# 167 - What drives someone to abandon their shoes and run barefoot through mountains, forests, and even snow? In this captivating conversation, Ken Posner reveals the unexpected journey that turned him from a corporate professional with chronic running injuries into a barefoot endurance athlete who's completed thousands of miles without shoes.
Ken's transformation began pragmatically – seeking relief from injury and following the principles in Christopher McDougall's "Born to Run." But what started as injury prevention blossomed into a life philosophy. Far from merely a physical adjustment, going barefoot created what Ken calls "the original human mindfulness." When your feet are unprotected, large portions of your brain that normally process worry must instead focus on safely navigating terrain, creating a natural state of presence that's increasingly rare in our hyper-connected world.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Ken shares his remarkable accomplishment of completing "the grid" – climbing all 35 Catskill peaks every month for a year, totaling 420 ascents. This monumental challenge emerged during a period when his corporate career had plateaued, giving him purpose when he most needed it. Through blizzards, ice, and challenging terrain, Ken discovered that moving slowly through nature was mentally harder than the all-out effort he was accustomed to – a profound lesson for our hurried lives.
Drawing inspiration from American transcendentalists like Thoreau and Emerson, Ken articulates how these physical challenges become spiritual pilgrimages that strip away modern preoccupations and reveal our authentic connection to nature. His current goal of climbing 1,000 mountains barefoot (he's at 521) serves as a structured way to "take himself offline" from conventional life and work on his character.
Whether you're a committed athlete or someone simply curious about reconnecting with natural movement, Ken's insights will change how you think about the ground beneath your feet. Perhaps the wisdom we seek is already there – if only we're brave enough to feel it.

To learn more about Ken and his book, Chasing the Grid, check out his website www.barefootken.com and give him a follow on Instagram @long_brown_path.

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