Brendan Leonard

Why I run

I guess I was curious back in 2015 if I could be one of those people who finished an ultramarathon, and then I just kept going? It's become the best way for me to get thinking done—I don't listen to music or anything, and prefer to run alone so I can come up with ideas for creative projects and work out solutions to sticking points I'm having in my work.

My favorite trail to run

There's a forest on top of one of our local mountains here, and it's about 4 miles and 2,000 feet up from my house, and if I get to be there on a run, I'm having a pretty good day.

What I hope to convey with my writing

I want to help people laugh, mostly at ourselves, and maybe think about things, and maybe even help them do something a little differently in their lives that results in a tiny bit of happiness or meaning. Is that too much to ask? OK, let's just go with "I want to help people laugh."

More about Brendan

My newsletter about adventure, creativity, running, and enthusiasm goes out to 15,000+ people every week. I write poetry on Strava, draw things for Instagram, and have had a column at Outside since 2017. All of it can be found at my website at Semi-Rad.com.

Instagram: @semi_rad

Strava: Brendan Leonard