Interview by Mack Robertson

It’s a late spring day in 2020.  The forest has gone through its annual transition from a dull brown hue to exploding with life and color.  With this rebirth, the foliage experiences a period of growth that seems nearly impossible in the short time frame.  The deciduous trees sag with the weight of spring leaves,  undergrowth explodes out onto the trail, covering the misshapen tread below.  In the previous months, the park has been an absolute mud pit.  An insurgence of pandemic outdoor traffic has re-formed the trails into a lumpy mess that is beginning to harden as the forest dries out.  

I’m beginning my run into Forest Park with a steep descent down the slip and slide that is Firelane 2. I challenge anyone to stay upright on this trail in the dead of winter.  The Strava segment for the lower section of this trail is called “Forest Park Staircase” because, I can only assume, the trail-use in the winter forms a sort of staircase in the steep mud that hardens and remains intact all summer. As I round the first corner to begin the hellish descent I am met with the smoothest trail I’ve ever seen in the park.  The tread has been leveled, drains installed for water management, and the typically overgrown flanks are trimmed back. I even notice some logs that have been across the trail since the winter are removed.

As I make my way down the hill I come across a lone man working the tread with a McLeod (a common trail restoration tool that’s somewhere between a hoe and a rake).  After some chatting I gather that this is Bill Bannister, a retiree who has taken on the tall task of repairing the trails in Forest Park- a truly never-ending project. If you’ve spent any time in Forest Park the last couple of years, you’ve likely crossed his path. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him, then you’ve certainly seen his work.  Bill is happy to take the time to chat with you about his current project or gather reports from trail users about downed trees and damaged trail. Bill tracks all of his trail work on Strava, regularly posting about his latest project. For local Portland runners, he is an invaluable resource to keep up to date on trail conditions.

As trail runners, we’re often the end-users of a trail system, enjoying the fruits of others’ labor. We wanted to chat with Bill and find out what it takes to keep a trail system working. Bill, along with other volunteers from Forest Park Conservancy and Portland Parks, maintains more than 80 miles of trail in the park. We encourage everyone to consider volunteering with Forest Park Conservancy or your local trailwork organization.  We’ve included a link at the end of this article.

Can you give us a little background on yourself?  Have you always enjoyed the outdoors?  I believe you mentioned you were retired, what did you do professionally?  

I grew up surrounded by farms: cows/dairy, potatoes, chickens/eggs and horses/stud. My love of the outdoors was simply a way of life in the country. My neighboring forest looked like small state parks. 

I met my wife in college where I studied math and economics. The math skills morphed into computer science and then a 35 year career. Even then, my best ideas have formed while walking or hiking. One even got me a patent. 

When and why did you begin doing trail work?

Having been a computer nerd for 35 years, I was overweight and out of shape. I was introduced to an electric bike in 2018 and was amazed that I could ride again. 

While riding Leif Erikson, Crown Zellerbach & Banks-Vernonia trails, I found it necessary to carry a saw to clear the way. I found a warm satisfaction in clearing the trails and hearing “Thank You” as others passed by. 

3,000 miles later, I also started hiking the soft trails in Forest Park. I found more trees to clear and a wide area of water drainage issues. And began hearing many more “Thank You”s as others passed by. Then I met the trails managers for FPC (Forest Park Conservancy) and PP&R and my path to trail steward was set. 

Which projects in the park do you get excited about doing? Which projects do you dread?

I love any project that makes an easily visible change. Brushing, raking leaves, tread work, branch and tree clearing. 

Dread? None really. The closest I come is trying to fix erosion and drainage issues without ready access to stone. The dread part there is knowing the work will need repeating each year until we get some stone.

How often are you out on the trails working? Do you ever take a day off and just go out for a hike or would that turn into a scouting mission?

Pretty much daily. Sunday - Saturday for about 4-6 hours. I rarely just hike any more other than to get where I’m going. Even if I do, I can't pass up removing branches from the trail and getting pictures of what needs attention. 

What do you enjoy doing outside of trail work?

For the past 3+ years, it’s all related to trail work. This year I got into short movies as training videos for the Forest Park Conservancy. Still on the steep side of that learning curve. 

