SMART TRAVELLER
MEET THE ADVENTURER JENNY TOUGH
The endurance athlete on a mission to run across a mountain range on every continent discusses positivity and the lessons that helped her survive lockdown
What’s been your most challenging moment? When I was running across Kyrgyzstan, I made a massive navigational error, went down the wrong valley and set off a few landslides. Ahead was a cliff edge leading into a pretty gnarly whitewater river; the only other way forward was to climb a mountain. I was thinking: “All directions would definitely kill me if I got it wrong.” I decided to go with the climb, and it was a like a prolonged near-death experience. It was a mistake that could have cost me everything. I decided that as soon as I got out of that valley, I was going to leave and go home. When I got to the top, aſter what felt like hours, I just
collapsed and had a little cry. And then as soon as I was done crying, I fixed my ponytail, got up, kept on running and just went back to business.
What is the most extreme place you’ve visited? I ran across the Bolivian Andes — which was a world first — and it was way more extreme than I ever thought it would be. Some sections were incredibly remote; then there was the altitude and the weather. I still look back on that leg and think: “Oh my god, I can’t believe I actually survived that.”
As a solo adventurer specialising in remote regions, you’re no stranger to social distancing. Did this help prepare you for life in lockdown? My travels have taught me a lot of lessons, but I never could have predicted they’d give me tools for something like a lockdown. Solo expeditions teach you how to be alone with your own brain, how to cope with fear and uncertainty, and how to keep going when the trail ahead seems far too long. But I think the biggest lesson I’ve learnt, and one that definitely applies to everyone, is that you’re tougher than you think. It may seem impossible, but you’ll surprise yourself.
Tell us about your first adventure. I’d just finished university and went back to Canada, where I’m originally from, and decided that I really wanted to go north to the Yukon. I wanted to go by human power — that was important to me — so I decided I’d cycle there. I’d never cycled anywhere; I didn’t know anything about it. I bought a bike, watched YouTube videos on how to change a tyre and then cycled up the Rocky Mountains. It was about 1,245 miles, took around a month and totally changed my life. It was really empowering.
What does adventure mean to you? It’s a state of mind. You can’t really define it by the distance you cover, the place you go to and how long it takes. It’s your attitude — that you’re open to new experiences and seeing things in a different way.
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How do you go about planning an adventure? It starts with a lot of daydreaming. I think one of my best time-wasting hobbies is staring at maps. And then you start to wonder, what’s it actually like there? Is it possible to get around? What vehicle would I use? Could I do it on foot or do I need skis? You just start filling in all those little details until you have a complete route in front of you that you want to attempt.
What’s your approach to packing? Go as light as possible. Besides the camera, everything I’m taking has to be integral to my survival. And then, obviously, it’s got to be equipment that’s completely reliable — or at least reparable with duct tape.
What inspires new adventures for you? A desire to see what’s around the next corner. I want to see every part of the planet and I want to meet the people on it. But also, within myself, I want to know what challenges I can actually accomplish and how much further I’m able to push myself. It’s all about wanting to know more, to know what else is out there. INTERVIEW: ANGELA LOCATELLI
Jenny is currently involved in a project to run solo and unsupported across a mountain range on every continent. In July this year, Jenny hopes to attempt her fifth mountain range, the Alberta Rockies. @JennyTough
jennytough.com
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW ONLINE AT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC.
CO.UK/TRAVEL
IMAGE: JAY FRENCH @FREERIDENEWZEALAND
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