Central Kentucky Runs for Boston

Like many across the nation and the world, I was horrified on Monday as my Twitter feed went from tweets cheering on the marathoners in Boston to tweets sharing a terrifying situation as it unfolded. In the days since, the horror of the bombings at the marathon finish line has saddened me to a degree I found a little surprising. I don't know anyone personally affected, but I think the fact that the victims are just normal people who were there to run, there to cheer, there to celebrate.

Running is a sport without a lot of barriers to entry. Lord knows, if I can become a runner just about anyone can! Slow, fast, short, tall, expensive Nikes or barefoot, many many people can participate. It's a sport that doesn't require a lot of cash outlay to get started. In fact, running is one of the first things many children do in their natural progression of development.

I'd wager that most of us have either run in a race or have cheered on friends and family in a race. Of course, it takes a lot of dedication and commitment to qualify and participate in the Boston Marathon. You don't have to have a qualifying time to be a runner, though. No matter the distance or the speed, there's a camaraderie in the running community.

It's been heartwarming to see the running community in our state come together to strengthen those bonds of health, fitness and the celebration of life in the wake of a tragedy like we've seen this week. All over the state, remembrance runs have popped up. One of the biggest will happen this Saturday in Lexington.

By misconmike

John's Run Walk Shop will host a remembrance run for Boston on Saturday 4/20 at 7 am. The group welcomes all speeds, abilities and distances to start off from the shop South Ashland Avenue in Lexington (Chevy Chase) and encourages the wearing of green and white (Boston's city colors). 

If you're a runner but not able to attend the run on Lexington, will you dedicate a run this week to the folks in Boston? I know it weighed on my mind tonight, as I struggled through a few miles along the Kentucky River. No matter how tough those miles were, no matter how out of running shape I am, it felt good to get out there again.

HerKentucky Derby Days: Marley Lilly Giveaway!

Can y'all believe it? Derby is just a few days away!

Whether you consider Derby to be the greatest two minutes in sports, the most fashionable day of the year, or the one day that you put mint in your bourbon, it's the day that Kentucky shines on an international stage. Here at HerKentucky, we're getting in the Derby spirit by partnering with some incredible companies to bring you some great prizes.

Now, everybody knows that you can't do Derby without a hat, so the first giveaway of HerKentucky Derby Days is a personalized hat from Marley Lilly. How cute is this?

The Monogrammed Floppy Outline Hat will be perfect for any spring or summer activity, from the beach to the racetrack. You can personalize this straw hat by choosing among 6 different color outlines, 8 hat colors and a rainbow of monogram colors. This would be a perfect piece to wear to a Derby party!

You can enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Good luck, and Happy Derby Days!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Contest ends at Midnight on Sunday night, April 21st. Winner will be contacted on Monday, April 22. 
All opinions expressed in this post are our own. No member of the HerKentucky staff was compensated for this post.}

Kentucky Derby Style From Rebecca Ray Designs

A lovely lady reached out to me about her Kentucky Derby themed designs that she offers in 12 retail locations in Kentucky.   All of her designs are hand produced in the USA.  

You can check them out at www.rebeccaraydesigns.com

Perfect for gearing up for the Run for the Roses! 

LOFT Grand Opening Party

Good morning, and Happy Stakes Day, y'all!

If you're in Lexington and don't want to fight the crowds at Keeneland (last year's race drew over 40,000 people!), you should check out the Grand Opening of the new LOFT at Lexington Green.  The Mall at Lexington Green has always been one of my favorite suburban spaces in town -- it's pretty and unique, and I've always been fascinated by those ducks!

If you're shopping for some inexpensive basics or fun, on-trend pieces, LOFT is always a good call. I like to stock up on LOFT t-shirts every season to keep my wardrobe fresh. If y'all haven't had a chance to visit the new LOFT store yet, you should definitely head out to the Grand Opening Party today. They're offering fun perks like mini-makeovers and styling assistance. They're also offering gifts on purchases over $75. It's today, April 13, from 1-4 PM at the new LOFT store, located at the Mall at Lexington Green (161 Lexington Green Circle, Lexington.)

