We are so happy to welcome pro trail runner, Rachel Tomajczyk to the Suite Run Podcast!

Rachel grew up in Dallas, TX and was the Nike Cross Nationals Champion and runner up at Footlocker in 2010. She went on to Baylor and was a 6 X All American there. Professionally on the track Rachel has raced in the steeplechase at the Olympic trials in 2016 and is now racing professionally on the trails with her sponsor Merrell. Rachel won the USA Half Marathon Trail Championships in 2021 and this year in 2022 she helped the USA Vertical Mountain Team to a gold medal at the World Championships and helped the Classic Mountain Team to a bronze medal. Rachel is also a coach! She coached in the NCAA at a D1 school for two years and has been online coaching for 5 years as well with athletes from high school all the way up to marathoners and ultra runners. Rachel is also a newly minted podcaster - she and her husband Drew recently started their show, "Run The World" Podcast that talks about their training and racing, so go check it out!

In this conversation, we talk about Rachel's incredible running career and then we chat all about Williams, AZ! Rachel shares her favorite places to run, dine out, places of interest and more in Williams. 



Enjoy our conversation!


Rachel's recommendations for Williams, AZ:

RUN

1. Bill Williams Mountain (Two trails - one starts at a ranger station, this is shorter and steeper and Benum Trail that is longer and not as steep. Both have great views at the top. It's beautiful in the fall)
2. Lots of fire roads in Williams.
3. Flagstaff is close, lots of trails there.
4. Path around the Grand Canyon


EAT AND DRINK


1. Anna's (Great breakfast served all day)
2. El Corral (Good Mexican food)
3. Gateway Sandwich Company
4. Brewed Awakenings (For coffee!)
5. Historic Brewing
6. Grand Canyon Brewery
7. Frontier BBQ

Stay

1. Rent a house or RV
2. Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel (Note: Nat and Jerold stayed here with the kids for the Polar Express)

Races

1. Bill Williams 5k and 10k (If you win, you get a raccoon hat!)
2. Flagstaff Sky Peaks (Trail race around the base of Humphreys - this was 15 miles and takes places in the fall)


Places of Interest

1. Old west show in the summer (cowboys have a shoot out in the street)
2. Slide park for kids
3. Deer petting farm
4. Bearizona
5. Lost Canyon Camp

Running Store

1. Run Flag (in Flagstaff or Run Sedona)


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Where to find Rachel:

Rachel on Instagram

Run The World Podcast

Rachel's Coaching at Run Free Training


Where to find Natalie and Jerold:

Natalie's Instagram
Suite Run Instagram
Natalie's Twitter
Suite Run Twitter
Natalie's Facebook
Suite Run Website
Suite Run Facebook