Sports Talk: October events in Casey County

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Oct. 2, 2013.
October is here! I’ve been amazed at the number of people I’ve heard and seen express their love of this month. (And I thought it was just me!) I think we can all feel it is officially the fall season and we can thoroughly enjoy the beautiful weather, pumpkin everything, colorful leaves … The list goes on and on.

This month’s beauty motivates us all to be outside more and be active, enjoying the natural beauty and weather: hiking, biking, camping, Keeneland, golfing, tailgating. I wanted to point out two local events taking place this month that benefit great local causes:

-          The Indian Creek Relay on Saturday, Oct. 5

-          The Glow the Night Run on Oct. 25

Indian Creek Relay: Oct. 5

This event is fun and different from the other 5K runs hosted within our county. Rather than individually running, participants can come as teams of three and run nearly half the distance they would in a 5k—only 1.7 miles. That’s not so bad right?

The course itself is 5.1 miles and individual runners are welcome to take on the course, which covers Indian Creek Road (Hwy. 3270), beginning at the Middleburg Dairy Freeze.  Awards are given to both teams and solo runners in four different age groups.

The event is put on by several area churches as a memorial to Trenton Rayborn, who passed away in August 2009. The annual event’s proceeds this year will go to Little League Football, Noah Laman and Brayden Taylor.

Information can be found about the event on the FacebookPage “Indian Creek Relay: Trenton Rayborn Memorial Run,” or contact Bill Hill at (606) 787-5382.

Glow the Night Run: Oct. 25

The Glow The Night Run is actually a running series that takes place throughout the country and it’s coming to Casey County at the Ag/Expo Center this month. You may have heard of The Color Run before… so imagine this, but all of the color glowing at night!

“You will get completely covered in glowrific color dust with friends, family and silly strangers, while focusing more on the different color fun and participating in the three mile course, at night, under the cool glow of black lights,” says the official website. Participants are encouraged to wear white clothing to allow the color to show off at its fullest.

The course is three miles and coming to Liberty is quite the big deal. The other October events will be taking place in Minneapolis, Dayton, and Indianapolis. Lexington hosted a Glow the Night run in early September.

The event is being hosted by the local Relay for Life team, “Bertha’s Buddies” and will benefit Casey County’s Relay for Life. Those interested can still register for the race at a discounted price before Oct. 12. Visit www.glowthenight5k.com for more information and to register.

Sports Talk: Volley for a Cure

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Sept. 25, 2013.

It’s quite the week in Casey County. The football team is gearing up for the first district game while also enjoying homecoming festivities. Golf teams are preparing for their regional tournament and there is no way to overlook the abundance of fun that comes with Apple Festival week.

But there is another big event taking place this Thursday that should not be overlooked: Volley for a Cure.

The VolleyRebs’ annual event is taking place this Thursday when they host Pulaski County, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The event offers shirts to the first 100 supporters and a silent auction will take place. All of the proceeds from the night are set to benefit Casey County’s Relay for Life program.

In the past, the event has benefitted the Susan G. Koman foundation, but the team has decided to keep the money close to home and put it directly to the local program helping those we know and love fight the battle of cancer.

Hearing someone has a form of cancer is becoming more and more common for everyone. Sometimes it is someone you only know by name or know is related to someone else you know; other times it hits very, very close to home. As head Volleyball coach Veronica Sengkhamyong said to me, it’s hard to find anyone who has not been affected by cancer in some way—especially breast cancer.

The VolleyRebs are also inviting all cancer survivors to attend the event and be recognized. It’s important to never overlook the amazing odds these people beat when they take on the battle with cancer. Every day is a gift for them and is a gift to those who love them. They’ve gone through something that someone like myself has never had to face, and, God willing, never will.

It’s a busy week in the county, but if possible I encourage you to come to Thursday night’s volleyball game at the high school and support the cause, the team, the research, the survivors and those currently fighting for their lives.                 

Sports Talk: Rebel sports coverage back on local radio station

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Sept. 11, 2013.   
 
Have you made it out to Rebel field for a game this season? Maybe yes, maybe no. Schedules don’t always work out with how busy we all are these days. Here’s the good news, though, if you weren't aware: you can always tune into live Rebel action, thanks to WKDO.

I was extremely excited to find out that our local radio station was going to again be following the team to both home and away games to give all fans the opportunity to cheer Casey on from their homes or  work or even while on the road. 

Since I have only been living in Casey County again for the past two and a half years, I am not sure when radio broadcasts for some of our sport teams ceased, but I remember it being a regular part of my high school career.  I made it to a lot of events as a student but, especially during basketball season, I missed a lot of the men’s games due to having my own busy schedule managing the girls’ team. It was nice to have the option to tune into the games from home and hear my friends’ names being announced and be in on the big moments and close games.

