Christine Reed – Long-Distance Backpacker & Author of Blood Sweat Tears | Stories of Healing, Womanhood & the Trail
- Tough Girl
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we’re joined by Christine Reed—an American long-distance backpacker and award-winning author—whose life changed when she took her first steps on the Appalachian Trail in 2015. With no prior backpacking experience, Christine dove headfirst into the unknown, seeking healing, purpose, and a sense of identity.
Since then, Christine has hiked thousands of miles, lived out of a van, and carved a creative path through storytelling. Her debut memoir, Alone in Wonderland, captured her raw and powerful journey of self-discovery, while her latest anthology Blood Sweat Tears amplifies the voices of women+ on trail—sharing unfiltered stories about periods, pain, perseverance, and everything in between.
We talk about grief, growth, writing through discomfort, and the courage it takes to follow your passions even when they feel far outside your comfort zone. Christine’s story reminds us that you don’t have to be outdoorsy, athletic, or fearless to start—you just have to begin.
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Show notes
Who is Christine
Thru-hike and trail runners
Being based in New Mexico, America
Her early years and not growing up outdoorsy
Reading blogs about the Appalachian Trail in the fall of 2013
Graduating from college and working in health insurance
Being pretty unhappy and not knowing what to do with her life
Why the Appalachian Trail (AT) was so appealing
Taking the first step and commitment to the hike
Everyone on the trail being in a phase of transition
Being possible for her to leave her life
Taking a year to plan and research the trail
Planning to hike the AT in 2015
The importance of finding something that you are excited about
Never backpacking before and just going on a few day hikes
Not being a fit or athletic person
Doing her research - whiteblaze.net - an old school pin board forum
Doing zero physical preparation
The feelings at the start of the Appalachian Trail
Riding greyhound buses to the start (16+ hours)
The steps up to Amicalola Falls
First night camping at a shelter
Personal goals - find herself?
24 and turning 25 on the trail
Doing hard things
HIking pre social media
Lessons and learning from thru-hiking
Losing her mum just after starting the trail
Spending time at home and deciding to get back on the trail
Grieving while on the trail
Feeling her feeling and talking about them
Having wonderful encounters with other hikers and being able to share
650 miles feeling ready to leave the trail
Having a closer relationship with her dad
Moving to Denver, Colorado
Struggling to reengage with the capitalist system
Living in a van, travelling around and living a more adventurous lifestyle
Thru-hikers making great van lifers
Feeling lonely while on the road
The community aspect of the trail experience
Finding her way
Being in a new phase of transition
Moving into a little house in New Mexico
Being an author from 2018 - mostly as a full time worker
1st book came out in 2021 - Alone in Wonderland
Trying to write a 2nd memoir, but struggling to write and feeling frustrated
Wanting to write a collection of stories about women
Putting out a call for pitches/submissions - women’s relationships to our bodies, using the trail as a link
Wanting to put out 15 stories
Receiving over 200 submissions
Book: Blood, Sweat Tears
The importance of sharing women’s stories that haven’t been shared
Narrowing down the selection of stories
The editing process
Can I work with this writer to get this story where it needs to be?
Talking about blood, periods and menstruation
Being in women only spaces
Speaking about periods
Hygiene and menstral cups
Tampons and pads - everything has it’s plus and minus
Everybody is different
Taking the pill?
Wanting to celebrate our bodies and not be manipulating it
Allowing our bodies to go through natural cycles
What’s next for Christine
Publishing a memoir with Bethany Adams
Gardening, art and being more creative
How to connect with Christine online
Final words of advice
Advice for following your creative passions which are outside your comfort zone
Don’t get stuck in the ideas of who we are and what we are suppose to be doing
Social Media
Instagram: @ruggedoutdoorswoman
Book: Blood Sweat Tears
Blood Sweat Tears is a short story collection from 26 women+ hikers and runners about the experience of being in a female body on trail. This group of intrepid and vulnerable athletes/writers talk periods, boob sweat, and ugly crying. The trail is a place for healing, and can show us what we are made of---but it's always us doing the hard work.
Book: Alone in Wonderland
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