Think your route is tough? Try running in a combat zone, like these soldiers will do during the Bittersweet 5K "Shadow Run"

Lt. Jacob Kruer runs a 5K at Camp Phoenix in Afghanistan. The route is practically an obstacle course, as you'll discover in the article below.. Soldiers at Camp Phoenix will participate in Mt. Vernon's Bittersweet 5K during a "shadow run" — where they run the same race at the same distance and at approximately the same time.

When you run the Bittersweet 5K in downtown Mount Vernon Oct. 5, you'll be joined by a group you won't actually see. 

The best way to think of them is to imagine they're running behind you. Not because they're necessarily slower — but because they've got your back. 

Soldiers at Camp Phoenix in Afghanistan will participate in the Bittersweet 5K during what’s called a “shadow run.” Lt. Jacob Kruer contacted us a few months ago to ask if we’d be interested in his unit doing such a run in conjunction with our race. It works like this: they simply run the same race at the same distance at approximately the same time we do. They’ll even get Bittersweet T-shirts, thanks to our friends at Surge Promotions, who provided the shirts at a significant discount. The idea is to give the soldiers a little connection to home and the framework of an actual race. We will exchange photos with them so we can both see how each others’ races went. Be sure to stay tuned to Rockcastle Regional’s Facebook page.

Kentucky, Rockcastle are on the move

We're more active in 2011 than in 2001

Finally, there is good news in the commonwealth, and it has nothing to do with next year’s recruiting class. Something noteworthy has been happening for 10 years, and we learned in July what it was.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation released a study measuring the change in physical activity of Americans, and Kentuckians are among tops in the nation for increasing the amount of exercise they get. You read that right, and it bears repeating: Of all the states in the country, Kentucky was among the best, if not the best, when it came to increasing physical activity from 2001 through 2011.

Mayor taking it a mile at a time

Usually if the locals say the mayor is running again, they’re talking about politics. But if you’ve heard people use the phrase lately about Livingston Mayor Jason Medley, they really are talking about running, literally.

At age 35, Medley has decided it’s time he got himself physically fit, and he’s challenging residents of Livingston and all of Rockcastle County to do the same. He’ll participate in the 4^th annual Livingston Leap Aug. 31, and he has issued the town’s first-ever Mayor’s Fitness Challenge. The names of those who finish ahead of him in the race will be put in a drawing for a cash prize of $50.

My Race Day at the Rockcastle Regional Duathlon

First, let me say that this is one of my favorite races of the year and I’m already looking forward to next year’s race.  The race would probably be considered a sprint duathlon – consisting of a 5K (3.1-mile) run, a 16.7-mile bike ride, and then finishing with a 2.2-mile run.  The first run is flat and runs along the shore of Lake Linville, the ride is through the rolling hills of Rockcastle County with a couple of pretty tough climbs thrown in for good measure, and the last run is along the opposite shore of Lake Linville.

My race strategy for the initial 5K was simple – find one of the Bullen brothers and try to keep him in sight for as long as possible.  It worked out just as I had planned: just as one of them faded into the distance, another one blew by me with a few hundred yards to go to the finish.  They guaranteed me a good starting time on the first leg of the race.

My Journey from Couch to Duathlon

It was a dark and cold February evening....somewhere a dog howled....and I was attending the Couch to 5K program at the Rockcastle Regional Hospital. In the years since I finished pharmacy school I had let my weight inch up to well over 200 pounds and I had decided to try to do something to turn that trend around. The program was well attended as a standing room only crowd filled the new presentation room on the third floor of the hospital. We heard from physical therapists, dietitians and many other knowledgeable people on what it would take for each of us to extract our butts from the living room couch and complete our first 5K run (3.1 miles for those of you metrically challenged). We were given printouts, planning schedules, diet tips, and other very useful information to help us complete this challenge. It must have worked quite well, as the Rockcastle County Wide Stride races had banner years in 2012 and 2013.