From The Backcountry (Will Peterson)
Explore every episode of From The Backcountry
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Mar 2022 | #1 - Xander Keiter | 01:20:07 | |
Xander Keiter is a trail runner and ultra-marathon runner in New England, recent graduate of Boston University, future lawyer, and one of my closest friends. We talk about his journey to the outdoors and some of our intersecting projects, among other things. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 06 Apr 2022 | #2 - Adam Ribeiro | 01:27:40 | |
Adam Ribeiro is an endurance athlete, climber, ultra runner, and all around athlete. He has competed successfully in many athletic competitions ranging from obstacle races to American Ninja Warrior to Ultramarathons. You can find him on Strava, and he is also the host of the "Run, Climb, Repeat." podcast. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 13 Apr 2022 | #3 - Zach McCarthy | 01:09:47 | |
Zach McCarthy is an outdoor adventurer from Western Maine. He is an experienced backcountry skier, trail runner, and ultra runner. He is also the founder of Inclusive Ski Touring, an organization dedicated to developing an inclusive uphill community through organized group programs. Find him on Instagram @zmccart and @inclusiveskitouring Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 20 Apr 2022 | #4 - The New England Direttissima | 00:43:54 | |
Will rambles about the New England Direttissima, seasonal allergies, skiing Mount Washington, physical therapy, and more. Send an email to fromthebackcountry@gmail.com if you want to. Read more about the New England Direttissima here: https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/blogs/ultralight/sixty-seven-points-to-point-to-will-petersons-new-england-direttissima Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 27 Apr 2022 | #5 - K. Mac Guthrie | 01:23:42 | |
Mac is an ultra runner, backcountry skier, skimo racer, and soon-to-be graduate of Northeastern University. She has run a 100K on the Florida Trail, a Grand Canyon Rim to Rim, and the Midstate Massive 100 miler, among other things. She is currently the LCC (Loj Committee Chair) of NUHOC (Northestern's Outdoors Club), a top leadership position in the club that is responsible for the club's grounds and buildings in New Hampshire. Find her on Strava! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 04 May 2022 | #6 - From The Trail - New England Direttissima Part 1 | 00:35:19 | |
This week I ramble about my first few days on the New England Direttissima, a thru-hike of the New England 67 4,000 footers. Sorry about the quality of the podcast this week and the next few weeks, I’m recording it on my phone while *kind of* on trail. But ya know, the name of the show is From The Backcountry, so you knew what you were getting in to. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 11 May 2022 | #7 - From The Trail - New England Direttissima Part 2 | 00:40:59 | |
This week I ramble about my second week on (but mostly off) the New England Direttissima. Follow along for broken gear, scraped up legs, and graduation fun. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 18 May 2022 | #8 - From The Trail - New England Direttissima Part 3 | 00:56:14 | |
First, yes I know it's May 18th and not April 18th. I apologize for my idiocy. This week I ramble about a few more days on the New England Direttissima and why I ultimately decided to stop. I also rant about "are you running Boston" and Altras. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 01 Jun 2022 | #9 - Ben Peterson | 01:28:58 | |
Ben Peterson is a backpacker, 2021 Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, and my older brother. Listen this week as we discuss our different hiking adventures and our parallel but very different journeys to loving backpacking and the outdoors. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 08 Jun 2022 | #10 - Shane Moore | 00:54:59 | |
Shane Moore is a backpacker, surfer, and swimmer. Shane and I have been friends since highschool and hiked over 1,400 miles of the Appalachian Trail together in 2019. Revel in our *high-level* conversation as we are chased around our highschool parking lot by leaf blowers and lawn mowers. In this episode we touch on our 2019 thru-hike, Shane's recent hike on Maine's new Great Circle Trail, and surfing in Maine. Find his published writing about surfing in Maine at UpPortland.com. Find the Instagram page for our 2019 thru-hike at @shane_willAThike Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 15 Jun 2022 | #11 - Philip Carcia | Part 1 - Single Season White Mountains Guide Pre-Hike Conversation | 01:04:43 | |
Philip Carcia is a distance athlete, hiker, backpacker, content creator, and lover of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. On June 21st, Philip will embark on his third attempt at a single calendar season hike of the White Mountains Guide, a brutal hiking feat that has never been accomplished. Philip completed the White Mountains Guide on his first two attempts in 2020 and 2021, missing the single season mark by just a few days each time, and crushing the previous speed record in the process. Listen along as we dig deep into his motivation for attempting this brutal hike for a third time, dissect how his relationship with this route and with himself as an athlete has changed over time, and much much more. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 22 Jun 2022 | #12 - Philip Carcia | Part 2 - Single Season White Mountains Guide Pre-Hike | 01:04:47 | |
Philip Carcia is a distance athlete, hiker, backpacker, content creator, and lover of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As of June 21st, Philip has embarked on his third attempt at a single calendar season hike of the White Mountains Guide, a brutal hiking feat that has never been accomplished. Philip completed the White Mountains Guide on his first two attempts in 2020 and 2021, missing the single season mark by just a few days each time, and crushing the previous speed record in the process. Listen along as we dig deep into his motivation for attempting this brutal hike for a third time, dissect how his relationship with this route and with himself as an athlete has changed over time, and much much more. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 29 Jun 2022 | #13 - New Hampshire 48 Supported FKT | 02:16:54 | |
Beginning on July 19th, Xander Keiter and I - along with a large support crew - set out to try to set the fastest known time for the New Hampshire 4,000 Footers. I ultimately set the new trailhead to trailhead record at 3 days, 12 hours, 35 minutes, and Xander climbed 41 of the 48 before succumbing to brutal ankle pain. Listen along to hear about our personal experiences during this amazing experience. If you're new to the podcast, be sure to give it a 5 star review and send any questions to fromthebackcountry@gmail.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 06 Jul 2022 | #14 - Whitney Pearson and the Pemidential FKT | 01:01:06 | |
