The One Thing You Need To Know
byTo climb rocks: Use your feet. Despite what you may have seen in Cliffhanger, or depictions of climbing in energy drink ads, rock climbing…
RUNNING
The Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim: A Trail Diary
by4:35 a.m. The wind blows across the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, 20 mph constant. Mitsu and I hurriedly grab hats and gloves,…
How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Strava
byI was hesitant to try Strava at first: Everybody’s heard about some jackass who almost ran over a kid on the trail because they…
How to Run 100 Miles: A Film About Persistence
byJust over a year ago today, I signed up for my first 100-mile ultramarathon with a guy I’ve been friends with for 18 years,…
Motivational Posters For Ultrarunners
byOr anyone who’s run further than they thought was fun. —Brendan More stuff like this in my new book, Bears Don’t Care…
Dear New Guy At The Climbing Gym:
byDear New Guy At The Climbing Gym, or lady running around the track at the park for the first time, or person trying out…
I Believe In Inertia
byIt happened again yesterday, like it always does, about three-quarters of the way through my run: I started to try to talk myself out…
Announcing A New Book: The Great Outdoors: A User’s Guide
byToday, I get to share something that some wonderful people and I have been working on for almost two years: a big, fat book…
Happiness Is Your Backyard Trail
byI plodded my way up the Hayden Trail, headed up toward my fifth “summit” of the day as the sun coasted downward. I had…
I Hate Running
byI hate running, three to four times a week if I have time. I hated it yesterday for a little over an hour. I…
Dear Foam Roller:
byDear Foam Roller: I think— Oh, you thought I was just going to say “fuck you,” didn’t you? Well, hold on. It’s a little…
Us vs. Us
byLast Saturday morning, while most of us were asleep, Kilian Jornet and Jason Schlarb decided to run across the Hardrock 100 finish line holding…
The Runner’s Guide To Pizza
byThere are all kinds of benefits to running, but let’s not bullshit ourselves: One of the biggest benefits is eating a bunch of food…
The Ice Age Trail 50
byI guess my theory about ultramarathons is that everyone who’s ever heard of them has two immediate questions: 1) Why the hell would you…
Celebrating 5 Years Of Semi-Rad: 25 Favorite Quotes
byFive years ago this week, I started this blog, hoping a few people might read it and get something out of it: a laugh,…
Chart: Running 10 Miles Around The Park
by-Brendan
The Power Of A Fear-Based Fitness Plan
byHave you ever committed to something you weren’t sure you could do, and then found yourself in the best shape of your life the…
Surviving a 4K (4,000-Calorie) Run
byWhen Forest and I had discussed the rules at a coffee shop in Brooklyn three days earlier, I had said, “I think vomiting is…
Are You Coming Off The Couch?
byDo you ever say “yes” to a bike ride, day of climbing, run, ski day, or other outdoor activity, and immediately after, notify your…
Ouch Maps: Let People Know Where You Hurt
byEver had a co-worker give you a well-meaning slap on the back right where you got sunburned the day before? Or your spouse put…
A Photo Is Worth A Thousand Miles
byMy friends Dan and Janine have made lots of outdoor photos all over the world. You’ve probably seen them in Backpacker, Trail Runner, on…
A Friendly Reminder That Your Summer Is Half Over
byMy dad mentioned to me the other day that this was the first year he’d ever used up his entire five weeks of paid…
You Wonder Why We Don’t Have Nice Things
byI sat down exhausted last Tuesday night next to my friends Chris and Forest in front of a granite shelter we’d just built on…