Running the Squamish 50

In August I traveled to Canada to uphold a tradition with Jay and Trevor - running the Squamish 50. Our course was 23km through a beautiful landscape over technical terrain with loads of elevation and descent. It's REALLY fun. I got up a few days early to spend time with the Ewings and camp with the boys. 

Our time pre-race time was spent doing a shake-out run and swim at a lake with the Ewings....

walking in the forest....

camping in Squamish with the fellas... 

bouldering under the Chief...

...and eventually, running the race. The race went really well.

I wasn't in the greatest shape this year....but this trip has never really been about executing fast times....it's all about spending time with your best friends in beautiful places. 

 In the days following the race, I spent time with Jay walking though forests -- sometimes talking and sometimes silent, enjoying a beer, eating sushi, playing with the kids, and celebrating all that is blessing!

These are good days! 

Adventure with 4 kids

Ever since our kids were a few months old, we have taken them hiking and climbing.  Friends over the years have nicknamed them "trail babies".  The mountains have been a huge part of our family's DNA.  For us they foster a spirit of adventure, creativity, and a sense of wonder and Worship.

There are many lessons that mountains teach us -- persistence, managing fear, teamwork, discovering courage, accepting being dirty, accepting uncomfortable situations, admitting failure, vulnerability, hard work, and the nature of true friendship....and so much more.

4 kids later we still regularly get out and get humbled in beautiful places.

These are good days and we are trying not to miss them!       

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Rock climbing children

If the choice were between spending a day shopping with blank check or rock climbing

....we'd probably go climbing.

If the choice were between going to an all-inclusive or going on a rock climbing road trip

....we'd probably go climbing

It's one of our passions!

We had a really nice day in the Squamish sun with some friends.  We brought our kids to the crag and had a nice time hanging out, climbing, enjoying conversation, and just being outside. 

Heidi is now 5 months pregnant....finally done with morning sickness and feeling a lot better.

The baby is healthy and we know if it's a boy or a girl.

Want to know?

....maybe I'll tell you.

Josiah (21 months) is now at the age where he wants to climb too. 

So our friends let us borrow their kid specific harness (yes, they sell those) 

...and we found a piece of rock just for him!

This was his first time in the vertical granite terrain.

He got right after it....no fear, no trepidation, only giggles and smiles.

This kid doesn't have any quit in him....I was a really proud daddy.

making memories! 

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Rockclimbing, Parenting, and Creativity

For us....they belong together.

Let them climbing things....it's good for their soul.

Here, Elizabeth climbs with her friend Rueben.  

Climbing is fun because it forces creativity.  When you find the creativity that's in you...you'll soon discover the spirit of adventure right on it's heals.

My creative space....^^

Our greatest adventures always come on the heels of creativity in the vertical terrain.

May it never cease!

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Picture My Day: This is What Satisfaction Looks like

Today I watched my kids play at the bottom of big granite walls, my wife climbing up thin cracks, and my friends cracking jokes under a warm Squamish sun. Satisfaction doesn't just hide in the heart...it shows up in the face.

I hate spring....

People in Vancouver are saying it's Spring.  

Spring.  Whatever.

It's winter.

They can wear their shorts and and wind breakers all they want.

Go ahead...put on your SPF and avoid that cancer glow.

You want to wear sandals?  Fine.  That's weird though...

because it's winter.

I'll prove it to you.

I went backcountry ski touring recently

That white stuff you are seeing, all around, is snow.  From Winter. 

It's winter snow. 

See my touring skis?

They just ate a snickers bar

because when they get cold from winter

they need to burn calories to keep warm

because it's Winter

And see that peak on the left?
It's called Round Mountain.

and it's covered in snow.

tree skiing

....in the Winter

is fun!

We're wearing jackets because it's winter

and we're skiing on snow.

and snow....

is cold.

I mentioned to Oliver, my backcountry ski partner,

how happy I was that it was still Winter skiing season and spring hadn't ruined Winter yet

and he told me there was something called 

Spring skiing.

Don't mess with me.

It's Winter.

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Do the stuff that makes them smile

Elizabeth loves cooking stuff....stirring stuff....cleaning stuff....playing with water.....baking stuff.....gettin' dirty in the kitchen.  It makes her smile  

Josiah smiles when I pay attention to him.

Just a look

a funny sound

anything really...and there pops the smile

And I love watchin' that girl try and clean.  She ends up getting water everywhere....but she's learning, and it makes her smile.

Every week, as a family, we go for an early morning breakfast together. Elizabeth always smiles when she realizes it's "family date time!"

and me....when do I smile?  Every time I climb in Squamish with this friend:

These are SUCH good days...

Keep smilin' folks

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Ironman Coeur d'alene Vlog #8 (Watch below)

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Rockclimbing in Squamish

It's these kinda days which stick in my head and heart for a LONG time.

Time is short...make due with what you've got.

We had 5 hours of sunlight to follow a long series of cracks up one of our worlds great granite monoliths named, "The Chief" in Squamish, BC.

St. Vitus Dance was the objective

But we first need to find the start.....

First pitch....perfect.

Second Pitch...tight fingers, good exposure, and a fun mantle to exit.

Pitch three was the money pitch.  Long and full of hand, fist, and off width (read:  hard and scary).  

Then the sun started to set.  BEAUTIFUL.  Granite under golden sunlight is one of the most pleasant things for an eye to see.

Yay!  Summit time!  

These are the memories I never want to forget.

Good days..behind and ahead.

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