Shafeeqah Gordon - Trail Runner from Cape Town, South Africa: Pushing Limits on the Trails and the Importance of Community
Release Date: 10/15/2024
Miriam Lancewood: A Life Beyond Civilisation – Wilderness Living, Global Adventures, and Lessons from the Wild
Tough Girl Podcast
Miriam Lancewood is an adventurer, author, and modern-day nomad who chose an extraordinary path far removed from the comforts of modern life. In 2010, Miriam and her husband Peter left civilisation behind, venturing into the high mountains of New Zealand with nothing but a backpack, a bow and arrow, and a tent. For seven years, they lived as nomads, hunting wild animals, foraging for plants, and embracing a primal existence in the wilderness. Since then, Miriam’s journey has continued to evolve. Together with Peter, she has roamed the wilderness of Europe, braved personal challenges...
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Claire McCall: Hiking the Hexa – A Memoir of Adventure, Fear, and Finding Joy in Midlife
Tough Girl Podcast
Claire McCall is a Kiwi journalist, author, and self-described "not-so-tough" adventurer who took on a life-changing challenge in her 50s. Born in South Africa and now based in New Zealand, Claire didn’t grow up sporty, but in her 40s, she discovered a love for hiking and new physical challenges, including climbing Kilimanjaro with her son. In 2022, Claire and her partner James set out to hike selected stages of the Hexa Trek, a newly established long-distance trail through France. Covering just a portion of the trail, the journey became the inspiration for her book, Hiking...
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Dr. Susannah O’Sullivan: Teacher, Writer, Activist & Adventurer – From Solo Cycling Across Continents to Empowering Women in Palestine and Beyond
Tough Girl Podcast
Teacher, writer, activist and adventurer. Susannah quit her job as a university lecturer in 2017 to cycle solo and unsupported from the UK to the Middle East. She camped all along the way, in olive groves, in peoples’ garages, next to motorways, by rivers and lakes, and in caves. She faced many of her own fears on this trip and wants to share her experiences to encourage other women to wild camp safely. In the Middle East she spent 6 months in the West Bank, Palestine, teaching yoga to women in a refugee camp, working as a climbing guide and becoming a solidarity activist with victims of...
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Naomi Rumble: Leading by Example – Overcoming Barriers and Redefining What an Athlete Looks Like
Tough Girl Podcast
In this inspiring episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we meet Naomi Rumble, a passionate triathlete, dedicated swimming coach, and advocate for breaking down barriers in sport. By day, Naomi works as a senior market researcher in London, but outside of her 9-to-5, she’s fully immersed in the world of swimming, cycling, and running. While sport has always been a part of Naomi’s life—from childhood swimming lessons and taekwondo to dabbling in netball, boxing, and archery—her relationship with consistent training truly solidified during the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as a...
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Caroline Soubayroux - 2024 Guinness world record holder for fastest couple circumnavigation by bike. Wife and mother working full-time and striving to inspire the next generation.
Tough Girl Podcast
In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we sit down with the incredible Caroline Soubayroux—Guinness World Record holder, full-time project manager, wife and mother. Caroline takes us on a journey through her life, from her early days learning to ride a bike in France, to cycling 18,000 miles around the world alongside her husband, and finally navigating the challenges of balancing fitness, family life, and a demanding career. You’ll hear about the highs and lows of life on the road, the realities of cycling over 100 miles a day, and how Caroline transitioned into running after...
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Sarah Williams: Reflections on the South West Coast Path, Health, Money & Future Plans for 2025
Tough Girl Podcast
At the end of 2024, I wanted to take a moment to pause, reflect, and share some personal insights from the past six months. In this special solo episode, I open up about my experiences hiking the South West Coast Path, the lessons I’ve learned about health and fitness, and how I’m approaching financial planning and future adventures. From the challenges of dealing with health setbacks to the triumphs of completing tough hikes, this episode is an honest and raw look at my journey. I also delve into thoughts on ageing, longevity, and the exciting plans I have for 2025,...
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Prue Young: Triathlete and Critical Care Flight Paramedic Sharing Her Journey as an MS Warrior and Competing in the Ironman World Championships in Kona
Tough Girl Podcast
In this episode, we’re excited to welcome Prue Young, a remarkable triathlete and critical care flight paramedic who exemplifies resilience and determination. As a proud warrior living with multiple sclerosis (MS), Prue has not only faced personal challenges but has also triumphed in the world of endurance sports. From her journey as an athlete to competing in the prestigious Ironman World Championships in Kona, Prue shares her inspiring story of perseverance. As a New Zealand representative, she has pushed through the barriers of her diagnosis to achieve incredible feats, including...
