Marathon miles, backpacking schemes, and run clubs.
A catch up with Charlotte
Have you recently moved to a new city? Have you pondered which new hobbies you should pick up, worked up the courage to go to a new run club, or simply wondered how to build a sense of belonging in a brand new place?
This week I had the pleasure of catching up with a pal, Charlotte. We are in that stage of adulthood where we often have to pin down dates/times to connect given all the moving pieces in each other's lives. This week was no exception as Charlotte just got back home from running her first marathon in Eugene, and we caught up as she was leaving her office and on the way to babysit for her neighbors. She’s been juggling a big training block, LSAT studying schedule, and gearing up to fit in alllll the outdoor activities as the Seattle weather starts to warm up. And did I mention, she had to put her cat on a diet.
Charlotte inspires me. She has shown the courage to step into unknown territory, the resilience to build anew, and the inherent desire to share what brings her joy with others. She offers inspiration to embrace discomfort, seeking out your people, and never underestimating the power of sharing your passions.
Just under a year ago, Charlotte moved to Seattle knowing very few people. She moved from Jackson, WY where she was juggling a few different seasonal gigs, but primarily centered around her favorite: being a backpacking trip leader during the summer. There’s not many people that I think have the patience, determination, kindness, oh and patience, to lead middle to high school aged teenagers on challenging backcountry trips. But Charlotte does so with grace and excitement about getting to share the outdoors with other’s.
Alas, Charlotte was juggling other goals, and so she moved to Seattle right before the winter darkness and gloom ensued to pursue such. At first she remarked about wanting to try a bunch of new things, such as pottery or painting. But then realized, moving to a completely new place in itself is already scary, so she decided to seek out community doing things that already made her feel grounded. For her, that looked like showing up at run clubs or planning a ski day at Crystal Mountain. She sought out relationships where it didn’t matter your mile time, but that they both shared a goal of wanting to get outside whenever possible. And now, a few months later as she heads into her first full Seattle summer she has a stacked agenda from planning weekend getaways to the mountains to training for an upcoming trail race in Leavenworth, WA - OH and fitting in some LSAT practice tests. Moving and trying new things is never easy, but spending time doing the activities that fill up your cup and giving yourself some grace, things become more comfortable over time.
Charlotte's passion for the outdoors and for sharing those experiences with others has been a constant. I was lucky enough to witness this firsthand back in college, where she was the go-to planner for our backpacking and day trips, meticulously handling everything from route finding and meal prep to the essential sour gummy worm procurement. This enthusiasm continued through her years as a backcountry trip leader, a role she embraced almost every summer in locations such as Alaska and Wyoming, finding particular joy in guiding middle to high school aged teens. Even now, whether navigating the urban landscape of Seattle or the wilderness of Alaska, her drive to connect people with the outdoors remains contagious. While her career path has shifted away from seasonal work to accommodate other goals, her underlying passion for outdoor accessibility hasn't waned. In fact, a recent two-week backpacking trip through the Wind River Range sparked a new idea: to leverage her planning expertise to help others experience similar adventures. This led to the creation of Forget Me Not Trips, a venture focused on taking the logistical burden out of backpacking, enabling busy individuals in cities or those with limited time off to easily access pre-planned and organized trips. I am eagerly looking forward to it, as what sounds better than hopping in the car after work Friday afternoon to being on a trail shortly after with all of the details already pinned down. She is still in the process of building it out, but if I know one thing for sure, it will be incredibly well-organized and thoughtfully curated, reflecting the same care she puts into all of her adventures.
Some things I’m trying after talking to Charlotte:
Listening to the “Your Diet Sucks” podcast, where the hosts talk about crazy fad diets (and debunk them) and bring a comedic perspective to the endurance world.
A Kuvetta sports bra - a sports bra that holds the sweaty test of time and has cute patterns sign me up.
Getting more educated on my local elections and where I can support. A lot of people want to make a difference right now, and what better way than to connect with those working to make a difference in your individual communities.
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