I was inspired to run by my grandparents that lived on Southern Parkway. Every year my grandparents either ran or walked the mini-marathon while we cheered them on from the front yard of their home. I became convinced running was in my genes. When I got to high school, I joined the cross country team, but without a coach my freshman year, it took all season to run a 4K (2.4 miles) without walking up the hills. It surely wasn’t as easy as my grandparents made it look!
High school running and racing was a real learning experience. I learned it was a horrible idea to eat at the Shoney’s breakfast buffet right before the state track meet. After a race, we’d rehydrate with a cooler of soda. Running attire consisted of heavy sweatsuits, and we had never heard of dynamic stretches or foam rollers. Training was definitely different then! What remains the same is the special bond that runners form, through the pain and the success. I just knew that I didn't want it to end. Hoping for an opportunity to keep racing, I reached out to Coach Wellerding at Bellarmine, asking to join the cross country team.
At Bellarmine I met my husband Kyle. Kyle was Bellarmine’s top runner, an All-Conference GLVC athlete, and later went on to coach at St. Xavier High School. We both loved every minute of racing for Bellarmine and our teammates became family. After college, Kyle and I got married, had four kids (Zach, Isabella, Vincent and Olivia) and running took a back seat for a while. A few years after having Zach, I was ready to get back into it and decided to sign up for the Triple Crown and mini-marathon. I had never raced anything longer than 4 miles, but I needed the motivation to get back out there. The rest is history, and I haven’t stopped running since! As an adult racer, I am proud to be part of the Pacers and Racers racing team, and I have completed many local races, including half marathons, a few triathlons, as well as 5 marathons - Columbus, Chicago, Derby, Boston and New York.
These days, coaching brings Kyle and I our biggest rewards. As a family of runners, it seems like we are always running to a practice or a meet. My son Zach is the team manager at Saint X, my daughter Isabella runs for Sacred Heart, and my two younger children run for St. Agnes and Derby City. I am an assistant coach for Saint Agnes, while Kyle just finished his 2nd season and won his first state championship as the head coach for St. Xavier High School. In a year of so many uncertainties, it was inspiring to watch all of the athletes work hard all season to reach their goals. At St. Agnes our #1 goal as coaches is to make running fun and inspire a life-long love of running in our kids. We had over 100 athletes in 2019, which is amazing! I look forward to every practice (hopefully we will have those in 2021) and all of the hilarious running commentary from our youngest athletes. They fuel my love for running!
My advice for a new runner is to recognize that running is very hard and really doesn’t come easy to most people. A lot of new adult runners are self-conscious about their pace or distance when first starting. But what you may not realize is that runners of all abilities, motivate and inspire each other. Find a training partner, family member or a friend that will support you so you can make the commitment together. On days when I might not feel like running, I can always count on my husband to coach me out the door. Using a running app and setting small weekly goals is helpful too. Once you get over the most difficult part of getting in shape, you will find that running will bring you so many rewards.
My Favorite distance: As a younger athlete I loved the speed of the 800m, but today I am most comfortable with the half marathon. My PR is 1:27 in the Urban Bourbon half marathon. Although the local races are always so fun because of our great running community, my favorite race was the 2017 New York Marathon. The beauty of the city, diversity of the neighborhoods, and the constant roar of the crowd was mesmerizing. I wanted to do it all over again when I crossed the finish line and that is NOT how I normally feel after a marathon!
Do you have any running/walking advice you'd like to offer?:
My biggest challenges are the days that I just don’t feel like running. I’m tired after work, have lots of errands to run, 4 kids to keep up with, and it’s cold & raining. Even the most devoted runner has days that are challenging to get out the door. Over the years I have learned to prepare for these obstacles by prepping in advance. I might arrange to meet a friend or take my running clothes to work and change before I leave. Once I’m in my running clothes it makes it a little harder to bail out. I can stop at a park on the way home or run while I’m waiting to pick up kids from school. My husband is well known for getting his runs in at 4am! You’ll always be glad you got the run in and squeezed in time for yourself. This time of year, investing in warm running-specific clothing also makes the winter days more bearable. Finally, whether you are a new or seasoned runner don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Bringing on the excitement of a new challenge helps me avoid burn out. You can keep things fun by trying a new race distance, a trail run or a triathlon. There are so many great local races and parks around Louisville with new places to explore.
Why do you like running River City Races events?: River City races always puts on fun events and in 2020 they went above and beyond to continue that tradition. Even though races had to go virtual, they still were able to provide us with opportunities to race and challenge ourselves. I also love how River City Races spotlights all levels of runners because we can all learn from each other, no matter how fast or experienced we are. They have a true love for the sport and have made a huge difference in the physical and mental health of our community. I can’t wait to see everyone back on the starting line, hopefully in 2021!
