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Writer | Editor | Runner
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The Secret That’s Haunted Me

The Secret That’s Haunted Me

February 19, 2015 · by yitka · in Book Project, Life Musing, Writing

Once upon a time, a boy I’d recently started dating peered into my eyes and asked me, “What’s your secret?” “Huh?” I said. “Everyone has a secret,” he said. “So. What’s yours?” It was the most intimate question I’d ever…

I wrote a book!

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Running above the clouds. ✨ Running above the clouds. ✨
Post-storm special on Tiger this morning. Post-storm special on Tiger this morning.
Weekly mountaintop picnic with my girl. #latergram Weekly mountaintop picnic with my girl. #latergram
My second trip ever up to Camp Muir. 🤩 Thanks, My second trip ever up to Camp Muir. 🤩 Thanks, Steidls, for letting me tag along! Forecast looked crappy and weather at Paradise was dreadful, but then we hiked up into the sunshine and had ourselves a glorious day on the mountain. 🙏
This view just never gets old. This view just never gets old.
4:45 alarm clock this morning did not disappoint. 4:45 alarm clock this morning did not disappoint.
🥰 🥰
I hope she always finds as much joy on the trails I hope she always finds as much joy on the trails as she does now. 💛
Hardrock 2024: A dream a decade in the making! P Hardrock 2024: A dream a decade in the making! 

Photos 1-3: Doing “Softrock” in 2014 with a bunch of PNW friends.
Photos 4-5: Pacing @jamesvarner77 in 2015. (Photo 5 by Criss Furman, RIP.)
Photos 6-7: Volunteering in 2016.
Photos 8-9 (by @jorgeorozcophotography): Sahale “runs” Hardblock + visiting the rock on our 2022 family pilgrimage to Silverton.

Can’t wait to go back this summer with a bib on my shorts. 🙏
Happy sixth rescue-versary to my mama. So grateful Happy sixth rescue-versary to my mama. So grateful, forever and always. 🙏

📷: @jorgeorozcophotography
Happy birthday, sweet child, I love you so. 💖 Happy birthday, sweet child, I love you so. 💖

📸 @jorgeorozcophotography
Six days backcountry canoe camping with a toddler Six days backcountry canoe camping with a toddler … we did it! More stories to come, but my heart is full. ❤️
I had a blast running around in the mountains with I had a blast running around in the mountains with @cait.jacobsen en route to her finish at @teanawaycountry100. What a gift to witness her strength and perseverance on an incredibly tough course. She dug deep for her🥉place finish, and I’ll be brimming with joy about it forever because not only is Caitlin an amazing athlete, she’s also an exceptional human. 🤩
Dear other folks who are equally passionate about Dear other folks who are equally passionate about athletics and (creating) art: how do you make time and space in your life for both? I want your tips and tricks!

I often wake up and struggle to decide whether I want to spend whatever free time (i.e., child-free time) I have available either running or writing. I usually only have time for one or the other in any given day.

Running usually wins, because (a) it’s generally more fun, (b) it comes with endorphins and almost always leaves me feeling happier and more mentally sound than writing does, (c) it’s certainly physically healthier (vs. hunching over a computer, which is already how I spend 40 hours a week), (d) it can sometimes double as social time, which is an especially precious commodity in any parent’s life, and (e) races are kind of like deadlines, so as a deadline-motivated soul who writes for pleasure not work, I find it much easier to find running/training motivation than writing motivation on many days.

However! I have been working on a memoir manuscript, on and off, for nearly a decade now. I finally completed an 85,000-word rough draft last summer and have been slooowly chipping away at revisions on it ever since.

I skipped running yesterday because I was in the zone with my manuscript again and it felt so good. I almost skipped running again today, but decided to get out there on the premise that I would run slowly, alone and without music, and use the trail time to work through manuscript edits in my mind that I could then later translate on paper. 

Y’all. This was the coolest day. My mind felt like fireworks the whole run, and then revisions went so much faster once I got home and scrounged up another couple hours to write. 💛
Just a girl, her mama, and her mama’s old Cabbag Just a girl, her mama, and her mama’s old Cabbage Patch doll from the late 80s.

📸: @jorgeorozcophotography
Cascade Crest 2023 in the books! This race is han Cascade Crest 2023 in the books!

This race is hands down my favorite of the year, thanks to a super special community of people who show up to support one another and put on a magnificent tour of our backyard mountains here in Washington.

This year, due to trail closures, we ran a modified (out-and-back) version of the original course, which meant I got to experience some familiar trails, except backward and at night, and with the added boon of a couple bonus miles and all runners getting to see and cheer every other runner on at least once during the race. (That said, I do still prefer the original course because 🐐Peak x 2 is gnar gnar, and also, I’m a sucker for a big old loop course.)

Highlights from the race: seeing so many familiar and friendly faces all weekend long, getting cheered on by amazing PCT thru-hikers (next year I propose we hand out blank race bibs at all aid stations on the PCT so they can write their trail names on them and the cheering can go in both directions!), 
going for a mid-race swim in Mirror Lake (hat tip to Matt Urbanski for that idea!), seeing @bbenefield execute an amazing race and finally notching a well-deserved win after multiple second-place finishes in years past, sharing trail miles with all three members of my amazing lady crew (@mtnrunnerdoc,  @kirshappyfeet & Trisha Steidl), catching a truly glorious sunrise from the mountaintops, earning a🥇+ my silver 5-year buckle in a GORGEOUS wooden box handmade by @matthagen and Jeff Wright, being greeted by my family at the finish line, slurping down a blackberry milkshake, and getting to see so many other incredible folks cross that finish line all day long.

I freaking love this race. ❤️ @cascadecrest100
An adventure out with friends was just what the do An adventure out with friends was just what the doctor ordered.
Our little hiker. 🥾 Our little hiker. 🥾
Sahale’s first morels. 😍 Sahale’s first morels. 😍
Love this girl so. Love this girl so.
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