Do you have a favorite part of Forest Park?

It depends on the season.

When the waters are flowing I love the bridges on Maple. 

When the leaves fall it’s the fire lanes. 

For the spring, it’s Wildwood and the calls of the birds. 

When it snows, it’s any trail in the park. 

When it rains, any trail I get first hand views of drainage issues. 

Is there anything you wish trail users knew about what it takes to maintain the trails?

The park is living, growing, constantly changing and wonderful place. I wish all that are able to come join our volunteer events to see firsthand what is done and what a difference it makes. 

You can follow Bill's trail work on Strava and Instagram.  Find out more about volunteering with Forest Park Conservancy here.

Interview and Photos by Mack Robertson

It’s an uncharacteristically clear day on the Olympic Peninsula. I’m here to meet up with Rich Lockwood, recent winner of the highly competitive Run Rabbit Run 100, for some miles in the mountains.  Despite an impressive list of ultra wins, Rich flies relatively under the radar.  I first met him in the summer of 2021 at a slew of trail races here in the PNW.  It was quickly evident that Rich was a unique talent.  Not only was he winning these races by huge margins, he was doing it with a smile on his face. 

 

Rich and I are out in the Olympic mountains to run the St. Peter’s Traverse, a 17 mile cross-country alpine route with a summit of Mt. Stone in the middle, having a cumulative 7500 feet of elevation gain. Rich’s idea of “keeping it easy”.

I consider Rich to be a true mountain athlete.  In addition to being a competitive ultrarunner, he is also a rock climber, backcountry skier, and mountain biker.  His mountain prowess is on full display on our route. Rich effortlessly bounds up the long, steep inclines to gain the ridge of our traverse.  Sporting relatively minimalist trail shoes, with lugs only marginally better than road shoes, he somehow stays upright running on late-season, hard-packed snow. Watching Rich boot ski down steep scree fields is the type of thing that keeps mothers up at night.

We asked Rich to share with us his journey into trail running.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am 35 years old. I live in Seattle, Washington (specifically in Magnolia, across the street from Discovery Park). I grew up on the Olympic Peninsula, in a little town called Port Townsend.  I work at Harborview Medical Center (Level 1 Trauma Hospital for Washinton, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) as an x-ray tech. I specifically work in "interventional radiology" working with teams of vascular surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgeries. We reperfuse the brain in stroke cases, the heart in myocardial infarction, embolize bleeding vessels in the case of pelvic trauma...the list goes on and on. It's a very exciting line of work. Extremely rewarding and always engaging every day!

When did you start running?

I didn't start running until I was 25. I grew up playing soccer year-round, never really giving myself time to explore other sports. I was obsessed with soccer, haha! I began running road marathons at 24; I would train and run one race every year. I was an avid backpacker, rock climber, and skier. At the end of my last quarter at college I found out about ultra trail running, and decided to sign up for the Beacon Rock 50k. It lined up perfectly with my school schedule and I ran it the week after I graduated and passed my board exams for x-ray.  I think I had only run on a trail twice before the race, I was very busy at the time, and didn't think it would be too much different from road running. Boy was I wrong!  Trail running immediately engaged my entire soul! The running was dynamic, the scenery was mind-blowing, and the community was the most welcoming and exciting group of people I had ever interacted with! I camped out at the start/finish and made so many friends at that first race. I really thought to myself, "Why did I wait so long?" I was hooked.

Did you have immediate success with trail running?  If not, were you able to envision the success you’re currently having?

I did podium at my first race, 3rd place [Beacon Rock 50k]. I ran White River 50 mile later that year (2017) and placed 5th. So that was another reason that I was immediately enthralled; I could tell that I had some small bit of talent and just loved the movement and feeling of running in the mountains.

What’s your favorite terrain and distance to race?

Mountains are where I thrive! I love big technical mountain races with amazing views and technical climbs and descents.  Distance is a tough one, I think every distance has its own pros and cons. But I have found myself gravitating towards 100k races as of late.  It's a pretty perfect distance, it feels like an epic day but you don't get totally depleted and have a vision quest the same way you do in a 100 miler.

Where is your favorite place to run?

