Episode #510 - Ken Posner (Barefoot Ken)

We meet an unusual hiker this week. Ken Posner has been a long-distance runner and hiker over the years, yet he has gradually morphed into a barefoot runner and hiker. Ken and I discuss this–to me–bizarre footwear choice, and he makes a compelling case for the advantages of barefoot walking.

Ken has also taken on the fascinating project of "The Grid" in New York's Catskill Mountains, whereby he hikes each of over 30 mountains in every month of the year. This entails over 400 ascents, and the ability to see those mountains in changing weather and terrain as the year develops.

Ken has written a terrific book about his pursuit of "The Grid," which you can find here at Chasing the Grid: An Ultrarunner's Physical and Spiritual Journey in Pursuit of the Ultimate Mountain Challenge . You can learn more about Ken and his barefoot walking at his website, Barefoot Ken and the Long Brown Path .

I used my hike last year on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %<