Runner Spotlight - Sean Travelstead

I began running in high school when I went out for cross country and from that it has become a lifestyle. I find that running is one of the most social sports that you can participate in and be competitive at the same time. I was never a top runner but I was lucky to be on my high school team with a great coach and multiple state individual and team championships. I was always active in sports but running became my sport of choice. I continued to run and would do races occasionally in my post-college years. I have tracked my mileage and race times for years now, not to set PRs but to see how I was doing against myself from the previous year. As the saying goes, Father Time Always Wins. As technology has grown, there are online running apps and groups that you can join and share your running experiences. I say that if you find something that makes you a better person, feels good and you can share with others, go for it. That is where social comes into running -- being with others while doing something that is so individualistic.

Flash forward and now I do races all that I am able to - 5ks are my choice as I can find one almost every weekend. It's not to set the record or get a medal, but to participate and see friends. Runners are a unique brand -- putting yourself through pain to go and run X miles, but it's a lifestyle and ultimately is an awesome experience. Being able to run and participate in all the fun is all worth the waking up early, going out when it's too hot or too cold or you're just too tired. There can be unlimited excuses. Don't find the reason not to do something- go do something!

What I would say to anyone who's thinking of running, just started running or been a life-long runner -- Stay with It. Do what you like. Be Social! There are so many good people out there participating whether you race every weekend, do one race a year, or no races.. You don't have to run a 5 minute mile and you don't have to do 60 miles a week -- do what you can, but do something. Be a part of the social team that is out there and running. Local running stores and websites can connect you to people who are like you (slower, faster, bigger or smaller).

When at a weekday run or a race - give a High Five, Wave or Hello - we are all doing this thing we love. My mantra at any start line is Race Hard, Have Fun! See you on the roads!

Runner Spotlight - Kirby Adams

April 16, 1984, was the last time I ran the Boston Marathon. It was cold, rainy and a devasting disappointment. That day, was nothing like the sunny, uplifting and considerably slower event I ran Monday in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Without spectators or fellow competitors, official water stops or finisher swag, what would have been the official race day for the 2020 Boston Marathon was my personal moment to say "Take that COVID-19."  

In 1984, the legendary race was my last shot at the 2:51:16 qualifying standard for the first Women's Olympic Trials Marathon. I had come oh-so-close to the time at the Phoenix Marathon a few weeks earlier. Boston was my final chance to punch a ticket to the trials.   As it turned out, the clock ran out long before I got to the soggy Boston finish.

36 years later, having shifted to other sports, I hadn't given the Boston Marathon much thought until I stumbled into a qualifying time at the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington D.C.   Trust me, if you can just live long enough and continue to run, it gets a lot easier to qualify for a bib number to the granddaddy of marathons.

Like a good little running soldier, I spent the winter doing hill repeats, speed work and long runs with a new group of friends I made with the Fleet Feet Louisville Distance Project.

"This will be the last time I run Boston" I told myself and I was determined to put in the work to run it well. Heck, I even skipped a spring vacation with my family to Costa Rica because I didn't want to do a 20-mile training run by myself on a one-mile span of beach.

I know, I know, in hindsight that was dumb.

Dumb because that same week we started hearing reports from Italy and Great Britain about quarantined runners completing full marathons in their tiny backyards or on their balconies.

Remember how crazy that sounded just two months ago?

It happened to be the week the Boston Athletic Association announced it would postpone the traditional spring marathon until the fall. Initially that news ripped the wind from the sails of my resolve. One day I was planning a 20 mile training run, the next I was racing to the east coast to pick up my daughter from college. Within eight hours, all the training came to an abrupt halt.

But we know how runners operate. We don't stay still for long.

I was now working from home while reporting on the COVID-19 outbreak for my job at the Courier Journal newspaper.   My lunch breaks no longer included workouts at the gym, they became much needed time outdoors, running through Joe Creason and Cherokee Park.

Sound familiar?

As a reporter, I was writing about healthcare workers on the frontlines and people sewing face masks in their living rooms. Without medical expertise or the patience to sit at a sewing machine, I realized that if I was going to make a stand against the pandemic my best option would be to control what I could. That meant completing my plan to re-do that disappointing 1984 Boston Marathon on my own terms. Monday, April 20 I would show the disease it couldn't put a stop to every good thing.

I made the decision late in the game. It was Friday, April 17 and the only person I told was my daughter who is a collegiate National Champion Triathlete. I knew she'd "get it." And boy did she.

