NATRO Native American Trail Marathon Championship 2027

The NATRO Native American Trail Marathon Championship is a trail running race series focused on increasing Native runner participation on trails. Its first sponsored event, NATRO@Soboba, took place in La Jacinta, California, on the Soboba Indian Reservation. This event offered 25-kilometer and 5-kilometer races, deviating from a marathon-only format. Participants could register in either Open or Native divisions, accommodating Native competition while also welcoming the broader trail running community. The series originated from the Native American Trail Running Organization, established by Sheldon Subith with assistance from Native race directors. Subith contributes a runner's and coach's perspective to the initiative; he is a skilled masters trail runner and coaches cross country at Noli Indian School in San Jacinto. NATRO@Soboba also connected the race to youth running, allocating a portion of the proceeds to Noli Indian School’s cross country and track programs. The initial development was practical and community-focused from the outset; Subith mentioned NATRO began as a concept and required more time than anticipated to reach its inaugural Soboba race.