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Runfulness

Ten big ideas unlocked through Runfulness

By Brooks Staff
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A good run can be powerful in many ways. And one of the most powerful examples of that is "Runfulness," a state of being where you forget your feet and free your mind, giving you the power to unlock new ideas. We've been exploring how runners all over the world harness the power of Runfulness through something called The Runfulness Project.

We asked the running community to share their Runfulness experiences with us by submitting ideas that came to them on a run for a chance to win funds to help elevate those ideas or turn them into reality.

We were overwhelmed by the number of amazing submissions we received, and while submissions are now closed and prizes for the winner and semi-finalists have been awarded, there were too many good ideas not to share a few more.

Read on to discover 10 big ideas Runfulness helped these runners to unlock.

A man smiling at the camera

Leonard A.

While on his first ever 10K run, which he says was one of the most mentally challenging and strenuous exercising experiences of his life, Leonard came up with the idea for Bridging Generations (part of 1 Change at a Time), a program that brings the youth and elderly together to participate in therapeutic recreation and social activities. The program is working to build its first facility.

A man on a hike, smiling at the camera

Andres Q.

Andres started his Peace Vegan Eats food truck as a way to provide vegan options where they weren’t normally available. He extended the idea to a vegan fair, and plans to use his funds to continue to feed the homeless, support local artists, and embrace veganism. “It’s amazing to see how I’ve used the strength of Runfulness to bring so many people together to spread happiness and positivity,” he says.

A woman on a hike, smiling at the camera

Sally R.

Sally seeks to combat the domestic abuse problem plaguing Hawaii, where facilities and programs are underfunded and overwhelmed, by beginning self-defense classes. She says she had the idea during an inspirational Runfulness moment that stopped her being a stagnant observer and inspired her to have an active role in helping prevent domestic abuse in her community.

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Karolyn C.

Karolyn would like to start a nonprofit organization that distributes female hygiene kits to those in need. She came up with the idea on a run while reflecting on an instance earlier that day when she had seen a woman who would have benefited from such a kit.

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Carola E.

During a run, Carola came up with the idea to create her own virtual reality therapy company. She offers virtual therapy scenarios for psychotherapists in order to support them in the treatment of anxious patients who have, for example, fear of heights, flying, or driving.

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Susan C.

“As an avid runner, I could never find mittens or gloves that kept my fingers and thumbs warm when training in cold weather, so I invented one,” says Susan. They’re called WhitePaws RunMitts, a thumbless convertible mitten designed for runners, walkers and outdoor sports enthusiasts with an inside pocket to hold a hand warmer when needed.

A man smiling at the camera

Jake T.

Jake came up with the idea to launch PACT Outdoors, a company that makes an all-in-one bathroom kit for trail runners and outdoor adventurers that is designed to help them leave the wilderness in better shape than they found it. The kit includes Mycelium, a fungi root system that breaks down waste and produces nutrient-rich soil.

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Nicholas W.

Nicholas seeks to create a network of running and hiking trails in the pristine wilderness of Keweenaw, Michigan that would crisscross the county, linking communities, historic sites, beaches, mountains, and other natural areas. His idea has the support of the Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition (KORC), a local group of conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts, and is looking to use its funding to build a trail and hold an inaugural run in 2022.

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Jacob H.

Jacob created Running Raccoon Racing, a nonprofit organization that will host ultra and adventure-style races across the Middle Tennessee area. All proceeds from these races will go to the parks, green spaces, and natural areas where the events take place.

A man smiling at the camera

Spencer M.

“In 2019, on my 10-kilometre there-and-back run from my home in Brooklyn to the Williamsburg Bridge, I became exhausted at the amount of trash that was scattered all over the sidewalks,” says Spencer. So he decided to try and do something about it. He created CLEW, a food waste recycling appliance that lives on your countertop, and he’s working to take the product design to the next level.

We’re extremely grateful to these runners, our grand prize winner and semi-finalists, and every runner out there who contributed an idea to The Run Fund. It’s stoked our excitement to continue improving the world around us through the idea of Runfulness.

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