Cindy Harden

In early 2020, my mother passed away, and my heart shattered into pieces. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Just weeks later, COVID shut the world down. Everything stopped. Like everyone else, I was confined to my home, trying to navigate a new reality—yet inside, I was carrying a loss that felt impossible to process. The most devastating moment of my life had just happened, and somehow I found myself standing at a whiteboard, teaching my fourth grader long division, pretending to hold everything together. I felt suffocated. I needed space to grieve. So, I started walking. A few miles, a couple of times a week. Those walks became my refuge—time to reflect, to pray, to scream, to cry, to talk to my mom without distraction. With each step, I gave myself permission to feel. Over time, those few miles turned into five, three times a week. Walking became my therapy. It carried me through my grief when nothing else could. Three years later, my father passed away. Once again, my world broke open. I was faced with the reality that both of my parents—the two people who had loved and supported me my entire life—were gone. I knew I needed to do something meaningful. Something that would honor them and reflect the love, strength, and lessons they poured into me. Both of my parents were from Louisville, and the Kentucky Derby was always a special part of their lives. So, I decided there was no better way to honor them than by completing the Kentucky Derby Half Marathon and dedicating it to their memory. I had never done anything like this before, but I set a goal: to finish my first half marathon in under four hours. I crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 47 minutes. Every step of those 13.1 miles was for them. Through this, I hope to carry forward their legacy—showing my own children what dedication, strength, and perseverance look like, even in the face of heartbreak. Thank you, Mom and Dad. I miss you deeply, and I love you always. ~Your Ladybug