Buffalo Man’s 17-Mile Run to Bills Stadium Becomes Charity Tradition

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – What began as a dare has turned into a decade-long tradition for Buffalo native Brian Goldsmith, who will lace up his running shoes Sunday for his 10th 17-mile trek from North Buffalo to Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. This year, Goldsmith is raising funds for Wings Flights of Hope, a local organization providing emergency medical flights for Western New Yorkers.

Goldsmith started his “Stampede to the Stadium” in 2017, the year the Buffalo Bills ended their playoff drought. “I was living in Buffalo at the time, and I was really kind of just getting into endurance sports,” Goldsmith told WBEN. “My wife had just bought me a GoPro, so I strapped it to my chest and ran to the game. When we made the playoffs, I thought, ‘For good luck, I have to run to the stadium again.'”

Since then, Goldsmith has completed the run eight more times, including during last year’s playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The journey typically takes between two-and-a-half to three hours, depending on stops and interactions along the way. Despite moving to Dallas in 2018, Goldsmith continues to return to Buffalo for the annual run. “I love Buffalo, like every Buffalonian does, and I wanted to stay connected to the city,” he said.

In recent years, Goldsmith has been joined by a friend from Dallas, who has no ties to Buffalo but was inspired by the tradition. “He heard about what I was doing and said, ‘We should live stream it! I’d love to come up there with you,'” Goldsmith recalled. The duo has since turned the run into a community event, live streaming the journey and engaging with viewers.

Goldsmith added a fundraising component a few years ago, raising about $1,000 per run, with one event generating over $2,000 for Wings Flights of Hope. “They were kind of surprised, like, ‘Wait a minute, you’re running from Hertel to the stadium?'” Goldsmith said. “They do great work for Buffalo, and they couldn’t have been more gracious.”

This Sunday, Goldsmith will face freezing temperatures, with highs around 18 degrees and a chance of snow. But the weather won’t deter him. “I don’t care if it’s raining, snowing, or windy,” he said. “I’m doing it for a cause and a reason.”

Goldsmith, a Guinness World Record holder for the fastest marathon run in football equipment, hopes to one day complete his 17-mile run in full Bills gear. “If anyone out there would be willing to make that happen, that would be awesome,” he said.

Donations can be made through Goldsmith’s fundraising page, which also includes a link to the live stream of his run.