Tough Girl Podcast

Born the youngest of 6 children and raised in small town in Northern B.C. Canada, Julie never expected she would end up in Mongolia, feeding, caring for and educating hundreds of Mongolian children in need at her two Children of the Peak Sanctuary or Narnii Huuhduud charity kindergartens. She and her husband, Chelvan, a Mining Engineer and the President of Veloo Foundation, have lived and worked in Indonesia, Australia and The United States before settling in Mongolia. During her 10 years here, Julie has taken up horse back riding and now, every year, with Saraa and Baagii of Horse Trek Mongolia hosts and rides the longest annual charity ride on the planet – The Gobi Gallop – along with a suite of other charity rides across Mongolia. In 2022 she will ride the record breaking 3,600 km / 84 day Blue Wolf Totem Expedition to raise funds for her charity project projects. All of the money the people pay for these rides stays in Mongolia and helps the children, local businesses, artists and artisans and local herders. Julie, herself, works running these rides and the charity projects on a volunteer bases. Since first riding here at the age of 50 Julie has logged in excess of 35,000 km on horseback across the wilds of Mongolia and all of it to help the children. Julie is passionate about Mongolia and all things Mongolian and is committed to sustainable and fiscally transparent philanthropy. She is thrilled to be able to incorporate her love of Mongolian culture and history into Veloo Foundation's Soaring Crane Summer Camp out in the countryside of Sonjin Boldog. The camp is a traditional Mongolian themed camp experience in English and Mongolian alike and offers 3 paying camps a year in English to fund the remaining camps for 250 Mongolian children in need. In addition to the two Narnii Huuhduud Kindergartens and the Soaring Crane Summer Camp, Veloo Foundation also operates the Fran London Centre for the Fabric Arts. Now 60, Julie expects to continue her epic long distance riding her in Mongolia and will continue making a difference in the lives of children in need as long as she is able. 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. The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Julia Being based in Mongolia, Central Asia for the past 10 years Growing up in a small town in Northern Canada Being the youngest of 6 Being fascinated with the idea of travel Being stuck in hospital for 4 years as a child The plight of the children in the garbage dump Being terrified of horses growing up Sitting on a horse for the first time at 50 and falling in love Her life before Mongolia The work the Veloo Foundation does in Mongolia Moving to Mongolia in 2010 Dealing with harsh winters due to over grazing and climate change Magical moments and how the idea for the Gobi Gallop came about Using the Gobi Gallop as a fundraiser for the Veloo Foundation Working with Horse Trek Mongolia Taking on a solo challenge… Riding 700km in 8 days The Blue Wolf Totem Expedition happening in 2022 - 3,600 km challenge in Mongolia The mental side of the challenge Training with Sarah Cuthbertson - Ride Like an Athlete Program Get back on the horse Riding with a rockstar… Having a weak moment in your endurance adventure doesn't mean it's over Life in Mongolia and what it's like Starting a new project Eating traditional Mongolian food Learning the language How to connect with Julie #AdventurerForGood Social Media Veloo Foundation - Helping Mongolian children and families in serious need through a series of educational, health and vocational programs. Website: www.veloofoundation.com Instagram: @VelooFoundation Horse Trek Mongolia - Ride. Explore. Help Children. We connect travellers to authentic Mongolian adventure . Home of the #gobigallop - 700 km / 10 days for charity! www.horsetrekmongolia.com Instagram: @HorseTrekMongolia Personal IG: @JulieVeloo Mongolist, Sharing horseback & other adventures with you all. LIFE PLAN= DO Good. HELP Children. KEEP going. No plans to stop… #AdventurerForGood

Gowri is a naturalist and environmental educator who loves finding an excuse to be outdoors in nature—and climbing is one of her favourite excuses. Gowri grew up climbing trees and scrambling on rocks in India, she went on to become an outdoor guide in the Peruvian Amazon. Gowri currently teaches nature connection to kids in Upstate NY and India and also teaches Indian women climbing. A few years ago she received the Live your Dream Grant given by American Alpine Club and the North Face to climb her hardest project to date, called French Indian Masala (7b+/5.12c), in India. In 2018 she initiated the first-ever Indian women's climbing meet up in India to mentor and teach women climbing, called CLAW or Climb Like A Woman. She hopes to keep teach climbing, inspire more women to climb, and teach nature connection to the larger outdoor community through her new initiative Wilderness Ways. Listen to Gowri 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 sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Gowri Her passions and her work Growing up in India Going to a non conventional school Being obsessed with snakes Getting into nature and wildlife from a young age Her dreams as a little girl Going to college over in America Her journey into climbing Working in Peru as a guide Going to an indoor rock climbing gym in the US Her first climb outdoors Climbing the French Indian Masala route Applying for a grant CLAW - Climb Like A Woman Wanting to teach Indian women how to climb Holding the first event in 2018 Going against gender norms Climbing in Hampi Women teaching women The false stories we tell ourselves Dealing with fears when climbing The women who have inspired Gowri in climbing and nature Being inspired by Flash Foxy Planning a climb and starting a new project Producing a film of the French Indian Masala route climb Starting training 2 months before Figuring out your weaknesses and strengths The importance of rest Taking on a new challenge every 2 years The next project….. Training for one move The move…. Watch the video on Youtube - French Indian Masala - Gowri Varanashi Wilderness Ways Teaching children - Nature connection How to connect with Gowri Final words of advice Be curious, observe and ask questions! Social Media Women's Climbing Meet Up in India. CLAW > Breaking barriers through rock climbing www.climblikeawoman.com Instagram: @gowrivaranashi @climblikeawoman Wilderness Ways - reconnects you to the power of nature through unique experiences in the outdoors promoting love & care for the natural world. Website - www.wildernessways.org Instagram: @wilderness__ways.

Anna is an up and coming British trad climber based in the Lake District. She has multiple climbs in the E6-E8 range on her CV and favours bold and often unprotectable climbs Anna started climbing at age 10. Competitions didn't really suit her, and she quit the sport in her teens for a while before getting into outdoor bouldering age 17. At 19, on a family holiday, she discovered she had a taste for hard trad and hasn't looked back. Anna has lived in the Lake District all her life and works as a route-setter at Kendal Wall. Anna's 2019 climbing spree* Lake District climbs 8 July, Disorderly Conduct E8 6c, lead, Reecastle Crag, Cumbria 26 June, Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow E5 6b, solo onsight, Hare Crags, Cumbria 27 May, Right Hare, Right Now E7 6c, lead, Hare Crags, Cumbria 22 May, Scrogbank Ravers E7 6c, lead, White Mines, Rusty Wall, Cumbria 20 May, No Nuts (Just Balls) E7 6b solo, Harrop Tarn Crag, Cumbria 4 May, Relentless Rage E7 6a, lead, Gouther Crags, Cumbria 29 April, Hang the Gallows High E6 6b, lead, Black Crag (Wrynose), Cumbria 17 April, Fat Guy Goes Nutzoid E6 6b, lead, Tilberthwaite Quarry, Cumbria 21 April, Big Tree Corner, E1 5b, lead, Tilberthwaite Quarry, Cumbria Notable climbs from trips away 22 June, Bad Life Choices E7 6b solo, Polldubh Crags, Glen Nevis 17 May, My Halo E7 6b, lead, Serengeti, North Wales slate 13 April, Nosferatu E6 6b, lead, Burbage South, Peak District Info from - www.thebmc.co.uk/disorderly-conduct-the-latest-in-anna-taylors-spree-of-e7s-and-e8s Commenting on Instagram, Anna wrote about her challenge: 'Well that's that. Two months ago I set off from Penzance with the intention of linking all of the Classic Rock routes together by bike. I didn't have a clue how to cycle tour, or how I was going to get all the climbs done if the weather crapped out, but bit by bit I learned, and here we are. So that's just over 1,500 miles on the bike, and 83 out of 83 climbs (68 of which were solos, either free or with rope), in a mostly continuous round (I did have to duck out for a work trip at one point). 'Big thanks to @neil.gresham for coming up to do the last few climbs with me in appalling conditions. The weather has often been unkind throughout this trip, and because of this things were difficult and pretty treacherous right up until the very last second. Still, we had a fun, mildly epic adventure sliding around on the Cioch, and the Cuillin Ridge was, to put it frankly, f**king grim. It wasn't quite the scenic finale I had in mind, but was quite a fitting ending in the sense that virtually nothing about this trip has ever gone according to plan. 