NATSA Urban Trail Loop

Steve Rhode leads NATRA north on the Flagstaff Urban Trail  System - FUTS (David Blanchard Photo).

                                                

A baker's dozen turned out for the urban trail/loop run with summer running plans on many minds. Overcast skies gave way to the sun but not before the NATRA runners were already in the forest on the loop trail recently documented by Randy Wilson in The AZ Daily Sun.

The gang introduces themselves.

 Steve Rhode explains the run to the gang (David Blanchard photo)

    
 NATRA soon turned to NATSA as many runners were veering off trail to go about their business. Not only do we run for ourselves but we fertilize when nature calls...

Almost back (David Blanchard photo)

Sundial along FUTS - the time is correct! (David Blanchard photo)

 Spring time in the high country (David Blanchard photo).

a vote was called and we decided to support one of our sponsors and head to the Pay n Take where Jacqui re-fueled the group with refreshments, smiles, and laughter for all. (Thanks to Steve Rhode for the post and David Blanchard for the photos!)

 Post run Pay n' Take Coffee (David Blanchard photo)

NATRA meets Albie (Cross America Runner)

Watch more videos on Flotrail

Today 6 NATRA runners had the pleasure of running with Albie Masland who is running across the country on behalf of fallen heroes and injured veterans. To learn more about Albie's mission, visit Operation Amerithon. We ran from the Flagstaff Athletic Club West across town on the Route 66 FUTS to newly designed trailhead near Fanning Drive, about 6 miles. We also had fun re-creating the Forest Gump scene where Sh** Happens.

 

This is the fourth time that NATRA has joined a runner crossing the country. All four times, we were the first organized group that these remarkable athletes socialized with since starting on the west coast. All have told fascinating stories about their encounters on the road.


Folks from Flagstaff can have a chance to meet Albie from 12 to 2 on Sunday April 22 at the Kickstand. He will be discussing his fundraising efforts for the Travis Manion Foundation. Runners can also join him Sunday at 8 AM on the new Route 66 Trailhead just past Fanning Drive towards the mall. We will run the stretch from Fanning to the Walnut Canyon exit on I-40 (8 miles round trip).

Jonathan Williams, June 1, 2005 (Watch his interview!)

Kampei, April 5, 2009  

Takashige Katzhiko, June 18, 2011 

Albie Maslin, April 21-22, 2012 

NATWA - 3

https://picasaweb.google.com/bh021552/NATWAR3?authkey=Gv1sRgCJPYzKb4jJrPUw

Sabrina, Susan & Bruce climbed Aggasiz last year on April Fools Day. A reprise didn't work out so they kicked around alternatives. Some friends ran this route across the Grand Canyon & back. They thought that was too much, so on On April 18th, they walked it- the third installment of Northern Arizona Trail Walkers Association!  A little less than 24 hours in one's life - except for sore muscles! (Thanks to Bruce H for sharing!)

Another April Schultz Creek Blizzard Run

Watch more videos on Flotrail

Nothing like a cold mid-April snowstorm to bring out the gang. Ten NATRA runners and Dylan headed up Schultz Pass Road in a blinding blizzard. White-out conditions seem to be the norm whenever we call this run (well anytime we run it between October and May).  We dedicated the run to Sara Wagner who of course during one snowy 15 below day actually ran, while Neil and Bruce made their dash to the coffee shop. Check out the above video with special messages for Sara and her forthcoming Boston Marathon on Monday. Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow! (Thanks to Suzanne Motsinger for the photos below.)

The Thudding Echoes of Sandy Canyon

Watch more videos on Flotrail

12 runners went to Fisher Point and back on a picture perfect spring morning. We were joined by Phoenix's very own ultra-marathoner extraordinaire, Mark Hellenthal. If you have not heard about Mark's inspirational story, here is the link to the Arizona Republic article. If you have heard the story, it is worth revisiting!

Running through Sandy Canyon is always an adventure. While much of the path is soft and "sandy", there are patches where it abruptly transforms into a slippery and rocky stream bed. The thuds of runners crashing to the forest floor could be heard echoing off the canyon's limestone walls.

Luckily, all returned intact to a very quiet Campus Coffee Bean that was soon filled with hungry, tired and thirsty runners. We learned from David Blanchard that this morning's headline news across the country regarding a 12 mile-high Dust Devil on Mars, was actually a massive typo that has yet to be discovered! Apparently it was a 1/2 mile high phenomena that is not that unusual. It will be entertaining to see how newspapers correct themselves today! We also learned that next weekend we may have to put our Kahtoola snow traction shoes to make our way across the Fort Valley Trail System! Never a dull moment with this gang! Thanks to Don Bayles for sharing photos below!

Getting our butts kicked on Route 66!

Nine runners inaugurated NATRA's first ever run on the Route 66 Mountain Biking Loop on Ash Fork Hill, about 10 minutes west of Williams, Arizona. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, my Kaibab National Forest co-worker Teri Cleeland had the foresight to create a mountain bike loop trail out of the 1921 Old Trails Highway section and 1931 Route 66 alignment. She also had successfully nominated them to the National Register of Historic Places.

For more than twenty years I thought this would make tough 10K, but it wasn't until today that NATRA gave it a spin. The run was every bit as challenging for runners (and David on his Mountain Bike) as it was from the truckers heating up their engines climbing I-40 just to the south of us. We ran the loop counter clockwise so that we could retrace the steps of the runners that competed in the 1928 Footrace Across America, 84 years ago this March! See video below.



Running westward on the broken pavement of the 1931 Route 66 alignment we had a blast and encountered a recently stenciled Route 66 marker in the old pavement. The vistas to the west were stunning and the run was pretty much downhill - we were feeling pretty fast....but what goes down....

See David Blanchard's Photography Blog about this run.

The return was another story. It was entirely uphill with a few twists and turns that left many walking the way that most "bunioneers" did in 1928 up the same exact path. Only when they did it, there had been a snowstorm in the high country so no doubt they had added weight. Despite the nearly 500 foot ascent(that felt like 1000), all felt well challenged and excited to have this run added to our repertoire! Thanks to Don Bayles for the photos below!

In addition to the above video, two amazing books give different accounts of the Bunion Derby. The Bunion Derby, by Charles B. Kastner, University of New Mexico Press 2007; and C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race, Rodale Press 2007.

Beaver Creek on the Rampage!

(Thanks to Bruce for the above photos and below commentary!)
Spring must be here; the women are back in the majority on NATRA runs! Eight women and four males (if you count Dylan, the dog) headed up toward the pools, with most folks going the distance. Peer-pressure didn't work on Sabrina this time, although she at least dipped her feet in the frigid springtide. We gathered at the Bean afterward.