S1E31: Who is Canary?

Listen to full episode :

We have the privilege of speaking with the one and only, Canary!

Today we are able to catch up and chat with Christopher Blackwell, or Canary, less than a week before he begins his attempt at a Supported Fastest Known Time for the Calendar Year Triple Crown. This means hiking the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail well within a calendar year. He hopes to break the previous record set by Swami at 236 days, and set the new record around 220 days.

We chat about his mental and physical prep work to tackle such a endeavor. The prep work that began years ago that has been leading to this moment. We talk about his planned Appalachian Trail 2020 thru hike, and how the pandemic changed his plans. Instead of being deterred we chat about how refreshing it is to see and hear how he continued to pursue his passion and hikes in the outdoors. Transitioning to climbing mountains in the Smokies and in the Southern Appalachians, he continued to pursue his happiness.

We dive deep into the mental preparation that it takes as you learn from life. From previous hikes, from daily life, from childhood, continually learning how to harness the mentality and strength inside and how it transitions to the trail.

We chat about his partner, Bell, who will be supporting him along his hike. We chat about the benefits and perceived difficulties that can arise when planning something this intense with another. We learn that both him and his partner have two individual goals that have combined into a together goal, and how this leads to cohesiveness and happiness.  

We chat about his inspirations, we chat about his proposed route, we chat about the Adirondacks Winter Route, we chat about suffering, we chat about harnessing strength, acceptance, and peace. 

Disclaimer: This will be published when he is a month or two into his hike, so to a future and to a past Canary, keep getting after it! 

Truly a wonderful chat with Canary, thanks again for sharing some of your story with us.

FAVORTIE QUOTES:

"[I want] to look back to that kid and be the vision that would lead me forward during my darkest nights"

"I am going into this because I know it is going to change me"

"Every time someone does a huge thing, it raises everyone up to the possibilities"

To learn more about Canary and get involved check out the link below:

Instagram: @chrisvaughnblackwell

To learn more about who we are click the link below:

Website: https://www.elevenskys.com/

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