“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” –John Ruskin.
There was plenty of delicious sun to go around for everyone at Cave Creek Thriller. The weather may have been toasty as the day progressed but the warm personalities of the runner’s shined through. Whether it was discovering a new friendship, celebrating a long travel with a run or taking that first leap onto the trails the group came out for another great reunion.
New friends were made as they battled through the terrain. There was more than one account of runners meeting on the course and then deciding to run the whole race together. Can’t think of a better bonding experience.
These three women became friends on the trail and then ran the rest of the race together.
Other runners train and race together. There is no greater way to understand a friend to their core than running with them at their best and worst. Sometimes our moods as runners mirror the trails we run so often on. A bit rocky with its ups and downs but in the end there is no greater joy.
These women train and race together.
Still other runners found their way here from traveling great distances. Some runners traveled from as close as Prescott making a trip back down to the Valley. While others runners came from Seattle to visit siblings and share in some family bonding. And there was also a couple from Canada who enjoys a trip to Arizona each October.
Their sister (far left) was visiting from Seattle and they decided to do the 11K as a family.
They traveled from Canada to experience Arizona and have some fun on the trails.
In this ever-growing running family there are always new additions to the clan. The beautiful thing is that each new member found his or her own path to the trails and adds something special to everyone’s experience.
50K, 24K, 11K and 5K: Full Results