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
70-mile Shawangunk Ridge Trail Run
292-mile Badwater Double (Record still stands as far as I know)
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)
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