Tough Girl Podcast

In this episode, we explore Sophie Power's incredible journey from self-professed anti-runner to ultra-runner and advocate for women in racing. Despite her initial reluctance towards running, Sophie discovered a passion for it at 26, leading her to tackle challenges like the Marathon des Sables (MDS) with only nine months of training.

Her journey wasn't without hurdles, especially as a mother of three. Yet, Sophie's dedication to running while pregnant sparked global attention, inspiring women everywhere. 

Fuelled by her experiences, she founded SheRACES, aiming to make racing more accessible for women, advocating for pregnancy deferrals, and breaking barriers.

Sophie's resilience shines through, overcoming setbacks like a coma and memory loss. Her story embodies the power of belief and perseverance. Listen to Sophie now to learn more about her remarkable journey.

***

Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.

 By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Your contribution helps empower and inspire others. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast to be a part of this important movement. 

Thank you for your invaluable support!

***

Show notes

• Who is Sophie
• Being an anti-runner
• Not being sporty
• Discovering running at 26 
• Being a good hiker and doing kick-boxing
• Ready to take on a new challenge
• Having 9 months to train 
• Going from zero to ultra 
• The planning and preparation for Marathon des Sables (MDS) in 2010 
• Doing her own research and putting previous experience in planning and logistics to use. 
• Enjoying running and why she does ultras
• Looking to find herself again
• Starting to travel and do adventures at the same time
• Working long hours and running 20 miles max per week
• Running while pregnant and why it was different every time
• The photo that went viral
• UTMB 
• Not wanting to let her 3 year old down
• Not wanting other women to be in her position
• How She Races came about
• Why races should have pregnancy deferrals 
• Wanting to reduce the barriers for women to encourage more women to race
• Surveying over 2,000 women about their barriers and wanting to understand what events can change
• Coming up with guidelines for races
• Not having any free time
• How people can support the work that She Races is doing
• Also focusing on cycling and triathlon
• Why women and girls deserve better
• Running for Team GB and her ultra runner journey 
• Finding herself on the start line of the European championships in 24hr running
• Taking running more seriously after turning 40 and having 3 kids
• Training for a 24hr race
• The mental side of the challenge
• Recovery after races
• Nutrition and fuelling herself during races and recovery
• Being in a coma for 36 hrs
• Dealing with short term memory loss
• Going back to work too soon
• Running with a prolapse
• Mummy MOT
• Emma Brockwell - “why did no one tell me” 
• How to connect with Sophie
• Final words of advice 
• “Believe that you deserve it” 

Social Media

Website:

https://www.sophiepower.com/ 

www.sheraces.com

Instagram:

@ultra_sophie 

@she.races 

Meet Jacky Hunt-Broersma, a remarkable individual who's shattered expectations as an amputee ultramarathoner, endurance coach, dedicated mom, and cancer survivor. Recognised as the RRCA Road Runner of the Year, WRAL Athlete of the Year, and featured in Strong Fitness Magazine's Women to Watch in 2021, her journey is nothing short of inspirational.

In 2016, Jacky embarked on her extraordinary running odyssey. Her path to greatness was marked by a profound personal challenge—losing her leg to Ewing Sarcoma. However, she didn't let this setback define her. Instead, she set out to build an impressive portfolio of "firsts" for female amputees in trail and ultra running, even securing several world records. She's on a mission to prove the naysayers wrong and carve a path for other adaptive athletes, especially women, in the world of trail running and ultramarathons.

Among her numerous achievements, Jacky's incredible feat of running 104 marathons in 104 days stands out, raising an astounding $194,000 for Amputee Blade Runners. She's also set a new world record as the first amputee to complete a 100-mile run on a treadmill, doing so in under 24 hours (23 hours and 38 minutes).

Jacky Hunt-Broersma's remarkable journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of the human spirit to overcome obstacles and achieve the extraordinary. She's not only a trailblazer but a beacon of hope and inspiration for adaptive athletes worldwide.

***

Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.

 By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Your contribution helps empower and inspire others. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast to be a part of this important movement. Thank you for your invaluable support!

