Growing up, I was never someone you would call a “runner.” In fact; I received a C in P.E. class my first year of high school by simply refusing to run the mile. Even just two years ago, I was attending the University of Louisville living on 3rd street my senior year watching the KDF mini/marathon runners from my porch thinking, “That is something I will NEVER do.” Running was something I had declared to be out of the picture for me. I would NEVER be a runner. 

At the start of the New Year, something had come over me. I wanted a new year’s resolution that would be life changing for me. A challenge, but something I would have to push myself for. I could not put my finger on what exactly that was though. I was having dinner with a sorority sister of mine, Whitney Hardesty just a few weeks after the New Year and we were catching up about all things life, and exchanging some of our new year’s resolutions with one another over sushi. Listening to Whitney talk about her past year and how running has become such a large part of her life was so inspiring to hear and listen to. She mentioned she had loved the group she ran with last year so much, she was going to be leading a new training group for the KDF mini/marathon connected with an organization called Kids Cancer Alliance. As I was listening to her and watching her eyes light up with passion for this newfound hobby, I started thinking… “This could be my new year’s resolution” but I was hesitant to mention my thoughts about running the mini since Whitney had just completed not just one mini marathon but also a FULL marathon within a years’ time! I knew that if I mentioned something she would make me follow through with it and there would be no turning back… so I hesitated…. but then I did it. After leaving dinner that night I decided, I am doing this thing! 

Joining the Kids Cancer Alliance group was the best decision I made! The constant support via email, Facebook groups, and text message was outstanding and kept me going every step of the way. Attending the group runs throughout the week and on Saturdays, running alongside teammates who had come from a very similar background in running as me was extremely reassuring whenever I had self-doubts. Although we may have started the journey for different reasons, we all finished with a single motivating factor and that was the kids. From start to finish, we all knew that we had to keep running no matter how tired or how sore we were because we had to do it for those who cannot. Let me actually reword that – we GET to do it for those who cannot. I truly did not think at the end of this I would consider running another 13.1 miles but after the overwhelming feeling that came over me after crossing that finish line, I can confidently say I will be back again and I will be back with KCA. Raising money and running for those who cannot, because I can. 

For the Kids. 

Julia Rukavina