The Pursuit of Endurance

February 5, 2018
Long-distance hiker Davis delivers a volume that is more a journalistic exploration of the history and personalities behind the fastest-known-times phenomenon than the self-help treatise seemingly promised by the title. In 2011, Davis set—and still holds—the fastest known time (FKT) for women hiking the Appalachian Trail: 46 days, 11 hours, 20 minutes—an average of 47 miles per day. Having been mentored by five male Appalachian and Pacific Coast Trails FKT-ers, Davis was curious whether certain personalities, or sexes, are better suited for the long haul. To that end, she serves up chapter-length profiles of her mentors, including “The Mainstream Masochist” (exercise science professor David Horton), “An Unapologetic American Male” (the John Wayne–like Andrew Thompson), and “The Genuine Celebrity” (bestselling author Scott Jurek). She goes light on science, but posits that endurance is about embracing failure and “trusting the invisible voice you believe in, even if nobody else does,” stating that it “isn’t a human trait, it is the human trait... we exist only as long as we persist.” At times reminiscent of the writings of such travel memoirists as Cheryl Strayed and Bill Bryson, this inspiring work could become a regular companion for distance hikers or, indeed, for anyone embarking on a personal challenge.

March 1, 2018

In 2011, after reaching the end of the Appalachian Trail (AT), which runs from Georgia to Maine, with a fastest known time (FKT) record, Davis (National Geographic Adventurer of the Year) began researching the many facets of the 2,181-mile-long trek, including its history and the people who have hiked the trail before her. She also considers the physical and mental anguish, variable weather conditions, and long lengths of solitude in nature. Davis is interested in discovering whether there are certain types of persons better suited for the trek. While meeting with several of the past FKT record holders from the AT, as well as the Pacific Crest Trail, the author learned about their lives and what drives them to hike (in some cases run) long distances. She reveals a cast of characters from all walks of life with myriad inspirational tales, who show that endurance comes from many places. But a person's background, gender, diet, and religious beliefs ultimately do not have an overall impact on their success. VERDICT For readers interested in hiking, endurance sports, or anyone with a strong drive to do something different. A truly inspiring read.--Melissa Keegan, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2018
An instructive exploration of endurance, in sports and in life, from a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.Before hiking the Appalachian Trail for the first time in 2005, Davis (Called Again: A Story of Love and Triumph, 2013, etc.) took a class taught by Warren Doyle, a renowned long-distance hiker and legendary trail record-setter. He was the first person to suggest that the author attempt a trail record for the fastest known time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail; in 2008, she did just that. Davis set the unofficial record for the FKT on the A.T. by a woman, completing the 2,181-mile journey in under 58 days. Still not completely satisfied with her accomplishment, Davis headed back to the trail three years later, this time to set the FKT by anyone, male or female. She finished in under 47 days, a record-setting achievement that she explores throughout this enlightening analysis of endurance. With humor and the wisdom of a seasoned adventurer, Davis breaks down the secrets to harnessing the kind of personal strength and perseverance it takes to not only set records on the trail, but lead life to the fullest off it. The author gives equal weight to the nitty-gritty details of long-distance trail-hiking techniques and the intense mental and spiritual preparation involved in record-breaking, and she offers several spellbinding scenes from her famous treks. Throughout, Davis uses science, psychology, history, hiking methodologies, and her own personal experience to craft a fascinating examination of the human spirit. The author's natural storytelling ability and a charming cast of characters in the form of spirited hiking mentors make the pages fly in this accessible handbook, which reads less like a step-by-step instruction manual and more like an empowering blueprint to building one's own endurance.A captivating narrative guidebook that will inspire readers to test their own limits, on the trail and off.

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