Christine Thürmer, one of the world’s top female hikers: ‘Fitness is completely overrated’

Christine, you are considered the world’s ‘top female hiker’. Are such superlatives important to you?
Not really. The title came about by chance. When I started long-distance hiking in 2004 I was not planning to do it long-term. It was ten years before I added up the figures for other long-distance female hikers for the first time. But I went back and forth for a long time about whether I wanted to use the title. Of course, I can’t provide definitive proof. What convinced me was the idea and the message that it’s not just young, sporty, trained people who can achieve such things, but also someone like me – a homey housewife.

How did you get into long-distance hiking?
I just stumbled across it. In 2003 I was still working in corporate restructuring. I was in my mid-30s and had a good income. I was on vacation in the USA and met a few long-distance hikers in Yosemite National Park. They exuded such enthusiasm that I was immediately attracted to their lifestyle.

And then?
A few months later, fate gave me two big kicks in the ass. First, I was fired, and it was like a bad movie – the day before Christmas and with ten minutes to pack my things. I sat at home and licked my wounds. Then the second stroke of fate: a good friend of mine, who was exactly ten years older than me, suffered irreparable brain damage from a stroke, which left him with the mental level of a three-year-old. I often visited him in the nursing home and at some point I asked myself: what would he have done had he known the fate that awaited him? I realised that the most important resource in life is not money, but time, because it can neither be planned nor increased. Shortly afterwards I made the decision to hike 4,265 kilometres through the USA from south to north along the Pacific Crest Trail.

You once said: ‘I was five kilos overweight back then with a terrible sense of direction, plus I had vertigo.’ How did you prepare?
During my research I found that the decisive factor on a long-distance hike is the weight of the backpack. It’s not about strength, but about endurance and mental stamina. My job gave me a love of analysing things very carefully and working them out in endless Excel tables. Instead of going to the gym I optimised the weight of my equipment down to the last detail. So, in April 2004 I found myself at the Mexican-American border without any training, knowing that I would have to walk 36 kilometres to get to the next water source.

You completed the PCT on the first attempt. One year later on the Continental Divide Trail (approx. 5,000 kilometres) you had your own strategy for keeping grizzly bears at bay …
Bears are always an issue on long-distance hiking trails in the USA. There are rules you have to follow. One of them is to draw the bears’ attention to you. Animals are most dangerous when they are frightened. You have to constantly make noise, and the human voice works best. That’s why I crossed the entire state of Montana singing the German national anthem. It was the only song I knew the lyrics to by heart. (laughs)

Countless other hikes followed. What do you live on today?
Primarily from my savings from when I was working as a manager. But that’s only possible because I’m naturally very frugal. I don’t enjoy spending money. In Germany I live in a 35-square-metre prefabricated flat in Berlin-Marzahn and pay EUR 285 in rent – but it’s really not very nice there. On my hikes I almost always sleep in a tent. On average, I can now make ends meet on around EUR 1,000 per month.

Why have you always avoided working with sponsors?
Because I want to maintain my freedom and independence. I don’t want to be told when I have to be where, which products I should wear and how I should market myself. And naturally a sponsor would be nagging me to document my tours in much better photos. That means I would have to carry a proper camera around, which would be unthinkable for me.

Your backpack weighs just five kilograms. What’s in it?
There are four things I have to ensure: warmth, protection from the weather, provisions and water. Everything in my backpack serves one of these purposes. My single-wall tent weighs less than a kilogram, my sleeping mat only reaches my knees and I only carry two sets of clothes – one for hiking, one for sleeping.

How often do you need new shoes?
About every six weeks. It can be a real logistical challenge, depending on where I’m hiking. That’s where my professional experience comes in handy: I research in advance where the shoes I need are available, then look for parcel points along the way or find shops where I can buy new shoes.

How does the body react to long-distance hiking?
It soon switches into a kind of flight mode. You get the ‘hiker hunger’ and all you can think about all day long is food. The body wants to build up reserves because it doesn’t know how long the flight will last. Most women stop having their periods at some point – after all, it wouldn’t be particularly helpful if you got pregnant while you were on the run. And the body ramps up its immune system and fights off infectious diseases better. Of course, you don’t want to get sick when you’re on the run – all these years I’ve never had a cold on my hikes.