'There's been some good and very memorable moments though. Climbing The Long Climb on the Ben in a bubble of mist feeling like I was the only person in the world was ace, as was the watery fight to get out of The Chasm (though that was perhaps more of a type 2 fun sort of day). Routes like The Devils Slide on Lundy and The Clean Sweep on Hells Lum were also highlights, and all that definitely made up for the times I was frozen, wet and off-route, or regretting my life choices cycling up endless hills. It's not been a perfect trip by any means, but I've learnt a lot (mostly about soloing), and I'm looking forward to putting some of that knowledge to good use on future projects. For now however, I'm just appreciating being warm and dry, and I'm pretty relived to have got this over with before it starts snowing.' Anna was also part of a large expedition in 2019 to climb the prow of Mount Roraima (a giant Tepui deep in the Amazon rainforest). Take a listen to Anna 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 sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Anna Just finishing the classic rock tour Her childhood growing up in Windermere Where the idea for the challenge came from Wanting to try cycle touring Telling her friends and family about the challenge Wanting to start in April 2021 but having to push it back to August Working as a full time climber Figuring out how to take 2 months off How much would it cost and paying for the challenge Why it wasn't an expensive trip Figuring out how to keep costs down Filming the challenge and getting pictures of the climbs Getting to the start of the challenge Feeling overwhelmed by the challenge Dealing with the reality of the situation Taking it one day at a time The biggest challenge on the trip Why the Scottish climbs were so challenging Being solo on a rock face What's going on inside her head while climbing Magical moments from the experience The physicality of the challenge The challenges of going with someone else The rough route throughout the UK Finishing in the Isle of Skye Celebrating the end of the challenge and settling back into normal life What's next?! Advice for women who want to get into climbing Working on improving her skills What type of climbing Anna does Follow and connect with Anna on Instagram Her first big expedition to South America Connecting with Leo Houlding Lesson learned from taking on climbing challenges Final words of advice and why you should go and do it! Social Media Instagram: @anna_taylor_98

Annie in her own words: "My adventure career began with climbing, when I ticked off nearly every single box of "Mistakes to Avoid While Trad Climbing Outside" on my first ever outdoor trad climb. I survived and went on to see what other mistakes I could make that would not kill me. I took my bike on the 3000KM solo ride to the Nordkapp at age of 26. My latest adventure feat is successfully running a solo 1000KM Ultramarathon from the Lowest to Highest point of Germany, after having started running only six months prior. I am also the comic artist for BotsAndBrainz, and have set my base camp in Berlin, Germany, where I'm working on my PhD in neuroscience on the mechanics of learning and memory. And here's something a little more personal on me (and my book): The Nordkapp trip changed my life not because I actually physically managed to cycle 3000K. It changed my life because it was something I did entirely on my own, dependent on only myself, after coming out of years of abusive relationships. I thought I was scarred and broken beyond repair when I set out on that trip - but I should have known from the start that there was a part of me that had stayed intact, all of these years, because no drive like the one I felt going for the Kap had ever been as strong in my life before as this one had been. I cried so much on that trip, for what I lost, for what I had allowed to be done to me, and out of plain gratitude - that I was still here, still alive and kicking and still, somehow, so, so in love with life. I wish I could have had someone tell me that a bike ride to a place I hadn't even heard of just 5 days before I left for it, would change my life as it did. That's why I want to publish my book and share my story. So whoever needs to hear it knows that they are not alone, they can survive and they will make their life their own again - if only they dare take the first steps on that path." 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. The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Annie Starting out in climbing and moving into running and cycling Becoming an endurance athlete Being based in Berlin Moving to Georgia, USA at age 6 Studying for her PHD in learning and memory Spending time in the outdoors Her academic life and growing up around scientists PHD update… PHDs and ultra challenges Deciding on a 1,000km ultramarathon Getting into running 16 weeks to run a marathon.. Running from the lowest point in Germany to the highest point Feeling excited and intimidated at the same time How much strain is an ultra marathon on the body… Vo2 Max results The mental side of taking on a 1000km ultramarathon Hating running and trying to avoid it Preparation for the challenge Getting the runners high Wanting to quit on day 4 Figuring out where to sleep Getting back into running and arranging the King Snail Race Taking on a 3,000km bike ride Leaving a negative relationship which wasn't serving her anymore Being made to feel small and starting to doubt herself Wanting to get out and discover the world Wanting to see what she was capable off What is Nordkapp? Being terrified and the lead up to the start When everything started to go wrong Being supported by her brother Figuring out where she belonged Working on herself and processes the lessons learned Writing a book about her experience Speaking to Chris Fagan Learning to appreciate the small moments in life Follow Annie online and visit her website (links below) Final words of advice for women who have been made to feel small Social Media Website: www.thebotbeyondthebrainz.com Instagram: Personal - @thebotbeyondthebrainz Art - Tales of a Traveling Scientist in doodles, scribbles & dad jokes: @botsandbrainz