The North Cascades and Olympics are both really special and wild places that I love to run. But honestly, I am such a glutton for any new zone or range of mountains to explore. There's nothing better than taking a road trip to a new area and having that giddy excitement at the trailhead as you lace up to explore new river valleys, ridges, and peaks.  If I had to pick one specific trail as a favorite... I'd say the Marmot Pass/Buckhorn Lake area is a super dreamy place to run.

What does a typical week look like for you? How do you balance running with your “normal” life?

I work a kind of funky healthcare schedule: 2x12hr shifts, and 2x8hr shifts. I have Thursdays and weekends off. I also have to take "call shifts" (one weekend of 60hrs straight, and 2 over nights each month).  I always take Monday as a rest day. And fit running in after work most days. Thursdays are for adventures, whether it be a 10-14 mile run, a backcountry ski day, or a mountain bike mission, I love to explore on that midweek day off when the wilderness is so nice and quiet.  On weekends I run long, sometimes back-to-back. But I also have a wife and dog that I make sure to prioritize with hiking, climbing, or biking time.  It's a really tough balance, and it feels like a crazy scheduling puzzle to make everything happen each week. But I can't imagine living any other way.   That being said, I think I average 60 mile weeks, I can't fathom running many more miles than that each week, there's just not enough time! 

You have been having success for a while now, but you seem to just keep getting better. This year alone you won a half marathon, took 2nd at Gorge Waterfalls 100k, won Tushars 100k and most recently won Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile.  What do you attribute to your success?  

Thank you so much, that's really kind of you to say! I honestly attribute a ton of my recent success to my new coach, Jason Schlarb.  I started working with him in 2021, and he has really changed the way that I train for trail running. It seems to be making a huge difference.  He's a really great guy and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the ultra mountain running world.

How do you feel about being a dark horse?  Despite consistently performing at the top of sport, you remain relatively under the radar.  

Haha!  That's a great question. I kind of like the darkhorse status. You have no pressure to perform, but can also take people totally by surprise when you lead a race, or come flying in towards the end to upset what people think should happen during the day.  I'm a somewhat introverted guy, and don't really brag very much about race results. Maybe that has something to do with never being noticed?

I think that regionally every trail running community has such a huge roster of total low-key crushers that no one knows about outside of that particular area. I could easily name 25 people in the PNW that are so talented and interested and pushing hard in their endeavors. I try not to concern myself with how well-known I am though. 

 

You have a reputation for always having a smile on your face while doing these incredibly hard events. How do you keep running fun?

The mountains are my happy place! I don't ever force myself to run or train, and working at a level 1 trauma center gives me a constantly intense perspective of how fortunate we all are to be able to run in the mountains. Health and fitness are a huge privilege, and so I always treat every run (especially a race) as a celebration.  I'll always be the first one to hoot and holler as the group heads into a ripping descent, or the first dude to offer a high five to the whole crew after an amazing day traversing some backcountry ridgeline.  These experiences are so dang special, I can't help but be overjoyed!

That being said, I definitely have low points in races, especially 100 mile races.  I love mantras for grounding myself whenever I start to lose touch during a dark point of the race. "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" is a favorite. Jason is really good about reminding me to smile throughout a race, and remain grateful out there. 

What’s next for you? Any goal races or projects? Things you’re trying to improve?

I'm in the process of sorting out the rest of this year and my schedule for 2023.... I'm signed up for Transgrancanaria 126k in February!! That's been on my bucket list for years, so I'm very excited for that adventure.  I plan to attempt the "Tatoosh Traverse" down on the south side of Rainier every single fall season, so hopefully this is my year.  For right now I'm just basking in the recovery from RRR, and probably going for some mountain bike rides with friends later this week.

For the next season I would really like to work on maintaining intensity in the final hours of ultra mountain races, and probably a bit more speed work...

You can follow Rich’s running adventures on Instagram and Strava

By THOMAS HAYES

I was out for an early morning run before light and the headlamp that was wrapped around my head was a little loose. I started to adjust it while I was running and it was taking FOREVER to get it right.

The adjustment band was pretty much impossible to do on the move so I stopped and fixed it. When I got going again it felt too tight but I decided to deal with it. I was spending way too much of my mental energy on this headlamp during what should have been a relaxed run. 