Whitney Pearson is a long distance hiker, peak bagger, and distance athlete based out of the White Mountains. She holds some awesome unsupported FKTs, but most recently she became the first woman to complete the Pemidential route, a grueling 81 mile route with 26,500 feet of vertical that connects the Presi Traverse and the Pemi Loop. She hiked and ran the entire route unsupported. Listen as we discuss this most recent adventure and more. Follow long with Whitney's adventures on Facebook under her name or on Instagram @mummahiker Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 13 Jul 2022 | #15 - Jack Kuenzle | White Mountains 100 FKT | 01:52:08 | |
Jack Kuenzle is an endurance athlete and coach for Uphill Athlete who travels around smashing some of the largest FKTs out there. In this episode we talk about many of his efforts, but we largely focus on his most recent FKT, a monstrous 26 hour record on the White Mountains 100. We also talk about his journey to endurance events, how to train to run in the mountains, and much more. Find Jack on Instagram @jackkuenzle. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 20 Jul 2022 | #16 - Stefanie Bishop | Death Races, FKTs, and the Speed Project (oh my!) | 01:56:49 | |
Stef Bishop is an accomplished ultra-endurance athlete based out of Long Island. She has performed at the highest level in multiple disciplines of endurance sports, including winning the World's Toughest Mudder in 2016. Just to name a couple of others, she has completed the Speed Project, a nearly 300 mile event from the Santa Monica Pier to Las Vegas, and she also set the women's New Hampshire 48 FKT in 2021, basically during a hurricane. We talk about all of this, her injuries and road to recovery, and much more on this week's episode. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 27 Jul 2022 | #17 - Alyssa Godesky | The Two Fastest on the New Hampshire 4,000 Footers | 01:36:18 | |
Alyssa Godesky is a professional triathlete and endurance athlete based in the northeast. She Holds the women's supported FKTs on the Long Trail and Adirondack 46, and most recently she bested my FKT for the supported New Hampshire 4,000 Footers. This is a super unique conversation between the two fastest people (at the moment) to ever climb the 48, and I hope you all enjoy! Find Alyssa on Instagram @alyssagodesky or at her website alyssagodesky.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 03 Aug 2022 | #18 - Liz "Mercury" Derstine | Self-Supported Long Trail FKT | 01:33:29 | |
Liz "Mercury" Derstine is a distance athlete and professional musician. She has some incredible efforts under her belt, including the northbound women's Appalachian Trail FKT, the women's Pinhoti self-supported FKT, and most recently, the women's self-supported Long Trail FKT. Listen to our conversation to hear all about her amazing journey to her latest accomplishment. Find Liz on Instagram @pinkfeathers or on her website mercuryontherun.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 10 Aug 2022 | #19 - Ask Me Anything #1 | 00:46:37 | |
The past week I've been moving to a new place and starting medical school, so things have been incredibly busy! I din't have time to schedule a conversation this week, so instead I'm doing an Ask Me Anything from questions submitted to my Instagram @_will.peterson. Let me know if you like this type of content! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 17 Aug 2022 | #20 - Scott Benerofe | Winter Appalahian Trail Thru-Hike | 01:15:18 | |
Scott Benerofe is a thru-hiker and peak bagger from the northeast who is currently based out of Vermont. Scott hiked the Long Trail in 2016, the AT in 2019 (we never met), and has finished the NE115. This past winter, Scott completed an incredible SOBO (south-bound) thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail - starting in early December. Listen to Scott tell me his story of one of the most brutal and awe inspiring thru-hikes I've ever heard of. Find Scott on Youtube at Scott Benerofe or on Instagram @scottbenerofe Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 24 Aug 2022 | #21 - Zane Wasicko | White Mountains Direttissima Age Record | 01:23:58 | |
Zane Wasicko is a backpacker and trail-runner from Pennsylvania. Zane has accomplished a lot already, (including section-hiking the entire AT with his dad from when he was 15-17 years old), but most recently Zane became the youngest person (17 y/o at the time) to complete the White Mountains Direttissima, a thru-hike of the New Hampshire 48 4,000 footers. Not only that, he hiked it entirely unsupported. If you've ever wanted to be able to say you knew someone before they went big, this isn't a bad bet (no pressure Zane). Follow Zane on Strava (his name) or on Instagram @zanewasicko Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 31 Aug 2022 | #22 - The Best New Hampshire and Maine FKT Routes w/ Xander Xeiter | 01:11:13 | |
There are a LOT of FKT routes out there. The Fastest Known Time website lists a few routes across the entire U.S. that constitute its "premier" list, but in terms of finding the biggest, grandest routes in specific areas, theres not much else to go off. Xander Keiter and I have been around the FKT scene - in Maine and New Hampshire in particular - so we thought we'd give our thoughts on what we would define as the "premier routes" in the two states. ***These are just our stupid opinions and we probably missed some great routes. If I did, let me know on the insta page!*** Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 14 Sep 2022 | #23 - Eli Burakian | Unsupported Traverse of Iceland | 01:26:27 | |
Eli Burakian is a photographer, backpacker, and distance athlete from New Hampshire. Eli goes big on huge routes that people haven't thought to do yet, and his FKTs include the Cohos Trail, Live Free or Die Route, Pemi 14 4,000 footers, and more. Most recently, Eli set the unsupported FKT traversing Iceland north to south. His 13 day journey is pretty incredible, and the photos that he took along the way are absolutely insane. Follow Eli on Instagram @eliburakian and at eliburakian.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 28 Sep 2022 | #24 - Zach McCarthy | Bringing Home the Win at the Kilkenny Ridge Race | 01:25:08 | |
Zach McCarthy is an ultra-runner, backcountry skier, and outdoor adventurer from western Maine. Recently, Zach won the 50-mile Kilkenny Ridge Race in the northern White Mountains of New Hampshire, coming within a couple minutes of the course record. Zach is also the founder of Inclusive Ski Touring, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing an inclusive uphill community through organized group programs. Find Zach on Instagram @zmccart and @inclusiveskitouring Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 05 Oct 2022 | #25 - Bubba's Backyard Ultramarathon 2022 | From The Trail | 01:03:08 | |
