Tough Girl Podcast

Aneela is passionate about encouraging people from all walks of life to ride bikes and she works with individuals, organisations and the cycling industry to encourage wider participation. She works tirelessly to increase diversity in cycling and mountain biking and firmly believes that mountain biking is more than a sport - she's a champion of the wider benefits of mountain biking in building confidence, strength and resilience in everyday life. With 20 years+ diversity and inclusion experience, Aneela is particularly interested in diversity and wellbeing; women in MTB leadership; diversity role models; young girls in sport and promoting mental health. She offers training and workshops; inspiring talks and presentations; diversity audits; participation and engagement activities as well as professional advice and consultancy. ANEELA'S JOURNEY 20 years+ Diversity and Inclusion experience in the public sector Co-Chair, British Cycling's new Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group 10 years+ running Go-Where Scotland 5+ years professional MBL/Level 3 mountain bike guide Board Member and Secretary of Tweed Valley Trails Association Cycling UK Trail Inspector, and, Trail Maintenance Coordinator Cycling UK Outdoor Expedition qualification Masters Degree, Equality and Discrimination, University of Strathclyde Personal Fitness Trainer 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 Aneela Her early years Growing up in Glasgow How her parents moved over from Pakistan Visiting Pakistan Her dreams as a little girl Getting into mountain biking Pivotal moments from being on the mountain bike Taking friends out on the bike Her journey of becoming a coach and leader Giving people the opportunity to empower themselves Not having a great experience in childhood Being the only women during the assessment and training Being worried about being the only woman Being supported by her husband Lost opportunities Having to have faith in herself Battling again self doubt Being encouraged by her tutor Having to prove herself in a male environment Changes in the mountain biking industry over the past 10 years Creating empowering spaces Encouraging women to take the next step The lack of role models and how it is chaining slowly Encouraging women to become coaches Being inspired by her friends The FNY Collective and what it stands for… What the word fanny means in Scotland Getting charity status and being able to look for funding How many bikes… Being an ambassador for Juliana Bicycles The power of bikes Working to support refugees Working with Endura Sport Working on a film about - bikes, love and discrimination "After the Storm" premiere at Kendal Mountain Festival Advice for other women for being brave The power of knowing you are not alone Advice to encourage women to try mountain biking Being on a learning journey and why everyone has to start somewhere #Ridemòr (mòr - big and great) Social Media Go-Where | Ridemòr - Scotland's award-winning curator of guided & self-guided bicycle experiences. Advocates for wellbeing, diversity & inclusion. #ridemòr #mòrdiversity www.go-where.co.uk Instagram: @gowherescotlandmtb Facebook: @gowherescotland Personal Instagram @mrsgowherescotland Twitter: @AneelaMckenna MÒR DIVERSITY - From diversity, inclusion and wellbeing to leadership and resilience training - we offer professional services to help unlock the human potential of organisations. Website - www.mordiversity.com The FNY Collective - The FNY collective: a group of Badass women passionate about riding bikes and getting more women sharing the fun on two wheels. Website - www.thefnycollective.co.uk Instagram @the_fny_collective

Erica Terblanche is an accomplished endurance runner and adventure racer and has won numerous iconic long-distance races all over the world, including the gruelling Racing the Planet 7-day Sahara Desert Ultra Marathon among many others. Erica is a Life Coach and psychologist with a master's degree in Positive Psychology. She is also the founder of Teach a Girl to Fish, Thrive Guru & Thrive Run Club. Her lifelong quest is to determine how we can over time shape and mould ourselves to become 'the best we can possibly be'. At heart Erica is an outdoor enthusiast with over 20 years of adventure experiences. Erica in her own words on Adventure Racing: "Adventure Racing was a wonderful vehicle for access to extreme adventures - and over a period of five years I experienced the most extraordinary adventures while running, cycling, canyoneering, river rafting, sea kayaking, and rappelling in some of the most wild landscapes in the world and often with less than an hour of sleep a day for races that spanned five days. This sport helped push my boundaries and has helped me to become an accomplished ultra distance trail runner, winning a number of the big 7-day stage races. I now live in Cape Town where I run Thrive Guru and Thrive Run Club. My intention with both is to get people moving and to help people build and live their best, most vital, most fulfilling and happiest lives." Erica is the Author of "Run for the Love of Life" which was published on the 4th of November 2021. Erica wrote the book to share her adventures, to motivate people to get up, get going and get out into nature. Erica wants people to know that they can do far more than they imagine they can. Erica wants the book to inspire people to take that very first step and to find their tribe - a community of people that will support them on the journey. 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 sign up - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you. Show notes Who is Erica and what she does Being a keen advocate to encourage people to get into the outdoors Living in Cape Town now Starting an adventure company - Teach a girl to Fish Studying positive psychology Being interesting in how we can come the very best of ourselves Focusing on the outdoors Finding out about her childhood, growing up on a farm and spending time outside Catching her first fish at 6 years old Learning not to be scared of the outdoors Having a lot of freedom from a young age Bravery? Being inspired by her fearless mum Raising girl children differently from boy children Knowing in your body that you are strong Her passion for running and where it came from Getting into running in her early 30s Falling in love with Adventure Racing Not being an athlete and going to the World Championships in Adventure Racing! How women improve as races go on, especially coming into their own by day 3 Pushing her body to the limits and the lessons from the edge of the experience The races which really challenge her Racing the Grand to Grand Ultra, USA. 275 km in 6 stages, over 7 days. Being unwilling to give up and being able to grit it out. Racing as hard as she could and sticking to her own game plan Women who run with wolves Practical tips and tricks to help you keep going Start slowly and finish strong Tips for running in the heat Why Erica loves the deserts and spending time in that space Feeling empowered by the sunshine The importance of Vitamin D (especially in the UK) Dealing with Raynaud's Menopause and how its impacted on running and adventure racing The impact on Vo2 max Being more deliberate about the supplements she takes Being excited about the next stage of her life and wanting to be even more resilient "Run For The Love of Life" - the goal and purpose of the book Thrive Run Club and encouraging people to take the first step Final words of advice for other women who want to get into running and live their best life The power of community and finding your tribe Social Media Personal - Instagram: @erica_terblanche Business - Thrive Guru Coaching, Thrive Run Club and Teach A Girl to Fish. Positive psychologist, transformative life coach, internationally accomplished endurance athlete, organisational change and strategy expert Website: www.thrive-guru.com Instagram: @thrive_guru @thrive_run_club Facebook: @thrivegurus FB Thrive Run Club Teach a Girl to Fish - We take women on out-of-the-ordinary walking, biking and kayaking adventures. If you enjoy being active and exploring beautiful places, especially near the big blue ocean, this is for you. Our expeditions create the perfect conditions for you to unwind, to reconnect with nature and to rekindle your inner spark. Website: teachagirltofish.co.uk Facebook: @TAG2F

Kisha Jarrett shares her journey of self-discovery through hiking, from Iceland to a 1,200 mile trek. Overcoming societal norms and health challenges, she emphasizes the importance of diversity in outdoor spaces and the power of embracing failure as part of the adventure.

