OUR HISTORY
The history of Sunday Runs is tied to the running of the Leatherman’s Loop, founded by four trail running friends in 1987.
Tony Godino, Dave Cope, Ken Littlefield, and Pete Thompson had run and explored every inch of trail at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation (aka “The Rez”) and had even created a few trails of their own. Some of these trails are now part of the official trail system at the park. Road Running was popular but trail running was still an esoteric pursuit that comparably few runners participated in. What the trail runners lacked in numbers, they made up in creativity and the desire to seek unique challenges.
The Challenge
The Loop was envisioned as a fun, relaxed, challenging, yet “survivable” cross-country/steeplechase event. The first Loop attracted just under 100 runners and as part of obtaining insurance for the race, Tony was asked for the name of the running group sponsoring the race. Thus, the Leatherman Harriers was born. While the organization existed on paper since 1987, it wasn’t an active running group until 2010 when Rob Cummings sent out an email to a few local runners seeing if there was interest in checking out trails before the next Leatherman’s Loop.
The First Run in 2010
In 2010, Rob Cummings sent out this first email to local runners signed up for the Leatherman’s Loop.
How it All Started
Anyone Up for a Training Run?
Doing part of the Loop course… runners choice! Reminder: This weekend! Sunday March 7th at 8am. Meet at the Lewisboro Town Park off of Route 35 in South Salem, NY. Park in the upper parking lot (overlooking the baseball field) as described in these posts:
Both of these runs are about 4 miles and can be added to or subtracted from easily.
Once runners are there we can decide to take on the Western Loop (wet, with first stream crossing) or Eastern Loop (mud flats, the wall). We can also decide to run to the Old Field Preserve across the street as described here. Old Field is mostly on a hill so not as muddy or wet but everything will depend on the weather in the days prior to the run!
Depending on how many folks show up we may split up to run at different paces. I will be in the slower group!
Post here in the comments (or on Facebook) if you are interested in this trail training run.
Thanks! —Rob
How it Went
Training Run Report: Sunday, March 7, 2010
It was a fine day for a run at the reservation! At 8am Sunday morning five intrepid souls met at the upper parking lot at the Lewisboro Town Park to run the trails of the Pound Ridge Reservation. Note: next week – same time (8am Sunday 3/14!), same place, different run!
Virginia, Lee, Aarti, Rob, and Ciorsdan headed up the old ski hill towards the Rez. With week old snow crunching underfoot on this north facing slope the day was crisp and cool with the promise of warmer weather on the way. At the Deer Hollow trail intersection we headed east towards “The Wall.” Heading down the hill we encounter running partners Gerry and Christy. Gerry is a past Loop winner and Christy is training for a 50 mile ultra run! It felt like we were in very good company and checked in to the Loop circuit.
Further down we pass the Waccabuc River and then on to the old quarry sand hill known as “The Wall.” We take a run down it, intending to head straight back up. One of our group asks where the course comes out so we head to the bridge over the river towards the mud flats. The bridge was built many years back by Loop founders Tony Godino and Dave Cope. The river marks the boundary between South Salem (east) and Cross River (west). We turn around and head back up the sand hill, forgoing the mud flats for this day despite the obvious temptation.
At the top of the wall, we head left instead of right on the Deer Hollow trail, making our way further up the hill. The trail alternates between completely snow covered and completely clear, switching between winter and early spring depending on the exposure. Down on the other side, Boutonville Road comes up more quickly than expected and we rejoin the Loop course on the other side. The course follows along the Cross River which is crystal clear and flowing fast. We break out of the trees near Kimberly Bridge and cross the road again. We take a right on the Brown trail heading north, getting off the course once again but heading towards home with a few miles and some big climbs ahead. The slope of the brown trail here is almost like “the wall” except longer and without the shifting sand underfoot. At the bottom it is like a slow moving stream with lots of mud covering the trail. The downhill side is welcome and covered with more crunchy snow since we are on the north face again.
We join up with the Deer Hollow trail again as we cross briefly back onto the Loop course for a few hundred feet. Back past JT Farm on our right and up to the top of the Town Park hill under the power lines that separate the two parks. Back down the ski hill with no skis and to the cars and water.
All those present agreed to meet again and bring friends next week at the same time. Our pace was easy—if we have a few more runners we may split up to go at different paces. This run was just under 5 miles but we can work out a course anywhere from 2 to 6+ miles before heading out. Hope more folks reading this can join us! Respond at the website or via facebook. We will meet at 8am at the upper parking lot of the Lewisboro Town Park. –Rob
SIDELINED
We continued to meet and run that first year to train for the Loop but discontinued the runs post race. The following year, in 2011, Rob again sent out emails to organize training runs and a few of us responded. There were new faces this year and some of the original runners never returned. Still, we trained over the course of several weeks leading up to the race.
In that second year, we agreed that we should continue running periodically after the Loop was over and Rob said he would send out emails to make that happen. But on one of those first runs, Rob tore his Achilles tendon and would be out for a while. We were devastated that this newly-formed running group would no longer continue—and this is where Rob’s and my stories diverge. He says he asked me to take over the group and I distinctly remember throwing myself under that bus. Whomever’s fault it is is unimportant by now—I received the list of 25 or so names and email addresses and sent the email out on Friday as usual.
2011: THE START OF SUNDAY RUNS
Sensing that there may be a larger interest in trail running, Rob and I discussed purchasing a domain where the information about the runs could be found and where people could sign up for the emails. SundayRuns.org was born and I built the first website and automated the email sending. Within the first year, that 25 name list mushroomed to over 650 and the weekly group continued to grow. At first, we ran only on Sundays at 8:00 a.m., happy to keep to courses no longer than 6 or 7 miles. In 2015, Karen H. said she was curious about running an ultra at Bear Mountain in the spring and a number of us piled on. We trained through the winter and began running at 7:00 on Sundays and on Saturdays in preparation for the race. Half a dozen of us finished our first ultras of 50k or 50m that weekend and have gone on to log many more miles since.
“Five O’clock Jeff” got us running even earlier a few years later on Sundays when he needed an earlier start time because of family committments. The organized weekday runs came soon after.
Today, we have organized runs of up to five days a week, plan adventure runs every year, bring the Trail Running Film Festival to our area, offer night runs, welcome new runners with our Rookie Runners program, and the email goes out to close to 800 runners in the area. Runners have come and gone and we’ve seen a new generation of runners finish their first ultras. I’ve offered for Rob to take back the upkeep of the site and the emails but with his responsibilities of managing the local area races, he’s shown no interest in taking on this responsibility.
This group is a very special tribe. I often am thanked for keeping the site‚ and the group, running on a weekly basis. You’re welcome. I’m fortunate to have the skills that allow me to do so but it’s my reward to share your friendships on the trails over these years. So with regard to keeping everything running, I’ll keep doing my best.
—Lee Willett, director
