I’ve been spending a lot of time this month on the “old” Coldwater Rumble Trails. As winter grass over seeding is taking place at my son’s current soccer practice location in Litchfield Park, training has been temporarily moved to Goodyear and as my luck would have it, just a stone’s throw from the main entrance to Estrella Mountain Regional Park, giving me quick access to a sunset trail run while he’s at practice. Outside of Coldwater, I don’t get many opportunities to run these trails, so it’s been a treat to kick up the dust over there a few times a week.
Now, I would by lying if I haven’t been feeling some nostalgia while out running on these “original” Rumble trails. The 4 miler course of yesteryear is my go-to during the hour that I have to fit my run in, and as excited as I am about the move to the competitive area of the park this coming January for the 2024 and beyond Coldwater, I’d be remiss to say that I am a tad sad about it, too, but that sadness has everything to do with my own selfish reasons.
With the 20 miler in 2014 being my first ever trail race, the 52 miler a few years later my first 50 mile, the 52k a few years after that as my twin sister’s first and only ultra marathon, the 4 miler being my daughter’s first and only race, and Coldwater Rumble being an annual sister’s weekend with 2024 marking year 9 of consecutive California to Arizona trips for my sister to come and run a distance at Coldwater, I’ve made some serious memories at the original Rumble venue.
All that being said; clearly selfish.
Now let’s unselfishly take a snapshot look at the new start/finish area which is just down the street from the original…
New staging area: Estrella Competitive Track = more room to spread out.
This doesn’t mean just more room for the crew zone and camping, it means more space for more of a festival atmosphere: think beer garden, food trucks, elevated start/finish area with games, maybe live music??
Courses are new!
With this staging area move we can now utilize both sides of the park instead of just the one. The two shortest distances are on entirely different trails altogether, and the longer distances will use those trails as well as venture on “new to Rumble” trails to the westerly side of the park…basically almost a full tour de Estrella Mountain Regional Park! And in typical EMRP style, trails are all fun, runnable, GORGEOUS, and just punchy and technical enough to keep you on your toes!
New distances, new challenges! 100k, 60k and 40k? Yes, way! Of course we still have the 100 miler which is technically now 3 loops instead of 5, and a lovely 5 mile and 10 mile looped course…love it!
The vision is to make Coldwater Rumble the Javelina Jundred of the wintertime, and this move to the new staging area can truly make this vision possible for all of the reasons listed above.
So with the OG CWR forever in my heart, I’m beyond excited for this January’s edition, for my twin to experience new trails, an entirely different staging area, and an elevated experience altogether at the 2024 Coldwater Rumble at the Estrella Competitive Track.
She will be taking on the 10 miler, I’m going for the 5, and like always we will set up a picnic spot right along the crew chute to cheer on runners, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy the day.
It’s time to make some new, epic memories at the new for 2024 Coldwater Rumble…unselfishly.
To learn more about the new for 2024 and beyond Coldwater Rumble Trail Runs at the Estrella Mountain Competitive Track, you can check it out here!