Runner Spotlight - Sean Travelstead

3rd place Male 55-59 Age Group Polar Bear Grand Prix

How and why did you start running and how many years have you been running?

I have been running since way back in high school. I have continued it as a lifestyle both for good health and the friendships that I made within the running community.

Why did you decide to do the Polar Bear Grand Prix?

I have been running the Polar Bear for over 15 years and love that it starts in December and runs right up to the Spring races. The course is always challenging and to participate in all three races for the series awards gives you something to strive for and train over the winter months.

Favorite distance?

I enjoy the 5ks. It is enough to get a good workout and still be able to recover and run another 5k the next week!

Favorite place to run?

I have always enjoyed Seneca and Cherokee Parks. You can run the loop at Seneca up to 8 miles in both parks. You will also always see someone you know running those same routes.

Favorite or most unique race you have run?

Our team participated in the Bourbon Chase since the inception of the race. It covers 200 miles with a relay team of 12 runners. Not only challenging to run your 10-17 individual miles but the lack of sleep over the 22 hours of the race.

Favorite thing about running?

It is an individual sport yet running is a community sport. I do enjoy running alone however a group run or meeting a friend to run makes it go by so quickly and you don’t realize you are getting healthier and chatting with friends (old or new).

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

Start the journey! Go out and walk, progress to a walk/run and then run. I promise that everyone can do it, and you will feel better. The only person you are competing against is yourself. There are tons of races on Saturday’s, running groups, track workouts and weekday running clubs in all parts of town. If you can’t find any, ask me.

Why do you like running River City Races events?

I love running the River City Races throughout the year as they provide an opportunity to see how you are progressing on your training. I am also comparing myself to “me of last year" and hoping to keep fitness as I age. The extra benefit is that these races are usually an opportunity to help a charity and donate to a great cause.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Running a personal record or beating a specific time in a race doesn’t make you a runner. Going out and doing your best and making yourself better makes you a Runner. Many times, we hold ourselves back from something because we think we can’t do it, trust me you can. If you show up at a 5k, 10k or any race and just walk it, run it, or race it, You are getting it done. The barrier to a healthier or faster person is usually us. See you on the roads or at the next race

Runner Spotlight - Alexis Rich

How and why did you start running and how many years have you been running?

I started running in 1996.  I was in college and had stopped smoking and needed some motivation.  

Why did you decide to do the Polar Bear Grand Prix?

The timing of this series motivates me to maintain fitness during the cold months.  Plus, they are so fun!  These races are "runners races" that don't need gimmicks or anything to make them successful.  I get to run with my friends and neighbors and I love that. 

Favorite distance?

10k - Long enough to combine strategy and fitness.  Not so long that "just finishing" is the goal. 

Favorite place to run?

Right outside my front door!  I can turn left or right and go anywhere from 2-13 miles.  Louisville does a pretty great job of accommodating runners on streets and sidewalks. 

Favorite or most unique race you have run?

I used to host a "Beer Run" with my neighbors and I liked doing that a lot.  I ran a "zombie run" thought Cherokee park in 2012/2013? where I was chased by zombies and it was terrifying. 

Favorite thing about running?

It doesn't really really require a lot of gear and it's not gate-kept like so many other sports.  Anyone can do it on any level.  Plus the running community in Louisville is fabulous. 

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

Cross train.  Your knees will thank you.  I picked up triathlon about 15 years ago and I think it's made me a a better runner AND allowed me to keep running. 

Why do you like running River City Races events?

Again, these are "runners races" without all the sponsorship/gimmicky BS from other races.  It's folks who want to put in the miles and good people who create a race series to make that happen. 

Anything else you'd like to share?

When I was 19, I wrote my first check to my landlord for rent/deposit and my second check to LTCOR for the City Run.  I still have my City Run shirt from 1996!  I've always believed in the local running community and they've believed in me!  

Runner Spotlight - Michael Todd Bernard

I started running as a high school student.  I guess you could say that began running distance out of necessity. As a sophomore in high school, I was on the "sprint team."  However, during one of our track meets, there was a need for someone to run the 800, so the coach threw me in it. I raced with no preparation and exceeded expectations. My coach said that from now on, I will have to train with the distance runners—that's how it started in 1987. For years I ran off and on. My running usually remained more constant in the summers because I'm a high school English teacher at Ballard (Go Bruins!)  When the schools were closed due to the pandemic, I began running constantly. As the pandemic came to an end, and things began to open up, I registered for and ran in a large number of 5K races.  I progressed to 10K and 15K races, and I eventually ran a half marathon. 

 My favorite aspect of running is the constant opportunity it offers me to compete against myself; to beat my previous run times.  Since running gives me the opportunity to compete with myself, it enables me to better myself and the mental toughness, the endurance, and the mental clarity that I gain from running shows up in every other aspect of my life.  Although I don't live in St. Matthews, it is my favorite place to run.  St. Matthews is an extremely runner-friendly neighborhood.  I usually start my route in Seneca Park, and then I proceed to run throughout the St. Matthews area.  When I run on my own, the 5K and the 10K are my favorite distances.  The 5K is my absolute favorite because it is the foundational distance for every other distance, which means that I condition myself to manage a run using the 5K as my base.  I then view every other distance as a series of 5K runs. When I'm running a 15K, for instance, I just tell myself that I'm running three 5Ks. It somehow makes the longer runs even more manageable. I guess my advice for other runners is embedded in the idea that one must discipline oneself to manage a race.  It is necessary to manage one's pacing, to manage one's breathing, to manage the course, to refrain from exerting too much effort early in a race, to properly manage the hills during a race, and to never judge a run by the first mile.  First miles can be deceptive.  The first mile might be hard, and the subsequent miles might become easy, or the first mile might be easy, and then the subsequent miles turn out to be hard. 

