Tough Girl Podcast

Anja Madhvani is a writer and drinks industry worker with a passion for adventure. Anja studied classical piano performance at The University Of Huddersfield, and has gone on to perform as a violinist and singer with a number of post-rock bands, most notably Her Name Is Calla. She has spent 13 years in the beer industry, managing venues, hosting brewery tours and tastings, and working in sales and communications. She also works with Club Soda, a mindful drinking movement who aim to create a world where nobody feels out of place if they aren't drinking. In 2018 Anja completed her first ultra, the Marathon Des Sables, with undiagnosed Pulmonary Tuberculosis. She is now back to running and also enjoying the challenge of pole dancing. She is currently studying to become a personal trainer, and hopes to channel her unique experiences into helping others to shift their mindset and find joy in movement. 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 Anja What she does What Anja was like a child Growing up in North Yorkshire Being involved in dancing Making excuses to get out of PE Finding a love for beer Exercise and fitness in her 20s Deciding to make a change in her life Getting back into fitness and her first steps Needing a really big challenge Signing up for the Marathon des Sables and getting back into running Having 16 months to train Where did she start Her first run down by the canal Going solo but meeting other people online through the FB group Her method for training Making changes to her lifestyle and getting into a better routine Being cagey with sharing her running challenge Working with a personal trainer Focusing on the small tangible goals and celebrating the wins Building up her confidence via weight training How strength training impacted on her running Just wanting to finish the race Cagey or protective ? Being supported by friends and family Fears and concerns before the race Being a worrier or a planner? What if I fail? What does that say about me? Running the Marathon des Sables in April 2018 Feeling under the weather at Christmas 2017 The determination and grit to push on through the pain Being motivated by self loathing Enjoying the race Feeling disappointed on the finish line Wanting to go back and do the race in full health What happened after the race when back in the UK Tuberculosis (TB)…. what is it Being in isolation for 11 days Getting back her health and fitness Taking 20 mins to walk 100 m Having panic attacks when training Going to therapy and working on her mindset Training for the London Marathon in 2022 Final words of advice Social Media Instagram: @anjaism Twitter: @anja_madhvani

Having only started cycling in 2018, Biola immersed herself in the community, showing great enthusiasm for her own progression and that of other women too. She is the chair of Velociposse, a club for women and non-binary people in London. Biola is relentless in her energy to push the club forward and increase diversity, collaborating with the Women of Colour Cycling Collective. 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 Biola Being based in Brixton, South London Being a cycling club for ALL women Her passion for all types of riding Her love for cycling and the community Friends, fitness and having fun Her childhood and growing up in Brixton Going to the BMX track at 5 years old Teenage years and her fitness journey Getting into running and starting to take training more seriously Getting into weight training and commuting on the bike Getting her mum to go to the gym at 63 Working out with other people and being encouraged Moving from running into cycling The Power of Community and joining the Velociposse Club Advice for joining a cycling club Her first race experience in January 2019 Dealing with being dropped Making friends through racing Breaking down the informational barriers Why there is no such thing as a typical racer Why Biola races Sharing passions and encouraging others to give it ago Bikes…. Commuting to work Her journey with Velociposse and becoming the chairperson. Knowing her strengths A higher order ask Regent Park Laps on Saturdays Final words of advice Social Media Instagram: @biolasarah Velociposse - A cycling club for all women, all trans, and all non-binary people in London. Website - www.velociposse.cc Instagram: @velociposse

Rosemary in her own words, talking about Nellie Bly and her record breaking race around the world: "Crusading journalist Nellie Bly jumped off the page at me. She appeared as I was researching Victorian women adventurers… and she wouldn't go away. The more I got to know her, the more I was intrigued by this spirited woman who wouldn't take no for an answer despite living in a world where women 'knew their place.' Nellie knew her place alright, smack dab on the front page of the world's newspapers. She pioneered investigative journalism and paved the way for female reporters like me. Nellie's crusades in print brought about huge reforms in women's asylums, sweatshops and prisons. 2015 marked the 125th anniversary of her best known adventure — circling the globe in a record-breaking 72 days. In celebration of the remarkable Nellie Bly and her amazing journey, I followed in her footsteps around the world. Now there is a book chronicling our two journeys: Following Nellie Bly: Her Record-Breaking Race Around the World. My aim is to put Nellie 'back on the map' as an inspiration for adventure, and a reminder that (as Nellie said) "'nothing is impossible if one applies a certain amount of energy in the right direction." 