Free Outside

Endurance sports give me structure when life feels chaotic. Miles are measurable. Effort makes sense. Pain feels productive. For a while, that clarity can feel like purpose.In this episode, I zoom out on the uncomfortable truth that endurance sports have limits. The miles don’t fix self-worth, resolve identity, or heal everything we try to bury under training. I talk about what happens when the goal stops working, not because of injury or burnout, but because motivation quietly expires. Through stories from the Calendar Year Triple Crown, the Great Western Loop, and learning to slow down, this is an honest look at why I chase big goals and how I’m trying to keep doing hard things for the right reasons.Sponsors: Sawyer, Janji, Garage Grown Gear, CS Instant Coffee.Support our Sponsors: Sawyer: https://www.sawyer.com/Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffeeGarage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8abChapters00:00 The Journey into Endurance Sports02:58 Understanding Motivation and Its Limits12:01 The Role of Endurance Sports in Self-Discovery18:43 Finding Meaning Beyond Goals26:12 Reflecting on Personal Growth and Future DirectionsSubscribe 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 [email protected] 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

I didn’t expect to win FKT of the Year for the Appalachian Trail, but here we are.This video is not about splits, miles per day, or how fast the record was. It’s about the decade-long path that led to it. From leaving college in 2011 and discovering thru-hiking, to years of chasing adventure while trying to fit into a traditional career, to hitting some of the lowest points of my life, including suicidal depression, and finding my way back through the outdoors.The Appalachian Trail has been a thread running through my entire adult life. The structure of long days, defined goals, resupply points, and moving forward one step at a time makes sense to my brain in a way the outside world often doesn’t. Trails gave me a place to belong when I didn’t feel like I fit anywhere else.I also talk honestly about 2020, canceled plans, working at a grocery store, feeling like a failure, and how nothing about this journey was overnight. Just chipping away, year after year, at something I loved, even when it felt impossible.We also raised over $43,000 for the Trevor Project during this FKT. That mattered more to me than any award. It was proof that people care, that kindness is real, and that we all belong, even when things feel loud, divided, or overwhelming.This is a reflection on why the doing matters more than the accomplishment, why praise is hard for me to sit with, and why I believe if you truly love something, you’re willing to keep showing up for it, regardless of the outcome.Thank you to everyone who supported this journey, donated, followed along, and showed kindness.Sponsors and supporters:SawyerJanjiGarage Grown GearCS CoffeeReadyWiseMount to coastAs always, we can all be our own version of elite.Stay elite, my friends.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 [email protected] 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

The conversation revolves around the Jeffrey Awards, celebrating achievements in ultra running, including new race directors, controversies, tragic FKTs, and the Walker of the Year award. The hosts discuss various nominees and their stories, highlighting the challenges and triumphs within the ultra running community. In this engaging conversation, Jeff Garmire and Derrick Lytle explore various themes in ultra running, including speed debates, the merits of double versus single track, and the significance of awards in the community. The Jeffrey Awards – Categories & NomineesMost Obvious New Race DirectorJoe CorcioneTim TollefsonDylan Bowman (added a 100K, Big Alta)Carl Laniak (took over Barkley Marathons)Finn Melanson (Antelope Island Buffalo Run)We Should Be Your Publicist AwardGrand Slam TrackCandice Burt2025 IAU 50K World Championships (canceled two weeks out)Black Canyon 100K (cheating scandal)Most Tragic FKTBecca Bergstrom – multiple PCT attempts, quick failuresJohn Kelly – quit the AT a few hundred miles from the endKristian Morgan – approximately his 128th AT attemptEric Hallsten – quit Washington after averaging ~70 MPDKrista Hallsten – fastest supported double TRT, not recognized, therefore “doesn’t count”Walker of the YearA.J. Waller (Cocodona 250)Matt Johnson (Texas 1000)Troy Croxdale (“Punisher”)Madison Blagden (“Peg Leg”)Andrea Moore (six 200+ mile races)Lyla Harrod (Appalachian Trail FKT)Finally It Happened AwardKilian Jornet uses unlimited resources for an unmatchable FKTFrançois D’Haene loses an FKT (Nolan’s 14 to David Hedges)Ryan Montgomery finally earns a Golden Ticket after global race hoppingSalt Lake City gets a Western States winnerFastest Camera OperatorJacob BantaDrew DarbyDerrick LyttleJeff PelletierMatt ShapiroForgot It Happened AwardSeth Ruhling course record at Black CanyonChipotle ShowdownDavid Roche ran Western States (kind of)Unbreakable movie attemptGorge 100K Worlds qualifierCourtney Dauwalter DNF at CocodonaDouble Track vs Singletrack AwardDouble TrackSingletrackWho Is That AwardWill MurraySarah Perry (395 miles)Caitriona Jennings (Tunnel Hill, 100-mile world record)Most Destroyed TrailAny trail an e-bike touchesArizona TrailOwner of Zona (King of Arizona)Candice Burt – Arizona MonsterJamil Coury – AravaipaAbby Hall – Western StatesJim WalmsleySadie Curry – AZT FKTCourtney Dauwalter vs Jim Walmsley AwardEast Coaster of the YearDan Green (Cocodona)Canyon Woodward (Golden Ticket)David SinclairTori Constantine (“Chewy”, Long Trail FKT)Xander KeiterAndrew Drummond (White Mountain Direttissima)Weird Moment of the YearDavid Roche giving up his Golden TicketCandice Burt doxxing someone on livestreamKilian Jornet crowd sourcing his next FKTMost Air Time AwardChris WardenLeah YinglingA.J. WallerCorrine MalcolmJoe CorcioneHypocritical Hero AwardMichelino Sunseri pardonedRuth Chepngetich doping ban one year after world recordHayden Hawks Ultra Runner of the Year AwardCaleb OlsonHans TroyerJeff MogaveroTara DowerKatie SchideAbby HallMegan Eckert (six-day world record, 603 miles)Bezos Most Expensive Breakup AwardKatie Schide leaving TNFJeff Browning leaving AltraTrend of the YearIcy kiddie poolsLying about Zone 2 paceMoving across the countryLivestream everythingRunning a marathon againInfluencer of the YearDavid PoachNick BareDavid GogginsCam HanesJeff PelletierMike WardianMax JolliffeMost Pointless MilesJamil CouryKevin RussMatt JohnsonAndy GlazeDerrick Lytle AwardJeff of the Year (Audience Nominated)Jeff MogaveroJeff GallowayJeff GarmireKatie SchideSupport our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffeeGarage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab

