Episodes

3d ago

Jeff Colt is a professional ultra-runner with On who has some incredibly big efforts to his name including a top 10 finish at Western States, the Hut Traverse FKT, and much more. Most recently, Jeff went out and set the FKT on the Mahoosuc Traverse, a Northeast premiere route that is steeped in trail running history. He took around 40 minutes off the already incredible record set by Hillary Gerardi. In this episode we discuss Jeff's Mahoosuc Traverse and much more! SPONSORS! ​Infinit Nutrition: Use code FROMTHEBACKCOUNTRY at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order​ Burgeon Outdoor: Check out Burgeon's incredible and locally made hiking apparel in Lincoln NH or at burgeonoutdoor.com, and let them know we sent you!!​ Janji: Use code FROMTHEBACKCOUNTRY at janji.com for 10% off your entire order and let them know we sent you at checkout!

Dec 3

The Mount Ascutney Vertical Backyard Ultra is a last person standing style race in which participants climb 1209 feet of vertical every hour (with 2.25 miles) until there is only one person left standing. 24 hours is equal to the elevation of Mount Everest, but this race went far beyond that. In this episode, we talk with finisher Conor Brown and assister Bill Tidd who ran over 200 miles and over 100,000 feet of vertical in 90 and 89 hours. We are joined by race directors Eli Burakian and Justin Chapman of Northeast Trail Adventures to break down the race. SPONSORS! ​Infinit Nutrition: Use code FROMTHEBACKCOUNTRY at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order​ Burgeon Outdoor: Check out Burgeon's incredible and locally made hiking apparel in Lincoln NH or at burgeonoutdoor.com, and let them know we sent you!!​ Janji: Use code FROMTHEBACKCOUNTRY at janji.com for 10% off your entire order and let them know we sent you at checkout!

Nov 19

Bubba's Backyard Ultra is a last person standing style race held each year in Center Conway, NH by Run The Whites. In this race participants must finish a 3.5 mile loop once per hour, and the last runner standing wins. This year saw more competition than ever before with 7 people going over 42 hours. In this episode Will interviews Lukas Janulaitis and Aaron Copeland, the 1st and 2nd place runners. Enjoy! SPONSORS! ​Infinit Nutrition: Use code FROMTHEBACKCOUNTRY at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order​ Burgeon Outdoor: Check out Burgeon's incredible and locally made hiking apparel in Lincoln NH or at burgeonoutdoor.com, and let them know we sent you!!​ Janji: Use code FROMTHEBACKCOUNTRY at janji.com for 10% off your entire order and let them know we sent you at checkout!

Nov 5

Bubba's Backyard Ultra is a last person standing style race held each year in Center Conway, NH by Run The Whites. In this race participants must finish a 3.5 mile loop once per hour, and the last runner standing wins. This year saw more competition than ever before with 7 people going over 42 hours. In this episode Will interviews Katie Melsky and Erica Notini, the 3rd and 4th place runners and the top women in the race. Enjoy! SPONSORS! ​Infinit Nutrition: Use code FROMTHEBACKCOUNTRY at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order ​Burgeon Outdoor: Check out Burgeon's incredible and locally made hiking apparel in Lincoln NH or at burgeonoutdoor.com, and let them know we sent you!! ​Janji: Use code FROMTHEBACKCOUNTRY at janji.com for 10% off your entire order and let them know we sent you at checkout!

Oct 22

Finn Melanson is an accomplished ultramarathon runner and host of the Singletrack podcast and media company. In September, Finn went out to the woods of northern Maine and set a new unsupported FKT on the Hundred Mile Wilderness in 28 hours 43 minutes. Finn, Xander, and I talk all about his effort in this episode and more! Find Finn on Strava and on social media platforms by looking up Singletrack. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire orderpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Oct 10

A few weeks ago, I (Will) went over to Italy with my amazing friends and crew to run Tor des Géants. The race didn't go the way I wanted, ultimately ending with a DNF due to pneumonia. In this episode I break down the final stages of training, the race itself, and answer your questions. Thanks to all of you for following along.

