If you’re searching for a new way to see Sedona, consider trail running. For starters, you’ll see more terrain in a shorter period of time. “There is no other place that has the same red rock spires and the different terrain,” says trail runner and trail race organizer Erica Efinger-Gratton of Sedona scenery. Erica also tells us that running on trails is typically easier on the joints than running on pavement. Trail running also can have mental benefits. “It’s just being mindful about what you’re doing. It’s pretty rewarding,” says Erica. “You have to be mindful. If you’re not paying attention and in the moment, you’re going to catch a toe on a rock or root and you’re going to go down. It’s a great practice for being in the moment.”
Erica is the owner and director of Trail Running Escapes, and she has been producing trail races since 2014. She held her first trail running race camp in Sedona in 2018. When she moved here in November of 2021, she decided to start a trail race. Runners can pick from the following distances: a full marathon, 10 miles or 20 miles. Trails are marked. Volunteers will be on hand to help guide runners. Runners also will be emailed GPX files so they can download a digital map of the course to smartphones or watches. The time limit is seven hours. “Even if you’re not a fast runner, you’ve got ample time,” Erica says.
The race starts at the Sedona United Methodist Church and ends at the Verde Valley School. The route was chosen to show off Sedona’s most noteworthy attraction: its red rocks. When Erica was asking runners about their favorite race sections they were all located in the Village of Oak Creek. “I really wanted to showcase the Broken Arrow trail system because I love that area up there,” says Erica, who designed the course. Other trail views you can look forward to if you race include Little Horse, Llama, Mystic, Bell Rock Pathway and the Hi Line Trail. The race will feature eight stations located every five to six miles where runners can get water and food. Every runner needs to bring their own water or hydration pack. Why run instead of hike a trail? “Not only do you get to see more in the same amount of time,” says Erica. “But the trail running community is pretty awesome.” – Teresa K. Traverse
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