Laura Penhaul is record breaking ocean rower, physiotherapist and performance manager for high performing athletes.
She was the team leader of the Coxless Crew, setting two World Records in January 2016 as they rowed unsupported across the Pacific for 9,000km from California to Cairns. It took 4 years to prepare for the challenge and 9 months to complete it.
Laura has supported athletes through Vancouver, London and Rio Paralympic Games and previously was Lead Physiotherapist for the Paralympic Programme of British Athletics, and the British Ski Team.
She is now the Founder of Adaptive Performance, and in 2017 provided Performance Management support to Mark Beaumont as he circumnavigated the World in less than 80 Days by bike.
She is now co-hosting a podcast with Mark and they have written a book together, both called Endurance, giving an insight into the teams behind successful athletes and giving everyday sportspeople the chance to learn to access the support that they may not otherwise know about.
In this chat we cover why she chose to take on one of the world’s toughest ocean challenges, how useful it is to understand your own body literacy and how self-awareness is key to good teamwork and leadership. And what she learned from nine months at sea in a 8m boat.
We touch briefly on the huge and exciting topic of the sports science specifically in women’s bodies, training and sport. How to manage good mental and physical wellbeing, spotting the signs of stress, overwhelm and breakdowns, hopefully before you hit rock bottom, but crucially after you have been there to stop it happening again.
Then we discuss how she managed herself and her own wellbeing while supporting Mark Beaumont on his astonishing achievement of cycling round the world in less than 80 days.
It’s a varied conversation and I feel like we only brushed the surface of so many exciting topics. Since recording this podcast I was delighted to learn that Laura got engaged – massive congrats to her and her fiancé Matt.
You can follow her on IG on @laurapenhaul
You can find out about and watch Laura’s award winning film, “Losing Sight of Shore”, on https://losingsightofshore.com/
The website for her business Adaptive Performance is www.adaptive-performance.com
Laura and Mark Beaumont’s book is called “Endurance – How to Cycle Further” and is available at https://shop.globalcyclingnetwork.com/endurance-how-to-cycle-further-book
Laura and Mark’s podcast, also called Endurance, is released every Thursday anywhere you normally get your podcasts!