Tough Girl Podcast

Born and raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sara is a passionate climber who spends her weekends and holidays exploring the mountains of her homeland mapping out new boulder fields and establishing first ascents. With the help of her husband, Sara has assisted in establishing almost 100 new boulder problems in the UAE and has outlined 200 more boulders ready for developing.  Sara is currently working with her husband on creating a UAE bouldering guidebook. In an era when outdoor sports are diversifying and becoming more inclusive, Sara wants to provide inspiration for those, like herself, who have had little representation in the past, and to highlight to Arab women that they need to play an active role in how their country's outdoor sports scene develops.  When she is not practicing law or exploring the mountains, Sara spends her time empowering young Arab women to pursue a career in law, and has recently been invited to speak on TEDx about this topic further.      Show notes Who is Sara How the past 2

In 2018, Laura rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic ocean, unsupported, in a team of four other women. The challenge took 43 days to complete and when the crossed the finish line in Antigua they were the fastest female team in 2018. “A shopaholic, beauty salon owner - turned minimalist in training endurance athlete"  Laura was part of the tough girl - 7 women - 7 challenges in 2017 and we followed her row around Great Britain, a rowing journey of 1,800 miles in a mixed team of four, which took 56 days to complete. We interviewed Laura 6 times throughout 2017 and Laura shared the whole journey with us, from having the idea, to turning this dream into a reality, the ups and the downs, the challenges faced and what she learnt along the way, she demonstrated resilience, determination, focus and a strong belief in herself and showed everyone what goes into making your dreams a reality. During this podcast episode, Laura shares more about what it was like to fulfil her ambition of rowing across the Atlantic ocean,

Caroline Van Hemert, PhD, is a biologist, writer, and adventurer whose journeys have taken her from the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean to the swamps of the Okavango Delta  In March of 2012 she and her husband (Pat) set off on a 4,000-mile wilderness journey from the Pacific rainforest to the Alaskan Arctic, traveling by rowboat, ski, foot, raft, and canoe.  Together, they survived harrowing dangers while also experiencing incredible moments of joy and grace -- migrating birds silhouetted against the moon, the steamy breath of caribou, and the bond that comes from sharing such experiences. During this podcast, Caroline shares more about her love of nature and birds. Plus,why she decided to embark on this adventure, she talks through the planning, logistics, finances, the challenges faced and what she learned from this experience. Caroline has also published her first book about this challenge - The Sun is a Compass.  Show notes Caroline introduces herself Growing up in Alaska Studying for her PHD - birds and bi

During this podcast we catch up with Leanne Spencer who we first spoke with in June 2018. Since we last spoke Leanne and her partner Antonia have gone on to complete the world toughest ski race - the arctic circle race in Greenland. We learn more about the reasons behind the challenge, how they trained and prepared, what it was like when they were over there, the challenges they faced, from going to the toilet to dealing with the stress and anxiety from the race. They share top tips and advice which you will be able to apply to your own personal challenge.  Leanne are Antonia are super down to earth, very friendly and have a wealth of experience to share! Enjoy!  But be warned listening to this episode will encourage you to go after your own personal challenge!  Leanne Spencer Leanne is an award-winning entrepreneur, Six Signals® Coach, double-bestselling author and TEDx Speaker. Along with Antonia, she is the co-founder of Bodyshot. Leanne regularly speaks to audiences all over the UK on topics around fitnes

Sara is an Adventurer at Heart. She is a woman who believes in truth, inspiration and hope in life. Sara believes that we all have the power within to become our best self and Live Life Boldly.  During this podcast Sara shares more about the challenges she has faced, how she overcame them and why getting back to nature helped her. Sarah shares more about hiking and guiding in the Grand Canyon and how she recently supported Shawn Cheshire in her world record to become to become the fastest blind woman to hike Rim to Rim to Rim (42 miles in 24 hrs 15 mins) Sara also shares why age is just a number and why she is joy junkie. By listening to this episode you will be motivated and inspired to go after your own personal challenges *Please be aware during this episode we do talk briefly about rape (we don’t go into specifics). Show notes Sara introduces herself  Being born and raised in a small town, with 2 brothers Being a teacher and getting married at a young age Moving to California Being cheated on by her husb