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Linda Blakely - The Inspiring Journey of an Ironman Athlete Who Summited Everest and Lhotse and Rowed the Atlantic Ocean Solo!
Tough Girl Podcast
Linda Blakely is a remarkable athlete and adventurer, known for her extraordinary accomplishments in the world of endurance sports. As an Ironman competitor, she has completed 25 full Ironman races, including three World Championships, achieving an impressive ranking of 19th in her age group worldwide. Linda proudly represented Great Britain as an age group athlete at long-distance triathlon events, earning a silver medal at the European Championships in 2015. In 2018, Linda achieved an incredible feat by summiting both Everest and Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world, within...
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Xian Goh: Climber, Coach, and Author of ‘Smooth: Movement Principles and Techniques for Climbing’
Tough Girl Podcast
In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Xian, an accomplished climber, climbing coach, and writer. With over 20 years of experience in the climbing world, Xian's journey has transformed from an enthusiastic gym rat to an international competitor, and now she focuses on outdoor performance, coaching, and writing. Climbing has been a powerful force in Xian's life, helping her uncover her true self and shape her aspirations. Her passion for the sport culminated in her recently published book, Smooth: Movement Principles and Techniques for Climbing, where she shares valuable...
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Heidi Beierle: Author, Artist, and Slow Traveler on Biking Across America, Accessible Outdoor Adventures, and Finding Creativity on the Road
Tough Girl Podcast
In this episode, we’re joined by the inspiring Heidi Beierle—author, slow traveler, and artist—who shares her incredible journey across America by bicycle. Back in 2010, Heidi pedaled solo across the U.S., studying bicycle tourism and rural economic development. That life-changing journey became the foundation for her memoir, Heidi Across America – One Woman’s Journey on a Bicycle Through the Heartland. With over 15 years working at the crossroads of transportation, tourism, and recreation, and 17 years without owning a car, Heidi brings a unique perspective on the...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we sit down with Shafeeqah Gordon, a passionate trail runner from Cape Town, South Africa. Shafeeqah shares her journey, from playing netball as a child to discovering the freedom and challenge of running through her university cross-country club. Over the years, running has become an integral part of her life, and she hasn’t looked back since.
As a leader for Tuesday Trails, a group dedicated to the joy of trail running, Shafeeqah is all about building community and encouraging people to get outside. Her work as a mountain guide and sports scientist has equipped her with invaluable skills for tackling challenging terrains and pushing the limits in her races. From competing in prestigious races like the Ultra Trail Drakensberg 65km and the Ultra Trail Cape Town 55km, to conquering technical trails with a focus on strength and conditioning, Shafeeqah gives us insight into her training, race strategies, and the mindset needed to overcome physical and mental battles during ultra races.
In this episode, Shafeeqah opens up about inclusion in the trail running community, the power of running to clear the mind, and her personal battles with self-doubt during tough moments in races. She also talks about her involvement in outdoor education through her Outdoor Education Hub, which will be relaunched in 2025 after a brief hiatus.
Tune in to hear Shafeeqah’s thoughts on trail running, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and her final advice for anyone looking to take on their own running challenges!
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Show notes
- Who is Shafeeqah Gordon
- Group Leader for Tuesday Trails IG @tuesdaytrails
- Being sports and playing netball from a young age
- Getting into running via the cross-country club at university
- How running became apart of her life
- Never regretting a run
- The difference between cross-country and trail running
- Mountain guide, outdoor educator and sports scientist
- Studying sports science at university.
- Specialising in strength and conditioning for running and netball players
- The outdoor education hub
- Working a full time job in retail
- Getting qualified as a mountain guide
- Why the marathon distance is the sweet spot. 42km
- The Cape Town Skyrace - The Sky Running Series
- Training for technical trails
- Bullet proof ankles
- Working with a strength and conditioning coach and a run coach
- Running mojo
- Calling a friend to schedule a run together
- Running the Ultra Trail Drakensberg (UTD) 65km
- Ultra Trail Cape Town 55k (UTCT)
- The challenges of running further
- Figuring out nutrition and fuelling for the longer runs
- Fitting in training around life
- Recovery?
- Trying not to take running too seriously
- Race strategy and wanting to get a better time than last year
- Future dreams and races
- Batrun Race
- Running thoughts - thinking about everything and nothing
- Being at war with herself during a tough race
- Inclusion in trail running
- Outdoor Education Hub (on hiatus for the rest of 2024) but coming back in 2025
- How you can connect with Shaf
- Final words of advice
- Don’t listen to the demons
- Why it’s just important to get out there
Social Media
Personal Instagram: @shafgordon
Outdoor Education Hub - We're an initiative focused on equipping people with knowledge & educational tools for the outdoors - making it a fun & safe space for all to enjoy
Instagram: @outdooreducation_hub