Podcast appearances and mentions of beth french

Dive into an inspiring conversation on the latest episode of [Podcast Name] featuring host Karim Kanji in dialogue with the incredible Beth French! They kicked off by exploring their shared affinity for the sea and the diverse accessibility it presents across different regions. Beth, a force to be reckoned with, shared insights into her health journey, her son's passion for water activities, and her awe-inspiring participation in the Ocean Seven Challenge. This entails conquering seven global channels solo, without any assistance - talk about an extraordinary feat! Get ready for a raw and honest conversation as Beth opens up about her challenging battle with ME, shedding light on the physical pain, bedridden moments, and the often overlooked struggles of her condition. Her journey into channel swimming post-single motherhood underscores her determination to overcome health barriers and navigate the unique challenges of solo parenting. The dialogue also unpacks their differing perspectives on open water, with Beth embracing it as a transformative experience while Karim grapples with a hint of apprehension. Beth delves into the significance of documenting her channel swimming exploits, sharing her transformative journey of pushing personal boundaries and conquering mental and physical hurdles. Hear her reflections on self-discovery, mental fortitude, and the decision to attempt all seven channels in a single year - a testament to her resilience and a challenge to understand her body's capabilities. But that's not all – the conversation extends to the trials Beth faced while filming her swimming adventures and parenting Dylan, her son with autism. Tune in to [Podcast Name] for an exploration of resilience, self-discovery, and the incredible journey of Beth French as she navigates the seas and life's challenges.

Joy is...Inspiration.There are many ways in which Beth French could be described: an ultra-marathon open-sea ocean swimmer who was once a Buddhist nun, a single mother who home schools her autistic son and an adventurer who suffered from a crippling chronic illness in her youth. From being confined to a wheelchair with ME at 17, in 2016 she set out to become the first person to swim across the seven most dangerous sea channels in the world, known as ‘Oceans Seven', in a 12-month period.Beth really does epitomise being your ‘own hero' and showing that we are not defined or determined by our circumstances and it was honour to share space with her and hear about her incredible resilience and determination, told with warmth, humour and sincerity.Beth was keen that this be a two-way conversation and we share some deep reflections on the perceptions of and misunderstandings around the triggers, symptoms, abilities and lived experience of chronic health conditions; re-discovering trust in our bodies; the strength in setting boundaries and why 'bigger, better, faster, more' is not the answer; how sickness can be a superpower; bucket lists and owning your future; the freedom of finding our edge; making the world ok for every body; what it means to endure; being your own uncool, and the perils of allowing your creative son to plan your adventures!www.bethfrench.co.ukWatch: Against the TidesFacebook: /bethfrenchlivesInsta: @bethfrenchlives Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Moreton and Beth French: When someone you love dies...with TRE's Selina MacKenzie

Welcome to another episode!  This week's is with Beth French - ocean swimmer and mum of one.Following the birth of her son Beth swam the English Channel - and even got back in time to put her son to bed.In 2016 she took on the Oceans 7 challenge - to swim the 7 major channel crossings  in a year - a world first.  She is a single mum and a fan of functional fitness so she included her son in her training by towing him in a dinghy while she swam.Beth completed 4 of the swims before stopping when the challenge started to have an impact on her son and her health.If you want to know more about the challenge then I highly recommend the documentary Against the Tides.I hope you enjoy this episode.  If so, please share it on your social media.Thanks

