Weren’t We Lucky
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INSPIRATION
Why We Can Still Listen To “What’s Going On” 50 Years Later
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Zen And The Act Of Washing Dishes
by—Brendan Thanks for reading. If you’d like to help keep Semi-Rad going, forward this piece to someone who’d like it,…
18 Things Much Easier Than ‘New Year, New You’
byNew year, new shampoo New year, new shoes New year, new tattoo New year, new houseplant New year, new mildew New year, new…
Make 2020 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm
byNote: I first wrote and published this post on December 29, 2011, calling it “Make 2012 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm.” Every year around…
Choose Wonder
byThe South Rim of the Grand Canyon can be a magical place: You stand with a 180-degree view of a thing so big and…
Marathon Tips From My Friend Syd
byThese tips are entirely based on my observations while running the 2019 NYC Marathon with Syd, his 11th time running the race. He is…
Bears Don’t Care About Your Problems, Live
byTo celebrate the publication of my new book, Bears Don’t Care About Your Problems, a collection of the best Semi-Rad.com posts since 2011, we…
Alastair Humphreys On Traveling The World At 10 mph, Microadventures, And Not Quitting
byNOTE: In 2018, I started recording interviews with creatives (writers, filmmakers, podcasters, photographers, editors, etc.) in the adventure world. I’m publishing the highlights of…
Yes, A Friend Can Make Miserable Things Less Miserable
byI trudge forward, the muddy road tugging at my running shoes, splattering my ankles and shins, as I finish the uphill part of my…
Lessons From Eight Years Of Writing An Adventure Blog
byOne afternoon last August, a delivery truck rolled up outside my house in Denver. Two men got out, dollied a large box through the…
Interview: Steve Casimiro On Telling Adventure Stories His Way For 30+ Years
byNOTE: In 2018, I started recording interviews with creatives (writers, filmmakers, podcasters, photographers, editors, etc.) in the adventure world. I’m publishing the highlights of…
Make 2019 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm
byNote: I first wrote and published this post on December 29, 2011, calling it “Make 2012 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm.” Every year around…
A Simple Way To Write Your Own Ending To 2018
byIf you’re anything like most of us, another year ending means a lot of things: anxiety, hectic planning and travel, trying to meet everyone’s…
31 Things Skiing Can Teach Us About Life
by“Don’t look at what you don’t want to hit” and 30 other valuable life lessons from skiing
A New York Pizza Marathon
byThe concept was pretty simple, and potentially disgusting: Run a marathon, 26.2 miles, around New York City, and eat five slices of pizza—one slice…
Nostalgia Is A Mother
byLast Wednesday, around the ninth switchback in the M Trail at the University of Montana, my legs and lungs screamed at me to stop,…
Summer Is Here And We Will Sweat Without Shame
byThat’s right. I know, it’s hot outside, and perhaps if I took a Lyft to meet you for coffee or lunch, I might not…
Dream Big, Work Hard, Be Kind: A Message For 2018
byLast week, I gave the address at the commencement ceremony for the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning. It was a great exercise in…
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,…
Complaining Is Useless
byOne Sunday last August, maybe halfway through a 22-mile trail run in 85 degrees and full sun, the day after we’d run 24 trail…
Make 2018 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm
byNote: I first wrote and published this post on December 29, 2011, calling it “Make 2012 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm.” Every year around…
The Shortcut Is: There Is No Shortcut
byHere’s something that didn’t happen: Tommy Caldwell, in the days following the first ascent of the Dawn Wall, being interviewed by a journalist about…
12 Ways To Help The World Feel Less Hopeless
byDon’t argue with people on the internet. Use your car horn to communicate with other drivers for emergencies, not to communicate your frustration with…
Dear Dogs:
byDear dogs: I’m sure you get this a lot, but I’m a big fan. I’ve been watching you for a while, and I just…
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…