This race, as the youngsters say, hit different. Our fellow runner, Scott Green, a.k.a the Bearded Runner, was diagnosed in 2023 with Stage 4 colon cancer that has metastasized to the liver, abdominal wall, lungs, left hip, and most recently, the skull and soft tissue around the right eye. Scott loves the running community in Kansas City and has always done what he can to improve it, from volunteering at races to just being a friendly face at group runs and sharing the BeardedRunner discount code. While enduring his chemo and radiation treatments, Scott continued to stay active on his quest to reach 300 lifetime races. The B.E.A.R.D. 5K/10K was his 300th! It was an honor and a joy to join over 300 runners and walkers, seeing Scott with his awesome entourage, then lining the chute to cheer him to the finish. You’d have thought we were at Planet Comicon for the line that formed to share hugs, pose for a photo, and speak with Scott. The course was challenging as only Shawnee Mission Park can be. The playlist was a mixtape of some of the most epic beards in music. Scott, thank you for all you have given the running community. We owe you a debt of gratitude for the encouragement and connections you helped to make.
Playlist (Spotify)
Playlist (Apple Music)
