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Joe Grant is a highly accomplished professional ultra-runner and all-around endurance athlete who has completed some of the endurace world\u2019s most challenging events\u2014several Hardrock 100s, UTMB 100, Western States 100, and Bighorn 100, as well as the Arizona Trail Race (750 miles on mountain bike), Iditarod Trail Invitational 350, and many, many more. He most recently completed the \u201cTour de 14ers,\u201d a solo, self-supported and self-powered link-up of all of Colorado's 14,000-foot mountains, by bicycle and on foot. For those of you counting, that\u2019s climbing 57 fourteeners, accessed all by bike, in 31 days. \u2022 But Joe\u2019s career as a professional athlete makes up only a small portion of his personal identity. He is a talented writer and photographer, as well as a voracious reader. He was born in England and grew up in France, so he has a global perspective that gives him a unique point of view. He is obviously driven to pursue challenging goals, yet he has always been focused more on the process than the end result. Joe's athletic achievements seem to combine his desire for continued personal growth with a genuine love of wild places and a strong conservation ethic. \u2022 Because he has such a depth of knowledge on so many interesting subjects, talking with Joe solely about running would only begin to scratch the surface. So after a rundown of his recent 14er adventure, we went deep into his thoughts on adventure, endurance, and pushing one\u2019s personal boundaries. He talked about his upbringing and how family and friends have helped shape his outlook on life, giving him the confidence to pursue an unconvential, yet extremely fulfilling lifestyle. We of course talked a lot about books, as well as goal setting, daily practices, and his thoughts on conservation. \u2022 I\u2019m obviously biased, but I loved this conversation and really appreciate Joe taking the time to chat. I encourage you to check him out on social media, and read some of his columns. If you like people who are passionate, humble, deep-thinking, and all-around interesting, you\u2019ll enjoy getting to know Joe. Enjoy! \u2022\u2022\u2022 http://mountainandprairie.com/joe-grant/ \u2022\u2022\u2022 TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:00 - How Joe describes his work 5:00 - Tour de 14ers 7:30 - Thoughts on choosing to travel by bike 8:20 - Self supported bike-packing ethic explained 10:00 - High points of the trip 11:08 - Thoughts on expedition preparation 12:45 - First days of the Tour de 14ers 15:45 - Various challenges during the trip 17:33 - Low point of the trip 20:30 - Techniques for digging out of fatigue-enduced \u201cdark places" 21:25 - Arizona Trail Race 22:45 - More on pushing through fatigue 24:25 - Parallels between mediation and endurance sports 26:41 - Benefits of observing your mind and body from an outside perspective 28:25 - Personal growth through endurance sports 30:20 - Goal oriented versus process/moment oriented 32:40 - Comfort versus happiness 36:30 - Joe\u2019s early years in Europe 37:15 - How living internationally shaped Joe\u2019s perspective 39:10 - Benefits of gap year travel 43:10 - Lessons learned from international living 44:10 - Story behind Joe\u2019s mother running a 100-miler 46:40 - Mentors and role models 48:40 - Joe\u2019s reading recommendations 52:15 - Joe\u2019s definition of conservation 55:00 - Favorite books about the American West 56:55 - A personal interest that would surprise listeners 57:37 - Craziest outdoor experience 59:50 - Joe\u2019s favorite piece of gear 1:01:10 - Favorite spot(s) in the American West 1:02:00 - Biggest challenge facing the American West 1:03:45 - Joe\u2019s request of listeners 1:04:40 - Connect with Joe online