Say Yes More — Running With the Cows 5K
By Mandy McMahan | The Empty Nest Mom
I need to be honest with you about something.
Menopause has not been the kindest. Not terrible — but not exactly a walk in the park either. And somewhere in the middle of this season of life — the empty nest, the quiet house, the girls building their own lives — I found myself doing what a lot of us do without even realizing it.
I started filling the space.
More travel. More road trips. More saying yes to everything out there so I didn’t have to sit too long with what was in here. Food became comfort. Movement became an afterthought. Not because I stopped caring — but because grief has a way of sneaking in through the back door and rearranging your whole life before you notice it happened.
I wasn’t doing nothing. I was doing everything — just maybe for all the wrong reasons.
So I made a different decision. I started running again. For me. The real me. Not the one covering something up — the one ready to come back.
Not to hit a number. Not to look a certain way. I started running to get back into my life — back into my body, back into feeling like me. At 51 years old, I am not racing to win anything. I am racing to finish. And let me tell you — crossing that finish line at 51 is one of the greatest feelings I have ever had.
I also signed up to train for a half marathon. And eventually a full marathon.
Because here is what I have decided about this season of my life: I am done talking myself out of things. I am done doubting myself. I am done waiting for the “right time” or the “right version” of me to show up before I say yes.
I am saying yes now. And it is changing everything.
How Lauren Got Involved
Lauren found out I had started running again and didn’t even hesitate.
“Mom. I want to do this with you. Can we run a race together?”
Yes. Obviously yes.
She found the Running With the Cows Half Marathon & 5K by Mariner Wealth Advisors. We signed up for the 5K. We trained. We texted each other accountability check-ins on the days we ran apart. It became our thing — this new shared goal that had nothing to do with anyone else and everything to do with us choosing to show up.
Over 1,400 people ran this race. 1,400 people who said yes. And we were two of them.
Running With the Cows — Why This Race Is Worth Your Time
If you are anywhere near Bucyrus, Kansas, put this race on your calendar for next year. I mean it.
The course is an out-and-back on a road that is perfectly, beautifully smooth — newly paved, wide open, the kind of road that makes you feel like you can actually breathe. Running in wide open Kansas spaces does something for your soul. The kind of quiet that clears your head.
At the halfway point, they have a “Feed the Cow” station — which made me smile so big mid-run — plus water and Gatorade right there waiting for you. Little details like that remind you that the people organizing this race actually care about your experience.
And the volunteers and staff? Some of the warmest, friendliest people I have encountered at any race anywhere. You could feel how much they loved this event and everyone in it.
This race is also a fundraiser for Holy Rosary Wea School in Bucyrus — supporting students, classrooms, and programs that make a real difference. So every step you take is doing something good beyond the finish line. That matters to me.
When you cross that finish line, there is a full buffet waiting. And the medals — stunning doesn’t cover it. The kind of medal you hang somewhere you can see it every single day as a reminder of what you did.
98% of reviewers recommend this race. We are absolutely planning to run the half marathon next year.
The Parking Situation — Because the Story Is Always Better With the Real Parts
I have to tell you about the parking situation. It would not be very me to skip it.
We pulled up and the road was blocked — police had it closed and weren’t letting anyone through. We parked and started walking toward the start line, determined. We were not going to miss this race over a parking situation.
We had gotten about halfway down the road when someone from the race pulled up in a small ATV. He was apologetic — said there had been a miscommunication and this was absolutely not how the race was meant to run. He loaded us up and got us to the start.
Did anyone else have a little parking adventure that morning? If so — don’t worry about next year. Not even a little bit. After talking with him I am absolutely certain this will not be an issue again. The people behind this race care too much to let it happen twice.
That moment right there told me everything I needed to know about this event. When something goes sideways, the people behind this race make it right. That’s community. That’s character. And that’s exactly why we’re coming back.
We made it. We ran. Zero regrets.
What Saying Yes Has Done for Me
Here is what I want every woman reading this to hear — especially if you are in midlife, navigating menopause, navigating an empty nest, navigating whatever this season is throwing at you:
Stop talking yourself out of things.
We are so good at that, aren’t we? We find every reason why now isn’t the right time. Why we’re not ready. Why we should wait until things are different. I did it too. For longer than I want to admit. I filled the quiet with everything except the thing I actually needed — to show up for myself.
But I started running again. And then Lauren wanted to join me. And then we ran a 5K together in Kansas with 1,400 other people who also said yes to showing up.
I am 51 years old. I am training for a half marathon. And eventually a full marathon. Not because I am fast. Not because I am going to win anything. Because I am going to finish. Because finishing at 51 — crossing that line, medal around my neck, feet tired, heart full — is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.
I don’t race to win. I race to prove to myself that I can.
And if you have been sitting on the sidelines of your own life — waiting for permission, waiting to feel ready, waiting for the right moment — I am here to tell you:
Say yes. Start now. Enjoy this life. You have earned it.
The version of you that signs up for the thing, laces up the shoes, and shows up? She is the best version. Not because she’s perfect. Because she showed up.
What We’d Recommend for Your First (or Next) Race
Getting race-ready doesn’t have to be expensive or overwhelming. Here is what we’d tell any woman lacing up — first race or first one back after a long break:
- Running shoes that actually fit you — Get properly fitted if you can. Your knees will thank you for years. (Link via LTK or Walmart)
- My favorite top to wear — Comfort first, cute second. And honestly? For a 5K I size up and wear the race shirt. Why not — you earned it the second you signed up. For anything longer than a 5K though… hold please. You will see exactly what I mean in my next racing post.
- Leggings you’ll actually want to run in — How you feel in your gear matters more than you think. I wore the Avia Women’s Soft Sculpt Capri with Pockets from Walmart — pockets, comfortable waistband, and they don’t roll at mile two.
- Aquaphor lip balm — This is non negotiable for race day. Wind, sun, heavy breathing — your lips will thank you for remembering this one.
- Anti-chafe balm — An out-and-back course is gorgeous. Chafing is not. Trust me on this one.
- A race day bag — Something to carry your layers, your snacks, and eventually your medal on the way home.
Come Run With Us Next Year
The Running With the Cows Half Marathon & 5K by Mariner Wealth Advisors in Bucyrus, KS is one we will be back for — and next year, we’re stepping up to the half marathon.
If you’re in the area, start planning now. And if you want to follow along on this whole journey — the running, the training, the midlife reinvention, all of it — come find us. We talk about all of it, every single day.
Before You Go
If any of this resonated with you — if you are a woman in midlife wondering what’s next, wondering if it’s too late to start something new, wondering if you still have something left to prove to yourself — the answer is yes. You do. And it is absolutely not too late.
And find us everywhere — @theemptynestmoms on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. We are here every single day, saying yes out loud so maybe you will too.
Mandy McMahan is the voice behind The Empty Nest Mom. She is 51, running again, training for a half marathon, and done filling the quiet with everything except what she actually needs. She writes from the heart, travels solo, and believes the best chapter is the one you’re brave enough to start.
