Tough Girl Podcast

Omie in her own words: "I'm a keen swimmer and swim teacher, having worked in the leisure industry since 2013. In my teaching role I've worked with a variety of different ages and abilities both in the UK and abroad. I have been exploring the issue of diversity in aquatics and the leisure industry with my own project titled, 'If 71% of the world is water, how can we feel at home if we don't know how to swim?'. I currently work for the Black Swimming Association in community engagement and communication and volunteer in my spare time for Pride in Water, and work as a volunteer swim host for Mental Health Swims in the London region." "Swimming has given me so much – employment, friendships and both physical and mental health benefits." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you. Show notes Who is Omie Her work and love for swimming Getting into swimming from a young age Her love for teaching people Not being able to join a swim club Swimming competitively for her school Role models who inspired Omie growing up What she wanted to be Being academic at school Talking with non swimmers Teaching people how to swim Wanting to make people feel as comfortable as possible The joy of swimming Loving outdoor swimming Swimming in London The support of the outdoor swimming community The stress of swimming in pools Advice and tips for outdoor swimming Go with experienced people when it's your first time Why you need to be prepared Working for the Black Swim Association Working on a research project with the University of Portsmouth regarding Bone Density Engaging with community leaders across the UK Mental Health Swims and being a swim host Working with Patagonia in 2021 on the Outsiders Project What's changed in swimming over the past few years Plans for 2022 and wanting to go with the flow a bit more Managing her mental health and putting herself first Needing to talk about other stuff apart from swimming Enjoying reading and writing Needing a creative outlet Connect with Omie on the socials Final words of advice The power of community Being surrounded by people who are proud of you and support you Social Media Website: omie-dale.com Instagram: @omiedale Twitter: @omie_dale

Abhejali Bernardova (44, Czech Republic) of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team completed an extreme ultra-triathlon from Dover to Prague, during which she covered a total of 1111 km across the 3 disciplines: 34 km swimming, 895 km cycling, 182 km running. It took her 7 days, 12 hours and 5 minutes. She started on Monday September 13 2021 at 3am from Dover. In very challenging conditions, with the wind at force 5, she swam the English Channel in 15 hours and 33 minutes. The only other successful crossing on the same day was a 5-person relay team. It was her last chance to swim this year and the swim had already been postponed a few times. Restrictions did not allow her to stay in France, so she had to take a detour back to Dover and then take a ferry to France. She then cycled from Calais to her hometown of Cheb, near the Czech/German border. The cycling leg, which took her 4 days, was approximately 900 kilometres through France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. She arrived in Cheb on Saturday afternoon, then ran 182km to Prague, arriving on Monday afternoon. Her daily average was 220km cycling and 2 marathons running. The Czech athlete successfully completed her first English Channel swim 10 years ago. In 2018 she became the 1st Czech, the 10th person in the world, 4th woman and the 1st person from a landlocked country to complete the Oceans Seven*, seven difficult long-distance swims around the world. She is also the only Czech holder of the Triple Crown** of long-distance swimming. With her ultra-triathlon she aims to connect people and places and inspire others to break down and cross barriers in their own lives. If she can go from the UK to the Czech Republic under her own steam, then we really are closer to each other than we realise, we just put up unnecessary walls between us. She also tries to inspire others to overcome their own limits and show that these limits are often self-created. (*) Oceans Seven include: English Channel, Gibraltrar Strait, Tsugaru Strait, Catalina Channel, Molokai Channel, North Channel, Cook Strait – all solo, non-wetsuit. See also: https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Oceans_Seven (**) The Triple Crown includes: English Channel, Catalina Channel, around Manhattan. https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Open_Water_Swimming New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and sign up - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you. Show notes Her love for swimming in the ocean Wanting to share her adventures Her childhood and growing up in the Czech Republic Learning to swim in Russia Not coming from a sports family Hearing about the English Channel Starting meditation at 18 years old with Sri Chinmoy Wanting to know herself better Wanting to step outside her comfort zone Going to university and getting into running Going after longer and longer distances Running a marathon doing laps "I can do more" Swimming the English Channel in 2011 Getting into flow while swimming Completing the Oceans 7 Challenge in 2018 Coping with the cold water Taking cold showers in the morning Being scared by sharks Beautiful moments while swimming Advice for going further with swimming Tips and advice for recovery Sleeping for 7 hrs a night Being a Peace Ultra Runner The Peace Run Loving the 24hrs races When it gets difficult on the 24hr races Deciding on a new challenge The logistical challenges of putting the plan together Being dependant on the weather for the swim The training involved to get physically ready for the challenge How her body has changed from 34 to 44 Needing more time to recover Finishing in Prague "I can do it - I have already done it" Use your imagination even while training to tell yourself you can do it Why you should DREAM BIG!!! Future dream challenges Adventure blues…. Thank you to Abhejali Social Media Website: abhejali.cz Instagram: @abhejali

