Lisa Smith-Batchen becomes first woman to run 584-mile journey through desert

woman desert 3What was your toughest moment and how did you overcome it?

The toughest moment lasted for 24 hours! I had very bad stomach issues and diarrhea, and it was beyond miserable having to stop every mile, feeling very weak yet trying to stay focused. Everything I ate would go right through my system. During those 24 hours, I lost 8 pounds. If your stomach and feet are both in bad shape it is very hard to run even a step. Luckily, my feet stayed in such great shape. I use a product called Trail Toes and had very few blisters. Having happy feet made for a happy runner.

How did you fuel yourself in order to achieve your goal in a healthy way?

I drank a great deal of real fruit juice for calories and tons of fluids. I ate avocadoes, mozzarella cheese, fruit cups, potato chips, and French fries.

What was the most unexpected thing you experienced during the attempt?

I went into the journey with the mindset “I am a peaceful warrior.” I wanted to stay calm, in the moment, and be present in the moments. My goal was to not let outside obstacles get to me. Each time the going got tough I was able to do just that: bring myself back to calm and stay in the moments.

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