Fell Running, Marathons & Mountain Biking; Founder of Element for Active Women - 018: Ruth Pickvance

After the sudden death of her husband, Sue Plastow and her family left their Italian truffle orchard to return to the UK. Less than 12 months later, she is finding her feet again with exciting plans ahead that involves outdoor adventures, good food and a space for women to walk and talk. Her children experienced a wonderfully feral upbringing of travel and freedom. Now it’s Sue’s turn to find adventures to honour her late husband’s memory. Her positivity and zest for life is infectious. While she is aware that she is still grieving, Sue knows that the only way forward is to reach back to old skills, reach out for support, and reach up towards the future.

SHOW LINKS:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/nakedtartufi/

https://www.instagram.com/englishlanguagefoodschool/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/nakedtartufi

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/nakedtartufi/

***PLEASE VOTE FOR HEADRIGHTOUT IN THE SPORTS PODCAST AWARDS:***

In the Best Urban and Adventure Category

https://www.sportspodcastawards.com/categories/18

https://www.facebook.com/HeadRightOut/

https://www.instagram.com/headrightout/

https://twitter.com/HeadRightOut

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-langley-wathen/

You can email Zoe: [email protected]

SHOW NOTES:

• An audio clip from Sue’s conversation [00:00]
• Zoe’s introduction to the guest [00:45]
• Thank you for voting and news about HeadRightOut being a finalist in the Podcasting for Business Awards in the Best Health & Wellbeing category. Request to vote in the Sports Podcast Awards [02:33]
• Sue Plastow’s bio across thirty years of family travelling and living abroad [03:58]
• Sue’s fears and reservations about adventuring with a young family of four children under the age of five [07:37]
• How Sue’s children, now young adults, have benefitted from a childhood of freedom and away from the conventional education system [08:52]
• Children barefoot and feral, roaming anywhere; living in the mountains, and near the Med, snowboarding, skiing and sailing [09:52]
• What her children are doing now and about their healthy emotional wellbeing [11:12]
• Why Sue thinks she’s always been resilient [12:24]
• Sue’s study/travel timeline, into a relationship, marriage and children, normal life attempt and then campervan adventures with the family in Canada [13:09]
• What you learn to live without - living simply on the road [14:36]
• Getting cold in Canada so moving to Dubai, doing desert drumming and sandboarding [15:27]
• Talking through the personal circumstances that’s brought Sue and family back to UK [17:23]
• Global Financial Crisis (GFC), Australia, Malaysia, South of France, Switzerland, Italy and Sue’s husband’s death [17:41]
• Quick thinking prior to travel corridors closing due to the pandemic - rapid move back to UK and how everyone is coping [18:32]
• Not wanting others to think they have to just crack on because Sue did [19:45]
• How Sue and the family have found the things they need to survive and move on; honouring her husband’s life [20:32]
• Sue looking back through her arsenal for skills to draw upon - what could she do? Cookery, social/communication, teaching English, gaining TEFL qualification [21:56]
• The importance of connection with other midlife women [23:57]
• Zoe’s similar experience of grief/loss [24:36]
• A lurching horror vs a transformation - not wanting to be prescriptive about grief [26:44]
• Message to all: You’re not alone and there are glimmers of hope [28:27]
• Zoe’s old saying from someone years ago ‘Out of every adversity...’ [28:42]
• The importance of food and travelling, cookery classes and a bridge between cultures [29:50]
• Travel adventures with food, outside and a podcast about it [30:36]
• New events kitchen - called Naked Tartufi [31:35]
• New concept of outdoor adventure, food and walking along the South West Coast Path - a Moveable Feast [32:23]
• A therapy, communication, tribe, group of women coming full circle from the bonding experiences of bringing up the family tribe [34:38]
• The magic of walking and talking [35:24]
• The impact of travelling so much on Sue and her children. Seeing...