The Todds Road Stumblers are an informal group of runners who meet each Saturday morning to run and enjoy each others company. This non-profit group has no dues and owes its existence to the generosity of Alex Campbell, the original "Stumbler", who founded the club in 1975. Club members meet in an old farmhouse that serves as the club's headquarters in the beautiful Bluegrass countryside of central Kentucky. The clubhouse is located at Pine Grove, about 6 miles east of Lexington, just east of the Clark County line, at the intersection of Todd's Road (1927) and Comb's Ferry Road (1923).

Starting time for the weekly runs is 7 AM. Runners can choose to do 6, 9, 12, 15 and some hardy "soles" even do the 21 mile course over the rolling hills of Clark County. Runners of all levels of ability are welcome with the emphasis on enjoying running with good friends (old and new) while surrounded by some of the most gorgeous rural scenery in the country. Come join us for a run and some good conversation and then top it off with a cup of coffee and a donut. All runners completing the 6 mile course for the first time receive a Todds Road Stumblers t-shirt. Just show up on Saturday morning or, for more information on our Saturday runs, email Judy.

If you are new running with the Stumblers, please review the Rules Of The Road.  They are for your safety.  All runners are expected to follow them so don't get upset if someone reminds you of one of them, they're just trying to keep you and others safe.

• January 7, 2012  Introducing the first 500 Mile Club member for 2012 (drumroll please).... Bob Busch!  Bob has been been out with the Stumblers most Saturdays since he started coming out two years ago.  He says it's Barry's jokes and Dangerous Dan's threats that keep him coming. Bob is training for the Knoxville Marathon, his first, on April 1st.

• January 7, 2012  Many thanks to Virgil Johnson for taking the initiative to fix the floor in the clubhouse!  How are the possums going to get in out of the cold now?  He brought his own tools and wood and toiled away while the rest of us did our run.

• December 3, 2011  Craig Coleman finishes his 500 miles in style and becomes the last member of the Class of 2011 500 Mile Club.  That's the way to do it Craig!

• Clair Palley November 26, 2011  Congratulations to Clair on joining the 500 TRS Mile Club!  Way to go!  To see the entire list of those in the 500 Mile Club click here.

• November 26, 2011  Stephanie Shaw and Caitlin McQueen (daughter of infamous Chuck McQueen) make their first TRS run.  You're on the tracking board now so no excuses about getting your 500 miles.  And good luck at Kiawah Island.

• November 26, 2011  Kevin and Jacob Moody were home for the Thanksgiving holiday and got conned into getting up at 6 AM for a run with their dad Wes and the Stumblers.  Kelly Busch, daughter of Bob Busch, was home too and ran with her dad but alas, we don't have a photo.  Kelly recently graduated as an Army medic.  Congratulations on that Kelly and best wishes!

Photos from the

2011 ANNUAL HARVEST HOMECOMING OCTOBER 29

• Brian Richardson August 13, 2011  Congratulations to Brian on his completion of 500 TRS miles!  Who will be next?

• Amy Hambrick Finishes her 500 Miles  July 16, 2011  After an absence of almost two year while studying at Duke University, Amy's internship brought her back to Lexington and the chance to get those last few miles she needed.  Way to go Amy and good luck on the rest of your studies!

• Cory Johnson joins the 500 Mile Club  June 25, 2011  Unfortunately we do not have a photo of Cory finishing his 500 miles, but no worries...there were plenty of witnesses.  Congratulations Cory!

• Welcome new Stumbler Beth Workman.  Here's Beth with her father, John, getting her t-shirt after her first run with the Stumblers.  We have several 2nd generation Stumblers, and maybe even a few whose grandparents ran (run) here.

• Mike Foster racks up 500!  May 14, 2011  Congratulations to Mike on becoming a member of the 500 Mile Club.  He made it look easy!

• Rachel Philbrick ices her 500!  January 22, 2011  Rachel became the first Stumbler to join the 500 Mile Club this year.  With the temperature near 0 degrees it was indeed a hardy group that joined Rachel for her milestone run and celebration.  Who will be next!?

Click ARCHIVES for previous News and Photos.