The Petzl BINDI is a headlamp I’ve passed over multiple times for reasons I now cannot understand but several months ago I finally got my hands on one and it has quickly become my go-to light for running. It is amazingly minimal, lightweight and so easy to adjust!   

Here is why I think it is exactly what you have been looking for.  

THE GET TO THE POINT PROS:

• Extremely light weight of 1.24 ounces. The best quality of this lamp!
• Super comfortable elastic cord that adjusts with a single pull- The simplest adjusting system on a headlamp!
• 200 lumen max brightness is adequate in most situations
• Rechargeable internal battery means no wondering if you batteries will die mid run.
• Single button operation
• $45 MSRP is a bargain for a quality light 

GIVIN’ IT TO YOU STRAIGHT CONS: 

• Run time on max brightness is only 2hrs. This lamp is not for your long runs at night. 
• Internal battery means once it is dead you have to stop and recharge it.

THE TEST: I tested the BINDI on a variety of road and trail runs the last few months. In the days of 800-1,000 lumen headlamps 200 might not sound like much but I found it to be more than adequate. What you loose in lumens you more than make up for with the reduced weight. The BINDI is one of the only headlamps I don’t find uncomfortable to wear after a few miles. The lightweight lamp means you don’t have to keep it insanely tight to keep it from flopping around. The elastic shock cords band is easy to adjust and doesn’t put any undue pressure on your head. The single button on/off and brightness adjustment means you don’t need and electrical engineering degree to use it. The 2 hour run time doesn’t sound like a lot but I have yet to have it die on me while on a run.

DO YOU REALLY NEED THIS? The short answer is YES.

Unless you just really like big headlamps or spend multiple hours a week running in the dark then the BINDI is everything you need and nothing you don’t. In the time I’ve had it I haven’t touched another one of the multiple lights I’ve accumulated over time. I used it running, camping, dog walking, you name it. The BINDI is up for the task. At $45 the BINDI is no brainier as a main running light or a backup to keep in your car. 

It’s light enough to bring on every run so that the next time you bonk on your 8 mile tempo run after work, the 4 mile walk back to car doesn’t have to be in the dark. 

LIGHTING SPECS:

Lighting Color	Lighting Levels	Brightness	Distance	Burn Time	Reserve Lighting
White	Max Burn Time	6 lm	6m	50 h	-
White	Standard	100 lm	23 m	3 h	1.5 h
White	Max Power	200 lm	36 m	2 h	1.5 h
Red	Continuous	1 lm	2.5 m	33 h	-
Red	Strobe	Visible at 400m for 200 h			-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron Burrick

As runners, it can be easy to get caught up in our “next big thing.” Days after a race, we’re tempted to sign up for something longer, farther, or more challenging. After basking in a new personal record, we’re drawn toward a faster time on a faster course. And when our calendars are wide open, it’s easy to feel pressured to sign up for an organized event. But what if, instead of searching for the next big thing, we ran toward the next best, the next most fun, the next most creative goal imaginable?

By opening ourselves up to new adventures and challenges, we are not only broadening our approach as athletes. Instead, we are opening ourselves up to the vastness of nature. We are connecting with local and not-so-local communities, building new relationships, and seeking wild places that will forever remain in our memories. We’re laughing when we make it back to the car, and we’re celebrating the sense of exploration that makes our sport so unique. Here are four starting points for planning your own fall adventure, your next best day doing what you love.

1. Create Your Own Start Line. 

   Runners are often creatures of habit. We drive to the same trailheads, start on the same streets, run to the same playlists, and group up with the same people. But what if, in the spirit of creative goal-setting, we decided to shake things up? What if, instead of starting from the usual parking lot, we started from our favorite coffee shop or food truck? Or from a new bakery in a neighborhood we’ve only visited once or twice before? By creating our own start line from well-loved or intriguing places, we can support local business and connect our sport with the greater community. We can finish our runs with good friends, our favorite drink, and the happiness in knowing that running brought us somewhere familiar, but also new.

