Runner Spotlight - Karen Brady

Something that I have discovered within the running community is that people come to running for different reasons at different points in their lives.  I was not a runner in high school.  Nor did I compete in college (in fact, I was a non-traditional student...went to college later in life, worked full-time, went to school part-time, graduated at the top of my class with two degrees).  And while I did participate in sports as a kid, I wasn’t the “sporty” child in my family (that honor would have gone to my sister, Karla).  I tried basketball for a couple of years, but I was definitely vertically challenged when it came to that sport.  And I might have often forgotten to dribble the ball if (and it was rare) it was passed to me.  I played softball mostly, and was an all-star catcher.  It was one sport that I was really good at...but the whole hitting and running the bases part was my least favorite thing.  I was content just to squat down behind home plate and catch the fast-pitch balls the batters missed...and occasionally dodge an aluminum bat that was thrown out of excitement of scoring a hit.  When softball stopped being a fun sport for me, I gave karate a try.  And I loved the martial arts.  No running required.

That being said, I had some knowledge of people going for runs and running races while I was growing up.  My grandpa took up running in his 50s and continued to run up until he had to stop, around the age of 90.  Whether we were visiting him in Minnesota, or he was visiting us in New York, he never would miss his daily run.  He’s raced various distances, including the Berlin Marathon back when German and Berlin were still divided.  So, it only seemed appropriate that when he had to stop running...I picked it up.

I remember a lot of my friends being into running and posting about it on early social media channels.  I insisted that I never could be a runner because my knees were bad after a bad car accident while I was in Ireland in 2003.  But, one day, while walking around the tiny track at the Floyd County YMCA, I just got bored and told my roommate, Cathy, that I was going to “try” running.  She said that if I could run 3 miles in 30 minutes, I could sign up for a 5K race.  I managed it (barely) and ended up signing up to run a 5K in Cherokee Park in April 2011.  I had NEVER run outside at this point.  All of my runs were done at the gym, either on the small track or on the treadmill.  So, my first outdoor race and first 5K I went in with one goal...to finish without walking.

I managed just that and I was hooked.  I ran close to a 10 minute mile...and probably died a lot on those crazy Cherokee Park hills.  But I loved it.  And from there on, I made it a point to run outside more than inside, if possible.  I became hooked on 5K races, finding one to run pretty much every weekend and even starting to place in my age group. My times were steadily improving...so a friend of mine suggested I take on a half marathon.  I knew from all the running books I had read that this would require some sort of training plan, so I found an app that guided me through basic mileage building up to a half marathon.  I ran my first half marathon, the Chicago Half Marathon, on September 11, 2011.  It took me a couple more years to decide to finally take on my first marathon.  I chose the 2013 Chicago Marathon.  I had a great day...and even snagged a Boston Qualifying time with a buffer of over 7 minutes.  

I discovered that I loved the marathon distance and started running them as often as I could in as many different places as I could.  I was a Marathon Maniac by January 2014.  But, if you know me, you all know that my Boston Marathon in 2015 didn’t go as planned.  Three days before leaving for Boston, after months of physical therapy for hip pain, I was finally diagnosed with a hip labrum tear.  My doctor said that I couldn’t make the injury worse by going to Boston...so I did.  It was the most painful, longest, hardest race I have ever run...and it took me awhile to acknowledge what a feat it was to get from that start line to the finish line on zero training.

The come back from that was long and tedious and it showed me just how important running was in my life.  A few more setbacks happened, but my comeback was one that taught me to never take any run for granted.  With the help of amazing medical professionals, some very patient physical therapists, and some great running coaches, I have had a much smoother, and less injury-prone return to running.

This year, my big race was going to be my fourth star in the Abbott World Majors – the Berlin Marathon.  As of right now, that race has been postponed/cancelled...and no information has been passed on by the race at this time about what will be offered to the runners who were registered.  With the uncertainty of this race season, I’ve been simply focusing on building my base and having fun while on the run.

That being said, I am going to be heading back to Boston in 2021 for what will hopefully be a much better experience on that course!

Favorite distance?  I adore the marathon, but after trying to run 8 marathons in one year, I've painfully learned that one or two a year is my sweet spot.  So, I've learned to also love the half-marathon, because I can race those all out or just kick back and enjoy as a fun run.  There's also such a wide variety of half marathons available, even locally, so they're a lot easier for me to do on a regular basis.