Oct 8

Amber Constant is an endurance athlete based out of the White Mountains. She has put down multiple insane efforts this year including a 10-pack of Liberty and Flume in a single effort and the overall FKT for the New Hampshire section of Appalachian Trail. Most recently she became the first known person to complete a "yo-yo" of the White Mountains 100 in a single push. In this episode we talk about all three of these efforts and more! Find Amber on Strava and on Instagram @constant0413 Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Sep 17

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) and a single push link-up of the Pemi Loop, Presi Traverse, and Mahoosuc Traverse (see episode #74). In early August, Scott went out and took over 14 hours off of the unsupported FKT for the Adirondack 46 High Peaks. It is a gnarly challenge that pushed Scott 190+ miles with 70,000 feet of vertical. It is also the #10 ranked Northeast Region Notable Routes for FKTs. Xander and Will talk with Scott all about his effort in this episode. Find Scott on Strava. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Sep 3

John Kelly is a prolific ultrarunner known for three finishes at the Barkley Marathons, winning the Winter Spine Race, FKTs on the Pennine Way, Long Trail, and Wainwrights 214, and more. Most recently John was ahead of record pace 1900 miles into an Appalachian Trail FKT attempt when his attempt ended in the Whites due to injury. Both special guest host (and White Mountains Legend) Bill Tidd and I (Will) were with him that weekend when it all went down. In this episode we talk about John's AT effort, the upcoming Tor des Géants that all three of us are running, and the Barkley Marathons. Find them both on Strava and find John on Instagram @randomforestrunner. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

Aug 20

Tori "Chewy" Constantine is a thru-hiker from the Upper Valley who has extensive backpacking experience including thru-hikes of the Long Trail, Appalachian Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail. Most recently Tori set a new women's unsupported record on the Long Trail, a premier FKT route that is 272 miles long with almost 70,000 feet of vertical spanning the entire state of Vermont. She took 16 hours off of the previous record, coming in at 5 days, 19 hours, 29 minutes. Find Tori on Strava and on Instagram @tconstantine3 Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

Aug 8

Jack Kuenzle is a prolific mountain athlete and coach for Evoke Endurance. He has collected FKTs like Jeep drivers collect those weird dashboard thingies, including FKTs on Mont Blanc, Denali, the Bob Graham Round, the Presidential Traverse, Hut Traverse, Great Range Traverse, Devils Path, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, Mt. Shasta, and more. Jack is becoming my ultra-running coach in the lead-up to me running Tor des Geants in September, and this is the second of our coaching conversations in the lead-up. Go listen to episode #98 for our first conversation, and look out for #3 in early September. Link to Jack's "Advice on Nutrition" document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oUl7v8faXhCIEbx3NMMRBDioC51WgoHoebM3KkvuBbM/edit?tab=t.0 Find Evoke Endurance at https://evokeendurance.com/ and @evokeendurance on Instagram. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

Aug 6

Maia Buckingham and Xander Keiter are no strangers to the Northeast FKT scenes. They have both proven their metal time and again on gnarly routes and epic efforts in New England. Recently, both went out with the goal of setting new FKTs on the Hundred Mile Wilderness, and both succeeded in taking significant time off the records. We talk all about their efforts in this episode! Find them both on Strava and on Instagram @xkeiter2 and @moost.r Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

Jul 23

Andrew Drummond is a runner, skier, hiker, mountain athlete, content creator, and owner of Run the Whites/White Mountain Ski Co. He wears a great number of hats in the White Mountains community, from athlete to entrepreneur to race director. Most recently, Andrew went out a broke the record for the Unsupported New Hampshire 4,000 Footers, also known as the White Mountains Direttissima. He broke the record set by yours truly (Will) in 2020 by over 14 hours. In the conversation we talk about his relationship with the route, his execution, and his thoughts on the progression of the sport and himself as an athlete. Find Andrew on Instagram @sr_drummond and on Strava. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

