Monday's Featured 5k of the Week - Stephen Smith Family Fun Run

First things first - GO BOSTON MARATHONERS!!!

This is a timed event, but is open for runners and walkers alike. Both are very welcome and walkers start at the same time – just behind the runners. Very walker friendly – very runner friendly, too.

This event raises money for the First Candle Foundation which specializes in helping babies “thrive and survive”, spending money on research on stillborn and miscarriages, providing funding to those in need, and providing support services for those impacted. This event is named after such a child and is put on by the very courageous and uplifting Smith family. The Smith family has experienced such loss and instead of giving up, they continue to try, and instead of just hiding away, they have used the tragedy to create this event to raise money for First Candle. This is a very strong couple with enduring faith and the courage to turn something bad into something helpful. They personally open the event with their story and the story of First Candle. They are welcoming to everybody who registers and they put on “a brave face” for all during the event. I knew little about First Candle and even less about the Smith family when I registered for this event (at the suggestion of a friend). Now that I have, I am glad I met the Smith’s and am glad I have learned about First Candle.

The race itself is a memorial race, but not only to Stephen Smith, but to all families impacted by similar loss. Throughout the course, the names and dates of other babies are listed. A touching tribute to those families and a touching memory of their children. It also serves as an inspirational reminder of why the event is held and the money being raised for First Candle and all of the good that organization does.

The course starts at a Frankfort school, circles through the lot, takes a path along 80th Avenue briefly, then heads back towards the park, past a few wetlands/ponds, in between some backyards (which is actually kinda cool running between well-kept backyards as kids and some adults cheer), and then back along a path on 80th Avenue for nearly 3 quarters of a mile, then a quick jaunt back behind the school for a few rights and lefts then re-appearing to the public eye for a sprint to the finish. A very cool course with a great mixture of scenery from parking lot to play lot to wetlands to backyards to traffic. All of the locations provide motivation for keeping the pace up – don’t want to slow as people are watching from their backyards, don’t want to be caught going slow as cars drive by – and the quick jaunt behind the school at full pace is just flat out fun. The course is primarily flat with some very minor inclines here and there, but nothing to really mention.

The race is very well organized and includes a voluntary raffle of donated items. Speaking of voluntary – there are plenty of volunteers throughout the course to keep everybody on course. There is not even one second where there is a question of where to go next – well done!! Also, kudos to the Police Department who directed traffic quite well, given the splits in groups on the course!

This year was the 2nd annual – here is their facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/stephensmithrun?fref=ts