Appalachian Trail challenge: Franklin man's 100-mile run for a cause

Franklin resident James Flannery is preparing for a 100-mile run across part of the Appalachian Trail to raise awareness and support for mental health, according to a community announcement.
The run, scheduled for June 20, will cover some of the northernmost leg of the trail, known as the 'Hundred-Mile Wilderness.' It stretches from Monson in Western Massachusetts to Abol Bridge in Maine, and is considered the most remote and rugged part of the trail, with a total elevation gain of 18,000 feet.
It typically takes hikers eight to 12 days to complete, but Flannery aims to finish in less than 30 hours, according to the announcement.
'The goal for me is to make it end to end, raise money for SAFE, and have a good day,' he said in a statement.
'We have to respond': How Gov. Healey acknowledged May as Mental Health Awareness Month
Flannery, an experienced trail hiker, runner and ultramarathoner, is no stranger to challenging terrains. He has previously 'yo-yo hiked' the 272-mile Long Trail in Vermont, summited 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado and hiked the Hundred-Mile Wilderness route, according to the announcement.
'It's about stepping into the unknown,' Flannery said. 'I like not knowing how my mind and body are going to respond. You get to the second 50 miles, that part you've never done before, and you think, 'This is new, this is fun.''
In addition to completing the run, Flannery hopes to achieve a "fastest known time" for completing the course. It's currently 29.5 hours.
'If I have a remarkable day, an FKT might be a cherry on top,' he said.
Flannery said he's planning a rare southbound route, which will take him across the trail's highest elevation gains in the second half of his race.
Streets of Lexington: Runner completes self-designed 50-mile ultramarathon
'The first 50 (miles) will be kind of casual,' he said, laughing. 'Then, I'll have enough in the tank to do the mountainous sections. That's more exciting for me.'
Beyond the personal challenge, Flannery is committed to raising mental health awareness and increasing access to resources. He chose to fundraise for SAFE Coalition, a Franklin area nonprofit that offers support services like teen programing, support groups and one-on-one counseling at no cost.
'As someone who has struggled with mental health at times myself, I can definitely see why SAFE's work is helpful to folks,' he said. 'I am inspired to help the cause, and I don't have a ton of money to donate. But I can do this adventure run and raise money, and I hope it will be as helpful.'
For more information about Flannery's run and to support his cause, visit safecoalitionma.org/100run or text "100run" to 50155. SAFE can be contacted at info@safecoalitionma.org or 508-488-8105.
This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct or share your thoughts at http://bit.ly/3RapUkA with our News Automation and AI team.
This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Franklin ultrarunner will take on 100-mile chunk of Appalachian Trail

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

5 days ago

• Yahoo

Mountain High, Wrightwood to welcome Southern California's newest bike park

Mountain High Resort, Wrightwood, welcomed the grand opening of Southern California's newest mountain bike park on Saturday, June 14. The new park offers a network of bike trails and scenic descents for riders of all skill levels, resort officials said. There are currently three downhill trails that span approximately three miles, with one trail designed for easier rides, another for more challenging descents and a third for the most advanced riders. Plans for Phases 2 and 3 of the bike park's development promise more excitement in the future. "This is just day one of a much bigger plan ahead with more trails, more energy, and more fun," Mt. High Resorts posted on Facebook. The grand opening celebration featured live music, demos, vendors and microbrew beer specials at the North Resort for a Father's Day barbeque. "From first chair to last lap, the stoke was high and the energy was unmatched!" Mt. High Resorts officials stated on social media. Read More: Big Bear ski season ends abruptly due to high temps; mountain biking park opens a month early The Mt. High Bike Park is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays now through Oct. 12. Downhill bike tickets are priced at $42-$49 for adults and $29 for children aged 5-12, while scenic Sky Chair rides cost $25 for adults and $15 for children, with a minimum height requirement of 36 inches to ride the chairlift (52 inches to ride alone). Season passes, valid any day during summer 2025 with no blackouts, are available for $249 for adults and $99 for children and can be purchased at McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@ This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: New mountain bike park now open in Wrightwood

Yahoo

6 days ago

• Yahoo

Wondering about trash pickup on Juneteenth in Hagerstown? No changes

City offices in Hagerstown will be closed on Thursday, June 19, for the Juneteenth holiday; however, trash, recycling and yard waste collection will continue without interruption, according to a community announcement. Residents should place their items at curbside after 4 p.m. on their regular set-out day. For more information, contact the City of Hagerstown's Engineering Department at 301-739-8577, extension 125 or go to This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at The Herald-Mail is growing its local news: Send your news to us This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Trash pickup in Hagerstown won't change for Juneteenth holiday

