Free Outside

Jeff Garmire

Free Outside is a trail running, ultrarunning, thru-hiking, backpacking, and outdoor adventure podcast hosted by Jeff Garmire. Jeff is an Appalachian Trail record holder, professional endurance athlete, coach, author, and someone who has spent an unreasonable amount of his life running through forests and living out of a backpack.

The show features honest and entertaining conversations with elite ultrarunners, record-setting thru-hikers, FKT athletes, coaches, race directors, adventurers, and other fascinating people doing difficult things outside.

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Yesterday · 1 hr 17 min
How to run faster, with Dr. Bill Evans
Dr. Bill Evans once drank so much baking soda before a track workout that he never made it to the track. That tells you a lot about him. He’s an exercise physiologist, professor, coach, and fast miler, and he tests the research on himself. He’s also from western Pennsylvania, and you’ll hear it within about a minute. We sort out what’s worth your time and what isn’t. Bill says bicarb, caffeine, plyometrics, and NRF2 supplements all hold up. For ultras, though, bicarb probably isn’t worth the squeeze. He covers creatine, beetroot juice, and the wilder stuff he won’t try himself. We also get into small things you can do on hard days: a brain game before a workout, a real hard warm-up, and why getting out hard and fading can beat sitting and kicking. Then there’s fueling. He walks through where the 60 g/hour guidance came from, what the evidence says about 90 and above, and whether you can actually train your gut. He also tried to correct my pine cone math on air. It did not go well for him. Stick around to the end for what I think is his best advice for anyone training at any distance. Find Bill: The Endurance Lab (coaching): https://www.endurancelaboratory.com Newsletter: https://thescienceofrunning.beehiiv.com/ The Endurance Lab Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-endurance-lab-podcast/id1875151943 Instagram / YouTube: @doctor_evans_running Coaching: I have one or two spots open. Email jeff@freeoutside.com to set up a free call. Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726 CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee Garage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside
Monday · 1 hr 9 min
Women in Their 40s Swept the Podium: What We Learned from Javelina 2026
Javelina 100 just happened, and it was a strange, muddy, rain-soaked one. I was out there in costume, pacing and crewing. Zach Bitter and Allison Mercer joined me to break down what went on up front. Both races changed leaders on the final loop. Nine of the top ten men were over 30, and women in their 40s swept the podium. Patient racing beat early aggression again. We get into why Javelina is still a Western States golden ticket and how unsponsored runners keep crashing the party. We also talk about whether Hoka regrets letting Carla go. The New York City Marathon kicked off a super-shoe conversation, and we dig into pros versus influencers and how honest sponsored content really is. Then I pitch my idea for 24-hour pace groups at 100-milers, plus a prize for the fastest runner in a costume. Find Zach at zachbitter.com and on the Human Performance Outliers Podcast. I’m on that show too, covering different topics. Text the Free Outside hotline: 541-903-8065 Watch Rewritten, the film about my Appalachian Trail record. Thanks to Janji (code FREEOUTSIDE for 10% off), Garage Grown Gear, and CS Coffee. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:51 Welcome Zach & Allison 01:10 Javelina in the rain: first impressions 03:34 New names up front & the first-downhill trap 06:03 Over-40 women sweep the podium 08:28 Mud, conditions & Heather Jackson’s late pass 11:36 Positive splits and the case for even pacing 13:43 A rare one: the winner wasn’t leading into loop 5 16:58 Course changes making Javelina faster 19:24 Why is Javelina a golden ticket race? 21:42 The Black Canyon pipeline & pros vs the costume party 23:06 Unsponsored winners: the haves and have-nots 27:17 Does Hoka regret not re-signing Carla? 28:33 Breakout races & surprise brand budgets 31:27 Super shoes, Puma, Nike & the NYC Marathon 39:00 Why aren’t there more one-off race sponsorships? 41:18 Pros vs influencers: who actually sells shoes? 44:36 Loyalty & honesty in sponsored content 47:21 Zach’s race-by-race sponsorship idea 51:51 The pitch: 24-hour pace groups 58:06 Veteran helpers & “team moms” on course 59:35 Online goal groups before race day 1:02:38 A prize for first place in a costume 1:03:44 Where to find Zach & Allison 1:05:11 The comment section 1:07:09 Outro: costumes, Rewritten & the hotline
