Truphena Muthoni, the world record holder for the longest marathon hugging a tree for 48 hours, has announced that she’ll be seeking to break her own record by hugging a tree for three days (72 hours nonstop). The event is set to kick off at midnight on Sunday, December 7.
She’s mobilized over 10,000 people in over 33 countries who’ll be hugging trees simultaneously in solidarity. She spoke to Bizna Kenya about how she plans to pull off the 72-hour hug and the lessons she drew from her previous huggathon.
How does Truphena Muthoni prepare for 72 hours without food or water?
For Muthoni, preparing for this challenge isn’t just about physical endurance; it’s a deeply personal journey that demands alignment of mind, body, and spirit.
“I train by walking for long hours, like 42 kilometers. I also do mini tree-hugs that involve communities, kids, and even cows. They come and do solidarity tree-hugs with me,” she started off.
The global response has been overwhelming. People in more than 33 countries have joined her movement, hugging trees, sharing photos, and tagging her in a display of worldwide environmental solidarity.
“It really motivates me. It shows what one person can do can actually inspire movement,” she says.
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But the training goes beyond long walks and practice hugs. Muthoni has learned to fast, sometimes taking just one meal a day to prepare her body for the extended period without food. However, she made a critical mistake in her first attempt that taught her a valuable lesson.
“I didn’t take a lot of water because I wanted to practice staying without water, but that was wrong. I learned from that. You need to take a lot of water, actually, so that your kidneys, you’re medically safe,” she admits.
During the actual hug, she won’t drink anything at all, no water, no glucose, nothing to support her except her mental stamina. She prepares her body beforehand by drinking plenty of water, but at the moment when she’s hugging the tree, she doesn’t take anything.
The challenge is as much mental as it is physical, perhaps even more so.
“People think that you shouldn’t come to talk to me because maybe you’re stressing me out, but I tell them you should come all the time. When I’m talking to them, my mind is active and I won’t shut down. Your mind can shut down if you stay for long hours without talking to people,” Muthoni explains.
She avoids negative energy, creates music, sings, and focuses on patience through meditation. Being Kenyan grounds her, she says, carrying the strength and the wisdom to show girls in Nyeri, in Kenya, and beyond that women can lead with courage.
There won’t be any breaks during the 72 hours, though Guinness World Records allows them for marathon attempts.
“I’m the first person to do a marathon in the world. There have been some attempts at tree hugging, but there’s never been a marathon. It’s allowed, but I decide not to take the breaks. There’s no showering, no bathroom breaks. I do it nonstop,” she clarifies.
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What are the biggest challenges during the tree hug?
The physical challenges are real, aches, cramps, and fatigue. She manages them by focusing on breathing, stretching carefully, and staying aware of her body. But it’s the emotional waves that can be the hardest to navigate.
“Emotionally, it changes in waves. Some hours feel heavy or lonely. Others bring calm, a sense of flow. Motivation can dip, but I focus on the purpose and the girls watching,” she admits.
Her previous attempt taught her crucial lessons about pacing, hydration, and mental preparation. At the 24-hour mark, when people were celebrating everywhere, she felt like giving up.
“I felt like I would leave it. I was so happy that there was media going live, mainstream media going live nonstop. That encouraged me,” she recalls.
Everyone involved offered their services for free, volunteers giving their time freely to support her mission. The weight of their sacrifice kept her going.
“I felt like even if I’m not doing it for me, I’m doing it for them. It’s like one for the team, one for yourself,” she says.
How does Muthini handle rain and wildlife?
She’s prepared for every scenario. Rain came for five minutes during her previous attempt at Michuki Park, so she trained for that too, once hugging a tree through a heavy rainfall at night in Garden Estate. As for wildlife concerns, she’s not worried.
“There’s no wildlife in Michuki Park, maybe monkeys. And there’s no wildlife at the office of the governor, where I’ll be hugging my tree in the next attempt,” she laughs.
Truphena Muthoni: Why tree-hugging matters beyond the record
For Muthoni, tree hugging goes beyond breaking records. It’s about fostering a deep connection with nature.
“When you’re hugging that tree, you fall in love with it. You feel the cost of losing one. It connects us to our ancestors, indigenous knowledge, and communities who’ve protected forests for generations,” she says.
The support from Brazil’s Quilombola communities, indigenous groups connected to the African diaspora who manage the Amazon rainforest, holds special meaning for her.
“They’re maternal, led by women. That feels so personal. It turns my personal challenge into a shared movement,” she explains.
After the 72 hours, Muthoni says her first priority will be a medical checkup.
“I don’t feel sick at all, not even as tired as what most might expect. But just for medical purposes and things that might happen inside you without you knowing, it’s important to do a medical checkup first,” Muthoni noted.
She plans to rest, reflect, and thank everyone who supported the mission. Celebration comes naturally afterward, but gratitude and reflection come first.
Through her tree-hugging marathons, Muthoni is teaching an important lesson: environmental care isn’t just something in textbooks, it’s personal and spiritual. “Before planting new trees, we must nurture a million hearts that care,” she says. And with over 10,000 people in 33 countries ready to hug trees in solidarity, it seems those hearts are already growing.
