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.

#passionstories #podcast #animation #disney #storytelling #snowbear

Is indoor cycling a cult? Why is spinning so popular but also so divisive? Is there a difference between the two?

This week, Emma is joined by Melissa Power, indoor cycling instructor and founder of Cadence Indoor Cycling in North London. With 17+ years in the fitness industry, Melissa shares what it’s really like on the instructor’s podium, how indoor cycling differs from spin classes, and what it takes to build a thriving fitness community.

We also dive into:

• The rise of indoor cycling and its cult-like following
• What it takes to be an instructor, from the music, motivation, to the lights and vibe
• Creating sustainable, inclusive fitness spaces, both online and offline

Melissa's passion for group exercise and indoor cycling is awesome, as is her insight into the evolving fitness industry.

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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.

This week Emma is joined by Mark Beaumont. Best known for holding the Guinness World record for cycling around the world in under 80 days, Mark has rowed oceans, been to over 130 nations and territories and written 6 books, all of which has cultivated another passion, impact investing. Mark shares how he got into investing early stage companies in science and technology, what he looks for in entrepreneurs and how he mitigates risk. He talks about greenwashing, the evolution of ESG, and why impact investing matters. Mark also shares how his expeditions have formed his view on the world, and what he hopes to achieve now.

It’s a fascinating insight into transitioning from an athlete to business advisor and investor, as well as into the world of ESG and responsible investing.

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Follow, subscribe 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.

Did you know you can be prescribed a book? Joining me on this week’s episode is Lucy Pearson, a bibliotherapist and journalist known for starting The Literary Edit. Lucy is quite literally a human bookstore with a wealth of knowledge and passion for literature.

Lucy explains all about bibliotherapy, its origins, how it works, and why it works. She also shares how she got into prescribing books as well as some of the books she regularly recommends to clients. We also discuss reading trends and habits, the pros and cons of self-help books, the digitalisation of books and how reading culture has evolved. It’s a truly fascinating insight into the power of books and words.

You can find Lucy on socials @the_litedit

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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.

What should you do if a rhino charges you? Joining Emma on this episode is wildlife conservationist and Africa travel specialist Callum Perry. Callum spent over 6 years out in the South African bush and has a host of incredible stories to share. Not least about getting chased by rhinos, more than once (!) but also about the threats African wildlife face as well as those trying to protect them. Callum has also worked as a guide, and explains the protocols within the bush. Having made the move into travel, Callum talks about the role tourism has within conservation and his hopes for the two industries. It’s a fascinating insight into a fragile and beautiful world.

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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.

This week Emma is joined by Ella Bloor, pro gravel cyclist and architect. From Australia, Ella is passionate about pushing her limits, and last year, rode solo from Perth to Sydney, covering over 4,000km in just two weeks, spicy. She shares the highs and lows of this trip and the raw motivation behind it all. Ella also talks about life as a pro gravel cyclist, from touring the US for the Lifetime Grand Prix and plenty of time for thinking on long haul flights, to dealing with the pressures of being a privateer and balancing her two passions, cycling and architecture. She also shares where her love of physical challenges and adventure come from, and what it was like to take part in the annual race in memory of her grandfather Jack Bloor in Yorkshire. It’s a brilliant, reflective and moving episode.

Ella is currently riding the Cape Epic as a pair with Haley Smith (another Passion Podcast guest!), so go check out their progress.

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Fascinated by endurance sports? There are plenty more episodes for you to get your teeth into like cyclists Robin Gemperle and Jana Kesenheimer and ultra runner Charles Costa. Go check them out!

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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.