Rebecca Lowe is a freelance journalist from London who specialises in human rights and the Middle East. In 2015-16, she cycled 11,000km solo from London to Tehran. Her first book, THE SLOW ROAD TO TEHRAN, documenting her year-long journey, paints a living portrait of the Middle East through its people, politics and historic relationship with the West, and challenges much of the perceived wisdom about this region of the world. It was published in March 2022 by September Books in the UK and MVG in Germany. During her career, Rebecca has written for the Guardian, BBC, Independent, Huffington Post, Economist, Sunday Times Magazine, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Spectator and IranWire, as well as numerous travel, music and sports magazines. From 2010-15, she was the lead reporter at the International Bar Association, where she focused on human rights and the rule of law, and in 2018 she contributed to the adventure travel anthology THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS: TRAVEL STORIES THAT MAKE YOUR HEART GROW, published by Summersdale. Rebecca is a Fellow at the Royal Geographical Society and holds a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University and an MA in Journalism from Stanford University, where she was awarded a scholarship. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. To find out more about supporting the Tough Girl Podcast and becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show Notes Who is Rebecca Being a journalist for over a decade Becoming interested in the Middle East Deciding to quit her job and cycle from London to Iran Becoming a new mum while finishing off her new book The challenges of motherhood and juggling work Being adventurous and having an independent spirit Being into sports and playing with the boys Where her interest in the middle east came from Always wanting to become a writer Explaining what the Arab Spring is (2010- 2011) Her journey with cycling Trying to find a bike via sponsorship Learning to cycle with Panniers Packing everything!! Not feeling prepared before the trip Learning how to deal with new situations Getting into her cycling rhythm Going from West to East Feeling overwhelmed by undertaking big challenges Concerns and fears before starting the journey The challenges of being a journalist while travelling Taking precautions before the trip The benefits of being a woman in the Middle East What it was like day to day Having a budget of £15 per day Trying to avoid the heat The wonderful food! Learning different cultures Getting to the end of the trip and being ready to finish Dealing with punctures Arriving into Tehran and getting to the finish line Missing the Uk The lessons learning from time spend on the road Feeling more confident and being able to cope with new situations Connect with Rebecca Final words of advice Start slowly and push those boundaries Why you can go on Big Adventures Mantra and powerful quotes Social Media Website: thebicyclediaries.co.uk Instagram: @reo_lowe Twitter: @reo_lowe

Kumbi in her own words: "I'm Kumbi, a fun loving adventurous woman. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and came over to England to study nursing when I was 18. I love all things outdoors, from climbing, hiking, camping, cycling. I am a senior nurse in the NHS, and I have been very thankful that I have the ability to go outdoors and destress. It is one of the places that I am able to practice Mindfulness, which has kept me grounded through some of the most challenging times that I have experienced during this pandemic. I hope to share my love and inspire others to explore and be adventurous!" New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. The tough girl podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please check out www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show Notes Who is Kumbi What she does and her love of the outdoors Being an outgoing child Spending time in the outdoors Wanting to be a lawyer Her current role in the NHS Looking at health inequalities Making the move to the UK Growing up speaking English Her university days and not having a car Going back to the start of the pandemic Being redeployed to 111 (Non emergency help line in the UK) Needing to have a break between work and home life Getting back into climbing again Becoming a member of Extreme Sports Central Making the transition from the gym to climbing outside Joining the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) The Women's Trad Festival Overcoming fears while climbing Learning to be kind to herself Breaking problems down step by step Looking at diversity in the sport "Climbing is for all and everyone is welcome" The role models and women she looks up to Learning to be kind to herself Climbing goals for 2022 Magical moments in the outdoors Type 2 and Type 3 fun Being a speaker at Kendal Mountain Festival Wanting to be a role model Final words of advice Social Media Instagram: @here_climbs_krumbles

