Team Spotlight: Boise Betties

If there's anything that Zealios loves, it's a heaping scoop of female power. And that's exactly what you'll get with the Boise Betties. This running group is a powerhouse of fun and fierce runners, and we're excited to get an inside peek into what makes the Boise Betties so wonderful!

Number of people on the team?

We have a strong core team of about 20 women, but 67 gals are in the Betties member roll-call. 

When and how did the team form?

The Betties formed in 2014.  Gretchen Hurlbutt, the founder, broke the navicular bone in her foot just 8 days before the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials.  In the year it took to fully recover from the injury, she realized how much she missed running, competition and the run community.  Seeing the potential sunset of her competitive career, she chose to start a women's post-collegiate team and reinsert herself in the running community in a new role as a coach.  Over time, the team grew considerably while maintaining that close knit supportive feeling of high school cross country. 

A few of the team's top achievements?

In 2015, less than a year after forming, we placed 2nd at the National XC Championships in Boulder, CO.  We followed up that race with several more podium finishes for our open and masters teams in the XC championships.  We sent one athlete to the 2018 Olympic Trials steeplechase, qualified many for the Boston Marathon, even took our Sawtooth Relay women’s team to 2nd place - overall!  

Team's go-to Zealios product?

Boise’s high desert environment requires year round sunscreen. We love the Zealios Sun Barrier for the non-greasy feel, strong protection while sweating and especially for the large pump bottle. That’s how you really put on sunscreen- little bottles step aside!

Is there a staple Betties workout?

More-so than a staple workout, we have ways to take advantage of specific places we run. Zoo miles, Red-cliff (hill) surges, OwlsRoost trail 800s, and Taco Tuesday (ladder workout) are all means of giving the standard workouts a fun Betties twist. 

Team Philosophy?

The team is built on a foundation of support and inclusiveness. As a coach, I expect everyone to bring their best to the track, to work hard, while also pulling their teammates up. We are a team of competitors, but refuse intrateam competitive attitudes. We respect and support each other in our personal goals- be it a BQ or a PR. We meet the athletes where they are and cheer our teammate’s accomplishments without comparison to our own. 

Tell us about Boise-- it looks like a runner's paradise!

Boise has something for everyone: our Greenbelt is a paved bike path following the beautiful Boise River for over 30miles. Our home track is at Boise High, a public track one occasionally will find Nick Symmonds doing a workout while home for the holidays. But the best place to run in Boise is absolutely the Foothills trail network. Hundreds of miles of single track trails wind from the sagebrush grasslands to the high alpine environment of our local ski hill, Bogus Basin. The trails aren’t very technical so they make for good workouts as well as the endless miles. 

Why should runners join a team?