Chrissie Wellington is the world's No 1 female Ironman triathlete, a four times World Champion. In 2009 she was voted 'Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year' and in 2010 was awarded the MBE. She is the undefeated champion of Triathlon, having won thirteen Ironman titles from thirteen races. She set a new World Record of 8 hours19:13 at Quelle Roth Germany in 2010.  Chrissie has displayed unprecedented levels of stamina, strength and competitiveness in becoming Ironman World Champion in only her second event at Ironman level. Her victory in Kona, Hawaii in 2007 finishing five minutes ahead of her nearest rival was described as the 'biggest upset in Ironman history' and 'a remarkable feat, deemed to be near impossible task for any athlete racing as a rookie at their first Ironman World Championships'.  During this podcast we talk more about her early life, growing up, changing her career direction, going on a 2 year gap year, the reasons behind why she started running and how it evolved into triathlon. Chrissie

Alice took a year long sabbatical from work and since then has walked 1300km across the Te Araroa South Island in New Zealand, wild camped on the Great Wall of China and walked for 10 days along the Tokai Nature Trail in Japan.  During this podcast Alice shares more about growing up, not being sporty but loving the outdoors, how a car accident helped to motivate her to make a change in her life, how she planned for her time off, as well as giving advice and tips for you on enjoying the simple life, hiking and dealing with challenges as they come up.  Show notes Who is Alice Growing up in the Malvern Hills Not being great at sports but loving the outdoors Spending time in Cornwall Navigating through Dartmoor… Wanting to spend time in the mountains and found it harder as she got older Not finding her thing while at university Deciding to take a sabbatical work  Being in a car accident in Norway  How she came to the decision to take a sabbatical Reflecting back on the car crash Deciding on which hiking trail to

Adventurer Her passion for adventure is evident with two world records under her belt so far, including being the first woman to skydive Everest and race semi-wild horses 1000 kms across Mongolia in just nine days. She has raised over £300k for charities through her adventures so far.  Conservationist  Few people know that 96 African elephants are poached each day for their ivory. At this rate they will be extinct in the next decade. Holly has turned this disheartening statistic into a powerful and award-winning campaign, entitled 'How Many Elephants', which presents a physical commentary on the devastating impact of the elephant ivory trade. 2008: WORLD RECORD: FIRST WOMAN TO SKYDIVE MOUNT EVEREST 2009: WORLD RECORD: RACED 1000KMS ACROSS MONGOLIA ON HORSEBACK 2017: SUMMITED MOUNT EVEREST (8848M) Show notes Turing 40 Combining her passions What life was like in her early 20s How 60 seconds of pure terror changed the direction of her life The boldness of youth Working as a sky diving camera women  How her dre

Kate grew up largely in Scotland, bar a few years in Penzance, and now lives in Cumbria with her partner, Chris. She is a keen sea kayaker – preferably around remote, wildlife-rich islands – hill walker and bookworm, as well as a cyclist.  A former university lecturer, first in environmental philosophy and then outdoor education, Kate now works freelance. Her overall aim is to help deliver a massive wake up call: raising awareness and inspiring effective, intelligent action on some of our most urgent environmental challenges.  Kate has written widely on environmental issues. Her book, The Carbon Cycle, Crossing the Great Divide s based on a bike ride from Texas to Alaska exploring climate change. She is currently writing her next book on her last adventure, cycling South America on a bamboo bike! Show notes Who is Kate Growing up being outdoorsy but not being sporty Taking a gap year after school and falling in love with bikes Her first big cycle challenge (1986) Being inspired by - The Crane Cousins - Bicyc

In April 2018, Anna Blackwell and Kate Culverwell set out on a world first tandem kayak expedition from England to the Black Sea. This journey saw them paddle over 4000km along canals and rivers through 11 countries, including navigating almost the entire length of the Danube River, Europe’s second longest river. The expedition was raising money for Pancreatic Cancer Action in memory of Kate's father, David Culverwell. While paddling, Kate and Anna also collected data to contribute to the research of FreshWater Watch, an Earthwatch research project investigating the health of global freshwater ecosystems. Show notes Being a full time adventurer Dedicating her life to adventure Learning more about Anna Deciding on the next challenge Explorers Connect - Belinda Kirk How she ended up partnering up with Kate Culverwell Hitting it off straight away Funding the expedition 6 months to finish the route, sort out the kit, training and financing the challenge Budgeting and costs for the trip £15,000 of financial spons