 I enjoy the River City Races not only because they are well-organized, and I have met a lot of people through participating in them, but also because they occur frequently enough to give me goals for my weekly running.  When I know that a River City Race is on the horizon, I begin to run with the goal of performing well in that particular race in my mind—it gives me a reason for getting out of bed in the morning. 

Runner Spotlight - Kameron Terrio

How and why did you start running and how many years have you been running?

For as long as I can remember, I struggled with my weight. In November 2023, I made the life-changing decision to undergo vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) surgery.   While the procedure helped me lose weight, I still found myself working toward my goal weight and searching for something more — a new challenge, a new mindset. I had never considered myself a runner. In fact, I used to admire runners from a distance, wishing I had that kind of endurance and confidence. Then, in May 2025, something shifted. I came across River City Races and, almost on impulse, signed up for my first event — the Fix ’Em 5K Run/Walk.

 Why did you decide to do the Run the 502?

 Choosing to participate in Run the 502 was deeply personal for me. For so many years, I felt disconnected from my body — frustrated by it, limited by it, and unsure of what it was capable of. After surgery and my first 5K, I began to see myself differently. I wasn’t just someone trying to lose weight anymore — I was someone learning how to fight for herself. Run the 502 became more than a race; it became a symbol of everything I’ve overcome. Every mile represents the doubts I’ve silenced, the fears I’ve faced, and the strength I’ve built — not just physically, but emotionally. There was a time when I would have talked myself out of something like this, convinced I wasn’t “that person.” Now, signing up feels like reclaiming a part of me I always admired in others. This race isn’t about pace or placement. It’s about proving to myself that I am capable, resilient, and worthy of taking up space at the starting line — and crossing the finish line — no matter how long it takes me to get there.

Favorite distance?

The 10K is my favorite distance because it challenges me without intimidating me. It’s the perfect balance of speed and stamina — long enough to demand discipline, but short enough to remind me I’m stronger than I think.

Favorite place to run?

The Parklands, Cherokee Park and Waterfront Park

Favorite or most unique race you have run?

The 2025 Midnight Hill Climb was an experience I’ll never forget. Running in the dark, at midnight, And finishing with a moon pie!

Favorite thing about running?

My favorite thing about running is the empowerment it gives me. Running pushes me into uncomfortable spaces where doubt tries to creep in, but I’ve learned to keep going anyway. There’s something incredibly powerful about the middle of a run, when your legs are tired and your mind is negotiating with you to stop — and you decide not to. And then, at the finish, when I catch my breath and realize, I did it. I ran that far. That moment fills me with a kind of pride that’s hard to put into words. Running has taught me that strength isn’t about being the fastest or the best. It’s about showing up, pushing through, and proving to myself that I am capable. Every run ends with the same quiet but powerful thought: I’m proud of myself.

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

My biggest piece of advice is simple: keep moving forward. It doesn’t matter how fast you go. It doesn’t matter if you have to slow down, walk, or take a moment to catch your breath. Progress is still progress. Some days will feel strong and powerful, and others will feel heavy — but what matters most is that you don’t quit. Running (and walking) has taught me that forward is forward. Even the smallest steps count. If you just keep moving, you’ll eventually look back and realize you’ve gone farther than you ever thought possible.

 Why do you like running River City Races events?

 I love running River City Races events because of the community and inclusiveness they truly embody. It doesn’t matter how fast you are, how slow you go, or what your body looks like — you belong there.What stands out to me most is that they stay until the very last person finishes. No one is forgotten. No one is rushed off the course. Every single participant is greeted with the same medal, the same cheers, and the same encouragement. That means everything.There’s something incredibly powerful about crossing the finish line and seeing people still there — clapping, smiling, celebrating you — no matter your pace. It makes you feel seen. It makes you feel valued. And it reminds you that running isn’t just about competition; it’s about community, support, and lifting each other up.

Anything else you'd like to share “You don’t have to look like a runner to be one. You just have to start.”

Runner Spotlight - Flannery Musk

2025/26 Female Polar Bear Grand Prix Champion

I was featured in the Runner’s Spotlight back in 2020 or 2021. Since then a lot has changed! First, my name is Flannery Wells (with a PhD!) now but I still use my maiden name as my racing alias. I've not only gotten married and a PhD, but I had a daughter who is now 3. Apart from huge life changes, my perspective on running and training has changed a lot over the last few years. With a kid, the time to run is limited so I have made shifts in my training that often focus on quality over quantity and recovery over another hard session. I run as a time to relax after a difficult day or get some much-needed alone time, as much as I do to train hard for anything specific. My focus in racing has also changed; though I am still often chasing a fast time, more than anything I am doing my best to try to be actively engaged in my race and compete with those around me. I have found my races go the best when I do this and this helps me to really take advantage of the few racing opportunities I have.

Since I was last featured I've added a new race distance to my repertoire - the marathon. I ran my first in 2024 in Indianapolis and plan to run my second at the Chicago marathon this fall. I am not one of those runners who got bit by the marathon bug; it's fun and something new to do but is certainly not my favorite. Maybe right now it is the 5k but that's only because it's where my focus is at the moment. I had a lot of fun doing the shorter distances in the Polar Bear Grand Prix this winter and tried to use them to motivate me to train in the cold winter and to challenge myself to see if I could progress in distance and maintain my pace throughout the series. I also loved that I could do a warmup run to them from my home!

If I could share some advice to the general runner, it would be to not ignore the little things. If you want to run well, you need to have a strong core, mobility, and stability - especially as we age! I often tell myself 5 less minutes running so I can spend 5 more minutes doing something else for my body is actually better in the long run. Hopefully if I actually listen to this it will help me (and you) be lifelong runners!

Click here to read Flannery's original Runner Spotlight from 2021.