Running advice?  Listen to your body, don't punish it.  Running can be serious, but never lose the fun, free aspect of it.  If you're pushing yourself beyond your limits just because you feel that's what you have to do, maybe you should slow down just a bit and reassess your relationship with the sport.  Running should be freeing, not a prison.  You should love the run, not dread it.  

Why River City Race events?  Because there's such a wide variety of races, and since they're local to me, I get to see a bunch of my friends who are a part of the great local running community!

Anything else you'd like to share?  We are currently living in strange times, where training and racing together is not an option.  With a majority of spring races canceled and the fall ones in question...motivation may be at a bit of a low.  Not to mention, with everything being thrown at us in the media, anxiety and stress may be at an all-time high.  And a lot of us are so accustomed to running with others, that now taking on solo long runs could seem daunting. Remember to not let your running become a point of stress.  Now is not the time to hit PR times, but to pull back on intensity (and perhaps distance), and focus more on keeping the body and mind healthy (let’s face it, if we don’t need to see a doctor or go to the hospital, the better off we are regardless). Save those PRs for those future (non-virtual) races, but keep pushing yourself to be better in the sport, whatever that may look like for you at this moment.  Running isn’t cancelled...we all just have to adjust some goals for the time being. 

Runner Spotlight - Alison Cuyjet

My running story:

I came to running a bit later in life. I wasn’t terribly athletic growing up, but I swam and played basketball and soccer (not well) and was somewhat decent at tennis. Running for its own sake was never really on my radar, though. After I finished grad school, I was working a job I didn’t like, and I was struggling with feeling overwhelmed by all of the changes I wanted to make in my life. I somehow latched on to the idea of training for a 5K as a way to teach myself that I could do something small each day and it would eventually build itself into something bigger. So I began Couch to 5K, and after a couple of false starts, I finished my first 5K shortly after I turned 33. I kept at it, and now it’s a part of my daily life that I can’t imagine being without.

Favorite distance:

I have a love/hate relationship with the marathon. I’ve done seven so far, and each one was terrible and wonderful in its own way. They’re difficult and long and miserable in parts, but there’s nothing like that euphoric, exhausted feeling you get when you’ve crossed the finish line and it’s finally over.

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

Be consistent! Find your reason for lacing up your shoes and getting your miles in, even when you’d rather not. I know that it’s difficult right now to stay motivated, but I’ve found it helpful to pick a training plan and stick to it, even if for now there’s no goal race at the end.

Why do you like running River City Races events?

I love showing up early on a Saturday morning and knowing that I’ll see a ton of familiar faces at the start line. This city’s got a great running community, and I miss all of you! My parents and sister are also frequent participants, and it’s great to do something active together as a family.

Anything else you'd like to share?

I’m a big trivia buff, and I was fortunate enough to appear on Jeopardy! In late February. One of my favorite moments from that experience was correctly answering a clue about the Boston Marathon. I haven’t run that one yet, but maybe someday!

Runner Spotlight - Pete Stavros

I got into running, some might say, a little late in life, at least as runners go. I was in my 30’s (albeit a “youngish” 30’s). Before then, the mere mention of running – in PE class, tennis team practice, catching a bus, just whenever – was enough to make me want to retch and run the other way (ironic much?). But when I moved to Louisville, nearly twenty-five years ago now, some dear friends tricked me, I mean, introduced me to the Triple Crown races, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

My go-to distance is the 10K – it’s long enough to get my heart rate up, my blood pumping, the sweat flowing, but not so long where I don’t feel like doing anything else for the rest of the day. Aside from various other races (I have my favorites, like the Polar Bear Grand Prix, which makes me run outside in the winter), I run at least two half-marathons a year – one in the spring and one in the fall. I used to run two marathons a year, but life, as it often does, got in the way. My advice is to go to a running shop and have someone who knows what they’re doing fit you with a good pair of running shoes (even if it’s a brand you’ve never heard of and it’s weird to pronounce and the price is a little, um, pricey). Some blister-free socks are nice too. Also, during a race, if you see the race photographer, act like you feel incredible (whether you actually do or not) – and maybe smile.  