Di is a global leader and award-winning woman of influence who has inspired more than 30,000 people off the couch through shared hiking adventures, while raising over $30 million for charity and helping women lead adventurous lives they love. She does work she loves with people she loves the way she loves and she’s keen to help families, friends and workers do the same. She is passionate about motivating women to lead adventurous lives they love, creating pleasure, power and productivity from hiking adventures. She has climbed many extreme altitude peaks and holds the record for the world’s highest handstand on Mt Ama Dablam, 6,982m, Nepal. Show notes Growing up and having an adventurous spirit Having a difficult time as a teenager  Looking for alternative places to achieve her dreams Being called - bossy when she was younger Learning about leadership Getting injured after becoming the Australian National Champion in Gymnastics Deciding to become a PE teacher Discovering adventure in her 40s Turning 40 and w

Bex started out with her blog, The Ordinary Adventurer, in 2016 and a year later founded Love Her Wild. In just over a year, she grew the community to over 5,000. Her blog now receives over 10,000 visitors a month and she regularly delivers talks and sell-out expeditions. She was shortlisted for TGO personality of the year 2017 and made the 2018 San Miguel Rich List. Since we last spoke with Bex in 2017, Bex has gone on to do numerous challenges and expeditions, which have included; kick scooting the length of the United States from Vancouver in Canada to Mexico, hikes in Israel, climbing mountains in India and eco trips in Africa. During this podcast Bex shares more about her adventures, the issues of fundraising, getting sponsorship, how she handles the stress of being on the road and making decisions, and why after 3 years she has decided to have a permanent base for a while.   Show notes Where is Bex currently? Kicking the States! 1750 miles from Canada to Mexico on a scooter! Putting personal adventure

Georgina credits the mountains and a life of adventure to shaping who she is today. She is passionate about sharing the gift of adventure and wellness with others to unleash the power within and enjoy life a bit better. Georgina is a social entrepreneur, adventurer, public speaker, consultant, and coach combining over a decade of Corporate, Start-up, and Adventure experience. She is a social innovator working to accelerate gender equality globally and exploring new ways to unleash full human potential in life and business from a holistic mind, body, spirit approach. She's passionate about building healthier and more socially conscious entrepreneurial ecosystems that combine business and spirituality. She firmly believes that women are the world's largest untapped resource and that given the proper resources and equal opportunities they can change the world. She’s on a mission to do her part to change this statistic.  As an accomplished mountaineer, climbing 6 of the 7 highest peaks on each continent, includin

Following the breakdown of her marriage and at the age of 48 in 1998 Jacqui decides to leave her job in health visiting and set off on a years adventure, alone backpacking in South East Asia. This was to be the beginning of a journey that left conformity a distant memory. Finding herself bitten by the travel bug she then set off again, at the age of 50 with the Dutch Man this time combining her love of travel with her other passion … motorcycling. During this podcast Jacqui share stories from her 7 years on the road, where she visited 20 countries with no plan. Jacqui speaks with warmth and an openness, sharing the mishaps, the mistakes, the broken leg, the food, and how she dealt with storms, castaways and pirates!  Show notes Currently living in Tasmania, Australia  Heading off to go backpacking at 48 Having her marriage breakdown Liking travelling and meeting awesome people Meeting the Dutch man Deciding to buy a motorcycle to travel around the world Deciding to travel solo  Reactions of friends and famil

Jenny is passionate about human powered endurance challenges and loves combining this with her love of the mountains. At the moment, Jenny is making her way around the globe, running across a mountain range on every continent. In 2016 she ran across the Tien Shan of Kyrgyzstan, in 2017 she ran across the Atlas of Morocco, and most recently ran across the Bolivian Andes. In 2019 Jenny will be tackling her fourth expedition, the Southern Alps in New Zealand!  Jenny first came on the tough girl podcast in February 2017 when she shared more about her first challenge, exploring the Yukon of North Canada by cycling over 3,000 km. After her ride to Yukon, suddenly being fit enough to take on a running endurance challenge seemed like a possibility. Jenny decided to run solo, self-supported across Kyrgyzstan over 900km! On the Tough Girl podcast, Jenny Tough shared stories from several of her adventures and the lessons she learned along the way. Whether you’re thinking about a major challenge or want a little more adv

