Holly Pye - SUP Racing, Downwinding, Being a Sleep Specialist + Cinammon + Raisin Bagels

03/31/22 • 65 min

The Joy of SUP - The Paddleboarding Sunshine Podcast

I am thrilled to welcome Holly Pye to The Joy of SUP Podcast.
I first met Holly when I asked in SUP Sisterhood for a sleep specialist. What I didn't realise that as well as working in the NHS as a sleep physiologist and running her own specialist sleep clinic - Stars Sleep Clinic - Holly is a very successful SUP racer and downwinder!
Holly is a SUP racer living in South Devon. She enjoys the competitive side of the sport and has raced in the GBSUP National Series since 2017. In 2021, Holly travelled to Hungary with her SUP for the ICF World Championships where she came 13th in the long distance race - an 18 kilometre race against some of the world's best!

Holly loves being in or on the ocean and takes any chance she can to get out there. She grew up around the water and now does lots of different watersports. When the weather turns she can often be found downwinding along the Devon or Cornwall coast, riding the bumps on her SUP from one point to another and enjoying every minute of it.

When Holly is not on the water, she loves to help others. She trained as a sleep physiologist and runs Stars Sleep Clinic where she offers cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia and supports people with a variety of different sleeping difficulties.

Holly is now a team rider for Starboard SUP, SUP North Devon and Paddle Logger. All organisations which care for the oceans and environment and allow us all the opportunity to protect what we love.
We talk about:

Growing up by the sea and her water loving family - everyone SUPS!
Downwinding - what it is, how to start safely, the safety aspects that Holly takes into consideration every time she goes out, joining a SUP downwinding group
Starting a SUP club at university
The power of community in paddleboarding and especially Anna Little's incredible help
The superstar Marie Buchanan
SUP racing - Read Holly's report for Paddlelogger about Hungary ICF World Championship races
The importance of sleep and how it impacts our wellbeing and performance
Tips on how to get a better night's sleep and tips if you aren't sleeping well
The importance of good nutrition as well as recovery when you are training hard
Being relaxed around food when travelling
The joy of Carbis Bay
Her dream race Molokai

An article Holly wrote about sleep: https://www.stars-sleepclinic.co.uk/post/sleep-and-sports-performance
You can find Holly here:

Instagram: @hollypye and @starssleepclinic
Website: www.stars-sleepclinic.co.uk
Thank you so much to Bluefin SUP for sponsoring Season 3 of the podcast.
Any questions, please get in touch [email protected].
Instagram: @thejoyofsuppodcast_
Follow #thejoyofsuppodcast on Twitter and Instagram
Facebook The Joy of SUP Podcast
Website www.jomoseley.com
It would be great if you could also rate and review us on Apple as it will help more people find our paddleboarding SUP sunshine! Please always put safety first and train for your body.

Growing up by the sea and her water loving family - everyone SUPS!
Downwinding - what it is, how to start safely, the safety aspects that Holly takes into consideration every time she goes out, joining a SUP downwinding group
Starting a SUP club at university
The power of community in paddleboarding and especially Anna Little's incredible help
The superstar Marie Buchanan
SUP racing - Read Holly's report for Paddlelogger about Hungary ICF World Championship races
The importance of sleep and how it impacts our wellbeing and performance
Tips on how to get a better night's sleep and tips if you aren't sleeping well
The importance of good nutrition as well as recovery when you are training hard
Being relaxed around food when travelling
The joy of Carbis Bay
Her dream race Molokai

An article Holly wrote about sleep: https://www.stars-sleepclinic.co.uk/post/sleep-and-sports-performance
You can find Holly here:

Previous Episode

Leanne Bird - SUP Yoga Master Trainer, SUP Fitness Tips, Magical River Teifi + Peanut Butter + Banana sandwiches

I am so thrilled to welcome Leanne Bird to The Joy of SUP Podcast.

As Founder of Leanne Bird Wellbeing & Adventure, Leanne’s mission is to support and inspire people to live happier and healthier lives, for the long term. Through her wellbeing services & adventure experiences, she is passionate about empowering people to discover themselves and ultimately, discover their freedom.

A qualified SUP instructor, surf coach, personal trainer and yoga instructor, Leanne brings together a broad breadth of knowledge and skills to provide well structured, tailored programmes for groups and individuals. Reaching a level to train instructors in SUP Yoga, SUP Fitness and 200hr Yoga Teacher training has really enhanced her skill set to deliver.

As a trained ecologist, Leanne has a deep connection with nature and brings the earth, air and water into her work wherever she can. Drawn to the ocean, the desire to combine body movement, breath and water was the spark that started Leanne on this journey many years ago.