Elise in her own words: "To me, Alexandra David-Néel's book My Journey to Lhasa was one of those books I just couldn't get over. You know when you read a book or see a film and you keep thinking about it for weeks afterwards, it was like that. Except that with this book, I never stopped thinking about it. The book recounts the final six months of Alexandra's epic 14 year journey through Asia, her quest to reach the forbidden city of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Against all odds, dressed as a poor pilgrim, she reached Lhasa in 1924. 12 years after reading this book for the first time, I was still wondering just how she managed to achieve what she did. 14 years of dealing with the cold, the wet, illness and of course the constant pressure and difficulty that came with being a female traveller in the early 1900s. So, I decided to act on that idea that had always been in the back of my mind - to recreate Alexandra's journey in some way, and to experience life travelling as a woman as closely as she would have done. I realised that the only way to truly do this, and to truly do her journey justice would be to do exactly as she did, taking with me only what she had. This meant NO modern day mountain equipment. So with my yak wool coat, a wooden backpack I made out of an old chair and an all-female team in tow, I set off in search of a special cave, the worlds third highest mountain and answers to questions I'd had for the last 13 years. After returning from this life-changing first expedition, I realised that the stories and achievements of histories female explorers like Alexandra should be celebrated and never forgotten. I've made it my mission to bring these stories back to life, to inspire this generation and the next the same way they have inspired me. In July 2019 I set off on my second adventure to the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, to follow in the footsteps of Nan Shepherd, one of the UK's best known nature writers and mountain wanderers." 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 Elise/lise and how she would describe herself Reading Alexandra David-Néel book "My Journey to Lhasa" at 16 years old Growing up in the country side and spending lots of time in the outdoors Not knowing what she wanted to do Doing an art degree and wanting to be an artist Starting to work at a travel company Starting Women with Altitude website Deciding to do the first trip at 28 years young The planning and preparation process Trying to find the old equipment Figuring out the route The gear…. and why it was better than you think Heading over to India for the start of the journey Being joined by a filmmaker (Emily) and a local guide (Jangu) The magical moments from the trip Dealing with the altitude sickness and the cold Managing periods while on the adventure Spending a month in the mountains Finding the cave where Alexandra meditated for 2 years Tummo breathing After completing the challenge and heading home Dealing with anxiety, panic attacks and having a lack of confidence Wanting to take on a new adventure Trying to highlight a woman from the UK - The Nan Shephered Trip Who is Nan Shepherd? Her book - The Living Mountain Making a plan to go to Scotland What her time in Scotland was like Being vegetarian and trying to eat like the 1940s Not having any modern equipment What days were like Dealing with the nerves before the trip starts Journey number 3 Grace O'Malley the Pirate Queen of Ireland Dame Freya Madeline Stark DBE - Anglo-Italian explorer and travel writer. Figuring out how much things costs and paying for challenges Pitching the idea to TV channels The women who have inspired Elise Final words of advice Social Media Website: www.womanwithaltitude.com Instagram: @woman_with_altitude Facebook: @womanwithaltitude Twitter: @altitudewoman Jangu IG @jangu_adventures Emily Almond Barr - Film maker Website - www.emilyalmondbarr.com Instagram: @emilyalmondbarr

Clare Rutter grew up in rural, coastal west Wales with childhood days often spent with her brother playing and exploring in nature, climbing trees, jumping hay bales, cycling the green and lush country lanes and time spent on the beaches exploring rockpools, playing in the sand and swimming in the sea. Everyday was a mini-adventure in Clare's eyes which was only added to by joining the Brownies, the Guides and later the Scouts when girls were (finally!) permitted to join across all age sections. At age 6 and continuing through her participation in these youth organisations, Clare began her journey in paddlesport thoroughly enjoying kayaking and canoeing. Now, after more than 25 years spent in the Scouts, Clare has many 'on the water' hours paddling and has been on many Scouting adventures including working at a large, commercial Scout summer camp and activity centre, expeditioning in Africa, multi-day tall ship sailing, led the Welsh Contingent at a Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree and volunteered as a staff member at two World Scout Jamborees in both England and Japan. As studying for a degree, worklife and life in general took over; paddlesport unfortunately had to take a back seat. In 2016, Clare fulfilled one of her lifelong goals and moved abroad to Gran Canaria which in itself was an almighty adventure. Unfortunately, Clare experienced some kind of a medical episode whilst on her way home from work, passed out, hit the deck and entered a 30 minute unconscious