June 5, 2005
The 2005 Rainier to Ruston Rail-Trail Relay went pretty well for a first-time public event. We had 168 participants, and throughout the run I saw bikers, rollerbladers, and other members of the community on the trail, enjoying the natural beauty that's so readily available to us here in Pierce County.

At the finish, we had the benefit of community leaders who spoke in recognition of National Trails Day: Jan Wolcott, Director of Pierce County Parks and Recreation; Terry Lee, Pierce County Council member and President of ForeverGreen; and Dave Uberuaga, Superintendent of Mt. Rainier National Park.

Thanks to our many sponsors, including KMTT 103.7 The Mountain, who provided entertainment at the finish area; Pierce County Parks and Recreation, who paid for the portable toilets; Fleet Feet Sports, who donated award certificates and whose team set a new record; and the Tacoma Art Museum and Workout Express, who contributed to the race packets. This event never would have been possible without all 20 of our generous sponsors and 47 dedicated volunteers.

It was a great day! We introduced a lot of people to the Foothills Trail and the Coalition made over $2000 that will go toward the trail's completion.

See you next year on June 3rd, National Trails Day, at an even better relay...by then the course should consist of less road and more trail!

June 13, 2004
The 2004 Rainier-to-Ruston Rail-Trail Relay was a tremendous success. Three teams of runners and walkers carried stones from the Carbon River 50 miles, from the foot of Mount Rainier to the Tacoma waterfront, where we tossed our "batons" into Commencement Bay. I can't imagine a better way of celebrating National Trail Day!

With a volunteer-organized relay there are a number of people to thank. Chuck Morrison and Bruno Nedergard have been tremendous advocates of the Foothills Trail and the Rainier-to-Ruston and coordinated community outreach. Russ Matthews, Buzz Grant, Don Partington, Bill Harmon, Paul Jacobson, Tom Enlow, Ken Buck, Jeff Selby, and Joan Miller were a big help in putting this year's event together. Thanks also to Susan Hulbert for her tireless promotion of the relay, and to Theresa Selby, Tom Moeller, and Jeremy Engdahl-Johnson for putting together this website. Thanks also to Northwest Embroidery for donating 6 dozen shirts for this year's Relay!

The last two years of planning has required me to pour over maps and explore new sections of the trail, places I'd never been. Some of them are breathtakingly beautiful. There are so many uniquely interesting pockets, but it's not until you look at the entire Foothills Trail and the community it encompasses that you realize what a special place we live in.

In 2005 we're taking the relay public, opening up this challenging and scenic course to runners from all over the Northwest. We're also going to add a walking relay to attract a wider range of trail enthusiasts on National Trails Day.

We are now recruiting sponsors for the 2005 event. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any ideas.

John Selby
Founder and Assistant Race Director
JohnandDottieSelby@att.net