JENNY TOUGH
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.
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, after 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.”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 LOCATELLIThe endurance athlete on a mission to run across a mountain range on every
continent discusses positivity and the lessons that helped her survive lockdownREAD THE FULL
INTERVIEW
ONLINE AT
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC.
CO.UK/TRAVELJenny 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.comMEET THE ADVENTURER
IMAGE: JAY FRENCH @FREERIDENEWZEALAND34 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
SMART TRAVELLER34 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel