This week on the Passion Stories podcast, Emma is joined by Dr Sarah Ruggins, who recently smashed the LEJOGLE there and back overall record - cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back again in just 5 days, 11 hours, and 14 minutes.

That’s over 2,700 kilometres with 18,000 metres of elevation. Insane.

Sarah beat the men’s record by 6 hours 43 minutes, which was previously held by James MacDonald, and the women’s record by 4 days 17 hours 40 minutes which was held by Louise Harris. She also raised over £18,000 for the Bike Project and Bikes for Refugees at the same time.

In this conversation, we dive into:

• How she became an endurance cyclist 2.5 years after first picking up a bike
• What drove her to take on the outright record
• How she refined her mindset
• The highs and lows of the challenge (cue delirium and riding in circles)
• What’s next on her radar

• Sarah’s dream dinner party guest list and menu (spoiler: it’s hilarious)

It’s a wild and inspiring episode filled with grit, honesty and plenty of heart.

Follow Sarah on instagram @sarah_ruggins to keep up to date with her next challenge.

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✨🎙️ Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast. Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

Can you be a professional athlete in two different sports?

In the latest episode Emma is joined by Annabel Fisher who is both a pro gravel cyclist and pro nordic skier. From March to October Annabel rides her bike, and in the winter she cross country skies for Switzerland.

Annabel is a real force, from studying at Cambridge university and flying planes in the RAF, to winning the Gravel Earth Series in 2023 and the British gravel championships in 2024, to skiing for Switzerland, but most of all she’s infectiously passionate about what she does and how she does it.

We chat about who she came to be a professional athlete, her skiing career and her gravel cycling career, why she chose those two sports and how she balances it all.

She also shares about coping with pressure, the importance of giving herself space for opportunities, and, of course, the origin of her formidable nickname, Shotgun.

Annabel is full of energy and incredibly inspiring - listen now on all platforms!

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✨🎙️ Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast. Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

In this episode, Emma is joined by legendary animator, director, and filmmaker Aaron Blaise, best known for his work on Disney classics including The Lion King, Brother Bear, and Beauty and the Beast.

Hand drawn over three years, Aaron opens up about his latest film Snow Bear which tells the story of a polar bear’s journey through a melting Arctic and explores the themes grief, climate change and resilience.

He also reflects on his 21 years at Walt Disney and co-directing Brother Bear for which he earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film.

From bringing iconic Disney characters to life to creating CreatureArtTeacher, Aaron shares how he hopes to inspire others to get involved in animation and hand-drawn storytelling, as well as what continues to drive his passion after decades in the industry.

It’s a a candid and inspiring conversation about creativity and staying connected to your passion, even when the path changes.

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✨🎙️ Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast. Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

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