Nicola Hardy worked in IT in South Yorkshire for a decade before diving into freelance life as an adventurer and outdoor writer in 2019. She began by climbing all 282 of Scotland's Munros and - after her plans to hike 3000km in New Zealand were scuppered by Covid - she continued adventuring closer to home. In 2020 she walked 330km from her birthplace in Sheffield to her new home in Cockermouth, Cumbria, journeying on foot across three national parks; and in 2021 she climbed all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District over seven long weekends, a quirky book-by-book peak-bagging adventure. Nic in her own words: "I'm basically half IT organised spreadsheet nerd and half outdoor adventure loving hiker. I've taken a series of steps over the last 5 years to make my life as outdoorsy and adventurous as possible. I quit my job and sold my house in April 2019 and had 6 months of Scottish hill walking adventure, since then I've dabbled in route writing, gear reviewing, festival speaking, outdoor magazine/website writing whilst spending as much time outdoors around all that as I can. I also now work a 2-day a week job to keep regular income coming in whilst doing my freelance work and adventuring around that. Flipping the 5-day working week on its head and ensuring my love for the outdoors doesn't become stressful due to the need to focus constantly on monetising it." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8 supporting the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. If you're interested in Inov-8 products, get your exclusive 15% discount code by signing up HERE Show Notes Who is Nicola Hardy? Getting into the outdoors 5 years ago Being inspired by her parents to be active Growing up in Sheffield Falling in and out of love with running Reaching her early 30s in a senior management role Living to work Making changes to her life in 2016 Planning some walks in the Peak District Spending more time in the outdoors in 2017 Wanting to go higher, further and to really challenge herself Making a commitment to spending time outdoors Deciding to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro and getting a team together Having 100 followers on Instagram Meeting her partner James though an IG meet up Peak Bagging and getting to explore more of the Lake District Enjoying the planning of routes Wanting to do more but being held back by work commitments Making big changes to her life Selling her house and quitting her job Wanting to make a full time living from Adventure How she approached the first few months Planning to hike all 282 munros in Scotland in a 6 months period Wanting to try a thru-hike Not looking after herself when it came to nutrition Wanting to have a healthy work life balance Going tunnel vision on a task Wanting to leave a legacy and to show people they can make brave choices Connecting with adventurers through instagram Getting into volunteering Walking home 2020 Settling in the Lake District 2020 and working with Komoot Working 2 days per week and having 5 days off to adventure Creating a life that works for her Talking through the planning process of turning an idea into reality Starting with maps and picking something which is a bit quirky Using public transport to get around all the Wainwrights in the Lake District. Nutrient and current diet Making sure to fuel adequately during hikes Maintaining fitness and what training looks like Magical moments out in the mountains Getting nervous about parking Working as an ambassador for Inov-8 Inov-8 creating gear for the fast and light, hiker market Super light hiking boot - ROCFLY G 390 - World's first hiking boot with Graphene foam. 390g My next challenge… Advice and top tips for other women who want to get into the mountains The benefits of spending time with other people who have more experience Trying new things and figuring out what you enjoy Dealing with the rain in the mountains and reframing it Finding the one sport that you love Finding ways to get through the tough times Connect with Nic on the Socials Future plans for 2022… Social Media Website adventurernic.com Instagram @adventurer.nic Twitter @adventurernic Facebook @adventurer.nic.official Komoot Adventurer Nic Recent adventures are all catalogued in a series of komoot 'Collections' here - https://www.komoot.com/user/979759071586 *** The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8 Website: www.inov-8.com Instagram: @inov_8

Tasha, 43, from London is the founder of Black Girls Do Run UK. In 2019, Tasha set up the online community to inspire black women to run for their health, fitness and mental wellbeing. Tasha talking about running: "I am a runner and running is definitely part of my identity and how I am often identified by others. For me, being a runner is to simply be someone who runs, enjoys running and becomes miserable if they cannot run – because it is such a big and important part of your life and who you are. It is not about racing, speed, distance, fitness levels or running daily, it is a feeling where life isn't quite right without running." Listen to Tasha on the Tough Girl Podcast as she shares more about her life, her passion for running, how she got into running, what she loves about it as well as giving you lots of top tips to help you with your running journey. