Community-focused afternoon for trail runners of all levels!

If you're thinking about trail running, you're new to it, or you're wanting to learn from others, join us for this afternoon of running and talking about running. We'll start with a 1-hour group run (at your own pace) with pre- and post-run stretching and strength training guidance. Then we'll enjoy light beverages and guided conversation on preparedness, mental flexibility, recovery, safety, and building community. Come with your questions and ask our panel of local trail running women. See Bios below the itinerary.

Date & time:
Sunday, November 9th
1 - 5 p.m.

Location: Reflection Riding Donor's Den inside the Welcome Center

Cost: $40/person (Tickets can be purchased beforehand and day of )

Itinerary:
1:00-1:20 - Arrive / Meet & Greet / Sort into running pods
1:20-1:30 - Warmup (with Monika Loren)
1:30 - 2:30 - Run (60 minutes) - We'll have a few distance and pace options based on participant interest
2:30 - 2:40 - Cool down (with Monika)
2:30-3:00 - Transition/change clothes and get snacks (30 minutes)
3:00-5:00 - Speakers
5-5:30 - Free floating / questions / departure

Speakers:
Monika Loren - PT
- Strength
- Warm up / cool down stretching
- Recovery

Martha Clemmer - Training theory / peri-partum running
- Structuring a week of running
- Structuring the months leading up to a race - trail or road

Panel Shannon Wheeler, Martha Clemmer, Mary Taylor, Madison Eubanks
+ Mental flexibility - Talk about successes and regrouping when something is or isn’t going to plan and structured/goal-oriented plans vs. a strategy if you’re more type B
+ Gear - Why do you need trail shoes vs. road shoes? What to pack/what to wear winter & summer training
+ Nutrition - Gels / chews / bars / homemade snacks like rice and syrup, etc - what are other options?
+ Safety - Be informed to prevent injury
+ Apps - Knowing your way around / navigation, precautions, other topics?
+ Blister prevention

We’ll provide refreshments: Veggie tray and hummus, sparkling water, hot tea, coffee

Bios

Speakers and Panelists:

Dr. Monika Loren, DPT, CSCS (certified strength and conditioning specialist), CAPP-OB (American Physical Therapy Association Obstetric trained), CNPT (certified Nutritional Physical Therapist)
Raised in Memphis, Monika migrated to Chattanooga to run D1 track and participate in the Honors college at UTC. She quickly fell in love with the beauty of Chattanooga and decided to make it her forever town. She earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2016 and added personal training in 2018 to facilitate preventative care. She has had extensive training and experience in orthopedics, women's health, and injury management and prevention. She has worked in traditional healthcare settings, and now has her own mobile practice, FizeoLife. She loves creatively helping people heal, prevent injury, and be the healthiest version of themselves. She is also the co-founder of the Lookout Valley Greenway Alliance and loves time playing outside with her sweet family.

Martha Clemmer has been running her entire life. Since her early days running laps behind her childhood home, running has been a constant. Martha loves the everyday run and building a training plan to find the limits of what she is capable of. This love has led to races all over the Southeast, and the occasional adventure race. Of everything Martha gets from running, her favorite (besides sanity) is the community of friends and the conversations they have before, during, and after the run. Since becoming a mom in 2024, Martha’s focus has shifted in part to understanding how women can safely and successfully navigate pregnancy and postpartum running along with balancing motherhood and training.

Madison Eubanks has been trail running for 10 years, and is still making new discoveries about the sport with every trip into the woods. Her first ultra was Stump Jump 50k in 2017, and it remains one of her favorite local events alongside the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race, the Lookout Mountain 50, and the River Gorge 10. Madison especially loves spending long days on self-supported ultra adventures around the southeast, tackling beautiful routes like River to Clouds, Art Loeb, and sections of the AT. Above all, Madison enjoys being part of the trail community—volunteering at aid stations, supporting friends' races, and advocating for the outdoors. Running is really just a bonus!

Shannon Wheeler likes to trail run... a lot! She's been at it for 15 years and, according to Ultrasignup, is up to 84 races. She has four 100 mile wins, several course records but also her fair share of DNF's, injuries and mistakes along the way. She loves how each run is a fresh challenge and an opportunity to problem-solve. Shannon is a UESCA Certified Ultrarunning coach and Certified Personal Trainer. Her favorite local races include Upchuck 50K and Lookout Mountain 50 miler. The supportive spirit of the local trail running community keeps her coming back for more!

Mary Taylor has been an athlete her entire life. A competitive soccer player from childhood through college, Mary has always thrived in a team environment. When her soccer career ended, she found her way to triathlon. When Covid halted most organized events in early 2020, Mary found herself on the entry list of a very small, local 50k. She was hooked and continued to experiment with everything from the 10k to 100k distances. In 2022 she moved to Chattanooga, where she found an amazing trail running community and what felt like endless trails to explore. The rest is history. Mary loves every aspect of trail running and racing – the beautiful places to explore, the power of a routine that is simple yet consistent as it compounds over time into so much possibility and success, and a supportive community that shows up in every step of the process.

Sponsors

Wild Trails
Fleet Feet
Reflection Riding

Event's current local time: 4:36 AM ET