Chris Herren won a small 5K race in Erlanger on Saturday.
He ran a pretty good time, too: 17:02, which averages out to a pace of 5 minutes and 28 seconds per mile.
Yet, he wasn’t the first person to cross the finish line. Indeed, he wasn’t the first in his family to finish.
That honor went to his daughter, Tessa.
The young girl, 17-months-old, did it while sitting in a stroller. A stroller her father pushed. One he pushed for the entire 5,000 meters, or 3.1 miles. One he pushed faster than anyone else who ran the race unimpeded. One he pushed along sidewalks and streets, avoiding potholes and rocks and other potential hazards.
It wasn’t something he planned to do. Usually, when the family runs a race — which they often do — his wife Amy pushes Tessa in the stroller.
“I wanted to run it at race effort,” Herren said. “I haven’t done that in a while. But then Amy asked me if I could push the stroller, because she wanted to race. So I said OK. My expectation with the stroller was to run at a 6-minute (per mile) pace.”
Amy, by the way, finished fourth among women runners.
The run, called Smile for Brooklyn, was a fundraiser for 5-year-old Brooklyn Smith, who has a rare form of brain cancer. Because the little girl loves princesses, the run was billed as a 5K and Princess Party. The winner received a basket of lotions and such.
Chris gave the basket to Tessa. He passed on the gift card from Tri State Running Co., because he works there, and told race organizers they could raffle it off to raise some more money.
For Brooklyn, the race was a fairytale come true, said her mother, Brittany Smith.
“Stacy and Leo Gripshover organized the whole event, which brought a huge smile to Brooklyn’s face and all who were there,” Smith said. “We are very blessed to have wonderful supporters. Brooklyn had the time of her life talking and riding in the carriage with all the princesses. She enjoyed singing songs with each of them and reliving favorite moments from each of their movies. Overall it was a very enchanting day to remember.
“Brooklyn has her good days and bad days, but through it all she amazes us by her constant ability to keep smiling as she continues to fight.”
Herren, 32, has been running competitively since he was about 14, running track and cross country in middle school in Harrisburg, Ill. He attended a community college before transferring to Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo. There, he was best known for running the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
But he runs all distances. He’s run a 2½-hour marathon, and a half-marathon in one hour and 10 minutes. His best 5K was 15 minutes and 2 seconds. And while he regularly is among the leaders in local 5K’s and 10K’s, he said his favorite distances are the middle-long races — the 15K’s and the half-marathons.
In addition to his work at the Tri State Running Co. store in Edgewood, he coaches track and cross-country at Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills.
As for the race on Saturday, Herren said it started out slowly. He had never raced with a stroller before, and indeed, only has run with one a few times in the past.
“I’ve done it from time to time, but not much,” he said. “I ran hill repeats with it once, and I was sore afterward. … The benefits of going downhill are nice — it helps pull you along. But you’ve still got to go uphill, and that’s a little bit harder. Uphill, I did force it.
“You have to be more aware of everything — rocks, potholes, people, cars, dogs. You have to be on guard for everything.”
The first half mile was along sidewalks, and it was difficult, he said. Early on, he dropped his kid’s water bottle, and had to stop to pick it up. But when the race opened up onto the streets, which were a little bit smoother and easier, he made his move. He passed the guy who was leading and never looked back.
Okay, he may have looked back once or twice. He remained ahead of everyone else throughout, but it was a race, he said.
“I’m a competitive guy,” he said.
The guy he passed early?
“He did stay with me. When I caught up and got ahead of him, he picked up the pace.”
And will Tessa pick up that competitive drive? Herren said she’s an active little girl, and while she likes to ride in the stroller during races — especially when she’s sleepy — sometimes she wants out.
“She likes to be active,” he said, “If she’s wide awake, she wants to be moving herself.”
This young man never ceases to amaze me! I met him when he ran track/CC with my daughter who passed in 2003. He has continued running with a passion! Like me…My Heather would be so proud of him! Love you Chris,Amy and Tessa