podcast is listened to in 172 countries). These women, all stepped up, they have shared honestly about their experience, the good bits and the bad and I hope you have all managed to take something away from all of their collective experiences. For the full show notes - please visit www.toughgirlchallenges.com Please become a patron at www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast  

2017! What a year it has been!! So much has been achieved, but where has the time gone? The weeks have disappeared and flown by! I for one am so excited to be able to look back on the year and see what I've learned on this journey! Here is to a fantastic 2018 as well!! You can listen to my reflections on 2016 and plans for 2017 here -  https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/single-post/2016/12/30/Tough-Girl-Reflections-for-2016-Plans-for-2017 Show notes Tough Girl Challenges was started in 2014 What I do and why I do it Questions to help you reflect on 2017 What went well?  Setting the scene - writing my bio for Web Summit  Not being able to admit what I wanted to do in 2017 Deciding to go for it Breaking the year down into thirds. Having the support of the Tough Girl Team Getting 3.5 months of podcasts uploaded Watch the vlogs from the Appalachian Trail - HERE Listen to my interview about the AppalachianTrail - HERE Vlog 97… the emotions… October - starting my Masters… Not giving 100% to everything I’m doing The growth of Patreon - 150 Patrons Number  - Tough Girl Daily - 22,000 downloads, Twitter 7,707, Instagram 6,677 What might not have gone so well? Very comfortable in my bed and in my comfort zone Wanting to get more into vlogging What surprised me? The kindness of strangers, the patrons, family & friends What did this year teach me? Completing 3 goals….out of 7! 433,000 downloads… What do you need to leave behind? Knowing the value of my worth It has to be a business and not an expensive hobby 2018 areas of focus - podcast (500,000 downloads), masters, the tough girl tribe I have to move out of home in 2018 2018 is going to be the Year of the…. Tribe Tribees… (Love this so much!!) Big picture ideas… Internship with the UN? Travelling…? Lots of variables….  1000 patrons….. who knows what would happen! Being open to new opportunities Wanting to do another big challenge…..  Top Goals… Ideas for the tribe… events… leaflets…stash… meeting tribe members THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! Please do take the time to reflect on your own personal journey.

Megan has spent time working and living with native communities all around the world, from the San bushmen in Africa to the Sami reindeer herders in the Arctic to the Iban jungle dwellers in Borneo and many more. Most of her expeditions involve working closely with native peoples and she always aims to support local communities where possible. Megan’s primal drive to travel and explore means she can often be found breaking trail through waist deep snow, swinging in her hammock in the depths of a jungle or sharing stories sat around a campfire under the desert stars. Megan’s Knowledge and skills make her a world leading expert in all aspects of remote wilderness area expeditions, survival and TV filming. “In the wilderness the only person you are in competition with is yourself. You should constantly strive to be better, to push your own limits and explore your own relationship with the environment.”   Show notes Working in the UK - for once! Growing up as the oldest of 4 children Heading up Snowdon at a young age Finding the Military Cadets Why it was never about gender Careers outside academia? Taking a gap year and going back to uni Travelling the world Going down the mountaineering route Having a love - hate relationship with the jungle Running into trouble Developing a coping mechanism for dealing with stressful situations Getting push back on decisions Being chased by Drug Cartels with AK47s Connecting with local communities Moving back to North Wales Maintaining her fitness Building in yoga and stretching Where the book came from The mental aspects and psychology of survival  What makes people resilient? Advice for women trying to get into the industry Do you enjoy being outside? Her favourite pieces of gear Plans for 2018 Would she leave it all for a 9 to 5 job? A lifestyle or a job Having a back up plan Getting her dog - Tugg How to get a signed copy of her book Final words of advice Learn more about Megan and visit her website - http://meganhine.com

Laura is a British adventure athlete with a passion for the endurance capability of the human body.  A strong believer in the positive impact that adventure and sport can have on children and adults alike, Laura uses her human powered journeys as a platform to inspire and encourage others to get outside. Previous adventures include solo kayaking in Russia, solo cycling the world's longest coastal route in Ireland and circumnavigating three of the Channel Islands using three different sporting disciplines as part of a rather extreme triathlon! Show notes Learning more about Laura Growing up on a farm then going to theatre school Falling in love with sport again What can I get my body to do? How a pub quiz led her to wanting to kayak the longest river in Russia 8 months to prepare for her first big challenge - Including funding… Telling her parents about her challenge Getting into Russia and the first 24hrs not going to plan Having her trip go viral on social media….. Tracking/being tracked? 8,000 views on her tracker map every day… Where is Laura? Bring stalked? Enforced hospitality… Feeling vulnerable and deciding what to do about it “there is a fine line between being a badass and being a dumb-ass” Her learnings from Russia and why she’s ok with failure Deciding to cycle across Ireland Being a women and being mindful when traveling and doing adventures The Wild Atlantic Way…. Planning the trip and the challenges involved especially getting use to wild camping again Wanting to prove something to herself Dealing with the miserable days! Paddling the Thames home as a fun mini challenge! Making up her own triathlon around the Channel Islands! Why she loved the cycling! Pushing her body to her limits - her tips and tricks Having a busy 2017 and working with Keen #TrailFit Tackling her fear of running & why she thought she would never be a runner Getting people to take the first step Why fun is so important! Future plans and adventures - working with schools Mindfulness  Struggling with balance Final words of advice and why you should follow your own inner spark Learn more about  Laura! Website - https://www.lauraexplorer.com Twitter @KenningtonLA  Instagram @laurakairos   Facebook @kenningtonlaura   