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE Show notes Who is Tasha Living in London Being a runner for 23 years Doing her first race in 1999 Growing up with an older sister in there early 80s Spending time in the outdoors Being a runner at school and being encouraged to join the athletics team Running 800m and 1500m What happened after leaving school Her early 20s and not being active Exercising 3x a week? Wanting to lead an active lifestyle Loving the treadmill Going running outside for the first time and why she loved it Doing her first 5k and why it helped to change her life Being encouraged to sign up for her first race Being a runner and identifying as such How running makes her feel Her running journey Being inspired by the London Marathon Doing the London Marathon in 2000 and raising money for charity How it felt finishing the race Doing the Paris Marathon in 2004 The women who have inspired Tasha Being inspired by Paula Radcliffe How you entered the London Marathon before it being online Being inspired by everyday women Making running work for her Fitting running into her life and having to be creative with her time Choosing to run at 5am Training for a half marathon in April Founding Black Girls Do Run UK in 2019 Her goals for Black Girl Do Run UK and how it has grown over the years Keeping the community together during Covid How running has changed over the past 23 years Representation in magazines and in races Advice for new runners Why the most important thing is that your moving Losing your running mojo Training herself to run without music Using Strava Connect with Tasha and Black Girls Do Run UK Final words of advice and wisdom Start small and be consistent Social Media Instagram: @blackgirlsdorunuk Facebook: @blackgirlsdorunuk Twitter: @bgdrunuk *** The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8 Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE Website: www.inov-8.com Instagram: @inov_8

Miriam in her own words: "I am also an ordinary ultra runner. I have finished eight 50 mile ultras, three 100 mile ultras, six 24-hour, 1 48-hour ultra, and one 60 hour ultra. I also ran several virtual ultras and marathons during the Covid-19 pandemic. I began running ultras after watching Leslie Stahl interview elite world-class ulta runners Dean Karnazes and Pam Reed on 60 Minutes in 2004. I have been running ultras since 2005. Prior to running ultras, I completed nine marathons, eight half-marathons, one 10 miler, and five 5Ks. I have been running competitively since 1989. I am a published author, freelance writer, interviewer, and book reviewer. You can read my publications in the Writing Life tab. In my blog you'll find interviews with ultrarunners, such as Jacob Moss, Kevin Hoegler, Dean Karnazes, Camille Herron, Bart Yasso, Charlie Engle, Pamela Chapman Markle, Catra Corbett, Gene Dykes, and Peter Morgan.I write book reviews, and articles about gardening, the national parks, spirituality, cancer caregiving, and more. I am a cancer caregiver. I have been running virtual ultra running events during the Covid-19 pandemic to raise money for a GoFundMe campaign I established - Ultra Care for Cancer Caregivers." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by @inov_8 Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE Show notes Who is Miriam Born and raised in Connecticut Starting to get into running after a break-up 2005 - running her first 50 mile Ultra Marathon Getting hooked on ultra running Why she loves running Plotting her next ultra Turning 63 years young Being a writer and a blogger in 2017 Writing for the Huffington Post and working on her memoir Being her husbands cancer care giver Learning more about her childhood and early years Not being athletic as a child Being the tallest girl in the class Using running to reduce stress Running 9 marathons but finding that there were too many people Placing 3rd in her first 24hr race Running a 3 mile loop around a lake in Massachusetts Dealing with some health challenges Having a hysterectomy in 2012 Dealing with complications post surgery Allowing her body time to heal Going back to her first ultra Running an ultra of gratitude Mental resilience while running Using running to heal her body Feeling blessed to be running Why she knows she is never running alone Feeling god's presence Running with purpose Coming in dead last in her 2nd ultra and why it was joyful Focusing on track ultras Making running work for her and John Celebrating her 60th birthday by running 60 miles on a 1 mile loop Dedicating a run to John and his surgeons Running for others and wanting to raise funds for Cancer Care Givers Ultra Care for Cancer Care Givers Training for her 30th ultra track race 99 laps to go! Pacing while running on a track Running speed to reach 100 miles How her running speed has changed over the years Starting off fast on track races What can happened during track ultra races Dealing with variables that you can't control Not wanting to risk any injury Fuelling and nutrition while running ultra races Having a vanilla milkshake at 50 miles The power of ginger and how it helps with feelings of nausea Dealing with sleep deprivation at mile 60/70 Starting to do strength training and going indoor climbing Not doing anything differently for rest and recovery Sleep is overrated!!!! Waking up automatically at 7am Going to bed at 1am/2am Her love of reading and writing book reviews for her website blog Having over 1,300 books in her home How you can connect with Miriam How she got the name UltraMiriam Final words of advice to get you into ultra running Why you should work your way up and build up endurance Why you shouldn't compare yourself to other runners Social Media Website: www.miriamdiazgilbert.com Facebook: @ultramiriam Twitter: @ultramiriam Instagram: @ultramiriam YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZtmb5-6ke5qkoVGMVRpCqw *** The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8 Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Website: www.inov-8.com Instagram: @inov_8