In today's episode I talk to Beth French, founder of the UK charity 'Let's Talk about Loss'. Beth's mum passed away when she was 20 and found her grief to be both isolating and confusing. She didn't want other young people to go through the same experience, so she set up her own grief support network. We talk about what helps her to cope in the days where she still finds her grief difficult, the weird things people have said to her since her mums death and how horrendously bad bereavement cards are!You can find Beth on Instagram at @talkaboutloss or follow their website for more details www.letstalkaboutloss.orgYou can find me on instagram @tamsinmillard_Please remember to rate and review, thank you! Click here to become a Patron MemberSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Niki Bedi and Richard Coles are joined by Sophie Ellis Bextor. Having started in the music business aged 16 in indie band theaudience, she went on to have a hugely successful solo dance pop career with hits like Groovejet and Murder on the Dancefloor. Most recently seen singing in her kitchen every fortnight in her online Kitchen Disco. After taking calls from lonely farmers as a volunteer for the Samaritans, listener Heather Heber Percy founded a rural dating agency to connect single people in the countryside. She joins us. Beth French is an endurance swimmer with a history of ME, who became the first person to swim from Cornwall to the Isle of Scilly. She juggles her training with being a single mother to her autistic son Dylan. And Guvna B is an award winning rap artist, who found that his father's sudden death in 2017 challenged his faith, and ideas of masculinity and identity. We have the Inheritance Tracks of crime writer Stuart MacBride who chooses The Bear Necessities performed by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen and My Chemical Romance: Welcome to the Black Parade. And your thank you. Producer: Corinna Jones

Pat Kelman is joined by British marathon swimmer and world record holder Beth French and BAFTA nominated film maker Stefan Stuckert to discuss their film AGAINST THE TIDES. Against the Tides is available on Demand from March 1st 2021 in the UK and the US. Details on www.againstthetidesfilm.com The film documents Beth's attempt to swim across seven of the world's most dangerous sea channels - an extreme challenge called OCEANS SEVEN. For open-sea swimmers it's the ultimate test; very few people have ever completed it. But, driven by her desire to set an example for her autistic son and to overcome her life-long battle with ME (a.k.a. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), which forced her to spent long periods of her teenage years in a wheelchair, Beth aims to become the first person in history to swim all seven channels in one year.  Traveling to far-flung corners of the world, she confronts hypothermia, sharks, jellyfish, wild weather and mind-numbing fatigue, as well as her own inner demons.  But, as her dramatic journey nears its end, Beth's yearning to conquer the open sea comes into heart-rending conflict with her dreams for her son.  Film Trailer: Film Website: http://www.againstthetidesfilm.com/ Facebook: Against the Tides Twitter: Against the Tides Instagram: Against the Tides Episode Topics Episode introduction [0:35] Film Trailer Audio [4:05] Interview Starts [5:49] Closing remarks [48:00] If you have enjoyed this episode, please: Subscribe to the podcast Sign up for my newsletter Join the Joy of Swimming Discussion Group  

Beth French started Let's Talk About Loss in December of 2016, eighteen months after her mother Susan died of cancer. Beth was in her early twenties and feeling very alone in her grief. She was the first in her group of friends to experience this type of loss and wanted to connect with others who understood what she was going through. She knew a traditional support group wasn't for her so she started the first Let's Talk About Loss meet-up. A gathering of other young adults ages 18-35 where people could talk, listen, and share stories. From that initial meet-up, Let's Talk About Loss has grown to host meet-ups across the UK. They also offer a pen-pal opportunity called Share My Grief that is available to anyone around the globe. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Let's Talk About Loss is also offering ways to connect virtually. Let's Talk About Loss website Share My Grief program Let's Talk About Loss YouTube Channel Sign up for BetterHelp online counseling using the link www.betterhelp.com/grief and get 10% off your first month. 

Today's guest Beth French lost her mum when she was just 20 years old, from cancer of the bile duct, having just finished her second year of university. Beth's mother was in her early 50s and had been completely healthy, so her loss left Beth and her family in a complete sense of shock. Like many people who experience grief, she found that her perspective had shifted and now had a new aspect of her identity that was not commonly shared by many young people, feeling like a member of a club she did not want to be in.Beth established the UK based charity Lets Talk About Loss, a youth bereavement service aimed at trying to overcome the barriers of talking about losing a loved one. In the chat she speaks to Venetia about the pain felt during her mother's illness, the shifting family dynamic after her death, and why even within the grief community, young adults still find it difficult to open up.If you're looking for a safe haven to express how you feel, Share articles, photos ,memories and more,Join the Grief Encounters Facebook Group,A place for support, compassion and empathy for those grievinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/GriefEncounters/Music by: Nctrnm See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week’s episode I was blessed to be joined with two fabulous people from the Talk About Loss charity! Beth, the Founder and Director of the charity, joined me this week to discuss her own loss and how it led to the creation of this fantastic resource for other young adults who are grieving the loss of someone close to them. Nick is the host of the Newcastle meet-up and spoke about how it was seeing Beth on a documentary talking about her experience that led to him opening up and reaching out to become a host himself! The upcoming Father’s Day is a time in the year that so many of us in the DPC dread time and time again and it’s so interesting to hear about how all of us deal with these ‘celebratory’ days so differently. In this week’s episode myself, Beth and Nick answer questions that have been submitted by you guys on how to cope throughout the weekend and offer some simple advice on things you may want to do to comfort yourself if you’re finding the weekend difficult. Please do remember that there are numerous charities and health care services out there to provide you with professional support should you need it - these can be found on the resources page of the doc website! If you want to catch up with Talk About Loss online they’re on Instagram at @talkaboutloss and their website is letstalkaboutloss.org They’re also on the hunt for another Newcastle host so hit them up if you’re interested! You can find the DPC online at Instagram - @deadparentcubpodcast Facebook - Dead Parent Club Podcast Website - www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Email - dpcpodcast@hotmail.com

Let’s Talk About Loss founder Beth French chats about how to embrace and face grief, acknowledging and recognising the most complex of emotions - but always with positivity. With some tidbits from our live How to be Sad event.

Beth French shares how she learnt to talk about loss after the death of her mother with Katie Thistleton and Dr Radha.

This week we are looking back at 2019 and some of my favourite bits from some of the interviews I've done. This week I have chosen Sylvia Laycock of Pacific Open Water Swim Co, Beth French and Dee Newell. I hope you enjoy it.

When a therapist told Beth French, then suffering from chronic pain, she needed to make a bucket list, Beth decided to swim all seven of the world’s channels. Her story was documented in Against the Tides. I caught up with the film’s director Stefan Stuckert, a BAFTA nominee himself for his television work, and cinematographer Damian Paul Daniel about following Beth on the epic global dream. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

British long distance swimmer Beth French, has broken multiple records around the world’s oceans and now in her early 40’s has found peace in those achievements and her personal journey. She is now channelling her adventurous spirit with her 11 year old son Dylan in remote areas of the world. Beth’s story takes her from being wheelchair bound due to ME from the age of 10 to 17 and finding her feet again she took her life in both hands to regain her strength through travel and studying natural health around the world. Immersing herself in water first as therapy and later as a physical and emotional challenge Beth set about breaking long distance swimming records including the Molokai Channel which took 24 hours and 10 mins.  She is the subject of a new documentary Against The Tides and is also featured in a new book Fantastic Female Adventurers: Truly amazing tales of women exploring the world by Lily Dyu. For show notes and related links for this episode click HERE. For more conversations from the world of women’s sport including articles, blogs, videos and podcasts visit wispsports.com. WiSP Sports is the World’s Largest Podcast Network for Women’s Sport with more than 20 hosts, 1000+ episodes across 30+ shows and a global audience of over 3 million. WiSP Sports is on all major podcast players. Follow WiSP Sports on social media @WiSPsports. Contact us at info@wispsports.com.

This week’s podcast guest has got a wildly different relationship with wild swimming than me. While this was a challenge for me as an interviewer, I think it is great. The wild/open/outdoor swimming community is large. And diverse. And that’s a good thing. Instead of debating what the differences might be between wild swimming, open water swimming and outdoor swimming, I’m far more interested in what the similarities are. Whether the cold isn’t your thing but measuring the distance and time of each swim is. Whether you swim all year round or have a shorter season. Whether you prefer a lake, river or ocean. If you swim alone or as part of a group. Whatever stroke you choose. How much you faff. How much of it is physical, social, emotional or spiritual. To me, none of those differences are big enough to overshadow the main thing that unites us – that we all swim in water that is not an indoor pool, by choice, because it brings us joy – whatever that means for each of us. It is fascinating listening to Lucy and hearing about the journey she has been on to become a triathlete. How she has embraced the swim element of that, and now undertakes swim events outside of triathlon. There is room for all versions of this story, and to my mind, no hierarchy in our world of swimming outside. No version that is purer than another. No way of doing it that makes one swimmer’s story superior to another. Every swimmer I’ve interviewed has talked about inclusivity and lack of judgement in our community. For me, that should be one of the most fundamental principles that we uphold as non-negotiable as we go about our version of swimming outside. Things we talk about Coach from 4performance, Havering tri club, Blenheim Palace, TriFarm, Borham, swim the Solent with Aspire, arctic circle swim blog, Jubilee river swim, Lakesman Tri, Leeds Castle, Beth French, Brutal Extreme Tri, Follow Lucy on social media - Paddle Pedal Pace Website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