Business Wire

16-06-2025

• Business Wire

ClearNote Health Avantect ® Pancreatic Cancer Test Enters Patient Enrollment Phase of Groundbreaking UK Study Targeting High-Risk Patients

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ClearNote Health, a company focused on improving early detection for some of the deadliest cancers, today announced initiation of patient enrollment for a landmark clinical study utilizing its Avantect ® Pancreatic Cancer Test. Sponsored by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, the prospective, multicenter study seeks to improve early detection of pancreatic cancer in individuals recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. With up to 15,000 patient participants, it will be the largest study of its kind. "We're thrilled to be part of this transformative study that could redefine how pancreatic cancer is detected and managed for patients at high risk due to a recent diabetes diagnosis," said Samuel Levy, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at ClearNote Health. Patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes are up to eight times as likely to develop pancreatic cancer as the general population. 1 In some of these cases, the diabetes symptoms may be caused by cancer affecting the function of the pancreas, which is responsible for insulin production. The new Surveillance of pAncreatic health aFter diabEtes Diagnosis (SAFE-D) study is led by Zaed Hamady, consultant pancreatic cancer surgeon at University Hospital Southampton. The single-blind, randomized controlled study will be conducted by researchers at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit (CTU), based at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. The study will provide additional prospective validation data of the Avantect test and help identify early pancreatic cancer signals where present in this high-risk population. 'New onset diabetes has been linked to a six- to eight-fold increase in pancreatic cancer risk,' said Mr. Hamady. 'This patient group provides a valuable opportunity to better understand the exact relationship between these diseases and further validate ClearNote Health's blood-based Avantect Pancreatic Cancer Test, which has the potential to benefit thousands of people in the UK.' Dr. Victoria Goss, Head of Early Diagnosis and Translational Research at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, emphasized the study's community-focused approach. 'We recognize that access to healthcare and clinical trials is often uneven,' she said. 'By conducting the SAFE-D study through local research hubs and community hospitals, we aim to make early cancer detection research more inclusive and equitable.' 'We are proud to sponsor this cutting-edge study, which holds tremendous potential to improve outcomes for patients facing this devastating disease,' said Dr. Mikayala King, Research and Development Governance, Quality Assurance and Sponsorship Manager at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. 'Our collaboration with ClearNote and the CTU builds on a strong foundation of excellence in cancer research.' The Avantect Pancreatic Cancer Test is an innovative blood test designed for individuals at elevated risk of pancreatic cancer — particularly those over age 50 who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, individuals with a family history of the disease, or those with a genetic predisposition. The test analyzes the epigenomic biomarker 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in cell-free DNA, combined with other genomic data, to detect pancreatic cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages. Unlike conventional methods, ClearNote's approach provides a deeper understanding of the underpinnings of cancer development to inform the next steps in a patient care pathway. 'Early detection is the key to saving lives from the deadliest cancers,' said Samuel Levy, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at ClearNote Health. 'We intend to demonstrate that the Avantect test can identify pancreatic cancer in stages I and II, and we're thrilled to be part of this transformative study that could redefine how pancreatic cancer is detected and managed for patients at high risk due to a recent diabetes diagnosis.' For more information on the SAFE-D study, please visit For more information on the Avantect Pancreatic Cancer Test, please visit About ClearNote Health ClearNote Health is a privately held company dedicated to improving early detection and monitoring for some of the deadliest forms of cancer. Developed by scientists in the Stephen Quake laboratory at Stanford University, the company's patented core Virtuoso™ epigenomics platform builds on the latest advances in artificial intelligence and bioinformatics to measure active biological differences between cancer and healthy cells in a blood sample. The company's highly sensitive, noninvasive Avantect® Pancreatic and Ovarian diagnostic tests are designed to identify cancers in high-risk patient populations far earlier than conventional approaches, when patients are most likely to benefit from treatment. ClearNote Health's headquarters and CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory are located in San Diego. For more information, visit or follow the company on LinkedIn. References 1. Chari ST, Leibson CL, Rabe KG, Ransom J, de Andrade M, Petersen GM. Probability of pancreatic cancer following diabetes: a population-based study. Gastroenterology. 2005 Aug;129(2):504-11. doi:10.1016/