Photo Credit: Stephen Baccon/Red Bull Content Pool

Hailing from a family of iconic ocean athletes, 24-year-old Jordan Mercer has blazed a trail in surf sports since the age of 16, running, paddling and swimming her way to Surf Ironwoman victory. A Surf Ironwoman Series Champion and ten-time World Champion, the talented Aussie has also won the gruelling 52km paddleboard crossing from Molokai to Oahu an incredible six successive times.

Here, Jordan talks surf sports, fuelling long-distance events, and how she balances a jam-packed training schedule.

Do you have a story to tell about your adventures, endurance escapades or challenges? Maybe you have an interesting job in sport or adventure? If not you, perhaps you know a brilliant, inspiring woman who would be perfect for Lessons in Badassery?

There’s no shortage of women in sport, fitness and adventure doing things we should be celebrating. But their stories aren’t always told, so I’m hoping you guys can help me find them so I can share them here.

Whether you (or they) are an everyday woman doing inspiring things, an athlete, a brand founder, or you work in the world of sport and adventure, drop me an email via katie@lessonsinbadassery.com and let’s big up the ladies.

On the subject of inspiring ladies, look out for upcoming interviews with open water Olympian Keri-anne Payne, downhill MTB badass Tracey Hannah, British Quadrathlon Champion Helen Russell, Wonder Woman stunt double Caitlin Dechelle, and loooads more kickass women!

Katie x

Photo Credit: Sally Hornung

Ultra marathon runner Susie Chan fell into running six years ago, when her brother persuaded her to enter a half-marathon. Today, she’s one of the most recognisable faces in the British running community, a three-time Marathon des Sables finisher, and a former 12-hour treadmill world record holder.

In my chat with Susie we cover heat training, Strava segment sprees and ‘unravelling’ during her third Marathon des Sables.

Last month I wrote about my cycling session with Dr Barney Wainwright, applied sport scientist at Leeds Beckett University, who adjusted my bike position, introduced me to the benefits of pedalling effectively (you can read the post here) and armed me with some simple pedalling drills as my homework. There were gains to be made. And the fundamentals were pretty simple.

Here’s a quick update…

Photo Credit: Patagonia

Aussie native Belinda Baggs is a surfer known for her elegant, technical longboard style. Formerly third in the world at the Women’s World Longboard Championship, the Patagonia ambassador and mother-of-one retired from competing after finding it at odds with her enjoyment and connection with the water.

Here, Belinda provides an insight into a typical day in her life in Victoria, Australia.

Photo Credit: ROGUE FITNESS

If you know CrossFit, you know Sam Briggs. Affectionately known as ‘the Engine’ due to her unstoppable endurance, Sam made the switch from triathlon and duathlon to CrossFit at the end of 2010 and within three years won the 2013 CrossFit Games. Oh, and the former firefighter is also an indoor rowing world record holder.

A few weeks ago I caught up with Sam at her box, TRAIN Manchester, where she and fellow CrossFit athlete and Fire & Ice teammate, Sara Sigmundsdottir, were warming up for their Team Series workouts.

I came across Jacqui Furneux when her daughter sent me a press release about her book, Hit the Road, Jac! Seven years, Twenty Countries, No plan, which recounts tales of her seven-year adventure exploring the world on a motorbike, much of it solo. During her travels, which took her everywhere from Nepal to East Timor, Jacqui slept up trees, in police stations, brothels, toilets and at the side of the road. I loved the idea of Jacqui, at the time in her 50s, eschewing the norm and being so intrepid, so we had a chat and she regaled me with an account of some of her escapades. My jaw dropped (yours will too).

Photo Credit: Steve Loughlin

When she’s not cycling professionally for Hagens Berman Supermint, athlete-chef Jess Cerra spends her time building her JoJé bar brand of ‘real food’ sports energy bars and moonlighting as a Fit Chef. Once a year, Jess works as a personal chef to bike brand Cervélo at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, catering for both the Cervélo brand team and Cervélo’s pro athletes. Here, she gives us an insight into what this entails.

Photo Credit: www.thatcameraman.com

After knee surgery stalled her successful GB 1500m track career, Emma Pallant made the switch to multisport endurance events and hasn’t looked back. A duathlon World Champion in 2015 and 2016, Emma added aquathlon World Champion to her title list this year and topped a season of triathlon podiums by taking silver at this year’s 70.3 Triathlon World Championship.

Here, the 28-year-old Team Dillon athlete and coach talks about bike spills, getting dropped by ‘picnic goers’ and setting 2018 Ironman goals.

53-year-old surgeon and mountaineer, Ghazala Ahmad-Mear, is no stranger to adventure, climbing and expeditions – in fact, she met her husband (renowned Polar explorer, Roger Mear) at the summit of the Matterhorn in Switzerland! In January, Ghazala will be the only woman undertaking the South Pole Energy Challenge – the first polar expedition using only renewable energy.

Here, Ghazala explains more about the expedition, her love of climbing, and training for the 30kg sled pull.