Wendy Searle - Attempting to break the women's speed record for solo expedition to the South Pole, November 2019. - a podcast by Sarah Williams

Wendy is setting out on a journey to the South Pole, her aim is to break the women’s speed record. This involves covering a total distance of 700 miles, approx. 17 miles each day, pulling kit and equipment in a pulk behind her, through the ice and snow, while avoiding crevasses and dealing with the challenging katabatic winds.

Antarctica is twice the size of Australia, and is officially a desert, it is the only continent with no permanent human inhabitants. Wendy will be solo, unsupported and unassisted. 

During this podcast, we learn more about Wendy her background, growing up, being a mum to 4 children and working a full time job. She shares more about where the idea came from, what’s going to be involved as well as sharing more of the detail behind the planning and preparation and what she has sacrificed in order to turn this dream into a reality. 

We will be speaking to Wendy again in 2020 after her challenge, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out! 

Show notes

• 41, doing a big polar expedition in November
• Heading off to South America in the next few weeks
• Being inspired by polar history
• Having a full time job and having 4 kids
• Not being a professional athlete
• Planning for over 5 years 
• How she turned her dream into a goal
• What she has learned along the way
• Wanting to inspire other women along the way
• How she got into sports
• Her background in Adventures
• Working backwards from her end goal…
• Starting her Polar training
• Maintaining her motivation over the 5 year period
• Being driven as a person
• How this challenge has taken over her whole life
• Dealing with the logistics
• How her family have stepped up and supported her
• Breaking down the challenge into manageable chunks
• Making marginal gains
• How it occupies her mind all of the time
• Let’s talk about the money (& how brexit may impact on it)
• The hard graft of getting the money together 
• How/why everyone has focused on her being a mum (of 4)
• The mental preparation 
• Being on her own for 38 + days
• Starting everything on Christmas Eve and throwing herself into it
• Her focus on mindfulness, and staying present in the moment
• Dealing with tiredness
• The physical training and how she’s been avoiding injury
• Building up her strength and being the strongest she’s ever been
• Example of her daily routine
• Working with a nutritionist
• Her first expedition/training trip in Norway
• How she’s feeling about heading off in November
• Flying into Antarctica on the 18th November 2019
• Aiming to be the 7th woman to do this journey 
• Advice and tips for other women who want to step outside their comfort zone

Social Media

Website - https://southpole2020.com

Twitter - @betweensnowsky 

Instagram @betweensnowandsky 

Further episodes of Tough Girl Podcast

Further podcasts by Sarah Williams

Website of Sarah Williams