About Pammy: Born in the 60's in inner city Coventry to a Sikh immigrant family. At 16, a school trip introduced her to the mountains where she experienced the WOW moment that changed her life. A force much bigger than her took her to explore wild landscapes of the world! Not something her parents or community were keen on. "It's not what our girls do!.. what will everyone say??!!" Her drive was so strong she did it anyway at the risk of totally losing her world. She encountered many complex and painful challenges with people of all backgrounds including her own family/community. Through these emotional and physical challenges, she discovered her own core values. This was a journey of self-discovery, understanding and respecting differences and a passion for environmental protection. Pammy has been an outdoor/environmental practitioner since 1979 and in 1995 it struck her hard as she noticed the lack of Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic role models in the sector, at every level, from service users to Board level and felt very strongly this had to change. In 1995 she laid the foundation for what is now Backbone.. Backbone is a leading Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic outdoor environmental education organisation acknowledged on a national and global platform for successfully addressing diversity and inclusion in the sector. The key to their success is partnership working based on the values of: Genuine Intention Trust and Integrity Direct Benefit of All Communities They provide a safe and comfortable space for people and organisations to grow in their uniqueness. Together with their partners they are making a difference in the sector and to the communities they serve. 'Adventure'… For some is climbing an unknown peak and for others it is leaving the City. The commonality is leaving the comfort of YOUR home and entering the unknown.. a journey of discovery to magical places! Learn more about Pammy and the work that Backbone is doing. Listen now via the Tough Girl Podcast. New episodes go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - 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. 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 Pammy and what she does Being an outdoor practitioner for over 40 years Working in America and all over the world Coming back to the UK in 1995 Growing up in Coventry, UK Getting exposed to the outdoors Going against family expectations Living up in the highlands of Scotlands Having to have difficult conversations with her family Entering the outdoors in the 70s and what is was like being a female The struggle of being taken seriously Leaving America and headed back to the UK What Backbone is about Why the name Backbone Why change is happening so slowly Competitive Research Syndrome The excuses for inactivity Changing Landscapes - Actioning Change Being fed up of talking FREE OPPORTUNITIES FREE TRAINING Going national Handling frustration and what can be done to make change happen faster Why the sector is a service industry Why organisations need to change Why groups need funding and money What does adventure mean to Pammy Helping to break barriers down Wanting to inform on policy What training is offered The unethical behaviours Dealing with the mental and emotional toll Going on the big challenges and expeditions The power of spending time in the mountains Getting into skiing Advice for women who want to spend more time in the outdoors Why aren't you doing it? The pleasure of building up your skills Go and learn how to read a map Connect with Pammy on the socials (See below) FREE TRAINING Final words of advice Why - Life is too short to wear tight shoes Listen to your internal soul Why you need to be doing it. Social Media Website: www.backbone.uk.net Instagram: @backbonecicdiversity Facebook: @backbone.cic Twitter: @BackboneCIC

