Santa Barbara County 9-Trails Runners Challenge
Posted by Mark Wilkinson on Mar 29, 2025 in Blog | 0 commentsWhat is the 9-Trails Runners Challenge?
The Santa Barbara County Trails Council is excited to announce the 9 Trails Runners Challenge! Beginning on April 1st, we challenge you to jog or run nine trails in Santa Barbara County to promote individual health and well-being, connection to nature, and fun. The Challenge is an exploration of our county's wild and scenic landscapes. Ideally, a few places you have never been before.
The Challenge is to explore nine trails, including at least one new to you. They can be old historic trails, but we ask that you keep up with the spirit of the challenge and explore somewhere you have not been before.
Prizes:
Every 9-Trails finisher will receive a frameable certificate and a sticker created specially for the Challenge and will be honored on the Trails Council's social media. Please join the 9-Trails Challenge!
Participants who verify completing nine trail runs by Thursday, May 1st, will be entered in a drawing for one of three prizes. The winners’ prizes will be awarded at a Trails Council celebration on Thursday, May 8th, 2025.
How do I enter the 9-Trails Challenge?
Sign up by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/y15WqKVEF3wtpBHa6
For more information, contact: explore@nullsbtrails.org
To verify each trail traveled, participants will submit a photo of themselves on Strava, Instagram, or Facebook, the trail name and hashtags #SB9Trailss and #SantaBarbaraTrails. Other options include joining https://www.strava.com/clubs/SB9Trails, or runners can submit photos to explore@nullsbtrails.org. A GPS track of the hike is welcomed but not necessary to demonstrate progress. Participants can use run-tracking software such as Gaia GPS, AllTrails, MapMyRun, or Strava.
Trail Challenge FAQs
Is the Challenge free to participate in? How do I sign up?
The 9-Trails Challenge is free to participate in. Completing this form - - will register you for the event. Achievements are recorded when participants submit a photo of themselves at the trailhead or on a trail with the trail named in one of three ways:
- Through posting a photo on Instagram, Facebook, or Strava and the use of two hashtags: #SB9Trails and #Santa BarbaraTrails (private Instagram accounts are not visible to us)
- Join our 9-Trails Challenge Club on Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/SB9Trails
- Email photo and trail name to explore@nullsbtrails.org
I'm ready! Now what?
Awesome! Now you can go trail running!
If participating in the Challenge, take a selfie on the trail or use a GPS tracker to verify your achievements. Submit your photos for verification using one of the options listed above.
Do I have to pick trails I have not run before, or is it okay to run any nine trails?
You can choose your own trails. To be eligible for the prize drawing, run them between Tuesday, April 1st (no joke) and Thursday, May 1st, 2025. However, stickers and certificates are available to 5 Trails finishers until the end of September.
Do you still have questions? Email explore@nullsbtrails.org or call Mark at 805.708.6173. We’ll keep updating this page as we hear from more participants.
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