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river city races

Street Address
City, State, Zip
5023861502

Louisville, KY

river city races

  • Home
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    • Full Service Event Management
    • Course Certification
  • Race Results
    • Bark in the Park
    • Downtown Doubler 15k/30k
    • Fix 'Em 5k
    • Frostbite 5k
    • Grand Slam 4 Miler
    • Jeffersontown Gaslight Festival 5k
    • Louisville Bats 5k
    • The Parklands & WLKY 5k
    • Polar Bear Grand Prix
    • Pumpkin Pace 5k
    • Pupkin 5pice 5k
    • Reindeer Romp
    • Santa Sprint and Stroll
    • Snowman shuffle 4 Miler
    • St. Matthews Independence Day 5k
    • The Big Run 5k
    • Air Academy Kadet Invitational
    • Cheyenne Mountain Stampede
  • Upcoming Events
  • Runner Resources
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  • Blog
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Runner Spotlight - Valerie Harned

May 14, 2020 Camille Estes
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Favorite distance: 5k

Do you have any running/walking advice you'd like to offer?

I'm the last person to give advice because I've said I really don't like running.  I "plod" along, so if there's any encouragement to be offered...just keep moving. Whenever I'm out on a course and I feel down, discouraged or like I can't go on - I remember that I have my health, breath in my lungs, and am doing so much better than doing nothing.

Why do you like running River City Races events?

They're fun, family oriented and open to any one of any fitness level!

Anything else you'd like to share?:

Well I don't like running.  So why do I do it? Because it challenges me, it pushes me to keep pressing on and not give up.  I do this little thing of sprinting a final leg to the finish and love the feeling of accomplishment crossing that timing strip!

I began doing 5k's 8 years ago because I just needed something to kick-start me getting outdoors.  Then my best friend was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and passed away January 2014.  My health took a nose dive over the next 18 months and my doctor gave me an ultimatum. I had not laced up running shoes for a long while until I signed up for the Triple Crown in 2016.  I nearly died the first time I did it! But I signed for every 5k or 10k I could that year and after. I did the Triple Crown in 2017 and 2018.  I participated in the Mini-Marathon and the Urban Bourbon!  And completed a round of the 502 racing series.  2019 sidelined me with plantar fasciitis, and it made me realize how much I really do enjoy getting out there and running - I actually missed it! I enjoy being outdoors and even cheering others on the course that look to be struggling because I know how that feels.

My husband, Jim, has been a great source of encouragement by coming along with me on the longer distances - I call him my "pace setter". At the start of 2020, I realized my feet were feeling better so I did the Chick-fil-A 5k in March and felt great so I signed up for the Allstate Hot Chocolate Virtual 5k. Not sure what 2020 holds for the running community, but whether in a group or virtual I hope to be out there running more!

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