On this week's Sportshour we hear from single mum and open water swimmer Beth French, who attempted a physical challenge that no-one had ever done before. She set out to conquer Oceans Seven, a challenge consisting of the seven most dangerous sea-channels in the world. Her efforts have been turned into a film called Against the Tides and she tells us about her journey, coming face to face with jellyfish and sharks, battling extreme conditions and deciding to give up with the finishing line in sight. All whilst living with M.E. (a.k.a. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). We also go live to Paris for the end of the Tour De France and discuss who will win the yellow jersey. Sporting Witness heads back thirty years to the closest finish in the races history, when American Greg Lemond took the yellow jersey by just 8 seconds. Whilst still playing in the NHL, Nathan Dempsey developed Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disorder that affects the nervous system. He believes playing hockey played a part in his condition and shares his story. Laura Weston from the Women's Sport Trust joins us to speak about how more women can become involved in sport following the spectacular Summer of Women's Sport. She answers the question about if barriers are still in place for women. Photo: Beth French celebrating after swimming (Beth French website)

This week my guest is Beth French. Yep, the Beth French. For anyone who doesn't know, Beth set out to swim the Oceans 7 in 12 months. Seven channel swims in a 12 month period. That's one every 7 weeks. A filmmaker recorded her journey, and the film, Against the Tides, is currently being screened around the UK. I saw the film before I spoke to Beth, and before we had even talked about her being on the podcast I had messaged her just to tell her what an impact it had had on me - one line in particular. The line was, "You just need to let go of whatever is holding you back". You're right, I thought. But if it was that easy we'd all be doing it and therapists would all be out of a job. There is so much to reflect on in what Beth shares in the 50 minutes we spoke for. But one of the most interesting things is about the stories that get told, and who gets to tell them. The narrative for the film quickly became about, in Beth's words, a rags to riches health story where she overcame ME and did the Oceans 7. Beth had hoped it would be an environmental story, drawing the contrast between not only being fit enough to swim in the sea, but the fact that the sea has to be fit enough to swim in. This isn't the angle the media were interested in. A central part of Beth's story in Against the Tides is Dylan. Dylan is Beth's son. Beth became an adventurer after having Dylan, which in no way fits the dominant narrative in our culture about adventurers. In the stories that get told most often, the adventurers are men. When they are women, they are single and childfree. Adventuring is given up when they become mothers. Not so for the men, who can continue adventuring as fathers, without external judgement, it would seem. It is extremely rare for women to take up adventuring after becoming a parent. This is what Beth did, and the reasons are central to her story. She talks a lot about listening to her own voice, and 'choosing different'. Beth's adventure narrative is also unusual, in that it doesn't conform to the 'never give up' or the 'bigger, better, faster, more' narrative that many outdoorsy documentary films follow. Beth does not complete the challenge (spoiler alert!) and her exploration of that is fascinating. People who are the first at anything that we haven't seen before are always curiosities. They have to pave the way for others to follow in their wake. Beth certainly demonstrates what it means to find your own path, to follow your own voice and to make choices that other people may not like nor understand, but that are right for you. She is just a normal person. But she is also so much more. Things we talk about Haunts of the Black Masseur, Cornwall to Isles of Scilly swim, The Good Life, Swimathon, vipassana meditation, Kendal Mountain Festival, Ann Daniels, Our Screen

