No doubt, trail running is booming and brands are scrambling to attach themselves to the next breakout star, the next viral finish, and the next big moment.

KEEN, the family-owned brand, just went the other direction, and we love it.

Instead of chasing hype, legacy brand KEEN named Jeff Browning and Krissy Moehl as its first-ever trail running ambassadors. Two athletes whose resumes aren’t built on YouTube, but on decades of miles, mentorship, race directing, coaching, and cultural stewardship.

Jeff and Krissy don’t just race ultras, they’ve shaped the sport. They’ve mentored younger runners, advocated for environmental responsibility, and continue to quietly protect the integrity of trail culture.

It’s a move that feels perfect for KEEN because the brand is subtle and not screaming in your face for attention but is instead focused on humility. They’re patient, credibile, and care for the people and places that make trail running possible.

Additionally. To kick off the trail-running season, Keen premiered, Idemo! — which means “Let’s go.” The short 5-minute film is an ode to the love of the sport and captures a trailrunning journey through Montenegro’s Durmitor National Park. Watch it below.

We sat down with Jeff and Krissy about what this partnership means, where trail culture is headed, and got some tips on mental toughness and fortitude.

Scott: Thanks for sitting down with us. We’re big fans and love the direction Keen is going in by teaming with you both. Anytime I see “ambassador” I always think about the courtship that must be involved on both sides. KEEN could have chased younger, trendier trail athletes, but instead chose two of the sport’s most seasoned voices. Were you surprised they valued legacy and longevity over hype, and what does that say about where trail running is headed?

Krissy: Maybe not surprised, but I remain impressed that KEEN is stepping into the trail running scene with their fully thought through intention. The focus on the roots of our sport feels foundational and committed to the community. To me, this ensures stability amidst the massive growth ultra and trail running are seeing, and it feels important to nurture the roots alongside the growth to keep our sport sustainable. Knowing, and getting to know better, the KEEN community, this is no surprise. Modeled through their commitment to community, and their thoughtfully designed products, how they are showing up in the trail running space matches the brand’s core values.

I feel fortunate to have come up in the sport when I did, to know the roots established before me, be a part of the growth, especially for women, and remain engaged. KEEN stepping into trail running and as a sponsor of seasoned athletes, to start, feels well-timed, long term and key for our sport.

Jeff: Given KEEN’s performance footwear roster of industry veterans—many of whom I’ve trusted for years—it’s no surprise they value athletes with deep roots in the sport. I bring nearly three decades of brand collaboration, concepting, and product development to the team. My 30-year background in design and marketing, bolstered by 20 years branding a specialty running store and 15 years of footwear innovation and testing, makes me a unique asset. Ultimately, I chose KEEN for their commitment to outdoor preservation, preserving the history of the trail running community, and the opportunity to have a direct seat at the design and innovation table.

Scott: With trail running is exploding in popularity. What part of trail culture do you feel most responsible for protecting and what do you want newer runners to understand about respect for the sport and the environment?

Jeff: Coming up in the 90s mountain biking and backpacking scenes, I was raised on “leave no trace” ethics and a deep respect for trail stewardship. That era instilled a duty to give back—from mastering trail etiquette to physically building the paths I rode. It is vital that we pass these values to the new generation of trail runners, teaching them that honoring the wild means everything from never dropping a gel packet to leaving no trace after a backcountry bathroom break. I also believe understanding our history is essential, and KEEN is dedicated to telling those old-school stories. These small, disciplined acts and a respect for our roots ensure we protect the places we play.

Krissy: This question has come up a lot recently in interviews and it feels like there is a broad curiosity about the sport’s evolving culture.

To me, I want to protect the trail runners’ why. The initial draw to explore both place and self through the challenge of stepping off of the pavement. Encouraging new runners to connect with the amazing lessons that can be learned from spending hours moving through natural, quiet spaces, having just what you need and rolling with the challenges that come up. I want newer runners to connect with the spaces they traverse and learn to protect them through both big and small actions. Leave-No-Trace principals, yes, bury your poop and carry out your trash, to donations to non-profits, and calling your Congress people to protect wild spaces.

Scott: Across your careers, what has been the most difficult mental battle you’ve faced mid-race and what practical tool or mindset shift helped you get out of that hole?

Krissy: It is one I still battle, and am thankful for longer distances to help me get there. I struggle to remain present.

