Kickass Midlife Method

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

'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.

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.

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.

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.