RESTON, Va. — We wanted to give you an update on a Virginia woman reaching new heights. We first introduced you to Cris Howard back in April. She walked out of her executive suite and into the wilderness of America to fulfill a lifelong dream.
Howard spent the last 33 years in the biopharmaceutical industry. She quit that job in April to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. Two days later she was in Spring Mountain, Georgia, beginning her trek.
The trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, spanning 2,200 miles and 14 states. She kept everyone updated on how the long hike was going via her blog. In one of her last posts (on mile 1,659) she wrote about not giving up despite the challenges of the trail, which she calls "a 2,200 mile obstacle course."
"I’m not going to lie. This is hard. The Appalachian Trail is H-A-R-D," she writes. "I keep going because I set a goal. And – even if I need to take a day or two or three to rest – I will reach that goal. Come mosquito hell or high flood water."
Howard's perseverance paid off. She completed the hike by reaching the peak of Mt. Katahdin in central Maine.
In an Instagram post, she broke down the numbers, letting everyone know what it took to complete the arduous task.
Howard's never-give-up attitude and appetite for adventure has us all feeling uplifted. Congratulations, Cris!
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