I know that I was hiking at a very young age because I remember being convinced that it was the trees that were talking.

Writing is one of the main ways that I process the experience.

One thing I think I've always felt about being in nature is that it's a very natural taste.

I'd always had an interest of pushing my limits and was intrigued by endurance.

Hiking is great because it's a lifelong sport and you're outdoors, active, so whether you call that a sport or a hobby or a recreation, I think the wording - it's a great way to get exercise, and it can be as challenging as you want to make it.

I found things in the woods that I didn’t know I was looking for… and now I’ll never be the same.

Food is like a torture device because hiking 47 miles a day is hard enough. And then you're trying to get down 6,000 calories a day. Every hour, I needed a snack, every few hours I had to take in a meal and it's just not food, it's fuel. You're not enjoying it - you're seriously shoving it in your mouth and following it with water, juice or Gatorade.