Training Groups/Clubs in Phoenix

You must have missed the recent thread about what a joke the Phoenix running scene is for faster runners.

Guess so...so there is nothing?

Bump

what side of Phoenix do you live on? I recently moved here and am in the same boat. Running no more than 30 miles a week, recently ran 16:40ish but looking to get back into low 15's and higher mileage again.

North Phoenix, but am willing to travel for it.

Brad Kickster, is it true you outkicked Lindsay Allen at that 5k?

Brad, where do you live? Have you found any good places to run. I am basically running around neighborhoods and almost all on concrete so far. Its not a big deal at only 40 mpw this week, but eventually I need to find a trail or some other softer stuff.

I live in Goodyear, which is West of Phoenix. It's mostly concrete running out here as well but I have a 6 mile in the spillway on grass that I run once in a while. I meet with some friends every now and then and run at parks around Phoenix, but they are rocky trail runs usually, but great for training. This link is a map of the canals in Phoenix, which have gravel paths next to them to run on.

http://www.srpnet.com/water/canals/distances.aspx

Trail 100, McDowell preserve, North Scottsdale has some trails to run on as well. Just look out for the 12 minute milers who thinks they own the trails.

For north Phoenix, check out Reach 11. Flat dirt paths that virtually nobody uses.

Not much in the way of clubs, certainly not in north Phoenix and certainly not for sub-16 guys. Twenty years ago Phoenix was a hotbed, especially in the winter (Rodgers, Treacy, Baumann, etc.). Damn disappointing now. I recommend you hit some road races in various parts of the Valley and then start talking to fast guys. There are still a few around.

Thanks everyone. I will def check out some of those trails/parks soon.

I am not ready to race yet, have been running for only 17 days after 19 month break, but will be back soon

If your breaking 16 minutes, you'll be one of the best/elite runners in Phoenix. I lived there for 12 years and the running community sucks for the 5th largest city in the US. Of course there are some good college and high school runners, but thats about it. I'm now living in Colorado, and the competition on every street corner, and in every town or city is deep and competitive. (I remember looking at the times before I moved here thinking how competitive I could be, not thinking about most races taking place at 5,000-6,000 feet or more) But still some decent places to run, but they get old fast. I ran mostly the canals (great for tempo runs, but flat and get boring), and trails at Dreamy Draw Park and South Mountain Park.

clubxc wrote:

North Phoenix, but am willing to travel for it.

What are the major cross streets where you live?

17 and Carefree Hwy

Ran 50 min on the Reach 11 trail this afternoon...was nice to get on some softer stuff.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

clubxc wrote:

17 and Carefree Hwy

Ran 50 min on the Reach 11 trail this afternoon...was nice to get on some softer stuff.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

That's not North Phoenix....that is Tramanto. I can think of multiple trails 5 minutes from your residence.

Head northeast on Skunk Creek...trails open up.

Drive 5 minutes north to 27th Ave & Desert Hills Rd. (southern boundary of Anthem) and hook into Maricopa County Trail System for 15 miles of trails (east & west).

Drive 5 minutes south on Norterra Pkwy. (slightly east of you on Carefree Hwy) to the first apartment complex. A 4 mile caliche loop encircling a housing development.

Drive 5 minutes east on Carefree HWY, then south on Central Ave till it dead-ends. That will (someday) be an entrance to the 20,000 acre North Phoenix Metro Park....plenty of trails in there.

Drive 10 minutes east on Carefree Hwy then north on 32nd Street to Cave Creek State Park. You could get a tough 15 mile (encompassing both trail loops).

Drive 5 minutes west on Carefree Hwy past Ben Avery Shooting Range to the brand new AZ Game & Fish HQ (can't miss it; only building for miles). Due west of there is a trail that runs due north for 30 miles.

On the west side of Lake Pleasant you will hit the Crown King Trail that heads uphill (5'000 feet and 30 miles) to the hamlet of Crown King.

You are smack-dab in the middle of Trails-Central...some rock (not too technical) but might want to invest in decent trail shoes.

Better start getting fit; you are in the midst of racing season here.

You have the whole of summer to goof off/recover....and you will.

You might find a few accomplished runners living in Anthem that you could train with, but no organized group.

Dependent on where you work, you may consider doing some training in town/on the way home from work for some additional variety.

Hope this helps.

Wow I had no idea there were so many close trails! Thanks for your help, you can obviously tell I am new in town. I wish I had started training at least a month or two earlier, but I am not ready to race yet.

Was trying to rack my brain, I know where the Fish and Game HQ is. Is the trail enterance at their parking lot? Or is it further west?

Went to Cvae Creek Park today...that was a great run...awesome trail with good ups and downs...thanks for the help

clubxc wrote:

Went to Cvae Creek Park today...that was a great run...awesome trail with good ups and downs...thanks for the help

CC Park is tough. The trails are well groomed in places and not so much in others.

The other trailhead you mentioned is just west of AZ Game & Fish (but you can park there).

I haven't actually run the trail so I can't vouch for the quality of it. I suspect it may be rocky/primitive...especially since it is fairly new.

There is a "grand plan" to have a system of connecting and interconnecting trails throughout Maricopa County.

Dependent on where you work you may wish to consider running "in town" before you head home in the evening....to give you additional places to run.