In 2019 Sarah was crowned World Cup champion by the World Mountain Running Association. After a series of seven races throughout the season, including a win in Wales, Sarah secured victory with a second place in Slovenia, the final race in the series. Sarah is a Cumbrian-based athlete, a brand ambassador for Inov-8 – who sponsor the Lakeland Trails series – an Irish international mountain runner (representing her country no less than 25 times!), a qualified ecologist and a professional running coach. She lives with her partner – and fellow Inov-8 brand ambassador – Paul Tierney and their two border collies, Quilla and Lupo, in a shepherd's hut in Windermere. "You can't have a good race every time, but you can gain something from each and every run. If you have a bad race, find one or two positives to take away from it, even if it's just something you now know you'd do differently, and then start looking ahead to the next one." Info/Stats: UK Athletics-Certified Trail & Fell Running Coach PhD Biogeochemistry, MPhil Chemistry BSc (Hons) Biochemistry Mountain Running World Cup Winner 2019 Italian Mountain Running & Vertical Kilometre Champion 2020 Top ten - World/European Mountain Running Championships - 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018 Winner, Snowdon International Mountain Race 2014, 2015, 2019 European Cross Country Championships Team Gold 2012 Irish Cross-Country Champion 2014 5k PB 15:46 / 10k PB 33:33 Listen to Sarah now! New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE Show notes Being based out of the Lake District usually Woking as a running coach Living in a camper van in Spain Welcoming the sunshine Doing van life for the past 5 years Heading to the Alps and Ireland Growing up and her early years Racing short races from 6 years old Moving to America and having the American high school experience Moving back to the UK at 21 Being on the girls track team Going to college/university to study biochemistry and joining the running team in her final year of Michigan State University Training with the university team and learning how to become a better runner Her ambitions with running What happened after leaving university Not seeing a future in running and focusing on getting a job in the UK Doing a Masters at Sheffield University, UK Winning her first race in 5 years Key races and her love of the Italian mountain races How running makes her feel Loving the simplicity of running Getting into cycling What is mountain running and how it's different from ultra running Climbing at a 30% gradient Running uphill? Running or power walking? Why walking is encouraged Not fully trusting her ankles Magical moments in races that really stands out Training and working with a running coach - Robbie Simpson Example of a training session for the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Race Dealing with injury Rest and recovery Mental side of running and Sarah's top tips and advice Writing down goals…. The Dream Race — Jungfrau Marathon 2022 Taking the van to Switzerland Having 3 passports! The early start of van life and how it progressed A day in the life of Sarah Nutrition and fueling being a vegetarian and focusing on protein at every meal Working with a running coach Being supported by Inov-8 and working as an ambassador Connect with Sarah online Final words of advice and wisdom for women who want to get into running How having the right gear can help with confidence in the mountains Social Media Website: www.missinglinkcoaching.co.uk Instagram: @missinglinkcoach Facebook: @MissingLinkCumbria *** The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8 throughout March. Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE Website: www.inov-8.com Instagram: @inov_8

Lois @lois_lo_lo - lives in Luton, is a GP, Teaching lecturer in Medical Education and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion lead. She is passionate about running and staying active and sharing her enthusiasm for running with others. She has always been interested in sports, playing netball and basketball competitively for many years. Running was always a reserve activity for her, something to do between seasons, when she felt guilty about her inactivity. This all changed after her second son, and a move to Luton. Not having the time to play netball, and balancing work with her young family, Lois initially began home HIIT workouts and circuit training, but frequent interruptions for nappy changes and feeds left her feeling unsatisfied. She decided to go for a run one afternoon and was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable and uninterrupted this session (or type) of exercise could be. She immediately swapped her home workouts for outdoor runs. These quickly increased infrequency and within a few months Lois was running 4-5km every day. She hasn't looked back since, and except for a few days in 2019, and no missed days since March 2020, Lois has been running daily ever since. Most recently her #NoExcuses ethos was put to the test, during her last pregnancy. Struggling with nausea and vomiting in the first trimester, ever changing bra sizes, and pubic-symphysis (pelvic) pain in the last trimester all meant that Lois relied heavily on the habit she had built up over the past 2 years to get her through her runs. She managed to continue to run throughout her pregnancy, and continues to run daily, including just 9 hours after delivery! For Lois, running is more than just about the physical movement- it's become meditative, a tool of self-discipline, a reminder how incredible our bodies are, and continues to be her self-care time- a time when she can focus solely on herself. