Trailblazing record-setter to speak in Mount Airy

This weekend the Mount Airy Library is presenting Jennifer Pharr Davis, who has made a name for herself as a record setting trekker having completed the Appalachian Trail in record time. In 2011 she set a record for the fastest through-hike on the trail, making her the overall record holder for both women and men.

She will be speaking at the Mount Airy Library on Saturday, June 15, at 2 p.m.

Setting a blistering pace of, on average, 47 miles a day she broke the overall record for completion of the Appalachian Trail which at that time was 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes by completing the trail in 46 days, 11 hours, 20 minutes. Pharr Davis defied expectations by setting the record while hiking the trail when conventional wisdom, and more recent record setters, suggested the trail needed to be run.

Now she shares her message of endurance and possibility with corporations and groups around the country and has been featured prominently in national publications. She said her message covers optimizing performance, resilience, taking healthy risks, and being willing to fail. Also on tap are themes of teamwork, adaptability in ever-changing conditions, positive self-image, and environmental connection and conservation.

Know thyself

“The primary thing that made me want to hike the Appalachian Trail when I was 21 years old and fresh out of college was wanting to know where I had to come from and to know myself better,” she reflected.

A child of the Blue Ridge Mountains, she hails originally from Hendersonville, about 45 minutes south of Asheville, Pharr Davis said in her younger years she trended more toward organized sports as opposed to outdoor activities. She said though that something was missing, “I just felt like there was a hole in my education that I wanted to fill, so that’s what got me going.”

Now she has more experience and wants to share with others the joy that she has found in nature. “I’ve always believed with running Blue Ridge Hiking Company, which I founded 17 years ago, that when people get outside they care a lot more about nature after having that personal connection; I think that was true for me personally as well.”

She believes that being among nature, or being out on a trail, allows one to decompress. The trail she said “gives you what you need” which sounds like a good arrangement.

Pharr Davis said, “When I was through hiking that first time what struck me was that I, for the first time in my life, had the opportunity to finish my thoughts to completion. In our modern world with technology and social media grabbing for attention, it’s often difficult to do that.”

“Spending time in nature helps you to sort of take a ‘soul inventory’ and consider things that maybe you put off or haven’t made time to think through in a busier time and place,” she said.

Universal themes

While she has spoken to leaders of major corporations in the Fortune 500, Pharr Davis is as adept speaking to groups in a more intimate setting like she will at the Mount Airy Library this weekend. The message translates regardless of the audience she said, “because the trail is something everyone can relate to. The stories and life lessons are universal.”

The message may also be somewhat tailored to better relate to the audience. “I will lean into different things when I’m giving a corporate talk but lessons on adaptability, taking care of yourself in an extreme environment, or getting comfortable being uncomfortable — those are things everybody needs to think about and can benefit from.”

While not explicitly meant to be so, her story contains a message about female empowerment. A decade or so ago she said she met a little resistance when she was trying to set records. “People thought I was doing something empowering when I went for the women’s record. But, then when I shot for the men’s record, they thought I was being overconfident and didn’t think I stood a chance.”

Thankfully she said the climate has changed in recent years, “Now there’s more space for people to say, ‘Well, let’s see what this person has to offer,’ and not make judgements based on their gender. When I’m speaking to women, I can lean in that direction. But I also believe in maximizing potential for everyone of course, so its always based on just women.”

The bar is raised

Records are meant to be broken, Pharr Davis said, so there are no sour grapes following her around now that one of her records has fallen. She explained, “A handful of guys have set the bar even higher. I still technically hold the women’s record, but don’t claim it. I’d rather be known as the fourth or fifth fastest person than the fastest woman.”

After all, part of her goal to make and break records was to blur the perceived line of division between women and men. “I think what I was going for with setting the overall record was proving women are equal, so the separate category in this case feels like a regression.”

Another important lesson is knowing when to seek and how to accept help when working to achieve a goal. “Getting the most out of yourself, you have to strike a balance between leaning on the expertise of others and striking out on your own. Finding the recipe for that is key, but leaning on others for help is a critical part of the formula,” she explained.

Positive feedback, positive message

“I love that people like my books. It’s good to know they are striking a chord. It’s nice to know you’re inspiring people to spend time outdoors; that’s what makes me happiest,” Pharr Davis said.

She and her husband Brew, a musician specializing in Americana and Bluegrass, have two kids aged 11 and 7 and together they have worked to pen a few books.

“We got some terrific advice when we were engaged. We were told you have to let each other dream dreams,” she said. “I would encourage anyone to chase their dreams as well; dreams are life giving.”

“You have to be responsible and check your boxes and take care of the day-to-day aspects of life, but you don’t know if something is going to work until you try. Who knows, you could be the next person that inspires someone else and what you do could really be life-giving to others, so it’s worth the risk. Go out there and make it happen.”