***

Show notes

• Who is Jacky
• Living in sunny Arizona, USA for the past two years
• Growing up in South Africa
• Moving to the Netherlands in her early 20s
• Being very sports orientated and spending a lot of time outdoors
• How things have changed in South Africa
• Leaving South Africa with two suitcases and living in a new country
• Struggling to learn dutch when in the Netherlands 
• Being diagnosed with cancer when living in Holland
• From diagnosis to the amputation of her leg 
• Hearing the news
• Figuring out the next steps and finding out what was going to happen
• Saying goodbye to her leg
• Getting to a place of acceptance
• Wishing she had taken up running sooner
• How running helped her to accept her body how it was 
• Going through denial
• Having a pity party and feeling that life was unfair 
• Wanting to be normal and not wanting any pity
• Dealing with anger
• Why it’s a process
• Becoming more open about her journey and her struggles 
• Taking up running and why it changed her life
• Wanting to encourage more amputees to run
• The expensive cost of a running blade ($10,000)
• Fighting the system to get funding for running blades 
• Wanting to make a difference and encourage more amputees to get out and active 
• Being surprised at how far she could push her body 
• Wanting to push boundaries and distances in running 
• Running 104 marathons in 104 days in April 2022
• Being inspired by Alyssa Clark running 95 marathons in 95 days (2021) 
• Wanting to see if she could do it and not knowing how her prosthetic would hold up
• The metal side of the challenges
• Dealing with chin splits at the start of the journey 
• Getting through the tough days and taking the time to celebrate the milestones and live in the moment
• Having 3 different routes to choose from 
• The paperwork needed for the Guinness World Record  
• Being strict about recovery and following a routine
• Running 104 marathons and raising funds for Amputee Blade Runners 
• Running Boston Marathon - Para elite division 
• How to follow along with Jacky on social media
• Future running plans for 2024
• Running a half marathon a day for Cancer Research (for 250 days) 
• Planning to run Comrades in South Africa 
• Final words of advice to inspire to you in your next challenge

Social Media

Website: www.ncrunnerjacky.com 

Instagram: @ncrunnerjacky

Twitter: @ncrunnerjacky

Melissa in her own words:

“After connecting with my now husband on match.com 20 years ago, we realized we had one key difference: he wanted a partner to ‘Sail around the world’. I, on the other hand, wasn't an adventurer. I was a professional woman with a degree in Psychology, dedicated to non-profit work and healthcare.

But my husband ignited a desire in me to embrace life's adventures while we were still healthy. The turning point came when he asked, ‘When are you going to quit your job and sail around the world with me?’

Despite my initial fears and attachments, I couldn't ignore the call to live life to the fullest. We set sail across the Pacific Ocean, and it changed me profoundly.

We continued our adventures by buying an RV and exploring the US, Canada, and Alaska, much to the surprise of our family.

These experiences made me resilient and fearless. 

Returning from a sailing journey and hiking the John Muir Trail at age 62, I realized that the world was full of opportunities.

I see people looking at me differently now, sensing my quiet confidence. My adventure started late, but it's proof that life-changing decisions can happen at any age. The question remains: “Do it now or not?””

*Content Warning: This episode contains an instance of strong/abusive language that some listeners may find offensive. 

***

 Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.

 By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Your contribution helps empower and inspire others. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast to be a part of this important movement. Thank you for your invaluable support!

***

Show notes

• Who is Melissa
• Living is San Diego, California 
• Not being born into an adventurous family 
• Her early years and feeling connected to her dad (who died when she was 4)
• Meeting her husband on match.com about 18 years ago
• Blending 2 families together 
• After 10 years of marriage starting to discuss the sailing adventure
• Being a career girl and not focused on adventure 
• Not having passion in her life
• Doing little adventures but not committing to the big adventure of sailing around the world
• Waiting for the kids to go to college 
• Making the commitment and putting a plan in place
• Getting the boat and needing to learn new skills
• Having a 5 year plan and changing everything about their life
• Not spending more that $25 unless speaking to another person
• Working as a team in a partnership 
• Having garage sales, saving money and making it happen
• Starting to change and starting to get excited about the future adventure
• Being called ‘Captain B*tch Slap’ 
• Being a forgiving person
• Proving people wrong
• Noticing her confidence changing
• Dealing with tangled anchors while a storm is rolling in
• Stats from the trip - the boat (Island Packet 37)
• Starting in San Diego and sailing down to Mexico
• Stopping to take a 1,000 mile car tour throughout Mexico
• Pacific Puddle Jump from America’s to French Polynesia  
• Feeling done with sailing after 11 months and wanting to go home
• The challenges of getting the boat back from Hawaii to San Diego
• The dream vs reality 
• Magical moments while out sailing and the challenges while being out on the water
• Spending time on remote beautiful islands - the instagram moments
• When the autopilot stopped working and having to steer the boat in 2 hour shifts for 24/7. 
• Deciding what to do next and wanting to sell the boat, take the money and buy an RV and travel around the US, up through Canada and head up to the wilds of Alaska
• The challenges of RV Life and wanting to do ‘Boondocking’
• Feeling numb after traveling and feeling lost 
• Having therapy and starting to feel again
• Getting into voice overs and having a way to start earning an income again 
• Learning to appreciate the little moments and the free moments
• Being done with the corporate world and being a different person
• Choosing to live a simple life and having more money than before, even though they’re earning less
• Renting out the RV
• Deciding to hike the John Muir Trail (211 miles)
• Planning and testing out all the gear 
• Why it was one of the toughest things she’s ever done
• Climbing Mt Whitney and the challenges with the elevation gain and loss
• Trying to get equipment and gear to fit her height at 4′ 11″ / 150 cm
• Ending up with an Osprey EJA 58 
• Trying to find trainers and shoes to fit 
• Watch the videos from the Pacific Ocean on YouTube
• Final words of advice 
• Why you need to take an honest look at yourself and where you are in your life
• Why you need to make a plan and get into the details
• Give yourself little mini milestones to work towards 
• Start by putting your plan down on paper

