Meet My New Running Companion!

Okay, I couldn't resist...I wanted to let all of my half-marathon buddies know about the newest runner in the Conkling family! Braxton Cade Conkling arrived Oct. 13, weighing in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces. We're all doing great - and mommy can't wait to start running in the coming weeks with the double-BOB stroller! Hope everyone has had a terrific fall running season. Enjoy the dip in temps...there's nothing like a cold morning run to clear out the lungs and wake you up! - Amy, AKA Mama on the Run

Two Weeks Out: To Taper or Not To Taper?

We're less than two weeks away from the first-ever half marathon in Hutchinson. Are you excited to be a part of history in the making?!

Our executive committee and planning committee are working hard to make sure this event is top-notch and one that you'll mark on your calendar year after year. We're up to about 250 participants...with that number multiplying by the day! THANK YOU for participating in our event as we raise funds for Hutchinson Recreation Commission youth scholarships and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hutchinson. There's no doubt your race entry fee will be going toward TWO wonderful worthy causes and organizations!

That said, is everyone ready to run?! Some of you may be in taper mode, running your final double-digit or longer run this past weekend. Others of you may be using the Run for the Rocks as your final long run before you head off to a full marathon in October or later in the fall. Either way, we encourage you to keep listening to that body!

I don't know about you, but taper time seems to be the most difficult part of the training program! Runner's World and other publications say it's tough for most other runners, too. Your body doesn't feel quite right not pushing to the extreme. You're getting anxious, jittery, and don't know what to do with the extra "free" time as you tone down the miles. Keep on resting! From personal experience, it took me several races to figure out that tapering is GOOD for the body (such a simple concept, yet so difficult to grasp!). Personally I have run my best races and times when I've followed my training plan - all the way through to the taper time.

Enjoy, relax, hydrate, and stretch in these final days leading up to Run for the Rocks. We want to see you happy, healthy, and READY come race day on Sept. 25!

Happy running - and tapering!
Amy, AKA Mama on the Run

Check Out Our Bling Bling!

Here is what our age division winners will receive during our awards ceremony at Run for the Rocks! Our trophies are unique in that they're actual salt rocks from the Hutchinson salt mines. They've been carefully selected by staff from Underground Vaults and Storage - after all, they're the experts! Special thanks to UVS for donating the rocks.

Youth from the Boys and Girls Clubs vocational program have been putting their own touches on the trophies, too. They're carefully crafting the wooden bases and working on other trophy details so they're ready for race day. Special thanks to them as they use their talents for our event!

We'll have more bling to show you in the coming weeks....hint: it's the bling that all finishers will receive!

Until then, have a great Labor Day weekend. Celebrate the cool-down we're expecting with a RUN (I know I will!).

- Amy, AKA Mama on the Run

We Want YOU...

...to volunteer at our first-ever Salt City Run for the Rocks! (that is, if you're not already participating!). An event of this magnitude requires several dedicated and trustworthy volunteers to help us out along the course and at the finish line.

If you haven't done so already, let me encourage you to fill our our super duper easy volunteer form online at www.runfortherocks.com. I'll be following up with our volunteers and letting them know where their location is come race day. That said, if you have any questions, feel free to let me know at aconkling@hutchrec.com or give me a call at Hutch Rec, (620) 663-6179. I'd love to have you join our volunteer team!

- Amy, AKA Mama on the Run

Cross-training with a Triathlon

I admit it...I would be a run-only type of gal if I could. But I can't. And I shouldn't. So I don't (grudgingly). Study after study has shown the benefits of cross training and not running every day. But if you're like me, nothing - and I mean nothing! - beats the feeling after nice, long run!

As I enter my eighth month of pregnancy, I'm having to scale back the running (more like run-walking these days) and do more cross-training. It kills me...but I know it's good for my body and good for the babe as we enter the last two months of "marathon training."

One of the best ways runners can cross-train is with swimming and biking. I find this personally to be true - and also professionally as I just finished coordinating my largest special event of the year for Hutch Rec, the Salty Dog Triathlon (held last weekend!). I hear story after story of those run-only types who decide to take the plunge (literally) and add swimming and biking to their exercise routines. They start competing in triathlons (several of them do our Salty Dog) and have fallen in LOVE with the variation it brings to their workouts!