October 30 · 1 hr 3 min
Six Marathon Majors to a First 100 Miler: Cal Calamia on Javelina, Podiums & Pronouns
Cal Calamia has raced all six World Marathon Majors and run a 2:40, but this weekend he’s running his first 100 miler at Javelina. In the desert, on Halloween, and I get to pace the last loop. I recorded this with Cal the Wednesday before the race. We get into how a road marathoner learns to “make friends with 20 miles,” why running a marathon every weekend would have horrified his old marathon self, his 100 grams of carbs per hour plan, and the Black Canyon 100K where the start got pushed two hours and I had to track down a headlamp mid-race. We also cover something I’ve wanted to talk about for a long time. A lot of people, including my aunt, one of the most open people I know, are nervous to ask about pronouns and trans and nonbinary identities. So I asked Cal, who is trans nonbinary and uses he/they pronouns, what it all means and how to make it approachable in your own life. We talk about why last year, after finishing third overall in the Javelina 100K, Cal had to choose between the men’s podium and the nonbinary one, and why that choice exists at all. Plus his first brand deal: a thousand dollars to hold a bottle of wine. Follow Cal: @calcalamia Thanks to our partners Janji: use code FREEOUTSIDE at janji.com Garage Grown Gear: tell them I sent you Text the Free Outside hotline: 541-903-8065 00:00 Intro 02:13 Three days out from a first 100 03:13 The trail world’s “so, 100 miler next year?” 06:38 How Cal started running, and the gender box on every sign-up form 09:45 Third overall, and choosing between the men’s and nonbinary podium 11:45 My aunt’s question: trans vs. nonbinary 17:17 What he/they pronouns mean 19:43 How to ask someone’s pronouns 20:52 Coming back to running after college 24:58 First brand deal: $1,000 to hold wine 26:05 Janji 27:27 Going pro: no car, no TV, PT instead 30:38 Black Canyon 100K: two-hour delay, mud, and an emergency headlamp 33:14 Javelina vs. the NYC Marathon and ultra vs. marathon finish lines 37:05 Race plan: pacing and 100 grams of carbs per hour 41:50 Making friends with 20 miles 47:03 Garage Grown Gear 48:06 How many pairs of shoes for a muddy loop course? 50:01 Cal’s why 51:00 Protecting your headspace before a race 52:54 Listener questions: she/they pronouns and nonbinary BQ standards 55:21 What I should do at mile 85 (Justin Bieber) 57:02 Outro: birthday beer mile and expert episodes coming 59:05 Listener question: FKT or a longer race? Chapters
October 26 · 1 hr 8 min
Who’s Carrying the Boats? Moab 240 Fallout, Backyard Ultra Hype & Javelina 100 Predictions
Text or call the Free Outside hotline: 541-903-8065 Allison Mercer, our award-winning correspondent of the year, is back, and we brought some hot takes. We start with the Backyard Ultra team world championship. Can you call it a world championship when every country runs a different course, in different weather, and the rules change mid-race? And why is this format suddenly the most-watched thing in ultrarunning? Then we get serious about the Moab 240 and race safety: what runners should be able to expect from race organizations, Allison’s own scary story from crewing, and why trail ultras could learn a lot from the Boston Marathon. After that, Allison turns the mic on me and my first flat 24-hour at Fat Ox. We also launch the official Rajpaul Pannu fan club and make our Javelina Jundred golden ticket picks. Thanks to the sponsors: Janji: janji.com (check out the new rain kit) Garage Grown Gear: it’s still Soctober CS Coffee ReadyWise – try my Jeff Garmire Pro Meal Breakfast Skillet Read Free Outside, watch Rewritten, and find my Substack: freeoutside.substack.com
October 22 · 21 min
Two Runners Just Broke the Backyard Ultra World Record
At the time we recorded this, Belgian runners Ivo Steyaert and Merijn Geerts had been running for 123 hours—five days and three hours—and had each covered about 512 miles. They’d just broken the previous backyard ultra world record, and Belgium was the only team with runners still going in the World Team Championship. I’ve done two backyard ultras myself: I won one in 2022 and was the assist in another in 2023. The format is simple: run 4.167 miles every hour, on the hour, and keep going until only one runner is left. In this bonus episode, I check in with Frank “the Tank” live from Belgium. Frank has gone more than 100 yards himself and was part of Belgium’s record-setting team. This year, he’s watching from the other side as a crew member and part of the media team. We talk about how the World Team Championship works, what Ivo and Merijn do in the minutes between loops, how they help each other through rough patches, and why Belgium has become such a force in backyard running. Frank shares stories from the race, including a sleep-deprived runner who thought he was making cash drops, and gives us a close-up look at what it takes to keep going when you’ve already run more than 500 miles. Then I talk about why the backyard format can be such a useful way to pace a long effort—and why the prospect of doing another one is starting to sound pretty tempting. Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726 CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee Garage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside #Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure
October 19 · 1 hr 4 min
636 Miles in 6 Days: Meg Eckert on the Art of Going Further
I’ve been spending the last few months trying to become a better runner. After years of long hikes and FKTs, I’ve been doing more speed work—and now I’m taking that fitness into a 24-hour race. I even ran 25 miles around a track recently to start figuring out what that might take. So Meg Eckert was the perfect person to talk to. She recently ran 636 miles in six days, but her running story started with signing up for a 5K and being too afraid to show up. We talk about how she found her way into ultras, what makes fixed-time races so compelling, and how she handles sleep, fueling, caffeine, recovery, and the mental ups and downs of running for days. This conversation is about big mileage, but it’s also about staying flexible, finding joy in the process, and showing up even when you’re nervous.
October 16 · 1 hr 33 min
El Niño, Lake Powell, and the Future of the West with Pete Deneen
Pete Deneen is back, and this conversation goes in a lot of directions—in the best way. We talk about what El Niño actually is, what it could mean for the West, and why Pete thinks it’s time to have a serious conversation about Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam. Pete also shares stories from his decade in the Coast Guard, including one wild night intercepting a major cocaine shipment. But the conversation keeps coming back to something bigger: community. Pete tells me how a trail run club grew into a monthly gathering, a way to support local nonprofits, and a group that shows up to protect the places it loves. We also get into purpose, belonging, and the simple practice of journaling. Pete’s advice before my wedding was to take 20 minutes and write. I tried a past, present, future prompt—and it might be a good place for you to start, too. Check out Pete's writing It’s Time to Drain Lake Powell https://gizmodo.com/its-time-to-drain-lake-powell-1848003413 A decade of climate whiplash in Ojai — https://issuu.com/ojaivisitorsguide/docs/ojai_magazine_winter_2024/106 Undeveloped Land Is Not “Vacant” — https://petedeneen.world/undeveloped-land-is-not-vacant/ Chapters 13:07 What El Niño is 47:39 Purpose, belonging, and community 56:23 How a run club became something bigger 1:03:01 Pete’s Coast Guard stories 1:12:00 Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam 1:26:30 Putting people to work restoring the West 1:30:20 Journaling before a big life moment Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726 CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee Garage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside #Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure
October 14 · 55 min
Moab 240: What Actually Happened
The Moab 240 was canceled after flash flooding hit the course, leaving runners and volunteers at Bridger Jack Aid Station overnight. Scott was running the race, and Jacqueline was crewing him. They join me to walk through the timeline: the weather turning, the call to head back, the long night at the aid station, and the eventual trip out. We also talk about the uncertainty, the volunteers, the drop bags, and why they believe canceling the race was the right decision. Follow Jacqueline on social media https://www.instagram.com/jacquelinetburnett Follow Scott on social media https://www.instagram.com/scooterhughleyofficial Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726 CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee Garage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside #Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure
October 9 · 1 hr 2 min
Joe McConaughy: The “4-Minute Miler” Who Broke the John Muir Trail Record
Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy recently set the supported fastest known time on the John Muir Trail. Somehow, he did it on only 38 minutes of sleep—and felt better on the third day than he expected.Joe and I have been intertwined through FKTs for years. I’ve taken some of his records, he’s demolished some of mine, and he thoroughly beat me at Cocodona. In this conversation, we dig into what finally worked on the JMT, including sleep strategy, caffeine, hydration, sodium, fueling, altitude, and why this attempt felt so much more controlled than his previous efforts.We also compare our hallucinations, talk about coaching athletes through situations that cannot be perfectly planned, and discuss Joe’s move from corporate life into professional running, coaching, and race directing.Most importantly, we finally investigate the rumor that Joe was a sub-four-minute miler. He actually ran 4:09—but the legend continues to improve.Topics include:• Joe’s supported John Muir Trail record • Sleeping only 38 minutes • Hallucinations and extreme sleep deprivation • Saving caffeine for the final night • Changing his hydration and sodium strategy • Science versus intuition in multi-day events • Becoming an ultrarunning coach • Building community-focused trail races • The truth about Joe’s “sub-four” mile Subscribe for more conversations about ultrarunning, thru-hiking, FKTs, endurance, and the strange decisions we make outside.Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffeeGarage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8abSubscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.comSupport this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutsideBuy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSFEmail me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.comWatch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outsideWebsite: www.Freeoutside.comInstagram: thefreeoutsidefacebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure
October 5 · 30 min
Hallucinations, a Broken Pack, and a JMT Record
The John Muir Trail is back in the FKT spotlight, so I dug up the story of one of the wildest things I have ever done. In 2022, I started in Yosemite carrying everything I would need to cover 223 miles unsupported and chase the John Muir Trail record. Over the next three days, I peed brown, stopped eating enough, hallucinated a safari guide, broke both straps on my backpack, fell asleep while moving, and woke up face-down on the trail. With the record slipping away, I took a 12-minute nap, climbed Mount Whitney through the night, and ran the final switchbacks hard enough that stopping to pee was no longer an option. I finished in 3 days, 47 minutes, and 56 seconds—breaking the record by less than 13 minutes. This is the full story of the highs, lows, questionable decisions, and tiny mental tricks that somehow got me to Whitney Portal in time.
October 2 · 1 hr 7 min
Should I Ride a Unicycle Into My Wedding?
Nine days before our wedding, Allison Powell and I sit down to settle the truly important details: whether I can ride a unicycle into the ceremony, where Ted will sit and how many wedding plans I have completely forgotten. Then we get into Allison’s unsupported Tahoe-to-Yosemite FKT—the longest unsupported effort she has ever attempted. She started with a goal of finishing in 72 hours, but almost no real sleep, cold nights, no sleeping pad and a questionable commitment to calorie-dense nuts eventually turned the final miles into a fight against exhaustion. We talk about what she would change, why sleep can matter more than pack weight, the problem with choosing food entirely by calories per ounce and why every multi-day effort needs an emergency supply of Skittles. But the biggest lesson wasn’t about gear, pacing or nutrition. Somewhere along the trail, Allison realized that almost nobody knew what she was doing—and it didn’t matter. She was still giving everything she had to a goal that belonged entirely to her. We also dig into the pressure to perform, wanting to be taken seriously without wanting to become a professional athlete, adjusting goals during a race and why fueling may be the most overlooked part of ultrarunning and FKT preparation. This one starts with wedding chaos and ends up becoming a pretty honest conversation about ambition, recognition and learning how to do hard things for yourself. Send questions, comments or voicemails to the Free Outside hotline: 541-903-8065. This episode is supported by Janji. Use code FREEOUTSIDE for 10% off at Janji.com. It is also supported by Garage Grown Gear, where you can find ultralight gear—and a sleeping pad so you can sleep better than Allison did.