Social Media

Websites:

www.theadventuretravelers.com

melissaharlowvo.com

Instagram: @theadventuretravelers

Youtube: @theadventuretravelers

Join us today as we have a conversation with Dr. Katie Myint, an eye surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Her journey takes us from her Midlands upbringing to becoming a doctor and the role running and exercise played in promoting mental well-being.

Katie candidly shares her battle with depression during her second year as a doctor, shedding light on how exercise and medication became transformative tools for enhancing her mental health. As we explore her running journey and marathon experiences, one theme remains constant: the pure joy of movement.

Throughout the episode, Katie discusses her marathon adventures, from running alongside her husband to using races as a gateway to explore the world. She passionately underscores the importance of running as a cherished hobby, never allowing it to encroach upon her daily life.

Katie offers advice on motivation and self-compassion and encourages women to embrace exercise with the conviction that it can be an enjoyable endeavour.

***

Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.

 By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Your contribution helps empower and inspire others. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast to be a part of this important movement. Thank you for your invaluable support!

***

Show notes

• Working as an eye surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, in London
• Her early years growing up in the Midlands 
• Being focused on academics 
• Learning how to swim with her dad
• Enjoying school and wanting to do well
• Finding her way into sports and exercise as an adult 
• Not enjoying sports at school 
• Dealing with depression in her 2nd year of being a doctor
• Feeling alone 
• Using exercise to improve mental well-being 
• Taking the first step to going out and doing exercise 
• Not recognising in herself that she had depression 
• Going to see her GP and being recommended exercise and medication 
• Going on her first run in winter in the rain and the dark
• Her running journey and what that looked like 
• Being a solo runner for a long time
• Running to help process her thoughts 
• Not having any running goals and using running to improve her mental well-being
• Working her way up to a half-marathon and marathon 
• Why it wasn’t about times or PBs but rather the joy of moving
• Running with her husband and using a marathon race as an excuse to go on holiday abroad 
• Fitting in running around her job and life
• Not following a structured running program 
• Wanting to keep running as a hobby 
• Doing 2 or 3 shorter runs throughout the week with one long run at the weekend
• Not letting running get in the way of life
• Magical moments while running
• Running the Barcelona Marathon, Spain 
• Marathon du Medoc, Bordeau, France 
• Managing the tough times in a race and how to mange that
• The race is just the final victory lap and the journey is in all the runs you’ve done before it. 
• Why it can be tricky between mile 16 and 18 
• Loving Park Run and starting Saturdays with a run followed by brunch 
• Getting involved in triathlon 
• Getting her first bike 
• Training solo or with her husband
• Doing her first triathlon and why it was a total wash out
• Taking the race at your own pace and not comparing yourself to others
• Being an Ambassador for ON 
• Advice for when you don’t want to go out running
• Remembering why you are doing it, but also being kind to yourself
• Stretching….
• Race plans for 2024
• Where Katie is most active on social media 
• Final words of advice to encourage more women to get exercise in their life
• Encouraging you to run for the love of it and that exercise can be fun!

Social Media

Instagram: @katietriestorun   

Nicky is a self-confessed adventurer, loves a challenge, delights in cold shenanigans and is ready to embrace the next stage of her adventure life. Her super powers are making things happen and connecting people and she is the Queen of pushing herself out of her comfort zone.

Nicky lives in Brighton with her husband, 2 teenage boys and Daisy the camper van. 

At 52 her adventure journey has changed many times over the years, from a 20-year-old canoeing and sailing instructor, to a Mum with young children teaching them to embrace the outdoors through camping, building dens and cooking on open fires. Her boys are now in their late teens now and are slowly flying the nest, it is here she finds herself, ready to embrace the next stage of her adventure journey.

