How to build a thriving trail running community

By Henry Howard

Karen Henderson is making up for lost time when it comes to running.

In 2013, Henderson started running at age 58. She started in a local gym, building her strength and losing a few pounds. Then one day she decided to run a one-mile loop near her house, which her grandfather built in 1960.

“I did it! Instead of walking the loop per usual, I ran,” she recalls. “Then I decided to try it again, and suddenly I was hooked. My dogs were a little confused, but enjoyed the change and off we went every morning.”

Henderson then entered a series of 10Ks and 5Ks in her community. As of now, she has completed a 100K, a 50-miler and 13 50Ks. And she is also the vice president of the Sierra TrailBlazers Running Club (STBRC), and a certified running and ultra coach through UESCA.

“I use that knowledge to organize and lead running activities for the club,” she explains. “I coordinated and led the first 12-week half-marathon training group for the club this past summer for 30 people.”

In this question and answer, we’ll dive into her running journey, how to build a thriving trail running community, the TrailBlazers club and a recent success it had with a race.

Question: How did you build toward trail and ultra races?

Answer: I joined a local running club and ran with them to train at the track and to find new places to run. I enjoyed the help, direction and guidance early on to understand why speed work is important in addition to how to race. I also took a class from my gym on how to run correctly. What a difference that made! I started with a local 5K, then 10K, half-marathons (so many I lost count), then eventually a full marathon, the California International Marathon. I liked it so much I ran it five times.

The second time I qualified for Boston, I ran it in 2018 — coldest on record. I qualified again, but decided to head to the trails, having run my first 50K at Salmon Falls in 2018. I fell in love with trails and also joined the Sierra TrailBlazers Running Club. The club has an aid station to serve Western States. I volunteered for a couple of years, which also sparked my interest in trail races. I have now been a co-captain for the aid station for four years. So much work, but so much fun, and satisfaction in helping the runners and watching the elites fly through Michigan Bluff. 

Question: What is STBRC and what makes it special?

Answer: In our small town STBRC is the only trail running group of all distances. There is a triathlon group and another running group for distances up to half-marathon. Still, we are the only one that hosts an aid station at Western States, offer a ticket for the races to qualifying members, and encompass all distances and speeds. We are a community-based group that started almost 50 years ago, had dwindled to less than 20 members, and has now grown, in the last five years, to almost 200. 

Question: What is your “why” for volunteering and serving on the board of STBRC?

Answer: My why is because I love to run and share my passion with new runners. Running is wonderful, but so is any movement. If I can persuade someone to come and hike with the group, I will be there to keep them company. My ultimate goal is to see that person who started hiking pass me on the trail because they have learned to run and enjoy the moment. I  love being creative and thinking up new activities to engage more members, and now, hosting the first half-marathon trail race in Nevada City.  

Question: Tell me about the success you had recently with The Champion Mine Trail Race.

Answer: The race was extremely successful, considering myself and my co-race director, Mike Turner, had never directed a race before. (Turner has run multiple 100-mile races, hosted the Mile 99 podcast for several years and has a wealth of knowledge about ultra running.) Instead, we just used our experiences in racing to propel us forward. 

I worked from the angle of making sure we did not do or have any of the things I have disliked about races I have run. We set an entry cap on the 5K and half which also left us with wiggle room at the end, because there are people who wait till the last minute. I chalk up our success to asking the right people for advice, communicating with other trail running clubs, other race directors, the local running store, and a store outside the area, to spread the word. We sold out two weeks prior to the race. 

One of our biggest pluses was working with another local non-profit, Bear Yuba Land Trust (BYLT). We are a little known group, but BYLT is out there, getting the word out about trail development in Grass Valley and Nevada City, with a huge membership base. BYLT's event coordinator worked with us throughout the process and was instrumental in getting the permits needed, a partnership with Nevada City, Nevada City Police (a free pancake breakfast for all), a local hotel, the brewery where packet pickup and a discount on beer and food for all runners and volunteers. Their coordinator also worked closely in developing our logo which was perfect!

Question: What did you learn from that race experience that other race directors or wannabe RDs could learn from?  

Answer:  Ask questions. Find other race directors you trust and admire for everything they know and you will have a rich list of what to do and what not to do. In developing the course, you will need to run it multiple times to fine tune the route. Build a race committee of fellow runners who will run the course with you and give feedback. Then once they are hooked, they will help you every way they can!  Running friends are the best!

Marking the course will take a long time. You can’t make enough signs, put out enough flour arrows, have enough course marshals, or run the course prior to the race starting to anticipate who might go off course — or anticipate flagging disappearing and signs being moved, even during the race. Make sure you have first aid kits at every aid station and the finish line. We actually had two doctors and two EMTs spread out on the course. And don't forget the sweeps! We also had each aid station keep track of bib numbers for the half to make sure everyone finished and didn't disappear from the course. We had volunteer buttons made for all the volunteers to wear, plus they ended up with race shirts and stickers. Everyone loves a great sticker! 

Question: How about one more piece of advice for new race directors?

Answer: Build a team of diverse individuals, who appreciate running, to organize the race, and you will succeed. If you put your heart and soul into it, you never count the hours, because you are consumed with the goodness of the race and what it means to your local community, and your running community.