Brandon is a guide, writer, and endurance athlete from Maine. In a previous life, he was a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State and had the opportunity to explore over 60 countries while serving at U.S. Embassies in Egypt, Cyprus, and Pakistan. Along with a 98-day thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, he has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, hiked the West Highland Way, fastpacked in the Himalayas, and trekked around New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.S. While abroad, he picked up an affection for endurance athletics and regularly competes in ultramarathons at 50k, 50 mile, and 100 mile distances around the globe. In addition to leading wildlife and rafting trips in the Pine Tree State, he is a guide and instructor forAndrew Skurka's backpacking trips and Plan Like a Pro course. He writes about his adventures here on TheTrek as well as TheStringbean.co and his personal blog, Fit For Miles
Posts
Long Trail Speed Records Dominate 2021 Fastest Known Time of the Year Awards
FastestKnownTime.com, curator of worldwide speed records, has published a list of the year's top achievements—known as the Fastest Known Time of The
Inov-8 RocFly G 390 Trail Runner Review
Inov-8 continues to, well, innovate in the space of ultra-durable, trail-tested footwear. Utilizing their proprietary graphene-infused mid and
Nashville Pack & Equipment Company Tiempo Backpack
More than two years ago, Nashville Pack & Equipment Company released a frameless backpack called the Cutaway, which focused on minimalist
Scott Jurek Ends Appalachian Trail FKT Attempt Due to Injury
Updated 8/11/2021: Unfortunately, Scott Jurek was forced to suspend his speed record attempt due to injury. According to his Instagram, Jurek
Wildfires, Reroutes, and Records: The Future of PCT FKTs
On July 22, 2021, activist and ultrarunner Timothy Olson reached the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail having set off from the Campo and
Losing Light: Joe McConaughy’s Long Trail FKT Documentary
On June 10, 2020, in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Joe "Stringbean" McConaughy set the self-supported Fastest Known Time on Vermont's
Q&A with Joe “Stringbean” McConaughey: Smashing the Arizona Trail FKT
Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy once again set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) speed record on a long-distance path last week, this time taking on the
Merrell MQM Flex 2 GTX Hiking Shoe Review
Merrell is no stranger to the outdoors, having produced highly-acclaimed hiking shoes and boots for many decades. In recent years, hiking footwear
Gear Review: Leatherman Signal and Free T4
Leatherman multi-tools are widely regarded as some of the highest-quality and best-value appliances on the market. Since 1983, Leatherman has been
Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy Sets the Self-Supported Long Trail FKT
Updated 7/5: Due to a technicality in the FKT rule book, Stringbean now holds the "self-supported" FKT, and the previous unsupported FKT stands from