Every year, Coastal Mountains Land Trust recognizes volunteers, community groups, and land donors for their commitment and involvement. This year the Land Trust selects the Trail Runners of Midcoast Maine (TRoMM) as one two recipients of the Connecting Nature & Community Award, which honors the individual or entity that has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to engaging the people of the community with the outdoors and the lands protected by the Land Trust.

Since 2015, TRoMM has been building a community for those who run on and care for trails in the Midcoast. Most days, the group hosts open trail runs, many of which occur on Land Trust property.

For more than five years, “Monday Night Dirt” has been exploring the Ragged Mountain Preserve and “TGIF Morning Madness” has been climbing Beech Hill at 5:30 a.m. According to CMLT, TRoMM members participate actively at volunteer trail work days and recently sponsored the Mile 1 marker that will be installed on the Round the Mountain Trail come spring.

At the present time, due to COVID-19 concerns, TRoMM has suspended all weekly group runs and après gatherings. This includes all four weekly group runs: Monday Night Dirt, Wednesday Morning ROMP, Thank Goodness it’s Friday Morning Madness, and Sunday-Trail-Runday. Members are, however, still running, and they continue to engage the community in the outdoors.

If you would like information on TRoMM’s activities, please email trailrunnersofmidcoastmaine@gmail.com, or join their Facebook Group “Trail Runners of Midcoast Maine”.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected over 12,000 acres, offering 50+ miles of trails for public recreation.