Discover the transformational journey of a conventional-minded runner to a minimalist, mountain-climbing, adventure-seeking ultrarunner determined to conquer the Catskill Mountains challenge known as the "Grid.” After a successful career on Wall Street, the Catskill Mountains beckoned. In Chasing the Grid , author Kenneth Posner, a seasoned corporate worker and intrepid but non-elite runner, sets out after an ultra-distance mountain-running record which nearly destroys him. Along the way, he stumbles upon an obscure peak-bagging tradition known as the "Grid,” which becomes his new obsession. The Grid is a project where a determined athlete must run, hike, or climb a list of peaks in every month of the year, the purpose being to get to know the mountains intimately, in every season. For New York’s Catskill Mountains, where this story takes place, the formula requires more than 400 separate ascents. For Posner, the Grid turns out to be not just another running challenge; it's a pilgrimage. It offers a retreat from the spirit of modern running, often reduced to a one-dimensional activity driven by ego and moderated by clocks, in favor of how our ancestors moved through nature in days gone by—purposefully, patiently, and mindfully. Posner emerges from the experience as a radically different kind of runner—now running barefoot across trails and shirtless in the winter, leaving behind food, water, lights, navigational gear, and even bug spray. By following Posner in his quest to complete the Grid, readers will feel sandstone fragments under bare soles; pad across a bed of moss as luxurious as a Persian carpet; squelch with him through cool black boreal mud; dance across snow and ice; and participate in discoveries about the passage of time, the energy of nature, and the sense of self. " Chasing the Grid is a Walden for the Garmin age, a beautiful and powerful reminder of what running is—or should be—all about.” -- Matt Fitzgerald, author of Life Is a Marathon “Through a slow-motion and sometimes painful personal transformation, Long Path record-setter Ken Posner brings us the magic and majesty of the Catskills. His journey will have you too shedding your shoes and leaving behind your GPS, cell phone, and even maps. Among the living mountains, Ken reshuffles his priorities to find fresh insight and new appreciation for going light.” -- Joan Burroughs, President, John Burroughs Association and great-granddaughter of John Burroughs, naturalist "This is not just a story about running and hiking in the mountains. It's the story of a pilgrimage, which means an exercise in discipline and a journey into the gap where creativity begins and where connection is found. A very interesting, entertaining, and educating read!" -- “Barefoot Sue” Kenney, author of My Camino, level 2 Wim Hof Instructor, rewilding instructor, and TikTok barefoot influencer "Moving through a natural environment doesn't require technology; it takes curiosity and enthusiasm. Ken's account is a roller-coaster ride through the mountains of New York amid a series of increasingly minimalist adventures. Along the way, he falls back in love with nature, learns to study the signs and clues, discovers the art of natural navigation, and ends up showing the reader how to reconnect with the world around us." -- Tristan Gooley, internationally acclaimed navigation expert, award-winning and bestselling author of The Natural Navigator and The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs “In this fascinating account, Ken undertakes a daunting physical endeavor. A Big Fitness Goal. A journey in which he leaves behind digital distraction. Ventures deep into the solitude of the mountains. Wrestles with the primitive challenges of life on the trail. Discovers the important values which we need so badly to instill today. Relevant, timely, and inspiring!" -- Mike Erwin, CEO of the Character and Leadership Center, founder of veteran organization Team Red, White & Blue, West Point grad, and former U.S. Army Intelligence Officer "This is the story of a pilgrimage, but an especially wild and intense one, as Posner fights to escape the depressingly comfortable prison of modern life. The result is what can only be described as an aesthetic experience, and a one-way trip into the unknown." -- John Kaag, professor of philosophy at University of Massachusetts Lowell and author of Hiking with Nietzsche: On Becoming Who You Are “Once again, Ken takes us into the laboratory of human performance, which this time consists of the rugged mountains in upstate New York. This time the experiment is to find out whether an aging ultra-runner can keep moving despite thick vegetation, deep snow, rocky trails, and injury. What will he discover and learn? The result is a case study in important American values, like determination and acceptance—and a wild read." -- Vinnie Totorich, celebrity fitness trainer, author, radio and podcast host, film producer, and international motivational speaker