I know Classic Country cannot carry all of our sports teams, but I am very glad they are bringing back football and basketball. I am actually due with our first child in October, meaning life is bound to get more hectic and traveling to Rebel sporting events is only going to get more complicated. Hearing the news that more of them would be broadcast on the radio was extra exciting.

Let’s not overlook the fact this happening is not thanks to WKDO alone. A lot of our local businesses are the ones making this possible by sponsoring the broadcasts: Casey County Bank, Don Franklin Motors, Sweet Beans n' Things, Tri-County Feeds, Save-A-Lot of Liberty, Long's Automotive & Truck Service, the Monticello Banking Company, Whited's 1547 Auto Sales and the Bread of Life Café. (This was the list posted to WKDO’s Facebook page as of Aug. 22. Apologies if there are any new sponsors I did not include.)

Be sure extend your thanks to these businesses which are helping bring Rebel sports back to the radio. This is my way of thanking the radio and all of the businesses supporting Rebel sports. And while I’m at it, I’ll say nice work to Dan Johnson and Steven Brown for their football announcing and commentary. I’m loving it and it’s even worth listening to while watching live!

Sports Talk: Running for Fun Around the Area

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published June 26, 2013.  

Late June and July bring some of our hottest days of the year, so thinking of being outside and breaking a sweat from physical activity may not be exactly appealing to most people. A raft floating in the pool with a cold drink or a trip to the lake definitely sounds 10x more refreshing.

However, taking advantage of the cooler mornings is always a rewarding way to start the day. I love seeing the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle becoming a bigger part of our community. The young running group that has been working out together the past month is such a turn around from what I had to train and run with ten years ago. I made semi-regular trips to Danville just to find running partners.

The additions of Back and Body as well as the walking/running trail connecting downtown to the Ag/Expo center in the past several years have brought great motivation and convenience to the county for making fitness a part of our lives. It’s no longer uncommon to see runners of any age getting in their daily mileage on the streets of Liberty. Today I even saw bikers out and about.

If you have not yet done so, sign up for Liberty’s 5K on the morning of July 4, which kicks of the county’s Independence Day festivities.  Sure, 8 a.m. may be an early activity for a holiday, but (a) nobody wants to be running once the sun gets high; (b) you always feel good when you’ve completed such a big task by 9 a.m.; (c) the company is great!

With running growing in our community, it’s also growing around us. Right now Casey County has four regular runs a year (July 4, Apple Festival, Turkey Trot and Cabin Fever), which I am thrilled about. Meanwhile, on practically any given weekend, it’s not hard to find a nearby 5K to kick off your Saturday. (I’m sorry to report we’re too late for the Twinkie Run in Danville held yesterday.)

Upcoming area runs include:

JULY

4: Casey County Liberty Bell 5K Run/Walk, 8 a.m. at Courthouse Square

6: Firecracker 5K, 8 a.m. Stanford (Main Street)

13: Rockcastle 5 Miler, 8 a.m. Mt. Vernon (Renfro Valley)

20: Bluegrass State Games 10K/5K, 8 a.m. Nicholasville

27: Jingle in July 5K, 8 a.m. Lancaster (Garrard County High School)

AUGUST

3: Coach Plummer’s 5K Run, 8 a.m. Danville (Admiral Stadium)

10: Run with All Your Hart/Walk , 8:30 CDT Russell Springs (Russell County Auditorium)

10: Dash for Life 5K, 8 a.m. Junction City (Junction City Park)

17: Run Bike Hike, 8 a.m. Mt. Vernon (Lake Linville)

17: Bluegrass Drug Run for Camp Can Do 5K Run/Walk + Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. Danville (Ponder Court)

24: Pigskin Classic 5K and 1 Miler, 9 p.m. Danville (Admiral Stadium)

31: Run for the Pets 5K/15K, 8 a.m. Burgin (Shawnee Run Baptist Church)

SEPTEMBER

7: Smokin’ Butt Ride, 9 a.m. Danville, (Downtown)

15: Constitution Run for the Arts 5K, Danville (Constitution Square)

21: CASA Superhero Run 5K and Kids 1K, 9 a.m. Lexington (Coldstream Park)

28: Hope 53 5K Run/Walk, 8:30 a.m. Danville (Millenium Park)

A great resource and “in” to a wonderful running community is Danville Bike and Footwear. Their website (www.dbfky.com) includes a calendar of many of the local runs as well as a pretty complete listing of races taking place throughout the state.

I speak from personal experience and connections when I say those in the running community just north of us are fantastic people and encourage those of our own running community to connect with this group.

For more information about the Liberty Bell 5K visit www.libertykentucky.org.