The Pursuit of Endurance: Harnessing the Record-Breaking Power of Strength and Resilience

by Jennifer Pharr Davis Narrated by Jennifer Pharr Davis

Overview

National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Jennifer Pharr Davis unlocks the secret to maximizing perseverance--on and off the trail

Jennifer Pharr Davis, a record holder of the FKT (fastest known time) on the Appalachian Trail, reveals the secrets and habits behind endurance as she chronicles her incredible accomplishments in the world of endurance hiking, backpacking, and trail running. With a storyteller's ear for fascinating detail and description, Davis takes readers along as she trains and sets her record, analyzing and trail-testing the theories and methodologies espoused by her star-studded roster of mentors. She distills complex rituals and histories into easy-to-understand tips and action items that will help you take perseverance to the next level. The Pursuit of Endurance empowers readers to unlock phenomenal endurance and leverage newfound grit to achieve personal bests in everything from sports and family to the boardroom.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

02/05/2018
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. (Apr.)

From the Publisher

Praise for The Pursuit of Endurance

“Nothing short of inspiring . . . A must-read for anyone wanting to start working at the big dreams they have up their sleeves.” 
—The Trek

“Jennifer Pharr Davis is an understated hero who matched the speed and endurance of some of the country’s best male ultrarunners—professional athletes with corporate sponsorships and well-financed expeditions—all on her own and with relatively little fanfare. A fascinating read, and a testament to the fortitude of an extraordinary woman.”
—Dean Karnazes, ultramarathoner and New York Times bestselling author
 
“There’s no better guide through the scientific and psychological tangles of extreme hiking than Jennifer Pharr Davis. She knows because she lived it.”
—Ben Montgomery, author of Grandma Gatewood’s Walk
 
“Jennifer Pharr Davis eloquently reminds us that the feats of endurance we accomplish on the trail build the character to muscle through all of life’s ups and downs.”
—Kathryn Van Waes, executive director, American Hiking Society
 
“A fascinating look at how the world’s most famous long-distance hiking trail has challenged and transformed a cast of unique and diverse individuals, shining a light on the inherent gender equality of men and women pursuing the elusive Fastest Known Time.”
—Ron Tipton, former executive director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
 
“Jennifer Pharr Davis shows us that a love for nature is not predicated on a specific speed or distance but through authentic outdoor experiences. Those of us who go outdoors are united by more commonalities than the activities that divide us, and she reminds us that all of life—and conservation—is an effort of endurance.”
—Chuck McGrady, president of the Sierra Club 1998–2000
 
“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.”
—Publishers Weekly
 
“[Jennifer Pharr Davis’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.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Whatever stamina may look like to readers, The Pursuit of Endurance will prove an inspirational and educational read.”
—Shelf Awareness

“A provocative exploration into what motivates people to endure . . . Davis’s unique perspective, and the lessons she shares are applicable to personal experiences as well as athletic endeavors.”
—Booklist

“For readers interested in hiking, endurance sports, or anyone with a strong drive to do something different. A truly inspiring read.”
—Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

2018-02-20
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.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169267600
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	04/10/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged

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Chapter One
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Excerpted from "The Pursuit of Endurance"
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