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. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and support - Quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you. Show notes Who Rosemary is and what she does Being in journalism since graduating from university Wanting to help to change the world Trying to make a difference Drawing attention to female explorers Why we need to hear these stories Wanting to get contemporary female explorers on the map What we can learn from these women "Follow your dreams and move out of your comfort zone" Why it's ok to take calculated risks Discovering women in adventure Wanting to follow in inspiring women's footsteps Doing her research and discovering Nellie Bly Sharing inspiring stories Getting these women on the map Who is Nellie Bly! Starting with her childhood and why she was such a determined woman Getting into journalism and becoming a writer Deciding to go to NYC to make her name Getting her first assignment to go undercover The beginning of investigative journalism Wanting to go around the world Setting off with 2 days notice Wanting to help the most vulnerable members of society Planning to travel around the world recreating her journey The challenges and difficulties of re-creating the itinerary Packing lightly Knowing when to stop planning and to start going Around The World In Seventy-Two Days by Nellie Bly Feeling close to Nellie at certain places on the trip Sometimes you have to get off the path! The risks and concerns before the trip Why the best thing you can do, is to just get started What would Nellie Bly do? Dealing with a typhoon (level 8) in Hong Kong Walking straight out into the typhoon! Synchronicity while on the train Self funding the adventure The dramatic ending of the trip Racing against - Elizabeth Bisland Finding Nellie Bly's grave in Woodlawn Cemetery Bronx, NYC Visiting her hometown and birthplace in Cochran's Mills, Pennsylvania Needing to have a happy/meaningful ending to the story Sitting down to write the story and having to be very disciplined Putting together a conference at the RGS on historical women Why you need to put your all into everything that you do Advice for women who want to go on more adventures "nothing is impossible if one applies a certain amount of energy in the right direction" - Nellie Bly Why you need to take that first step Leap and the net will arrive! Social Media Website: https://nelliebly125.wordpress.com Instagram: @rosemaryjbrown Twitter: @Rosemary_Nellie Book: Following Nellie Bly: Her Record-Breaking Race Around the World (Trailblazing Women)

We first spoke with Jessie on October 19th 2021 where she shared more about her cycle challenge of riding 570 miles to Glasgow for COP26. During this episode we catch up with Jessie to find out about her journey, the challenges faced and overcome, what it was like arriving in Glasgow and her thoughts on COP26 as well as her plans for the future. Jessie in her own words: I am a youth activist who cares deeply about the power of people to create change and this is exactly what I want People Pedal Power to do. The idea to start the movement came from my fears that more inaction would come from COP26. I knew that we didn't have time for this to occur, as this summit has to be the one where real change is created, if not by our leaders but by the power of individuals creating collective action. As can be seen from the youth climate movement across the world, individuals really do have the power to create change, and so I decided to harness this! I also believe in the immense power that words and storytelling have in helping us as individual to learn, understand and ultimately engage in the climate crisis. I have been trying to do this for the past 2 years with my monthly newspaper columns and other writing projects which discuss the climate crisis from the youth perspective. Listen to Jessie now on the Tough Girl Podcast. New episodes 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 support. Thank you. Show notes Who is Jessie The day before the start of the challenge Getting going and feeling relief Partnering with the Adventure Syndicate Film maker - Catherine Dunn Starting with 50/60 people Meeting people along the way Magical moments from the experience Why everyday was special One of the hardest days on the bike Tips and tricks for dealing with the tough times Using music to change her state of mind Coping with riding 100km per day Why it was harder mentally Arriving in Glasgow for COP26 Feeling unsettled in Glasgow Partnering with Eco-Schools Trying to get the youth voice in the media The challenges at the event Thoughts on COP26 Did attending the event help to make a difference What it was like inside the conference What it was like outside the conference People power and feeling empowered What's next for Jessie? COP27? Cycling during the winter months Final words of advice Social Media People Pedal Power - Demanding Climate action and greener more accessible transport. Website: httpspeoplepeddlepower.wordpress.com/ Instagram: @people_pedal_power Personal IG: @climate_jess_ The Adventure Syndicate is a collective of extraordinary cyclists who happen to be women and who aim to challenge what others think they are capable of. Website - theadventuresyndicate.com Instagram: @adventuresynd

