Runner Spotlight - Kearstyn Barron

My name is Kearstyn Barron. I am 12 years old. I’ve done a variety of sports all my life from gymnastics, soccer, competitive cheerleading, to archery; however, my true passion is running. There’s nothing better than running! I first met Coach Jerry Doyle in Fall 2018 and from there my passion started for running. Due to being a competitive cheerleader I wasn’t able to commit to running but Coach Doyle seen something in me that I didn’t see in myself at the time. He always had me running every chance he could, regardless of my really busy schedule. In late 2019, I followed my passion and committed to running full time. It was the best decision I ever made! Running is my passion because it’s not stressful and I really just enjoy it. I run for Charlestown Middle School, Indiana Elite Run Club, and I have my mom sign me up for any race that she will let me do. I’m getting better and better with every mile I run and I hope to win a race one day.

Favorite Distance: I enjoy long distances, like anything above one mile. I don’t like short distances because they aren’t as relaxing.

Do you have any running/walking advice you’d like to offer?: My advice would be to focus on your breathing and have fun. I’m still a new runner but my best advice would be to not take two weeks off because it’s too hard once you start back. And to never give up! Keep pushing yourself because you will get better the more you run.

Why do you like running River City Race events? It gives me a chance to run a race in the off season. All my races have been virtual so far, but I’m going to keep doing River City Races so one day I can run with a group on the course like I want to.

Anything else you’d like to share?: I have Cystic Fibrosis, a progressive genetic lung disease that affects the whole body. You’d never know it by looking at me. I don’t allow it to stop me from doing anything in life. I always try to push through whatever breathing challenge I have to achieve my goal in running and prove to myself that there’s no excuse for not doing something.

Racing & Reminiscing - Metro Parks Classic 15k

In 1993, the Metro Parks Classic 15k was the second leg of the Louisville Triple Crown of Running. Held out at the Outlets Mall (now Garden Ridge) the 15k ran through the what was then the country back roads of Jeffersontown that are now full of subdivisions and corporate parks. It was sponsored by KFC and Pepsi.

Not the best planning, the race took off to loop the mall before heading out and the front of the race ran into the back of the runners still taking off from the start. Scott Walschlager and Camille Forrester Estes would come away with the wins.

Once again the Louisville Defender newspaper was there to shoot candids and publish results. With no internet back then, you had to wait for the paper to come out a few days later to see what your time and place was. We sure are spoiled now. Click here to check out the photos from the race. Click here to see the full results.

If you have any memories and/or pictures of the 1993 Metro Parks Classic 15k, we'd love to see and you can share them on our Facebook page or email to runrivercity@gmail.com and we'll post them for you.

Racing & Reminiscing - 1993 Rodes City Run 10k

In 1993, the Rodes City Run 10k was the first leg of the Louisville Triple Crown of Running. The first Rodes City Run 10k was in 1981 but 1993 was and still is the coldest in the history of the race. With wind chill temperatures of -1, blowing snow and a strong headwind as runners were finishing the final mile westbound on Main St., finishing in front of the Humana Waterside Building.

John Wellerding and Camille Forrester Estes would come away with the wins and go on to both win the 1993 Louisville Triple Crown of Running.

Back in 1993, the Louisville Defender newspaper was a huge supporter of Louisville running and would always post several pages of participant photos. The 1993 Rodes City Run had seven pages dedicated to the action and candid shots of participants Click here to check them out!

If you have any memories and/or pictures of the 1993 Rodes City Run 10k, we'd love to see and you can share them on our Facebook page or email to runrivercity@gmail.com and we'll post them for you.

Runner Spotlight - Flannery Musk

My name is Flannery Musk. I've been running since the spring of 2008 when I was a freshman in high school and my sister, Angela, asked me to run track with her to stay in shape for soccer. I don't know why we stuck with it because we both could barely make it through the warm up on the first day. But with a little focus and some determination we both ended up at the state track meet that year, and from then kept on running. Since then, I went on to run cross country and track at Bellarmine University, where I now volunteer with the women's team. I now run for Pacers and Racers.

Favorite distance:

It's hard to pick! I've raced distances from 400m to half marathon, and they each have something different to like. I can definitely tell you my least favorite: the 10k. Right now my favorite is probably the 5k because it's the shortest race that is commonly offered for road race competition. I was more of a middle-distance runner in college so my favorite races there were the 800m and 1500m. It's not as easy to get something like that to race now, but the 1500m might be my overall favorite.

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

Don't be afraid to set big goals. And if you don't get them, know that the process is making you better for later.

I went into college as the slowest runner on the team and I probably didn't deserve a spot there either, but that didn't stop me from dreaming and working hard to achieve those dreams. I looked up to my sister and had seen what she was able to accomplish as a national qualifier and All-American which motivated me to try to get there too. So I set that as a goal and I guess no one wanted to tell me I was crazy. It took a lot of work and I rarely saw immediate payoff for that. Right before the end of my senior track season, as the chances for me to make it to nationals were getting slimmer, I was asked by a teammate if I thought it was worth it to sacrifice everything for four years and not get the chance to run at nationals. I knew without a doubt that my answer was yes. I learned so much by the process and pushed myself to limits I never knew I had, I knew that would make me better in the future, as a runner and in general. (Somehow I did end up making it to nationals right after that and then went on to make it the next season in cross country too - the hard work paid off).