I like the variety of races you get with River City Races, and I was stoked when they brought back the Downtown Doubler (now if they would only bring back the Downtown Doubler coffee mug – remember that?). Plus, I’m a sucker for BIG medals, and racing series, so they had me with Run the 502. Besides that, though, I have found that I can trust their races – they are always well run (pun, yes, intended) and organized, and their volunteers are friendly and helpful and right there with the little cups of water. And I have yet to get lost on the course of an RCR-managed race – which, sadly, I cannot say for other races (and, yes, I am serious).

Running has also saved my life – well, running and some really, really, really smart doctors (did I mention they were smart?). Several years ago, I was struck down by a particular gnarly case of ulcerative colitis. It sidelined me for a good year (not necessarily a “good” year, but you know what I mean). Throughout my surgeries, and hospital stays, and convalescence, one of my incentives to get well was the desire to be able to run again. (It was s-o-o-o-o-o difficult for me to watch the televised coverage of the Mini from a medical supply store lift chair.) I used the race BIBs that I have hanging in our exercise room as motivation (plus they covered the cracks in the wall).

As luck (or, really, unluck) would have it, my wife has had her own issues with colitis. Through the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, we’ve been active in Team Challenge, the endurance racing arm of the organization, participating in half-marathons across the country to raise money for, and awareness of, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD for short – and sorta less gross). Although my wife has since moved on to cycling for Team Challenge (she has a need for speed), my experience has shown me firsthand the benefits that running (and, ugh, cycling) can have on a person, both physically, and mentally.

Running for me is much more than medals and BIBs and t-shirts and swag (not you, Swag), and it’s not just a form of exercise either (although that’s a thing too). What I like about running is that it’s a way to connect with people you might not otherwise meet who share a common interest, whether at a charity 5K or in the corrals at the start of a race or on a training run around the Cherokee Loop (which is one of my favorite places to run, especially if I see my deer friend). And it allows me to clear my head, and let go of the stresses and anxieties of the day. I’ve had some of my best thoughts and brightest ideas while out on a run (Heck, I wrote this on the treadmill!).

Which brings me to these uncertain times we are currently living in. Running is providing me with some stability, some normalcy. With everything else that is happening, what I can still count on is that my running shoes (the ones the person at the running shop recommended) will be dutifully waiting for me by the front door, ready at a moment’s notice to help whisk me away from all of this craziness, even if only temporarily. I am extremely grateful that I’m healthy and able to run!

While I might’ve lost a step (or two, or three, or whatever – who’s counting anyway, geez!) and my black toenails will forever dissuade me from going barefoot in public (unless maybe on a dare), my passion for running has never wavered, though my priorities might have shifted somewhat. I have found that I’m not so much interested in chasing PR’s anymore as I am in simply completing the course that is set before me, following the journey, enjoying the occasion, and appreciating whatever sights and scenery I happen by (although, truth be told, to occasionally place in my age group is always freakin’ awesome!).

Runner Spotlight - Lori Caloia

I am originally from Michigan and joined the military to pay for medical school.  I spent six years as an Air Force flight surgeon, and deployed to Qatar and Afghanistan.  While I was in Qatar, a seed was planted in my mind by a fellow flight surgeon who was training for a marathon.  I thought…if he can do it, so can I. So my quest began, and I ran my first Marathon several months after I returned from that first deployment.  Running was not new to me.  I’d been running since I was 15, when I joined my high school cross country team to be in better shape as a fast pitch softball pitcher.  Running was a great coping mechanism to deal with stress during medical school, my time in the military, and in residency.  It’s still what I do to clear my mind now that I’m the medical director at the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness.  Even when stress is at its highest, like right now with the COVID-19 Response, running remains a way for me to stay healthy and focused.  I’m excited to share this pastime with my son, Jacob Ray, who is a runner as well.  I can’t keep up with him anymore!  The picture below is after one of the races we ran together.  I’m also always trying to encourage people to give running a try at my workplace—unfortunately many of us were planning to run the Derby Mini Marathon this year & I was looking forward to congratulating my work colleagues at the finish line—hopefully we will be able to complete the run in August or next year!

Favorite distance? I like running anything from a 5K to a half-marathon.  As long as I have trained adequately these can all be fun distances! 

Do you have any running/walking advice you'd like to offer?:  Don’t ignore the core and don’t overtrain!  I have found as I’ve gotten older that I can continue to run and maintain a decent pace with a three day per week training plan and some regular core strengthening.  This allows me to keep running even when life gets crazy at times and prevents me from getting those nagging runner injuries!