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. Throughout March the Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored by Inov-8. Get your exclusive 15% discount code by signing up HERE Show Notes Who is Dr. Lois Having been involved in sports since a young age Being competitive in school Playing netball and basketball at university Enjoying team sports and being socially active Becoming a mum Spending time with her family and what she loves to do with them Pregnancy and giving birth to her youngest Running after having her first child Wanting to go out and move after birth Enjoying activities like running, netball and basketball Moving to Luton Exercising on her own after her second son Challenges and how she managed her time Giving time for herself Running regularly five months after her second childbirth Trying to be consistent and doing an early morning run "Being intentional is being consistent." Having no reason why she shouldn't run Not wanting to miss out on running for whatever reason Using a running app Being part of running clubs and communities Identifying herself as a runner Doing her best to keep up Benefits of running for her physically and psychologically Finding running as meditative Her thoughts about running with a baby Bad runs in her running journey Losing control of her body in the first trimester Getting back to running and enjoy it as her goal Quick Fire Questions Final words of advice Social Media Instagram: @Lois_lo_lo https://www.instagram.com/lois_lo_lo/?hl=en *** The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by @inov_8 Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE You can still get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Website: www.toughgirlchallenges.com/marchdailymile

After a few months of feeling unwell, Sara's life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. Following a haemorrhage and major brain surgery that left her unable to walk, with impaired vision and balance, as well as permanent profound hearing loss, she has been focused on getting back everything the tumour took away from her, and much more. Now she's sharing the story of how she overcame adversity to get from sickbed to summits. During this episode Sara shares more about how she got back into running, going after her first ultra and how she approaches new and difficult challenges. Sara in her own words about her next challenge: "In September 2022, to show others that despite life throwing curveballs our way we can still achieve, I aim to run from Land's End to John 'Groats. I will be covering a distance of approximately 855 miles over 20 days. I'll be leaving from Land's End on the morning of Monday 5th September, and with the help of some friends l'll be running between 40 to 50 miles a day, mostly on road. Yes, I have my concerns. Running, however, is the least of them! I wonder how much of a problem my tinnitus will be with having road noise around me for approximately 10 hours a day. I worry about not hearing traffic around me (as I have no direction of sound). I'm also apprehensive about how I will cope with fatigue and the nausea associated with it. I have good support around me though, and we're working hard in training to overcome these issues as best we can." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by @inov_8 Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE Show notes Who is Sara 46 years old Her love of challenges and taking on her next big challenge Growing up in Chester and her early years Not fitting in at school and focusing on school work Meeting her husband and going waking at the weekends Getting married and having children Getting back into running about 10 years ago Starting with couch to 5k Using running to help with children behaviour Sticking with running but not have a plan How running helped to maintain her sanity Why running became enjoyable Having a love/hate relationship with running Why you have to push yourself Being diagnosed with a brain tumour Needing to have an operation in May 2018 Having a rare complication Dealing with everything that was going on The challenges of recovery Losing her hearing and struggling with balance Wanting a new normal which would be better that the old normal Getting back into running after surgery Struggling with motion sickness Deciding to sign up for an Ultra Marathon The challenges of fatigue Wanting to push her limits Meeting Danielle Gibbons @danigibbo1 Starting to train for her first ultra Not being able to go longer than 40 mins Running her own ultra - The Sandstone Trail Being supported by friends and family Why running fast isn't an option Deciding to run the length of the UK (LEJOG) Looking for support and funding and building up a support team The mental approach for taking on these big, physical challenges Having to figure out the process Breaking down the process into individual steps Taking it one step at a time Figuring out sleep Wanting to run 40 - 45 miles a day Learning how to manage fatigue Writing her book - Sickbeds to Summit Dealing with the trauma and addressing the feeling it brings up The good stuff that has come out of the challenges September 2022 Finals words of advice "Don't overthink it and don't talk yourself out of it" Social Media Website: www.saracrosland.com Instagram: @saracrosland Facebook: @sickbedtosummits Twitter: @saracrosland ******** The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by @inov_8 Get your exclusive 15% discount code for inov-8.com by signing up HERE You can still get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Website: www.toughgirlchallenges.com/marchdailymile