About

The Mt. Madonna Challenge began in 1975 by a hodge podge group of runners led by a gentleman with a passion for running, Bill Flodberg. It was one of the original trail races that began the evolution of trail running. In his 75 years, Bill wore many hats, and he wore them with equal passion. Bill was an avid runner; during college, he ran for UC Berkeley; later, he ran and trained on the roads and trails in San Martin and Gilroy, and he raced competitively well into his 70s. In addition to his personal running accomplishments, Bill encouraged runners and running as a Cross Country Coach at Gavilan College, as one of the founders of the Gavilan Joggers and Striders Running Club, through his “Running Man” running column, and as an organizer and director of several local races, including the Mt. Madonna Challenge. Thanks to Bill, thousands of people were enriched by his efforts to encourage music and the arts. And thanks to Bill, thousands of people in the running community have benefited from his example, encouragement, and advice.

In 2007, the South Valley Running Club took over ownership and management of the Mt. Madonna Challenge as Bill could no longer manage putting on the race. The running club took over the race with the intent of all proceeds being donated in the form of scholarships for college to local high school running athletes. Over the 13 years, the running club put on the Mt. Madonna Challenge, one to five scholarships were given out each year to local high school seniors.

In 2020, José Cruz took over ownership and management of the race. José’s passion for running didn’t begin until his early 20’s but that didn’t stop him from immersing himself in the trail running scene. Early on in his running adventure, José became an assistant cross country coach at Gilroy High School in 2014, when his good friend Randy Higashi introduced him to the team. He assisted the Gilroy High XCountry team until 2020. José has participated in races from 2 miles on the track to 100k’s in the French Alps. José was also a frequent participant of the Mt. Madonna Challenge until he felt a need to fill the role as race director. He’s done his fair share of volunteering at several races throughout the Bay Area and has also led group clean-ups in efforts to conserve our wild lands. José is from Gilroy, CA, and currently resides in Gilroy, CA, and plans to establish a strong South Bay running community by creating free local running events that promote health and wellness. José is currently a full-time student at San José State University pursuing a Kinesiology degree, and though he doesn’t race as much as he used to, you will occasionally see him toeing the line at a local race.

Every single dollar raised from the Mt. Madonna Challenge fuels the Mt. Madonna Challenge Scholarship, sending local high school runners to the incredible Max King Trail Running Camp this summer! Get ready for a week bursting with adventure, camaraderie, expert coaching, exploration, and life-changing opportunities! Our dream is to send 8-10 deserving runners from underrepresented communities to this amazing camp, but we encourage everyone with a passion for running to apply!

Read more information on the camp at www.maxkingtrc.com/mtshastayouth