This week I talk to Rosa about how wild swimming can force us to confront our own limitations and vulnerabilities, and to recognise our strengths.Swimming in open water can be so liberating, as we push ourselves to do thigs that we might not have believed we were capable of. This should be a source of real strength and growth. But if we are not careful, we will inevitably compare ourselves with others and risk feeling inadequate. We can put people on pedestals and think they are better than us, putting pressure on ourselves to be further on our journey than we are.Being in cold water in wild places can make us really tune into our bodies. And often those bodies are on show, laid bare with all their imperfections. We make ourselves vulnerable and can be confronted with how we feel about ourselves.Being in such a vulnerable place can make for close connections. Often chit chat is eschewed for deeper, more meaningful conversations. People share their joys and sorrows. Wild swimming may erase many of the differences between us that are more visible on land, and we realise that everyone has their own path in life and you can only swim your own swim.If you try and do anything other than this, you can come a cropper – trying to go further or stay in longer, just to keep up with someone, often isn’t the wisest thing to do. Getting in touch with who we are, where we are at and being at peace with that can be a gift of wild swimming.Wild swimming can force us to test out our negative beliefs about ourselves.Hopefully we come to realise that we are amazing and capable of incredible things. Just like everyone else in the water. Things we talk aboutWindermere, Sarah Gerrish (Wonderful Wild Women), Suzanna Swims (and Suzanna’s episode), Eden Escape Festival, Ella Foote, Lindsey Cole, The Ponds film, Against the Tides film, Beth French, Books – Floating, Waymaking, Turning, Swell, The Outrun, Leap In, Wild Swimming Brothers,  

British swimmer Beth French has chronic fatigue syndrome, and when she was a teenager, she even spent a year in a wheelchair. So years later, when she swam all the way from England to France – and was still home in time to put her son to bed – she knew she’d done something really special. But then Beth set herself an impossible challenge – she vowed to swim seven of the world’s most dangerous ocean channels in a single year. She faced sharks and rip currents. But it was something closer to home that made her stop. She tells Outlook’s Jo Fidgen her story. (Photo credit: Oceans 7 Films.)

“I spent most of my childhood trying to be invisible”Emma and Natalie are on holiday this week so Harriet is joined by Jenni Trent Hughes and Carrie Grant.Joining them in the studio the President of Tech UK Jacqueline de Rojas, she breaks down the figures behind the lack of women in the tech industry, she explains why more women need to be involved in the industry. And tells her own journey of climbing the ladder and reaching the top of tech, she says: “The only way to survive in this role is to ask questions”.Jacqueline also shares her incredibly moving and brave story of her violent childhood, rising from adversity and still striving to be where she is today.Also in the studio is Beth French marathon swimmer. Beth tells Harriet, Jenni and Carrie how she has been dealing with ME through childhood and teenage years and becoming a single mum. Whilst juggling all of this Beth decided to take on Ocean 7, a series of swims across 7 global Channels designed to challenge a swimmer pushing them to their limits.She also talks about the new documentary following her 7 seas adventure: Against the tides, oh and swimming next to a 7 foot tiger shark… yep!For information on all your hosts you can click on their names:Harriet MinterNatalie CampbellEmma Sexton If you want to get in touch you can find us on all the socials under this name: @badasswomenshrAnd for more about the podcast head here: https://www.badasswomenshour.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

