Tushar Mountains Wildfire Update

Jen LaughlinNews, Race Update, This Week In Aravaipa Running

There is no denying it, the season of Summer is a favorite to many and for good reason; warmer weather and longer days add an undeniable ease to adventure, making memories and having fun. But, with this spectacular seasonal shift comes negative aspects, as well. Those hotter temperatures mixed with dried springtime overgrowth, summer thunderstorms and heightened recreational activity creates a perfect trifecta for wildfires, especially in the many mountainous regions of the West.  Among the wildfires currently wreaking havoc in our part of the country, the Silver King Fire has been burning in the Tushar Mountain Range in Beaver, Utah, ignited on Friday, July 5th.  What began as a two acre fire has exploded …

Rumble Musings: Nostalgia For The Old, Excited For The New!

Jen LaughlinRace Preview, Race Report, Race Update

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 …

“Stick it : Why Quality Stickers Matter”

Jen LaughlinCommunity, Ultra Thoughts

Where do you put your stickers? Here at Aravaipa, we put them everywhere. From coolers to hydroflasks, the back of our laptops and the back of our vehicles. A quick drive through our office’s parking lot will quickly let you know you’re at Aravaipa Running headquarters because our stickers are everywhere!  We love our races, so why not show the world? But there’s more than just race stickers on our personal items. Looking a bit deeper you’ll see logos of favorite bands and brands, places we love to visit and the schools where our littles were student of the month at. Stickers are so much more than simply a badge of honor that displays a …

MOG 100 As Your First 100? Survey Says: YES

Jen LaughlinPost-Race Interview, Race Report, Ultra Thoughts

The Mogollon Monster 100 mile is not only a notoriously tough race, it’s also Arizona’s only Hardrock 100 qualifier. With around 18,000ft of total elevation gain on mostly technical and exposed trails, this race challenges the most seasoned mountain runners who throughout the point-to-point course will trudge up and down the rugged and steep escapement known as the Mogollon Rim a total of six different times. In a nutshell, the Monster is not for the faint of heart, and certainly not known for being a popular choice for a “first 100 mile”, but there are a handful of runners who beg to differ, and four of them just happen to work here at Aravaipa Running: …

Colorado Community Spotlight: Erika Kooda

Jen LaughlinCommunity

Although a fresh face to the Colorado trail and ultra running scene, 27 year old Erika Kooda is more than ready to dive head first into all of the beauty that her new home has to offer.  A 10 day trip to the Centennial State last spring was all it took for her and her partner Stephen to realize a relocation was necessary in their near future, and just 10 months later the duo made the move from Chicago to Broomfield and haven’t looked back. Keep reading to get to know Colorado’s newest transplant and trail lover in a little Q and A!  Where did you move to Colorado from? Erika: I moved from Chicago, …

Heart & Sole: Coping with Loss through Running

Jen LaughlinCommunity

Here at Aravaipa Running, our community means everything. At events, at group runs, and virtually on social media. The passion, kindness and heart of our trail running community continuously motivates and inspires us because there’s usually a reason far beyond fitness for why folks do what they do, and subsequently, a story to tell. West Valley resident Andee Arrom is an example of one of those community members who has a story to tell. Continue below to read more about Andee, her “why” for running, and how she’s successfully blended her career with her passion for exercise and how running and community was imperative to helping her cope with two devastating losses. My name is …

Lessons in Life at Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs

Jen LaughlinRace Preview

I decided last year to sit Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs out and immediately regretted it. It was the first time I had missed that race since I ripped of the endurance band-aid and became an “ultra runner” back in 2014 when I barely finished the 50k. Every year since I had gone back to take on a different distance, eventually repeating a few, improving on previous year’s finishing times or having a different race experience entirely because you see at Mesquite Canyon, you never know what you’re going to get.Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs is the final race in our Desert Runner Trail Series. It happens each year in March, and if you’re competing in the …

My New Best Race at San Tan Scramble Trail Runs

Jen LaughlinRace Report

San Tan Mountain Regional Park and my house literally could not be father apart. Folks joke that I live in Southern California because of just how far west of Phoenix I am, so it’s no surprise that I rarely go as far as Queen Creek to run a race, but since I had recently had a taste of its sweet trails at Sinister, our night race that we host at San Tan and loved it, I figured it was time to explore San Tan some more, so I signed up for San Tan Scramble 17k back in January 2021. January 2021 was still the “Covid Era”, so things at races were still a bit different. …