Saturday, she presented me with a race packet complete with a homemade bib number, five safety pins, a tube of BioFreeze and a handwritten certificate for a post-race massage. 

She also mapped out a 26.2 mile course.

If I had any doubts, her excitement solidified my plan.  

Next I sent a text to my running group. I invited them to join me, one at a time, practicing safe social distancing, for "The Boston Marathon, Louisville Edition."

At 8 a.m. on Boston Marathon Monday, my husband and I stepped over an imaginary starting line at the end of the driveway.   There was no "bang" of a starting gun, no familiar "beep beep beep" of tracking chips crossing the starting line. Just a single squeal as I pushed the button on my Garmin, a bird chirped as it flew by and our daughter calling out "Go Mom!"

To my surprise, and extreme delight, from that point on I never ran more than four miles without company. One or two at a time, friends and family appeared and disappeared along the course.

They drove around town in their cars and their bicycles until they found me. They waited with water and food, some made posters for encouragement, others took time off work to run a few miles.

We talked, like runners do, about everything from music, recipes and our kids to the great weather, memories of past races and "which way to turn next." Not once did COIVD-19, quarantine or a lack of toilet paper creep into our conversation.

During those four glorious and sunny hours of my Boston Marathon Monday, we were living in the moment and celebrating our love of running and friendship.

36 years after running that personally disappointing Boston Marathon, I turned onto our familiar, tree-lined street and I felt overwhelming joy.

I hadn't expected that feeling and there was something else.

As I started the final quarter-mile I could hear a faint clanging of tin bells and cheering. Neighbors stood on their porches clapping as I approached my family who was gathered around a giant finish line drawn in chalk across our quiet street.

Like I would in an official marathon, I crossed the finish and felt a great sense of relief and gratitude. Unlike other races, we couldn't hug or offer each other a high five or a fist bump.   But you know - it didn't matter.

At least three friends said this had been the "best day since quarantine began."

And you know, they were right. With my family and friends we'd stared down COVID-19 and proved the disease can't spoil every single thing. On this day, running through the streets of Louisville, Ky. perseverance and humanity won.  

Runner Spotlight - Donnie Fultz

My running days started somewhat by chance. After running for basketball conditioning in high school and seeing it as somewhat of a punishment, I had sworn it off as something I wanted no part of.

Sometime around 2004 I started delivering our old 1947 Sternberg International stage truck to the Louisville Triple Crown events. I saw all the folks running and having a great time, so I thought why not me too. I thought if I could get to the point of running three miles without stopping that would be about all I wanted. Shortly thereafter I joined the training group at Fleet Feet that Camille and Jim  Estes (original owners of Fleet Feet) had put together and quickly was hooked.

I was accepted or at least lied my way into the NQRFPTR group (Not Quite Ready For Prime Time Runners) and started training with them on the weekends. My first race was the 2005 Run for The Berries 5K at Huber's then a few more 5K's that summer then in the fall I ran the Louisville Half Marathon down at the Water Tower.

Funny how my plans to be content at running three miles turned into a half marathon then to the Polar Bear Series to the Triple Crown and three full marathons in 2006 starting with the Derby Festival, then the Road Runner Marathon in Akron and finishing the year off with the St. Jude Marathon in Memphis with my training partner Graham Honaker to our best ever finishing time of 3:54 or something close to that.

Over the years I would never be considered fast but did end up running a bunch of halves' and eleven full marathons before knee surgery made it painful to keep running which was a huge blow to my psyche and my fitness. Many thanks to Camille and the entire NQRFPTR group for the initial motivation and then my running partners over the years Terry Hardwick, Pietro Davit, Russ Maney, Danny Chester (well before he became Superman) and especially Greg Jett for keeping me motivated.

After thinking my fitness goals were all out of reach when not being able to run comfortably anymore, I found the road bike and my Clydesdale AC Cycling brothers and Steve Luckett's Blairwood spin classes to motivate me daily to keep training. I can truly say that when you think you are too injured or too old to run there is always another avenue to continue your passion for competition.

Now I ride for Fellowship, Fitness and to raise funds for cancer research through our Clydesdale initiative for Bike to Beat Cancer. If I have any advice to give its this, run as long as you physically can and still enjoy it but find alternate activities and cross train to keep your legs as fresh as possible for as long as possible. I'll finish with this quote,

"Most Of Us Train Not To Be The Best At Our Sport But Because We Believe Our Best Self Is Still Out There Somewhere"

Runner Spotlight - Robert Zirnheld

After I started to see some of the spring races getting cancelled I assumed Derby Marathon would soon follow. My original thought was to create a social distance marathon/half-marathon, to run from Seneca Park to Iroquois and back for the full marathon. I reached out to friend to brainstorm some ideas. We quickly concluded it just wasn't feasible. A virtual run was suggested and here we are.

