LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — If you stand by the finish line of the A Midsummer Night’s Run in Lexington, you’ll spot something that may seem out of place for many races. There’s lot of strollers and even a woman carrying a dog on her back.
“She's just a little heavy to run with so we're gonna walk it and have fun,” said Kelly Baker about her dog, Olive.
Michael Harp is running the race while pushing a stroller with her daughter Micah, a toddler, in it.
“She always telling me I'm not going fast enough,” he said. “Last year she was a little lighter so I'll see how fast I can do it this year.”
He said that pushing the stroller makes the event so much fun, along with being with friends while running through downtown Lexington at night.
This is the only race he runs each year, which race organizer Kyle Childers says is often the case with their runners.
“We love having a lot of walkers as well as the competitive runners,” Childers said.
Casual runners, who in many cases stopped running during COVID, are helping to grow the run.
Pre-covid there were 3,200 runners. Last year they had 1,900 runners. This year there were at least 2,100 runners.
“They're taking their time there with their friends, I think it's a great way to get people out and active,” he said.
Multiple first-time runners in the race said the race’s reputation as one without a lot of pressure made them feel comfortable coming out.
