Hillary Bor, who leads the U.S. team in the steeplechase at the Tokyo Olympics, is one of three world-class running brothers. Their journey to Team USA is fascinating.

What's the best technical soft shell? — Laura Baltimore, Maryland

The newest addition to Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records is a ukulele-strumming 23-year-old from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who caught her break on YouTube. In 2007, Zee Avi posted videos of herself singing uke-accompanied pop songs. The clips went viral, and Avi, who lived on Borneo until age 12 and started playing…

Plus, the training you can do to cure it for good

The Western Limit of the World By David Masiel (Random House, $25) IF CORMAC McCARTHY WROTE about mariners instead of cowboys, he’d come up with a character like David Masiel’s Harold Snow. A jaundiced, middle-aged outcast with a traumatic Vietnam past and a claustrophobic present, Snow is the boatswain…

And the Winners are… Chasing epic ski lines in Patagonia. Capturing the breathtaking Aurora Australis from the bottom of the world. Braving the elements to slam pucks across Canada. All this and more made the final cut for the Outside Awards, and a shot at $40,000 in prize money…

We’ve gathered 20 of the world’s hottest athletes for an insider’s look at the lives behind adventure’s most amazing feats. From ski-film maker Steve Winter’s near-fatal helicopter crash to surfer Laird Hamilton’s wave heard round the world, we take you backstage to witness all of the human drama, euphoric success,…

New versatile pieces for summer, fall, and winter

In 2001, California passed a law creating a thru-hike up the state’s majestic coast. The trail may never see completion.

If you've been held back from doing something that excites or intrigues you, read on