Photo courtesy of OpenDoors

Slow and controlled, the breath becomes rhythmic and steady as the terrain stretches on along past rushing streams and towering trees, complete with birdsongs and various flora and fauna as elevation ebbs and flows. It’s a run less about mile time and more about the strict endurance and human emotion behind its existence.

Connor Mailander, 17, is running 100 miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to raise $100,000 for OpenDoors. Mailander’s connection to the families and students of Asheville, N.C. runs deep, calling him to combine a passion for running with community outreach. An experienced athlete in both cross-country and track for his high school team, Mailander is taking it to the next level with his upcoming ultra distance run.

Mailander trains with his dog. Photo courtesy of OpenDoors

Started in 2010, OpenDoors blossomed as a non-profit organization and a flourishing