Girls Run the World Rachael Woolston

In the fifth episode of our special Break the Bias series, I chat to Kate Jayden, who has just finished runnnig 101 marathons in 101 consecutive days. 
Kate set off on New Year's Day 2022, and has raised over £27,000 to help refugees with food, hygiene products, and mental health support.
The distance of 100 marathons, is the same distance that a Syrian refugee would travel to come to the UK.
But this is not her first ultra endurance challenge.
In 2027, she ran from London to Paris and cycled back. 
She has cycled from John'O'Groats in Scotland to Lands End in Scotland and run back.
And this summer, she will do complete 10 Ironman distance triathlons back to back.
 
She is unusual in being one of the few females in ultra distance events, proving that anything is possible with the right mindset. 
 
We spoke about her upbringing and how she has survived and thrived despite suffer abuse when she was young child. 
 
She chats about the mental processes that she uses to survive and thrive during these epic challenges, particularly when working full time. 
 
And if you want to know what she eats in order to manage to run a marathon a day - all that have to be done as one run, you'll find out here!
Charity link is here: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/what-katie-did-next
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/decajayden 
 
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/decajayden 
 
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Endurance cycle coach, Alison Wood challenges bias in so many ways, and has done throughout her life. 
Of mixed race heritage, she was raised in Essex/London by a white mother within a stones throw of the British National Front headquarters.
We chat about her upbringing and experience of always being the non-white face in her family and enviromment. 
Her grandmother wanted her to be a dancer, which she did until her twenties. 
Perhaps this meant that she was well equipped to be the only non-white woman in cycling, when she came to this relatively late in life in her 30s.
We chat about how she discovered cycling and made this into a coaching career, following a degree in Cycling Performance. 
Plus, her mission to empower more women of colour through cycling.
In her words,  "I'm on a mission to disrupt the status quo by encouraging, supporting and empowering women, people of colour and marginalised genders to set themselves audacious cycling goals.'
She chats about her work coaching for the Ultra Distance Cycling Scholarship which supports women cycling the Pan Celtic Race Series. 
Plus, her own race plans for 2022. 
 
https://www.veloqi.cc

On the 3rd year anniversary of Black Girls Do Run UK, a community to inspire, encourage and motivate more black women to run,  I spoke to Tasha about what inspired her to set up the community. She discussses fear of 'the sugars', the term used for diabetes which was prevalent in Jamaica where her parents were from. 
I first interviewed Tasha two years ago for the GRTW podcast, just as the Black Lives matter movement exploded, a lot has changed for the community and Tasha. 
Feted by brands including Strava, LuluLemon and Salomon, the community has also exploded.
We chat imposter syndrome and Tasha's hopes for the future of BGDRUK and her own running. 
Find out more by listening to the full podcast.
If you like what you hear, please review, share and subscribe. 

Vera Ngosi-Sambrook grew up in Malawi and moved to the UK to study mechanical engineering. From the very start of her adult life, she has challenged bias in her choice of career. 
It was after meeting her husband that she first tried cycling, on a tandem, on the promise of being able to just leisurely cycle.
Five years later, she was awarded a scholarship The Ultra Distance Scholarship, with her own coach to train for the Pan Celtic Race https://www.pancelticrace.com.
From only being able to cycle 50 miles in, Vera had to train to take on a 1200km, self supported bike ride through England, Ireland and Wales. https://www.stayercycles.com/the-ultra-distance-scholarship/ 
From learning how to ride for long periods of time, how to fix her bike and what to eat, we talked about practicalities along with the psychology of training for an ultra event of this magnitude.
Plus imposter syndrome, building mental resilience and how training and achieving this has helped quieten the self doubt. 

In our first episode of our new series celebrating women who break down barriers, we chat to Asics FrontRunner Sally Brider about the representation of older women in running and overcoming the impact of menopause on mental well being. 

 
'If the only black people you see in magazines are elite runners, it makes you feel that you have to be exceptional to take part in running.'
Listen to these two trailblazing sisters (not sistas, they really are siblings!) chat about growing up in London, how they started running, and the work they are doing to help encourage other BAME men and women to run.