Mesquite Canyon 2015 – Scorching Tough Year

Jamil CouryNews, Race Report

As a few of us sat around Friday night preceding the 6th annual Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs finalizing a few details for the race, drinking a couple of beers, we would usually be sitting around a campfire. With warm temperatures already greeting the Phoenix area in mid-March there was no need. We sat around in short sleeve shirts and took in the night. The race starts on the Eastern end of the White Tank Mountains, a range that marks the Western boundary of the metropolitan Phoenix area. Looking towards the peaks we could see hundreds if not thousands of stars, constellations and more. Gazing back towards Phoenix, the stars slowly give way to a soft …

Copper Basin 50K Returns! – April 11, 2015

Jamil CouryPress Release

After a 4 year hiatus (it went off to college), the Copper Basin 50K returns to Prescott, AZ on April 11, 2015. Keeping in tune with the past two editions in 2009 & 2010, Aravaipa Running will be hosting this as an unsanctioned “fun run” on a new section of the Prescott Circle Trail that we’ve yet to incorporate into the previous two editions. We created the Copper Basin 50K to introduce trail runners to the Prescott Circle Trail and to escape to the pines as the valley begins to heat up into mid-April. Now that the run has “grown up”, we’ll be starting and finishing downtown on Whiskey Row. A short mile or so through …

Insomniac Night Trail Run Series Announces Official Charity Partner – Team Red, White & Blue

Jamil CouryNews, Press Release

Team Red, White & Blue’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. Team RWB members from the Phoenix chapter have been running alongside Aravaipa Running for a couple of years now. Our organizations typically cross paths the first Wednesday of each month at our Aravaipa Group Trail Run whenever we host a location at Papago Park in Tempe. Team RWB is easy to spot with their bright “eagle” logo shirts and positive attitude. Team RWB had a large presence at last year’s night run series and it is only natural to increase our partnership with them in 2015.   Aravaipa Running is …

Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs – Origins and Thoughts

Jamil CouryRace Preview, Ultra Thoughts

The 6th annual Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs are upon us. I honestly don’t know where the time has gone. Not just the time this year, these first two months of 2015 but even the last 5 years! Just 5 years ago I was preparing to direct my first ever 50K that I created from scratch at a mountain park that I’ve been hiking, camping and mountain biking in since I was a kid. This would prove to be not just your ordinary 50K either. I was sending runners through two “hazardous” sections of trail, deemed the “most extreme” by the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation department. So much so that they highlight the Goat Camp …

Superstition Mountains: Black Mesa Loop

Amber FifieldAdventure Run Report

This is the first in a series of “Adventure Run Reports” that we will be hosting on the Aravaipa Running blog. Our first comes from Aravaipa Ambassador Amber Fifield who regularly seeks out adventures in remote mountains and canyons across Arizona. Here first report comes from the Black Mesa Loop in the Superstition Mountains. —————————- Sometimes I need to get out into the wilderness and enjoy a little quiet wild-time. However, I don’t always have time for a long jaunt, and need to just “get my fix” and get home. This morning was one of those days. I met a few friends out at the FIRST WATER TRAILHEAD, which was fairly busy since the weather …

Aravaipa Running Announces Big Pine & Blackout Night Runs

Hayley PollackNews, Press Release, Race Preview

Aravaipa Running is incredibly excited to announce the 1st annual Big Pine 108K to be held June 13-14 in Flagstaff, AZ! We will also be offering a 13K, 27K and 54K that morning and hosting the Blackout Night Runs as a new addition to the Insomniac Series that evening! In scouting race courses we are always on the lookout for something new and exciting and a location that allows us to make the race a community affair. We have found just that with Big Pine and its location at Fort Tuthill County Park. All runners will get to experience the Soldiers Trail and Highlands Trail Loop. The course is mostly graded wide forest paths within …

Ultimate Direction & Black Canyon 100k Photo Caption Contest

Holly MillerNews, Uncategorized

Thanks to our friends at Ultimate Direction, we have some hydration packs and bottles to give away to the winners of our Black Canyon photo caption contest. “How do you stay hydrated on the trail?” We asked followers to use their creativity to tell us what these runners are saying as they are “running” at mile 39 of the Black Canyon 100K. Here were text submissions on Instagram & Facebook: coffeeandtrails “Training for Arizona Ironman?” “Sure beats tempe town lake” wandering_coconut “They said tubing down the Salt river would be fun” fleetfeethkry “So, I asked for a bottle of Perpetuem to be ready at mile 23, and I get Sustained Energy! I mean, how do …

Black Canyon 100K Race Report – Aravaipa Ambassador Jeremy Pager

Jamil CouryRace Report

Now that the dust has settled and I can move around without any fear of the tendons in my feet ripping apart, I think the time is right for a Black Canyon 100k race report. A little background: I am not an elite runner. I am a hobbyist who started running a little over two years ago, and entered the trail running and ultra scene a year ago. Black Canyon 100K would just be my second 100k race. I am what Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab For Cutie fame) jokingly referred to as an “elite mid-packer.” Also, I spent much of November and December with a nagging IT band issue, so my training was not …

Crown King Scramble: Course Preview and Updated Course Record Information!

Hayley PollackNews, Race Preview

I’ll start this post by being honest.  There was pretty much nothing about Crown King Scramble that ever interested me. I had no desire to run uphill on jeep road for 31 miles. That was until today. I’m not sure my preconceived notions about a race course have ever been so wrong. Jamil and I spent the day driving the Crown King Scramble course so I could learn the layout and we could post signs reminding users of Aravaipa’s race on March 28th. My contribution to the outing was to exclaim “Unbelievable!” or “Stop! I need another picture!” at almost every turn. It was love at first sight. The race begins at Lake Pleasant and winds …

Hayley Pollack Joins Aravaipa Running

Jamil CouryNews, Press Release

February 20, 2015 – Phoenix, AZ – Aravaipa Running is pleased to announce the hiring of Hayley Pollack as Director of Events & Operations. Hayley comes to Aravaipa with a background in retail management & operations at Best Buy for the past five and a half years. She brings an education in Strategic Leadership and experience in management to help lead and improve Aravaipa’s existing and future events. Hayley has been transitioning into this role for the past month, but will now be working full time along side Jamil & the rest of the Aravaipa Running team to continue to produce top notch events in Arizona and across the Southwest. Don’t be surprised to receive email correspondence …