While visiting Brunswick in 2022, I had the opportunity to explore about 25 miles of the C&O and fell in love with everything about it. That visit to Brunswick even inspired me to consider running again after nearly a decade. I went for a tentative and enjoyable jog somewhere between mile 56 and 58. So you might say the C&O is partly responsible for getting me back into running. After that trip, I really wanted to travel the whole 184.5 miles on my own two feet.
I finally had an opportunity around Labor Day 2025 to run the entire distance. The plan was to split it up over seven days, using Williamsport - roughly in the middle - as a home base. Each day I’d pick up where I left off the day before, and at the end of the day return to Williamsport to rest and refuel. As a bonus, we’d get to revisit some favorite places we discovered during our stay in Brunswick and look for new favorites along the way.
On the Friday before Labor Day I set out from mile 0 in Washington D.C., headed to Riley’s Lock. Even though my first day on the towpath was close to busy D.C. suburbs, I felt a million miles away from all of it, with fellow runners, hikers, and cyclists all giving a friendly hello as we passed each other and long stretches all to myself. I even saw a family of deer - the first of many I’d see on my journey - browsing along the side of the trail. The herons and turtles kept me company the whole way, and the occasional fox was a treat to see.
In the end, it took me nine days instead of seven to finally see Cumberland up ahead on the trail. In those nine days I got to appreciate and absorb the subtle changes that occur as you make your way northwest and inland. The paw paws were ripe where I started my journey, and not yet ripe as I got north and west of Williamsport. The Potomac changed from rocky rapids to placid river, from kayakers to tubing to powerboats to contemplative fishing. Some early golden fall leaves greeted me as I got closer to Cumberland. The trail wound through forested areas, a long stretch right on the Potomac, past so much amazing history. Most mornings started with mist dancing on the river.
A run like this rarely happens without a community of support. I came into it with my partner dropping me off and picking me up each day, my coach and Massachusetts-based running friends cheering me on. I didn’t expect to add the many wonderful people I met on the trail - from the runner who took time out of his day to guide me through some construction in DC to the locals who taught me about paw paws to all the folks who made supportive comments along the way. And I can’t leave out the countless people at the C&O Canal Trust and National Park Service who work so hard to ensure this trail is beautifully maintained! I’ll be forever grateful to this whole community who made my nine days so memorable and so special.
Credits:
Created with images by Jenn Taylor