Jeff Colt is back, calling in from Carbondale with a mission to help rehabilitate the name “Jeff” one mountain town conversation at a time. We start with winter training reality in ski country, how to keep momentum when the days are short, the “subsistence” weeks that quietly save your season, and the eternal debate of pants, tights, and looking cool versus staying warm. From there it turns into a bigger conversation about identity, planning, uncertainty, and why the simplest answer sometimes is “we just have Jeff,” so we might as well make it a good one.Then we head straight into the good stuff, the White Mountains and the Mahoosuc Traverse, where “running” becomes scrambling, crawling, and three points of contact through the Mahoosuc Notch. Jeff breaks down the history and the legends (including Chris Getz and the steak stop), why style matters as much as speed in FKTs, and how different eras and ethics shape what we celebrate. We close with one of the most fun tangents of the whole Month of Jeff, what it is really like working in the AMC huts, from responsibility in dangerous weather to full-on blanket-folding skits, including Harry Potter and Frozen, all in service of three sacred rules: fold the blankets, pack out the trash, and tip the hut crew.Support our Sponsors: Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffeeGarage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8abChapters00:00 The Jeff Identity Crisis06:19 Winter Training in Mountain Towns09:18 Exploring the Mahusik Range12:37 The Legacy of Chris Getz15:27 Navigating the Mahusik Notch18:29 Style and FKT Philosophy22:00 The Challenge of Self-Supported FKTs24:56 Planning and Uncertainty in Adventure27:57 The Evolution of Trail Running Style42:22 Exploring Style in Trail Running44:16 The Debate on Supported vs. Unsupported47:43 The Evolution of Trail Running50:54 Killian Jornet: The Pinnacle of Trail Running54:43 Authenticity in Trail Running58:30 The Role of Creativity in Trail Running01:03:31 Life Lessons from Working in the HutsSubscribe 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 [email protected] 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

This week on the Free Outside Podcast, I am joined by Jeff Eklund, an “ordinary Jeff” calling in from North Carolina who quickly proves he is anything but ordinary. We kick things off with a Jeff quiz show where every answer is a different Jeff, and it immediately derails into the best kind of chaos.Jeff shares his winding path into running, including randomly ripping a 3:16 at Chicago in his 40s, qualifying for Boston (and skipping it because life happened), then stepping away before coming back strong after knee replacements. He talks about what it felt like to start running again, why he refuses to accept “don’t run” as a life sentence, and his current mission to break two hours in the half marathon while stalking the competition on Strava like a proper veteran.Then we shift into the second life arc, Jeff and his wife selling basically everything during COVID, moving into a 27-foot Airstream, and traveling to 47 states. We talk minimalism, Facebook Marketplace hustle, getting “pulled around” the country by life, and the underrated places that surprised him most, from Rhode Island to Arizona to the hidden gems of Nebraska.Somewhere in the middle, Jeff goes full historian and takes us deep into his obsession with Theodore Roosevelt (the strenuous life, Rough Riders lore, the teddy bear origin story, and meeting a TR impersonator in North Dakota that turns into a legit hike). We also get a side quest on Fred Harvey restaurants, Harvey Girls, and old-school American road culture, plus a list of roadside oddities that feels like a hallucination timeline from mile 20 of a marathon.We wrap with a quick masterclass in sales (relationships, listening, and handling rejection), lessons Jeff wishes he knew when he was younger, and a perfect cherry on top story about Brooks customer service, a surprise signed Scott Jurek book, and the greatest accidental Instagram mix-up of all time.If you like running, reinvention, road trips, American history tangents, and a guest who can turn one question into six stories, this one is for you.Chapters00:00 The Jeff Quiz Show Begins04:52 Jeff Eklund's Journey into Running07:49 Overcoming Challenges and Finding Motivation10:50 The Impact of Family on Running13:45 Rediscovering the Love for Running16:42 Transitioning to Life in an Airstream19:28 Selling Everything and Embracing Minimalism22:23 Exploring the Open Road and Human Connection24:56 Theodore Roosevelt: A Personal Connection26:29 Meeting the Impersonator: A Unique Encounter28:47 The Legacy of Theodore Roosevelt30:23 The Teddy Bear Origin Story31:40 The Strenuous Life Philosophy33:40 Fred Harvey and the Railroad Era37:24 The Harvey Girls: Pioneers of the West39:07 Underrated States: Personal Reflections41:34 Hidden Gems in the Midwest45:20 Exploring Unique Destinations48:13 The Art of Selling50:29 Reflections on Youth and Education55:10 Customer Service and Personal Connections01:00:18 Celebrating Ordinary HeroesSubscribe 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 [email protected] 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