Adelle is a British middle distance track athlete, who has competed for Great Britain over 800m on a number of occasions. Adelle has competed internationally on a European, Commonwealth and World stage for over 10 years. Adelle's international debut was a the European Youth Olympics in 2009, where she won a Silver medal at 16 years old. Since then, she has gone on to compete for Great Britain at a senior level competing at two European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam 2016 and Berlin 2018, at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Portland 2016, World Athletics Championships in London 2017, World University Games in Taipei 2017, the Commonwealth Games for team England in Gold Coast 2018 and at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow 2019. Throughout competing as a senior athlete on the international stage, Adelle has balanced her life off the track working as a Hair & Makeup artist. Adelle is a Woman's Sport Trust 'UNLOCKED' Alumni and proud ambassador for the British Dyslexia Association & Dementia UK, two causes very close to her heart. "Sport has so much to offer, I'd love all woman to have the opportunity to enhance their life with sport. There is so much power in lifting each other up and continuing to create spaces for woman & girls to flourish." - Adelle Tracey 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 Adelle Wanting to be an athlete Being inspired by the Olympics Being inspired by her head teacher - Mr Potter Excelling at sports day Getting involved in the school running club Making her first GB team at 16 Achieving her first Silver medal Discovering make up later on Remembering back to the Youth Olympics Being part of a team Being inspired by female role models Looking up to Dame Kelly Holmes Running the longer distances Endurance sports in athletics Winter training and weekly milage Magical Moments from the past 10 years Finishing 4th in the final Getting a personal best (PB) in the semi finals Tactics on the start line Working with a sports psychologist Music during the warmups Following a cool room process Training in a winter block - an approx week and what it looks like Doing a triple day Pre-hab, stretching and rolling Sleeping and napping Keeping injury free Maintaining motivation levels Getting out of the door Working as hard as she can Advice for more advanced runner who want to run faster Advice for getting your mojo back Going back to your reason why The importance of goals Linking her training to her period. Working with Fitrwomen Future goals Funding and paying for her lifestyle Why 2020 was such a difficult year Dealing with financial stress Ending the season on a high Having a vision board and writing down goals Final words of advice Social Media Website: www.adelletracey.com Instagram: @adelletracey Twitter: @adelle_tracey

Steph in her own words: "Being a very shy and uncoordinated child I used to avoid anything active until a family holiday to the Lake District ignited a passion for walking and the outdoors. I love to get outside and active and to push my body to see just what it's capable of. The excitement of tackling a long-distance trail appeals to me, but I also enjoy discovering the adventure my local area has to offer. I find joy in immersing myself in nature- wherever you are you can find great beauty. Middle age is a time when people tend to slow down and stop being active. I want to inspire other people in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond that you are still capable of doing some pretty amazing things and that it's never too late for adventure." 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 Turning 50 and being passionate about getting outdoors Wanting to do more and more Being very shy and uncoordinated while growing up Doing everything to avoid physical activity Being inspired by spending time walking in the Lake District Progressing her walking and joining the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) Getting involved in Challenge Walks with the LDWA Deciding what challenges to do next Doing the coast to coast walk Feeling scared at the start How her confidence grew through experience Walking with a friend on the Isle of Man Walking the Pennine Way and why it was challenging due to lockdowns and covid Dealing with the British Weather…. Planning and preparation for walks The importance of long training walks Equipment and gear on a budget Ways to keep the costs down as a single traveller Doing her first overnight camping trip A Pennine Journey (247 miles) The plan… Food and nutrition while on the challenge Training and getting physically ready Wanting to share her stories with others Signing up for the Marathon des Sables (MDS) to document the training of the journey Start small and build up Running the London Marathon Marathon des Sables Building up fitness and training for the MDS Preparing the mind and getting mentally ready for the challenge Running the wettest MDS ever! Lessons learned from finishing the MDS Dealing with stomach issues Craving coffee Follow along with Steph on social media Part 2 A Pennie Journey The route Why things didn't quite go to plan Dealing with blisters and the Summer heat wave Building her confidence with camping and using her tent The magical moments from the experience Getting resupply on the route Going solo and meeting other walkers Making a few changes to stay out on the trail for 17 days Dealing with blisters and pain Feeling a little disappointed at the end Final words of advice Starting small and building up Going on local adventures Social Media Website: www.endurance-adventures.co.uk Instagram: @endurance_adventures Facebook: @enduranceadventures

