Eastrail users on Monday may have noticed a small but mighty team of supporters cheering for Eastrail Partners board member Linda Hoffner as she completed a 42-mile ultramarathon along the Eastrail—running from Renton to Redmond and back in a single day. To celebrate her 42nd birthday, Linda set out from Gene Coulon Park in the morning and covered more than 20 miles through Bellevue, Kirkland, and Redmond before turning back into a blistering headwind. She finished her run just as holiday lights began to glow at sunset over Lake Washington.

On top of this incredible athletic feat, Linda also surpassed her fundraising goal—raising more than $4,200 in support of Eastrail Partners and our mission to make the Eastrail for everyone, every day. Along the route, fellow board members, staff, and even a few city councilmembers joined her for segments of the run or stopped by to cheer her on.

Linda shared this reflection on her experience:

Running 42 miles along Eastrail was both the most challenging and most rewarding thing I’ve done in a long time. Spending eight hours experiencing the trail intimately by foot, soaking in the sights and sounds along the way, and giving the gentle ‘nod’ to others on the trail gave me a new appreciation for the sense of community it has created by being a place that welcomes everyone. I’ve run segments of this trail hundreds of times, but running this long and this far made me fall in love with it all over again. We are so lucky to have this connected trail in our backyard. I can’t wait to get back out there on my next run!

If you’d like to join Linda in supporting the Eastrail, you can make a tax-deductible gift to Eastrail Partners by clicking here.