seizure state. This episode resulted in a life changing traumatic brain injury. After several months with no signs of recovery from the resulting symptoms which included headaches/migraines, severe fatigue, insomnia, tics and balance and cognitive issues and declining mental health; Clare decided to give up her home in the sun and return to Wales for further neurological investigation and treatment and to have the support of her family and friends. Clare, at this point was mostly bed bound and used a stick to aid walking but returned to Scouting as illness allowed. Clare's Brain Injury Team Occupational Therapist encouraged her into some further volunteering which, returning to her childhood roots, she undertook at a local outdoor activities centre offering land and water adventures including canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddleboarding. A change in medication tackled Clare's condition to the point where she could function better on a daily basis, could ditch the walking stick and experience better mental health. After a season at the centre, Clare was offered a full-time position which she gladly accepted and begun her journey towards training and qualifications to be a paddlesports Instructor on a permanent basis. A short time after the first Covid-19 lockdown, Clare was informed that she had been selected from multiple applications to be the first ever women's paddling ambassador for Wales, a #ShePaddles Ambassador; a role to tackle the low numbers of females getting into and staying in paddlesport. Despite the lockdowns, Clare threw herself into the voluntary role and together with Canoe Wales and British Canoeing had an incredibly successful first year providing an online Welsh women's friendly and welcoming paddling networking hub and providing paddlesport taster sessions to hundreds of females at #ShePaddles 'On Tour' events across Wales. Whilst still battling illness, known as Post-Concussion Syndrome, with her symptoms mostly masked, Clare is now a full time, qualified Paddlesports Instructor & Leader and regularly supports clients with neurological conditions, mental health issues and a range of disabilities enabling participation, enjoyment and progression in paddlesports utilising the outdoors as therapy and rehabilitation as she did. She's also a guest speaker speaking at events sharing her motivational and inspirational brain injury story and is still heavily involved in #ShePaddles and #ShePaddlesCymru (in Wales). Clare is passionate about paddlesport and you'll usually find her on the water in her spare time, committed to relearning, redefining and challenging herself and her abilities to prove that given some adaptations and self-belief that almost anything can be achieved. Aside from paddlesport, Clare also enjoys writing, camping, geocaching, photography and videography and enjoys sharing her experiences, challenges and adventures across her social media channels. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday 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 Clare Growing up in Wales by the coast Being a paddlesports instructor and a scout leader Getting into swimming at a young age Going into Brownies and then joining the scouts when girls were allowed in Collecting all the interest badges Wanting to join the police force and wanting to help people Getting into paddlesports Going to university as a mature student Getting her level 2 youth work qualification What it was like going back to university as a mature student Her twenties working as a chef and in security Her lifelong goal to live and work abroad in a hot sunny place Starting to learn Spanish Moving to Spain! The reality of living and working abroad Making friends Having a medical episode in 2017 Being taken to the hospital Finally getting to see a doctor and getting a CT scan done Being housebound for 6 weeks Not knowing what to do and thinking she was going to die Struggling on for 9 months Deciding to move back to Wales Getting the support she needed Using a walking stick to help her walk Trying new medication and starting to feel better within 48hrs Being encouraged to get into volunteering Being encouraged and supported Being offered a full time job Lessons from having a brain injury Being back in the outdoors and spending time in the sea and river Getting qualifications in paddlesports Learning how to manage her fatigue Wanting to encourage other women to get into paddlesports #ShePaddles why it was created and what it does Getting her life back together Trying to encourage more women and girls to get into paddlesports thinking creatively and being supported by Canoe Wales Creating a FB Group for women Getting into paddle boarding (SUP - Stand Up Paddle board) Needing something to look forward to Supporting women who don't have gear but still want to have ago Having a supportive boss - www.adventurebeyond.co.uk Practical tips and advice for women and girls to get into paddlesports The She Paddles Effect Final words of advice - why there is always an opportunity you can create or take advantage of Social Media Personal Website: www.clarerutter.com Instagram: @clare_rutter.ba.hons Facebook: @clarerutter.DBA Facebook groups: Women's Paddling Community and #ShePaddlesCymru Hashtags: #ShePaddles #ShePaddlesCymru Twitter: @clare_rutter Other Resources: www.britishcanoeing.org.uk www.canoewales.com

