Roots Built to Endure

As I’m driving through the winding roads in a quiet and charming neighborhood in northwest Austin, I’m trying to remember the last time I saw Erik. We ran together in college, and I can’t recall a moment when we were together since then. To clarify, he ran – I jumped. Division I distance runners are beasts – 100 mile training weeks, cross-country meets in the fall, and a full track season in the spring. Their job was to run fast and far – no excuses. It was impressive to watch.

In his long and slender frame, Erik greeted me at the door when I arrived at his house. The smell of venison sausage filled the living room and kitchen. Breakfast tacos and coffee were on the menu.

Erik Stanley is the Founder and Lead Coach at Trail Roots, an Austin, TX running club and race organizer. He started Trail Roots in 2014 with a passion for running and a desire to put his own spin on the business. It was a big leap at the time because he had built so many great relationships with colleagues and mentors at his previous running company.

“These are my friends,” he says, reflecting on the memory. “I look up to them in a lot of ways, and I love these people.”

The break was not easy, but ultimately necessary. The experience helped shape the foundation for Trail Roots. As he began to hire coaches, his message was, “You can go work and do what you want. You don’t have to stay here forever. I want you to be happy here, and I want you to be a part of the community.”

The business started with individual coaching—around 10 to 15 sessions per week. Early on, it was apparent that he would need to incorporate group running sessions to build the community. As the individual sessions slowed, the group training grew.

“Two people that really encouraged me were Jack [of Jack and Adams] & Gilbert [Gilbert’s Gazelles]. They gave me the confidence that I didn’t quite see to step off and do it. That was really motivating to me.”

Early on, Erik began to play with the idea of putting on races. With the help of his now wife, Jacque, he put together a business plan for his first race, the Texas Switchback. The first year attracted around 300 people. Two years later, Salmagundi Trail Race was born. Not long after, Erik teamed up with Joe Prusaitis of Tejas Trails to put on Dos Senderos. And within the last year, Trails Roots acquired the Big Bend Ultra and Sky Island races.

Trail Roots is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, and the future looks bright. As we talked, what stood out to me was the link between Erik’s values guiding him to be a happy and fulfilled husband, father, son, and sibling and the values that establish the foundation for Trail Roots, the business. Although not explicitly stated, I can imagine those values approximate something like – be open and vulnerable with one another, work hard together, get to know the person next to you, and encourage them to achieve their goals.

I’m proud to see a former teammate have such success and happy that we were able to reconnect. Trail Roots will undoubtedly continue to grow, and I’m looking forward to seeing where he takes it.

Trail Roots Group Runs

Tuesdays
5:30a (W) – Epoch Coffee Farwest
6:00p (W) – Austin High/ Barton Springs

Wednesdays
6:30a (D) – Barton Creek Greenbelt

Thursdays
5:30a (W) – Barton Springs

Saturdays
7:00a (T) – Rotating Greater Austin Area

Sundays
7:00a (R) – Rotating Central Austin Area