Sharon Evans – Walking New Zealand’s 3,000km Te Araroa Trail at 58 and Inspiring Women to Embrace Outdoor Adventure

In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we’re joined by Sharon Evans, also known as the Free Wheeling Kiwi—a 58-year-old adventurer, storyteller, and passionate advocate for women embracing the outdoors, especially later in life. Sharon shares the incredible story of walking the full Te Araroa Trail, a 3,000km thru-hike stretching the length of New Zealand. Alongside her partner, she tackled harsh weather, blisters, foot pain, and relentless terrain—proving that age is no barrier to adventure. Five years ago, Sharon made the bold decision to walk away from her rural real estate career and pursue a life filled with purpose, exploration, and connection to nature. In this conversation, we explore her motivations, the magical (and muddy) moments on the trail, and her mission to empower women over 50 to step into the wild with confidence. Sharon also shares practical tips for low-cost adventuring, content creation on the go, and how she’s continuing her journey by heading to Australia’s rugged Larapinta Trail next. If you're looking for inspiration to follow your passion—no matter your age—this episode is for you. ***  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x *** Show notes Who is Sharon Evans aka Free Wheeling Kiwi  Based in New Zealand  Going on adventures and telling stories  Spending time in the outdoors - often being uncomfortable and wet Spending time at the beach  Gen X, 58 years old  Having a huge amount of freedom and spending time outdoors Her passion for travel Living in the jungle in Borneo, Malaysia Growing up without social media  How technology has advanced  Her first camera (film camera) at 15 years old  Deciding what to do with her life Being shy and introverted  Where did the name/brand freewheeling kiwi come from  Working as a rural estate agent  Riding bikes  Deciding to make a change 5 years ago  Planning to go to Everest Base Camp  How plans got derailed because of Covid Making the transition and changing your career to follow your passions Planning….. Lowering her cost of living, being a careful spender Wanting to encourage more women to spend more time in the outdoors in nature  Especially women over the age of 50 Focusing on her why Te Araroa Trail, 3,000 km, the long walk in New Zealand  Being concerned about the cold Starting on the 2nd October Walking with Andrew - as a couple Having their 1st anniversary on the trail in the Richmond Rangers Keeping the pack weight down The highlights, challenges and magical moments from the trail  Not wanting to quit Advice for new hikers Keeping costs down and sending resupply boxes Big food carries The extreme conditions and the impact on gear  River crossings and being cautious  Gusting winds and being blown off her feet Wet feet…. Sand walking, mud walking, road walking  Blisters…. Losing toe nails Getting off her feet and dealing with unbearable foot pain Palette fatigue with food Coming to the end of the journey and what it was like Creating content and stories during the journey  Creating a 1 min reel/tiktok every day How to connect with Sharon Final words of advice  Believing in yourself and your abilities  The next challenge and heading to Australia to walk the Larapinta Trail (230km trail through the outback)    Social Media Website www.freewheelingkiwi.com Instagram @freewheelingkiwi/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/freewheelingkiwi Threads:  @freewheelingkiwi TikTok: @freewheelingkiwi YouTube: @FreewheelingKiwi