Why Camp Verde?

Running has been a tradition in Arizona for thousands of years, rooted deep with Native American people. It has grown and evolved, connecting the world through the power of sport. The Olympics stand as a testament to this connection, bringing together athletes from all corners of the globe.

 

Flagstaff, Arizona sits at 7,000 feet above sea level. Camp Verde, at just over 3,100 feet, is only 49 miles away. The elevation drop of almost 4,000 feet in under an hour has created one of the only true "live-high, train-low" environments in the entire world. 

And professional distance runners from across the globe have noticed. A total of 242 Olympians and Paralympians from 29 different countries trained in Flagstaff before the Tokyo Olympics. 

 

Living "high" forces the body to produce extra red blood cells to counteract the effects of lower barometric pressure. But it's  difficult to run as fast as possible. Athletes regularly make the 45 minute trip to Camp Verde to run their hard workouts at faster paces. Those trips can be the difference between good...and gold.

 

Camp Verde continues to welcome some of the world's best runners several days a week—all dreaming of greatness. But we face a challenge—there is no proper facility to train optimally and safely. The open roads come with risks and can lead to injury. The dirt and gravel track at the high school is slippery and muddy—not ideal for professional athletes—nor for our middle and high school students. Safety is a constant concern, and we must do better for our running community.

 

Flagstaff has many quality running facilities. Camp Verde has zero.

It’s time to step up.