Callie 32, is a winter sports enthusiast who loves skiing and being in the mountains. She grew up in Southern California, before moving over to Alaska. One of Callie’s first challenges was bike touring from Dushanbe, Tajikistan to Ulaan Baaar, Mongolia. Callie has then gone on to successfully climb Mount Denali the highest mountain in North America and Aconcagua the highest mountain in South America.  Both were unguided expeditions! Her most recent challenge led her to complete a 5,000 mile unsupported ski, kayak and bike from Arctic Russia (in mid-winter), to the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul!  During this podcast Callie talks about her journey, the challenges she has faced along the way, the high points, the low points, the dangers and realities of being out on the road. What she has learned about being brave and why women should get out there. Show notes Who is Callie Growing up in California and moving to Alaska 10 years ago How a SoCal girl ended up in Alaska! Going to university and taking extra classes

Favia is a 30 year old Pathologist living in New Mexico, she is a keen climber and has been a competitor on American Ninja Warrior! During this podcast Favia shares more about her life, growing up with a single mum, going to Harvard University, deciding to go to medical school and what it was like being diagnosed with cancer. Favia, shares more about the challenges she faced and overcame and why climbing is such an important part of her life.  Favia gives practical advice and top tips about how to schedule your time to be efficient and, why you may have to say no. Favia talks about mental sadness, the feeling of frustration and angry while dealing with cancer and how she managed to get through the chemotherapy and the recovery process to be able to start living her life again. Show notes Favia introduces herself Her childhood and being raised by a single mum Attending Harvard University Going to Colombia to get her Masters and coming across rock climbing Not liking climbing to start with Setting the goal to

We first spoke with Jessica after she had successfully completed her thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2015. Since then Jessica has continued to share her backpacking and hiking advice though her website and hugely popular Youtube channel  - Homemade Wanderlust (well worth checking out - over 150,000 subscribers!) Jessica talks very openly about her dreams, doing what she loves, the challenges out on the trail as well as how she is funding her life. I am inspired by Dixie and what she has achieved and I know you will be as well. Enjoy this episode! Show notes What does she prefer to be called? How Dixie would introduce herself Completing the recipe to be successful.. but not being happy Doing what she loves Listen to Jessica when she shares more about hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2015 Getting back home after the Appalachian Trail Wanting to get hiking again Doing a wide variety of different jobs while growing her youtube channel 2017 and doing the Pacific Crest Trail - the why and the how Learning abo

Verónica is a retired diver from Argentina. She earned a spot in the Olympic finals with appearances in 1980 (Moscow, Russia), 1984 (Los Angeles, Calif.), 1988 (Seoul, South Korea) and 1992 (Barcelona, Spain), with best finishes of eighth on the platform and 10th on the springboard, both at the 1992 Games. She was the only female competitor to make finals in both events in Barcelona. She is a 12-time South American champion (1980-92) while competing for her native country of Argentina, winning championships on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards and the platform. Ribot-Canales later captured a pair of U.S. national titles in the 3-meter in 1992 and 1993 before retiring in 1996 after her fourth year as a member of the U.S. national team.  Veronica’s journey continued on from being a very driven and competitive diver at the international level, to taking up SUP racing and yoga in her late 50s. Veronica shares more about her life, the challenges she has faced and overcome and how she stays physically active, es

Ayesha is working tirelessly towards this goal and is determined to take every opportunity that comes available to make this happen. She is extremely passionate about creating representation in cycling that will encourage and inspire other African-American women and youth to follow their dreams, whatever they may be.  #aquickbrownfox #representationmatters Show notes Ayesha on her mission and passion for cycling Going back to her childhood and coming from a sporty family How her cycling developed - which started with commuting and why she loved it How commuting open up her access to the city and enabled her to take on different jobs How it all started with ally cat races Her first race - 2014 Type 2 fun and why it was a horrible experience Why she decided to carry on Why she is still learning Deciding to go professional Advocacy and what she’s doing Focus on content creation Starting her own blog and podcast podcast - A quick brown fox Being inspired by how people got there in the first place Crashing out of