We’ve been busy lately between travel and runs, so I’m sharing updates on three different races we’ve completed since the Groundhog Run in February. Each one has been a different distance in a different state!
- Kickoff 5K
- Sea Turtle Half Marathon
- Westport St. Patrick’s Day 4-mile Run
Kickoff 5K – Leawood, KS
We continued our 2026 race season on February 8 with the Kickoff 5K. William had to work, so I joined my friend Emma for this one, and we both finished with great times! I maintained an 8:24/mi pace, shaving 11 seconds off my Groundhog Run pace from the week before. Winter legs? Maybe. But they’re moving in the right direction at least.
The Kickoff 5K supports local youth sports programs and always brings out a fun, football‑themed crowd.
Sea Turtle Half Marathon – Gulf Shores, AL
Our first half marathon of the year was the Sea Turtle Half Marathon in Gulf Shores, Alabama – a flat, coastal course that sounds like a breezy vacation run but absolutely humbled us. We weren’t originally planning on participating in this race, but it just so happened to be occurring when we were visiting my family in Gulf Shores anyway, so we signed up to stay active during the trip.
I finished with a 10:50/mi pace, a notable improvement from my first half marathon in November, and William managed 13:16/mi, which is right in line with his November half pace.
The long, sun-exposed stretches of the course made sure we felt every mile. The second half of the course was even more challenging, as we had to run against a steady wind the whole time. We were both ready for hibernation after crossing the finish line! The race supports sea turtle conservation and highlights the region’s artificial reef program, so at least our suffering was for a good cause.
Westport St. Patrick’s Day 4‑Mile Run – Kansas City, MO
Lastly, we ran the Westport St. Patrick’s Day Run on Saturday, March 7. This run is a KC tradition since the late ’70s and the first of our two St. Pat’s races this year. Westport went all‑in on the Irish vibes – bagpipes, costumes, and lots of green!
I came into this one with a back injury courtesy of “too much gym, not enough recovery.” Combine that with 30s/40s temperatures (a sharp contrast to our recent beach run), and it made for a rough morning. I finished the 4‑mile course with a 9:27/mi pace, nearly 90 seconds per mile slower than my last 4‑mile race. My ailing back made its presence known in both my time and my race photo.
William finished with a 10:35/mi pace, which is about a minute slower per mile than his last 4-mile run. Despite the struggle, the atmosphere was fantastic and we were happy to get fresh air nonetheless. They can’t all be successes, right?
A Cause Close to Home: KC Pet Project
As we head further into spring race season, we’re also running with a purpose. We’re hoping to raise $1,000 for KC Pet Project before the KC Pet Project 5K next month.
KC Pet Project is where we adopted our orange kitten, Eisley, who’s about to celebrate his first birthday in April. He’s been the best addition to our little family, and we’d love to give back to the shelter that gave him his start.
If you’d like to help us support KC Pet Project’s lifesaving work, we’d be incredibly grateful. Every donation – big or small – helps animals find loving homes just like our little guy did.
Current fundraising focus
Support us in our runs by donating to our fundraiser for KC Pet Project.
What’s Next
We’ve got our second St. Pat’s Day run coming up this Saturday in Leawood and the forecast is calling for much better temperatures than our first St. Pat’s run, thankfully. Missouri/Kansas weather remains undefeated in chaos this time of year.
Between now and late April, we’ve got five more shorter races (3–5 miles each), all building toward our next big goal: the Garmin Olathe Half Marathon in the Land of Oz on April 25. It’s a local favorite we’ll be participating in for the first time, and we’re determined to show up a little more prepared than we did in Gulf Shores.
Spring race season is officially underway – ready or not!
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