So, whether she just plants a seed that sets you on the right path or ends up supporting you to become who you want to be; Leanne looks forward to being some part of your amazing journey.
In this episode we talk about:

Growing up in South Africa
Being a water baby and swimming in her Grandmother's swimming pool
Working as an ecologist
The magic of the River Teifi and Cardigan coast
Being a Personal Trainer
Becoming a Yoga teacher and then a Master Yoga Trainer with ASI
The healing power of surfing learning in 2012
The spiritual side of surfing and what it means to her
Paddleboarding as a fitness tool
SUP fitness tips - squats, dead bugs and press ups
What we can do to make us stronger paddlers
Peanut butter sandwiches
Scottish trips ahead and plans for paddling in Switzerland
Specialist training for paddling on the sea and why it is important
Why going with a coastal guide is a great idea!
Why it is important to have a qualified SUP yoga teacher
What SUP yoga can do for us
The new wellbeing community she is creating for paddleboarders and surfers - Blue Freedom!

You can find Leanne here:
Website: www.leannebird.co.uk
Instagram: @leannebirdwellbeingadventure
Facebook: Leanne Bird Wellbeing & Adventure
Facebook: Blue Freedom
I hope you enjoyed meeting Leanne! I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you so much to Bluefin SUP for sponsoring Season 3 of the podcast.
Any questions, please get in touch [email protected].
Instagram: @thejoyofsuppodcast_
Follow #thejoyofsuppodcast on Twitter and Instagram
Facebook The Joy of SUP Podcast
Website www.jomoseley.com
It would be great if you could also rate and review us on Apple as it will help more people find our paddleboarding SUP sunshine!
Wishing you sunshine, thank you for listening, Jo x
Please always put safety first + get the right advice for your training + body.

Next Episode

Vikki Weston - Founding Sydney's award winning She SUPs, Community Joy, Tiny Island Adventures + Popcorn on the Go

I am so thrilled to welcome our first international guest to The Joy of SUP today!
Vikki is a British-born adventurer and founder of She SUPs, her paddleboarding business in Sydney, Australia.
She SUPS is an all women's community focussed on empowering women + girls through SUP adventures.
Vikki moved to Sydney in 2015 + within a few months was hooked on paddling. First, it was kayaking, but then came SUP.

Being on the water helped her process working in a toxic corporate environment, visa struggles, loneliness, being away from family + living with anxiety. Through kayak and SUP she gained strength, learnt new skills and found her identity. It helped her create a stronger connection to Country, build friendships and connect with and learn from Mother Nature.

Conducting research, during the initial brainstorming stages of the She SUPs concept, Vikki was shocked (but at the same time not surprised due to personal experience) by the statistics around barriers to participation in adventure-sports for women, which were preventing so many women across Australia from gaining these benefits.

As she read these studies she could definitely relate. Unfortunately, she had found that sometimes being a female adventurer/paddler could be tough, and yet, it really shouldn’t be.

Therefore fuelled by her own experiences, and determined to provide a better, more supportive outlook for women Vikki decided to:

Take on an adventure challenge to raise publicity and awareness of deeply-rooted discriminatory social norms and stereotypes that often prevent women from pursuing adventurous activities/outdoor sports and get the She SUPs mission out into the world!! This was the She SUPs Sydney Expedition where she paddle boarded 30 waterways of Sydney in 30 days during September 2019.
Build an all women’s SUP community focused on creating a safe environment for women to try something new, learn, grow, connect with others and the planet and ultimately feel empowered through adventure.

We also talk about:

Her Connect to country adventures and retreats
Lockdown challenges to support her community + raise money for women in Afghanistan
Setting her clients up for success and the power of community and support
Her favourite piece of Overboard kit
Advice for someone who wants to SUP but feels unsure
Her SUP online course
Training with ASI in England
Winning a prestigious award New South Wales (NSW) Office of Sport 'Her Sport, Her Way' Local Champion Award in recognition of her achievements in 2021 for increasing female participation in sport.

Instagram: @shesups_
Website: www.shesups.com.au
Vikki is an Ambassador for Red Paddleboards.
Thank you so much to Bluefin SUP for sponsoring Season 3 of the podcast.
Any questions, please get in touch [email protected].
Instagram: @thejoyofsuppodcast_
Follow #thejoyofsuppodcast on Twitter and Instagram
Facebook The Joy of SUP Podcast
Website www.jomoseley.com
It would be great if you could also rate and review us on Apple as it will help more people find our paddleboarding SUP sunshine! Please always put safety first and train for your body.