Meet Kyle Richardson. Kyle is both a mountain runner and musician whose work and athletic feats you might have heard of.
He’s known for holding stout fastest known times (FKT) on the Front Range of Colorado — some of which still stand — on iconic routes like Longs Peak, the “LA Freeway,” which is the technical ridge traverse from Longs Peak to South Arapaho Peak, the First and Third Flatirons of Boulder, and Green Mountain. And nowadays he’s often seen biking as a way to access peaks.
Kyle Richardson: mountain runner and musician. All photos courtesy of Kyle Richardson unless otherwise noted.
Kyle studied music — specifically percussion, with drums as his instrument of choice — at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he developed his niche in the world of mountain running. Kyle’s music has been featured in a number of outdoor-related projects and was central in the Black Diamond film short “Tempo” in which his running and scrambling are indelibly connected to his music.
Whether on the drums or on his feet, Kyle’s rhythmic link to the earth is something every runner aspires to find. Here’s Kyle:
Tell us about yourself. How did you get into trail running? And playing music?
My name is Kyle Richardson, I’m 30 years old, and I live in Boulder, Colorado. I started running around the age of 9 or 10. My dad certainly inspired my twin brother, Matthew, and me to start running early on. Matthew ran cross country through high school, but it wasn’t until I moved to Boulder, Colorado, in 2014 for school that I started pursuing running more seriously. While Matthew was running cross country, I was playing percussion in the school band. I would take that craft into college and graduate from CU Boulder with a Bachelor of Arts degree in percussion performance. I have always been interested and intrigued by music and rhythm. I guess I caught this passion early on; it has been something that defines me to this day.
Who are your inspirations in life, art, and running?
My family inspires me to be the best version of myself. To continue to pursue my craft to a high level. Practicing drums furiously since the fifth grade has instilled a level of discipline in me that is hard to shake.
My musical inspirations are varied — everything from Bob Marley to Jeff Tweedy and Billy Strings. I’m really into samba — Grupo Fundo de Quintal is my favorite Brazilian group. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, The Overnight Players, and Freddie Gibbs are some of the artists I am listening to right now.
As far as life and art go, my biggest inspiration is my friend, coffee expert, and all-around mountain and running legend, Peter Jones.
Kyle scrambling on a flatiron above his home in Boulder. Photo: Joe Grant
What is the connection for you between running and art/music?
Running is very rhythmic and repetitive. My connection between running and drumming shares many similarities and patterns. Whether that be the foot strike, heartbeat, or breath, there is a pulse and beat underlying the activity. Finding these connections helps me lock into the present and flow through the natural landscape.
What’s the motivation behind your running? What gets you stoked?
My motivation comes from getting outside and seeing the natural beauty of our world. I wake up excited and stoked to feel the weather and landscape through all the seasons and conditions. I really like learning a place intimately, running a specific trail or mountain many times. Gaining knowledge through repetition helps you feel a connection to a place. I get excited to push myself up and down the most technical trails. When I’m trying hard and giving something my best effort, I feel like all my senses are alive. I feel the full spectrum of emotions, and this provides a rich, valuable experience.
Likewise for music?
Percussion is the heartbeat of music. The repetitive nature of drumming allows you to lock into certain tones or sounds. The art of drumming is a lifelong pursuit. Perfection doesn’t exist, but through practice, you can get close and develop your own sound. I think exploring music every day helps me get a little bit closer to learning the many styles and genres in our world. Digging into the historical context of drumming in different countries around the world, traveling to these places, and listening to people play — all of this helps me develop as a musician and fuel a hunger to learn and listen more.
Kyle flowing through the natural landscape.
Biking plays an equal part in your adventurous life. Tell us about that.
The bike is the ultimate tool for freedom. Running can be hard and abusive on the body. Running will always be my first love, but the bike helps unlock new potential for big self-propelled linkups and creative projects in the mountains. I started working with Moots this past year. They have been making titanium bikes out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for 45 years. Their bikes are purpose-built for adventures in the mountains, local to me in Colorado, and represent everything I stand for: doing things with style and getting out to those wild spaces.
My big project this past summer was a bike-run linkup, which I called “Northeast Summits” — a 1,300-mile route that I rode through New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine — starting in Brooklyn, linking unique summits on foot through all the major mountain ranges in the area, 15 days out exploring unique landscapes and interesting peaks. It was a trip of a lifetime.
I documented the trip and am releasing a zine called “Linking Giants,” produced and edited by Brendan Davis, with photos I shot along the way.
Any projects on the horizon, both art-related and running/biking-related?
I’m dreaming up projects for 2026 right now. As far as revealing that stuff, I’m a fan of letting my actions speak for themselves. Hopefully, with good health and strength, running up tall mountains light and untethered.
A view of Longs Peak in Colorado, one of the many mountains on which Kyle has set a fastest known time.
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Stay true to yourself. You are on your own path.
If you could be a tree, what kind of tree would you be?
A maple tree. Fall is my favorite season. The color and glory of a maple tree are unmatched. The vibrancy and color give me energy. It makes me reflect on the year and get excited for winter and the following year to come. Maple trees are strong, durable, and protective.
Call for Comments
- Do you have a connection with music and running?
- Does Kyle’s approach to running resonate with you?