Her adventures have included; fire walks, abseiling down castles, coast steering, a cross country ski marathon in the Arctic Circle, a wing walk and running a half marathon in Greenland which included training in an Environmental Cold Chamber at the University of Sussex at minus 20!

***

 Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.

 By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Your contribution helps empower and inspire others. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast to be a part of this important movement. Thank you for your invaluable support!

***

Show notes

• Her love of adventure
• How her adventure journey has changed as she’s gotten older
• Where her adventurous spirit came from 
• Being inspired by her dad
• Why you can have adventures on your doorstep
• What does adventure mean to Nicky
• Why adventure is so many things
• Why you can fit adventure around your life 
• Why adventure is there for the taking, but you may have to be creative.
• Her first job working in a water sports centre
• Working for World Challenge
• Having children and going camping with 2 young children 
• Making adventure part of family life
• Having to put solo adventures on hold with having a young family
• Parrot hunting on the Amazon (finding and taking photos)
• Going to the Artic Circle to do a cross -country ski marathon 
• Doing a big challenge every year from 40 - 50 to raise money for charity
• Being drawn to the cold 
• Needing to do the training to enjoy the experience 
• Planning future challenges
• Running her own business for 18 years 
• Deciding to go wing walking!
• Doing a fire walk 
• Feeling empowered after doing challenges and stepping outside her comfort zone
• Doing a half marathon in Greenland at 50 (a big, bold, cold, challenge)
• Deciding to step down from her business 
• Liking a spreadsheet and being organised with her training 
• Working with a specialist performance coach 
• Working with the Environmental Extremes Lab at Sussex University 
• Getting to experience minus 20 and the impact on her body
• Being set up for success and learning how to manage herself in extreme conditions
• Going to Greenland and why it was outside her comfort zone 
• Learning how to deal with panic on the start line 
• Turning panic into power
• Wanting to run a happy race and take it all in
• Dealing with the adventure blues
• Completing a 5k sea swim
• Working with Genny Brown and helping her with her social media 
• Looking at the North Pole Marathon 
• Svalbard? 
• Daisy
• #pinknicky 
• How to connect with Nicky on the socials
• Working with Outside & Active
• Doing an International Women’s Day Sea Swim with Land & Wave in 2024 
• Wanting to elevate women 
• Final words of advice for other women
• Make an Adventure Action List 
• Find people who inspire you
• Take mini steps 

Social Media

Instagram: @daisyvw1 

Facebook: @nicky.chisholm 

Nicky runs an annual event in Brighton to celebrate International Women's Day (8th March), she organises a mega sea swim for over 500 "mermaids" supporting surfers against sewage. 

Land and Wave are an Official Event Partner. Join her Saturday March 9^th 2024 

Christine Yu is an award-winning journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of sports science and women athletes. Her writing has appeared in Outside, The Washington Post, Time, Runner’s World, and other publications. She’s a lifelong athlete and yoga teacher who loves running, surfing, and skiing. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

About the book: 

“In the past half-century, women have achieved remarkable progress in the realm of athletics. More women are participating in sports and maintaining an active lifestyle throughout their lives. Whether they're elite athletes striving for excellence or passionate amateurs enjoying their athletic pursuits, women deserve a sports culture that empowers them. 

This culture should offer training programs and equipment specifically designed to support their unique physiologies, along with nutrition and injury prevention guidelines grounded in scientific research and tailored to their individual experiences.

Unfortunately, women have often received guidance based on research that fails to consider their distinct experiences and physical characteristics. Much of what we've accepted as the standard in exercise and sports science is rooted solely in studies conducted on men.

But the landscape is changing for the better. Researchers are now conducting more inclusive studies to close the gender data gap. They're investigating how women can enhance their athletic performance, reduce the risk of injury, and maintain good health.

In 'Up to Speed,' sports and health journalist Christine Yu unravels myths and dissects gender bias in light of real science. She advocates for new approaches that empower female athletes to excel at every life stage, from adolescence through adulthood, encompassing pregnancy, menopause, and beyond. 

Christine delves into the latest research findings and shines a light on the researchers, athletes, and advocates challenging the status quo. They are pioneering innovative solutions to enhance the active and athletic lives of women and girls, ushering in a new era of gender equality in sports science and performance.”

***

The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout January by ZOLEO. #ChallengeWithZOLEO

ZOLEO connects with your phone to provide seamless global messaging that follows you in and out of mobile network coverage — plus added safety features you can count on worldwide including industry-leading SOS alerting features. 24/7 monitoring and 24/7 access to non-emergency medical advice, check-in and weather forecasts. ZOLEO offers unmatched peace of mind for you and for everyone waiting at home. 

