The following release featuring the Suffer Better and Run Wild scholarship was written by Meredith Merkley, one of the founders of the original Run Wild Trail Camp.
There is something magical, spiritual, and simply humbling about being outside. If you let it, nature will sweep you up in its everlasting wisdom, resiliency, and awe-inspiring beauty. The trail community has a unique opportunity to not only spend long hours exploring our favorite outdoor spaces, while also enjoying the opportunity to learn from our natural environment and helping keep the spaces we use healthy and thriving.
We live in a fast-paced world, where sometimes it can feel like we are squeezing every second out of the day with our routine obligations. How do we add in anything else? How can we build diverse communities that spend time in nature and which commit to caring for it? Just like many of our long runs and races, the answer is simple: one intentional step at a time.
Run Wild and Suffer Better are two nonprofit organizations working together to take those steps in building diverse and intentional communities that care deeply about the health of our outdoor spaces, and who actively work to protect them.
About the organizations
Run Wild was founded in 2020 as a running camp for youth in Colorado. Run Wild aims to expand access to the outdoors for all to enjoy by working collaboratively within communities to identify and provide the resources needed. Run Wild’s goal is to let each member define what the outdoors is for themselves and to support accordingly.
Suffer Better was founded in 2014. Suffer Better offers the community of endurance athletes opportunities to give back to preserve and protect their natural environment and support local communities through running events, educational programs and grants.
Run Wild/Suffer Better Scholarship Program
Together these two organizations are excited to launch a youth and young adult scholarship program! The goals of this new scholarship are:
1. To empower youth and adults to fully experience the power and joy of the outdoors in their unique and individual ways;
2. To expand access to, awareness of, and appreciation for the natural world;
3. To cultivate and support a diverse trail running community;
4. To develop the next generation of trail runners and outdoorists; and,
5. To offer resources for youth and adults to maximize their trail running experiences.
The scholarships will pay for a race/running event entry free, gear for the participant and their running partner, transportation costs (in select locations), coaching, and a community dinner!
As a trail community, these steps to making our outdoor spaces more accessible, diverse, and everlasting are exciting. Please join us in continuing to find creative ways to enjoy the beautiful environment that we love to live and play in! Let’s get moving!!
Application details
Interested? Apply here and start enjoying the trails.
Editor’s Note: ATRA looks forward to sharing your articles that support our 2024 theme: Better Together.
