Lauren Roerick "Longway" – Thru-Hiking the World: PCT, HexaTrek & Te Araroa

Lauren Roerick, known on trail as Longway, is a long-distance backpacker, filmmaker, and outdoor educator who has hiked across North America, Europe, and Oceania. From the Pacific Crest Trail to New Zealand's Te Araroa, and becoming the first North American woman to thru-hike France's 3,034 km HexaTrek, Lauren shares her adventures and the lessons they've taught her. In this episode, she talks about stepping into the world of long-distance hiking in her 30s, navigating challenges on remote trails, making decisions in the moment, and learning to trust herself. Through her storytelling and filmmaking, Lauren inspires women to build confidence, resilience, and a deeper connection with the outdoors—proving that it's never too late to take that first step. *** New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries. Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast (  / toughgirlpodcast  ) . Your support makes a difference. Thank you x *** Show notes • Who is Lauren • Long distance backpacker and film maker • Currently in California, but normally based out of Vancouver, Canada • Her early year growing up in a small city in Southern Alberta called Lethbridge • Not getting into backpacking until her 30s • Playing a lot of sports, being a gymnasts, playing rugby and doing jujitsu • What changed in her 30s • A walk in the books by Bill Bryson - the classic thru-hiker read • Having the courage to take the step to make her dreams come true • Why the first step is the hardest • You get one life…. • Being willing to sacrifice the other things • What's really important to you • Support from family • March 2020 and being on the trail when the pandemic started • Moving in with her mum in Southern California for 4 months • Making the decision to leave the trail • Why it wasn't an easy decision to make • Heading back the following year (2021) and not knowing if she would get the chance to hike again • Being made redundant after 6 months • Finding a southbound permit for the PCT (https://www.pcta.org/) at the end of June • Being drawn to hike on long trails • Making life long friendships and building community while hiking • Starting to document her hikes as soon as she started • Vlogging for THE TREK (https://thetrek.co/) • Being a documenter - but not having experience in vlogging • Her biggest challenge while being on the PCT (https://www.pcta.org/) • The fires, the weather and needing to adapt to the trail • Making the decision to fly to Colorado to hike the Colorado Trail (https://coloradotrail.org/) • Doing back to back hiking since 2023 • Wanting to make a career out of this • Needing to go all in • Deciding that it was ok to be tired • Her love for the trails • Taking things a little slower when you need to • Finding a balance that works for her • Deciding to hike the HexaTrek (https://www.hexatrek.com/en) • Choosing a trail off the beaten track • Not speaking French • HexaTrek is a 3034 km hiking trail, connecting 14 of the most beautiful nationals parks and crossing France from the Vosges to the Pyrenees. • The people on the trail • Wanting to make more solo decisions and building those skills • Making decisions when you don't have good options • Trusting her gut and intuition • Learning acceptance while on the trail • Thoughts on the Hexatrek and why it's not a beginner trail • Spending 4 months on the trail (121 days) • Feeling strong and fit at the end of the trail • Having 3 months before heading out to New Zealand to hike the Te Araroa Trail (https://www.teararoa.org.nz/) • Heading NOBO on the TA - starting in Bluff and heading to Cape Reinga (the non traditional way) • Highlights from the trail and why it's such an interesting trail • The hut system (https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-rec...) in New Zealand • Why it's not just about the hiking • The logistics off the trail - and why it was frustrating • The lessons learned from hiking the TA • Changing from a purist hiker to a hike your own hike, hike...