An adrenaline junkie, Della has completed marathons, 100km walks and skydives, and is currently into walking, cycling and photographing nature along the way.  Della was a circumnavigator on Hull and Humber in the 09-10 Clipper Race and then returned for numerous legs of the 11-12 race as a videographer/producer with then Clipper Race documentary makers, North One. She now works for Clipper helping to inspire other people to take on the challenge of a life time!  During this podcast we learn more about Della, what drives her and why she wanted to take on this challenge! “The race was a hugely challenging, positive and inspiring experience for me. It was a huge learning curve and it did change my life” Show notes Who is Della? Why she wants to live an adventurous life Being happiest in nature and having a love of the water What is was like for her growing up Adventurous jobs and leaving home at 18! How she got into sailing! Wanting to make a change - but not being brave enough  Having no money… Starting her training and not knowing what to expect Getting out of her rut and what she has leant  Achieving all of her goals Having a career break - Doing Camp America & doing a ski season! Following her gut instinct and knowing she wanted to sail around the world Making the decision and getting to the start line Using your friends and working with other women to make it happen - make sure you do ask for help 9 months to get ready for the first stage of the race Working with local school so children could follow the race Going in with an open mind and her first day stepping onto the boat When reality struck… and getting to meet new people on each leg of the trip The days that stand out! The good and the bad! Dealing with challenges while out on the sea… Reflecting back on what she learnt from the experience Having more confidence in her own abilities Working for the Clipper Yacht Race!   Social Media Links Della Della’s Website - http://www.dellaroundtheworld.com  Twitter - @MissDellarella  Clipper Yacht Race Clipper Yacht Race Website - clipperroundtheworld.com Twitter - @ClipperRace  Facebook - @clipperroundtheworld 

Jen was born without legs & put up for adoption, her amazing adoptive family, gave her one simple rule, “Never say the word, Can’t.” As a child, she was obsessed with gymnastics, and her idol was gold-medalist, Dominique Moceanu.  Seemingly against all odds, she went on to compete against able-bodied athletes, and became a State Champion in power tumbling. As part of her story, and also as a twist of fate, she later learned that her childhood gymnastics idol, Dominique Moceanu, was actually her biological sister! Jen transitioned into an accomplished acrobat and aerialist. She traveled internationally with Britney Spears’ World Tour, and appeared as the headliner at the prestigious Palazzo hotel in Las Vegas, New York’s Lincoln Center and the Shangri La Hotel in Dubai. Jen is currently living in Los Angeles, and her goal is “to inspire & motivate others to BELIEVE that anything is truly possible.” Show notes Growing up, her childhood & the amazing memories! Being passionate about community and why she is a product of her community Knowing she was adopted from a young age Having her identity linked to sports and being an athlete Gymnastics and becoming obsessed Moving away from home and leaving the protection of family and friends Dealing with new reactions Learning more about people and controlling her emotions Writing her book - “Everything is Possible” Getting a new tattoo Life on the road and travelling the world Working with Britney Spears Dealing with the pressure Developing new skills that she could apply to other areas of her life The dream list Her love of travel and why it has changed her life Visiting the great wall of China Her idol in gymnastics Finding out about her biological family How her whole life changed in 2008  Future plans - heading to New Zealand  Words of advice   Learn more about Jen Visit her website  Follow on Twitter - @JenBricker1  Facebook - Jen Bricker   Instagram - @Jenbricker    

Anna Blackwell - The Going-on of an Adventurer! Walking 500 and 1000 miles across France and Spain along ancient pilgrimage routes Anna is a 24-year-old adventurer who has a love of the great outdoors and pushing her limits. This has led her to completing a series of adventures over the last few years: trekking across the wilderness of arctic Sweden with just reindeer for company, walking 500 and 1000 miles across France and Spain along ancient pilgrimage routes, summiting the highest peak in North Africa, and hitch-hiking to Morocco (amongst plenty of others!) 2017 has been a slightly unusual year for her as she’s been working full-time for the majority of it, but she’s still found time for some fun, whether in the form of tackling my first 4000m mountain in North Africa, attempts at trekking in Arctic Norway, or just setting up her bivvy bag to sleep under the stars on a hillside in Oxfordshire! Show notes Finishing university  Not being sporty but loving the outdoors Camping with her Dad Hating the Duke of Edinburgh What changed? Dropping out of uni and travelling solo Figuring out what she wanted to do with her life  Deciding what adventures to go on Why walking 500 miles wasn’t enough of a challenge Deciding to walk 1000 miles Not doing that much planning and throwing herself into it Not needing all the stuff she had The lifestyle Getting up at 4.30 in the morning to catch the sunrise Coming to the end of her first adventure Not living in the past Being underwhelmed by the finish Thinking about what she was going to do next! Lonely? Getting through the challenging sections Know yourself - know your body Getting away from it all - including the people Deep thinking - Deep Questions Kindle - Camera - Journal Remaining positive through out the bad weather What’s next?! April 2018…. The Plan Having an adventure mindset Advice for you! Tribes!

Melissa Urie - Nurse from Australia who was the 2nd Women to ever finish the EPIC 5 - 5 Ironman in 5 days across 5 different islands in Hawaii! Melissa is the second woman ever to finish the Epic 5 - an event which consists of doing 5 Ironman distance triathlons (that’s 224km or 140 miles of swimming, cycling and running) every day over 5 days on 5 different Hawaiian Islands! Melissa lives in Melbourne, Australia working as a nurse.  Show notes Growing up and moving to Melbourne Getting into health and fitness New Years Resolution that stuck Around the bay in a day - a cycle race in Melbourne Being naive and not really thinking about it Getting involved in a triathlon and how it has become her lifestyle Nursing and doing shift work and how she fit her training into her life Her 1st Ironman…. Getting a coach Working on her nutrition Not going for a specific time Just surviving the day…. Ultra-man event in Canada Taking it to the next level - why?! Getting injured before a big race and finding out if she could still race Dealing with flat types and being exhausted Being mentally tough Learning from her experience  EPIC 5 - what it is and why she wanted to do it Training and preparation for EPIC 5 What a training day/week looks like  Being on the cusp of over training but managing to get the balance right Being motivated to get up out of bed - “Don’t think just do” Heading out to Hawaii Finding it easy to relax and taper Being the only female & why it is a big deal Dealing with internal pressure that comes from her Celebrating!! Not getting the challenge blues Next challenge!!! Learn more about Melissa Follow on Twitter  @rangamel   You can also listen to Melissa on Sparta Chicks Radio - which goes into more detail about the EPIC 5 Race #014: Melissa Urie on Using Your Mind to Achieve the “Impossible” [Podcast] ************************************************ Want to do more? Become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund my mission If you want to support my mission - you can also donate via PayPal  *****************************************************   You can listen to the Tough Girl Podcast on the go via iTunes, Soundcloud & Stitcher!   *****************************************************

Alice believes that learning to swim is a human right, and that whether you’re swimming your first 25metres, splashing in tarns or crossing the English Channel, swimming can empower our lives both in and out of the water. Alice discovered open water swimming after being knocked off her bike by a lorry on her way to work, the day before her 31 birthday. Waking up on the tarmac as commuter traffic circled around her, too busy to stop to help, she realised it was time to change her path. Since then Alice has pursued her passions of writing, social justice, water and the outdoors. She is contributing Editor of Outdoor Swimmer Magazine, lead scientist at the International Institute of Swim Cake Studies, a qualified swim teacher, Mandarin speaker,  and consultant focusing on projects relating to anti corruption, responsible business, water scarcity, the rule of law and the impact of technology on social and economic development. When not in or writing about water, her research and advocacy  have taken her to China, India, No.10 and the UN. Her swims include: a 4 woman English Channel relay; 2 woman Lake Zurich relay; the Solent; the Thames Marathon; Dart 10k, Sydney Harbour Swim, Scilly Swim Challenge, and the swimmer for Team Mel C vs Team Pendleton in the Human Race Women only triathlon, and competing in the International Winter Swimming Championships in China. Show notes Living in London Getting out into the mountains for the first time Wanting to spend more time outside Going to China! Heading up to Sheffield to study Deciding to be a lawyer The big dream Problems that put life into perspective Losing her connection with health and wellbeing  When it all changed for her Who do I call? Knowing she was going to change her life A Lotus Rises Moving out to Chamonix Getting back into swimming The community of swimmers and how they supported her The Lake Zurich swim and how it changed her life Top tips for outdoor swimming Did you swim today (Forum) Body image issues and getting your body out there The International Institute of Swim Cake! Increasing the amount of people participating in swimming The connection between the pool and the pond Ensuring women are involved in water policy