Kirstin tied for most races completed in the Run the 502 so we’re sharing how and why she did it!

My family and I started the 502 race series on a whim. We thought it would be an event the whole family would enjoy. Our boys (5 and 7) got their first taste of how great the running community is and our daughter (1) took in the scenes in the double stroller (which was also a rest destination for the boys if they got tired). We thought the 502 series would be a great way to experience more of the Louisville area (since we moved here in 2020) in addition to getting us all to participate in a fun physical family activity. It did not disappoint!

Picking a favorite race is definitely difficult as each has a fun memory. If forced to pick one, I think I’d say my favorite was the Downtown Doubler in New Albany. I really hadn’t explored that area previously, I loved running along the river and had a great time cheering with my kids for the longer distance racers once we had finished. We even saw some hot air balloons over the river!

The 4k distance was nice because my 5 year old can do nearly the whole race without taking any stroller breaks. I do enjoy chasing my 7 year old in the 5K distance though - he’s speedy and hills don’t slow him down. My goal this year is to give him a run for his money!

We love running River City races because they are local, organized, fun and sometimes show you a part of town you may not have seen before. We also like seeing familiar faces - I felt like by the end - we had become part of the local running community.

My running/walking advice would be just to get out there and have fun. If you were to ask my five year old, he’d tell you that everyone needs an awesome running playlist. Some racers have likely heard his playlist playing from our speaker attached to our jogging stroller!