Stay connected and safe while doing what you love.

Hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of tough women. New episodes LIVE every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time.

***

Show notes

• Who is Christine
• Being based in New York
• Growing up in Connecticut  before moving to San Francisco
• Being sporty from a young age and always being active 
• Getting into running, strength training and yoga
• Working in the non profit sector for 10/15 years before making the switch to journalism
• Wanting to write and tell more stories
• Taking time off after having her first child
• Combing her love for writing with her love for sports, science and health 
• Wanting to focus on issues relating to women, women’s health and women’s sports
• Being curious and wanting to know more 
• The lack of easily accessible information available for women
• Wanting to learn how to make her body more resilient
• Wanting to improve her health and wanting to move her body in a way that makes her feel good
• Wanting to be strong and healthy over the long term
• The starting point with research
• Knowledge from print magazines….. which wasn’t women specific 
• Looking at more specific sports science research 
• Dr Stacy Sims: ROAR 
• The lack of knowledge for women who want to do strength training 
• More women getting into strength training 
• New Book: Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes
• Where the idea came from and how easy it was to get it published 
• Only 6% of sports science (2014-2020) studies focus on issues related to women
• Why do we know so much less about women’s physiology?
• What are the implication due to the gender data gap?
• What you can expect from the book - information on the menstrual cycle, breast health, sporting gear, injury rates and chapters devoted to the life stages of a women’s life
• ‘Women are Not Small Men: a paradigm shift in the science of nutrition’ - TED Talk 
• How to study women with the challenges of women’s menstrual cycle
• The blindspots in science 
• Leaving women out of the narrative
• Hormones related to the menstrual cycle and how they can impact performance 
• Noticing the trends when tracking your period
• Don’t blame yourself - blame your hormones 
• Peri-menopause and menopause where is the science?
• Food and nutrition 
• Weight and performance 
• Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S)
• How to connect with Christine
• Final words of advice for women who want to learn more about the science
• Pay attention to your own body, track your cycle and see how your body responds throughout the month
• Dr Stacy Sims 
• Feisty Menopause 
• Be a critical consumer of the media you are consuming  

Social Media

Instagram: @cyu888 

Substack: christinemyu.substack.com 

Book: Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes

Nikki Love is an adventure runner, a sports psychology under-grad, and a motivator of dreaming big, taking action and achieving extraordinary goals.

Nikki turned 50 in 2017 and decided it was time to take her love for travel, marathon running, and cross-country running to a new level. 

She is now on a mission to run across, around, or through as many countries that her feet can take her, bringing as many people as she can along for the run.

Her big adventures include running 63 marathons in 63 days through the UK to celebrate her 50th birthday, a craic of a 750 mile run around Ireland, a runcation through Malta and around Gozo, a jolly jaunt across the Netherlands, an extremely muddy and cow-pat laden run from top to bottom of Wales, a 40 day x 1,000 miles treadmill run, and on July 16, 2023 at the age of 56 Nikki set the women’s record for running across Australia from Perth to Sydney 4,044kms in 76 days, 3 hours and 43 minutes.

Driven by her curiosity to answer the question “I wonder if I can do that…” 

Nikki shares her adventures – the highs, lows, fun, tears and her experience of overcoming fears, doubts and obstacles as she navigates perimenopause – through her writing, speaking and film-making. 

Her goal is to help women know and own their place and space in the world and to keep believing and backing themselves.

Listen to the previous TGP episode with Nikki.

30th July 2020 - Adventure Runner, Ran 63 marathons in 63 days in 2017

***

The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout January by ZOLEO. #ChallengeWithZOLEO

ZOLEO connects with your phone to provide seamless global messaging that follows you in and out of mobile network coverage — plus added safety features you can count on worldwide including industry-leading SOS alerting features. 24/7 monitoring and 24/7 access to non-emergency medical advice, check-in and weather forecasts. ZOLEO offers unmatched peace of mind for you and for everyone waiting at home. 

Stay connected and safe while doing what you love.

Hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of tough women. New episodes LIVE every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time.