Bubba's Backyard Ultramarathon is a last person standing race that is run each October by Run The Whites. The concept is simple: finish a 3.5 mile trail-loop once per hour, and be at the start line at the beginning of the next hour. The last person to complete a lap is the winner. Last year I ran for 30 hours at Bubba's (105 miles) before dropping out with an injury. This year...well, you'll see. This episode includes five parts: my thoughts before bubbas, my thoughts during the race at lap 16, 20, and 24, and then my thoughts a couple days after the race ended. Hope you enjoy, and let me know if you want to hear more thoughts from the trail! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 19 Oct 2022 | #26 - Jesse Wall | TruStrength Athletics | 01:30:21 | |
Jesse Wall is the founder of Trustrength Athletics, an innovative athletics performance facility and community that specializes in sports performance training for athletes of all ages and competitive levels. Jesse is also an accomplished athlete across multiple disciplines, everything from Strongman competitions to gnarly trail ultras. Notably, Jesse is one of only a handful of people to finish an Open Winter White Mountains Hut Traverse. Find Jesse on Instagram @TruStrengthAthletics and online at trustrengthathletics.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 26 Oct 2022 | #27 - Jason Hardrath | Journey to 100 FKTs | 01:01:56 | |
Jason Hardrath is a mountain runner and athlete based out of Oregon. You might know him as the first person to reach 100 FKTs, but that only scratches the surface of his contributions to the sport. Jason has been a pioneer in molding the FKT community, creating new and exciting routes, and driving the sport in a direction that adds to its long term potential and legitimacy. Find Jason on instagram @jasonhardrath or online at jasonhardrath.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 24 Nov 2022 | #28 - Thanksgiving Special!!! | ft. "Friend of the Pod" Xander Keiter | 01:00:12 | |
The Pod is back baby, and Xander and I are here to talk about absolutely nothing for an hour on Thanksgiving. Sorry for the hiatus, I hope to have a solid bi-weekly schedule going forward! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 07 Dec 2022 | #29 - Dan Curts | The Transition from Pro Runner to Pro Trail Runner | 01:18:18 | |
Dan Curts is a professional runner based out of the Upper Valley in New Hampshire. In this episode we discuss Dan's amazing running journey - all the way from being an All-American and champion 5K runner in the Big 12, to most recently switching to trail running and competing at world class trail running events. This year was just the beginning of trail running for Dan, look for really big things to come in the next few years. Find Dan on Instagram @dancurts, @northwoodsathletics, and online at northwoodsathletics.com/dan-curts Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 09 Dec 2022 | "The 48" | Trailer - Live Now on Instagram and Youtube | 00:02:39 | |
The supported FKT of the New Hampshire 48 was an incredibly special project that we now have the privilege of watching back and experiencing with all of you. We’re excited to share the trailer for “The 48”, a film about our effort on the New Hampshire 4000 Footers by Happy Bones Productions. Find the trailer on our Instagrams (@_will.peterson & @xkeiter2) or on Youtube at the link below. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 14 Dec 2022 | #31 - Philip Carcia | Part 1 - Single Season White Mountains Guide Post-Hike Conversation | 01:37:40 | |
Philip Carcia is a distance athlete, hiker, backpacker, and content creator from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. From June 21st through September 19th, Philip hiked every trail in the official White Mountains Guide. He is the first person to accomplish this feat in a single calendar season, and he's the fastest person to complete the guide by over 100 days. Join me and Philip for this awesome two-part in-person conversation we had in the tiny house behind the Notch Hostel. This first half of the conversation is just me and Philip talking. In 2 weeks, the second half will be released in which we open the conversation to questions from Instagram live. Find Philip on instagram @findingphilip. Follow the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 28 Dec 2022 | #32 - Philip Carcia | Part 2 - Post-Hike Single Season White Mountains Guide Conversation | 01:24:58 | |
Philip Carcia is a distance athlete, hiker, backpacker, and content creator from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Listen to this second part of our conversation post the completion of his single season hike of the White Mountains Guidebook. This is the final episode in a 4-part series along with episodes #11, #12, and #31. If you haven't heard those episodes, I'd highly recommend you listen to those first! #11 and #12 are pre-hike, and #31 and #32 are post-hike. Find Philip on IG @findingphilip Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 11 Jan 2023 | #33 - Kyle O'Grady | Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and Managing on Trail Content Creation | 01:21:14 | |
Kyle O'Grady is a backpacker and content creator. He hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018 and hiked most of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2022 before his hike was derailed by wildfires. He also runs a popular backpacking podcast and Youtube channel. In this conversation we talk a lot about his differing experiences on the AT and PCT, as well as his continuing journey into backpacking content creation. Find Kyle on Instagram @kylehateshiking, on youtube at Kyle Hates Hiking, and on podcast services on his Trail Tales podcast. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 25 Jan 2023 | #34 - Jordan Fields | A Different Perspective on Training and Racing | 01:22:48 | |
Jordan Fields is a nordic skier and mountain runner based out of the Upper Valley. He's best known in the trail running world for being the only person to hold the Hut Traverse, Pemi Loop, and Presidential Traverse records at the same time. He's also an accomplished nordic skier and a graduate student in the Department of Earth Science at Dartmouth. Jordan and I spend a lot of time in this episode discussing the philosophy of training and racing and how training/racing with joy can bring great rewards. This was a really fun conversation for me, I hope you all enjoy it too. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 08 Feb 2023 | #35 - Jason Hardrath | The Calendar Year Triple Crown, Catching Up on Projects, and More | 01:26:33 | |
Jason Hardrath is back on the podcast! Jason a mountain runner and athlete based out of Oregon. You might know him as the first person to reach 100 FKTs, but that only scratches the surface of his contributions to the sport. In this episode we discuss some of Jason's past and future projects including volcanic infinity loops and the Rocky Mountains Slam. We also dive in to my daydreams about the Calendar Year Triple Crown. Find Jason on instagram @jasonhardrath or online at jasonhardrath.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 22 Feb 2023 | #36 - Phoebe Seltzer | Guiding in the White Mountains, Otto Rhode Race, and HUGE Vert FKTs | 01:13:27 | |
