Welcome! (Read this blog post first!)

Welcome to my blog as I document my experiences with the Clipper Round the World Race 2023-2024! I appreciate you taking your valuable time to join and support me as I begin racing around the world on September 3rd, 2023!

To give some context, I'm in London, UK, after just finishing my final round ("Level 4") training with my new race team, sponsored by the Chinese city of Qingdao ("ching dow")...but more widely, I'm new to blogging...not my normal course of behavior, so I'm stretching myself, both technologically (using Wix as the blog authoring software), and personally, in terms of sharing deeper insights into what I'm thinking (honestly, it feels like being exposed, so I really want to explore this aspect within myself!). Be patient and challenge me (see below)!

The blog is organized into 4 categories of posts:

1. Chris' Blog Posts - general commentary that doesn't fit easily into a category

2. Race Preparation - posts related to my preparation...note that even during the race, I may come back to this category to tie out some aspect of a post.

3. Race Execution - posts related to the 8 legs of this around the world journey.

4. Race Philanthropy - posts related to my goal of raising $40K ($1 for each kilometer for the circumference of the earth!) for two incredibly worthy philanthropic efforts; UNICEF USA (UNICEF is the official charity of the Clipper Round the World Race and the Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Foundation in honor of my brother, Dr. Jay Faris, who was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's in 2020. You've come this far, and I'm and I'd be honored if you would support one or both of these very important organizations, by going to my page on Race Philanthropy here

You can continue to challenge me by asking questions, or asking me to post on some aspect of the race...want to know what eat, sure, what is it like to use the head (bathroom) at a 30 degree angle (OK!), or what am I feeling (no problem, let's go deep into my head!), throw it out there...nothing is off limits from my point of view! You can also register your email to get updates on the blog at the bottom of each page if you like. I will be blogging in each stop over, and my wife Jean may post on my behalf as I'm able to communicate periodically via satellite communication.

Lastly, I'd be remiss in failing to thank everyone who has supported me on this venture:

• My immediate family, Jean Faris (wife) and Katie Faris (daughter).

• My wider family: my father and mother, Ken and Shirley Faris, brothers Kevin and Jay Faris and their families.

• And my extended family comprised of friends, former co-workers across the globe, neighbors and my most recent support group at Huron Consulting Group..."Thank you!" You guys have supported me since I announced I would be retiring in 2019 to do the race, and supported me through COVID and the race restart!

• Lastly, I don't get to this level of sailing without learning from the best sailors in the world, my Pacific Northwest and Chicago-based family of sailors...you guys have always challenged me and each time we sail together, I learn something new..."Thank you!"

So, here we have it...my first blog post! I'm in my hotel room in the west end of London, glass of Merlot in hand (tired as shit after a week of hard training and racing (more to come on that), and gotta get up early at 3:30 AM local time to make my way to Heathrow for the flight home! I'm about a month out from coming back to Portsmouth (mid-August 2023) for final boat readiness and race start prep...let's do this TOGETHER and a big "thanks" for all your love, support, and interest!

FYI: the picture below is from July 15th, 2023, with me driving the boat (fun and focused, but not the most important job), my crew partner, Timo (from Germany) and our skipper, Greg Hunt from South Africa (an amazing gentleman and sailor)...he's looking at some navigation details on our hardened computer)...we are blasting along at 12 knots across the English Channel towards France in Force 8 to 9 winds (gale force winds above 35 knots), and setting up for a very rough night of sailing!

All the best,

Chris