***

Show notes

• Who is Nikki
• Being an adventure runner
• 56 years young
• Speaking with Nikki in 2020 on the TGP 
• A quick recap of Nikki’s previous challenges
• Reflecting back on 2020 and 2021
• Coming up with idea to do a ‘training run’  on a treadmill 
• Running 1000 miles and tearing tendons in her toes which ended her adventure
• Learning that she could do hard things 
• Setting herself up to run across Australia for real 
• Dealing with multiple peri-menopausal symptoms
• 2021- deciding to run 100 marathons in 100 days
• Getting a stress fracture in her pelvis 
• Starting a process to understand what was going on in her body 
• Getting advice to downgrade her ambitions and dreams 
• Being stubborn and wanting to figure out a way to achieve her goal at 56 of running across Australia 
• Figuring out what was going on and getting advice from doctors 
• Starting on different versions on HRT
• Being encouraged to stop doing her exercise 
• Having bloods taken and doing MRI scans - privately 
• Speaking to as many people as possible to come up with solutions
• Figuring out that her body wasn’t absorbing the hormone therapy 
• Going back to basics - getting back to a good diet and doing strength training 
• Taking 2 years to recover from her pelvis stress fracture 
• Feeling sad and frustrated 
• Not being willing to give up on her goal
• Starting to wonder if it would be possible for her to run across Australia 
• Starting to do more planning and putting dates in place 
• Dealing with setbacks along the way and why it wasn’t easy 
• Setting the start date for 1st May 2023
• Being supported by her partner 
• Hiring a camper van and driving from Jhalong to Perth and getting to see the route in reverse. 
• Going after a Guinness World Record to be the fastest women to run from Perth to Sydney 
• 76 days 3hrs and 43 mins * (waiting to see if it will be accepted by Guinness)
• Having to increase her running distances pretty quickly and averaging about 53km per day 
• Getting into a flow with the running after 2 weeks
• Dealing with the traffic which was much more intense than she was expecting 
• What a typical day looked like
• How her experiences helped her to keep on going when times got tough
• Having a mantra in the morning  Start off slow and I’ll get into a flow
• Challenges with animals!
• Physically not feeling too bad, but mentally feeling very drained and tired
• Listening to binaural music to calm her body down and the importance of sleep to help with recovery 
• Dealing with the adventure blues after the challenge
• Making the decision to go to university to study sports psychology
• Applying to Loughborough University
• Becoming more aware of her time line and getting older
• How you can connect with Nikki and follow along with her journeys
• Nikki is also blogging about her run on her website
• Wanting to keep her adventure passion alive 
• Feeling that you can - requires that you back yourself
• Keeping telling yourself that you can.

Social Media

Website: www.nikkilove.co.uk 

Instagram: @nikkiloveruns 

Rebecca's story starts in the North East of England, where she grew up on a smallholding in an area with little ethnic diversity. Influenced by her mom's passion for animals, she pursued a dream of becoming a vet and moved to Liverpool for University. 

As a young mom, she discovered tennis and joined a fitness group before her journey led her to running.

Residing at the foot of the Pennines in West Yorkshire with her husband and two children. Rebecca turned to running in 2021 as a way to escape life's demands of a busy family life and the stress of running a veterinary practice during Covid. In 2022, she set her first trail race goal, a 16k trail race in the Lakes. 

Rebecca's story also includes her involvement with Black Trail Runners, where she found community and purpose. She shares her experiences, from Endure 24 to the 3 Dales Marathon in North Yorkshire. 

Rebecca shares more about why she wants to  participate in challenging races, how she build inner strength, and expands her comfort zone. She candidly discusses her experiences, of training for and running in the mountainous  Adidas TERREX Infinite trails race in Austria. Plus how she completed her longest run to date, 77k on the Peak Divide running from Sheffield to Manchester through the Peak District.

***

Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.

 By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Your contribution helps empower and inspire others. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast to be a part of this important movement. Thank you for your invaluable support!

