14 of 14 for the 2024 Run the 502!
I love running! It has been my one constant sport throughout my lifetime. I have run for 40 years since starting around age 30. Previously, I had considered runners weird. I grew up in rural Kentucky and no one ran unless someone was chasing you. Now, I believe runners are the best humankind has to offer. My first race was the West Louisville Fun Run at Shawnee Park. Like most newbies, I got caught up in the excitement and ran way too fast for the first two miles and was barely able to finish. Another lesson I learned, besides not being a jackrabbit, was to never drink orange juice before a race. I tasted it the whole 5K.
I enjoy many sports, but running is the easiest for me to maintain. I can roll out of bed in the morning and jump in my running shorts and shoes and be a mile down the road before I know it. Typically, I run 3 – 5 miles 3 or 4 times per week. Occasionally, I like running in the dark and seeing other runners up at the same ungodly hour. I form a kinship with these other ghost runners like two ships passing in the night as we put in the miles. For me, music is now a must have. I started using an iPod Shuffle many years ago and never looked back. Now, I don’t know how I ever ran without my Spotify app. I have lots of running playlists and use the “hear through” function on my Jabra earbuds so I can be aware of my surroundings.
For the first few years of running, I did not fully appreciate what great running resources and running community we have here in Louisville. Louisville has a great park system, and I use it often. When I relocated for a few years, I expected the availability of races to be similar in other cities but soon realized it was not the case. I need races to keep me motivated. In the late 80s when I began running, most local races were organized by Metro Parks. Gil Clark, in his wide-brimmed safari hat, was a fixture of these well-organized races. After Gil died, the running stores stepped up with sponsoring and organizing the races. Louisville and the running community are much better for it.
There is so much to like about running and I have many great memories. I have run hundreds of races throughout KY and the US. It would be hard to pick a favorite though I am not a fan of races in hard cold rain. Last year, I ran 22 races including all 14 of the Run the 502. Due to a torn meniscus, I had to walk the last three races but hope to run again soon. I did not plan on completing them all until I had done the first few races and thought, why not try them all? I had already registered for the Polar Bear Grand Prix since those are the way I stay fit in Winter. It helped that I could track my progress with the Run the 502 spreadsheet. Finishing all the races gave me a great sense of accomplishment.
My advice to other runners is to start your run by appreciating the sky and surroundings. Take a deep breath and simply be present. For me, that is a great source of gratitude and serenity. No matter how bad my run may be, there are many people who would love to be in my running shoes.