Phoebe Seltzer is a mountain guide and athlete based out of the White Mountains. She has a lot of hardcore efforts to her name, including multiple wins of the Otto Rhode race, a winter skimo race up the Mount Washington auto road. In 2022, she came within 7 miles of creating a new stout women's record of the Cohos Trail (part two coming 2023?). Also, she has a couple insane FKTs in the northern Presidentials, one of which has over 670 feet of vertical gain per mile (I re-did the math on that because I was sure that was a typo). Find Phoebe on Facebook and Strava, as well as on Instagram @seltzerphoebe Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 08 Mar 2023 | #37 - Q&A #2 featuring Xander Keiter - Big Efforts, Trail Nutrition, Mental Exhaustion, and more | 01:19:10 | |
Hey everyone! I'm super slammed with finals this week, and I didn't have time to schedule a guest for this week. Instead, I hopped on with one of my best friends and fellow trail runner Xander Keiter to answer your questions! You all submitted a ton of awesome questions, which made this a super fun episode. Let me know if you like this style of content. Find Xander on Instagram @xkeiter2 and find the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 22 Mar 2023 | #38 - Rue McKenrick | American Perimeter Trail | 01:28:26 | |
Rue McKenrick is a professional backpacker, triple crowner, conservationist, and originator of the American Perimeter Trail (APT). He is the executive director of the American Perimeter Trail Conference, and he recently completed the first scout and official hike of the APT. Discover more about the APT at www.americanperimetertrail.org or on your favorite social media platform. Find Rue on Instagram @ruemckenrick. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 05 Apr 2023 | #39 - K. Mac Guthrie & Jacob Walsh | Last Skier Standing | 01:09:48 | |
Mac and Jacob are a couple of rad mountain athletes and friends of mine dating back to my days in the Northeastern University outing club. They both throw down big missions on the regular, but most recently they both participated in Last Skier Standing. LSS is a race hosted by Ski The Whites at Black Mountain in Maine where skiers skin up and ski down the same mountain once per hour until there is only one person left skiing. Jacob and Mac totally balled out. Mac came in close second for women and Jacob came in 6th overall. It's a ridiculous event, and it was super fun to chat with them about their experiences. Find them both on Strava at their names! Go NUHOC! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 19 Apr 2023 | #40 - Christopher Fisher | Colorado 14ers Winter FKT | 00:52:14 | |
Chris Fisher is an endurance athlete based out of Colorado. Chris has a bunch of huge efforts to his name, including 16 FKTs and 400,000 feet of vertical in one month back in October of 2021. Most recently, Chris became the 2nd known person to hike all of Colorado's 14,000 foot mountains in a single winter, shaving a full 12 days off the previous record in the process. Find Chris on Instagram @chrisjfish Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 10 May 2023 | #41 - Jack Kuenzle | Mount Rainier Round Trip FKT | 01:38:05 | |
Jack Kuenzle is a famous petting zoo and OnlyFans star who occasionally also runs mountains. In just the last year, Jack has set speed records on the White Mountains 100, Ramsay Round, Bob Graham Round (earning #1 FKT of the year), Mt Shasta, and most recently Mt Rainier. In this episode we focus on this most recent mind-boggling effort in which Jack climbed over 9,000 feet to the summit of Rainier and skied back to his car in 3 hours and 4 minutes. We also fit this effort into the larger context of his training this winter and his upcoming round trip FKT attempt on Denali. Find Jack on Strava and on Instagram @jackkuenzle. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 24 May 2023 | #42 - Niklas Hase | Basic Metabolism and Nutrition for Outdoor Athletics | 01:32:20 | |
Nik Hase is a distance athlete, general connoisseur of outdoor adventures, and third year medical student at Tufts University. Nik and I know each other going way back to middle school, and I credit Nik and his dad Eric for much of my current love for the outdoors. Nik has completed athletic events such as the Lake Placid Ironman and a run of the 100 Mile Wilderness (with me and Xander Keiter, see episode 1). Today, we talk about the basics of metabolism and nutrition for outdoor athletics and how you can use your body's incredible metabolic system to your advantage. ***This is not medical advice. We're glorified college students at this stage in our education.*** Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 08 Jun 2023 | #43 - Joffrey Peters | Upper Valley FKTs, The Dartmouth 50, and the Hundred Mile Wilderness | 02:01:08 | |
Joffrey Peters is a trail runner and software engineer who lives in the Upper Valley in New Hampshire. He holds or has held many of the most competitive local FKTs in the area, including the Smarts Traverse, Moose Mountain Traverse, Cardigan Mountain State Park Loop, and many more. Perhaps most notably, Joffrey holds the men's unsupported records on the Dartmouth 50, Dartmouth 50 out-and-back, and the Hundred Mile Wilderness. In this episode we discuss his athletic journey, we dig into some of his efforts, and we review the "hellscape of routes and rocks" that is the Hundred Mile Wilderness. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 28 Jun 2023 | #44 - Xander Keiter | 100 Mile Wilderness FKT | 01:54:31 | |
Xander Keiter is an ultra-runner, Mainer, and 2nd year law student at Columbia Law School. Starting on June 19th, Xander set the record for the fastest run of Maine's 100 Mile Wilderness, throwing down a time of 24 hours, 35 minutes, 6 seconds - taking 4.5 hours off of the previous record. Listen along as we unpack the buildup and epic culmination to an effort that has been on Xander's mind every day for the last three years. Follow Xander on Instagram @xkeiter2 and on Strava. (he asked me to plug his LinkedIn too, don't ask me why) Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 12 Jul 2023 | #45 - The Long Trail | *Literally* From The Backcountry ft. Grace "Webs" Palmer | 01:14:02 | |
Over the past couple of weeks, I spent 12 days thru-hiking the Vermont Long Trail. During this episode I recorded snippets from different days of the hike, sometimes talking to myself and sometimes talking to Grace "Webs" Palmer. This thru-hike and episode were a ton of fun, and I hope you enjoy listening along! Follow the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 26 Jul 2023 | #46 - Bill Tidd | New Hampshire 48 FKT | 02:08:41 | |
On June 23rd 2023, certified-crazy-person and wise statesman Bill Tidd completed the New Hampshire 48 in a record setting and mind blowing 3 days, 5 hours, 3 minutes. He improved on the record by almost 4 hours. This was an enormous effort that was a decade in the making. We cover a ton of ground in this podcast, but there's a lot we didn't get to. If you leave this episode wanting more, go check out his full trip report on BillTidd.com. You can also follow Bill on Strava! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 09 Aug 2023 | #47 - Will Peterson | Unsupported Long Trail FKT | 01:31:55 | |
