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Shade Tree Trot

Runners and walkers get going under soggy skies as C. Wright Pinson, MBA, M.D., fires the starter pistol to kick off the 2014 Shade Tree Trot. (photo by Anne Rayner)

The Shade Tree Trot has come a long way since it entered Nashville’s 5K scene in 2009.

What started as a sidewalk 5K directed mostly at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine students and friends has expanded to a full-fledged race complete with road closures and chip timing.

The Trot is the single largest source of funding for the Shade Tree Clinic, a free medical service that provides primary care to uninsured patients in East Nashville.

Shade Tree Trot
Vanderbilt football stadium
Vanderbilt University Medical School
photo: Anne Rayner; Vanderbilt