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Feb 2022
48m 42s

Preet Chandi - aka Polar Preet - 1st wom...

SARAH WILLIAMS
About this episode
Preet recently became the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition in Antarctica. She completed the 700 miles in 40 days pulling all of her kit and equipment and tackling temperatures of -50° with wind chill. When she reached the South Pole she said on her audio blog:   “This expedition was always about so much more than me. I want to encourage people to push their boundaries and to believe in themselves, and I want you to be able to do it without being labelled a rebel.    I have been told no on many occasions and told to “just do the normal thing”, but we create our own normal.    You are capable of anything you want. No-matter where you are from or where your start line is, everybody starts somewhere.    I don’t want to just break the glass ceiling, I want to smash it into a million pieces. Who’s with me?”   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out.    The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons.    Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.   Show notes
  • Who is Preet
  • Deciding to go to Antarctica
  • Why she wants to inspire people to push their boundaries
  • Starting with google
  • Getting to the start line
  • The challenges of Covid and funding
  • Being the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition
  • 700 miles in 40 days
  • Getting back to the gym and needing time to recover
  • Going back to November 2021
  • Flying to Chile first and spending 2 weeks there
  • Sorting out all the food and gear
  • Getting the flight out to Antarctica 
  • Being dropped off on the ice and being alone
  • Taking it one day at a time
  • Fears and concerns before the start
  • Feeling excited…
  • Picking up the wrong backpack
  • Being on her own on the ice
  • The joy and excitement of the challenge
  • What a typical day was like
  • The mental side of the challenge
  • Tips and tricks to get through the day
  • Being a head of schedule 
  • Slowing down towards the end and not sleeping
  • Not stopping for 40/50hrs
  • Arriving into the South Pole and feeling good!
  • Why it’s ok to do things that are different
  • Why it’s good to question things
  • Being called disrespectful
  • Feeling more and more comfortable in herself
  • Voicing her opinions 
  • Why change is not a bad thing
  • Making new traditions with her family
  • Celebrations and Coke Zero
  • Having her first shower
  • Heading back to the South Pole
  • Phase 2 of the plan
  • Sponsorship for the future challenges?
  • Setting up an adventure grant for women
  • Connect with Preet and be kept upto date with her future adventures and challenges
  • Final words of advice
  • Why you can achieve anything
  Social Media   Website: www.polarpreet.com    Instagram: @polarpreet    Facebook: @polarpreet   We first spoke with Preet in July 8th 2021- you can listen to Preet here - https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/single-post/chandi  
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