I needed a way to keep my training plan on track. I was 14 weeks into my current marathon program and working for a BQ (missed by 1:27 last marathon). Which is only about 3 seconds per mile. My current training is still going great. This week I will hit 90 miles and start to taper. I am still going to run the marathon distance on or around April 25, and shoot for a PR. Even though it won't be eligible for a BQ, I will come out of marathon season into the summer in great shape. Hopefully we will be back on track for some road racing by the fall.

We started a Facebook group and website to challenge the entire running and fitness community to keep their fitness goals on track and raise some money for a great cause. The Restaurant Workers Relief Fund by the Lee Initiative. I have many friends who work in the restaurant industry.

I have become very passionate about running after my first marathon in 2017. I enjoy good food almost as much as I enjoy running.

See below or click here on how to support the Lee Initiative and The Race to Beat Covid-19.



To benefit The Restaurant Workers Relief Fund by the Lee Initiative

As we know, all of our spring races have been cancelled or postponed. Our mission is to challenge the entire running and fitness community to stay on track with their spring training goals, at the same time help those in need during this time of crisis.

We have partnered with the Lee Initiative to help raise money for the Restaurant Workers Relief Fund.
The Race to Beat Covid-19 is a virtual marathon/half-marathon which not only gives runners the chance to run a race distance they were already training for, but also gives them the opportunity to help our food service workers.
The Race to Beat Covid-19 can be run anytime, anywhere even at home on a treadmill. Please complete your run before May 31.

HOW THIS WORKS

It's simple!

1. Decide your race distance (Safety first! Run alone, or, if you run with a few people, keep a safe distance!

2. Go to the Lee Initiative Donation Page. Make a donation to the Restaurant Workers Relief Fund by the Lee Initiative. It's for a great cause! (If you can't afford to donate, you can still participate in this virtual run).

3. Then click Submit, and be sure to select Race To Beat COVID-19 on the Special Program Affiliation, and complete your donation.

4. Then, after you run your race, go to our Race To Beat COVID-19 Facebook Group Page and proudly post your race length and time! Go and join the Group Page now to stay in the loop with your fellow runners! 

SHARE THIS WITH EVERY RUNNER YOU KNOW!

THE CHARITY

Due to the closure of restaurants across America, thousands of restaurant workers have an urgent need for assistance. Independent restaurants are at the center of the vibrant growth in America. For the past decade, we have relied on the convivial and dynamic hospitality of the independent restaurant scene to make this a city that we are incredibly proud of.
Restaurant workers need your help more than ever. It is vital that we offer relief to those in need, so after this crisis restaurants can return to their full vibrancy.
In partnership with Makers Mark and Chef Edward Lee, The Lee Initiative has turned restaurants across the country into relief centers with local chefs for any restaurant worker who has been laid off or has had a significant reduction in hours and/or pay. They are offering help for those in need of food and supplies. Each night, they will pack hundreds of to-go meals that people can come to pick up and take home.

Click here for more details on how to participate.

Fast Women Newsletter - Why I look forward to Monday's now!

One of the few things I look forward to on a Monday is when I wake up, there in my Inbox is my weekly issue of Fast Women.  The newsletter recaps the previous week's race results specific to women plus good podcasts and upcoming events.

Allison Wade is a runner, photographer, coach and fan.  I asked her to write a little about herself while I shared her newsletter with our River City Races readers.  Also below is a link to one of the Fast Women newsletters and a link to subscribe.  The newsletter right now is free but if you link what you see, there is a link to donate to help cover their costs.

"I've been a runner for about 30 years, and I've worked in the running industry for about 20, as a web editor, photographer, coach, reporter, and now, whatever this is that I'm doing. I started the newsletter because there is (usually) so much content out there, and I wanted to make it easier for people to keep up with the sport, and understand how exciting it can be from the fan perspective, once you know people's stories."

"I picked women's competitive mid-distance/distance running simply because it's always been my passion and it's what I know best. I originally started Fast Women in 2000. New York Road Runners bought it from me and made it part of my job, and I ran the site for them through the end of 2005. When I left NYRR, I had to leave the site behind, so it's been really fun to return to what I always loved doing, just in a different form, and perhaps greater perspective."

Read a copy of the Fast Women newsletter here.

To subscribe to Fast Women, click here.