September 25 · 1 hr 9 min
15th in the World on a Sprained Ankle: Inside the 100K World Championships
Nine days before the 2026 IAU 100K World Championships, Allison Mercer sprained her ankle and wondered whether she would even reach the starting line. She ultimately ran, finishing 15th in the world and third in the masters competition. Allison returns to Free Outside to take us inside the entire experience: the frantic ankle rehabilitation, racing 100 kilometers in extreme heat, her fueling and cooling strategy, Courtney Olsen’s late charge to the world title, Charlie Lawrence’s victory and the U.S. men capturing team gold by only 44 seconds. She also explains the sacrifices—and surprising out-of-pocket costs—required to represent Team USA. Then we discuss Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy’s record-setting John Muir Trail run, their friendly FKT rivalries, ultrarunning’s latest OnlyFans controversy, and why road ultras might be the sport’s most underrated events. Call or text the Free Outside Hotline with your questions, comments and ideas: 541-903-8065. Support Free Outside at patreon.com/freeoutside.
September 18 · 1 hr 13 min
Ultrarunning Was Never Supposed to Get This Big
Andy Jones-Wilkins has been part of ultrarunning for more than 30 years. He remembers when races felt like secret societies, runners learned through stories around campfires, trail shoes barely existed and signing up the day before a race was completely normal. In this episode, AJW and I trace the evolution of ultrarunning through four distinct periods: the campfire era, the golden age of running blogs, the sport’s explosion into the mainstream and its current era of professional athletes, coaches, livestreams and full-time media. We talk about Anton Krupicka posting 200-mile weeks before Strava, the influence of Born to Run and Unbreakable, Gunhild Swanson’s iconic Western States finish, the resentment surrounding Dean Karnazes’ rise to fame and the transition from mentors offering advice to athletes hiring professional coaches. AJW also tells the emotional story behind his Cocodona 250 finish. After his friend Rob Martin died unexpectedly, AJW entered the race intending to run the first 125 miles for himself and the second 125 for Rob. During the final miles, he remembered something his father once told him: some things in life are only meant to be done once. We finish with some wonderfully strange ultrarunning history: syrup bottles used as handhelds, sewn-on shorts pockets, gummy bears melted into a hockey puck, Little Debbie fueling and an $800 pair of custom insoles that injured AJW while he was preparing to win Western States. This is a wide-ranging conversation about where ultrarunning came from, how it became a professional sport and what we need to protect as it continues growing.
September 11 · 26 min
Time Is Worth More Than Your Money
We protect our money like it’s our most valuable resource, but we’re surprisingly careless with something we can never make more of: time. In this solo episode of the Free Outside Podcast, I’m thinking through impending doom, uncertainty about the future, and why maybe being a little worried about what comes next can actually be useful. We spend so much of life saying “someday”—someday I’ll take the trip, run the race, quit the job, learn the thing, or finally chase the goal. But someday isn’t guaranteed. I also get into something I’ve wrestled with throughout my life in thru-hiking, ultrarunning, and chasing FKTs: when does pursuing your dreams become selfish? There’s a difference between self-interest and selfishness, and I think a lot of it comes down to understanding the cost our goals have on the people around us. I talk about quitting my old career, losing pieces of my old community, traveling through Europe, getting older, building a life with other people, and trying to balance big goals with the relationships and community I want to have. Plus, I read some incredible marriage advice from the Free Outside Hotline, share some outtakes from recording my audiobook, rant about people declaring Ultrarunner and FKT of the Year when it’s only September, and talk about what’s coming next on Free Outside. Maybe the world is uncertain. Maybe that’s not a reason to wait. Your money can come back. Your time can’t.