So, runners, I'd encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and test drive swimming and biking on your cross-training or easy days. You just might find a new event to train for!

5K gets me on my way...

My family and I were planning on attending a parade together as part of a small town community festival last weekend when I learned there would also be an early morning 5K.  Even though I know I'm a distance runner and certainly not a 5K runner... I decided to register 20 minutes before the race and then just finish the rest of my long run after the race.  I told myself it would be fun! AND a good practice for race day conditions even if there were less than 200 runners and it was just part of my morning run.  There would still be an anxious starting line, a gun start, cheering people and a finish line.  As I was lining up at the start I noticed the high school cross country runners who I certainly wouldn't see again after the first few blocks (because I would be eating their dust - not the other way around!), I saw the serious runners with hands poised to push the start button on their watches and heart rate monitors (okay so I did this too) and I saw the walkers with strollers too - and I smiled and decided to just enjoy the run!  Don't you love running in a new place?  I do - its the best. As it turns out, I finished respectably, 2nd in my age division, and ran about 7 minute miles!  Yep - that's me smiling at my ability to surprise myself; smiling because I'm done (not really, I still had 6 more miles to go for my training run, but hey - who's counting) and smiling because I was just happy - runners high I guess.  I know that my half marathon and marathon goal times are much closer 9 minute miles, but in that moment I was still happy.  Running a race for me isn't about knowing where I'll finish or dreading having the high school cross country team beat me; its all about just doing the best I can do on that day in that race in that moment.  This 5K certainly put me on my way to believing that on race day I'll smile no matter what. I hope you will too!

Oh, Baby!

Ever since hubs and I found out we were expecting #2, we just knew we wanted a BOB Duallie stroller to put both of our sweet babes in. My parents graciously blessed us with a BOB Ironman stroller with our daughter and LOVED it. I drooled over it for months and was pleased as punch when low and behold I received the stroller a few months before she arrived two years ago.

Fast forward two years, and we've been searching for a BOB Duallie that we love. We opted for the Revolution model (I think with two babes on board the swivel/lock wheel option will work better), but we couldn't swallow the hefty $650 price tag for a brand new one. I stalked eBay and Craig's List for months.....until last week.

On a whim I checked Wichita-area Craig's List and JACKPOT! A few days and e-mails/phone calls later, and we're the proud new owners of a bright orange BOB Duallie stroller. We got it for almost half the price and it's a 2009 model. I'm telling you, the BOB joggers are the mecca of all jogging strollers....and they re-sell like Hondas or Toyotas in the car world.

I just had to share with you runners my steal of a deal! And that while the miles at 7 months pregnant are getting more and more difficult, I look forward to the day when I can wheel my two babes around. Talk about a resistance workout!

It's all in due time, I suppose.

In the meantime, I'll be running "long" runs with you all, wishing I was in your shoes and pulling those double-digit weekend runs. Happy running!

- Amy, AKA Mama on the Run

Training right along with you...

The one and only downside to being a race director... not being able to run in the race you are planning!  I'm hoping on race day that I'll be so busy and so excited watching all of you run the race and cross the finish line that I won't have time to feel like I'm missing out.  I'll be a part of the race day fervor I'm sure. 

But in the mean time - I've made a commitment to train along with you.  I've been out running no doubt, but honestly I've been a bit reluctant to share how things are going sometimes (and really busy too!).  I've realized though that I'm probably not alone... training rarely ever goes perfectly or exactly how you plan right?  Today's run was a great one; one that I wished I could run every time my feet hit the pavement. The morning was still a bit cool from the night and I was up at 5:45 as planned.  I ate two slices of toast and started hydrating. I got dressed, remembered everything I needed; gum, lip balm, iPhone, head-phones, heart rate monitor and water (yes - I do in fact NEED these things!) and set out.  As I set off I left happy (maybe that's important...). I realized I had in fact gotten up really early, the morning wasn't sweltering, I wasn't melting (well okay - I was a little), I wouldn't run out of water, I had plenty of energy... I made it the 13 miles I planned and a ran just over what I hope will be race pace.  It felt great.  Good enough to be brave enough to tell you about the morning runs that didn't go great...

