The Race for the Place 5K...This Year's Race is More Personal Than Ever

Purple: The color of hope

The Race for the Place 5K, my race-a-versary and where I fell in love with running four years ago, is in 37 days. It's a race that is very near and dear to my heart for many reasons and I am proud to support The Gathering Place with my team, Just Keep Swimming…and Running. In the past 30 days, I have learned cancer has struck two women I went to high school with, a friend of Paul's, a sister of a woman I'm friends with, and the horrible claimed disease claimed the life of another friend's brother just last week. That's five people in 30 days! Unfortunately cancer does not discriminate and while there is no way to prevent it, we sure as heck can stand up to it and let it know we're not going to give up hope. The race in 37 days is now more personal than ever!

Every year I like to dedicate my goal race to someone. With so many people I know whose lives have been touched in some way because of cancer not just in the past 30 days but even in the past year since last year's race, it's impossible to pick just one so this year I decided to dedicate the race to all of them. As you know, I also like to have a special shirt on race day to wear for inspiration so this year I decided I'd go with my shirt design from last year and chose the color purple….the color of hope…something we should never give up on.


I would love if you'd join my team Just Keep Swimming…and Running! Not a runner? No problem, you can walk the 5K or sign up for the 1 mile walk. Visit my race page and click on my team name to join. While this is a fundraising race and it's certainly appreciated if you do, you are not required to raise money to participate like other cancer-related races so don't let that scare you away. ;-)

If you aren't able to participate in the race in person and would like to help me reach my first goal of $500, you can do so by using the "Donate" button.

My fundraising and team page can be found at:

http://bit.ly/justkeepswimmingandrunning

I hope you will join me in supporting an organization and race that is near and dear to my heart.

#racefortheplace #justkeepswimmingandrunning #nevergiveuphope

Design Services Available

Do you have an upcoming race or other event and you'd like a custom-designed shirt made for it? Perhaps you need several different shirts with the same design but different styles? I'd love to help! Contact me via my Facebook page, JKS Designs for more information.

Donation for a Good Cause: This Town is My Town Cleveland Gift Basket

I have been an adult volunteer for a youth organization called the Greater Lake County Young Marines for about 13 years. I started with the group shortly after my oldest son joined and my husband, a USMC veteran, decided to volunteer as a staff member. My son has long since left the unit and my husband stepped down from his role as XO a few years ago, and I stepped down as unit paymaster when my husband left the unit but I'm still involved as support staff and I also maintain the unit's website, unit communications, and social media presence. 

Every year our unit has a spaghetti dinner fundraiser which is coming up this weekend so I decided to donate a "This Town is My Town Cleveland" basket for the Chinese Auction on behalf of JKS Designs. I was excited when a few of my shirts arrived yesterday and I can't wait to put the rest of the basket together. I will post pictures with the "finished product" once it's complete. What do you think? I would love to hear your comments!

Visit JKS Designs on Amazon to see these and more unique designs and follow us on Facebook to receive our updates.  

#jksdesigns #glcyoungmarines #thistownismytown #bestlocationinthenation #cle #cleveland

Cardinal Pump and Chase 5K 4.8.18

The Cardinal Pump and Chase 5K benefits the Mentor High School track team which my son, Rick, is a member or. The race begins and ends on the high school track and following the local bike/exercise path. Runners get a chance to get time taken off their race time by bench pressing weights. I ran the race for the first time last year and went back and forth whether to run it again but it's one of the very few races Rick and I can do together so I decided to give a go. I am not very strong so I don't get a WHOLE lot of time off but at least I get something. I am not sure why but this race sucked the life out of me. I usually don’t have any problems after a race but I honestly did nothing but lay around all day afterward.

This was the first time running on where it wasn't completely flat in several months so I wasn't sure what to expect. My hamstring wasn’t happy with the “rolling hills”, it was freezing cold and snowing the morning of the race, I ran into the wind for about half the race, and my upper strength has not improved in a year so five minutes was all I could get for a time credit (max was 10 so I am not complaining). Two minutes slower this year but also two minutes faster than my time for a race on the same course in July. 26:44 actual run time but 21:44 with the time credit. I never looked at my watch even once and thought for sure I was practically walking by the end but my splits weren’t too shabby.

As I have mentioned, I decided earlier this year that 2018 would probably not be the year for PRs but focusing on just being happy God is still allowing me to run and this morning before I left for the race, I texted my friend whose brother is battling brain cancer and told her today’s race was for her and her brother so much unexpected second place in my AG was a super surprise and I dedicated it to them. Rick got second in his AG as well so that was cool. Very few of the XC boys can bench press enough to qualify for any time off so the majority of them do not. Nothing like getting passed by every single one of them even when you have a five minute head start. Lol.

Fun race despite the cold. Not running outside and being used to the cold air in my lungs was definitely part of my lackluster performance but the whole vibe was awesome and there is just something about being in a race where your son and the kids you cheer on during XC and track are doing the same for you whether they are working the course, passing you up, or as you enter the stadium for the finish and they are all there “waiting” for you.

Stats
26:44 (21:44 with five minute time credit)
42/130 OA
13/48 females
3/12 AG 40-49 awarded 2nd

The Best Location in the Nation ... New Design from JKS Designs Now Available!

So exciting that shortly after announcing JKS Designs a few days ago, four shirts were sold. Thank you so much for the support!!

Next up, "The Best Location in the Nation" t-shirt which incorporates another stylized version of Paul Cimino Photography / Skyland Media's cityscape taken from Edgewater Park with the popular saying known to anyone who grew up on the North Coast. Sizes available in men's, women's, and youth. Be sure to check out the other designs at bit.ly/jksdesigns. All items are Amazon Prime eligible.

As always, the original print is available for purchase as well through Skyline Media. Contact Paul for more information.

Comment below if you know what company was the first to refer to Cleveland as the "The Best Location in Nation" here on the North Coast.
 
#cleveland #justkeepswimming #jksdesigns

JKS Designs Now on Amazon!

I am very excited to announce that JKS (Just Keep Swimming) Designs is now "open" for business on Amazon. Currently I am limited to a handful of designs and shirt styles but as my brand grows in popularity, so will my offerings. =)

First up is my "This Town" t-shirt that incorporates a stylized version of Paul Cimino Photography / Skyland Media's cityscape (used with permission, of course) with the tag line "This town is my town," a familiar phrase to anyone who grew up on the North Coast. T-shirt colors coordinate with Cleveland sport teams so you can wear this unique design while you cheer on your favorite team or just want to show off your pride of being a Clevelander. Sizes available in men's, women's, and youth sizes. It's also Amazon Prime eligible.

Get one for yourself or the favorite Clevelander in your life today.