Ending the year on a high felt like the right move.
I’m lucky enough to call Bend, Oregon my second home. My parents live there, and every year I sneak up for a quick flight north with one very simple plan: get outside as much as humanly possible.
Now, if you’ve ever been to Bend, you know that plan immediately runs into obstacles. World-class trails, equally world-class breweries, and food that somehow convinces you to “just sit for one more.” Discipline gets… slippery.
This trip had a mission, though.
Instead of hitting the slopes at Mt Bachelor (thanks to Ikon pass blackout dates doing what they do best), my wife and I decided we were going to get me to 900 running miles before the end of the year. Sounds reasonable, right? Until you realize I was about 26 miles short with only five days left. Add icy mornings, cold temps, and the occasional holiday-induced beer headache, and suddenly it felt ambitious.
But every morning we kept it simple. Wake up. Eat a legendary breakfast cooked by my dad. Answer a few emails. Lace up. Get out the door.
No overthinking. Just movement.
Gear-wise, it turned into a daily uniform: Blackwood Trail Shorts (still kicking myself for not packing the merino liners), a Nofry long sleeve up top with a merino base layer underneath, and the new Merino Trail Gloves to keep the fingers functional. Honestly, it was the perfect setup. The only thing missing was a solid neck gaiter… maybe that’s a hint for the future.
The best part of all this wasn’t the mileage, though.
Four years ago, I brought my now wife Carly to Bend for the first time. We had only known each other for a few weeks and somehow decided Christmas in Oregon was a great idea. The day she arrived, we walked a loop along the Deschutes River near my parents’ house. That’s where the magic happened. We both say that’s where we officially fell in love.
So this time around, we decided to run that same river loop every morning. Call it a full circle moment. Day one was 4.53 miles. Then 7.12. Then 4.67. Then a very honest 3.37 when my legs officially protested. And finally, a last 6.10 mile push to cross the finish line.
Goal hit. 900 miles done.
I’m not writing this to brag about mileage. I’m writing it to say make a goal each year. Do it with someone you love or someone who pushes you. Get uncomfortable together. Laugh about it later. Travel to cool places. Celebrate all the wins. Even if it is something small like running a few miles.
Those are the moments that stick. That’s the good stuff.
- Zack ( The repair guy )
