Harvard Student Runs 68 Miles From New Hampshire To Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE, MA — In late August when some people are heading to Boston fighting traffic or crowds at the airport, Harvard Junior Brinkley Brown chose a different path: Instead of driving the nearly 70 miles from her home in Concord, New Hampshire, she laced up her running shoes and ran the distance to get to school for the new year.

Brown, who plans to concentrate in sociology, spent the summer working for the Appalachian Mountain Club in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, when she got the idea and started plotting out the 68 mile run, the Harvard Crimson reported first.

“I'd been running a bit, hiking, biking, swimming, all this stuff,” she told the Crimson. “And I wanted a fun way to end the season. So I was looking for a race to do before coming back to school, but races are just honestly so expensive, and I would have had to travel a bit to get to one. And so I thought, why not run back to school?”

Some folks could probably think of a few reasons.

But Brown, a fan of Kara Goucher, Shalene Flanagan and Emma Coburn - three accomplished American runners - didn't let a little thing like distance stop her from an adventure.

Brown told Patch she got the idea in June and started making preparations and figuring out logistics shortly after that. Then, on Aug. 31, she and two friends pushed off complete with headlamps and big smiles. Her family posted updates to her Facebook site.

Read more about Brown's prep, planning and run at the Crimson.

And then, just like that, she made it to her dorm and into the arms of waiting friends, who promptly helped her celebrate.

"Junior year has begun and begun with a bang," Brown posted to her Facebook page in a thank you for all those who had jumped into the run with her, including her parents. "On Saturday evening, I arrived at Leverett House in the company of friends, with mom and dad waiting at the finish. Together we popped a bottle of champagne against a sunset sky and toasted to a crazy, amazing, incredible day."

It's been two weeks, since the run. While some might consider laying off the legwork for a bit longer, not Brown.

"I’m feeling great, actually heading back to the Whites tomorrow with the outing club to hike Cannon!" Brinkley told Patch in a message.

Here's the video she included: