In 2002, a friend challenged me to run the San Francisco half marathon. I’d never tackled more than three miles but needed a challenge so I started training. I quickly realized being in good shape didn’t equal a quick jump to 13 miles.
It took me a year to build up my shins and learn how to run without destroying myself. But in the trial by fire, I found that special place where your body takes over and the mind shuts off. Where you feel like you can run forever and when you’re done, you’re cleansed.
That became my happy addiction.
“Then, in 2007, I burned out on races and pavement and discovered the trail.”
I threw myself into challenging half marathons, trying to run them faster. I squeezed in runs whenever I traveled for work. At this point in my life, I was a father, husband and entrepreneur — running became my stress relief, my escape route.
“A truly functional pair of shorts simply didn’t exist.”
I researched crazy routes that were exciting and remote, where conditions could be harsh and the challenges extreme. When you’re out eight hours, you better have the right shoes, clothing, backpack and fuel or you’re in serious trouble.
On a run along the Graves trail in the Olympic Forest, that’s where the idea of PATH projects first took hold.
