Nancy founded the American Trail Running Association (ATRA) in 1996 and is also chairperson for the USA Track & Field's Mountain, Ultra & Trail Running Council. She is also treasurer of the World Mountain Running Association.
Written by Jenny Baker for the Winter 2019 issue of our Trail Times newsletter. Jenny was also our Trail Ambassador last month and is race director for ATRA member race Georgia Jewel. “The smoke billowed against the clear night sky as the smell of tender beef roast slowly and magically crept into the finisher’s tent…. Read more »
Trail runner Susan Kendrick reviews the Nathan VaporHowe women’s race vest. Susan is the Director of Sponsorship for the American Birkebeiner® Ski Foundation and was featured in our View from the Pack series of articles. Conscientious. That’s the super sexy word that kept going through my mind as I ran with the Nathan VaporHowe race… Read more »
Welcome to the fifth in our series of articles showcasing specialty run and outdoor retail stores focusing on their commitment to trail running through their in-store programs, brand inclusion, events and more. Spotlight on Specialty is presented by Saucony. They say Alaska is 30 minutes from Anchorage, but you don’t have to go that far… Read more »
Welcome to another installment of our “Trail Town” series of articles. A hidden gem in the Front Range of the Rockies that you should put on your trail destination bucket list is Cañon City, Colorado, population 16,539. Written by Ashlee Sack, coordinator for ATRA corporate member Fremont Adventure Recreation. Cañon City, Colorado Located at the… Read more »
Please welcome our newest American Trail Running Association (ATRA) Trail Ambassador presented by CamelBak. Race director, camp director, author, and trail advocate Jenny Baker exemplifies what it takes to build community. Nominator Amber Hefner-Rishel, sports and event sales manager for the Dalton Convention and Visitor Bureau, wrote, “Jenny Baker is a trail race director who… Read more »
The Ozarks Mountains are ready to welcome trail runners and race directors to this awe-inspiring region of Arkansas. Active at Altitude, organizers of the US Trail Running Conference has announced that the 2020 edition of the industry-leading Conference will be held at Fayetteville, Arkansas, October 21 – 24. The Conference provides information and inspiration to… Read more »
November is National Running Safety Month! Just in time for shorter days and darker nights, ATRA Trail Ambassador Susan Kendrick, reviews the BioLite HeadLamp 330, the no-bounce, rechargeable head mounted LED light. I admit it, I have a drawer full of headlamps. I love to run trails in the late afternoon and evening (my reward… Read more »
Written by Coach Andrew Simmons for the Fall 2019 edition of our Trail Times newsletter. The trails traversing the Lake Tahoe basin offer amazing views of the deepest lake in the United States. Circumnavigating Tahoe Rim Trail is normally a week-long feat for back packers and hikers, but once a year, athletes line up to… Read more »
Written by USA Team Leader Jason Bryant and WMRA Treasurer Nancy Hobbs. Photos by Nancy Hobbs and Tad Davis. The NACAC Mountain Running Championships were held on Sunday, October 20, at a countryside venue located just 30 minutes from Tepatitlan de Morelos, Jalisco, Mexico. On race day, the Cerro Gordo mountain added the additional challenge… Read more »
In this article our founder and executive director Nancy Hobbs recaps the final day of the 7th annual US Trail Running Conference in Estes Park, Colorado. The final day of the US Trail Running Conference began with an early morning run at the Lumpy Ridge Trailhead under sunny skies with temperatures hovering in the 30s…. Read more »
In this article our founder and executive director Nancy Hobbs recaps day two of the 7th annual US Trail Running Conference in Estes Park, Colorado. Photo Credits: James “Laboradore” Wolford/KAIphoto.org and Peter Maksimow. The second full day the US Trail Running Conference kicked off with another snowy early morning trail running from Lumpy Ridge Trailhead… Read more »
Estes Park based Active at Altitude has partnered with the American Trail Running Association (ATRA) to stage the US Trail Running Conference. An inspirational keynote from Olympian Billy Mills kicked off the stage for the 7th annual US Trail Running Conference on Wednesday, October 9. Mills’ message, “Unity through Diversity,” resonated with the trail race… Read more »
Advanced Marathoning, 3rd edition, by Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas. Human Kinetics, 2019. Reviewed by Laura Clark for the Fall 2019 edition of our Trail Times newsletter. I have come to accept the fact that I have a rigid personality. Children’s toys must be returned to their correct receptacles, regardless of the fact that for… Read more »
Written by Laura Clark for the Fall 2019 edition of our Trail Times newsletter. Laura raced the Lost Cat 50K this past August in the Green Mountains of Vermont. This is her account of the race….and more. Nor’east Trails Runs is an American Trail Running Association corporate member. Having less commitment to civilization, feline pets… Read more »
Please welcome our thirty second American Trail Running Association (ATRA) Trail Ambassador presented by CamelBak, and the eighth in 2019. Mountain Home, Arkansas based Paul Gigliotti is a trail race director, screen-printing business owner, trail runner, volunteer, and trail steward. US Trail Running Conference director Terry Chiplin nominated Paul and wrote about him, “I first… Read more »
In this series of articles, the American Trail Running Association recognizes and celebrates trail race volunteers and trail runners like Susan Kendrick who have dedicated themselves as everyday athletes to grow trail running in their community. “View from the Pack” is supported by ATRA corporate member RaidLight. “Grow where you are planted,” says Susan Kendrick… Read more »
Welcome to the second in our series of articles showcasing specialty run and outdoor retail stores focusing on their commitment to trail running through their in-store programs, brand inclusion, events and more. Spotlight on Specialty is presented by Saucony. Scranton, Pennsylvania is often recognized as the set of the popular comedy series, The Office, but… Read more »
Please welcome our thirty first American Trail Running Association (ATRA) Trail Ambassador presented by CamelBak, and the seventh in 2019. Nebraskan Mindy Coolman is a goal oriented and passionate trail runner and volunteer. Amy Cherko nominated Mindy and wrote about her, “Mindy has been a fixture in the Omaha trail running scene since I can… Read more »
In early March of 2019, we applied for a $250 grant through ExtremeTerrain’s Clean Trail Grant Program. The program provides eligible groups with the opportunity to win grants to fund trail improvement projects, ranging from trail clean-up to trail restoration or even trail network expansion. When we reached out to ask if hosting a plogging… Read more »
Please welcome our thirtieth American Trail Running Association (ATRA) Trail Ambassador presented by CamelBak, and the sixth in 2019. Colorado native Megan Finnesy puts her heart and soul into trail running as a participant, volunteer, and race director. In fact, her signature as a race director includes a hug for every runner at the finish… Read more »