September 7 · 1 hr 1 min
550 Miles Unsupported: Cody Taylor’s Long Trail Yo-Yo FKT
Cody Taylor returns to the Free Outside Podcast after completing one of the most ambitious unsupported hiking efforts on Vermont’s Long Trail: a complete out-and-back, also known as a Long Trail yo-yo. Cody began near the Canadian border carrying a 51-pound backpack loaded with 16 days of food. He traveled the entire length of the Long Trail to its southern terminus—and then turned around and hiked the whole thing again. With no resupply, Cody covered approximately 550 miles and 135,000 feet of elevation gain in 17 days, 8 hours, and 42 minutes. Having previously pursued an unsupported Fastest Known Time on the Long Trail myself, I know how deceptive this route can be. The mileage only tells a small part of the story. Vermont’s wet rocks, roots, mud, steep climbs, technical descents, and rugged northern mountains make it one of the most relentless long-distance hiking trails in the United States. Cody shares how he planned nearly 4,000 calories per day while keeping his food weight under two pounds a day, why he carried a stove and hot meals, and how running short on food affected his final 30 miles. We also break down his backpacking gear, shelter, sleep system, rain gear, electronics, footwear, and what he would change before attempting another multiweek unsupported adventure. The trip included days of heavy rain, flooded trails, dangerously cold conditions, terrible sleep, and as many as 20 falls per day during the opening section. Cody explains how he recognized the early signs of hypothermia, why he continued moving, and what happened when exhaustion caused him to hallucinate clowns beside the trail. Beyond the gear, nutrition, and Fastest Known Time, this conversation explores the mental side of thru-hiking, fastpacking, ultrarunning, and unsupported endurance challenges. Cody describes how he progressed from experiencing a panic attack during his first major project to feeling calm and grateful on the Long Trail. We discuss training for a 17-day effort, starting conservatively, adapting as the pack becomes lighter, and why it is impossible to prepare perfectly for an adventure of this scale. We also talk about Cody’s relationship with endurance athlete and mentor Ray Zahab, his transition from traditional ultramarathons toward expedition-style projects, and why the experience ultimately matters more than the record. This episode is for anyone interested in the Long Trail, Appalachian Trail, thru-hiking, backpacking, fastpacking, ultrarunning, FKTs, outdoor adventure, endurance training, hiking gear, trail nutrition, and the psychology behind pursuing enormous goals. Follow Cody Taylor Performance and subscribe to the Free Outside Podcast for more conversations about thru-hiking, ultrarunning, Fastest Known Times, endurance, and adventure.
September 4 · 1 hr 35 min
Ben Dhiman: Before he was a UTMB Champion
Ben Dhiman is now a UTMB champion, but his path to the top of ultrarunning started long before he considered himself a runner. Ben thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail, navigated the Hayduke Trail, and pushed into increasingly remote adventures through Nepal and the Himalaya. Those experiences gave him clarity and self-reliance, but they also made returning to ordinary life incredibly difficult. In his words, thru-hiking “totally ruined” him. We talk about the addictive pull of long trails, his years working odd jobs to fund the next adventure, sleeping beside the river in Silverton, stumbling into trail running, and eventually deciding that he could become one of the best in the sport. Ben explains how he forced his way into professional ultrarunning through results, how becoming a father changed his relationship with adventure, and why his thru-hiking background helps him survive the moments when an ultramarathon becomes “apocalyptically” difficult. We also get into his holistic approach to training, the connection between problem-solving and performance, and why he replaces most of his winter running with 15–30 hours of skiing each week. Before the conversation, I share what I learned from a 60-mile fastpacking trip in Montana, whether my body and mind are ready for another FKT, and my best advice for pacing a fixed-time race. Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffeeGarage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8abSubscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.comSupport this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutsideBuy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSFEmail me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.comWatch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outsideWebsite: www.Freeoutside.comInstagram: thefreeoutsidefacebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure
August 31 · 1 hr 13 min
3.65 Million Feet in One Year with Amber Constant
