I was not always a runner, but I’ve always been an athlete. I started running 5 years ago after I retired from playing college softball . I needed a competitive and athletic outlet to compete in and running stuck.

I decided to do the Polar Bear Grand Prix after running in my first few run the 502 races in August. My friends and I have been running these races together. We love the challenge of the hills on the courses and the beautiful routes that are chosen for each race. The trail portion of the longer races are always a highlight. I look forward to meeting new friends and seeing all the cute dogs.

My favorite distance to compete in is the 10k. I also run a lot of 5ks and some mini marathons.

My favorite race that I run in every year is called Dave’s Jingle Dash in Calvert City Kentucky. My uncle organizes it every year in efforts to raise money for Christmas presents for the Marshall County Family Resource Center. It’s so fun to run with my family for such a good cause.

My favorite running advice someone has given me is to vary your running training. Run sprints, hills, and slow runs. It changes up your routine and brings some excitement to your training. It makes every run different and can improve your overall pace.

I enjoy River City Race events because they are well planned. They also have great locations like Cherokee park (who doesn’t love those hills?!) and the Louisville Bats Stadium.