Return of El Nino

Conisdering El Nino has taken Flagstaff hostage for the third straight weekend, a surprising 22 NATRA runners (a new Waterline record) including 8 NATRA newbies basked in what may or may not be winter's last hurrah . As Waterline is now nearly void of trees due to the 2010 Schultz Fire, we were thankful for the chill in the air. At the same time last year we sizzled in the hot early summer sun.

 

(at home after the run, I found an old photo taken exactly 6 years ago today, under oddly, very similar conditions with 21 runners! Here is the blog from that day!

As I mostly ran alone, chilled to the bone, I could hardly believe that I had to get my act together organizing the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff Half Marathon, that is less than 10 weeks away. Which reminds me, if you have a second, please like and share the new bbbsf half page on facebook. I am hoping for record numbers and fundraising this year!

Once off the hill, we took over the Kickstand filling nearly every table. Next week's run is Schultz Creek Trail up to the Lincoln Logs, meet at the "Y" at 8 AM.

Change is Inevitable

 (Thanks to Bruce Higgins for the post and David Blanchard for sharing his photos)

A baker's dozen of brave humans plus two pooches gathered for a snowy Saturday run - only the find a beautiful, if breezy, morning awaiting!

Since the run was a change from the previously planned Schultz Creek out-&-back, we didn't hesitate to change it again from Oldham to McMillan Mesa loop. The changed out-&-back change included a relatively new segment of this trail on the Switzer Canyon edge that provides excellent views of Flagstaff and points west.

 Most ran this route for today, but a few ran a changed out-&-back changed loop change route instead.

Since the total mileage was fairly short, many added a changed put-&-back changed loop changed change to the end in Buffalo Park. Coffee & breakfast at The Kickstand followed. No one ordered Spam - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE

 Next Saturday's run is our tradition Memorial Day venture to the Waterline Tunnel and back (about 6 miles). Meet at 7:40 AM at the "Y" at Schultz Creek to carpool up to the Schultz Tank Trailhead.

A Tale of Two Runs

 Two Flagstaff runs located minutes apart could not have contrasted any more! While the low key Campbell Mesa NATRA run started at 8 AM with its 11 devotees, nearly 3000 runners and volunteers packed the Color Vibe run at Findlay Toyota.

This is the second year Color Vibe has handed out the Flagstaff Racing Event Calendar (to download visit http://www.natra.org and view latest news link) to their participants and they again allowed me to plug our local races on stage. This time the DJ fired up the already raucous crowd by having them chant my name and then having the endless sea of runners dance for my panoramic photo.

As my friend Merk Perelstein pointed out, Color Vibe is perhaps one of the best gateway drugs that running has ever seen. It gets non-runners to participate and hopefully we will see a few of them at our local benefit runs! Much thanks to race director Nate Sorenson for his support of our local events.

Seeing the Forest Though the Trees

9 NATRA runners and 2 pooches thought they had been transported to the northwest coast. The bone chilling spring drizzle made the rocky Sycamore Rim Trail that much more challenging. Once we regrouped at the Sycamore Vista overlook, we decided to make the loop following Forest Road 56. We ran through a very recent forest thinning project that had given the forest a new haircut that will make it far more resilient against destructive wildfires. The animals seemed to approve as the deer and antelope played in the new openings.....Once back at the trailhead, runners filled their bottles with Dow Springs water and we satisfied our coffee drinking addiction at Wildflower. Next week Campbell Mesa 8 AM sharp!

 

 Natraneil, Natradavid, and Natraoso

Getting Ash Kicked on Route 66

10 NATRA runners and two pooches ran west on the 1931 Abandoned Route 66 alignment on Ash Fork Hill and returned uphill via the 1922 Old Trails Highway. (The Kaibab National Forest listed this section on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 - http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/arizona_road_segments.html)

As often as we have often done this adventure run, I was amazed that 8 of the 10 runners had never done so! As we trudged up the dirt road parallelling I-40, we may have been faster than the uphill semis. We wondered what the truckers thought as our group ran next to them in the woods.

To learn more about Route 66 history, visit http://flagstafftrailrunning.blogspot.com/2012/03/getting-our-butts-kicked-on-route-66.html

With 6 miles of the Mother Road in our pocket, we returned to Williams where we packed good old Cafe 326. I'm pretty sure due to the tiring hot run, everyone had Iced Coffee.

See David Blanchard's photos from 2012 for more info - http://www.dblanchard.net/blog/2012/03/get-your-running-kicks-on-route-66/ and read http://azdailysun.com/sports/running/get-your-butt-kicked-on-route/article_eeb6ae15-989b-51bf-9a0f-eae80dcc5834.html

From New York to Sandy Canyon via AZ Trail

17 NATRA runners including a half dozen newbies and three recent arrivals from NY area, ran to Fisher Point and back. The smell of spring prescribed burning off Lake Mary road and the warm temps were a nice addition to the perfect conditions. The large group then replenished oxygen and energy levels at Wildflower.

Next week join us and get your kicks on Old Route 66 west of Williams, Arizona. We will run the original dirt "Old Trails HIghway" and 1931 paved alignments. Learn more about the history of next week's run at http://flagstafftrailrunning.blogspot.com/2012/03/getting-our-butts-kicked-on-route-66.html We will meet at the Flagstaff Athletic Club west overflow Parking at 7:15 AM to carpool.

And don't forget, prices go up for the Run Flagstaff Summer Series 6 pack on April 16th. Register today for the 6 races at https://register.chronotrack.com/reg/form?eventID=12032

Johnson Canyon Tunnel Run

Six NATRA runners ran back in time to the historic 1882 Atlantic and Pacific Johnson Canyon Tunnel. Abandoned in 1960, the tunnel is a monument to one of the most troublesome sections of railroad grade on the mainline between New Mexcio and California. We made a pit stop at Cafe 326 in Williams and pretty much replenished the calories lost with tasty pastries. Next week, Sandy Canyon to Fisher Point from Canyon Vista Campground at 8 AM.