Amber Constant is attempting to climb 3.65 million vertical feet in a single year and claim the overall vertical world record. Rave Cave Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Cqam0r2k1OpuD2fTc4XBJ?si=0fc10ab6187348a9 She took the year off and made the project her full-time job: wake up, climb thousands of feet, recover, eat, sleep, and do it again. What began with 8,000-foot days and a weekly rest day eventually evolved into climbing every day, with some individual days reaching as high as 30,000 feet. Amber joins me from her car in Vermont to talk about what a year-long endurance project actually looks like from the inside. We get into the logistics of finding the most efficient mountains, living out of her car, eating up to 10,000 calories a day, recovery, motivation, loneliness, and the grassroots community that has formed around the attempt. She estimates she's doing roughly 80% of the project alone and says the social isolation has become one of its hardest parts. And then there are the things she couldn't plan for: brutal New England winter conditions, deep post-holing, black flies that sent her to urgent care after 167 bites, bears, coyotes, a moose collision, and a house with a bizarre connection to an unsolved murder. But underneath all of the wild stories is a fascinating look at what happens when someone commits an entire year to a single goal—and keeps going long after the honeymoon phase is over. Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffeeGarage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8abSubscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.comSupport this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutsideBuy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSFEmail me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.comWatch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outsideWebsite: www.Freeoutside.comInstagram: thefreeoutsidefacebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure
August 28 · 44 min
Six Hours in the Hot Seat and a Huge Week in Ultrarunning
My Appalachian Trail record film, Rewritten, is finally out in the world. In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of the documentary and share part of the six-hour interview process that helped shape the final film. You’ll hear some of the deeper reflections, uncomfortable moments, absurd jokes, and stories that did not make the final cut. I also talk about a huge moment in the fastest known time world. Nick Fowler has broken the overall Pacific Crest Trail record, making the fastest known time on the PCT self-supported once again. This episode also includes a more difficult update about ultrarunning legend Jeff Browning following his heart attack. Jeff has been an incredibly generous and positive part of the ultrarunning community for decades. I share a clip from one of our previous conversations that captures his energy, perspective, love for his family, and willingness to support everyone in the sport. Finally, I recap running nine “9 to 5Ks” in honor of Dolly Parton and what I learned about her generosity and legacy along the way. Rewritten follows my return to the Appalachian Trail nine years after my original thru-hike to chase the self-supported overall record. You can now watch the full documentary for free on the Free Outside YouTube channel.
August 24 · 15 min
The Goal I Was Afraid to Say Out Loud + The Story Behind Rewritten
For years, there was one goal I wasn't sure I was good enough to accomplish: breaking the self-supported Appalachian Trail record. I planned to try in 2020. It never happened. And for the next five years, the goal sat there. In this episode, I talk about why we're so afraid to say our biggest goals out loud, why I finally decided I would rather fail than never find out, and what happened when I went all-in on the Appalachian Trail in 2025. I also share a preview of Rewritten, the new film about the record and the much longer journey that led back to the AT. Rewritten premieres in Bozeman August 27 and on the Free Outside YouTube channel August 28. If you enjoy the film, share it with someone who has a goal they've been afraid to chase. Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726 CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee Garage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside #Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure
August 21 · 1 hr 7 min
Appalachian Trail Record Untold Stories (and a Costco Pizza)
What does an Appalachian Trail record attempt look like from the perspective of the person watching from home? Check out the substack on eating an entire Costco Pizza: https://freeoutside.substack.com/p/what-a-costco-pizza-taught-me-about? Allison Powell shares the untold story behind Jeff Garmire’s 45-day self-supported Appalachian Trail FKT, including planning resupply stops, managing logistics, decoding sleep-deprived messages, two left shoes, a discarded food box, lost battery banks, panic attacks, and the secret proposal waiting at Springer Mountain. Jeff and Allison also discuss producing Rewritten, their new Appalachian Trail documentary premiering free on YouTube August 28, and why this record deserves more attention. Meanwhile, Jeff attempts a different kind of endurance challenge by eating an entire Costco pizza during the episode. A funny and honest conversation about thru-hiking, ultrarunning, relationships, resilience, Fastest Known Times, and everything that happens behind the scenes of a 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail record. Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726 CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee Garage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside #Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

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