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A pro trail runner who spends her days modeling blue whale populations sounds like a made-up character, but Kristina Randrup is very real and very deep in both worlds. We talk about what it’s actually like to pursue a PhD at the University of Washington while racing ultras for Brooks, and why “computer ecology” can be just as meaningful as fieldwork when the goal is conservation and truth.

We get into blue whale recovery and why the numbers look radically different depending on the population. Khristina explains how blue whales were hunted to near-extinction in some regions, what carrying capacity means, and how management decisions like protections from ship strikes and entanglements lean on population status. She also breaks down the practical science behind abundance estimates, including line transect surveys and photo-based mark-recapture using fluke IDs, plus how models combine historic whaling catches with modern data.

Then we swing back to trail running: growing up around Bay Area running culture, learning to love long runnable ultras, the strange magic of the Dipsy Race, and what it takes to “sell yourself” to sponsors without being weird about it. We also talk Washington training, Cirque Series Crystal Mountain, gear choices like the Brooks Cascadia Elite, and how to find balance when both school and sport demand your best.

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