“Running Up the Mountain” Reaches the Top

Every young runner in America knows who they are. Everyone in Flagstaff takes pride in their grit and determination. And now a special book about a storied running team has garnered an impressive award.

Running Up the Mountain: Northern Arizona Altitude, Lumberjack Attitude, and the Building of a Distance Dynasty has been named Best Sports/Recreation Book of 2023 by the New Mexico–Arizona Book Awards. The mission of the New Mexico–Arizona Book Awards is “uncovering and honoring the best in Arizona and New Mexico books.” Almost 1,000 books competed in 47 categories or genres this year.

The book captures the culture of success that has lifted the Northern Arizona University cross country teams from humble beginnings to the top of their sport as six-time NCAA Division I champions (and counting).

“Running Up the Mountain was a passion project for Ron and me,” said Matt Baxter, who co-authored the book with Coach Ron Mann. “We both care deeply about the NAU and Flagstaff running communities. It means a lot to be recognized by a regional organization that shares a similar devotion to stories from our community.”

Baxter was a scoring athlete for NAU’s first three national team titles and is now a professional runner with HOKA NAZ Elite. Mann is also an NAU alumnus who went on to coach his alma mater’s cross country and track and field squads for 24 years, becoming the longest-tenured coach in NAU program history.

During their research, Matt and Ron talked to runners, families, coaches, and members of Flagstaff’s legendary running community, hungry to understand how a school with no traditional powerhouse credentials built momentum over decades to become the country’s preeminent distance-running team.

Along the way, they figured out how Lumberjack culture, the plucky athletes themselves, and Flagstaff made this unlikely success possible. The result is a book that offers an insider’s perspective on the commitment and grit that form champions.

Sam McManis of Flagstaff Running News wrote in his review of Running Up the Mountain, “Those with even a passing interest in the sport [of cross country running] can, indeed, relate to the work ethic and camaraderie that imbue the program.” The book has 42 ratings on Amazon and is sitting at 4.6 stars. “Great read for runners and coaches,” and “Awesome book about an awesome program,” are two of the review titles.

Soulstice is proud to see this latest recognition for one of our “books with soul.” It means a lot to us to share this award with Matt, Ron, and everyone who helped with their research or backed the crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. Just as with the NAU Lumberjacks, this win belongs to the whole team.