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 these.

PLEASE PITCH IN TO HELP KEEP THE CLUBHOUSE CLEAN.  Most of us just show up at the clubhouse, run, enjoy a cup of coffee and a donut at the end and then go home.  But have you ever thought about how the coffee supplies get there, who sweeps up the floor and cleans the counters, who takes the trash out, or who arranges for the outhouse to be cleaned?  We have a couple of dedicated volunteers that keep things running smoothly but they need YOUR help.  If you are one of the last runners in please consider grabbing the broom and dustpan and sweeping the floor or wipe down the counters.  Or you could empty the coffee pot and rinse it out and put it away.  Your help is appreciated and needed.  Thanks!

• 10,000 Miles and Still Counting!!  June 12, 2010  Getting in the 500 Mile Club is cause for celebration, after-all it takes perseverance and self discipline to get up early on a Saturday morning week to run with the Stumblers week after week when you couild be sleeping in or doing whatever...  What about getting enough miles to join the 500 Mile Club 20 times!!  That's just what Barry Collins did on June 12th.  Barry keeps careful track of every mile he runs, whether with the Stumblers or elsewhere.  He pointed out that he actually had 10,004 miles with the Stumblers now so you can see he is still counting each and every mile.  Barry has well over 60,000 lifetime running miles.  What can you say to that other than

             WASSAMATTA WIT YOU - YOU A CRAZY MAN!?

• More 500 Milers  Congratulations to Matt Rouse and Bryan Hall for reaching the 500 Mile milestone.  Matt joined the elite 500 Miler group on May 29th and Bryan joined it on June 12th.  Way to go guys!  That's Matt on the left and Bryan on the right.

• Congratulations to Walt Bower!  May 8, 2010  Walt became the latest member of the 500 Mile Club.  Good job Walt!

• Valdis Zeps first 500 Miler of the new decade!  Feb. 20, 2010 Congratulations Valdis, way to go!  Watch out for the feed truck - Run FAST!

• Congratulations to Paula Heron on making the 500 Mile Club on Dec. 19, 2009!  Paula was the last member of the 500 Mile Club inducted in 2009.

• 500 TRS Miles on the Wall, 500 TRS Miles  October 3, 2009  Jeremy Fields joined the 500 Mile Club.  Way to go Jeremy!

• Welcome New Stumblers  Sept-Oct 2009  Just some of the new Stumblers recently.  Glad to have you and hope to see you often!

       Rachel Philbrick and Rachel Parson Sept. 19, 2009                                                           Lauren Henry and Tomasz Cholewo Oct. 3, 2009

• Mulldawg Makes It to 500! August 29, 2009  Bryan "Mulldawg" Mullins joins the 500 Mile Club on a beautiful morning.  Way to go!

• Yea Jenny!  August 22, 2009  Jenny Green completed her 500 miles with a long marathon training run.  Congratulations and good luck on that marathon!

• Welcome New Stumbler Jacob Moody June 6, 2009  After some cajoling by his father, Jacob finally got up early enough for a Stumbler run with his dad.  Dad was seen to be lagging somewhat behind as Jacob made it look easy.

• 4 GET 500!  April 4, 2009  Only a few times since 1980 have as many as 3 Stumblers joined the 500 Mile Club on the same day but that's what happened today.  Jeff Walton, Rick Gensheimer, and Renato Moreira finished up their runs of varying lengths to complete 500 miles of Saturday morning runs with the Stumblers.  Getting her 500 Mile Club membership a week earlier on March 28th was Kim Schuh.  Way to go guys and gal!

                                   Jeff Walton                                                                                  Rick Gensheimer                                                                          Renato Moreira

Kim Schuh 

• Welcome New Stumblers!  January 10, 2009.  The new year has brought several new people to join the Stumblers in spite of the sometimes bitter cold weather we've had lately.  We managed to get a photo of a few of them one recent Saturday.  You better have your fast shoes on if you're going to run with some of these guys and gals!

                John Thompson, Thad Schroeder, Brad Wilder, Rebecca Delles

SCENES ENJOYED ALONG THE ROADS  where else are you gonna find this kind of scenery?

to view larger photos click here

• ANNOUNCEMENT  Have YOU signed up for Donut Duty lately?  If you've picked up donuts in 2009 or have signed up to pick up donuts in 2009 - then you're off the hook.  If you have done neither, please sign 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.  REMEMBERING that you have Donut Duty is perhaps the hardest part about donut duty, and you don't want to disappoint your fellow Stumblers by not remembering when it's your turn.   So, we've made that easy too!  If you can't remember which day you signed up for donut duty - check the bottom of this page to see who has Donut Duty.

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!  As an added incentive to sign up for Donut Duty we plan to reserve the parking spot closest to the clubhouse for the person bringing 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 Pine Grove Grocery Store parking lot.  Leave the parking spaces closest to the grocery 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."