Jill changed the direction of her life when she decided to move to Alaska to follow her heart. After have her heart broken she recovered while riding in the 2009 Tour Divide — a 2,745-mile mountain bike race along the Continental Divide from Banff, Alberta, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.
In 2014 Jill completed in the Freedom Challenge, a 1,400-mile mountain bike race across South Africa. Following on from that race, Jill went on to set a new women's fastest human-powered time while riding her bike across Alaska in the 2016 Iditarod Trail Invitational.
During the podcast we discuss the why, we discuss the motivation and we discuss her fears and how she still battles them everyday.
Show notes
Getting to know Jill
Why she moved to Alaska
Finding out about the Iditarod trail - 350-mile winter bike race from Knik, Alaska
100-mile winter bike race
What she learned while racing and how she found it empowering
Growing up timid, being cautious and not wanting to take risk
How she changed the direction of her life after her race
Being more confident and more being more willing to take on bigger challenges
The next big challenge!
Learning how to be self reliant
Being constantly scared and having to talk herself down and how she uses the power of mantra!
“Be Brave - Be Strong”
The 2009 Tour Divide — a 2,745-mile mountain bike race along the Continental Divide from Banff, Alberta, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico
Dealing with a break-up, being demotivated before the start
Dealing with bad weather, mud and facing near death experiences
What drove her and why she had to keep on going
Getting herself physically ready and why she took leave from her job to prepare
Day to day life on the trail from cycling for 14 to 18 hr days, and camping at night
Having doubts she would finish the race
Her top tips for recovery
Rediscovering who she was and what she was capable of
Racing the Freedom Trail and how it came about
Seeing what this whole running thing was about!
Meeting a new man and the special races they’ve done together
Why really successful people are drawn to endurance sports
Goals for the future and taking on a 1000 mile race!
Starting weight lifting and how its helps her in training and in the race
Struggling with confidence and self belief and trying to understand where that comes from
Why its ok to have fear
Her goals and plans for the future
Take a listen now and click the play button below
Books
Learn more about Jill by visiting her website!
Jill is also on twitter @AlaskaJill
You can listen to the Tough Girl Podcast on the go via iTunes, Soundcloud & Stitcher!