Kia Ora Whanau. This week, Eugene and Matt get the band back together and engage in our first joint conversation of 2020 with the wonderful Lucy Clark. Lucy spent 66 days 7 hours and 8 minutes setting a new female supported FKT on the Te Araroa trail, which runs from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Literally, like, the WHOLE of Aotearoa. Lucy was looking for a challenge and when the idea arose to shoot for the FKT she embraced it, training for 12 months without missing a single session (let that sink in) and undertaking the journey with her husband, Tommy, a camper van, and a whole lot of best laid plans, which quickly went out the window or underwent major revision. This conversation is an amazing recounting of the challenge, fortitude, joy, fear, adjustment, amazement, and engagement that it took to complete the FKT, and, in the process, carving out a new record by 11 days. We talk about Lucy’s background in running, her readjustment to life post Te Araroa, and just how habit-forming a large block of Whittaker’s chocolate a night can be. For your interest we’ve included the stats of Lucy’s journey below. Enjoy!

Total time: 66 days, 7 hours, 8 minutes

Av km/day: 45kms

Elevation: 80,403m

Longest day distance: 72km

Longest day: 16.5 hours

Hut stays: 15 nights

Wrong turns: 3

Km kayaked: 97km

Rest days: 1 (Xmas Day)

People who ran with me: 27

Days ate chocolate: 64

Days ate Maccas: 2