You read it right, I'm the guest on my own podcast. Two weeks ago, I finished setting the unsupported FKT for the Long Trail in 4 days, 11 hours, 34 minutes, taking over 12 hours off Stringbean's self-supported time and 36 hours off Jeff Garmire's unsupported time. As of the recording this podcast, that is the second fastest overall time on the Long Trail, regardless of support category. This week, guest co-hosts Jordan Fields and Jack Kuenzle interview me about the effort. This isn't a play by play - if you want that, please go read my trip report on the FKT website. This episode was a ton of fun to record, and I hope you all enjoy! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 23 Aug 2023 | #48 - Will Robinson | The First Northeast 115 Thru-Hike | 01:43:22 | |
Will Robinson is a peak bagger and thru-hiker from Vermont. He has completed various large projects including a White Mountains Direttissima, single season winter hike of the Northeast 115, single season hike of the Colorado 14ers, and a thru-hike of the Long Trail. Most recently, Will became the first known person to complete a thru-hike of the 115 4,000 foot mountains in the Northeast. We discuss all the juicy and bloody details of his standard setting thru-hike - I hope you all enjoy! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 06 Sep 2023 | #49 - Jason Hardrath | Rocky Mountains Slam FKT | 02:02:55 | |
Friend of the podcast Jason Hardrath returns! Jason is a mountain runner and athlete based out of Oregon. This summer he became the fastest to complete the Rocky Mountains Slam, a route comprised of the 58 Colorado 14ers, 36 Wyoming 13ers, and 27 Montana 12ers. In this episode we loosely talk about Jason's effort, but we talk a ton about the ethos of mountain running, the risks and rewards of the sport, and much much more. Follow Jason on Instagram @jasonhardrath or online at jasonhardrath.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 20 Sep 2023 | #50 - Tara Dower and Liz Derstine | Colorado Trail FKT | 01:52:37 | |
Tara Dower and Liz Derstine are both power houses in the multi-day and ultra distance scene. Between the two of them, they hold FKTs on the Colorado Trail, Appalachian Trail, Long Trail, BMT, Pinhoti, Via Alpina, and much more. (Tara also just came in 1st place for women at Run Rabbit Run 100 miler, btw). In late July, Tara and Liz set off together to try to set a new self-supported record on the Colorado Trail. Things didn't go as planned, but the story and effort that unfolded is one for the ages. Find Tara and Liz on Instagram, @tara.dower and @pinkfeathers, respectively. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 05 Oct 2023 | #51 - The REAL Bubba's 2023 Preview ft. Xander Keiter | 01:04:26 | |
Hang out with me and newly minted savior of the podcast Xander Keiter as we preview Bubba's Backyard Ultramarathon, which kicks off at 10am this Saturday 10/7. Also go check out the Run the Whites podcast previewing the event (should be out today or tomorrow). Andrew and Monte are way better than us. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 01 Nov 2023 | #52 - Ed Clifford & Dawn Roberts | Five Years of Dominance at Bubba's Backyard Ultra | 01:32:56 | |
Ed Clifford is an ultramarathon runner from New Hampshire. He competes in many different formats of ultramarathons, but is best known for being the only person to finish Bubba's Backyard Ultramarathon (winning all five years the event has taken place). Most recently, he took down yours truly to win his fifth title. Ed, along with his wife and incredible crew chief Dawn, have found incredible success and community at Bubba's and in the greater New England ultra community. I had a lot of fun unpacking Ed's story, and I hope you all enjoy too. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 16 Nov 2023 | #53 - Andrew Drummond | 100 Straight Days Summiting Mount Washington | 01:34:02 | |
Andrew Drummond is a runner, skier, hiker, mountain athlete, and owner of Ski/Run the Whites, and he's based out of Jackson, New Hampshire. He's a staple of White Mountains culture, and he has gained popularity not only for his enormous efforts, but for documenting and sharing them as well. His latest project entailed summiting Mount Washington 100 days in a row, which is the main subject of today's episode. Find Andrew on Strava and on Instagram @sr_drummond, and check out www.skithewhites.com. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 29 Nov 2023 | #54 - Jordan Fields and Lucy Skinner | The Dartmouth 50 | 01:54:29 | |
Jordan Fields and *Dr.* Lucy Skinner are a power couple of trail running, up until recently based out of New Hampshire but now gracing Idaho with their presence. They hold the fastest recorded male and female times on the Dartmouth 50, an iconic stretch of Appalachian Trail and a northeast trail running route that is steeped in history. The 50 has a rich and complex history, and in this episode we cover their efforts, some of the history of the route, and some of our thoughts about what's been gained and lost with the rise of FKT. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 13 Dec 2023 | #55 - Q&A #3 ft. Xander Keiter | Ski The East Controversy, Is "Gridding" Adventurous?, and How to Know if You're Ready for a Big Effort | 01:33:15 | |
Xander is back on the pod and we're here to answer your questions! We cover a broad range of topics, from the beer mile to Ski The East to Gridding as adventure and much more. Follow the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry. Follow Xander on Strava and on Instagram @xkeiter2. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 03 Jan 2024 | #56 - Winter Hut Traverse FKT ft. Xander Keiter | 01:26:09 | |
On December 23rd, I set the Winter fastest known time on the White Mountains Hut Traverse. On this episode, Xander and I sit down to discuss this effort and Winter efforts generally. Find Xander on Instagram @xkieter2, and find the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry. Send me hate mail at fromthebackcountry@gmail.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 17 Jan 2024 | #57 - Billy "Wahoo" Meredith | Calendar Year Triple Crown FKT | 01:29:19 | |
Billy "Wahoo" Meredith is a thru-hiker from Georgia who spent 234 days between May 2nd and December 22nd breaking the record for the Calendar Year Triple Crown (Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail in a calendar year). On his journey he averaged 32 miles per day and backpacked about 7500 miles through every imaginable condition. It was a monumental and life-altering effort, and we talk all about it in this episode. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 31 Jan 2024 | #58 - Philip Carcia | Part 1 - New Hampshire 4,000 Footers Winter FKT | 01:26:28 | |