What qualities do you need for long-distance hiking?
Determination. You have to be prepared to subordinate everything else to your goal: your standards of comfort, your eating habits and often your social contacts. If you come across a group that is already having dinner together but your destination for the day is still miles away, you can’t just join them. It sounds brutal, but it’s the reality. Physical fitness, on the other hand, is completely overrated because it comes naturally when you’re on the move.

What are some general beliefs about long-distance hiking that are simply not true?
That hiking is only enjoyable in the most spectacular landscapes. In reality, the landscape just becomes a backdrop at a certain point. What remains afterwards are moments in which you struggled through, and the human encounters. Just because you’ve seen a beautiful photo of a trail somewhere doesn’t mean it’s right for you. The landscape is just one of many factors for a good hike; your own financial and time budget, for example, is also important.

How do men and women differ when hiking?
Young men, in particular, always want to conquer something, for example the nearest mountain. I stand there and think, ‘I’ll just walk around it’. Things often become difficult for men when there’s nothing left to conquer. I was with a man on the Continental Divide Trail. At the beginning he sprinted up every mountain and I could barely keep up. Then we reached the Great Divide Basin, a huge plateau. You can see on one day where you will be two days later. Although my companion was certainly physically stronger than me, he had massive motivational issues and completely collapsed.

So, are women naturally better suited to long-distance hiking?
Well, the statistics show that they drop out less often. There is a tradition on American trails: everyone strips naked and takes a photo at the finish line. I’ve seen a lot of these pictures over the years, and at some point I noticed that the men often look significantly more exhausted. It’s not scientifically proven, but my theory is that men push themselves more when they hike long distances and that’s why there’s hardly any buffer left at the end. I believe that men are better at achieving peak performances, while women are better able to manage their energy and are more mentally resilient.

You travelled a lot through Europe for your current book: what distinguishes European hiking trails from those in the USA?
I think Europe is totally underrated. The USA is around 230 times larger than Switzerland and has 37 times as many inhabitants, but the hiking trail network is only around 5 times as long. The range of trails in the USA is comparatively small relative to the size and population. This means that you are rarely really alone on the trails there. Here in Europe, on the other hand, we have almost endless possibilities and an incredible cultural diversity right on our doorstep. Sure, you’re always hiking through cultural landscapes in large parts of Europe. In my opinion, this is neither better nor worse than wilderness, just different.

In Estonia you had a massive problem with horseflies. What was your solution?
I wanted to hike the Oandu-Ikla trail. As soon as I set off, I was attacked by swarms of fat, black horseflies. They are attracted to body heat, movement and, above all, sweat. So I was the perfect victim and I was bitten so often that I had to do something. What made matters worse was that I only had three-quarter length trousers. Then I found a tip on the internet: paint yourself like a zebra! The stripe pattern is supposed to be reliable way of keeping horseflies away. So I quickly got myself a pair of long trousers with a zebra pattern and lo and behold: I had peace and quiet! (laughs) The reason for this is an optical effect: the horseflies no longer know where to settle. By the way, this trick doesn’t work with mosquitoes …

Do you sometimes get lonely when you’re hiking?
No, I always decide to walk alone, but I never get lonely. That’s a big difference. Being alone is more of a liberation for me; I really enjoy being able to make my own decisions and not having to constantly negotiate with others. As far as loneliness goes: I meet people all the time and I’m also in close contact with my friends. I sometimes spend hours on the phone, especially when I’m hiking in Europe.

How do you meet people when you’re hiking?
On such long walks you lead a comparatively simple life. You don’t have to pick up the kids from sports or think about the mortgage on your house. At some point your head becomes completely empty and eager for input, especially when you’re hiking alone. When I meet people in this situation, I have an incredible interest in them. People often want me to talk about my life, but I would much rather listen, ask questions and calmly reflect on it all later when I’m alone again.

Where do you find motivation?
There are two different types of motivation for long-distance hiking: one is simply getting away to escape a life situation and deal with problems. In my opinion that’s a negative type of motivation, hiking as a means to an end. I, on the other hand, am positively motivated: I consciously chose this lifestyle, to go hiking. I’m happy and don’t want to get to the finish line: I just want to keep on moving, for the next 20 years at least …