Patti Shales Lefkos is a Canadian writer and journalist. Her Himalayan adventure travel memoir Nepal One Day at a Time celebrates her creative non-fiction debut. Nepal One Day at a Time is the story of her first trekking trip on her own. Born and raised in Toronto, she has also lived in Neuchatel, Switzerland and Vancouver. Following a rewarding career as a teacher, educational consultant, administrator and advocate for inner city children, Patti studied journalism at Langara University. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Toronto Teachers' College, Simon Fraser University and the Wilderness Leadership Program at Capilano College. In 2006 she set out to pursue international adventure travel. Whether canoeing the Yukon River, backcountry skiing in BC's Monashee Mountains, hiking in Scotland's Outer Hebrides or trekking in Tibet and Nepal, she embraces the culture and environment of wilderness areas. When not travelling, she skis downhill, nordic and backcountry from her home base at SilverStar Mountain Resort in BC's Okanagan Valley. In summer she paddles canoe, kayak and stand up paddle board at her Ontario island cottage. Listen to Patti on the Tough Girl Podcast. New episodes 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 Good Morning! Who is Patti and what she does Where her love and passion for the outdoors came from Buying her first typewriter and wanting to be a writer Lost Horizon by James Hilton Becoming an outdoor girl Doing all the expected things and becoming a teacher Moving west to Vancouver Working in inner city schools Riding her bike to school and doing her first marathon Moving from marathon to triathlon Meeting her husband Barry Not travelling until they retired in their 60s Heading to England in 2007 and walking the coast to coast Taking on bigger adventures and going to higher and higher levels of altitude Spending time in Nepal Wanting to volunteer in Nepal in 2014 Having to go solo at 67 Facing her fears to go by herself Making the transition from working full time to being retired Writing the articles she wants to write about adventure travel Choosing her work Her first experience of travelling and trekking to altitude Making a list of her fears Her plans for Nepal The biggest challenge while out trekking Writing her first book Supporting the village affected by the earthquake in 2015 The realities of starting a non profit Figuring out what is good help to provide Why 97% of the money goes to Nepal The realties of trekking at altitude in your late 60s Bucket list destinations Final words of advice The power of spending time with young people and being of service Social Media Website : pattishaleslefkos.com Facebook: @plefkos Facebook Non-profit Nepal One Day at a Time Society on Facebook Buy Patti's book NEPAL ONE DAY AT A TIME on Amazon Partner NGO in Kathmandu, Nepal. Sambhav Nepal Recommended Trekking Company in Kathmandu, Nepal. Ace the Himalaya IN CANADA: How to buy NEPAL ONE DAY AT A TIME book directly from Patti COST: $32 ($25 for the book, $7 for postage) All profits go to education in Ratmate and Aprik Villages, Gorkha, Nepal. BY CHEQUE: Mail cheque for $32 to Patti Lefkos Box 3093Vernon, BC. V1B3M1 *** REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR MAILING ADDRESS*** BY eTRANSFER: $32 to pattilefkos@shaw.ca ***REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR MAILING ADDRESS***

Anisah is the founder of the new blog: Outside Our Way which features interviews from other disabled and chronically ill folks, sharing their stories of their outdoor experiences. Anisah in her own words: My name is Ani. I have multiple chronic illnesses and I am disabled. That probably brings an image to your mind of what it means to be 'disabled', But when you look up the definition of 'disability' you'll find various ways you can categorise it - as well as plenty of opinions about what it means to be disabled. The UK Equality Act 2010 classifies disability as: "a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities." The truth is there are so many variations and types of impairments that fit this definition. There are visible physical disabilities, there are hidden physical disabilities, there are learning disabilities, and there are mental health disabilities. The variations and combinations are endless and as a result each person's disability or impairment is unique. How that affects their daily life is completely individual to them. I have what is called hidden disabilities or invisible illnesses. I'm diagnosed with Lupus SLE and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD). I have chronic pain, fatigue and memory loss along with other symptoms that affect me daily. People often think that I'm not disabled or chronically ill. There's a common stereotype that comes to a lot of people's minds when the words "sick" or "disabled" is used, and like so many I don't really fit that image. Most of the time when you look at me I don't look like I'm in pain or fatigued. I walk without aids. I take part in active outdoor activities. People don't realise that I don't look in pain or fatigued because I have a lifetime's worth of experience pretending I'm not. I time my painkillers to kick in before I see someone. I'll make sure the environment I'm in when I'm with people is one