Jul 9

Zan Alberici is a hiker and trail runner from New Hampshire who just recently got into trail running, but has thrown down some massive efforts in just a short period of time. Most recently, Zan became the first known person to complete the White Mountains 100 in an unsupported manner. The Whites 100 is a grueling 100 mile route with 34,000 feet of gain, and the DNF list is far longer than the list of finishers. Find Zan on Strava and on Instagram @4.zan. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

Jun 27

Cara Baskin and Joe Miller are incredible ultramarathon runners in the White Mountains. They recently took home wins at Mount Adams Vertical Day, a special day in the White Mountains where a bunch of crushers see how much vert they can rack up on Mount Adams in 12 hours. We talk all about their efforts, as well as efforts currently going down in the Whites including John Kelly's AT FKT attempt and an unsupported White Mountains 100. Find them on Strava and Instagram @_caranonymous and @joeylikesrocks Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

Jun 11

Jack Kuenzle is a prolific mountain athlete and coach for Evoke Endurance. He has collected FKTs like Jeep drivers collect those weird dashboard thingies, including FKTs on Mont Blanc, Denali, the Bob Graham Round, the Presidential Traverse, Hut Traverse, Great Range Traverse, Devils Path, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, Mt. Shasta, and more. Jack is becoming my ultra-running coach in the lead-up to me running Tor des Geants in September, and we will be posting our monthly coaching conversations on the podcast for you all to listen to! Link to Jack's "Advice on Nutrition" document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oUl7v8faXhCIEbx3NMMRBDioC51WgoHoebM3KkvuBbM/edit?tab=t.0 Find Evoke Endurance at https://evokeendurance.com/ and @evokeendurance on Instagram. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

May 22

Finn Melanson is a ultra endurance athlete and host of the single track podcast who is from the great state of Maine, now residing in Salt Lake City. Finn runs one of the top ultra media companies Singletrack, and he also happens to be an incredible athlete across multiple distances. Most recently, Finn finished 6th at the 2025 Cocodona 250, improving on his time from last year by four hours. We also talk New England FKTs including the Hundred Mile Wilderness, Grafton Notch Loop, and Appalachian Trail. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: @fromthebackcountry

May 8

Will gives his instant reaction to the third day of the 2025 Cocodona 250, as the first finishers start to roll in. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

May 7

Welcome back to instant reaction from day #2 of the Cocodona 250. The race is entering the pivotal second night, the temperatures are dropping, and it's still anybody's race. Will gives his instant reactions to day 2 of Cocodona and predictions for the rest of the way. Tune in tomorrow for reaction to the end of the race!

May 6

Will gives his instant reaction to the first 13 hours of the 2025 Cocodona 250, which starts off as an incredibly fast rendition of the race with a star studded cast. Tune in tomorrow and Wednesday for more instant reactions from Cocodona. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us for 15% off your entire order. Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 17

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/

Apr 2

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/

Mar 23

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Mar 19

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Mar 5

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Feb 19

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Feb 5

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jan 22

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jan 8

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! Find Bond on: - website - https://www.bondalmand.com/ - Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/27266124?oq=bond%20a - Instagram - @bond_almand Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Dec 24, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Dec 20, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Dec 4, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Nov 22, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Nov 20, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Nov 13, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Nov 6, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Oct 30, 2024

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 Find David on Instagram @dhedges_ Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Oct 23, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Oct 16, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Sep 25, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Sep 11, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 21, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 8, 2024

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. Find Tara on Instagram @tara.dower. If you want to get involved with her effort or just follow along, head on over to her website tara-treks.com or follow @chumpchangeFKT on Inatagram. She is also raising money for Girls On The Run, which helps address the mental and physical health concerns of girls everywhere by helping them develop meaningful relationships and discover the joy of movement. You can donate to Girls On The Run at Tara's website, linked above. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 7, 2024

