What does it mean to be fearless? In her new book, Cheshire based TV presenter, journalist, author and athlete Louise Minchin finds out. Fearless, adventures with Extraordinary Women is a celebration of a series of intrepid, brave and trailblazing women who are smashing records, breaking down barriers and challenging stereotypes.
In Fearless, not only does Louise tell the story of these 17 amazing women, she also embarks on terrifying, exhilarating adventures to test herself.
The book sees her free dive and swim 15 metres under the ice in the dark in 0.6C water in Finland with the first female to swim a mile in the Antarctic Circle and cycle across Argentina with one of the world’s most famous female endurance runners.
She swam the shark infested and choppy grey water from America’s infamous maximum-security prison Alcatraz to San Francisco with two teenage sisters – and hopes it wasn’t a shark that softly brushed her leg during the challenge. There are even moments when Louise fears for her life.
She also explores the dark and wild caves deep under the earth in Somerset, all to help give her an insight into what drives fearless women and to celebrate their achievements.
The remarkable women she talks to span all backgrounds, religions, ages, body shapes and sizes.
For many years, Louise presented BBC Breakfast alongside her colleague Dan Walker, commuting from her home in Chester to the BBC’s studio in Manchester. A lover of adventure herself, at the age of 45, she was inspired to take up triathlon after a BBC Breakfast challenge. Three years later, she represented her age group in the World and European Championships.
She ran this year’s London Marathon with her 21-year-old daughter Mia and earlier this month, she took part in the Big Bala Swim in North Wales.
Louise is determined to bust the myth that only certain people do incredible things and have their own adventures. Today, she proudly says she is ‘fitter, stronger and more mentally resilient’ than she was in her 20s, 30s or early 40s.
She said: “From ultra-running to swimming with sharks, from freediving under ice in the dark rugby, I have been on a series of adventures with these incredible women. I have been humbled by their collective modesty.
“To get to the heart of who they are, and what motivates them, to be able to tell their stories better, I decided to do it the way that I know best, by taking part, spending time right beside them to experience the things they love.
“It has been a rollercoaster, both physically and emotionally, and I have learned so much.
“I have loved researching and writing the book and I hope people will love reading it too. I’d like to leave people feeling empowered and inspired to get out there themselves – to be fearless!
“We all need heroes that, in some way, look like us. And I think, particularly as women, that we need female heroes out there.”
So, what’s next for Louise? Another book is on the cards and she has also signed up for an 11-mile relay swim across Lake Windermere in July. Inspiring and fearless she mostly certainly is.
Fearless: Adventures with Extraordinary Women by Louise Minchin is now available from Bloomsbury Sport as a hardback (£18.99) as well as an eBook and Audiobook.