2. Connect the Dots. 

   Throughout the pandemic, many of us became fascinated by our own backyards. We were wide-eyed newcomers within our own cities, and noticed certain local features and landmarks for what felt like the first time. From roundabouts to peaks, bridges to breweries, we can still use these points of interests to create unique routes through the places we love. We can hit every butte in Bend, park in Portland, or each of the seven hills in Seattle. We can also create these challenges in new places; for many runners, there’s no better way to explore than a long, easy run through the most notable parts of town. So what are the landmarks, either human-built or natural, that you could connect on your next weekend adventure? How can you use running to connect the dots and create a memorable day in your own backyard?

3. Run as Transportation.  

   In a sport filled with races, workouts, and training theories, we can quickly forget that running is more than just exercise. It’s also transportation, and one of the most environmentally-friendly ways of getting just about anywhere. For an accessible adventure, try ditching the car keys and getting to your next work meeting or social meetup by foot. Find a coworker who’s also willing to show up to the office in their running shoes. Notice how the world looks different at a human’s pace, and how trees and buildings move more slowly when you aren’t seeing them through a car window. Explore the endorphins that come when you arrive at your destination, energized by the movement of your morning or evening commute. When we allow running into new hours of our daily routine, we create opportunities for adventure that extend far beyond our typical daily run.

4. Uncommon Event Formats.  

   As the world of trail running expands, so do the types of races, relays, and events offered by local race directors. If you’re the type of runner that needs something official on your calendar, try checking out a lesser-known format. I like to think of these as the cool uncles of trail running; these races aren’t always around, but when they are, things are bound to be more fun. Instead of running alone, look into a team relay with members of your running community. Instead of redlining it onto the podium, look into backyard-style or “last person standing” courses that reward patience and steady pacing. Instead of mileage, focus on a time goal in a six-, twelve-, or twenty-four-hour race. Or better yet, experience racing from the other side of the aid station as a volunteer. All of these events get us onto the trails in new, energizing ways that will deepen our connection to the sport and bring new goals into our lives.

For the past year, I’ve been running with a group of folks who combine creativity and art with athleticism and a deep love for the outdoors. Through great conversation and early miles, this group has helped me to look beyond the mechanics of training and notice the many creative, original ways that we can celebrate the outdoors. From creating our own start lines to connecting the dots, running to work or as part of a team relay, there is always an opportunity to broaden your athletic goals. With the right mindset, and with the right people surrounding you, anything is possible.

–

Aaron Burrick is a trail runner, writer, and clinical social working living in Bend, Oregon. You can find him on social media @aaronburrick and online at www.aaronburrick.com.

In the spring of 2021, I began to notice a new phenomenon at PNW trail races- cow shorts.  At any given race, you could be certain to see not just one, but hoards of people wearing cow print split shorts. Several of these “cows” (their term, not mine) were finding their way onto the podium. 

It wasn’t until several months later- when I was helping to stash water for Daybreak Racing’s Backcountry Rise- that I got the whole story. The cow shorts are the calling card of Cowgill Trail Collective, a trail running community based out of Seattle.  Their ability to get turnout for events is unparalleled. In fact, I was the only volunteer that day that was not affiliated with the group.  It was here that I learned that Cowgill is really a lot more than a running group.  It’s an inclusive social club that encompasses the spirit of trail running.  Not only are they offering creative and memorable run opportunities for their members, they are giving back to the whole running community through prolific volunteering at races and regular maintenance on their local trails. I caught up with Cowgill Trail Collective founder, Aaron Long, to find out what makes the group so special. 

What is your personal background in running? 

I've always been active and started running and hiking in elementary school. I ran track and cross country from middle school through college but dealt with chronic injuries. While I have always loved being in the mountains, I didn't realize trail running was a sport until a few years post-college. I started running trails more frequently when I moved to Seattle. Sticking to trails has allowed me to increase my volume while reducing injuries!  

When and how did Cowgill originate?

Cowgill started in 2018 as a lighthearted Instagram account for posting silly trail running content and shenanigans from a decidedly non-elite perspective. It was like the Coconino Cowboys (or the satirical account Cappuccino Cowboys), only if none of them were actually good. When our shenanigans evolved into some pretty cool trail content, we realized we could use the platform to build a more cohesive trail community in Seattle. The name Cowgill is a nod back to my college days- I ran with two 6'5" imposing identical Swedish twins, Jarrett and Kyler Cowgill. We often used their name for intramural teams, for example, 'Cowgill United' for the intramural soccer league. 

