Sheryl Ramstad – Surviving the Impossible: A 1% Miracle, Radical Resilience, and Rebuilding Life After a Plane Crash
Release Date: 12/16/2025
Alexandra Nemeth: Beyond the Seven Summits — Highs, Lows, and Life in Extreme Places.
Tough Girl Podcast
Alex is a qualified International Mountain Leader, Polar Guide, and a professional Photographer based in St. Moritz, Switzerland. From scaling the world’s highest peaks to leading expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctica, she thrives where the wild meets the extreme. Her passion for high-altitude exploration took her on a relentless quest; climbing the highest mountain on every continent, culminating on the summit of Mt. Everest in 2018. She became the first ever Hungarian to climb the Seven Summits. This journey ignited her mission to guide others through the raw beauty of the mountains...
info_outline
Bonita Norris – Mountains, Mindset, Motherhood and Mastering the Impossible
Tough Girl Podcast
Bonita Norris became the youngest woman to reach both the summit of Mt Everest at just 22 and the North Pole at 23, and her story is nothing short of extraordinary. In this episode, she shares the journey that took her from school trips in North Wales to climbing some of the world’s highest peaks, navigating extreme environments, and pushing the limits of what’s possible. Bonita reflects on the early steps that built her career in mountaineering—starting with beginner climbing courses, funding her expeditions, and preparing for the Himalayan peaks. She opens up about the mental and...
info_outline
Jacquetta Megarry – Founding Rucksack Readers, Walking Adventures, and Building Confidence in the Outdoors
Tough Girl Podcast
Jacquetta Megarry didn’t grow up in the outdoors, and she certainly didn’t see herself as an adventurer—or a publisher. But turning 50 sparked a journey that would transform her life. From walking the West Highland Way with friends to summiting Mt Kilimanjaro, Jacquetta discovered the power of pacing yourself, listening to your body, and building unshakeable self-belief. Her adventures inspired her to found Rucksack Readers, a guidebook company that helps hikers navigate trails around the world. Over 25 years later, Jacquetta shares stories from her experiences—from hiking in the UK...
info_outline
Sabrina Pace-Humphreys – UTMB, Trail Running, and Building Community: The Journey of a Runner and Advocate
Tough Girl Podcast
Sabrina Pace-Humphreys is back on the Tough Girl Podcast for her third appearance, sharing her incredible journey as a runner, coach, and advocate for representation in trail running. From being a mum of four and grandmother of three, to taking on some of the toughest ultramarathons in the world, Sabrina’s story is one of resilience, community, and the relentless pursuit of goals. In this episode, Sabrina reflects on her time at the UTMB, the challenges of race preparation, and the lessons learned when things don’t go to plan. She also shares updates on her work with Black Trail Runners,...
info_outline
Becky Wandell – Reinvention, Solo Travel, and Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail at 55
Tough Girl Podcast
Becky Wandell is a Teacher, Writer, Tour Guide, Volunteer, and Solo Traveler. At 47, while weathering a difficult divorce and the death of four close relatives, she clawed her way up from the depths of grief and, in her words, set out to “find her way back to Becky again”. To do this, she quit her job, sold all of her belongings and charted a plan to complete a series of adventures she had always dreamed of doing. Joining the US Peace Corps, learning to speak Spanish and gaining her confidence in solo travel and living abroad set the stage for several years of living her best life...
info_outline
Denisa Krásná – Flow, Fear, and Female Adventure: Redefining Women’s Stories in Extreme Sports
Tough Girl Podcast
What does it mean to challenge the limits of both body and mind—and to redefine what success looks like along the way? Denisa Krásná, scholar, author, and adventurer from the Czech Republic, takes us on a journey into the world of women in extreme sports. From her early days trekking with her parents to highlining hundreds of meters above the ground, Denisa has always been drawn to adventure, isolation, and pushing herself beyond comfort. She co-edited Flow: Women’s Counternarratives from Rivers, Rock, and Sky, an inspiring anthology celebrating diverse women’s voices in adventure...
info_outline
Sarah Williams: Solo Reflections Episode, GR10, the Numbers and Plans for 2026
Tough Girl Podcast
Happy New Year! I’m taking a moment to look back at the last six months of 2025—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what the numbers tell me about the year so far. I reflect on the journey I’ve been on, the adventures, the challenges, and the mindset shifts that have shaped my life. I talk about working in longer blocks, thinking in decades not years, and the balance between pushing hard and giving myself space to rest. I share what I’m learning about consistency, structure, and getting intentional with my time, energy, and goals. I also get real about needing magic, wanting change,...
