By Richard L. Gaw 
Staff Writer  

In 2015, Karen DiMascola and Sarah Nurry – the mothers of two lacrosse-playing sons – met on the sidelines during a game, fresh off the respective courses of the long-distance runs they had competed in that morning. 

DiMascola had just finished a half marathon in Rehoboth, Del. and Nurry had just arrived from the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia, a distance of ten miles. 

“Karen and I began talking about the beauty of where we live and how gorgeous the roads we train on are, and that was when we thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have a half marathon that illuminates the beauty of Chester County instead of having competitors hop on major highways to get to a race and then navigating along city streets?’” Nurry said.  

From that initial discussion came the idea to create a road race that would serve two purposes: as a 13.1-mile-long postcard of life in southern Chester County that flowed like a river stream past neighborhoods and farms, and as a fundraising event whose profits would be directed toward area non-profit organizations. 

The inaugural race

Over the course of the next several months, DiMascola, Nurry and Kara Gibbons formed Run2Shine, the fundraising wing of their brand-new venture, and on Sept. 15, 2016, the first Mushroom Cap Half Marathon took off from the track at Kennett High School with more than 700 runners in tow. 

“I was a bundle of nerves that morning,” Nurry said. “It was our very first race and we didn’t have a playbook, but seeing over 700 runners come through the gates to Kennett Stadium and line up at the start of the race was incredible. All I remember thinking and hoping for was that I wanted everyone to have the experience of what the Mushroom Cap has become.” 

They did, and over the past eight years, they have continued to lace up their running shoes and participate in a race whose impact is felt far beyond the winding roads of race day. In short, it has become a race with no finish line, and on November 8, what began as an idea between two runners will celebrate its tenth year, with over 800 competitors expected to take off from Birch Street in Kennett Square in either a half marathon or a five-mile run.  

Since 2016, Gibbons has played a major role in helping to define – and refine – the profile of the Mushroom Cap Half Marathon, from marketing the event to meeting with donors and sponsoring businesses to coordinating the race’s more than 250 volunteers, including the more than 100 who will be patrolling aid stations along the course route. Gibbons annually oversees a team of volunteers that have included members from The Mighty Writers, the softball team from Lincoln University, the Kennett High School Marching Band, the Kennett Middle School’s After-the-Bell program, as well as members of local robotics, cheerleading, baseball and football teams.  

“As we continue to grow this race, our theme is to continue to put Kennett Square on the map as a half marathon destination – to include our hotels and restaurants and highlight our sponsors, as a way to bring people to Kennett Square,” Gibbons said. “We are the mushroom capital of the world, and we have an amazing festival to celebrate that, but we also have a half marathon that further promotes who we are as a community. 

“We already have runners registered from California, Texas, Vermont and New York for this year’s race, and as a person who lives in Kennett Borough, I love the fact that we’re playing a small role in promoting a community that has meant so much to me.” 

As in past events, this year’s Mushroom Cap Half Marathon will not end when the last runner crosses the finish line. Rather, it will serve as the kick-off to the stunning “other side” of the race’s mission: to make a better community. Since its conception, Run2Shine has donated more than $78,000 to local non-profit organizations. 

“From the beginning, Run2Shine’s mission has been about promoting healthy lifestyles and giving back to the community,” Nurry said. “The primary focus of our efforts has been to explore a possible end to food insecurity, helping to overcome homelessness and providing educational support that is needed in our communities,” Nurry said. “We also have given back to non-profits that assist cancer patients, especially for children at the Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington. 

“For such a small community of organizers and volunteers and runners, we have truly made a difference in so many people’s lives.” 

To learn more about the Mushroom Cap Half Marathon and to register for this year’s race on November 8, visit www.mushroomcaphalf.com.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].