Minnesota native. Earned a teaching degree from the University of Oregon and taught a short few years before joining a team to dogsled to the North Pole. As first known woman to travel across the ice to the top of the world, I made a promise to not only follow my dreams but create something bigger than my own personal ambitions. All my expeditions since have education with them - thus inspiring millions of kids. One focus always is helping girls and women find their voice and potential in whatever they do. This theme traveled as I became first women to ski to both poles, lead the first all women's expedition to the South Pole in 1992/93 - Lead a team of all women across Greenland 1992 and later cross Antarctica with Liv Arnesen. 2000/01. Many wonderful trips in between on rock and snow, or on water - frozen and liquid. I started the Ann Bancroft Foundation in Minnesota that gives small monetary grants to girls to try an experience to find courage to find their way in the world as strong and confident and engaged humans. 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. The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Ann Going to college to become a teacher Following her childhood dream 65, years young Spending the past 20+ years working with Liv Arnesen Feeling very blessed about her life How her life diverted and changed into the adventure and expedition world at 29 years old Wanting to go to the South Pole How the opportunity came about Finding herself on the team and how it changed her life Why you have to just go for it Lessons learned from the South Pole The moments of truth Her love of long expeditions How have polar expeditions changed over the years Wanting to do something for women and girls Being a teacher outside of the classroom Do challenges get easier…. Why you can not short cut preparation Going back to focus on the basics Dealing with setbacks and failure Why it takes courage to put yourself out there Being able to learn from past mistakes Wanting to cross all of Antarctica in 1992 Having no money and no sponsors What is the legacy they wanted to leave behind Making the most painful decision in her life Connecting with Liv Arnesen Tent life…. Focusing on raising the voices of girls and women Bancroft Arnesen Explore - Access Water The next challenge on the Mississippi Quick Fire Questions Honesty - Integrity - Courage Final words of advise for women and girls who want to divert to a different path "I can because she did" The power of living your potential. Social Media The Ann Bancroft Foundation empowers girls to imagine something bigger through grants, mentorship, and ongoing development opportunities. The Ann Bancroft Foundation is giving Minnesota girls the strength to achieve their full potential. www.annbancroftfoundation.org Instagram: @abfdreamers Facebook: @AnnBancroftFoundation Twitter: @ABFdreamers

As she approached middle age, Marcia discovered a love for getting on her bike and riding a long way. In fact, when things got tough cycling regularly saved her sanity. In 2020 she had her sights on riding the Race around the Netherlands, but Covid put an end to that, at least for that year. But feeling the fittest she had ever been, and not wanting to waste a winter of hard training she cooked up a domestic adventure instead, and because the first woman to have attempted cycling the 1,725 miles from Lands End to John o'Groats and back! By completing this long distance challenge, Marcia raise £'000's for her local branch of mental health charity MIND and bagged herself a Guinness World Record! Learn all about Marcia, her passion for cycling and what she's learned from taking on this challenge. 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. The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Marcia Roberts Working a full time job in IT Discovering her love of riding bikes Encouraging other people to ride their bikes Getting into cycling 10/12 years ago Going through a divorce in 2000 Moving to Hampshire Looking for a new challenge Having time to herself Entering a charity challenge to ride across Vietnam Avoiding the hills! 9 months to train and get ready Wanting to do a bigger challenge Lessons from Vietnam Cycling over to the Alps Dealing with "bonking" Wanting to do a challenge in the UK Managing her cycling while working full time Cycling around main coast Britain Breaking down big trips into smaller chunks Loving the simplicity of cycling Setting up a local women's riding group The planning and preparation for cycling LEJOG (there and back) Going back to March 2020 Breaking it down into blocks…. 4 hrs, 3hrs, 3.5 hrs Planning on 12 days… Looking for a Guinness World Record Support crew, nutrition and meeting points Dealing with the wet, windy and stormy weather! Behind schedule all the time Being stubborn and setting her mind to the challenge Mental resilience and determination and not stopping Tricks to stay awake Sleeping The bike setup for cycling LEJOG Figuring out nutrition and being able to eat Magical moments Adventure blues and having a foolproof plan to avoid it Dealing with lockdown and feeling very low The Great British Escapades The evidence needed for a Guinness World Record Blogging and sharing content online especially around problems and how she overcame them "Why you can do incredible things, if you just put your mind to it" Final words of advice for middle aged women Find a friend who you can go cycling with Don't focus on speed or millage - just get on your bike Social Media Blog: https://mawonavelo.com/blog/ Instagram: @Mawonavelo Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/marcia-roberts to donate.