About Beth French Beth French is an ultra-marathon swimmer and environmentalist and is an inspiration to anyone who wants to achieve their dreams. Beth was struck with glandular fever at 10 and didn’t fully recover- her adolescence being marred by periods of immune dysfunction and exhaustion. It was not until she was 17 and wheelchair bound that she was diagnosed with ME. Beth now lives without symptoms and spent years regaining trust in her body and her ability to challenge herself. She has travelled and studied abroad, learning indigenous alternatives to healthcare and cultural perspectives on life. She also ordained as a Buddhist nun. Beth says “So far my life has taught me that unless you take as many steps as you think you can, how are you ever going to learn that it really is only a tantalizing few more to get where you want to go?” Episode highlights  Childhood interest in swimming. Beth remembers looking out to sea and thinking she could swim forever. Beth’s diagnosis of ME at 17 years old when she was in a wheelchair for 12 months. Swimming - became therapeutic and mediative. When Beth’s body was falling apart water reduced aches. People always ask how she became better – used rebellious energy at 17 years old to push through and lit a fire of fury to get better. Beth went on to read everything about nutrition and health and indigenous healthcare (Hawaii and Thailand) and different takes on anatomy (found health whilst abroad) Beth fell in love with her body again whilst in Hawaii swimming in the Pacific Ocean and managed to swim over 3 hours straight. Beth ordained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand. Beth felt if she didn't address her mind, she would return to illness - there is always an underlying threat. Beth now sees ME as her biggest teacher as opposed to greatest burden. Beth now values every moment body teaks and hurts and have an amazing relationship with body and food. Beth spends time in the space of getting body and mind in harmony – she needs to spend the time to do it. Beth now gets into the water and is able to let go and not worry about the outcome or the destination. Balancing of being a single mum with a child with autism.  Swimming to France was testing the boundary of what is possible. Having a child shouldn't stop us having an adventure. Beth decided to swim to France when her son, Dylan, was only 2 – trained when he was asleep and at pre-school. Film – Ocean 7 – how it started. Once Beth swam the English channel Beth looked for other challenges. Oceans 7 is the toughest challenge for a swimmer. Only 4-5 people have completed it. Beth wanted to be the first to complete it all within 1 year. Film following Beth's Ocean 7 challenge comes out in May called Against the tide. Not a story about swimming, more about motherhood. Will come out through www.ourscreen.com. Community approach and if enough people in local area request, local cinema will show this. It will later be on Amazon and probably Netflix. Beth wants children to look at adventure and not assume it is Bear Grylls and rather to look at alternatives like Beth.   Relevant links   Against the Tide Film Trailer or visit their website Beth’s website, Instagram, Facebook The film will be released in the UK in May via Our Screen - sign up for screenings Subscribe If you liked this episode of the Mothering the Mother Podcast, tell your friends! Please rate/review/subscribe to the show. Contact Alison or be social and say hi You can contact Alison at https://www.alisonbarker.com/connect/ or follow her on Instagram www.instagram.com/alison_barker_ and find details of her nutrition packages at www.alisonbarker.com/work-with-me-3 Please also join the Facebook group Mothering the Mother where we continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1885649551488600/    

Follow Beth on Social Media Website - http://bethfrench.co.uk Twitter - @bethsbigswim  https://twitter.com/bethsbigswim Instagram - @bethfrenchlives  https://www.instagram.com/bethfrenchlives/ Facebook  @bethfrenchlives https://www.facebook.com/bethfrenchlives/  ****************************************************** If you have questions about me, the podcast, what I’m doing… then please check out my website https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/ If you want to do more to help increase the amount of female role models in the media, please, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode. If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review and share the podcast with your friends, to spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love.  ****************************************************** If you have questions regarding the Marathon des Sables - Please read  - Tough Girl Sahara Challenge  http://amzn.to/2mwP0hd  If you have questions regarding climbing Kilimanjaro - Please read - Kilimanjaro Tips for The Top http://amzn.to/2mPfKFO ****************************************************** Want to do more? Become a Patron and donate a small fixed amount every month to help fund my mission https://www.patreon.com/ToughGirlPodcast?ty=h If you want to support my mission - you can also donate via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/toughgirl  ***************************************************** You can listen to the Tough Girl Podcast on the go via iTunes, Soundcloud & Stitcher!  

