The Making of the Monroe Milers: Nancy Allinger at TEDxFlourCitySalon

Nancy Allinger, a runner and high school educator, noticed a trend developing in 2010: young parishioners with lots of energy running around the church and grounds following services. With the support of her church, New Life Presbyterian on Rosedale Street, and Fleet Feet Sports, she founded the Monroe Milers -- a volunteer led running program for boys and girls in the upper Monroe Avenue Neighborhood. When the kids start to care about being better runners, they begin to improve themselves in other ways. In addition to training runs and lessons on endurance, the Monroe Milers teach community building and perform community service.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)