I always plan to be up to 5:30 to avoid the heat and have time to eat a good breakfast and get ready for work.  More times than I want to admit - 5:30 gets snoozed or ignored and it becomes 6:30 or even 7:00.  I start late, it gets hot, I forgot to eat something or forgot to grab a drink before heading out because I was so tired, hurried and worried about the "late" hour...  those kinds of mornings never make for great runs for me.  On those days, I don't really want to check my watch each mile to gauge my pace - but I do... On those days, I don't really want to go the distance I planned because that means running faster than I think I can - but I try and it doesn't always go well... On those days, I run out of water, or forget it entirely, and then get a bit dehydrated and a bit grumpy for the rest of the day - but I still keep putting one foot in front of the other.  And I bet you do too.

Training for me isn't ever perfect. But, I'm trying to remember that though many of us are following our own plans and have our own goals; our experiences are probably being shared, even if only in spirit.  So I'm training with you now and I'll be running with you on race day - even if it is only in spirit.

A ride with USATF course certifier Clark Ensz

As I set off last Wednesday on my bicycle to meet Clark Ensz, I was truly grateful for the overcast sky and the only cool morning weather we have had in weeks. It was a bit humid, but still cool and I was ready to see the course from the luxury of my bicycle! I admit... even after running the course, walking the course and using iMapMyRUN (my favorite app!) to GPS measure the course; I still embarked on this journey not knowing for sure if my calculations were accurate and if the starting line would be where I anticipated. That’s right - I said the starting line. This method of measurement from the finish line was new to me too. Clark educated me on this subject and explained that when measuring a course for certification; it is generally easier to measure from the finish as most races have a definite location they want to finish and a slightly more flexible starting line. Okay, I had already learned something - the process of measuring a course for certification was interesting, fun AND educational!

Clark and I began by choosing the North 30 yard line in Gowan's Stadium for the finish line to give runners roughly 3/4 of a lap inside the stadium to soak up all the cheers and encouragement from the anxiously waiting crowds at the finish. We them took a journey along the sidewalks around Hutchinson Community College, the Kansas Cosmosphere and Hutchinson High School before crossing 17th Street then Plum Street to enter the State Fair Grounds. Clark and I then enjoyed a tour of the State Fair Grounds before exiting to the Hyde Park and Old Farm Estates Neighborhoods. After stopping and marking mile after mile I only half kidded Clark that I thought his bike should have a sign indicating to honking impatient traffic that "this vehicle makes frequent stops." Clark only smiled and said he really didn't pay much attention any more to heckling and honking after years and years of measuring courses. He told me his favorite experience actually included a police escort! Can you imagine that?!? After we entered Rice Park, we cruised along the JPM Sunflower trail to Carey Park. Once we had about half of a mile left, I started getting really nervous... Would the Starting Line be where I had guessed/planed/hoped? We had to find a way to get off the trail and onto a low traffic road so that runners would have at least half a mile of road to get spaced out before entering the wide trail. As it turned out - all my worry was for nothing. Clark calmly suggested a place to enter the road and confidently told me that he was fairly certain the Start would end up in the Salt City Splash parking lot... just as we had discussed. Sure enough, just as we planned, the starting line is in the perfect spot! Plenty of staging area, very close to parking and park restrooms! Yea! Mission Accomplished. I can officially say now that our certification is pending (all part of the process!).

Want to view the course map?  You can get a good look on our webiste at www.runfortherocks.com or at MapMyFitness.com http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/40156036

We're Still Here - Promise!

Hello, everyone!

Sorry for the delay in blogging. We're still here. In fact, we're swamped with race details and work right now...so it's a good thing! :)

All of our printed marketing materials are complete. If you'd like race posters, registration brochures, or sponsorship brochures, feel free to e-mail Amy at aconkling@hutchrec.com and she can get you the materials you need! We appreciate your support of this event and are even more appreciative of you spreading the word. Also...make sure to friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and then share the love with your social networking friends!

Can't wait for more details to unfold and tell you about our exciting updates. More to come soon! For now, hang in there with the heat and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

- Amy, AKA Mama on the Run

We're Trucking Along!

Happy Friday, everyone!

It's a great day, as our planning committee is meeting later this morning. Always a fun time when you're surrounded by running and fitness enthusiasts - even better when we're working together for a common cause....to benefit the youth of Hutchinson!

We hope that you're doing well in the heat that only summers in Kansas can provide. I'm still amazed that we never really experienced spring this year.