that won't drain too much energy or add to the pain. I'll plan my week prior and after to ensure I'm rested enough and won't crash. Finally, when I'm too exhausted to handle a simple conversation despite all my planning and methods… I will cancel and you will not see me in that state at all. The same amount of work goes into planning any outdoor activities. I have to use tactics and creative methods just to take part. I need extra preparations and plans to get by in a world that was created with non-disabled people in mind. This is the aspect of disability that people might miss. Which brings me to the question - how can we help change this? I can only be an expert on my own experience/disability/illness (and even then, that's iffy!). After brief conversations with others with chronic illnesses or disabilities, I have come across some amazing tips to help manage my own disabilities outdoors. I have found people who can relate to my feelings like no-one else can, and have helped me pass challenges I'd previously faced alone. I've realised that there's so much that I don't know about people who are chronically ill/disabled and so much more I should learn. I want to talk to people with different disabilities and conditions to mine. I want to see what challenges they face when they access the outdoors, what hurdles they have to navigate when going outdoors. I want to ask them what everyone should do to flatten those hurdles as much as we can. Outside: Our Way is a collection of interviews to show that we as a community are here. These interviews are a chance for disabled people to shape their own narratives and tell us about their way of going outside. It's aim is to shine a light on what it's really like to be an outdoor enthusiast and disabled/chronically ill. To those who are disabled or chronically ill - I hope you can find something to relate to. There's a beautiful community that have shared experiences and can truly understand what you might think or feel. To those who are non-disabled - I hope to show you what it takes to be disabled/chronically ill in the outdoors. And perhaps prompt you to consider how you can help us access the outdoors our way. Listen to Ani on 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 Ani Being an advocate for disability and chronic illness in the outdoor environment Getting into the outdoors and not liking it at first Getting back into the outdoors 2/3 years ago Deciding not to follow the advice Enjoying her time in the outdoors Her life as a child and experiencing symptoms from a young age Hating going to school Learning energy management Not knowing what something was wrong dealing with pain was normal Getting the diagnosis as 12 years old Making the decision to go outside and wanting to do something Spending too much time inside Why the outdoors is her happy place Feeling empowered and enabled Learning how to balance caution and happiness Planning every aspect of her life Connecting with other women who have a similar condition Spending time around water and feeling at peace Trying to get good with cold water Making adjustments to make wild camping accessible Figuring out how it can work for you What Outside Our Way is about The women who have inspired Ani Wanting to share her hiking journey on line Future dreams and ambitions Wanting to do a multi-day hike Hike your own hike Advice for your next adventure Social Media Instagram: @ani_went_outside Outside: Our Way - A blog sharing stories from from across the outdoor sector and disability and chronic illness landscape. Hosted by @alltheelements www.alltheelements.co/outside-our-way Instagram @outside_our_way

Annabel Abbs is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. She grew up in Wales and Sussex, with stints in Dorset, Bristol and Hereford. Daughter of academic and poet, Peter Abbs, she has a degree in English Literature from the University of East Anglia and a Masters from the University of Kingston. She lives with her family in London and Sussex, and is a Fellow of the Brown Foundation. Annabel's debut novel, The Joyce Girl, won the 2015 Impress Prize for New Writing and the 2015 Spotlight First Novel Award, and was longlisted for the 2015 Caledonia Novel Award, the 2015 Bath Novel Award and the 2016 Waverton Good Read Award. It was a Reader Pick in The Guardian 2016 and was one of ten books selected for presentation at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival. Published across the world, Annabel discussed The Joyce Girl on BBC Radio 4's Soul Music. It is currently being adapted for the stage. Her second novel, Frieda: The Originial Lady Chatterley, was a Times Book of the Month, then a Times Book of the Year 2018 and one of five novels selected for presentation to film directors at the 2017 Frankfurt Book Fair. Frieda has been translated into six languages. Annabel spoke about Frieda on BBC Woman's Hour. Annabel's third novel, the story of Eliza Acton, Britain's first domestic goddess, and a best-selling cookery book writer (and a poet) will be published in the US in October 2021, by William Morrow as Miss Eliza's English Kitchen. In the UK, the novel was acquired at auction by Simon & Schuster, and will be published in spring 2022 as The Language of Food. It is currently being translated into sixteen languages. In 2021 it was optioned by Stampede Ventures and CBS. Annabel's first non-fiction book, The Age-Well Project, was published by Little, Brown in 2019, co-written with TV producer, Susan Saunders, and based on their acclaimed blog agewellproject.com, longlisted for the 2018 UK Blog Awards. Annabel's first foray into memoir and her first solo-authored non-fiction book, Windswept: Walking in the Footsteps of Remarkable Women, was acquired at auction by Two Roads and was published in June 2021. In the US, Windswept was acquired by Tin House and published in September 2021, with the subtitle Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women. Windswept tells the extraordinary stories of eight women who walked long distances in wild and often remote places as they sought their own voices. They include Simone de Beauvoir, Nan Shepherd, Georgia O'Keeffe, Gwen John and Daphne du Maurier. 