  '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.

Girls Run the World

Trailblazers - Jules and Dee Stephenson

Elle Linton started cycling as a way of commuting to work in London. So when a friend suggested they cycled to Richmond Park just to 'cycle round and round,' she thought it was a crazy idea. 'Why ride round in a circle?'  Despite the punctures enroute, she discovered a love of cycling for the community, being able to explore and a way of getting fit. So much so, she set up her own women's cycling group to inspire others - and so she had a group of women to spin with right from her front door. Now, an ambassador for Liv Cycling UK, Elle has discovered a passion for cycle-cross - ' The Tough Mudder of riding,' as she calls it. Listen to her inspiring podcast about what makes her tick - and what she hasn't quite mastered when it comes to cycling. Plus being a black woman in cycling and the health and fitness space as a fitness trainer with her popular website, www.keepitsimpelle.com. 

TrailBlazers: Elle Linton

Over twenty years ago Claire Smith (@brutalclaire) started running, pushing her baby in a buggy in a bid to lose weight. This August, she was back to pushing a baby stroller but this time, it carried everything she needed to run the length of the UK without any support from John'O Groats to Lands End. She certainly has form. This is the endurance athlete who has also completed 20 back to back Ironman distance events. So, if you're about to take on the virtual @londonmarathon today, listen to this for inspiration and proof that no matter, how tough it gets, the mind is an incredible thing. Good job, because in 2021, she plans to take on the incredibly difficult Arch to Arc, riding from Marble Arch to Dover, swimming the Channel and then running to the Arc de Triomphe.

Trail Blazers`: Claire Smith

If you feel dissatisfied with your life, have you done anything about it? No? Then you may want to listen to this podcast for inspiration.  A bit fed up with her life and work trajectory, Laura Kennington turned her life upside down and decided to kayak down the River Volga in Russia on her own simply after hearing about the river during a pub quiz. She had no experience of kayaking. Or travelling solo in far flung destinations.  It set in motion a career as an adventure athlete in a world typically governed by men. She now uses human powered travel to inspire and encourage others to get outside and have adventures.     

Trail Blazers: Laura Kennington

Beth Pascall, 32 is a true trail blazing ultra runner.  Even as a young girl, there was something about exploring the outer edges of comfort and challenging herself that appealed.  From begging her dad and brother to let her go on a long bike ride when she was young, this love of exploring the world we live in and the extremes to which the human mind and body go motivates her in all she does.  Listen for more on what motivates her and how lockdown forced her to focus on just one goal - smashing the Bob Graham record. In a loop starting and finishing in Keswick in the Lake District, the 65 mile challenge involves running 42 fells with an 8,2000m ascent.   She finished the Bob Graham Round in 14 hours 34 minutes - taking 50 minutes off the previous best.   

Trail Blazers: Beth Pascall

Like many women, Jevid Majid started running through doing Parkrun in then home town of Nottingham in 2017.  As a way of getting fit, and finding time for herself, the mum of two says, 'It’s the most liberating feeling to be on your own and having that escape, processing the day and in turn it benefitting your physical and emotional health.' But her running took her further than just races. As a Muslim woman,Jevid wanted to encourage more women into running and established Runners Renew Programme collecting used and new running shoes and donating to runners from Black, Asian Minority Ethnic backgrounds.  Now living in Sweden, Jevid who is a member of the Asics Front Runner team, shares her running journey on social media to help inspire BME women to start moving and running.       

Exploring Race and Diversity: Jevid Majid

Life often takes unexpected turns and that is particularly true for Australian born Lucja Leonard whose life has been changed by a dog. After starting to run to lose weight, she and her husband, Dion, started running incredible ultras all over the world.  It was in China when her husband came across Gobi, now immortalised in the book, Finding Gobi.  It has taken her from the UK to Chamonix and now to the US.  Here, she chats about her ultra marathon experiences, including the UTMB - and the incredible impact of a small stray dog.              