Since college I've had to find new goals to set and try to achieve to help keep me motivated. Many of them have focused on time, like the goal of running a sub 17:00 5k that my sister and I set over two years ago and have yet to achieve. I've kept chasing that goal knowing that the hard work throughout the whole process is helping me grow as a runner, whether I achieve my goal or not. I've learned to focus more and to race harder, to recall what it is I truly love about running and not just focus on times, and to just enjoy the opportunity. Those are skills that will help me long after my legs are no longer capable of running anywhere near that fast.

Maybe your goal is just to complete a certain distance, to hit a certain mileage one week, to be a little faster than you used to be...whatever it is, don't be afraid to set the goal and learn along the way, whether you achieve it or not.

Why do you like running River City Races events?

I like running RCR events for many reasons. They're local and I like supporting local organizations. They're usually pretty affordable which also means that more of my family can participate in them and I love that running is something that can bring some of us together. I also like that they are full of the Louisville running community so I get to see lots of people I know through running.

Anything else you'd like to share:

Anyone have any advice on hitting that sub 17:00 goal?

Actually, more sincerely. Last year (2019) I won the Triple Crown and I felt like there were a lot people cheering for me and supporting me through that, a lot of them not even people who know me.  So I'm going to use this as a moment to say thank you for your support; it truly helped push me to achieve something I didn't know I was able to do. It might seem kind of far removed for me to be saying that now, but it helped me feel more a part of this running community than ever.

Runner Spotlight - Bettina Collins

Favorite distance:

My favorite distance is the Half Marathon Distance. I have run every distance from 5k to marathon, but I love the half marathon distance the most. Especially after my back surgery in 2014. After that, the half marathon distance was a distance I felt was challenging enough to  to still allow me to feel like a distance runner without causing me any major issues with my back. It also allowed me to still have time to enjoy life and other activities as well. It keeps my life balanced in a sense.

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

As a running coach, there are so many pieces of advice I try to offer, mostly because I don’t want people, especially new runners, to have to learn things the hard way like I did when I first started out.

In this instance, I think one of the best pieces I can offer today, especially to new runners, is to keep showing up. Even when it feels too hard or impossible, just keep showing up. Keep showing up to your group runs, solo runs and races (both virtual and in person), and most importantly for yourself. The more you show up in life, not just in running, the more you will accomplish greatness in all you do. Running is hard, but we are stronger than our biggest hurdles in life as long as we just keep showing up.

And for new runners and experienced runners I think it’s important to remember to give back to the running community in some way. Don’t just register for races, but also volunteer and work an aid station, help clean up, and support your fellow runners. Or if there’s not a local running group where you live, start one. Bring people together and create a community of people working to live better, healthier lives and spread positivity.

Volunteering at a race is also a great way to check out a new distance from afar. If there’s a distance you are thinking about trying out, but aren’t sure about it, volunteering at a race offering that distance will give you a peek at what it’s like to actually run it.

Finally, for all those beginning runners/walkers out there, one very practical piece of advice I like to give is to get fitted for the right running shoes! Go to a local running store (not a big box sporting goods store or department store) and have your gait analyzed and get fitted for the right shoes for your feet and your gait. Running starts from the feet up and having the right shoes will help prevent injury and long term issues. The right shoes can also improve your form and pace as well. In general, the right shoes make you a much better and stronger runner!

Why do you like running River City Races events?:

I love River City Races because they are local, family friendly races that bring the Louisville Running Community together. The atmosphere at their events is fun and festive and laid back and inclusive. Everyone one is welcome including walkers and their swag is always the best!

Anything else you'd like to share?:

Running is the thing that changed my life almost 20 years ago. I’ve gone away from it at times but have always come back to it and it made me the athlete I never was when I was growing up. I found it in my mid twenties and it has always been a constant in my life even during my times away from it.

I’ve struggled with many things in my life including obesity (yes I was still a runner even at my heaviest weight), degenerative disc disease and chronic pain, and major back surgery, but in 2017 I finally decided to change the way I look at life and how I lived. I changed how I ate, got back to running regularly and lost 70 pounds. I worked on my mindset about my pain, and re-evaluated everything about my life. And now I have taken everything I have learned and used it to become a certified holistic health coach and running coach (I am also a Registered Nurse) and I work with people like me who have struggled with weight gain and chronic pain conditions.

I started my own company earlier this year called The Joyful Running Company (joyfulrunning.com) to combine both my health coaching and running coaching services and to become a Race Director myself (I am currently hosting my first charity virtual race series called the Find Your Joy Race Series), with the hope of directing in person races once quarantine is over. It is my goal to spread the joy of running and living a healthy lifestyle to as many people as I can and to give back to my community any way I can. We only get one go at this life, so I plan to make mine count.

Thank you River City Races for nominating me for the Runner Spotlight and for all you do for the running community. You helped me so many years ago when I first started and it’s my goal to do the same for others as well! Thank you for being a staple in our running community over the years and for all the wonderful memories. They will never be forgotten! Now let’s go for a run!

-Coach Tina

tina@joyfulrunning.com

website: joyfulrunning.com