Time Stamps: 4:15 Keith Nadeau 31:32 Mead Binhammer 50:30 Lauren Gregory and Dan Curts 1:42:53 Larisa Dannis MacFadden The Jigger Johnson Ultras are a series of races hosted by White Mountain Endurance and Aravaipa Running in the southern White Mountains. There is a 20 mile, 50 mile, and 100 mile race. Xander and I were lucky enough to get the chance to interview 5 of the 6 winners from Jigger Johnson, and we hope you enjoy! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jul 24, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jul 10, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 26, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 12, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

May 22, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

May 8, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 17, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 5, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Mar 20, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Feb 28, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Feb 14, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jan 31, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jan 17, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jan 3, 2024

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Dec 13, 2023

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. NH48 T-Shirt that I mentioned in the intro: https://www.crazydoes.com/ Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Nov 29, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Nov 16, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Nov 1, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Oct 5, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Sep 20, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Sep 6, 2023

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 Head on over to https://www.infinitnutrition.us or https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/ and use code fromthebackcountry for 15% off your order! Looking for high quality running apparel and running shoes? Run over to https://www.craftsports.us and check out Craft's incredible gear! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 23, 2023

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! This episode is brought to you by CRAFT Sportswear! Check out CRAFT and all of their trail running apparel and awesome shoes at craftsports.us Use code fromthebackcountry for 15% off both Hyperlite Mountain Gear and Infinit Nutrition on their respective websites! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 9, 2023

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 for 15% off Infinit Nutrition and Hyperlite Mountain Gear on their respective websites! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jul 26, 2023

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 for 15% off both Infinit Nutrition and Hyperlite Mountain Gear on their websites! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jul 12, 2023

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 for 15% off both Infinit Nutrition and Hyperlite Mountain Gear on their respective websites! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 28, 2023

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 for 15% off your order of Infinit Nutrition on their website. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 8, 2023

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. Find Joffrey on Strava. Follow the podcast on instagram @fromthebackcountry. Use the code fromthebackcountry for 15% off Infinit nutrition on their website Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

May 24, 2023

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.*** Follow the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

May 10, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 19, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 5, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Mar 22, 2023

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. Donate to TruStrength Tomorrow and add to my upcoming suffer fest below!! (Link is also in the instagram bio of @fromthebackcountry) https://charity.pledgeit.org/f/3wAmB3DixE Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Mar 8, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Feb 22, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Feb 8, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jan 25, 2023

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. **quick correction - in our conversation we mix up slow and fast twitch muscle fibers. Type II are fast twitch and type I are slow twitch.** Follow the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry. Go to hyperlitemountaingear.com and use code fromthebackcountry for 15% off your whole order. Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jan 11, 2023

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Dec 28, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Dec 14, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Dec 9, 2022

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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RxxmyAziTo&t=8s Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Dec 7, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Nov 24, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Oct 26, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Oct 19, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Oct 5, 2022

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! Huge thank you to my parents Ann and Eric for crewing me all along the way. Also to Drummond, Monte, Bubba, all of the volunteers, and everyone at Ski/Run the Whites for putting on a challenging and super fun event! Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Sep 28, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Sep 14, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 31, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 24, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 17, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 10, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Aug 3, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jul 27, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jul 20, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jul 13, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jul 6, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 29, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 22, 2022

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. Find Philip (haha) on Instagram and TikTok @findingphilip. There are links in his social media accounts to his GoFundMe page where you can support his project! Stay updated with the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 15, 2022

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. Find Philip (haha) on Instagram and TikTok @findingphilip. There are links in his social media accounts to his GoFundMe page where you can support his project! Stay updated with the podcast on Instagram @fromthebackcountry Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 8, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Jun 1, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

May 18, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

May 11, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

May 4, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 27, 2022

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! Photo and video mentioned in the podcast are on the Instagram page @fromthebackcountry. Comments, questions, hate mail? Email me at fromthebackcountry@gmail.com Use code fromthebackcountry at infinitnutrition.us and hyperlitemountaingear.com for 15% off your entire order podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 20, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 13, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Apr 6, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/

Mar 30, 2022

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 podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthebackcountry/