[Author’s Note: This is the sixth of a 10-part series in AJW’s Taproom called Race Director Chronicles, where we profile the unsung heroes who make our sport’s racing possible.]

Anybody who has run, crewed, paced, volunteered, or spectated on the Javelina Jundred Mile or the Black Canyon Ultras in Arizona has crossed paths with Jubilee Paige. One of the ebullient and fun-loving race administrators on the market, Paige is understood for her intensive wardrobe of inventive costumes, impeccable race group, and a spirit of pleasure that’s embedded into each of her high-volume occasions. I sat down with Paige lately as she was making ready to direct the Javelina Jundred later this month.

Race director Jubilee Paige. Photograph: Aravaipa Operating

Andy Jones-Wilkins: How lengthy have you ever been directing extremely/path working occasions in Arizona?

Jubilee Paige: I joined Aravaipa Operating within the spring of 2016 as an workplace supervisor and normal administrator, and inside a yr was promoted to race director. This will likely be my seventh yr because the race director for Javelina and Black Canyon.

AJW: What’s the most satisfying facet of your work as a race director?

Paige: As a normal event-planner, I like seeing all of the items come collectively race week. It’s like engaged on a puzzle and having a normal thought of the image, however because the items fall into place, I get to see in actual time months of planning come into focus, and it genuinely brings a smile to my face on race day. Greater than that, nonetheless, I feel the most effective facet of being a race director is understanding that the entire planning and coordination creates an atmosphere the place athletes can embrace chance — nonetheless they outline that for themselves. The potential of working 100 miles, or the potential for working the farthest or the quickest, the potential for qualifying for Western States 100 — no matter their “why,” the chance is there for them firstly line. And having the ability to facilitate that’s extraordinarily satisfying.

AJW: What makes working within the desert southwest so distinctive and particular?

Paige: The Sonoran Desert is the world’s most biodiverse desert. In all of its extremes, there’s an abundance of life. After all, the southwest panorama is gorgeous — and I hardly must promote it, with the Grand Canyon and purple rocks of Sedona — however anybody working by a desert forest of towering saguaros for the primary time will discover a surreal expertise. There’s no different place prefer it.

Patrick Reagan, working by the distinctive Sonoran Desert, on his strategy to profitable the 2017 Javelina Jundred. Photograph: Aravaipa Operating

AJW: What are the most important challenges you face as a race director?

Paige: I feel it varies for every race. The logistical and security challenges for Black Canyon differ from the environmental impression and participation challenges of Javelina. Guaranteeing the security of every participant is paramount. For logistics-heavy races like Black Canyon, the climate could be unpredictable, inflicting rivers to rise and trails to change into impassible inside 24 hours. I’ve realized to have contingency plans in place as much as and together with on race day — which we’ve had to make use of! Black Canyon particularly is a superb instance of desert extremes and retains the entire staff on their toes.

Javelina, however, is simply BIG! House has been an ongoing problem as participation grows. The race outgrew its authentic venue in 2015, so we moved it in 2016, and at present we’re once more addressing the finite quantity of house, for each the bottom of operations and on path, with the rise in recognition. It’s a enjoyable problem for certain, however with elevated participation, I’m additionally cautious to deal with the impression that 1,000-plus runners could have on a singletrack path and surrounding atmosphere.

I additionally wish to create an general constructive expertise for contributors. With the expansion of each occasions, I discover a problem in assembly the expectations of a various group of runners. From elites to first-time runners, entrance of the pack to the again — I need these races to be distinctive with regards to assist, support, and expertise.

AJW: What adjustments have you ever seen within the sport because you started directing occasions?

Paige: I’m excited to see the game develop. There’s an general rising consciousness of the game and its superb athletes, which has led to a rise in participation in assorted distances. The inclusion and development of livestreams at our occasions has elevated visibility and hopefully impressed others to step onto the paths and discover the pure world round them. Through the years, one of the vital inspiring and constructive traits I’ve witnessed as a race director is the numerous enhance in ladies’s participation in ultrarunning occasions. After I first began as a race director, the ratio of participation was staggering, and in recent times I’m excited to see these numbers shift, as extra ladies enter the game.

I feel one of many issues that considerations me with the general progress of the game, nonetheless, is the pressure on pure environments and the impression that the recognition of the game can have on the distant locations we love. I got here to ultrarunning due to a love of the outside, and the genuine spirit of group, and I feel preserving each is essential as we navigate this progress. As ultrarunners, we’ve a possibility to be stewards of the paths each time we come to a race — to observe “go away no hint,” to take part in cupless races, and to encourage others to look after the pure landscapes that we love. As race administrators, we might want to discover a stability between offering entry to those stunning and distant locations, whereas additionally discovering methods to reduce the ecological footprint of the occasions.

AJW: What are you wanting ahead to most within the 2023 to ‘24 occasion season?

Paige: Actually, I don’t look too far forward of the race I’m at the moment directing! Javelina and Black Canyon are pretty shut to at least one one other every season, so my focus narrows throughout this time. However each season is an journey — I at all times stay up for the rising elite subject at Black Canyon, and showcasing upcoming expertise. And Javelina will at all times be a number of surprises annually, so I stay up for seeing what I can be taught from the earlier yr to make that occasion higher for the subsequent.

Bottoms up!

The beginning of the 2023 Black Canyon 100k. Photograph: Jesse Ellis/@letswanderphotography

AJW’s Beer of the Week

This week’s beer of the week comes from Uncle Bear’s Brewery in Gilbert, Arizona. Located only a few miles from the Javelina Jundred course, Uncle Bear’s produces a various vary of beers for each palate. Bear’s Seashore Bum Tropical IPA is a balanced, fruity IPA, which efficiently blends the normal West Coast fashion with the newer New England Fashion. An IPA that goes down clean and is effectively suited to its beachy roots, Seashore Bum is a superb beer for any event.

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