Special episode: Lucja Leonard and the UTMB

Tahsa Thompson, 43, from London is the founder of Black Girls Do Run UK. Established in 2019, she set the online community up to help inspire women of colour to run for their health, fitness and mental well being.  A runner herself for over 20 years, this mum of two describes how, when she first started running 10km and half marathons, she was the only black face in the race photographs.  But what is STILL preventing black women in the UK from running? We discuss this and more. 

Exploring Race and Diversity: Tasha Thompson

Like many women before her, and many who will come after, Taz started running as a way of getting fit and having some me time from her three sons.  But she would go out before sunrise, initially worried about how the Muslim community in her area would react to a woman running.  She soon learned that her community, along with most of the running community that she has since become part of have been welcoming.  Now an ambassador for Asics, she talks about running in a hijab and her mission to get more Muslim women moving. 

Exploring Race & Diversity: Tanzeem Anwar

Iran's first female triathlete, Shirin Gerami took part in the World ITU Championships in London in 2013 in a body suit, inspiring women the world over that your cultural background should not inhibit your right or ability to take part in triathlon.  She followed this with completing the Ironman World Championship in Kona in a full body suit.  We caught up with her as she returned to London after living on a farm in Norfolk during lockdown about diversity in endurance sport, and how Covid-19 has changed her perspective on training. 

Exploring Diversity In Endurance Sport

'I've never seen another black woman racing in any triathlon events that I have done.' We speak to Kelsie Johnson, 25, (@kelsieolivia94) a personal trainer, triathlete and PhD student about race in triathlon. Kelsie took up triathlon a few years ago and is part of the new Facebook community, Women Who Tri for Justice, set up following the decision by Ironman to close their own women's group, following controversy over the removal of conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement.    

Exporing Race in Endurance Sport: Kelsie Johnson

Celebrating extraordinary trailblazers in endurance sport, Ingrid Walters, 47, an actress and elite marathon runner, chats to us about getting faster with age, running through breast cancer and the need for better representation of black, Asian and mixed race female athletes in endurance sport. 

Exploring race in endurance sport: Ingrid Walters

Vegan runner, Ruth Farnell, 58, decided to take on 12 marathons in 12 months in 2019.  Her goal? Just to see if she could do it and to explore the world she lived in through her races. Here she talks about mental resilience and what she learned, plus nutrition as a vegan runner - and beating her PB.    **Some audio is poor on this podcast. 

Marathon Mastery: Ruth Farnell, 12 marathons in 7 months

Nowadays, it's common for women to be running marathons and beyond - and posting impressive times.   So what happens when you fall pregnant and you want to keep running? And what about post pregnancy performance?  We chat to inspiring marathon runner and mum of one, Gill Bland, 36 whose PB before she had her son was 2.53.25 and no stands at 3.10 about attitudes towards running when pregnant and wanting to compete after having a baby, and how she has done so safely.  You can follow her on Twitter @billbla or IG @blandontherun or her website.    http://www.blandontherun.com    

Girls Run The World Inspire: Gill Bland

Josephine first started learning about performance psychology after competing in Ironman Melbourne in 2013. It was a really windy day with huge waves. Having only trained in a 20 m London pool, it was a shock. But the commentators words stayed with her and now influence how she works with her clients.  He said:  “you can’t control the conditions. What you can control is the way you choose to react to them.” So can you change your performance simply be choosing how you decide to think about it? This and more we discuss in this week's podcast.  For more details of her work visit her website Performance in Mind

Girls Run the World, Experts Dr Josephine Perry

Get motivated and inspired by stories of endurance, speed and adventure from inspiring every day female runners and triathletes from around the world. And learn from some of the top female experts. Our podcast covers three strands: Girls Run the World Inspiration - women achieving or overcoming extraordinary feats of endurance. Girls Run the World Real Women Talk - everyday runners and triathletes discuss their real world solutions to training, fitting it in and achieving their goals. Girls Run the World Experts - interviews with some of the top female sports physiologists, nutritionists and biomechanics from around the world. Presented by Rachael Woolston, owner of the digital coaching and media brand, Girls Run the World and journalist for Runner's World, Women's Running UK and more.

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Girls Run the World

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