#trailto50

2022: Dichotomy year. . Part 1: We started off the year with a bang, newly moved into our new place then immediately spent all our time at our old condo cleaning, repairing and selling it. I celebrated #42 by running 24 hours around 1, 2, and 3 mile neighborhood loops. We spent a week in Bend at a working sheep herding ranch, golfed with an old friend, tandem biked along the river, and ate all the Ocean-Rolls at Sparrow Bakery. I planted 18 different vegetables in our garden. I ran a 100k in California for another Western States qualifier (lottery year 7. Didn’t get selected again) and kept the trip rolling with 7 rounds of epic golf and another bucket list course, Spanish Bay. The month of June was time to bunker down, cook all sorts of easy to reheat frozen foods. We tried to imagine everything we didn’t know. And then we waited and counted down the days. . Part 2: Our lives were forever changed in every possible incredible and beautiful way on July 9 when our son, Kai, decided that it was time to join us in this world. The former life, just a short 6 month blink ago, seems an eternity and a chasm away. All the free time I once had has been replaced with the nonstop changing of dirty diapers, fighting nap time, fighting bedtime, fighting the feeding bottle, doing all the laundry, waking up at all hours of the night, and trying to figure out what he wants or needs; turns out the answer to both is Love. Life is both non-stop and infinitely more complicated, yet slower and simpler now. Time winds down and I find myself searching for only the most important of things - morning cuddles and coos, baby giggles and gummy smiles, spending all the time with Kai and watching in awe as he slowly discovers his current life. . I wouldn’t want life right now to be any other way. . . My top 9, top to bottom, right to left: 1. Seattle sunset from Jefferson Park. 2. Climate Pledge Arena. 3. Senior year high school photo. 4. Granite Curling Club. Year 16. 5. Columbia City sunrise. 6. Quicksilver 100k start line. 7. My grandparents, George and Christine. 8. Kai Christopher Blackburn. 9. California golf trip sunset. . . #TopNine2022 #2022 #Reflection #Trailto50 #TT50 https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm3XCngLuNA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Quicksilver 100k. San Jose, California. . Thoughts: 14:55 finish time. 13,000 feet of vert. 4:30am start time. Hot exposed day. 6am ice bandanas. Not enough training. But just enough. 30 miles of leg cramps. 35 miles of running with Chuck. 61.99 miles of self doubt. 0.1 miles of slightly less self doubt. Tired of drinking water. So many fire roads. Hiking poles are saviors. Popsicles for the win at Bull Run AS. That was hard. Another Western Stares qualifier (year 7) Satisfied. . #Quicksilver100k #CA #TT50 #Trailto50 (at Quicksilver) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdlYt_elf4v/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I hope 18 year old high school senior me would approve of current me 24 years later in life. . Still own that suit and tie and they still fit quite comfortably. . A Birthday Riddle: “The Answer to the Great Question... Of Life, the Universe and Everything...Is…”? . . #42 #MyDay #Trailto50 #Trailto50 (at Seattle, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZsFDeFPpXy/?utm_medium=tumblr

The more things change the more things stay the same (masks). Things that happened this year: celebrated 10 years of marriage with @katechristine213!, ran a 100k on 4 weeks of training, played a few bucket list golf courses, got my kicks on Route 66, hiked down a canyon (101 degrees at the rim!), ran a mile or more for 365 days straight, made new friends, cherished current friends, tragically said goodbye to old friends, embraced mask life, changed from a temporary WFH to a new indefinite WFH location, rode a rollercoaster of emotions and am ending on a small but meaningful life change. . Thanks 2021 for the memories, but I’m already looking ahead to 2022! . Here are my best nine 2021 photos. Top to bottom; right to left: 1. Siskyou SOB. 2. 🧙‍♂️Island, Crater Lake. 3. Teetering in Teanaway Country. 4. If you know, you know. (Also I shot par.) 5. GRAND! 6. #41 7. Glorious Mazama wildflowers. 8. Tucker boy doggie smiles. 9. PCT north just past the Katwalk. . . #BestNine2021 #2021 #Reflection #Trailto50 #TT50 https://www.instagram.com/p/CYKmmZlvTxs/?utm_medium=tumblr

All the magic. Only one wizard required. . #CraterLakeNationalPark #Oregon #WizardIsland #WatchmanLookout #Trailto50 #TT50 (at Crater Lake National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRb69h5nil7/?utm_medium=tumblr

#41 revolutions around the sun. . . #TT50 #Trailto50 https://www.instagram.com/p/CLBR2ZvHSpb/?igshid=1glus7z38dk6z

Such a promising start to the New Year. Then the pandemic hit, then we panic bought all the groceries and all the toilet paper, then two weeks later we did it all again, then the fires and smoke came, then we learned to WFH, then the second wave of the pandemic hit, then we adjusted to the “new normal”, then learned to cook everything, then our dogs got sick of us invading their home, then the third wave of the pandemic hit and here we are, still in COVIDtime, awaiting our place in line to get a vaccine and teased by the future (and past memories) of hugging friends, not wearing a mask, traveling (anywhere), physically going to work (well maybe not), eating in a restaurant, and relearning how to interact in social settings not over teleconference calls. 2021 can’t come soon enough. . Here are my best nine 2020 photos. . Top to bottom; right to left: 1. PCT toward Mt Stuart. 2. Sunrises are best with friends. 3. Park Lakes overlook is stunning. 4. Mystical Mt Walker 5. Trail work with the WTA. 6. The amazing Teanaway Country. 7. Epic tent view at Spectacle Lake. 8. I turned 40 years old this year! 9. A Spectacle Lake indeed. . . #BestNine2020 #2020 #Reflection #Trailto50 #TT50 (at 2020) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJfCh5uHcWo/?igshid=a6hs78zb2qeb

2019 reflections: More running but at the same time less of it. Questioning if I am a runner. Old friends. Older friends. New friends. Fair weather running. Beautiful sunsets. Beautiful sunrises (but not enough of them.) Old hat. New hat. Been there, done that, but still new. More belt buckles. Last year of the decade. Last year of my decade. Life changes. Planning for more life changes. Turn the page. Look ahead to 2020. . Top to bottom, right to left: 1. Questioning my running why. 2. Fat Dog 120 miler finisher’s buckle. 3. Who doesn’t enjoy a good sunset? 4. Speaking of sunsets, orange you impressed! 5. Fort Ebey Kettles Trail Marathon. 6. Minutes before start of Massanutten 100m. 7. Yakima Skyline Rim 50k. 8. Sunrise in Seattle looking at Rainier. 9. Tiger Mountain March snow run. . . #BestNine2019 #2019 #Reflection #Trailto50 #TT50 (at Year:2019) https://www.instagram.com/p/B60pr7vHn1R/?igshid=2evfrh0dxj20