Philip Carcia is a distance athlete, hiker, backpacker, and content creator from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. From December 22nd through December 27th, Philip and Andrew Soares set a new speed record on the New Hampshire 48, summiting all of the mountains in 5 days, 18 hours, 58 minutes. As usual, Philip and I went super long, so I'm splitting this episode into two. We talk all about the effort, his year in review, Winter records generally, and more. Tune in a couple weeks from now to hear part 2. Find Philip on social media @findingphilip. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 14 Feb 2024 | #59 - Philip Carcia | Part 2 - New Hampshire 4,000 Footers Winter FKT | 01:38:22 | |
Philip Carcia is a distance athlete, hiker, backpacker, and content creator from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. From December 22nd through December 27th, Philip and Andrew Soares set a new Winter speed record on the New Hampshire 48, finishing in 5 days, 18 hours, 58 minutes. This is part 2 and a direct continuation of our conversation from the last episode, so if you haven't already, I would recommend listening to part 1 first! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 28 Feb 2024 | #60 - Lila Gaudrault | Maine Marathon Winner, Cape Cod Traverse and Eastern Trail FKTs, and New Contender in Northeast Running | 01:09:07 | |
Lila Gaudrault is a 21 year-old ultra-runner and nursing student based out of Maine. Lila already has a bunch of incredibly impressive efforts to her name, including 10 FKTs, multiple outright ultramarathon wins, and first place woman in the 2022 Maine Marathon. During this episode we talk about her story and training, how she's been able to make herself such a competitive ultra-runner at such a young age, and goals and upcoming efforts. Follow Lila on Strava and on Instagram @lilagaudrault Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 20 Mar 2024 | #61 - Dirt Dialogues #1 | Paul Johnson's Transcontinental Run Controversy | 01:16:24 | |
Welcome to a new series called Dirt Dialogues, where Xander Keiter and I talk about various topics in the trail and ultra-running scene. This week we're talking about the controversy surrounding Paul Johnson's transcontinental run. Find Paul on Instagram @pauijohnson. You can find all of the information about his run and about Team Red White and Blue (the charity Paul is raising money for) at www.pauljohnson.run Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 05 Apr 2024 | #62 - Dirt Dialogues #2 | Conditioning for the Vertically Oriented Distance Runner | 01:06:00 | |
I think we might write a book by the title of this podcast. Welcome to Dirt Dialogues #2, the series where Xander Keiter and I talk anything and everything trail and ultra-running related. In this episode, we take a dive into training methods and strategies. We hope you all enjoy, and let us know what topics you'd like to see us cover in this series. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 17 Apr 2024 | #63 - Dirt Dialogues #3 | Northeast Trail Racing and FKT 2024 Preview Episode 1 | 01:24:11 | |
On this weeks episode Xander and I chat about some of the upcoming races and publicly known FKT attempts going down in the summer of 2024. We cover a bunch of cool races being hosted by companies such as White Mountains Endurance, Run the Whites, Race Mozey, and Tru-Strength Athletics. There are a ton of races and efforts happening out there, and we certainly did not fit everything into one episode. We plan to cover more as the summer goes on, as well as covering specific races and FKT attempts as they happen! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 08 May 2024 | #64 - Dirt Dialogues #4 | HOT TAKES (No Clickbait) For Summer 2024 | 01:13:25 | |
Dirt Dialogues are back baby and this week Xander and I are giving you spicy hot takes for the Summer 2024 trail running season. He have some of our own takes, and we go through some hot takes submitted by you all. We also do some mid-Cocodona 250 reactions. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 22 May 2024 | #65 - Kristian Morgan | Appalachian Trail FKT Attempt Pre-Effort Conversation | 01:27:22 | |
We're back baby! This week Xander and I chat with Kristian Morgan, who holds the second and third fastest times on the Appalachian Trail (and the southbound FKT). This year, Kristian is again returning to the AT to attempt the Northbound and overall FKT. We talk to Kristian extensively about his preparation, planning, and why he believes this will be the year he takes down the overall record. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 12 Jun 2024 | #66 - Jack Kuenzle | Mont Blanc Ski Record | 01:48:51 | |
Jack Kuenzle is a mountain athlete based out of a van. Jack and Anna DeMonte have spent the last 4-5 months living out of a van in Europe and training to go after the round rip speed record on Mont Blanc from Chamonix. They each came up just barely shy of the men's and women's overall running records, but both set incredibly stout new skiing records. Jack returns to the podcast for his 3rd appearance to discuss his effort and much more. If you want more Jack content, go check out episodes #15 and #41 where we chat about his FKTs on the White Mountains 100 and Mount Rainier. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 26 Jun 2024 | #67 - Larsen Ojala | New Hampshire Appalachian Trail FKT | 01:28:55 | |
Larsen Ojala is a mountain athlete based out of New Hampshire. Larsen has taken on multiple large projects in the Whites, including FKTs on the Double Presidential Traverse, Triple Pemi Loop, and Lodge to Dodge, as well as being the third known person to complete the White Mountains 100. Most recently, Larsen took on the New Hampshire section of the Appalachian Trail in a single push, completing the 161 miles and 56,000 feet of vertical in 3 days, 1 hour, 37 minutes. Find Larsen on Strava and on Instagram @larsenojala Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 10 Jul 2024 | #68 - Nick Fowler | Pacific Crest Trail, Oregon Coast Trail, and more | 02:14:18 | |
Nick Fowler is a multi-day athlete based in the midwest, but who does most of his racing on FKT routes out on the west coast. Nick is best known for his 2023 self-supported FKT on the PCT, a mind-blowing effort that ran him 52 hours, 9 days, and 18 minutes. We talk a lot about this effort and why he's planning to return to the PCT in 2025. Nick turned the tables and asked me a lot of questions, so have some fun with that. Find Nick on Instagram @nick.fowler.says.hi Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 24 Jul 2024 | #69 - Deanna Doane | Grafton Notch Loop FKT | 01:01:49 | |
Deanna Doane is a trail runner from Florida who has strong roots in western Maine. Over the past two years, Deanna has raced the Grafton Notch Loop twice, setting new women's FKTs both runs on this hidden gem of a competitive running route. We talk all about her effort, the Grafton Notch Loop as a whole, and more! Find Deanna on Strava and on Instagram @wandering.sunflower Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 07 Aug 2024 | #70 - Jigger Johnson First Place Interviews | Keith Nadeau, Mead Binhammer, Lauren Gregory, Dan Curts, and Larisa Dannis MacFadden | 02:07:16 | |
