🇯🇵 BIG IN JAPAN 🇯🇵
Hikes. Sand Dunes. Beaches. Onsen. Izakaya. Hang Outs. Listening Bars. Temples. Fish Markets. A Bear Cafe. Record Stores. Cassette Shops. High-speed Trains. 7-11’s. A Marathon. Pop-ups. Ja-pants. Vending Machines. Photo Booths. Leek Flutes. City Pop. Highballs.
A lot to take in over the course of a week. What a time.
The only regret is not visiting Punch.
BIG MOVES
Appreciative of all the running moments in ‘25.
Running and the community that encompasses it remain a huge part of my life. As always, grateful to share miles with friends, old and new, along the way.
@xcrossinglinesx@parkdaleroadrunners
🔊BIG TUNES🪩
Thankful for these musical moments in ‘25.
One of my few resolutions for the year was to get out and enjoy live music more often. Mission accomplished. More in ‘26.
JAVELINA JUNDRED
Another buckle. Another ticket. But this time, it felt a little different. I’d been thinking about running this race for a while but had pretty much accepted that it wasn’t going to happen this year. That is, until the big homie @dhanioks put out the word to @blackmenrunphoenix and they made it happen. The stars aligned, and suddenly I had a date with the desert.
I had high expectations for this one, and it did not disappoint. It was a battle to reach that finish line, plenty of highs and lows along the way but every single minute of it will be remembered.
Huge shoutout to the crew that got me there (@teee.ohhhh@dhanioks@mike_krupica@jameskoka ). Y’all held it down for 28 hours and made sure ya boy had everything he needed to make it through. Forever grateful.
Much love to @blackmenrunphoenix , @blackmenrunturf , @jarred_ervv , and @meted99 for getting me to the start line. I love connecting with other initiatives that share the same mission — getting more BIPOC folks to the start line of ultras. The hospitality and love y’all showed me and my crew were deeply appreciated. So much gratitude to you all. Looking forward to returning the favor someday.
Props to the @xcrossinglinesx family for all the support and good vibes, all those weekends on the trails paid off! And major thanks to @ninasieh for the last-minute heat training tips that paid dividends and got me through that peak sun.
Not sure what’s next, but it’s going to be hard to top this one.
🌵🔥🖤🙌🏼🥳✌🏾☀️🦂🌵
✖️ CROSSING LINES SEASON 2 ✖️
Same mission: Get People of Colour to the start line of an ultra-endurance race.
Same location: Woodstock Race Weekend in Gregory, MI.
Same vibe: A loving, grassroots, community-focused squad—each with individual goals, united by a shared vision.
A slightly different outcome: Lower turnout, but a small and mighty crew that came together, clicked instantly, and shared some beautiful moments.
On a personal note: I cut my race day short to save my legs for an unexpected race happening in a few weeks. It felt good to get some loops in, test my fitness, and briefly dip into the pain cave.
This summer has felt like a series of highs and lows—never quite hitting my stride, but never fully losing my rhythm, both in training and in life.
Gratitude for everyone that participated or supported season 2 in any way possible. Whether it was committing to training for a hundred miler, joining us on a loop at the backyard ultra or simply shooting me a DM with words of encouragement. It is all greatly appreciated.
Back to the drawing board... I’ve got a date with the desert and a third season to start planning.
In a couple of days runners from around the globe will join @escape_to___ as they run South Africa’s historic Garden Route to Cape Town’s beautiful Waterfront before running @totalsportstwooceansmarathon
We wanted to send everyone off with some vibes and give those at home another way to connect in to the epic experience.
Hit the link in our bio to enjoy the playlist created by @kortnee_b and check out @escape_to___ for ways you can support the work they do.
✌🏽❤️
BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX
Always thankful for time spent wandering the desert and mountains with loved ones. No better way to have welcomed another rotation. Also spotted the rare turquoise arches and a goatasaurus.
2024 A.D.
or “How Kortnee Got His Groove Back.”
Much love to the gods and earth. Shout out to those that shared moments and love.✌🏼&❤️
#✌🏼✋🏼
#rebuild
#backinmybag
Big Tings! Come show us some love at the @towaterfront42k expo on Saturday. We’re excited to be sharing the stage with friends to talk about running and diversity.
#crossinglines #projectultra #ultratrailrunning #ultrarunning #representation #diversity #peopleofcolour #bipoc #culturaldiversity #diversitymatters #inclusionmatters #inclusion #trailrunning #trailrunner #trailrun #trail #runningcommunity #runningculture #runculture #culture #runners #runner #running #run #runningmotivation #runnersofinstagram #instarunners
THE HUNDO HOMIES.
One of the most surprising accomplishments of Season 1 of @xcrossinglinesx was the amount of folks willing to take on the hundred distances. The commitment to take on a three digit distance is a lofty one and starts to get into the territory where a DNF is a high possibility. Covering these types of distances can be transformative and really creates a whole new outlook on one’s perception of limitations.
The fact that so many folks stepped up to the challenge with the main goal of representation is something that brings me the great sense of pride. I’m hopeful that this will be a catalyst to encourage more folks to push the boundaries a little further.
@xcrossinglinesx
#mynameis
#hundohomies
#runwoodstock
#ultrarunning
#representation
CROSSING LINES: PROJECT ULTRA S1
(Warning: I’m channeling @birdamyflying on this one)
Increasing diversity at the start line of Ultra Endurance races has been on my mind for years. A year ago I ran an idea, to recruit a group of folks to train together to run an Ultra, by a few close friends and they were down to make it happen straight out the gate.
From that point we began reaching out to people we thought might be down for the cause. I never doubt the community that I am connected to but I was still taken aback by how many folks were immediately down to take part in the initiative, many agreeing to run distances they have never ran before. Before we knew it we had over 20 runners registered to tackle a distance between 50km to 100 miles.
When it came time to find a coach to lead this group, there was only one name on my list and thankfully she said yes without hesitation. @ninasieh is the embodiment of this initiative and the only person I know of that could put together a plan that would get us all to the start line in top form both physically and mentally.
A summer of training and connecting commenced. We offered a number of training runs to include our community and build camaraderie amongst the participants. From runs with the @parkdaleroadrunners , to runs with @townbrewery , to a training run in Michigan, to a Backyard Ultra, it all clicked and it all set the table for the big show.
To say that last weekend was a success would be an understatement. We have over 28 runners toe the line and saw 10 of those runners place top 3 in their age category for their distance. Majority of the group running further than they ever had before. Most important we changed the complexion of a start line of an Ultra.
Thank you to my brothers @mgeofroy , @mf_jacket and @jameskoka . Shout out to Coach @ninasieh . Much love to the group of badass runners that registered and took a chance on trusting the vision for season one. Gratitude to everyone that ran with us, took the time to talk to us, and liked or shared the story of this initiative as we tried to build this from the ground up.
SEASON 2 COMING SOON because we still NEED MORE PEOPLE OF COLOUR AT THE START LINE.