Also, I think anyone can be a runner if they put their mind to it. I wasn’t the fastest runner, but my high school cross country team was so much fun, running ended up being my favorite sport.  I’m grateful that I made that decision to join way back then!  Sometimes you have bad days, but you just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Why do you like running River City Races events?:   I have found over the year that runners are a fun bunch.  Anyone willing to get up early to go to a Saturday morning run must love running as much as I do!  That camaraderie is a rare find today.  My first run in Louisville after moving here in 2013 was the Polar Bear Grand Prix series…I was hooked and have been running in River City Races ever since!  Thank you!

Anything else you'd like to share?: 

The pictures below are of me and Jacob Ray (my son, age 11 at the time) after a race; my husband Jeff Ray, Jacob and me in Rocky Mountain National Park; and the Incline in Colorado Springs which we “ran” this past summer…It was a bit more difficult than I remembered it to be ten years ago the last time I ran it!

Runner Spotlight - Lowery Stallings

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

Enjoy the sport! Running is so great because it is something you can do for a lifetime. And you can enjoy it in so many different ways. It can be a passionate pursuit or simply a nice stress reliever. You can go for PR's in races or just enjoy getting outdoors for a half hour. You can run marathons or not race at all.

Why do you like running River City Races events?:

I've always loved the Polar Bear Grand Prix races. I like the GP format, variety of race distances and of course, running in Cherokee Park. The races are the perfect size in my opinion. Big enough to be competitive, but small enough that you can just jump behind the start line just before the start.

Anything else you'd like to share?:

The Long Journey

The last 6 months have been the most trying of my running life. I love all forms of running and compete on the track, cross country, trails, road races, but the marathon has always called to me. I started running back in 1978, going out for cross country in middle school. I lined up for the KDF Mini the next spring in my K-Mart 'running' shoes. I had no idea what I was doing, but remember it being fun. Then 2 years later, I was talked into running the old Louisville Metro Marathon by my upperclassman teammates. The race was only one week after the XC State Meet and I had exactly one double digit run in my career. Obviously naive and ill prepared for the distance, I had determination on my side. All my teammates dropped out, but I just kept pressing on. I was forced into a run/walk strategy over the last 4 miles, but hit the Cox's Park finish line both exhausted and exhilarated. Even though I experienced soreness like I never had before, I was hooked on the 26.2 mile distance - I wanted to be a marathoner like my hero Boston Billy Rodgers.

Although distracted by competing at other distances for a couple of decades, the marathon was still always on my mind and I vowed to eventually turn my running focus to the distance.   Eventually in 1998 I ventured back, but was undone by my penchant for reckless pacing. I bounced back a couple years later and got my BQ, but couldn't fit it in to my schedule, with my high school coaching duties. So, once again I went into marathon hibernation, but a runner's dream trip with my XC team to Kenya in 2015, reignited my passion for 26.2. Because I never really focused on the distance in my prime, my PR was soft. But that didn't soften the joy of running a PR 3:04:02 at the 2017 Chicago Marathon - at age 52. As if I needed motivation in running, all I could think about after that race, was breaking 3.

So last fall, I went back into training, hoping that I could break the barrier at the Monumental Marathon. During the Spring of 2019, I battled the first real running injury of my 40+ year career, but by early Fall my training was going well again and felt ready for the race. But on a business trip a little over 3 weeks before Monumental, I went on a little shakeout run and decided to head down a trail I saw. I was just enjoying the run, when all of a sudden I tripped on a root and while in the air felt a strange sensation like my knee caps were in clamps. I hit the ground in excruciating pain, eventually finding out that I somehow managed to rupture the quadriceps tendons in both knees. In a moment I went from dreams of sub-3 to being bedridden, having my legs locked straight by heavy braces, not able to bear any weight. I had a difficult time comprehending the words the surgeon was telling me - except for the words 'you will run again'. I got a deferral for Monumental, with the hope that this Fall I might be able to complete the distance. To date, I have sprinkled in a few short slow jogs of about 50 meters in my walks. So to this point, I haven't even cumulatively run .2, much less the other 26 miles, but I try to patiently keep doing the things that I know will get me back on the starting line in Indy this fall. Will I be as fast as I once was? Only time will tell, but as I've always preached, running is about more than times, its about the simple joy of getting out there and doing it.