I Tried To Run Really Far

Lewis Matthews is an adventurer and personal trainer from Somerset, in the United Kingdom. In 2018 he had the crazy idea of running a 3000km trail the length of New Zealand. The stunning Te Araroa trail encompasses beautiful beaches, pristine rainforest, vertiginous mountains and active volcanoes. It is a challenge to hike, let alone run. Nevertheless, this is what Lewis – with his support team of Jill, Phil, and their trusty Toyota van, Gerty – found themselves doing in January 2020. ‘I Tried to Run Really Far’, tells the story of this epic adventure as Lewis, setting out to break the trail record of 53 days, battles extreme physical and mental challenges – and some extra ones thrown in by Nature for good measure. It is an openly emotional account, sparing no detail of the gruelling difficulties – the failures as well as triumphs – involved in such an undertaking. Lewis set out to push his personal boundaries, raise money for a charity dear to his heart, and inspire others to find progress in their lives. Did he succeed? Read on to find out.