Preeti in her own words: "I come from the land of beyuls, the sacred valleys according to Himalayan Buddhism, where the physical and spiritual world connect with each other. Running through some of the most spectacular landscapes and remote regions of Nepal has made me experience that the health and wellbeing of people largely depend on the natural environment around them and vice versa. Through my work as both an engineering consultant and trail run organizer, I try to present this experience to both Nepali and international diaspora that I get to work with. While my company, Nepal Trail Series is at the very early stage of its operation, but it is moving ahead intentionally to bring forward both physical and spiritual experiences of my country in a running package. The company is female-run and provides professional opportunities for rare talented strong female athletes of Nepal." 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 sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Preeti Being based in Nepal Her childhood and growing up in India How she ended up in Nepal Working as an engineer in rural areas Getting into running Becoming a race director for trail races Being pushed into fitness at a young age Seeing running in a different way Getting into running events in 2012 Just wanting to finish races and enjoy it Remembering her first ultra in Katmandu in 2016 Dealing with the altitude and what works for her Moving into multi stage ultras Training for ultras Not wanting to be a competitive runner Figuring out her energy management Having fun during races Running with a watch and using strava Food, nutrition and hydration for energy management Following her body and her menstral cycle Figuring out what works for her The Nepal Trail Series Hosting trail running camps in different regions throughout Nepal Advice for running taking on a multi stage trail race in Nepal Mantras and daily meditation The women who inspire Preeti Girls and sports in Nepal Mira Rai - Nepalese trail runner and sky runner. Noticing an increase in female runners Advice about being a responsible tourist in Nepal The Great Himalayan Trail and her dream project Advice and top tips for health and well being What Preeti name means Social Media Website: nepaltrailseries.org Instagram: @nepaltrailseries @preeti.khattri Catalogue for 2022 Training Camps - www.canva.com/design/DAEqpnA4xHI/W06W1cnkMz-fuxZ18WyURQ/view

Since becoming a wheelchair user Debbie has campaigned tirelessly to break down barriers in all aspects of promoting accessibility for all. Debbie lives on a sheep farm in Cumbria, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. She is a member of the Local Access Forum for the YDNP and chair of the Access For All group. She is a volunteer for the National Park with the responsibility of auditing the 'Miles Without Stile' routes. For the past 6 years Debbie has been the expert in inclusion and diversity for The Outdoor Guide, a free online resource dedicated to enjoying the outdoors. Co-founded and fronted by television personality Julia Bradbury. Debbie is a Get Outside Champion with Ordnance Survey. In 2020 she was nominated for 'Outdoor Personality of the Year' by TGO magazine readers. Debbie is a presenter, motivational speaker, writer and consultant and is able to deliver tailor made training and presentations. She is a regular contributor for the BBC Countryfile Magazine Although Debbie specialises in walks for wheelchair users, she is able to create multi- sensory walks for people with visual and hearing impairment. Her motto is "Making the inaccessible accessible" 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. The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Living on a sheep farm in Cumbria Being a wheelchair user since 2011 De-stressing from school life Spending time in the hills Starting to look at ways she could get back outside Struggling to access the countryside Working with Terrain Hopper Losing her husband Andy to cancer Setting up the charity "Access the Dales" The Outdoor Guide Spending time in the open and growing up in Sheffield Meeting Andy while teaching at the same school Doing the coast to coast walk not really knowing each other… Deciding to make some changes Putting pen to paper Getting back outside again and going on her first walk in a wheelchair Facing challenges out in nature Why accessibility should be the starting point of any new project Magical moments of spending time in the outdoors Getting a new dog Having her first Scottish solo holiday Batteries on wheelchairs Going downhill New books Launching the charity and the book in April 2022 Final words of advice Why we all have our own Everest Social Media Website: www.debbienorth.org Instagram: @debbienorth29n Facebook: @debbieNorth Twitter: @debbienorth29