Kwesia grew up in Deptford, an inner city area of South-East London. Along with many of her friends, neighbours and peers, she experienced a great deal of challenges that come with living in an area, and with people, who have been neglected, excluded and marginalized. At 17, Kwesia found herself homeless, moving from sofa to sofa. Her life was chaotic, often harsh, without any meaning and lacking a clear sense of direction or purpose. At her lowest point, Kwesia received an opportunity to become apart of a British Exploring Society's expedition to the Peruvian Amazon Rain-forest. Grabbing the opportunity, Kwesia spent 3 weeks in a remote part of the jungle, with no phone, and no contact with the outside world, with a group of individuals she barely knew. It was a life-changing experience for her. She experienced the beauty of nature, there was no judgement, just new friendships, new energy, a chance to be herself, to experience new energy and to think about new opportunities. On her return to the UK, Kwesia wanted to give back to her community, she wanted to connect with young people like herself, and inspire them to spend time in nature, to give them new opportunities and new experiences away from their life of poverty and hardship. Kwesia created, City Girl in Nature. This was her way to share her love and passion for the outdoors, and her belief that everybody should have the chance to be healed, to be nourished, and to live a life filled with abundance. 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 Kwesia and what she does Being based in South East London Growing up in Deptford Being homeless at 17 Not getting on well with her mum Struggling to get support and the challenges of finding housing Not having a place to call home Dealing with inner city trauma Having to be resilient from a young age Going to college and working as a football coach Getting the opportunity to go to the Amazon with the British Exploring Society Not having any experience of the outdoors Being open to learning and connecting with others Going on a practice weekend and getting to meet other members who were going on an expedition Heading out to the jungle! Being sponsored Concerns about going on the expedition What camp life was like Being apart of a "fire" group The lessons learned from the expedition Being a leader Taking a while to process what happened on expedition The power of spending time in nature Speaking at the Adventure Mind conference Being featured in Belinda Kirk's book - Adventure Revolution Trying to figure out how to give back to her community Her Youtube Online Series Speaking with Rhiane from Black Girls Hike Getting out into nature Top tips for women and girls for getting into the outdoors Why its important to find what you enjoy How can people support and get involved with City Girl In Nature Final words of advice to share with you. Social Media Website: citygirlinnature.com Instagram: @citygirlinnature Twitter: @citygirlnature Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC9jqCgQ5rOBHV5EVj0vwFyw Donate/Support City Girl In Nature - www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=Z3VU9MJTB6K5Y

Jessie in her own words: "It would be a lie to say that I have always been aware of the climate crisis, because I haven't. Frankly, that is the problem. Whilst always enjoying spending time in nature whether that be up at our allotment or walking on the wilds of Dartmoor right on my doorstep, it was only a few years ago that I became aware of the dire straights our climate is in. It was at this moment that like many youth activists, I began to realise that I really had no choice but to fight for it. This didn't mean that it necessarily was something I wanted to do, because most young people just want a care free experience as they grow and develop, and activism is certainly not these things. However, I felt a duty to do this, because the vast majority of adults around me and in society were choosing not to. It was then that I decided to create People Pedal Power and cycle to COP26 both as a personal challenge and as a way to bring the many individuals concerned about the Climate Crisis together. As a way to highlight the power and joy that is created when people come together to create change. 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 this upcoming COP. 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." 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 Jessie Being interested in the environment Being aware of the climate emergency Wanting to make a difference Being on a learning journey Delaying with climate anxiety and climate grief Is the climate a concern for young people Why it's a split issue Wanting to find your tribe Growing up and being supported by her family Studying for A'Levels at 6th fort What does being a Youth Climate Activist mean How Jessie is driving change Being passionate about writing Hearing from the youth Growing up in the 2000s What is - People Pedal Power What is COP (Conference of the Parties) COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland Adults putting profits before people. Wanting to get the youth voice into the political sphere. Partnering with the Adventure Syndicate How the partnership is going to work Creating a cargo bike relay Why it's not just shouting about what's wrong Why the moment is going to be joyful and highlighting the issues and the way forward How the movement has evolved Getting into cycling and loving the journey The route and the logistics of cycling from Devon to Glasgow Making sure to factor in mental rest Riding 570 miles and hoping the training has paid off Concerns about the journey and thinking about the impact of the weather Dealing with all of the unknowns about the challenge How it's going to work once she's arrived in Glasgow Working with Eco-Schools Wanting to bring more of a youth perspective to the summit Tough Girl Podcast Extra episode coming on the 13th November to follow up with Jessie and her journey. What does Jessie want to happen over the next few weeks. Good luck to Jessie! Social Media People Pedal Power - Demanding Climate action and greener more accessible transport. Website: httpspeoplepeddlepower.wordpress.com/ Instagram: @people_pedal_power 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

