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Annual Trailblazer Race: Families, Fun and Fundraising!

The 2011 Trailblazer Race, presented by Microsoft and the ‘Friends of Stevens Creek Trail,’ took place this weekend at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus.  The annual event is the primary fundraiser for the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail, an organization dedicated to promoting community pride and involvement through the protection and improvement of this recreational trail.

The event, open to all, featured a 10k and 5k running race, a 5k trail walk and free, family-friendly activities for children.  The Microsoft campus was temporarily converted into a family block party where families and friends cheered on the runners.

To provide fun for the whole family, a section of the campus was cordoned off to create a play area for the children, complete with giant inflatable obstacles, arts and a play area.

Also present to show their team spirit was the Mountain View Public Library and the Mountain View co-housing community. The charming truck doubled as a makeshift library, providing a tiny nook for the cheerleaders to browse through books and Sunday papers before the race began. 

The runners and volunteers enjoyed a healthy breakfast at the event and the 10k winners, Jose Piña (1st place) and Jean Pommier (2nd place) were awarded with beautiful brass statuettes.

The race is open to all - participation at the annual Trailblazer race is not only a great way to spend a day with family and friends, but also to contribute to the community.

About Friends of Stevens Creek Trail

The Friends of Stevens Creek Trail is a local group whose goal is to support the completion of a trail in the Stevens Creek Corridor as well as protect and improve the trail.  The Friends run outreach and education programs, organize tree plantings and trail workdays, and raise funds for enhancements of the trail, as well as host the annual Trailblazer Race.

The Stevens Creek Trail route travels through four cities and many neighborhoods, business centers, and school grounds  s been envisioned along the creek corridor of Stevens Creek. The cities and the counties have wisely reserved over 100 acres along the creek for public access, and have rejected previous plans to replace the natural creek bed with a cemented channel.

The trail in Mountain View extends south from its connection to the Bay Trail in Shoreline park, to its current end at Sleeper Avenue south of El Camino Real. Cupertino has now added a 0.7 mile section of multi-use trail, made of permeable concrete, that runs north along the creek from McClellan Road, to Blackberry Farm.

The trail runs through tidal marshlands and natural riparian habitats, providing for recreation and educational opportunities. The trail is regularly used for bicycling, bird watching, commuting, dog walking, education, hiking, jogging, nature walks, running, roller and inline skating, skateboarding, striding, and walking and runs through tidal marshlands and natural riparian habitats.

Stevens Creek is home to a host of native California wildlife. Trail plans stress the importance of restoring and preserving and constantly improving the creek's natural environment, including planting native vegetation to protect existing wildlife habitats.

For more information about Friends of Stevens Creek Trail, head to their website here.