Every once in a while, when the vibe is just right and the frequencies of the world seem to harmonize together, you might take a moment to pause and say, “man, this is what its all about.”

Over the past several months and years of running I have had several of these moments. Often times it is a different type of experience that causes the “what-its-all-about” feeling. For instance, it could be reaching the top of the mountain on my morning trail run just as the sun peaks up over the ridge, shooting glorious golden light beams across the rocks and shrubs. It could also be the feeling just after a hard run effort where I hit a personal best on a route.

I decided I want to write about these “what-its-all-about” feelings and moments. This will be an ongoing series of writings where I will describe different types of these experiences. It could be after a race or a simple, but powerful daily run. I will probably do a “what-its-all-about” blog when I have one of these experiences that makes an impact on me.

This past weekend I got the “what-its-all-about” feeling during the local, Saturday morning group trail run – known as the “Saturday Shred.” Each week, the group meets at the Cold Springs trailhead, tucked away in the hills of Montecito. The route is usually about 8.5 – 9.5 miles with 2,000 – 3,000 feet of elevation gain. But this past weekend, the shred was different.

Several miles up the coast from Santa Barbara, the mega-trail brand UTMB was set to host the inaugural Pacific Trails by UTMB race weekend. There would be a 50k and 25k run on a private ranch. There were several elite runners that would be racing, along with many runners from various distant parts of the US and even distant continents. Unfortunately, about two weeks before the race, the California central and southern coast was hit by several days of heavy rain. The trails were a total mess. So much so that UTMB made the decision to cancel the race about 5 days out, stating that the ranch had not seen that much rainfall since 1965.

This led to some public frustration, as many runners had already travelled to Santa Barbara from distant lands, only to find out the race was cancelled. Not long after the unfortunate news, the Santa Barbara trail community had an answer. Why not invite all these disappointed race-ready runners to the Saturday Shred? Besides, our trails drained out the rain pretty well, just a bid muddy in some spots.

We decided to extend the route to include more magnificent SB trails, creating a sweet 12 mile loop with 4,000 feet of vertical. Local trail runner and community leader, Helen Payne, along with Preston, Lydia, Esther, Lisa, and Jeremy arranged to provide an aid station at the top of the mountain. It was gonna be a good shred.

Coincidentally, this shred would be the two-year anniversary of the group run, founded by Rick Garcia and Colin Henderson (who moved to Boston with his girlfriend about a year ago). This would make the shred extra special.

On Saturday morning, I arrived to the most crowded trailhead I’ve ever seen. Usually, I am not one for big crowds, especially in nature. But this time was different. I could feel the excitement of everyone. Yes, runners were frustrated that they would not be racing this weekend, but the friendly, welcoming vibe of the shred-regulars outweighed any negativity.

We stood around and chatted a bit longer than normal, letting more and more runners arrive. There was probably 40-50 runners in attendance. Eventually, Rick made his normal pre-run announcement, detailing the route and the post-run creek dip in the cold, Montecito Creek. He also noted the two-year anniversary of the shred. He had brought coffee and doughnuts to celebrate after the run.

And then we got started, jogging up the trail towards the top of the mountains. As we made our way up through the switchbacks, I occasionally glanced down the mountain, seeing a long line of runners several switchbacks below. This was a cool sight. So many runners out together to transform a disappointing race-cancellation for some into a fun giant group run. Throughout the climb up the mountain, I talked to several runners I had not met before. A few were from various parts of California and a couple were even from Canada. They had all travelled to Santa Barbara for the UTMB race but instead found themselves exploring the amazing SB trail network.

As we got closer to the top of the mountain, I heard Preston’s voice blast through a megaphone, “We got your quesadillas, We got your pickles, We got your Fireball! This isn’t UTMB, this is the Saturday Shred!” The stoke was high.

The aid station was set-up on the water tower at the top of the mountain, with an amazing view of SB and the Pacific below, and the backcountry mountains on the other side. Helen was dressed in a pickle outfit and Preston was in a tiger outfit. I got Esther to pour me a shot of Fireball and throw some Nerds Gummy Clusters in my mouth. Classic aid station shenanigans.

This is the moment the “what-its-all-about” feeling really hit me. So many runners, known and unknown, gathered together to do the thing we love. No entry fees or qualifications. Just pure love and joy. The trail community we have here in Santa Barbara is special.

The community high continued the very next day on Sunday evening. The celebration of Trail League Season Three was held at Third Window Brewing in downtown SB. It was a night to celebrate the teams who won their divisions and all the runners who participated. Even better, it was a chance to socialize in a non-running context. I could talk to my friends without being out-of-breath. It was a great night.

The year 2025 has had some amazing community moments for me. Helen’s vert challenge was an amazing community event, which deserves its own write-up (I did write about this from my crewing/support perspective, blog #15: creative beings & dimensions). My friends supporting me at Tahoe 200 showed me the power of team work in trail running. Helping Helen run her Mammoth 200 race with a massive support team (finishing 4th place!) was an inspiring experience. Watching Jeremy complete his first 100 mile effort and Esther run her first 50 miler and Jon go hard for a sub 24-hour 100 mile, was incredible.

These moments remind me how important it is to have an authentic connection with my local community. I generally think of myself as a bit of an introvert, who values time spent with myself. I enjoy running solo miles, alone with my thoughts (and usually some music), free to let my mind wander. Sometimes I forget the importance of maintaining strong relationships with others.

Being connected to a larger community helps give me a sense of purpose. This past weekend, I felt like I helped these runners, who thought they would be racing, still have a good experience with our local trails and community. By participating in the community, we can build a great environment for others to join, making a positive impact on people’s lives.

This is what its all about.

Some music selections from recent runs:

MJ Lenderman’s album Manning Fireworks. Such interesting songwriting. Fun listen.

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard 11/4/2025 London, England. Thanks to taper: Tora Tapes. Live at the Royal Albert Hall with the Covent Garden Sonfonia. Sick.

Colter Wall’s new album Memories and Empties.

SYML new EP When the Party’s Over.

My Morning Jacket album It Still Moves. Been digging into this band’s discography recently.

Goose new live album Live at Madison Square Garden.

Slayer album Seasons in the Abyss.