Pants of Perspective by Anna McNuff [Review]
I read a lot of books about adventures and inspirational people taking on crazy challenges. But of all the books I don’t think I’ve ever read one full of such personality. Even on her darkest of days Anna McNuff’s bubbly, cheerful and infectious personality permeates through every page. With each turn of the page you feel like you’re getting to know the real Anna. Through the hardships, the celebrations, the motivations and the fears. She lays it all out bare for the taking. And that personal touch is one of things I loved most about this book.
What is Pants of Perspective all about?
Pants of Perspective is an amusing, colourful and emotionally raw account of Anna McNuff’s journey running across New Zealand’s 3,000km long Te Araroa Trail. It’s a journey of a woman who loves to run, to push boundaries and understand exactly what she is capable of. Running alone through New Zealand backcountry McNuff tackles forests, mountainsides, all types of weather, sand and river crossings. With little backcountry experience and running with a backpack, tent included for those wild camping nights, she is completely self-sufficient. There’s no support crew in sight apart from the friends she makes along the way.
Yes, this is a book about the remarkable endeavour of a woman who runs alone for 148 days. But, it’s also about much more than the challenge itself. It’s about:
- The nature of the raw and wild New Zealand terrain,
- The journey of self: reflecting, learning and accepting yourself — who you are, who you’ve been and who you want to become,
- Meeting others, feeling inspired by their trips and their goals and,
- Ultimately it’s about getting back to the roots of what it is to be human. And a big part of being human is storytelling — sharing your experiences with the people who become your tribe, your safety and your refuge.
Why should I read Pants of Perspective?
Reading this book is an absolute pleasure. It’s easy to get swept away in the day to day adventure. There are hardships: scrambles through mud, river crossings, harsh weather, steep terrain and tricky trail markers hiding along the trail. There are also moments of pure joy — whether it’s tales of the kindness of strangers, many of whom put Anna up for a night or two, or the pure enjoyment radiating out of the book when Anna savours a piece of chocolate, or the taste of a scone or “marshmallowy soft pillows”.
These up and downs and the pace of the writing left me totally immersed in this other world. A world where running is the main thought of the day. Next comes food, water and shelter. It’s back to basics. I found it so easy to lose time reading as I was absorbed in her journey. The pace of the book seemed to race along and before I knew it Anna had been running for 3 months. I had to stop myself and marvel at that fact. She’d been running for 3 months across tough terrain, and all I’d done was read about it.
With life taken back to the basics Anna’s writing also reveals more poignant thoughts. Without the mind taken up by the stresses of modern life or the constant distractions of social media Anna’s journey of self really takes hold. This is something we can all learn from and indeed we should all spend more time on. I don’t mean we all have to run 3000km or share our innermost thoughts in a book, but we can remember some key bits of advice:
“As with all moments in life, I remembered that I will never be here again. Each day, whether I move physically or not, I place a part of the journey behind me”.
Whatever that journey may be I think it’s worth remembering and reflecting on it. We can learn a lot about ourselves, and the world around us, by the journeys that we take and the choices that we make.
(Pants of) Perspective on Life
As I read the book I seemed to constantly reach for my phone. I’d snap away to record extracts and quotes from the book. I wanted hold onto the snippets of advice peppered throughout the book.
With that in mind, Pants of Perspective is by no means a how to book. Anna will no doubt be the first to admit she wasn’t 100% prepared for the run. Over the course of the run she learnt many lessons and received much advice. But she can also be wise and there are some gems of advice we can take to heart. For me they’re insights into how best to approach our own lives, whether on a crazy adventure or simply navigating the perils of day to day life.
When facing negativity from others: “I did what my dad always tells me to do when people try to tear you down. I took a deep breath and smiled”.
Or when facing the ‘soldiers of self doubt’: “I’d see it as an opportunity to let my cheerleaders out”. Unleashing your inner cheerleader is about encouraging yourself, it’s about keeping going and reminding yourself that you are awesome. Sometimes you need to take a moment to look back on all that you have achieved and give yourself a little whoop.
Then let’s not forget the books namesake — the pants of perspective. These leggings sport a unicorn on one leg and a robot on the other. Naturally the backdrop is a star spangled sky. McNuff describes it as “scientifically impossible to be miserable whilst wearing these pants. They were a sheer act of defiance, flying the flag of ridicule in the face of what should be a serious and grave situation”. We all need our own secret weapon. For Anna “these were to be my pants of perspective” — they could cheer her up on the darkest of days. I love the simplicity of this notion. Looking at the little things in life to take joy and help fight through some of those darker days. I reckon that’s something we can all relate to.
You can do it if you set your mind to it
Though Anna’s journey is inspirational, and she is an amazing women, it’s important to remember that Anna isn’t perfect. Nobody is perfect. Anyone can take on this type of challenge if only they have the strength of mind, the determination and the attitude to do it. That’s my biggest take away from reading this book.
Thank you Anna, for the your constant drive and determination, for never looking back despite those doubts you had back in Bluff (at the start of the run).
What will you do next?
So Anna ran 3000km across New Zealand backcountry in 148 days. What will you do?
Share your thoughts of adventure and crazy challenges. Together let’s make it happen, let’s take on a wild adventure and never look back. Let’s not be afraid to begin. At least if we begin we’ve set one foot on the journey, and who knows what can happen then. After all:
“A life lesson dawned on me: you can’t sit around waiting for the rain to stop. There may never be a ‘good time’ to go, but you just have to and hope the weather clears up”
Originally posted on Sage Adventures travel & wellness lifestyle blog: www.sageadventres.co.uk.