***

Show notes

• Who is Rebecca
• Her early years in the North East of England
• Growing up on a small holding 
• Living in the least ethnically diverse place in the whole of the UK
• Being influenced by her dad who was super sporty
• Her mum’s passion for animals and how it influenced Rebecca into wanting to become a vet
• Having one cat 
• Studying to become a vet at Liverpool University 
• Being use to working hard and dealing with pressure and stress
• Gaining work experience at every opportunity
• Not being able to do sport while at university 
• Moving to a more diverse city 
• Growing up in white spaces
• Not being a runner
• Having her first child in 2014 and feeling a bit lost 
• Getting into tennis and starting to play on a regular basis
• Having her 2nd child in 2018 and joining a mums fitness group
• The impact of covid while working as a vet  
• Getting into running in 2021
• Living in West Yorkshire at the foot of the Pennines 
• Running to have time to herself and to get away from everything 
• Deciding to set a running goal in 2022 and entering her first trail race (16k trail race in the lakes)
• Her journey with Black Trails Runners, where it all started
• Watching Martin 'MJ' Johnson in the film - ‘Run to the Source’ made with Patagonia 
• Feeling uncomfortable, weird and isolated 
• The sense of satisfaction after completing her first race
• Finding her community and what she wanted to do
• Getting more involved in BTR and what that looked like
• Connecting with an online community via social media 
• Endure 24 with BTR  
• Signing up for the 3 Dales Marathon, North Yorkshire 
• Not eating or drinking enough and how it impacted her race
• Building inner strength and dealing with the hard moments while out on the race
• Entering the growth zone and expanding your comfort zone
• Signing up for 2 more races
• Running The Haworth Hobble in winter 
• Running the Peak Divide (a 2 day ultra - running from Manchester to Sheffield) 
• Singing up to do Infinite Trails 
• Fitting in training around her life and what it looks like 
• Liking routine and liking to be busy
• Why it’s about the journey 
• Deciding to apply to run in her first mountain race and becoming part of the first all female, all black running team
• Needing to be prepared
• Working with a running coach - Sam from Kings of the Wild Frontier
• Having the opportunity to train in Chamonix and Snowdonia and spending time as a team
• Running the “Short Leg” as part of the relay - 21k, 1900m of climbing! 
• Running the 10k technical descent and the concentration needed to get to the finish 
• Recovery after the race and struggling to walk afterwards
• Having a 77k ultra marathon (Peak Divide) the week after! 
• Dealing with pain and nausea and not being in a good place 
• Not knowing how she would be able to run the final 40k 
• Trying to turn it around mentally 
• Needing to stop thinking about the end and focusing on the next step
• Taking things step by step and slowly starting to feel better
• Finishing the race after a difficult and challenging internal battle!
• Filming a short film for Kendal Mountain Festival
• Being on the cover of German Trail Magazine 
• Sharing her journey on Instagram 
• Final words of advice to encourage and motivate you
• This about the journey and don’t always think about the end goal
• “You can achieve, you just have to take the first steps"

Social Media

Instagram: @rebecca_runs_wild 

Black Trail Runners - A community and campaigning charity seeking to increase inclusion, participation and representation of Black people in trail running 

Website: www.blacktrailrunners.run 

Instagram: @blacktrailrunners 

Facebook: @blacktrailrunners 

• Who is Sara
• Planning a 20-day route from Lands End to John O'Groats
• Accepting a Guinness World Record for single-sided hearing loss due to category limitations
• Training and preparation for a 1,000-mile run
• Working with an endurance coach and focusing on physical and psychological preparation
• Sacrificing much of their life to train and prepare for the event
• Balancing family, work, training, and self-care
• Feeling ready and focused on the starting line
• Sharing their experience of the first day of the run
• Experiencing a torrential downpour and strong winds during a marathon
• Having discomfort and difficulty with balance and hearing
• Challenges of running in adverse weather conditions
• Having single-sided deafness due to a brain tumour
• Struggling with balance issues, tinnitus, and fatigue during their training
• Mindfulness training and how it helped in coping with the challenges
• A challenging endurance run with physical setbacks
• Experiencing extreme fatigue and the need to take naps to cope
• Having a traumatic toenail incident
• Struggling with hip flexor pain and later developing a painful left shin injury
• Continuing to push through and finish their planned distance
• Struggles with disappointment after injury and ends up running career goals
• Missing an opportunity and struggling with the mindset shift towards rehab
• The importance of treating rehab as training
• Accountability and consistency in the recovery process
• Resuming running after an injury and nutrition strategies
• Running again in mid-November 2022 after a break
• Being diagnosed with an iron deficiency in January 2023
• Running a half-marathon despite injury and iron deficiency
• Second attempt at charity bike ride after setbacks
• Feeling physically and mentally drained during the second attempt
• Focusing on the present moment and what is directly in front of them
• Paul Betteridge and Aimee Tippins running 50 miles in horrendous weather
• Being joined by her friend Andrew Reed, she connected via the British Acoustic Neuroma Association
• Experiencing persistent pain in her Achilles tendon during her running journey
• Using a bike as a backup plan to get to John O'Groats to manage the pain
• Reflects on post-marathon life, feeling lost and struggling to readjust
• Working on a project called "Beyond Recovery"
• Overcoming self-doubt and fear after a brain tumour diagnosis through adventure
• Lack of support for brain tumour survivors during their recovery process
• Setting up The Beyond Recovery Project
• Her journey of creating a Community Interest Company (CIC) to address gaps in brain tumour recovery services
• Final words of advice from Sara

Social Media

Website: www.saracrosland.com 

Instagram: @saracrosland https://www.instagram.com/e3coach/ 

Facebook: @saracrosland https://www.facebook.com/sara.crosland 

The Beyond Recovery Project CIC is a non profit community interest organisation improving lives of brain tumour survivors.

