Author | Researcher | Speaker
Savannah Schuring
Stories from 20,000+ miles and nearly 100 thru-hiker interviews exploring motivation, adaptability, belonging, and what helps people keep going when the path forward changes.
Research-Backed, Story-Driven Talks
Savannah's talks move beyond generic messages about grit. Through memorable stories and research, she explores how motivation changes, why belonging affects persistence, and when adaptability matters more than simply pushing harder.
Topics That Resonate Beyond the Trail
Savannah's talks use long-distance hiking as a lens for the challenges people face everywhere: changing motivation, uncertainty, identity, belonging, and the pressure to keep going when the old approach stops working.
01.
Motivation Changes
Why the reasons that start us are not always the reasons that sustain us.
02.
Adaptability Over Grit
What happens when persistence requires changing the plan instead of pushing more.
03.
Belonging Matters
Why connection, support, and community can shape whether people keep going.
Between the Miles
Based on 22 interviews conducted during Savannah's Appalachian Trail thru-hike, Between the Miles asks what drives people to begin, what makes them consider quitting, and how confidence, identity, motivation, and belonging change along the way.
Speaking Formats
From keynotes to deeper interactive sessions, each format can be tailored to the audience, goals, and time available.
01.
Keynote
25-60 minute story-driven talks with optional Q&A
02.
Leadership Workshops
Interactive sessions that help leaders examine how they make decisions under uncertainty, communicate through change, and create the conditions that help people stay engaged when priorities and expectations shift.
03.
Professional Development & Facilitated Discussion
Longer interactive sessions that pair Savannah's talk with guided reflection, group discussion, and practical application.
What Audiences Are Saying
"Her audience engagement was talked about days after."- Patagonia Nashville
"Our members walked away feeling both seen and encouraged."- Junior League,
The Woodlands
"Her facilitated discussion was intimate and special in so many ways."- REI
About Savannah
Savannah Schuring is an author, researcher, educator, and long-distance hiker with more than 20,000 miles across trails throughout the United States. Her work draws on firsthand experience, nearly 100 original interviews with thru-hikers, and research on motivation, adaptability, and belonging.Her work bridges outdoor culture, psychology, and everyday life, challenging conventional ideas about grit, strength, and achievement. Through storytelling, research, and personal reflection, Savannah looks at the roles of adaptability, belonging, and identity in navigating adversity, persistence, and redefining success.She is the author of Between the Miles: Inside the Minds of Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers, a narrative nonfiction book exploring the psychological and personal transformations of long-distance hikers. As a speaker, she brings these insights beyond the trail, inviting audiences to reconsider how they approach challenges, respond to uncertainty, and find the support and purpose needed to keep going.
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