Beth French, an ultra-marathon open-sea ocean swimmer who was once a Buddhist nun, a single mother who home schools her autistic son and an adventurer who suffered from a crippling illness (M.E. aka Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) in her youth.  During this podcast we speak to Beth about her journey to swim across the seven most dangerous sea-channels in the world, an official challenge called ‘Oceans Seven'. For extreme swimmers it’s the ultimate test; only a handful of people have ever completed it, but it took them many years. In September 2016, Beth set out to become the first person ever to conquer Oceans Seven in a 12-months period. Her motivation: to prove to her autistic son that you are not determined by your circumstances and that you can fulfill your dreams and ambitions by confronting obstacles head on. Show notes Not living close to the water Self employed single mum who home schools her son with autistic needs and sea swims for sanity Having ME as a teenager… What life was like growing up - the challenges she faces and how she overcame them Not being able to walk.. Coping strategies to numb the pain Hitting rock bottom Going to see an alternative therapist  Being told it was her fault at 17 Writing a wish list  Having a wake up call and taking responsibility for her life Becoming a Buddhist Nun - meditating for 17 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months Having a 2 week holiday which turned into an 8 year adventure! Swimming in the ocean and falling in love with it Learning the mental side of endurance Being told she couldn’t have kids… Getting pregnant and being terrified Wanting to adventure with her baby Can she do it with a baby? How did she? Her version of motherhood The Channel Swim! Generating the right emotions to push her through How to be true to you and to live your truth Why you should be full of yourself Not celebrating Heading to Hawaii for the winter What’s going on inside her head while she’s swimming Tattoos and why she has them Vulnerability as a strength and what’s she learn’t Why she stopped her last project - Oceans 7 Going for the world record and pulling the plug on it Making the toughest decision she has even made The next challenge/adventure! Top tips… advice.. Learn more about Beth via her social media channels- see below!   “I'm in it to swim it and it's not over till I run out of water.”    Social Media   Website - http://bethfrench.co.uk Twitter - @bethsbigswim  https://twitter.com/bethsbigswim Instagram - @bethfrenchlives  https://www.instagram.com/bethfrenchlives/ Facebook  @bethfrenchlives https://www.facebook.com/bethfrenchlives/    On Thursday - hear more from Beth on Tough Girl Extra - The Quick Fire Round!!  

Beth French is one of the UK's Top 100 Most Inspirational Women.  She is a sage and a swimmer. To say that she is courageous would be an understatement.  She has had to overcome numerous challenges throughout her life and continues to push herself to discover the depths of her potential. Imagine the leap from overcoming an illness that left her wheelchair bound to ultimately swimming through freezing and shark-infested waters, Beth French is no stranger to challenges.  She understands more than most that we often don’t realize what we are capable of because we don’t believe enough in ourselves. Beth has built a life around pushing the uttermost limits of what is possible for her, and her most recent endeavor has her about to accomplish what has never been done before...swimming what’s called The Ocean’s Seven within the span of a year. Beth also happens to be humble, down to earth and insightful to boot.

Beth French and I chat about her swim across the English Channel in July 2012. Growing up in England she says she's known about swimmers crossing the English Channel. Swimming across large bodies of water isn't a foregone conclusion for Beth - as a child she had glandular fever. In the states we call this Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Beth calls the English Channel the Everest of Open Water Swims. We talk a lot about the logistics of how you even schedule an English Channel Swim. We talk about swimming in cold water. (brrr). We talk about the challenge of dealing with the tidal pattern and the fickle English weather. You can find general information and tips at http://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/ We talk about training for this long swim. She calls her training "random sporadic torture." Beth explains to me how the route for the swim is arranged and how the tides affect the route. I learned that Channel swims sometimes start in the middle of the night. She shares a good tip of the Varne Ridge Holiday park which is a great place for Channel swimmers to stay. http://www.varne-ridge.co.uk/ We talk about swimming at night and how you navigate the swim in the dark? Beth swam for 15 hours and 6 minutes. We talk about nutrition for a swim that long. We also talk about weight gain before the swim. Beth explains how her emotions affect how she feels about time during the race. We talk about landing in France and how you get back to England when you're done. The distance is 22 miles if you swim it in a straight line but Beth says the average swimmer will add about 1/3 of the distance to that. I asked Beth what were some good resources for swimmers who want to swim the English Channel. She recommended the Channel Swimming Pilot Federation www.cspf.co.uk and also the Channel Swimmers Facebook Group. Lastly we chat about her next challenge which is called the Oceans 7 Challenge. She wants to complete all 7 of these in one year. You can follow at www.bethfrench.co.uk  She is on Facebook as Beth French on twitter @bethsbigswim crowdfunder.co.uk/oceans7 Thank you to Lucy for introducing me to Beth French. Be sure to follow my adventures at www.amysaysso.com