My brain tends to work on the many other “things” I need to do and I have missed out on some awesome beauty outside when I’m too far inside my own head. “There are not many issues in life that a long run cannot solve. Sometimes the run just needs to be a bit longer.”

Long runs have always helped me work through life so that I finally find presence. My continued work is finding presence whether or not I have it all figured out.

Jeff: For me, the 2024 Cocodona 250 was my most difficult race, a brutal intersection of physical and mental limits. Recovering from an upper respiratory infection just before the start, I developed Reactive Airway at mile 170. My throat inflamed, restricting my airway until it felt like I was breathing through a straw.

For the final 12 hours I was forced into limited nasal breathing, a terrifying experience where panic is the greatest enemy. As an ultra coach, I view thoughts like seeds: both positive and negative are always present, waiting to germinate. Your time (or attention) is water. It’s natural for negative thoughts to surface, but you cannot water them. To break a negative spiral, you must redirect your focus to something else—a view, a flower, a buzzing bee—and water the positive through relentless internal dialogue.

Scott: You’ve both built careers measured in decades, not seasons. What have you changed about your training over the years to protect longevity and what do younger runners often get wrong about durability?

Jeff: For the past decade, I’ve maintained consistent annual mileage, while integrating cycling to increase aerobic volume without the impact of additional running. However, the most critical factors in my longevity are a dedicated weekly mobility and strength regimen multiple times per week, along with a nutritional focus on mostly grain-free nutrient-dense real foods and prioritizing high protein intake.

Krissy: Something that has stayed the same is, mostly, making decisions for the long term. Rather than pushing through, (although there are examples of choosing to push through and having to work through the consequences) I would, and still do, step back to refocus.

Whether that meant swapping a run for a yoga session, giving up a season of racing for a season of rebuilding, or looking ahead at age, menopause and gaining knowledge to help with the coming transitions, I’ve always running to be there for me, so I’ve intended to ensure it is. It’s holding perspective for both internal and external factors that have the potential to reinforce my passion or overwhelm it. I work to, mostly, reinforce it.

Scott: What’s one unsexy, boring habit in training or racing that consistently makes the biggest difference in ultra performance?

Jeff: Relentless consistency—showing up every single day, year after year, and putting in the work. No shortcuts, no compromises.

Krissy: Pacing, early. When it comes to performing it can feel like it is time to shine, maybe from the start line. It is unsexy to start midpack when all the furry is up front. But it is the best feeling ever to have energy and speed left to close and finish fast. It takes discipline and intention to measure your output and know how to “spread the peanut butter.”

Scott: What’s a mistake you still see experienced runners making even after years in the sport that can kill a race. How can someone overcome this?

Jeff: The trap of going out too fast is universal. How do you beat it? By running within yourself, pacing your effort so your fade is limited to a mere 5–10% over the course of a long ultramarathon.

Krissy: See above. 😀 I will say it happens, there are legends that go out blazing and make it to the finish line before they blow up. It is incredibly risky and awe-inspiring to witness a body & mind perform that way. To race all out can mean opting to set a world record or DNF, where the percentages are not even close to 50/50. It really depends on the goal of the day. If the goal is to finish, then pacing and taking care of all systems the entirety of the race ensures finishing, fine-tuning that output can create wins, even epic ones. Watching someone risk it all is the sexy side of sport, and even I tried it… once.

Scott: As a KEEN ambassador, what are you hoping to get out of the brand but also give back to the running community?

Jeff: I am a loyal person who values deep, lasting relationships. My goal is to build the same long-term partnership with KEEN that I’ve cultivated with other brands over the decades—where a collaboration evolves into family and a shared identity. I’m stoked to help develop a quiver of shoes that people are genuinely excited to lace up every morning before heading out to explore. Beyond the gear, I want to share stories from years of high-mountain adventures and races, highlighting the incredible mentors and friends I’ve had the opportunity to sit around a campfire with, share a laugh, jam on the guitar, and weave a tale.

Krissy: I hope, and have a good feeling, that KEEN is here for the long haul. Like the athletes that built the roots of our sport, we keep showing up, sharing stories and best practices and connecting to the amazing places our two legs can take us. I see KEEN being along for & telling the stories, and reinforcing the roots of our sport through community building. It helps that the products, built by a team of respected, veteran run designers, are tested, proven and performing as they hit the market. And the inspiration for innovation will keep the excitement building.