While we're talking style, Emily and I were featured yesterday on the Louisville-based fashion blog 33 Avenue Miquelon. We're talking personal style, blogging, and all things HerKentucky. You can read the interview here. 

{No member of the HerKentucky team received any compensation for this post.}

The HerKentucky Guide to the Blue Grass Stakes

We've talked a lot about Keeneland here on HerKentucky lately. We've shared our ideas on what you should wear and what you definitely shouldn't wear. We've told you how to place a wager like a pro (or at least an informed amateur). You should be all set for a trip to the track, right?

Now, if you find yourself at the race track tomorrow, you can anticipate a huge crowd, even by "Saturdays at Keeneland" standards. The eighty-ninth running of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes will commence tomorrow afternoon at 5:40 p.m. The Blue Grass Stakes (G1), is perhaps the most important race of Keeneland's racing year, generating at least one Derby contender. That's a lot of information to take in, but it's pretty easy to talk about Big Races like a pro.  Here's what you need to know:

Graded Races

• Obviously, the really fast horses run in the big money, high stakes races. These races are graded by purse amounts. (A "purse" is the total amount of money paid out to the owners of the winning horses. Usually, horses placing first through fifth are eligible for a portion of the purse.)
•  Any race considered for grading must have a total purse value of at least $75,000. The Grades are "Listed" -- at least $75K; "Grade III" -- at least $100K; "Grade II" -- at least $150K; and "Grade I" -- at least $200K.
• The Blue Grass Stakes is a Grade I Race with a $750,000 purse.

Derby Prep

• Purse earnings formerly determined horses' eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. As of this racing season, horses qualify for Derby through a points system. You can find the entire list of Derby qualifying races here.
• The winner of the Blue Grass Stakes is awarded 100 points and is guaranteed a slot in the Kentucky Derby. This is the highest point-value race run in Kentucky.

Blue Grass Stakes Stats

• The Blue Grass Stakes was first staged in 1911.
• The race is 1 1/8 miles and is run on synthetic turf.
• The fastest time for the current Stakes distance is 1:47.94, as run by Dullahan in 2012.
• The Blue Grass Stakes is currently sponsored by Toyota.
• There are 14 horses (and one "also-eligible") in this year's field. You can study their stats here.

One more tip: Wear the cutest dress you own, because everybody will be at the track tomorrow!

Happy Racing!

{images via Keeneland.}

What Not to Wear: Keeneland Edition

I attended Keeneland last Friday, opening day. It was gorgeous - the weather was sunny and just warm enough for shorter dresses and barer sleeves. Opening day is also traditionally College Day at Keeneland, where they give away scholarships. For many of the college-aged kids (um, adults) I saw at Keeneland, it seemed like it was their first time. Slow betting, having trouble using the ATM, and getting sloshy on bourbon by race two. I don't blame them - Keeneland is an exciting tradition unique to Lexington and if you're a UK student who doesn't experience it while you're here, you should consider it a missed opportunity!

Heather shared her "how to dress" tips which are crucial for people especially going to one of the dining rooms or to the clubhouse. They're pretty strict about that stuff. For the rest of us though, there are really no guidelines, so you tend to see a range of outfits. As someone who loves people-watching, it's always a great time.

I noticed quite a few mistakes though when it came to fashion on opening day. So here I present to you: Top 10 fashion no-no's at Keeneland.