The main goal of the group is to build an inclusive community that welcomes runners from all experience levels. We also aim to get trail runners more involved in trail work, volunteering, and mentorship. We have weekly morning trail runs, workouts, and a road run with a post-run social in addition to monthly long trail runs and runs centered around trail work. We especially love getting people to try new routes and explore wilderness areas they might not otherwise think of. Finally, our Slack workspace allows members to coordinate endless other adventures and opportunities to get out on trails. Our group can come off as a bit intense, but most people are convinced otherwise when they come out for their first run. We are very welcoming and will encourage you to achieve any and all of your wild goals!

Why did you want to start a running group?

Brad, Rachel, and I were doing a lot of fun trail adventures in 2020, but we didn't have a lot of trail running friends to join us. We thought it would be rad if we could figure out a way to connect with more people and share these experiences. None of the other main running groups in Seattle were solely trail running-focused, nor did they organize the long mountain adventures we wanted to see offered. We knew there would be a lot of interest, but we waited until everyone had access to vaccinations before starting up group runs.  

You have a remarkable ability to get turnout for Cowgill events- how do you do it? What makes your members so invested? 

There are several reasons why we get good turnout. In the beginning, I texted every trail running friend in my contacts for every single run. This slowly became unnecessary once everyone met and got more invested in growing the herd. We have been incredibly lucky to build a really solid foundation of runners who want to hang on and off trails.

I also attribute our great turnout to the organic nature of Cowgill's growth- people recruited their friends, we met people at races and on trails who liked our vibe, and we may have even gotten a few folks to come out after we stole their Strava crowns. Our grassroots approach has attracted people who mesh well and it's led to a group of people who are excited not just to run together but to build meaningful relationships. 

Another aspect that helps is that we don't have any formal leadership. Yes, Rachel, Brad, and I organize a lot of the runs and make a lot of the social media posts, but we've structured the group so that people can be as involved in the planning as they'd like. We have a group of ~30 people who brainstorm ideas for future Cowgill events and give feedback on our (sometimes wild) ideas. This more nebulous planning style has made our members invested in shaping Cowgill. 

On top of all of this, we are surprisingly very organized. We use Slack to communicate most events and have just over 300 people on it. There's a Slack channel for just about anything! If you want to volunteer, race with friends, put on a trail camp, grab a drink, exchange gear, go climbing or skiing or biking, there is a channel for you! In short, our turnout is a combination of relentless amounts of communication, people who genuinely love trail running and hanging out together, and the sense of teamwork built into organizing the group. 

Give us some Cowgill slang. Grazing? PGJ? Thirsty Thursday? Thirsty Seconds? 

Grazing is our shorthand for the lifestyle consisting of running trails and pounding all kinds of calories. You can graze on mountains, vert, pizza, beer... we're here for all of it. We use the hashtag #alwaysgrazing to convey our commitment to this lifestyle. 

PGJ is an acronym for 'Personal Growth Journey'. A PGJ is any run/race/event that may have been tougher or more than expected or led to some personal growth. It's our way of turning a potentially demoralizing experience into a positive one. 

Our Thursday morning trail runs start at a trailhead in Issaquah at 6:30am and are called 'Thirsty Thursdays', because we're quenching our thirst for vert. The runs initially started as a way for us to improve our uphill running and the name refers to that. Our second run of the day, 'Thirsty Seconds', is an evening road run 12 hours later. The run ends at a brewery, and, for those of us who are thirsty for more beverages (and arguably the best fish and chips in Seattle), moves to a nearby bar open till 2am. 

Our trail work events where we run with saws and clear downed trees are called 'Silky & Filthy'. Most of us use Silky Big Boy 2000 folding saws, which is where the name comes from. We're taking our local trails from filthy to silky/creamy/buttery/milky smooth. 

Smooth Mooves is our monthly long run and is aimed at getting people out to places and on trails they might not otherwise go. We usually camp out for that weekend and some of our recent favorites are Teanaway and Goat Rocks. We love a ridgeline!