Speaking of the heat...how is everyone doing with their runs and training programs? We're about 12 weeks out to our big race - a common time when training programs kick in! Check out our training information for tips. Another excellent resource is the Runner's World Smart Coach (go to www.runnersworld.com). I have used this FREE tool for a variety of races - from 10Ks to half-marathons to the full marathon. I love it because it's not only FREE, but it allows you to create your own workout regimen that fits your lifestyle. You plug in the info, and it does the rest. Glorious!

Feel free to share your tips in our comments section or e-mail me at aconkling@hutchrec.com. Who knows? Your tips could appear on our Website!

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate in these hot summer days, fellow runners. And you've heard it before, but I'll "preach" it again - try to get your workouts in during the early morning hours or late evening hours, but be safe when doing it!

Have a great weekend, everyone!
Amy

Running for the Rocks in Spirit...

Being a Co-Race Director for the Run for the Rocks has really been a dream come true.  The only thing I miss - the excitement of training for the race.  Today I had a revelation, an epiphany, a "ah-ha" moment... just because I'm not running it, doesn't mean I can't train right along with all the runners training for the Run for the Rocks. I'll run the race with you in spirit!  But know - I'll be training with you for real!  Check back, I'll keep you posted on how training is going for me and I hope you will share how training is going for you!

New Shoes!

I love how my birthday falls in June. One of the biggest reasons? New running shoes! I can always ask for new running shoes for my birthday in June and again at Christmas. Depending on the year, I squeeze in an extra pair somewhere in between, but there's nothing like new shoes to celebrate your birthday or the holidays.

There's also nothing like the feeling of new shoes! You don't know how much you need them until you actually wear them. This morning I carefully laced up my beautiful Asics GT 2160's that my hubbie and daughter so carefully picked out for me at Sport Shack. The shoes smelled fresh and new - just waiting for a couple of miles to be put on them.

What's your favorite running shoe? Are you loyal to one brand and style of shoe, or do you simply goes for what fits best at the time? In my early running days I preferred Nikes, but they just didn't work when I started upping the miles. That's when I made the switch to the Asics 2100 series...and haven't looked back! Runner's World has some great shoe and gear reviews if you're ever in the shoe-buying market.

Have a great weekend running, everyone! Remember to check out our website at http://www.runfortherocks.com/for the latest updates on Run for the Rocks!

- Amy

Early Bird Birthday Present!

Good morning, everyone!
How did your extended weekend go? Besides the monsterous wind - and a little bit o' heat - it was a great weekend for some running. I know I soaked up the sun and went out for my go-to form of exercise this weekend!

Just a reminder that our special early bird registration rate of $45 goes through noon on June 1st (that's tomorrow!). It's an easy day to remember....because it's my 28th birthday! :) Just think of it as my birthday present to YOU! Registration is easy...simply go to www.runfortherocks.com and register. You can either pay by credit card with a PayPal account, or you can send a check in after you register online. The choice is yours!

Oh, and ANOTHER great thing going on June 1st? It's National Running Day! Yep, a glorious day where you can celebrate being a runner and hitting the pavement (or trails). I know nothing makes my birthday better than a nice run - but it's going to have even more meaning now that it falls on a "national" running holiday! :)

Keep on trucking along and take advantage of these cooler mornings before the heat wave comes. You know what I'm talking about - the heat and humidity that only Kansas in late June/July/August/(and September) can bring!

- Amy (AKA - Mama on the Run)

Are you motivated to Run for the Rocks?

Has anyone ever told you that you couldn’t do something, accomplish something or laughed at a goal you have?  Do you tell yourself that you can’t accomplish something – like running a half-marathon perhaps?

I used to be influenced by others in that regard too.  Now I use doubts as motivation when it comes to running.  Weather that doubt comes from inside or from someone else; I have gradually learned to use doubt as motivation to accomplish any goal I set out to achieve.  If someone expresses doubt… I can’t help it; I ABSOLUTELY will accomplish whatever challenge is being doubted! 