Website: www.thebeyondrecoveryproject.org

Facebook: facebook.com/TheBeyondRecoveryProject

Instagram: @TheBeyondRecoveryProject

In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we delve into the inspiring journey of Maite Rojo, a passionate ultra runner who has taken on some of the toughest challenges in the world of endurance racing. 

Born in a small fishing village in Northern Spain, Maite's love for sports and running ignited at a young age. Encouraged by her family, she discovered the simplicity and joy of running, eventually becoming an integral part of a supportive running community.

Over the years, she embarked on marathons, ultra marathons, and eventually 24-hour races, pushing her body to its limits.

Maite's perseverance and dedication paid off when she won two 24-hour challenges, with her second victory securing her a direct entrance to the prestigious Spartathlon Race in Athens. In the gruelling Spartathlon, Maite ran an astonishing 247 km and placed 9th female, proving her indomitable spirit.

Not one to rest on her laurels, Maite recently tackled the Ultr'Ardèche ultra race in France, covering a distance of 222 km and finishing in an impressive 4th place. Her relentless pursuit of new challenges and her ability to adapt to the demands of each race showcase her extraordinary strength and tenacity.

Beyond her own personal achievements, Maite also dedicates her races to her father, who battles a degenerative illness that affects his mobility. Her running journey serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the ability to find strength even in the face of adversity.

Join us as Maite Rojo shares her insights on training for 24-hour races, the importance of rest and recovery, nutrition for endurance athletes, and the mental preparation required to conquer monumental challenges. Her story is one of passion, perseverance, and the unwavering belief in following one's heart.

***

Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.

 By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Your contribution helps empower and inspire others. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast to be a part of this important movement. Thank you for your invaluable support!

Show notes

• Who is Maite
• Born in Northern Spain in a small fishing village
• Currently living in her brothers house, close to Santiago, Spain
• 50 years old 
• Spending time around boats from a young age
• Learning dingy sailing with her brother at 18 years old
• Having a love for sports from a young age
• Starting running at 13 years old 
• Her running journey and how it progresses 
• Being very shy as a child and being encouraged by her family to do sports 
• Loving the simplicity of running
• Finding fellow runners and being part of a community 
• Competing for 6 years in running before stopping due to other commitments 
• Sailing full time and trying to train for her first half marathon
• Running 1 or 2 marathons a year
• Training for 24hr races 
• Supported her brother running the Spartathlon 2018 (he was the only Spanish finisher)
• Being inspired and wanting to race the Spartathlon 
• Entering the Spartathlon lottery for 3 years before going for a direct entrance
• Doing her first 24hr race In New Zealand (23rd Self-Transcendence 24 Hour Track Race) and running 206km and placing 1st female. 
• Running a 24hr track race in Barcelona (24 hores d'ultrafons en pista de Barcelona (ESP)) and qualifying for the Spartathlon by running 216.9km
• Quitting her sailing job to focus on running and training for 4 months before the Spartathlon Race
• Wanting to be super prepared
• Working as a running coach
• Wanting to challenge herself with training and to see how much her body could adapt to the challenges of the race
• What training looked like 
• Looking at her strengths and weaknesses 
• Being able to do hard sessions and being able to recovery quickly
• Focusing on strength training while working on a boat when not able to run
• How sailing helped prepare her for sleep deprivation while running through the night
• Starting to increase her millage on a gradual basis and doing back to back training sessions at the weekend 
• Tips for rest and recovery and why its good to have a regular massage
• The benefits of stretching 
• Working on her weaknesses and focusing on building strength in her legs through weights
• Ensuring enough food is consumed to support her body and training needs 
• Nutrition for fuelling her body as a vegetarian, wanting to eat as natural as possible (avoiding gels)
• The mental preparation for the Spartathlon Race
• Race strategy for running including dealing with cut off points and the challenge of the mountain in the middle
• How meditation helped during the race - focusing on the beauty of the running environment from the stars to the moon.
• Reducing her caffeine consumption before the race and then having caffeine again before the mountain 
• Being supported by her crew and seeing her brother at aid stations along the way
• Running Ultr’Ardèche, in France (222km) and getting 4th place  
• How to connect with Maite 
• Why it’s important to have passion for what you do and why you should follow your heart. 

Social Media

Instagram: @mairedrunner 

Facebook: @mairedrunner