It’s Never Too Late to Get Back in the Game with Sarah-Jane Nichols (Episode 121)

Hit Play Not Pause

Health & Fitness, Education, Self-improvement, Mental Health

4.9 • 696 Ratings

🗓️ 15 March 2023

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Sarah-Jane Nichols is a BMX cycling legend. The Hall of Famer was a 7-time British Champion, 4-time European Champion, and a World Champion as a teen in 1986. Now, at age 52, 34 years after retiring from the sport, Nichols is back on her bike despite being in the throes of extremely challenging perimenopausal symptoms. In fact, Nichols is returning to the sport in part because of the physical and emotional challenges she’s experienced during the menopause transition. We talk all about her history with traditionally male sports, how menopause just about knocked her down for the count, and how she’s getting back on her feet to gun for another BMX British National Championship.

Along with being an avid BMXer, Sarah-Jane Nichols is a black belt in Shotokan Karate. She played ice hockey for 35 years during which time she represented Great Britain and the England ladies, playing in Ukraine and France. Sarah-Jane also had a role in a TV Show called Ice Warriors, where she played Taaraz the Renegade. You can learn more about her at the British BMX Hall of Fame website and the BBC feature on her return to BMX.

Enroll in our Navigate Menopause Course - https://www.feistymenopause.com/navigate-menopause

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Support our Partners:

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Nutrisense: Go to nutrisense.io/hitplay and use code: HITPLAY to get $125 off

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Paradis Sport: Use code: FEISTY20 for 20% off any single item at https://paradissport.com/

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/
Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	You are listening to Hit Play, Not Pause, a feisty menopause podcast for active performance-minded women.
0:14.6	I am your host, Celine Yeager. Each week, I bring you advice from athletes, scientists, researchers, and other experts to help you feel and perform you best no matter what your hormones are doing.
0:25.0	This show is a production of Live Feisty Media.
0:31.0	Hello, strong feisty women. I hope you all are well.
0:35.8	So, this past December, I came across this story in the BBC,
0:40.8	and the headline was,
0:42.5	Brownlee Woman returns to BMX racing after 34 years.
0:46.9	And of course, I click on it and see what this is all about.
0:49.7	And the story says,
0:51.7	Sarah J. Nichols, 52 from Brownlee, Hampshire, won world gold in the girls'
0:57.3	over 16 title in 1986 as a teenager and plans to return to national competitions.
1:04.3	She said after being, quote unquote, hit by menopause really badly, she had to give up playing
1:10.5	ice hockey, which left her looking
1:12.3	for another way to stay active. So Ms. Nichols said she restored her BMX bike and started to
1:19.5	attend rallies. And of course I finished the story, but not before I DM'd my friend Jamie Bestwick,
1:27.2	who is a Pennsylvania BMX legend.
1:30.9	And I said, you must help connect me to this woman.
1:35.1	And he did.
1:36.8	And what a conversation it was.
1:39.4	As the story explained, Sarah Jane or S.J. as her friend's caller, was a seven-time British champion, four-time European champion, and the 1986 world champion in BMX.
1:52.6	And now, 34 years later, at the age of 52, she has picked up her BMX bike again and is gunning for national championships,
2:04.1	the British national championships.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Hit Play Not Pause, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Hit Play Not Pause and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.