My husband is a wonderful man, but sometimes he forgets (or rather hasn’t learned!) that telling me I “probably can’t” or even “probably won’t want to” do something is like a directive to go and do just that – at least when it comes to running, cycling, hiking, etc.  (I know this wouldn’t work on me with on, say the laundry, so don’t try it!) Last weekend I was pretty determined to run to the lake about 15 miles away from our house, but it was really windy and gloomy.  My husband came in from getting the mail and said “honey I don’t know if you’re going to make it to the lake today, it is really windy and kinda chilly…”  I’m not sure if he knew it right as he said it or not, but I could tell pretty quickly that he knew he said precisely the wrong thing.  I WAS going to go and I WAS going to make it and he WAS going to pick me up when I go there darn it!  Silly… maybe.  Determined to do it anyway… yes. Tenacious… definitely.

I didn’t care that that 15 miles was hard and that the wind beat me down.  I was motivated every step of the way just because I was so determined to prove I could.  I relished making that phone call saying “I’m a mile from the lake, if you leave now to pick me up you can meet me there!”  I admit I do take this to the extreme.  I didn’t have to run that distance to that place on that day, but I did it for myself.

If you are thinking about running the Run for the Rocks half marathon, but haven’t run one before, or have other doubts, don’t talk yourself out of it!  Don’t let you or anyone else tell you that you can’t accomplish something you want to achieve.  Use that doubt as motivation.  If you train and tell yourself you can do it, I know you can run this race and accomplish anything else you set your mind to (even if your husband would prefer you set your mind to laundry!)

We Have a Website!

Ahh.......

We're all breathing in and out now, as our Website launched this afternoon! Check out www.runfortherocks.com for race information. Of course we don't have all details, but will be updating frequently - so bookmark us or add us as a favorite on your computer!

Special thanks to LogicMaze for creating a great design. Simple, effective, fun - a perfect combo! Feel free to let us know about the site. You'll find some great features such as an interactive course map and more.

Have a great weekend!

- Amy

Proud Race Moments

What's one of your proudest race moments?

I have a few - but one of the greatest ones has to be crossing the finish line of the 2010 Chicago Marathon. (the left-side pic includes my handsome hubbie, darling daughter, and me post-race!)

When I was about 11 weeks pregnant with my daughter, I had some complications that put a halt on my running. I was beyond disappointed, as I had envisioned being one of "those" pregnant mamas running on her delivery day.

Seven months later, in early September 2009, I was able to run again - and it was completely liberating! (I'm sorry, but the power walking, stationary biking, swimming, and elliptical just didn't cut it while pregnant. Something was missing!). I knew during the short jaunt (that hurt like crazy and was slower than slow) that I absolutely wanted to run another marathon, this time post-baby.

My husband and I ran our first full marathon in Wichita 2007. It wasn't the greatest race...he said never again, I said maybe again. The maybe's one out after those seven months off from running. I craved the sport even more and knew just how fortunate I was to be able to do it on a regular basis. So many people desire to run but cannot due to various circumstances.

But back to Chicago....

I stayed up until midnight on Feb. 1st just so I could make sure to register when it opened up online. Several months (and miles) later, I crossed the finish line...beating my previous marathon time by 2 minutes in 90-degree heat. (Several of us runners wanted to go faster, but when the temps reached 90 degrees by the 18-mile marker, we threw our PR's out the window and went into survival mode).

Crossing that finish line meant more than finishing a race. It meant that I had accomplished a goal I had set out to do - to finish a marathon post-baby. To plug away at endless miles (mostly on my own) during Kansas's hot and humid summer months. To soak in the fun city of Chicago by foot.

I'm pregnant again - this time, due in October. And while I won't be running any marathons or half-marathons during those "magical marathon months" (September, October, and November), I'll definitely be craving to do one next year. Until then...I just trek along, joyous at the fact that I can still run at 15 weeks pregnant and looking forward to several more weeks of (slow!) run-walk combos.

What are some of your proud running moments? Feel free to comment or share in your own blog - and then let us know so we can read them!

- Amy

Website Updates

Happy Thursday, fellow runners!

Can I first just say how WONDERFUL this week has been weather-wise? I went out this morning for one of the most blissful runs weather-wise in weeks. Shorts, long sleeve tee, no wind...perfect for this running mama!

We're plugging along with the Website and are putting finishing touches on it right now. Our launch date is set for next week. Just call us NASA - hopefully without the launch delays that so often times happen!

Anyone have big races coming up this weekend or in the coming weeks? As I mentioned earlier, it's the most perfect time of the year (in my opinion...next to fall, of course) to be running outdoors!

Until next time...happy running!

