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Barefoot Ken hiking barefoot in the mountains

I'm an analyst, runner, and writer

I’ve learned, like all of us, to use technology to be productive.  But somewhere along the way, I discovered that I don’t care much about technology. I spend enough of my life behind a screen. What I want is more nature and life outdoors.  More mountains and forests and grasslands and deserts. More trails.

Over the years, I’ve pushed limits: running marathons, ultramarathons, and multi-day runs, managing myself in heat and cold, going without food, water, and sleep, moving at night without lights, heading off-trail without map or compass or GPS, going barefoot.  You could call this a minimalist philosophy. Or a preference for simplicity. I think of it as “stretching the rubber band” — to see how far I can get away from the digital world — and how close I can come to that natural state of mind-body engagement — that vitality and exhilaration and sense of wonder which is our birthright. Or should be. 

As a writer, my job is to share my stories in case they’re helpful to others.  People who might be looking for more nature.  Maybe you.

On this website, you can follow my blog. Find out more about my books. Get involved with me in supporting conservation, land stewardship, and youth fitness.  You can start a dialogue with me by filling out the form below, leaving a comment on a blog post, or @Long_Brown_Path on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

Happy trails!

Barefoot Ken

Experiences

Marathons/Ultramarathons

110 complete, including NYC (5x), Boston (4x), Badwater (2x), and Leadville Marathon PR: 2:58:52

Fastest-known Times

48-mile Devil’s Path Double

70-mile Shawangunk Ridge Trail Run

292-mile Badwater Double (Record still stands as far as I know)

350-mile Long Path thru-run

      

Tallest Mountains Climbed 

Mt. Illimani, Bolivia (21,122 ft)

Huayna Potosi, Bolivia (19,974 ft)

Mt. Whitney, CA (14,505 ft)

Mt. Elbert, CO (14,440 ft)

Mt. Rainier, WA (14,411 ft)

Mt. Mitchell, NC (6,684 ft)

Mt. Washington, NH (6,288 ft)

Peak-bagging Lists Completed

Catskills Grid (35 high peaks X 12 months = 420 total peaks)

46 Adirondack High Peaks

48 New Hampshire High Peaks

14 Maine High Peaks

Long Distance Trails Thru-hiked

The Long Path (NY)

John Muir Trail (CA)

Barefooting

87 barefoot races complete, including 23 marathons/ultramarathons (longest barefoot run: 50 miles)

Barefoot peak-bagging: Catskills 35, Adirondack 46, New Hampshire 48, Maine 14

Catskills All Trails Challenge

John Muir Trail (170/211 miles barefoot)

9,000 miles

8,000 miles

7,000 miles

5,000 miles

4,000 miles

3,000 miles

2,000 miles

1,000 miles

Current Projects

Northeast 4,000-footers barefoot (110/115 complete)

50 barefoot marathons in 50 states (11 complete)

1000 barefoot mountains (342 complete)

Other

Former Airborne Ranger

Barefoot Ken running an ultramarathon barefoot
A caterpillar which Barefoot Ken discovered in the Catskill Mountains
A leopard frog, which Barefoot Ken discovered in the Catskill Mountains
Barefoot Ken, standing barefoot and shirtless, in the Catskill Mountains
Barefoot Ken, with muddy feet, standing on the summit of a mountain in the Adirondacks
A spotted salamander, which Barefoot Ken discovered in the Catskill Mountains
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