DONUT DUTY

Have YOU signed up for Donut Duty lately?  If you've picked up donuts recently - then you're off the hook.  If you haven't, please consider signing up for donut duty before you grab that well-earned donut on Saturday morning.

If you're fairly new you might not have any idea of how the donuts get there, or how the coffee gets made, or how the clubhouse gets cleaned up each week.  It's really quite simple and painless.  You're coming out to run anyway, right?  Committing to picking up donuts is just an added incentive to come out to run.

Here's how it works:

1.  Commit to a date and write your name on the calendar provided (on the counter next to the coffee pot)

2.  Pick up the donuts before coming to run on your scheduled date from Donut Days, 185 Southland Drive, Lexington anytime after 6:00 a.m.  (if you need directions ask).  You don't even have to pay for them.  Through the generosity of Alex Campbell they are already paid for.

3.  Deliver the donuts to the club house (don't forget this part, it will be tempting to eat them before you get to the clubhouse).

4.  Plug in the coffee pot, Barry Collins will already have the coffee ready to go!

5.  Between 9:30 and 10:00 start cleaning up - empty and rinse the coffee filter and pot, put away all condiments and cups.

See - easy as eating a donut.  There are only 52 Saturdays in a year, so if every active Stumbler signed up for just one Saturday we would probably only have to do Donut Duty once per year.  A very small price to pay for that delicious donut at the end of your run - and we know you like the donuts! 

• Thank you to Vernon Childers who is hosting our web site, and to Judy Duncan and Wes Moody for publishing content.  If you have any suggestions of how this site can be more useful to the Stumblers, please email Judy or Wes.

PARKING REMINDER

Please do NOT park along the road across from the clubhouse.  Some runners have been parking along the road and blocking access to the warehouse.  Parking is permitted in the clubhouse yard (but don't block anyone in) and in the REAR of The Homestead store parking lot.  Leave the parking spaces closest to the store for patrons of the store.

We share the roads around the Clubhouse with cars and we all know who the loser would be in a collision.  As pedestrians we have a right to be on the roads, but we also have a responsibility to run safely.  Every runner is responsible for their own safety.  Please be careful and follow the:

• Stay on the left side of the road, facing traffic, this puts you in a better position to anticipate and react to vehicles, and it's the law.

• Get into single file, as far to the left as practical, whenever there is any traffic and on curves and hills.

• Wear reflective clothing at dawn or dusk and in the dark or fog.

• Be especially careful in adverse weather like rain or snow.

• Try to run or walk with a partner.

• Get off the road if cars are approaching from both directions.

• Use your ears as well as your eyes, listen for approaching traffic, don't wear headphones.

• Anticipate potentially dangerous situations and be prepared to act to protect yourself.

• Stay alert, be careful of fatigue, "runner's high", or any lapse of concentration.

• Be courteous to drivers, a friendly wave is appreciated.

• Do not be confrontational, if there is an incident with a reckless driver try to get the license number but do not engage in an altercation.

• Help other runners/walkers be safe, remind them of the rules.

The Song of the Ungirt Runners

by Charles Hamilton Sorley

We swing ungirded hips,
And lightened are our eyes,
The rain is on our lips,
We do not run for prize.

We know not whom we trust
Nor whitherward we fare,
But we run because we must
       Through the great wide air.

The waters of the seas
Are troubled as by storm.
The tempest strips the trees
And does not leave them warm.
Does the tearing tempest pause?
Do the tree-tops ask it why?
So we run without a cause
       'Neath the big bare sky.

The rain is on our lips,
We do not run for prize.
But the storm the water whips
And the wave howls to the skies.
The winds arise and strike it
And scatter it like sand,
And we run because we like it
       Through the broad bright land.

Items of Interest

• Get to Know

• News Archives

• Photos

• Scenes Along the Road

• Race Calendar

• 500 Mile Club

• Stumbler Updates

• Running Links 
• Historic TRS Newsletters (from 1983-1988)
• History of the Todds Road Stumblers (from Fall 1983)
• Being a Responsible Runner (from Fall 1986)
• Map of the Old 6 Mile Course
• Map of the Old 9 Mile Course

  .
"A dog is a dog until you look him in the eye, 

then he's--Mr. Dog."