Kirsty in her own words: "I'm a mixed-race freelance mountaineering and climbing instructor from the west coast of Scotland. I love being able to introduce and share so many of the incredible Scottish environments, whether it's the mountains in full winter conditions or a beautifully still sea with views out to the Hebrides. Climbing in all forms is pretty much my life but earlier this year I also started mountain biking and roller skating, which are both great fun and very different! Outside of work and play, I've been a member of Oban Mountain Rescue Team since 2013. I'm a callout manager and the Training Officer on the team, and love being able to give something back to the mountaineering community. I'm the founder of Our Shared Outdoors, an organisation set up to tackle and change the lack of diversity in the outdoors and promote underrepresented groups. I'm really passionate about making outdoor communities as accessible as possible to everyone, because it should be! I'm also a panellist on On the Outside podcast, where we discuss outdoor news in the UK with a panel of diverse outdoor enthusiasts." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday 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 visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show notes Who is Kirsty What she does Her passions and interests Moving up to Scotland when she was 9 years old Getting to spend time in the outdoors as a child Her dreams as a little girl How she got into outdoor instructing Doing work experience at an outdoor centre Becoming a volunteer during the summer holidays Getting an outdoor education apprenticeship What was involved in being an apprentice What she loves about her job Mixing her passion for the outdoors with her job Deciding to join the Mountain Rescue Team as a volunteer What the call out manager does The stresses of the job Wanting people to be as prepared as possible for the outdoors Being a founder of Our Shared Outdoors Changing the narrative Call to the Mountains Film (Jan 2020) The women who inspire Kirsty Advice for women who want to start doing their qualifications Summer and Winter Mountain Leader Training Why we need to go and do it Being a panelist On the Outside Podcast The barriers that stop people going outdoors Struggling with equipment and finding kit to fit The changes over the past 10 years How the statics haven't changed in 30 years Having a 10% female membership…. Why women are less likely to wing it Support for women who have children Dealing with skill fade Kirsty's favourite walk/hike up in Scotland Social Media Personal - Instagram: @kirstypallas Facebook: @kirstypallas Our Shared Outdoors - An organisation working to redefine the outdoor narrative to become inclusive to all. Join our community by sharing experiences #oursharedoutdoors Instagram: @oursharedoutdoors Facebook: @oursharedoutdoors On the Outside Podcast Launched Summer 2021 - is a UK based news-panel podcast sharing diverse views on outdoors news. Instagram: @ontheoutsidepod Facebook: @ontheoutsidepod

Lindsay is a coach, author, speaker, and lifelong athlete. She is an Olympic gold medalist, a three-time World Champion, five-time World Cup medalist, and a National Rowing Hall of Fame inductee. Lindsay lives in Florida, where she daily seeks to mentor, inspire, and improve the lives of others by sharing her knowledge of health and wellness along with her journey of self-discovery from ultimate defeat, to Olympic gold. Think of any sport, and Lindsay played it growing up. She was a driven athlete, good student, and happy teenager. But when she went to college, everything changed. She quit basketball, gained weight, and skipped classes. Her drive was gone. After a sleepless night and fateful turn of events, Lindsay made the decision to become her best self. She discovered rowing, and the sport became her outlet for transformation. In just one year she became an NCAA Division-I All-American; in four, she broke a world record and won her first World Championship. Within six years, Lindsay won Olympic gold. In Better Great Than Never, Lindsay shows you how to seize your full potential by removing self-imposed limitations. She demonstrates how to embrace every step, good and bad, to find greatness. For Lindsay, life isn't about winning. As long as you learn throughout your journey, you can never lose. