About NATRA Blog

This page is meant for folks to post their thoughts on the Saturday group run. I (Neil) will post a blurb about who showed up and where it was held. From there, I hope that other runners will share their thoughts since we often have different experiences on the same run. Enjoy!

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Why? Why Not? Trail Running and Open Spaces

 City Council's Celia Barotz updates NATRA on open space issues.

(Thanks to Bruce for the post with a few additions in italics from the "leader.") A dozen runners and several pooches managed the Ft Valley Trails maze today without a hitch, despite our leader's absence!

During our stretches, we began with a little pep talk from Celia Barotz about open space, the "Y" issue, community engagement, making your voice count about local issues (especially by voting in the next City Council elections) and then headed out. For more information about the history of the "Y", read the Arizona Daily Sun's article from last year. Annika was especially exuberant on this beautiful mountain morning, apparently unaware that she will be 11 (66 in dog years) on Monday.

At the Moto junction, three headed up toward the Az Trail, while the others ran down to the Ft Valley trailhead. The latter group split up on the way back (on purpose!), with three electing to add another three miles up to the pipeline, while the others tried out the Flue Trail.

Nearly everyone had several additional activities to do today, so we skipped coffee, no doubt suppressing the usual economic ripple NATRA is responsible on Saturdays in Flagstaff

 Bruce leads the charge across the  "Y" parcel.
 Anikka's exuberance always gives Mackenzie and extra workout!


Open Space preserved!