1. Hem lines: Ladies. If you're wearing a short dress, don't forget that being outside in the spring means breezes. If your dress or skirt barely covers your skivvies, you need to reconsider the look. 
2. Colors: I am all for colorful outfits. When wearing a colorful print, consider going with a more neutral shoe, handbag, and jewelry. It looks like someone escaped from the Skittles bag otherwise.
3. Heels: Anything over a 3" heel is not advised unless you are a supermodel who can take standing in 5" plus shoes for 6 hours. You can look super cute standing still, but the donkey walk of foot pain will get you the wrong type of attention.
4. Shoes Required: If you don't take my advice with tip 3 above, please never, ever, ever take your shoes off. The ground is dirty, y'all!
5. Coordinate with your friends: If you are going to Keeneland with a group of girls, make sure to see what the other is wearing. You don't have to match, but when two of you show up in the same exact dress with a sailboat pattern, it's kind of awkward. 
6. Instant ugly: The easiest way for you to look ugly at Keeneland is to be rude. It does not make you look cool to bump into people repeatedly, should obscenities  or spill drinks on people without apologizing.
7. Reconsider the freebies: If a sponsor is giving away foam hats shaped like whales, reconsider wearing while still at Keeneland. Not only do you look silly, you're also blocking peoples view.
8. Tobacco accessories: Popular among the guys at Keeneland opening day were tobacco accessories: cigars and pipes. If you're going to partake in these: 1) Know how to lite them properly; 2) Don't blow smoke in peoples faces; 3) Consider the age-appropriateness of these items.
9. Printed pants: Also on the mens side - we understand printed pants are cute and agree some are totally appropriate for Keeneland. Just make sure your printed pants aren't your actual pajama bottoms. No button-down and bow tie can make them look appropriate. 
10. Bras are meant to be concealed: If your dress goes lower in the back, make sure you pull your bra band down so its covered. I didn't need to know what color your bra was or how many hooks it has. 

Equal Pay for Equal Work

The story is this. My great-grandmother taught at the local community college. She found out a newly hired male instructor was making more money than her despite her seniority. When she confronted her supervisor, she was told, "Now, Mrs. Allen, he has a family to support."

She quit.

Today is Equal Pay Day. Why is it today? Because this is how long a woman has to work into 2013 to earn what a man in the same position earned in 2012. 

I could wax poetic about the economic challenges women face. I could tell you that women already face a precarious economic situation made even more dangerous by the current state of our economy. 

I could cite statistics and studies.

But here's the truth:

Being paid less for the same work is unfair. And being treated unfairly because of something you cannot control is crazy-making. It is the moment I'm sure my great-grandmother had when she confronted her supervisor. There was an unfair situation and she had done nothing wrong. Surely, once she had explained the situation would be rectified. Instead, she was told that was not the case. I'm sure she felt a little bit crazy. You think you live in one universe. Only to find - like Alice in Wonderland - that everything is upside down and inside out. 

That's not what we're taught as children - all of us no matter our gender. We're taught when something is unfair, when something is wrong, we need to tell someone and it will get fixed. 

Instead, we learn: Yes, it is unfair that we are not getting paid equally for the same work. Yes, the situation is out and in the open and everyone is aware of it. 

But no, we're not going to doing anything about it. 

That has to end. It is 2013 and I should not earn SEVENTY-SEVEN CENTS to a man's dollar in the state of Kentucky. It is absurd. It is antiquated. 

It is unfair. 

What Can You Do? A Call to Action:
1.  Contact your Senators and Representatives and tell them you support the Paycheck Fairness Act. 
Kentucky's U.S. Senators and Representatives of the 113th Congress

2.  Write an Op-ed or a Letter to the Editor.
Sample Op-Ed
Sample Letter to the Editor

3.  Ask your Mayor/Commissioner,  to proclaim April 9th as Pay Equity Day in your town.
Sample Proclamation

4. Additional suggested activities to host in your community.
Activity Suggestions for Pay Equity Day

5.  If you are a business owner, learn how you can analyize your wage-setting policies and establish fair and consistent policies for all. 
Employer Pay Equity Self-Audit

6.  Stand up for yourself. 
Tips for Wage and Salary Negotiations