Still I Run Celebrates 10 Years with One Week, One Movement

August 17, 2026

Mental health nonprofit marks milestone by launching first-ever National Run for Mental Health Week and World Mental Health Day 5K

Hudsonville, Michigan (August 17, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Over a decade ago, Sasha Wolff hand-stamped and sold jewelry and T-shirts from a church basement, trying to fund an idea she wasn’t sure anyone would want: an organization built around the intersection of running and mental health. Nothing like it existed in the U.S., so she built it herself, not really believing anything would come of it. That idea became Still I Run, the nonprofit dedicated to promoting running for mental health and well-being. The organization, which now has 18 run chapters and nearly 400 ambassadors across the country, marks its 10th anniversary this fall.

“When I launched Still I Run, I honestly had no expectation about its scalability,” said Sasha Wolff, Founder. “It’s wild to see how far we’ve come, and the thousands of people who’ve discovered that movement can be a lifeline. Launching National Run for Mental Health Week is how we’re marking ten years by getting even more people moving for their mental health and well-being.”

To commemorate the milestone, Still I Run is launching the first-ever National Run for Mental Health Week, a free national movement that encourages people to take action for their mental health through running. From October 3-10, 2026, the seven days leading up to World Mental Health Day, people everywhere are invited to experience the healing power of movement by logging activity through an official challenge on Strava. Participants are challenged to complete at least three activities of at least 15 minutes each with the idea that every run, walk, hike, or jog, regardless of pace or distance, is a step toward better mental health.

National Run for Mental Health Week reflects Still I Run’s commitment to being a place where people find inspiration and access to improve their mental health and well-being through movement. New participant survey data from its flagship Mental Health Runner Training Programs validates the organization’s mission, with participants reporting significant improvements in mental health, exercise confidence, and increased well-being through movement and community.

To localize National Mental Health Week and the monumental anniversary, Still I Run will host an in-person celebration on October 6 in its hometown of Hudsonville, Michigan, featuring a build-your-own Mental Health Runner LEGO bar, a silent auction, and custom beer and mocktails. The organization will also host a community run in downtown Chicago on October 9, the day before the Chicago Marathon, open to its marathon team and anyone who wants to join.

National Run for Mental Health Week runs October 3-10, 2026 and culminates in the World Mental Health Day 5K on October 10. Participation is free, and registration is open now at stilli.run/mentalhealth, where participants can join the official challenge on Strava and share their week using #RunForMentalHealthWeek and @StillIRun. Participants can register for the 5K from anywhere in the U.S. to have commemorative swag shipped to them or join an in-person activation at a participating Fleet Feet store. Registration for the World Mental Health Day 5K is $25 with Still I Run commemorative swag or $10 without, at the World Mental Health Day 5K page.

About Still I Run

Still I Run is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health through running, a place where people find inspiration and access to improve their mental health and well-being through movement. What began in 2011 with one runner selling hand-stamped jewelry in a church basement has grown into a national community working to break the stigma surrounding mental illness. Through 18 run chapters, nearly 400 ambassadors, educational initiatives, scholarships, races, and its flagship Mental Health Runner program, Still I Run inspires people of all backgrounds to take the first step toward better mental health. Learn more at www.stillirun.org.

Contact:

Coral Darby
Darby Communications
coral@darbycommunications.com