North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail

“I believe it is in our nature to explore, to reach out into the unknown.” – Ernest Shackleton.

I've always seen hiking as a transformative experience. It can help you appreciate the world around you, warm your soul, test your physical (and mental) limits, and sear the most incredible sights onto your mind forever. But what if you were attempting to take on the fastest known time on one of the most famed trails in the world? That's what this book is about. Scott Jurek will need to set an average pace of 45+ miles a day in order to beat the standing record at that point in time. What takes most people 6 to 7 months to complete, he has to finish in under 50 days.

The book follows the record-breaking attempt from start to finish, and at the time, it was fairly big news in the sports and recreation world. Scott's wife, Jenny, accompanies him on the hike and helps provide moral support, food, confidence boosts, and more. I won't spoil the outcome, but even if you know what happens, the story is always in the journey, not the destination.

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