Shane and Sara had been married a few years and were in their late 20s when something strange happened: Sara got an urge to run. It wasn’t that they were inactive, it just never occurred to either of them to go for a run.
“I think I’ll run around the block,” Sara told Shane.
“Run around the block?” Shane wondered. This didn’t sound like Sara. Shane had never seen her go for a run, so this was out of the ordinary. However, even though Sara was busy at home with young children, she wanted to pursue an active hobby.
A run around the block turned into a 5k, then a 10k, and soon Sara was onto a half marathon. Shane quickly fell in love with running alongside Sara. Shane even recently completed a 100k race!
“Like everyone, our lives are busy,” said Shane. He is a financial advisor and in involved in the Parks and Recreation Commission, while Sara has her hands full homeschooling their two children and running a Pampered Chef business. However, it only seemed natural when they both became members of the Loveland Road Runners.
When Shane and Sara were approached by the Loveland Road Runners about directing the Loveland Liberty 5K (LL5k) last year, they were honored to partner with Life for the Innocent. This year will be the sixth annual LL5k benefiting LFTI. They say it’s worth it despite the enormous time commitment.
“By the time the gun goes off, we’ve put over 200 hours into this event each year. We pour our heart and soul into it,” Sara shared, saying they want this year to be the biggest and best so far: their goal is to raise enough funds to rescue 30 kids.
“The Life for the Innocent Gala made us even more excited about this year’s race. Hearing real life stories of children rescued by Life for the Innocent makes the 5k so worthwhile!”
While they will not be running the course the day of the LL5k, Shane and Sara will complete more than a
5k running around to ensure the event runs smoothly. The day begins at 4:30 am and involves a massive coordination of 50 volunteers and full trailer of cones and race signs. They will get some help from their kids, too, before they run the race.
Shane and Sara are committed to creating an exceptional walk/run experience. Beehive Bandwagon is returning this year with music to keep runners pumped up. Water will be provided by Stowers Orthodontist and Eldora Water, and once racers complete the 5k, they will be greeted with a free Grimm Brothers beer, Noosa Yoghurt, and an Einstein’s Bagel. All children participating in the free kids run will receive a Dairy Queen certificate for a free kid’s cone. Sponsors including Ambassador Colorado Real Estate, 76 District, Planet Fitness, Gold Roofing, Inc., Runners Roost, Altitude Running, and Loveland Laser Tag are critical in making the event a success and reaching the goal of rescuing 30 children from trafficking.
You can view the 2016 LL5k video, which captures the celebratory spirit of the LL5K environment. The course starts at Grimm Brothers Brewery in Loveland and is appropriate for racers of all abilities. Awards such as “stroller finishers” and “top dog” in addition to drawings for all racers makes winning possible for all participants.
“A small percentage of the racers are fast runners, while the majority of us mortals just want to finish the course before dark!” mentioned Shane. Many participants plan to walk the full course and look forward to joining in the spirit of freedom and supporting Life for the Innocent. There will also be some fun surprises on the LL5k course, so Shane and Sara hope you enjoy this festive Loveland Liberty 5K walk/run! If you are still debating whether or not to participate, at least take a run around the block. That worked out pretty well for Shane and Sara!
Loveland Liberty 5k Information:
Time and date: 8 am on Tuesday, July 4
Location: Grimm Bros. Brewhouse
