Hollie's Long Haul I'm Trekking 560km!

Hollie Woodhouse (34), of Christchurch, Is a Graphic Designer and Endurance Athlete

- Ciara Pratt

When I was 28, I went on an Outward Bound trip and I just remember thinking, this is what I want to do!

I loved the outdoors and being immersed in sport and adventure, so I made a pact with myself to do something each year that challenged me.

A year later, I did the Coast to Coast – and it’s really snowballed from there! Opportunities to do something different keep opening up and I’m taking them.

Since that Coast to Coast, I’ve done an endurance event every year, including an ultra marathon for six days in the Sahara desert, and even an event in the Amazon jungle.

My very first ultra race was definitely the toughest mentally. I didn’t know what I was in for and, unfortunately, I didn’t look after things like my feet properly and my bag didn’t fit me. They were massive learning curves.

These types of events are all mental. You can do so much physical preparation but at the end of the day, on day seven or day 10, when your body is sore, it’s your mental game that will get you through. The mind will give up before the body will. The human body is amazing and it will just keep going.