Time Stamps: Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 08 Aug 2024 | #71 - Tara Dower | Appalachian Trail FKT Attempt Pre-Effort Conversation | 01:00:45 | |
On the heels of finishing 15th overall and 4th woman at Hardrock 100, prolific ultra-runner and backpacker Tara Dower returns to the podcast to discuss her upcoming south-bound Appalachian Trail FKT attempt, which is starting this coming Saturday, August 10th 2024. She is looking to bring together her thru-hiking experience as well as her experience setting big FKTs on trails like the Colorado Trail to take down perhaps the biggest FKT of them all. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 21 Aug 2024 | #72 - Kristian Morgan | Appalachian Trail FKT Attempt Post-Effort Conversation | 01:18:01 | |
Kristian Morgan is a multi-day endurance athlete who holds the second and third fastest times on the Appalachian Trail (and the southbound FKT). This year, Kristian again returned to the AT to attempt the Northbound and overall FKT. He made it to Maine ahead of record pace but was ultimately derailed by injury. We chat with Kristian about his effort and his plans to return to the AT for a 6th attempt in 2025. You can find Kristian on social media @kristianultra. You can also find his website at https://www.kristianultra.com/ Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 11 Sep 2024 | #73 - Long Trail FKT | Ann & Eric Peterson, Annika Ringen, Cal Hale, Ed Clifford, and Xander Keiter | 02:26:53 | |
At 10am on August 28th, I set out with a group of over 30 northeast locals to attempt a supported FKT on the Vermont Long Trail. We would finish the trail 3 days, 21 hours, and 9 minutes later, taking over 7 hours of the FKT and being the first run of the Long Trail to be under 4 days. I covered a lot of my individual perspective of the run over on the Singletrack podcast, and I will cover the nuts and bolts in a detailed trip report (to be released very soon). This podcast is a little different. In this podcast, I brought together the 6 crew/pacers who were out there with me for the entirety of the effort and hear stories from many different perspectives of this effort. It was a pleasure to get this group together one more time to hear the stories that I wasn't privy to as the runner. I hope you all enjoy our conversation! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 25 Sep 2024 | #74 - Scott Benerofe | White Mountains Triple | 02:31:30 | |
Scott Benerofe is a backpacker and ultra-runner based out of Vermont. Scott has some pretty insane efforts to his name, including a winter Appalachian Trail thru-hike (see episode #20). In late July, Scott went out and established a route that he calls the White Mountains Triple, which is a 100-mile linkup of the Pemi Loop, Presidential Traverse, and Mahoosuc Traverse, all on foot. The route boasts 35,000 feet of elevation gain and some of the gnarliest terrain that New England has to offer. We talk all about his effort in this episode. We also talk about the recent controversy on the Grand Teton FKT, Tara Dower's historic FKT on the Appalachian Trail, and more. Find Scott on Strava and Instagram @scottbenerofe Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 16 Oct 2024 | #75 - Tara Dower | Appalachian Trail Overall FKT | 01:40:03 | |
Tara Dower is a professional ultra runner and thru-hiker who is making her third appearance on the podcast (see episodes #50 and #71). In September, Tara and her crew set the overall Fastest Known Time on the Appalachian Trail, taking six days off the women's record, five days off the southbound record, and over 13 hours off of the overall record set in 2018 by Karel Sabbe. We talk all about her record, answer listener questions, and more. Find Tara on Instagram @tara.dower Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 23 Oct 2024 | #76 - Top 25 FKT Routes in the Northeast | 01:35:25 | |
There are hundreds if not thousands of FKT routes out there. Outside of the very limited premier routes list on the FKT website, how are you supposed to tell which routes are the most competitive and important? That is a question that Will and Xander hope to begin to tackle with their Northeast Premier Routes project. They polled dozens of Northeast FKT athletes to figure out which routes are most important to people, and in this episode they break down the results and bring a spotlight to the routes that matter most to athletes in the Northeast region. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 30 Oct 2024 | #77 - David Hedges | WURL FKT (Wasatch Ultimate Ridge Linkup) | 01:04:45 | |
David Hedges is a mountain runner who has made a name for himself with top performances in races and FKTs alike. You likely know him from his incredible FKT on Nolan's 14 last year. Most recently, David set the FKT on the WURL, an incredibly gnarly FKT route outside Salt Lake City which boasts 36 extremely technical miles and over 20,000 feet of vertical. Blake Bekken and SOAR Running put out a great short video recording the effort, which you should definitely watch before listening to this conversation. Link to that video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrMWx-M04WM&t=226s Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 06 Nov 2024 | #78 - FKT Roundup #1 | Arizona Trail Bonanza! | 00:27:56 | |
Welcome to the FKT Roundup, a new segment where Xander and Will (or just Xander, in this case) bring you the latest news from the FKT scene. We plan to bring you these episodes in addition to the bi-weekly athlete interviews that you know and love. This week Xander talks about all of the ongoing efforts on the Arizona Trail, as well as other recent FKTs! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 13 Nov 2024 | #79 - Josie Fisher and David Sinclair | Mount Washington Ascent Records (Run the Whites Challenge) | 00:56:37 | |
Josie Fisher and David Sinclair are mountain athletes based out of New Hampshire and Vermont. They are each incredibly accomplished in both the mountain running and skimo worlds, and they threw down great times during the Run the Whites TRT throw-down challenge, minting new fastest known male and female ascents of Mount Washington. Find them on Instagram @josephinefisher and @david.a.sinclair.92 Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 20 Nov 2024 | #80 - FKT Roundup #2 | Allison Mercer Talks FKT | 00:57:52 | |
Welcome back to the FKT roundup! I don't know if you heard, but some crazy stuff has gone down on the Arizona Trail! New FKT Round-up co-host and FKT dictator Allison Mercer is here to talk about all things FKT. Hope you enjoy! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 22 Nov 2024 | #81 - Nick Fowler | Arizona Trail FKT (Overall and Self-Supported) | 01:21:14 | |
