por Krista Jett

Growing up in California’s San Joaquin Valley, I was more familiar with the sight of dairy cows and almond orchards than I was with that of wild deer or redwood groves. My grandparents settled in the region because of its rich agricultural history and abundant jobs for farm laborers. With Spanish as their first language, they felt most at home in the communities of migrant farm workers that inhabited the Valle Central. While nature was something that they both appreciated, it simply could not be the determining factor in their decision about where to live. First and foremost, they needed consistent employment and community.

Even though they lived hours from any state or national park and had little money, my grandparents did not let that stop them from making their way to the outdoors. They would take advantage of their little free time, pack up my grandfather’s old blue pick-up, and head for the ocean. In San Simeon State Park, they passed countless happy days and nights camping under the Monterey Pines, with the sounds of the ocean as the backdrop for their dreams.

On one such camping trip, my grandparents imparted their love of the outdoors to me. At just four years old, I was their Chispita, the little spark, and I took on each new experience in life with fervor. I remember the first time my grandma let me stay up late to sit around the campfire and watch the stars come out. I sat in quiet awe, knowing even at that young age that I was witness to something magical. I would remember that feeling when, fourteen years later, I had my first encounter with trail running.

I was eighteen years old when I graduated high school and moved for college, trading in my small farm town for a small mountain town northeast of Napa. After weeks of watching girls from my dorm lace up their shoes and head into the woods, I decided to try it. I was naive to the concept of running shoes, and I ran that first mile in an old pair of Nike basketball shoes. The fit wasn’t great, but it didn’t matter; I was lost in a paradise of pine trees, lazy creeks, and vibrant green moss. I gasped for air at the crest of each hill before throwing myself into the descent, leaving my worries behind as I ran. Finding my independence on a forest trail was exciting and significant to me, and from then on I was all in.

In the nearly 18 years since that day, I have continued running, hiking, and backpacking along the trails of California’s coastal mountain ranges. The wilderness remains my refuge and a source of endless joy. The redwoods have seen me through my darkest hours as I struggled with postpartum depression, mourned the deaths of loved ones, and grappled to cope with the isolation of the pandemic. The forest has stayed my trusty friend through all these years, and I know with certainty that I can always turn to her.

On December 31, 2019, I decided to start a run streak, hoping to carve out some much-needed alone time for myself. For the next year, I ran outside every day, rain or shine, while allowing myself to focus on my needs alone, even if it was only for ten minutes at a time. The outcome was better than I could have ever imagined; at the end of the year, I felt stronger, happier, and even more in love with the outdoors than when I first began. I have maintained my run streak to this day and am preparing to complete my fourth year in a matter of weeks. While I enjoy the benefits of good fitness and improved health, my primary reason for continuing is keeping my daily “outside” routine alive.

My hope is that others like me will make their way into the wilderness and feel empowered to try new things. Accessibility and affordability remain a barrier for thousands, and my goals through social media are to share the beauty of nature for those who cannot reach it themselves, to inspire others to get outside and explore their world, and to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining public outdoor spaces for everyone. I have made it my practice to invite family, friends, and colleagues to join me outside for a run or hike in the hope that one day they will do the same for someone else, and together, we can spread the love of the outdoors.

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Krista was born and raised in the Central Valley of California. She has lived and worked as a Pediatric Nurse in the San Francisco Bay since graduating from nursing school nearly fifteen years ago. Krista began a Run Streak on December 31st, 2019 and has run every day since; she also enjoys hiking, back packing, and exploring coastal tide pools.