Trail Running shined its magic on me 10 years ago when a good friend suggested for us to take our short road training run into the trails nearby.  I was hooked immediately by its refuge, the sense of disconnect under the tree canopy in the Brandywine.  I dabbled a bit more in trail running on and off, got muddy, got lost before finding my way, lost my breath plenty on the hills, until I broke my first bone on the left fibula while trail running on a beautiful October morning under the blue sky and cool air.  All right here, in the Brandywine.  

My story isn't unique.  But it is one of many things that brought me to what this event is today.  A couple years later during Covid when everything was cancelled, I decided to run my own 12-hr event in a 3-mile loop in the neighborhood.  I added a fundraising component to help keeping the self-supported event meaningful.  That was my first personal experience witnessing the power of collective effort.  Friends came out to run one, two or three loops with me.  Some stayed all day.  Funds were raised for the track team for the Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports.  The event remained an annual tradition for 3 years.

Those moments when it felt like everything fell apart, were the beginning of a beautiful journey I didn't know was coming.

So this is my story for Run of the Mill.  An event created with the intention to spend time outdoor disconnecting from the noises of life just for a little bit.  An opportunity to create a positive ripple effect together with friends new and old.  Thank you for being a part of Run of the Mill!