info_outline
Dr Latika Nath – Nat Geo’s Tiger Princess: Pioneering Conservation and Studying Big Cats in the Wild
Tough Girl Podcast
From the jungles of India to the global stage of wildlife conservation, Dr Latika Nath has spent her life studying and protecting big cats, becoming the first woman in the world to study tigers in the wild. Known as Nat Geo’s “Tiger Princess,” she shares stories from deep in the forests where she observed tigers using tools, hunting porcupines, and navigating complex human-wildlife conflicts. In this episode, Latika takes us on her journey from a childhood spent exploring the outdoors to pursuing her dream in a male-dominated field, studying elephants and tigers in the wild. She shares...
info_outline
Kaytlyn Gerbin – Motherhood, Mountains, and 100-Mile Runs: Her Ultra Running Comeback
Tough Girl Podcast
What does it take to return to the top of the ultra running world after major life changes and a “career-ending” surgery? Kaytlyn Gerbin knows. In this episode, Kaytlyn shares her journey from a scientist with a love for the outdoors to a world-class trail and ultra runner. Growing up active but without formal running experience, she discovered her talent in her mid-twenties and quickly fell in love with the 100-mile distance. Since then, she’s set course records, tackled some of the most technical alpine trails in the Pacific Northwest, and stood on podiums at legendary races like UTMB,...
info_outline
Sheryl Ramstad – Surviving the Impossible: A 1% Miracle, Radical Resilience, and Rebuilding Life After a Plane Crash
Tough Girl Podcast
Sheryl Ramstad’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. After surviving a catastrophic plane crash with less than a 1% chance of survival, Sheryl’s life was forever changed. What began as her first solo flight at age 29 became a harrowing journey through life-threatening burns, multiple surgeries, overwhelming grief, and two years of excruciating rehabilitation. But this isn’t just a survival story—it’s a testament to the power of resilience, faith, and the unbreakable human spirit. In this powerful conversation, Sheryl shares how she transformed unimaginable trauma into...
info_outlineSheryl Ramstad’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. After surviving a catastrophic plane crash with less than a 1% chance of survival, Sheryl’s life was forever changed. What began as her first solo flight at age 29 became a harrowing journey through life-threatening burns, multiple surgeries, overwhelming grief, and two years of excruciating rehabilitation.
But this isn’t just a survival story—it’s a testament to the power of resilience, faith, and the unbreakable human spirit.
In this powerful conversation, Sheryl shares how she transformed unimaginable trauma into a life of purpose, service, and adventure. From shifting her mindset from “Why me?” to “What’s next?” to supporting burn survivors in Peru, going back to school at 62, raising three children, becoming a grandmother, and even climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro—Sheryl embodies what it means to live fully, bravely, and without regrets.
With her first book “Living Life Full Throttle: Surviving, Serving, and Summiting” published in January 2025, Sheryl reflects on a decades-long journey of healing, reinvention, and choosing courage over fear. Her story will inspire you to embrace challenges, pursue new beginnings at any age, and live life full throttle.
If you’re looking for a reminder of what’s possible—even in your darkest moments—this episode will stay with you long after you’ve listened.
***
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/
Your support makes a difference. 
Thank you x
***
Show notes
- Who is Sheryl
- Being based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
- Being retired and writing her first book
- Surviving her first solo plane flight at 29 years old
- How this impacted how she lived the rest of her life
- Leaving work and no longer having an excuse not to write her story
- Having 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren
- Having the book published in late January of 2025
- The key moment when life changed
- Changed her focus from survival to service
- Being grateful for everyday and wanting to make her life meaningful for herself and for others
- Supporting burn survivors in Lima, Peru
- Being given a 1% chance of survival
- The importance of her faith, friends and family
- Applying for nursing school at 62
- Learning new skills
- Instead of asking why me - I ask - what’s next
- Looking towards the future
- Having a strong family support system
- Having her faith to fall back on
- Reflecting back on writing her book
- Why it’s been a life long process
- Serving
- Books for Africa
- Deciding to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa
- Deciding what to do with life
- Following a few simple principles
- Living life with no regrets
- Better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all
- Do nothing in moderation - give your whole heart to everything that you want to try
- Going back to school at 62 and being a student again
- Don’t be afraid to ask others for help
- Getting back on a plane
- Mental health and support for people going through traumatic experiences
- Raising her children
- What’s next
- Being a life long learner
- Maybe writing another book
- Wanting to encourage people to live their life full throttle
- Why it’s a matter of perspective
- How to connect with Sheryl
- How to buy her book
- Being happy to connect with people
- Final words of advice for women listening
- Don’t be guided by your fear, be guided by the facts and the evidence - do what you feel led to do, so you don’t go to your grave with any regrets.
Social Media
Website: www.
Book: Living Life Full Throttle: Surviving, Serving and Summiting A Memoir