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday 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 Being based in Miami Beach Florida Working in Ocean Rescue Being an athlete and an educator Dreaming about the Olympics… Being very sporty from a young age and playing a whole variety of different sports Graduating from high school at 17 Going to the University of Virginia Stumbling across rowing in her junior year at rowing Not feeling confident at playing sports at college level Being tall at school and feeling awkward while growing up Falling in love with rowing Why there is always something that you can be improving in What motivates Lindsay How sports psychologists played a role in her rowing Learning from every opportunity Being self reflective and being intrinsically motivated What does it take to achieve at these high levels What training was involved Her first day or rowing practice Learning to be accountable to ourselves, our equipment and to one another Why sleep was the most important thing Wiring a book about her story and being able to reflect back on her journey Staying injury free for 7.5 years Removing as much stress as possible Keeping detailed training logs Sleeping for 10 hrs a night and taking naps during the day Starting rowing January 2002 and winning medals a few years later Even through it was hard, it was fun Knowing what her role was in the boat Being the connector The Beijing Olympic Games Why it's just another race Go out and do what you do Doing extra deep breathing to relax What it was like sitting at the start line Why nerves on the start line are a good thing 6 mins - 6 secs Getting into a flow state and just feeling Reflecting back on the journey the luxury of being an athlete Where you can find Lindsay on the Socials Having a middle name "Dare" Advice for other women who want to dare to be great Why her advice is Patience Staying Patience, Positive & Determined throughout the process Finding the one thing and to do well Social Media Website: www.lindsaydareshoop.com Instagram: @LindsayDareShoop Youtube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCQEzWRsCnke6ws_wJTKg8uQ/about Book: Better Great Than Never: Believing It's Possible Is Where Champions Begin

Jenny Valentish has been devoted to dancing around the void for many decades, first in the pub and then the boxing ring as a kickboxer. Jenny is the author of the acclaimed Woman of Substance: A Journey into Addiction and Treatment and her new book, Everything Harder Than Everyone Else: Why Some of Us Push Our Bodies to Extremes. About the book: There is a part of human nature compelled to test our own limits. But what happens when this part comes to define us? When journalist Jenny Valentish wrote Woman of Substances, a book about addiction, she noticed that people who treated drug-taking like an Olympic sport would often hurl themselves into a pursuit like marathon running upon giving up. What stayed constant was the need to push their boundaries. Everything Harder Than Everyone Else follows people doing the things that most couldn't, wouldn't or shouldn't. By delving into their extreme behaviour, theres a lot that us mere mortals can learn about the human condition. The athlete using childhood adversity as grist for the mill. The wrestler turning restlessness into curated ultraviolence. The bare-knuckle boxer whose gnarliest opponent is her ego. The dancer who could not separate her identity from her practice until at deaths door. The bodybuilder exacting order on a life that was once chaotic. And the porn star-turned-fighter for whom sex and violence are two sides of the same coin. Their insights lead Jenny on a compulsive, sometimes reckless journey of immersion journalism. * CONTENT WARNING - Drugs, Sex, Self Harm, Cutting Weight, Eating Disorders, Obsession, Suffering, Addiction. 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 Jenny? Growing up in Slough Being a journalist and an author Writing her 4th book - Everything Harder Than Everyone Else Being interested in the mental side of endurance Her starting point for the book The link between addiction and endurance racing Asking the question - how far can I push myself Pushing your body to the extreme The anticipation of entering a race and the anticipation of getting a drug to get high Getting a sense of validation from other people Why balance is over rated? Having obsessions from childhood How her obsessions changed when she got into her teens and early twenties Finding kickboxing, and training 5x a week Finding a positive obsession Starting to research the book Finding people who would trust her Why am I doing this thing - which puts a lot of pressure on my body? Super elite athletes and their link to past suffering in childhood The Dark Side of Top Level Sport: An Autobiographic Study of Depressive Experiences in Elite Sport Performers Suffering as an adult athlete and being able to push through the pain Why certain sports attract certain personalities The rise of women taking up strength sports The feeling of POWER and women wanting to take up physical space Social Media Project - #YouLookLikeAMan Her journey in kickboxing Taking on her first amateur fight What it was like being in the ring…. The fear of getting back into the ring Wanting to be a threat in the ring The ability to suffer Learning How to Suffer with the Queen of Pain: My Conversation With OCR Super-athlete Amelia Boone Over exercising and using sport as a way to sanction diet and what you consume The Recovery I needed - By Amelia Boone Book: Women of Substance: A Journey Into Drugs, Alcohol and Treatment Self care? Knowing your Why The next book! Social Media Website: www.jennyvalentish.com Instagram: @jennyvalentish_public Twitter: @JennyValentish