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 Annabel Her latest book Her interest in walking Being interested in women who do long distance walks in challenging environments Where are all the women walkers? Researching the women who walk Having a strange childhood How walking was a part of her education the benefits for women walking in nature How wild places are not deemed safe for women And why women are encouraged to stay at home and get their time in nature from being in the garden Why women DO long hikes Women from 100 years ago who went out walking Focusing on 6 women for the book Windswept Recreating their walks Feeling trapped at home Having family walking holidays Planning the walks and incorporating her writing within the walks Using old maps to help plan Encouraging women to be able to navigate What Nan Shepherd said about walking in Scotland Why river journeys and coastal journeys were quite popular Why women should learn to navigate Doing the walks solo and the challenge involved Thinking of all the things that could go wrong Why walking is so much more complication for a woman What is was like walking solo Women and their relationships with the mountains The struggle of mental preparation before heading out to walk solo The long history of women doing walking pilgrimages on their own Why we need to see more women out there walking The dark side of walking solo and spending time on your own Walking in Texas, USA - night hikes? The importance of legacy Final words of advice Social Media Website: www.annabelabbs.com Instagram: @annabelabbs Twitter: @annabelabbs Book: Windswept Windswept is a feminist exploration of walking in wild landscapes. Annabel examines the role of walking on the lives, writings and art of several women including Gwen John, Frieda Lawrence, Nan Shepherd, Georgia O'Keeffe and Simone de Beauvoir. As Annabel walks their paths – the empty plains of Texas, the mountains of Scotland, the rivers and forests of France – she looks back at her childhood in remote Wales and asks why women have been overlooked in the literature of wild-walking.

Tiphaine in her own words: "My name is Tiphaine, I'm from France and since I was a child my parents took me backpacking in other continents. They've opened me to the world. After three years of studies to obtain my Specialized Educator diploma, I felt the urge to explore more of this planet. I went to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa for a year. The adventures I've experienced there made me reconsider my whole perspective on life. Inspired by my short cycling trips in Australia and New Zealand, I bought a bicycle and left, in June 2017, on my 23rd birthday. I started from my home in Paris, without a real plan, without a final destination and ended up cycling 20,000 km in 14 months, half of it with Martin (@hi.martin.cycles). This trip, more than any others, showed me that dreams can come true and that travelling is a matter of motivation. Since then, I dare to live a different life, "unstable", full of changes, adventures, experiences, that make me who I am today." Listen to Tiphaine on 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 Tiphaine Wanting some adventure Deciding to head to Australia on a working holiday Wanting to continue living this different lifestyle Her younger years and spending time backpacking with her family Not being afraid of travelling solo Having a plan verses being more flexible and playing things by ear Wanting to join the Civil Service in France Rethinking her whole perspective on life Realising how little you need to be happy Coming back to Paris after 15 months of travelling Not knowing what to do next Paying for her cycle trip and saving up money Why its cheap to travel by bike Keeping costs down while on the road Leaving Paris on her 23rd Birthday The route and the plan Meeting Martin in Africa @hi.martin.cycles and deciding to cycle across the Sahara together Using Warmshowers in Europe Wanting to explore more of Africa and heading to East Africa for 7 months Dealing with elephants close to the tent! Resupply and accommodation in Africa Route planning and the challenging in Europe Trying to pick the nicer routes and avoiding the main roads Maintaining the bike on a long journey Not knowing how to change a flat tyre at the start Buying a simple bike for 450 EURO Learning new skills on the road Writing her first e-book: Little Miss Pedals: 20,000 km on a bicycle through Europe and Africa Final words of advice to encourage you to take on your own challenge or adventure. Why it's worth it! Social Media Website: www.dreamsontracks.com Instagram: @littlemisspedals Facebook: @littlemisspedals Book: Little Miss Pedals: 20,000 km on a bicycle through Europe and Africa