‘Wow, we must’ve run like 6:00 minute miles!’ I proclaimed, exhausted. Eliot glanced at his wrist, ‘We were closer to 8:00 minute pace, I think.’ When I was about 12, I went on my first trail run. It blossomed into a lifelong passion and my career as a trail runner even though it was a rocky first experience.
My older neighbor Eliot was instrumental in my running journey. He encouraged me to get involved in club cross country in elementary school and was my role model as a high schooler. It was the summer after 8th grade and Eliot and I were in Sunriver, Oregon, on a family vacation. Eliot picked a route on trails to Benham Falls. I’d never done a run exclusively on trails and didn’t know what to expect. Eliot was faster than me, but I trusted him to know the route and my abilities.
Eliot took the lead, and I scampered off after him. I was a little anxious – there was sand, roots, turns, ups and downs. We dodged branches, pivoted on hairpin turns, and flowed through the terrain with a sweaty brow and the breeze blowing past us. My worries about the run disappeared as it went on. At the end, I was tired in a different way than normal. The run had been thrilling.
It was fun, well, at least it had been fun I found out our pace. Eliot’s estimation of our pace was right, we were running around an 8 minute-per-mile pace. How could we be running so slow but working so hard? I was so confused. I trained as a runner so I could be fast, not slow. This experience discouraged me from running on trails in high school, and when even I ran D1 at Boston College.
This is a common experience. Very few youth runners feel comfortable and excited about running on trail, but that shouldn’t be the case. Trail running is and should be seen as great training for aspiring runners and as a worthy adventure for runners of all abilities. My aim is to create a warm and welcoming youth trail running environment through projects like the High Cascades Youth Trail Running Camp with Max King and the PNW Youth Trail Running Project.
Details about the High Cascades Youth Trail Running Camp
Trail Running Revolution
Trail running is a rich and wonderful sport. Trail running has been experiencing a boom in the last decade with more participants, races, and dedicated gear. Many runners who run trails say they will never go back to running roads. It is an incredible way to experience and explore your natural surroundings – to seek out new trails, valleys, mountains, vistas, lakes, ponds, and forests. Every course is unique. Distances are rarely standardized. Compared to most running events, trail running success isn’t hyper-focused on making Top 7 in Cross Country or setting new Personal Best every time you step to the start line.
Instead, runners must look inward to push themselves up a steep climb or to whip down a windy trail. Away from busy streets with cracked sidewalks or running tracks with measured precision, trail running allows solace and introspection. It’s a real opportunity to disconnect from it all, (though trail running is even more fun when you bring a friend or two along for the adventure)!
Sound fun? Well, if you’re under 18, you likely have to wait to join the fun.
The State of Youth Trail Running
Trail running races aren’t exactly youth-friendly, and youth and school cross country and track programs don’t help. However, trail running is starting to be more popularized, and you can be part of that story.
Why isn’t trail running youth-friendly?
The biggest and most popular trail races are ultramarathon races. The entry race distance is 50 kilometers – longer than a marathon – and most seasoned trail runners have the audacity to call that distance ‘short.’ Western States 100 miler, one of the most celebrated races in the United States, requires you to enter a lottery, which often takes four or five years of patiently waiting and applying, to get to the start line. The main pre-requisite to apply to the lottery is a 100k+ ultramarathon result in the last year. Not to mention that trail races are in remote locations that require driving which is a barrier for youth participants.
Shorter races exist, but even there ‘shorter distances’ are often seen as a stretch for younger runners who typically don’t compete in distances over 5k. Short races often feature hundreds of feet of elevation gain which adds to their challenge. One of the few race organizations that offers shorter race distance is Seattle-based Northwest Trail Runs. There are a handful of races between 5-12k and, in the last year, these races have been part of a race series geared for youth participation.
Some Middle and High School coaches are hesitant to let their runners go on trails and for good reason. Trail running has rocks and roots. A runner can be one step away from a fall or a rolled ankle, and navigation can be tricky. Running on trail typically involves big climbs and descents. While this type of running is great training for endurance athletes, (‘hills are speedwork in disguise,’ to quote the Gold Medalist Frank Shorter), it means slower mile splits. Trail running is often perceived as a less effective training method compared to road running and an injury risk. Also, youth runners structure their training and seasons around cross country and track. Trail races in season can be seen as a distraction and school programs stop over the summer. The best trail racing season is the summer, so when trail running is at it’s finest, most youth runners are hanging up their running shoes for summer break.
As a professional coach, I think trail running is very effective for developing strength and endurance in cross country and track runners and can be an enjoyable and beneficial experience for most youth runners.
High Cascades Trail Running Camp with Max King
What will be the state of youth trail running a decade from now? It is hard to say. It could stay a fringe sport fully outside the realm of school sports with pockets of small groups being excited about the sport – similar to youth XC skiing or orienteering. Or, if the trail running world can create events and culture that align with other youth sports schedules and excitement to a make it a broadly marketed event, it could be something special. An opportunity for kids to get outside, explore wild places, and create memories with new and old friends.
To create opportunities for younger runners interested in trails, I’m starting a youth (ages 13-19) trail running camp near Mt Rainier in mid-July with a good friend. The High Cascades Trail Running Camp with Max King is a dream in the making.
First, a camp setting is the perfect place for a newer trail runner to get exposed to trail running while still having a space for performance-focused athletes. We will teach tips and tricks for how to tackle trails in a relaxed summer camp environment. We will go over topics like nutrition, map and compass, hiking versus running uphills, and how trail running can make you a better Track/XC runner. Camp Sheppard is the perfect location. Nestled across from Mt Rainier, the trail running is great with a combination of challenging mountain trails and flat, railroad-grade trails to go easy on the legs. The Palisades Trail features multiple ridgeline views of Mount Rainier with the White River below. Campers will be staying in cabins and there will be downtime to get to know each other and enjoy the surroundings.
I’m also very excited to be partnering with Max King. Max, like myself, is a professional trail runner and has been organizing youth running camps for years. Based in Bend, OR, Max is a natural teacher, kind, giving, and talented. While I have experience setting records on long, multi-day efforts like the 2,660-mile Pacific Crest Trail, 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail, and the 220-mile John Muir Trail, Max has been one of the best short and medium-length trail runners for the last decade and a half winning many USATF national championships. Most recently, he bested me at the North Bend Skyline 30k with a new course record! He has unparalleled experience leading youth trail running experiences and running at a professional level. I couldn’t ask for a better partner for this camp.
Camp Details
DATES – July 7-11th, 2025
LOCATION – Snoquera, WA
ELEVATION – 2,600ft
CREW – estimated 5 camp leaders
RUNNING MILEAGE – 30-50mi
CAMPERS – 25-40
COST – $800 total, $200 deposit to sign up before June 1