"In the blink of an eye, I went from being an active, autonomous athlete to suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that took 70% of my vision and nearly my life. Now I aim to be mindful in every moment and strive to make every second count while adventuring in mountains around the world." Jill in her own words: "On a day that began like any other in a high school Physical Education class, September 2014 began an expedition of survival. A line drive, a hardball to the head, began a climb testing personal strength and human potential. A medical team, hundreds of hands from 7 hospitals across 3 countries, guided me towards a peak that felt impossible to climb, traumatic brain injury (TBI). While I craved to climb alone, they got me to the summit but my work was just getting started. Now I am traversing an avalanche triggered by the TBI which left me days from death, with 70% vision loss and a life threatening eating disorder. No mountain can challenge me the way traumatic brain injury has. I chose to adventure in massifs around the world with the intention to adapt to vision loss and acceptance of the trail my life had taken. From surviving to thriving, I have run, climbed, and skied my way around the world embracing the 30% vision I am fortunate to have. My trails have connected with the Andorra Pyrenees, Italian Dolomites, French and Swiss Alps, Slovenia's Julian Alps, Iceland, India and Nepal Himalaya, New Zealand, Argentina, Peru, and the American Rockies. As a traumatic brain injury survivor and visually impaired athlete adventuring in mountains around the world, I have a complex story of resilience to share. Speaking to resilience, head injuries, eating disorders, visual impairments, trauma, or mental health or simply sharing my story, I can make connections through authentic tales of my trails from depths of darkness to adventuring in the highest of the Himalayas." CONTENT WARNING - We discuss; Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), eating disorders, anxiety, PTSD and thoughts of suicide. 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. The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. 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 Speaking to us from Nepal Who is Jill in her own words Growing up in a sporty, adventurous family Becoming a teacher and following her passion for travel Teaching in Singapore, Russia, Switzerland and Germany Taking advantage of the opportunity to travel September 2018 and how her life changed in an instant Being hit by a hard ball on the side of her head Going to hospital and being send home Ending up in intensive care with a bleeding and swelling brain Dealing with a Traumatic Brain Injury Finding out she would never see out of her right eye again Losing depth perception The impact the TBI has had on her appetite and relationship with food Seeing multiple specialists and spending a lot of time in hospital Starting to get her independence back while in Colorado Looking out to the mountains Feeling very lost and grieving her past life Needing to go and heal in the mountains Starting to travel again Creating a blueprint and plan for the future Being open to change…. Falling in love with Nepal and being inspired to get back into running Not wanting to share her story Being authentic with her feelings and being vulnerable Starting her website and starting to share her story Not wanting to do social media Accepting that her life had changed Testing herself at altitude Getting connected with the running and climbing community in Nepal Dealing with pneumonia Starting to climb higher in the Himalayas Planning to climb mountains over 6,000 metres Dealing with covid in Nepal and being in lockdown for 8 months Trying ice-climbing in early 2020 Escaping the lockdown and heading up into the mountains Not being able to run while in rundown and having to try different types of training while indoors Losing her father suddenly and supporting her family from afar Spending time alone in the mountains Training to climb the 8th highest mountain in the worlds - Manasulu Visa's for Nepal and being on a student visa Managing depth perception while climbing mountains Spending time in the mountains as part of the healing process Acceptance of what's happened? Dealing with dark days and using different tools to help manage the feelings Why meditation is a significant part of her daily practice Hiding behind her sunglasses and not being comfortable with the way she looks Being a work in progress and being aware of her mindset and thoughts The good wolf and the bad wolf - choosing which one to feed Wanting to build on the good Connecting with Jill Social Media Website: mountainsofmymind.com Instagram: @mtnsofmymind Facebook: @mountainsofmymind Twitter: @mtnsofmymind