Idyllwild w/ Runners Workshop, August 3, 2021

I caught the honor of getting to work at Runners Workshop in Idyllwild at Astro Camp for a quick second earlier this week, which was actually my second time visiting the camp since I’d attended the science program at the camp in 5th grade. 

I loved every second of it then, and 25 years or so later I came away with only more great things to say about this beautiful place and the people who shared it with me. The coaches, counselors, and campers were incredibly warm, generous, and inspiring to be around, and it was a joy to learn from and share my experiences and knowledge with them all. 

I also got to go for a lovely trail run the one morning I got to spend at the camp. I’m always looking to be pushed, so I opted to run with the A-team, who quickly put me on the chopping block and gave me the gift of hitting a sub-9 minute pace for 6 miles and almost 1,000 feet of vert at over 5,000 feet of elevation. This was supposed to be a recovery day for me after an 18-mile adventure with friends at Mount Wilson on Sunday, but this was just too great of an opportunity to turn down, and it was a blast to get crushed by a deep and voracious talent pool. 

Huge thanks and high-5s to the runners who shared a gorgeous morning with me, and to everyone at Runners Workshop and HOKA for including me in this project, I hope I get back up there with everyone soon, and double thanks for my new favorite shirt.