You have some really fast runners in your group- I think most northwest runners can recall a time they were passed like they were standing still by a runner in cow print split shorts. Despite that, the group doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously.  How do you balance that competitive presence with a fun, welcoming group? 

We have a lot of runners who like to push their limits but also want to have a good time and don't take themselves too seriously. While we do have some professional runners who run with us, most of our fastest runners are not sponsored and running is a passion. I think that helps keep things more relaxed and silly. It also helps that we wear a lot of cow print, since it's hard to be too serious in cow shorts telling people you're “on a graze.” 

One thing we have struggled with is recruiting less experienced and/or slower runners. We invest way more time trying to get beginners to feel welcome than we do catering to our fastest runners. Some of our fastest runners may not attend our bigger group runs as often, but we feel it's worth it to make more people feel welcome. That being said, our runs are not totally inclusive- we often don't run under 4 miles and a lot of quick people show up. For our weekly runs, we regroup often and have different pace group leaders as needed. For our longer, more adventurous weekend runs, there's naturally separation between groups, but we make sure people know the route and have the right equipment (or at least plan to stick with someone who does). The longer the route, the harder it is to keep everyone together, especially when some of these events are key training efforts for our runners. 

We initially decided on the name Cowgill Trail Elite as a joke, since our Instagram content was all about non-elite runners. For instance, I made a lot of tipsy, silly posts and called them 'Elite Cow Tips'. Once our runners in cow shorts started showing up on podiums at races, we realized that the 'Elite' in our name could be taken the wrong way- especially since our audience had grown past our 15 closest friends. 'Collective' felt fitting, since we strive for everything to be a collective effort. While I do not regret the joke, I do feel bummed that some people got the wrong first impression. I hope by now everyone realizes that it was ironic-- just look at my Ultrasignup percentage!

What upcoming events does Cowgill have and how can people get involved (locally and beyond)?

For monthly events, people can check out the Smooth Mooves long runs and our Silky & Filthy trail work runs. This year, we'll work aid stations for at least two more races. We are also hoping to put on a 25k race next summer! The best way to get involved is to show up to a run and join the Slack. I am at almost every run and love to talk about ways to get more involved. 

Where do you see the group going from here? Do you have visions of something even bigger with Cowgill? 

I see the group continuing its slow but steady growth. Our central goal is to connect the trail running community and give people an easy way to get together for fun adventures and achieving big goals. I think we have been doing a great job with that in Seattle so far. 

On a greater level, we want to connect the trail running community in the Pacific Northwest. Last year, some runners from Portland reached out to start a PDX Cowgill herd. It's been awesome watching the Portland herd grow, and I would love the two herds to share more grazes. Folks in Bend and Boulder have also asked us about starting herds in their cities, and I love the idea, even if these will probably take a bit longer to get established. Imagine arriving in a new city with breathtaking mountains and a ready-made herd! The model we've established with the cow theme, our not-too serious culture, and organized events could be successful in many places. 

A long-term goal is to slowly change trail running culture and grow the sport. We want trail running to be more inclusive, we want to get more people running on trails, and we want trail runners to take part in more trail stewardship. We're doing our part to make incremental progress on all of these fronts. One goal Cowgill does not have is to make money off of our members. Members will never pay dues and if we organize paid events down the line, we will keep costs low and make sure it is accessible regardless of economic barriers. Any profit we make (if any!) will fund future Cowgill events. 

What advice do you have for someone looking to start their own running group? 

Starting your own running group is a slow process and requires at least one person who keeps the passion going. It's also key to have a solid foundation of people who are invested in establishing a group. I would also ask yourself if your group is unique and if it fills a hole in the community. It doesn't have to be ambitious or totally transformative, but it should fulfill the needs of a few people and be something that they look forward to attending. I also recommend checking out a bunch of different running groups before starting one. Don't just start one because you want to lead something. See what's out there and if there is a group you vibe with, get involved! But if you think there is a need for your group and you're passionate about it, then start it! 

You can get involved with Cowgill by following them on Instagram, joining their Strava Club and joining their Slack channel