Nick Fowler is a multi-day athlete who is quickly solidifying himself as one of the best in the FKT scene. He has set FKTs on the Pacific Crest Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, Oregon Coast Trail, and the Ozark Trail. Most recently, Nick set the overall FKT on the Arizona Trail while doing it self-supported. He covered the 800 miles in 12 days, 17 hours, 33 minutes. Xander and I talk to Nick about his monumental effort and so much more. Find Nick on Instagram @nick.fowler.says.hi Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 04 Dec 2024 | #82 - Heather Anderson | Arizona Trail Unsupported FKT | 01:04:11 | |
Heather Anderson is a legend of the multi-day endurance scene. She has set FKTs on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Triple Crown, and many more. Most recently, Heather became the second known person to hike the Arizona Trail in an unsupported fashion, also setting the unsupported FKT. In this episode Xander and Will talk with her about this incredible effort. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 20 Dec 2024 | #83 - New England Trail Scene Year in Review + FKT Ethics | 01:15:22 | |
A ton of cool stuff happened in the New England trail scene this year. In this episode Will breaks down some of the absolute best effort from this year. Will also goes on an extended rant about FKT ethics. What efforts did we miss!? Send us a DM on Instagram @fromthebackcountry or send us an email at fromthebackcountry@gmail.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 24 Dec 2024 | #84 - FKT Year In Review 2024 | Singletrack Podcast Episode w/ Jack Kuenzle and Finn Melanson | 02:05:49 | |
This is an episode from the Singletrack Podcast, hosted by Finn Melanson. Please go check out his podcast if you haven't already, it's a fantastic show for all things in the trail running world! Recently Jack Kuenzle and I (Will Peterson) went on Singletrack with Finn to give our takes on the 2024 FKT season and look forward to 2025. Rather than recording a separate episode for this podcast that would rehash many of the same topics, Finn was nice enough to allow me to share our conversation here! I hope you all enjoy. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 08 Jan 2025 | #85 - Bond Almand IV | Pan American Cycling Record | 01:34:01 | |
Bond Almand IV is a 20 year old endurance cyclist and undergraduate at Dartmouth College. This Summer/Fall, he biked from the top of North America to the tip of South America in a mere 75 days, a 14,000+ mile challenge called the Pan American cycling route. On the way he obliterated both the supported and self-supported speed records while himself being self-supported. Bond's story is an incredible one of mental perseverance and overcoming treacherous obstacles. I hope you all enjoy! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 22 Jan 2025 | #86 - Xander Keiter | Eastern Trail FKT | 01:07:06 | |
Xander Keiter returns to the podcast to talk about his new speedy record on the eastern trail, a 65 mile route that connects Portsmouth, New Hampshire and South Portland, Maine. He ran the route in about 8.5 hours, clocking sub 8 minute mile pace overall and taking almost 40 minutes off the FKT. In this episode we talk about this effort and his upcoming running plans for 2025. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 05 Feb 2025 | #87 - Andrew Drummond & Chris Shane | White Mountains Ski Culture and Last Skier Standing | 01:04:38 | |
Andrew Drummond is a local skier, content creator, and owner of White Mountains Ski Co in Jackson, NH. Chris Shane is a filmmaker & photographer documenting outdoor adventure & humans driving social change. Together they have documented some absolutely amazing ski efforts and moments in the White Mountains in hope of bringing these experiences to more people. Follow them and find their adventures on Instagram @chrismshane and @sr_drummond Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 19 Feb 2025 | #88 - Lukas Janulaitis | Last Skier Standing 2025 Winner | 01:03:09 | |
Lukas Janulaitis is an ultramarathon runner and skier from New Hampshire. At 23 year old, Lukas has achieved multiple top 5 finishes at both Bubba's Backyard Ultramarathon and Last Skier Standing, as well as a 6th place finish at the Swiss Alps 100 miler. Most recently, Lukas won Last Skier Standing 2025, during which he skied for 71 hours and over 80,000 feet of vertical until everyone else quit. In this episode we talk about this effort, Lukas' development as an athlete, and his plans for the future. Follow Lukas on Strava and on Instagram @lukasj.11. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 05 Mar 2025 | #89 - The New FKT Premier Routes List with Allison Mercer | 01:00:54 | |
Allison Mercer is an elite athlete as well as the director of Fastest Known Time. Recently FKT revamped their premier route list to include more routes, adding the SCAR in the United States and then expanding the list worldwide to include incredible routes such as Mont Blanc, Mount Fuji, Te Araroa, Camino de Santiago, Kilimanjaro, and more. During this episode we talk about the new list, how it came about, and answer questions from listeners. Find Allison on instagram @onewomandanceparty. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 19 Mar 2025 | #90 - Barkley Marathons Have Begun and Mailbag Q&A | 00:48:06 | |
The podcast returns with a new mysterious co-host to talk about the ongoing Barkley Marathons and to answer your questions! If you want us to answer your questions in future episodes of the mailbag, submit your questions via DM to the Instagram page @fromthebackcountry or email us at fromthebackcountry@gmail.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 23 Mar 2025 | #91 - Barkley Marathons Reaction | No Finishers, is the Course Impossible? | 00:23:04 | |
The Barkley Marathons came and went this year with no finishers and only one fun run finisher, the great John Kelly. Will gives his reaction to the event and discusses the elephant in the room - is the Barkley now impossible? Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order | |||
| 17 Apr 2025 | #93 - Ryan Atkins | Tuckerman Inferno Winner | 00:47:24 | |
Ryan Atkins is a multi-sport athlete who has earned a reputation for success as an endurance athlete, climber, cyclist, OCR champion, and more. Ryan has set multiple incredible FKTs including the Presidential Traverse, Great Range Traverse, Adirondack 46, Mount Washington Ascent, and many more. Most recently, Ryan headed over to Mount Washington for the annual classic the Tuckerman Inferno, where he took home first place overall. We talk all about this effort and much more in this episode! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/ | |||
| 02 Apr 2025 | #92 - Philip Carcia | Quadruple Single Season Winter NH 48 4000 Footers | 01:43:23 | |
Philip Carcia is a hiker, athlete, and content creator from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. His accomplishments the single year NH48 Grid, single season White Mountains Guide, and now the first Quadruple Single Season Winter NH 48 4000 Footers hike. Philip chats with Xander and Will about his most recent accomplishment and what it takes to be completely dedicated to a set of mountains. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/ | |||