Joe Grant is an ultra runner and mountain athlete who holds the FKT on the Colorado Trail and has competed all over the world at races such as the Hardrock 100, Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc, and the Iditarod in Alaska. He also explores the mountains by bike and competed in the Arizona Trail race in 2016 on a fully rigid drop bar bike. Born in England and raised in France, he now lives in Durango, Colorado.

In this conversation, Joe talks about his complicated relationship with the premise of FKTs, why he tries to orient his projects around the place and the trail rather than himself, and where he stands on the documentation debate in bikepacking and ultra running. He also talks about some of his recent projects, including “Home to Home,” in which he and some friends captured his on-foot attempt at The Colorado Trail with only analog film cameras and a guitar. Even though he’s built a career on winning races and accomplishing unprecedented challenges in the mountains, he explains why he tries to make his projects about more than just the records.

Joe's Home to Home project: https://lostcreekcollective.com/

The Middle Way  "Tour de 14ers" film: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/themiddleway

Instagram: @withpacepod
YouTube: Payson McElveen