View from Sugarloaf Mountain looking out to Laurel Ridge
Competition and races are great, but sometimes bouncing up and down trails with little to no regard for running pace is what the body and soul really needs.
I started dreaming up a weekend running trip after having the opportunity to participate in a trail running trip to Ecuador this past January. Yes, it was amazing, thanks to Meredith Beaton and friend, Andy Marx, at EcoEndurance. But, I came back thinking, “why am I traveling halfway across the world when I’ve got wonderful trails in my own backyard?”
A view from 2,000 feet looking into the Yough River Gorge can be just as profound as sitting atop a 12,000 foot peak in the Andes Mountains. Not hyperbole!
So, this summer, I’m shelving far-off travel and leaning in to regional adventure.
More specifically, we’re moving from Frick Park as Paper & Dirt’s Running HQ to Confluence, PA as our homebase for a late summer weekend of trail running, art studio tours and community connection.
As with most adventures in life, this is unchartered territory. An overnight excursion is totally new. By partnering with great people, such as Brynn Cunningham, Dan Nichols and Christi Pletcher for guided runs and post-run relaxation; and community spaces like Confluence Creative Arts Center, Tissue Farm and Talking Leaves Studio, we’ll be in good hands for a unique weekend getaway.
We hope you can join for us for this three day, two night trip from Friday, August 22nd to Sunday, August 24th.
What’s Included:
2 night stay at either Parker House or River's Edge
3 guided runs on specially designed routes
Friday Lunch, Friday Night Dinner, Saturday Night Dinner and Sunday Lunch
Yoga with Brynn Cunningham (Saturday afternoon)
Massage by Mountain Laurel Massage (Saturday afternoon)
Post-run relaxation at Confluence Creative Arts Center (Saturday afternoon)
Private tour of Talking Leaves Printmaking Studio (Sunday)
Tour of Tissue Farm Art Gallery (Friday)
10% off drinks (coffee and tea) at Tissue Farm Espresso Bar all weekend
Transportation to/from Friday and Saturday runs
Snacks, water and other hydration on the trail
Running and Outdoor Mags curated by Paper & Dirt for weekend reading
It was an honor to host and send everyone off in the woods on Wet Wednesdays (next year's series name). New friendships, trails and race formats were hopefully introduced to all the competitors this spring in Frick Park. I'm excited to see everyone at other races this summer across Western PA.
Thanks to all the amazing volunteers for braving the unpredictable weather and helping me flag the course with an annoying broken toe; including Mars, Kumar, Max, Drew, Sarah, Hannah, Erin, Genevieve, Cole, Alex, Bruce and Mom & Dad! Shout-out to the Trail Sisters group chat on recruiting sweepers day-of-race.
A huge amount of gratitude to sponsors for helping make Year 2 of FTRS a success. Race shirts, new prizes and the Lula La Chula food stand were all new additions this year.
Favorite Magazine right now. Useless Fighters resists the tired clichés of snow play and Alpine tourism, to show how fascinating and important mountains are to culture, politics, faith, language, economy, identity, sport, and the world. A beautiful, contemporary biannual that reimagines the mountains for a new audience.
The Erotic Review was relaunched and reconceived for a contemporary audience in Spring 2024 by editor, Lucy Roeber, and Berlin-based deputy editor, Saskia Vogel. This new chapter recognised the need for a serious cultural platform that explored desire through essays, stories, poetry and art.
A compelling collection of one hundred years of outdoors magazine and catalog design, featuring the work of crucial creatives and seventy iconic brands, from Salomon to The North Face.
The Whitney Review of New Writing is expanding literary criticism. Bringing together author interviews, literary essays, and short-format book reviews, it offers an interdisciplinary perspective on the culture of reading and writing.
When a British expedition reached the summit of Everest on 29 May 1953, it put British mountaineering on top of the world. It also marked the start of an explosion in the popular love of the outdoors. In the next few decades, what we wore hill-walking, climbing and mountaineering would change beyond recognition and outdoor clothing would enter the mainstream.
See you out there,
~ Chas
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.