The Hungerford Trail Races have a history of giving back.
Many of you know that The Hungerford Games started as a fundraiser. On Saturday, October 6, 2012, the coaches of Crossroads Charter Academy were riding the bus back from the Portage Invitational, talking about training and racing and life. All of them loved long-distance races, loved cross country, loved flying through the forest on a fall afternoon, and loved the undiscovered gem that is the Hungerford recreation area.
I’m not sure if it was Brandon Seaver or Kendall Schroeder, but someone put two and two and two together and suggested that we should host a race. A half marathon, marathon, and ultramarathon. In Hungerford.
Of course, we didn’t want our race to be just like every other trail race. We wanted it uniquely to express the arboreal essence of a good Michigan trail. After a lot of brainstorming, we came up with the foundational, essential elements of the race. Wooden medals, branded with the logo. Hiking sticks to ultramarathoners who complete the course between sunrise and sunset. The sassafras logo. The Hungerford Games were born.
Fast forward three years, and most of us have moved on from CCA. However, our love for Cross Country - for helping to instill in young people a love of running and of nature - is still strong. In 2015, we allowed runners to choose a local running organization to which to donate. This coming year, we’re broadening this program so that a portion of your entry can go to benefit ANY youth running program you’d like, anywhere in the country.
Did you have a coach who inspired you? You can run a great trail race and, at the same time, give a little back to any youth running program you’d like. Say Thank You by designating your preferred youth running program in the “Next Generation” line on your registration.
I’ve coached young runners from kindergarten through high school for a dozen years, and I can’t tell you how much seemingly small contributions can make. Schools are increasingly cutting back on funding for athletics, and running programs at most schools fly far below the radar and receive very little funding. We had to fundraise to get shoes for kids who couldn’t afford them, to get a real tent for our team, and to get the supplies we needed to host our first home meet in sixteen years. There are countless other dedicated coaches who are spending their own money to buy the things that their students need in order to really have a running experience. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a big difference.
In three years, those little contributions have added up to raise over $10,000 to get kids involved in the first and the purest of sports: running! This year, you can choose exactly who to say Thank You to when you register to run the 2016 Hungerford Trail Races!
Register today, and help the Next Generation get up and running!
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