What is Aravaipa Strong?

Jamil CouryCommunity, News, This Week In Aravaipa Running, Ultra Thoughts

When we decided to create a virtual race event in response to our core business (large scale trail running events) shutting down indefinitly due to the COVID-19 situation we wanted a name that would draw us closer together as a global community of trail runners. Something that would inspire others, but also ourselves. I’ve yet to face a challenge like COVID-19 and its far reaching effects to the events business in my time as an entrepreneur and I fully understand that this may be one of the most trying times I will ever face as a business leader in my career. We knew we wanted to hold a virtual event since that was really our …

The Golden Hour

Noah DoughertyRace Report, Ultra Thoughts, Uncategorized

 “I’m an absolute nervous wreck. But she thinks she’s close to the pavement. She has to make it.” I’m sure this has been written about, potentially on a rotating basis considering the industry growth and amount of 100 mile races sprinkled across North America right now. That’s OK, I think everyone can and should get to experience what my team and I did this past weekend at the Coldwater Rumble 100 mile race. The final hour before the race officially ends, or as we so aptly call it, the Golden hour, is a 60 minute window where we see hours of determination and grit make its final push to the finish line in hopes of …

white tank mountain trail

Mesquite Canyon Evolves

Jamil CouryRace Preview, Ultra Thoughts

I’ve been camping and backpacking in the White Tank Mountains east of Phoenix most of my life. It all started with a couple of trips a year with my Boy Scout troop. We’d do day hikes with fully loaded backpacks as training prep leading up to our annual trip to Havasupai Canyon. Our packs which back in the day were upwards of 40 or 50 pounds, you know, the ones with big metal frames that you’d bungee down a sleeping pad and bag. We’d head straight up Ford Canyon, attempting to scramble up the famed “white tanks” and find a nice lunch spot high up in the range. I remember the trip back down Mesquite Canyon to …

A Tribute to Volunteers

Jamil CouryCommunity, Ultra Thoughts

The whole reason I’m now a race director of trail running events is all because of volunteering. I started helping at events as soon as I started running. I was inspired by the performances and drive of the athletes I was helping. In some small way I felt like I was making a difference for them. As a runner myself, I benefit greatly from the hours of dedication of countless volunteers at every race I attend. Just this last weekend I was helped by hundreds of volunteers at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Europe. They filled my bottles, fed me pasta and were sure to make sure I was OK in my lowest moments. Some …

Javelina Jangover Night Runs Recap – 2015

Hayley PollackCommunity, Race Report, This Week In Aravaipa Running, Ultra Thoughts

I hope to never lose my sense of wonder in dramatic Arizona skies. Our sunsets are unreal, our sunrises too. Monsoon season brings a whole new set of beauty (and, sometimes, destruction) with massive thunderheads and lightning shows to rival 4th of July firework finales. Thankfully, this past weekend at Javelina Jangover, we got the show but not the destruction. All day long, while setting up, the weather was stiflingly hot and oppressive. Not long before runners were due to arrive at the course the cumulonimbus clouds were building higher and higher over the mountains surrounding McDowell Mountain Regional Park. However, we were ready for them! Our experience hosting events in the Arizona summer has …

2015 Silverton 1000 Recap

Hayley PollackNews, Race Report, Ultra Thoughts

The first words I ever wrote about Silverton, Colorado were: “Everything is either magnificent or quaint in a great visual contradiction that immediately makes sense.” And while, At first glance, Silverton meets all the requirements to be called a ‘quaint mountain town’ a little longer look reveals that utilizing ‘hardy’ as the description is nearer the truth. The same adjective can be applied to the runners who showed up to compete in this past week’s Silverton 1000. It was amazing to have a front row seat to this year’s event and the performances that unfolded. I had heard the passion and the stories of the race’s creation from Jamil all year long and I was …

Kendall Mountain Preview

Hayley PollackCommunity, News, Press Release, Race Preview, Ultra Thoughts

If you can believe the write-up about Kendall Mountain on summitpost.org then you “[shouldn’t] feel too proud when you reach the summit of this one.” However, we disagree. The basis for their argument is this race, Kendall Mountain Run: because runners run up Kendall Mountain it is brushed aside. Standing in Silverton, looking up at Kendall as it towers over Greene Street you get your first sense of the injustice done in that one sentence. It is not hard to image how that 1908 bet started… seeing Kendall looming over their town the locals were sure that no one could possibly reach the summit and return within 1.5 hours and the bet was made. Although …

Adrenaline Night Runs Recap

Hayley PollackCommunity, News, Race Report, Ultra Thoughts

Adrenaline Night Runs are over, the course de-marked, and the truck all packed up ready for the next adventure. However, the performances of last night are still playing over in my mind. At a wedding reception today, with a table of runners, the conversation quickly turned to Sion Lupowitz’s domination of the course and his progression as a runner. It was a performance of strength and beauty watching him power through all 54K with no one in his rear view. With the new shorter distance (from 64K to 54K) there was no mark besides the “W” on which to set his sights; yet, he left the bar high in his wake running 4:00:09 (7:09/mile). Daniel …

2015 Insomniac Night Trail Run Series

Hayley PollackCommunity, News, Race Preview, Ultra Thoughts

What happens when you are forced to ignore heat training advice? You know, the articles where they give varying degrees of heat and what you are supposed to do in each scenario. Invariably there is a section that tells you to cut back once it gets too hot or stick to running indoors for faster recovery. There was a Runner’s World article I read not too long ago that described racing in 80° as “gruesome conditions.” However, as many of us know, living in the desert, trying to train for a fall race, and being morally opposed to spending hours on a treadmill leaves you with little choice about braving the heat. I could listen to the …

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 …