- Amy, AKA Mama on the Run

Run for the Rocks...On Course

Have I mentioned how THRILLED I am to say that a great half-marathon course in Hutchinson (that avoids all railroad crossings while being fast, flat, scenic and interesting) does exist and we have found it!  The course begins in Carey Park meandering past the golf course, the Hutchinson Zoo and the famous fountain where the course connects with the Jim P. Martinez Trail.  The inviting (and paved) Martinez Trail follows the Arkansas River and Cow Creek offering fantastic views and beautiful Kansas scenery.  Upon exiting the Martinez Trail the halfway point will approach at Rice Park.  Rice Park is family friendly park with more than a mile of meandering paths that will offer great spectator views.  After leaving Rice Park the course runs through the charming Old Farm Estates and Hyde Park neighborhoods before entering the Kansas State Fair Grounds.  The course tour of the State Fair Grounds will take runners by Lake Talbot and other nostalgic spots like Ye Old Mill and the Grandstands.  As runners traverse the last miles the course loops around past the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center and the Hutchison Community College Campus to finish at Gowan Stadium amongst cheering crowds!

I’m already envisioning what it will be like to watch runners cross the finish line of this course.  Will the runners be as excited about the course and crossing the finish line at the inaugural Run for the Rocks as we will be to watch them?  The Run for the Rocks planning committee certainly hopes so and is hard at work to making this race one to remember, one to love and one to come back to.

We Have a Logo!

Don't you just love this logo?! It's a combination of talents, but major props go to Ruth and her crew at Advertising Specialties in Hutchinson.

We hope you're starting to get excited for the first-ever half-marathon in Hutchinson. We just launched our Facebook fan page, so check it out - it's under Run for the Rocks (simple, huh?!).

Let us know your thoughts - I'm always one to hear input on how we can market better!

Stay tuned for our Website....that's our next item to launch.

Go out for a run today - it's the perfect weather, plus you won't have to face the 40 mph wind gusts they're anticipating for Friday.

Happy Thursday!

- Amy, AKA Mama on the Run

Finding a Course

Recently one of my “running dreams” has become a reality… I’m helping plan a race!  And it isn’t just any race; it is my favorite distance benefiting two of my favorite causes.   To my intense delight, The Salt City “Run for the Rocks” half-marathon came about as a joint benefit for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hutchinson and the Hutchinson Recreation Commission.  Being a part of the planning process is everything I hoped it would be and much much more… 

As I exuberantly set out to test run (pun intended!) different course possibilities, the prevalence of railroad crossings in Hutchinson slowly began to mar my joy...  If you live in or around Hutchinson, KS, if you have even been late to an appointment in Hutchinson, if you have ever waited on one train and then three blocks later waited on another - then you understand why the “Run for the Rocks” was almost called the “Railroad Crossing Avoidance Run.”  Well, not really; that title was never a serious contender outside of my own musings.  However, I certainly had thoughts of that title each time I encountered an unanticipated crossing after thinking to myself “Ah-ha! This is the perfect course….” 

Despite the many crestfallen expressions I had at unanticipated railroad crossings, I still had an “Ah-ha,”… I can run through, in (or around!) almost anything.  Never before has running had such an interesting purpose for me.  Finding the perfect course that is fast and flat, safe without railroad crossings, while still being scenic and interesting… really tough, time consuming and definitely worth the wait.  With much help from RFR committee members and quite a few test runs…  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  Run for the Rocks boasts a great course that suits Salt City, and runners, perfectly.

Welcome!

Hello, fellow runners!

Can we first say how EXCITED we are that a half-marathon is coming to Hutchinson?! It's about time!

The Boys and Girls Club of Hutchinson and Hutchinson Recreation Commission have teamed up to put on the Run for the Rocks Half-Marathon on Sept. 25 in Hutchinson. Mark your calendars....our new Website (www.runfortherocks.com) will be up and running soon. Our Website will have all of the race details, plus some fun info along the way.

Join fellow runner and RFR race organizer, Little Runner on the Prairie, and myself as we blog about all things running - plus info on the upcoming race. We'd love to follow you, too. Comment and let us know if you have a blog you'd like to share. You can also check us out on Facebook under Run for the Rocks Half Marathon. Become a friend...you'll be glad you did!

Until then, keep Sept. 25 open and plan on joining us for the first-ever half-marathon in Hutchinson!

-Amy