‘Run with all your Hart’ run/walk will honor life of Sarah Hart, raise funds for scholarships

The "Run with all your Hart" logo is made up of Sarah Hart's children's handprints and footprint.

Family and friends of Sarah Roberts Hart have come together to create an event to remember and honor Sarah’s life, which was tragically taken from her when she was attacked and killed on June 14 during her morning jog in Russell County.
 

To reflect her love for running and honor her life and memory, Sarah’s family and friends organized the “Run with all your Hart” 4-mile run/walk that will take place Aug. 11 at the Russell County Auditorium/Natatorium Complex.
 

The idea came about shortly after Hart’s murder, when friends began contacting her father, Wendell Roberts, about what they could do to help, said Stephanie Foley, a friend of Hart’s who is organizing the run, along with Hart’s sister-in-law, Ashley Hart.
 

“He thought that [a run] would be good because here in Russell County, after Sarah’s death, it was almost like everyone was afraid to get out,” Foley said. “They were afraid to run or be out walking, or whatever. There was just fear within our community.”
 

And Russell County residents seem to agree that the race was a positive idea for the community. As of Friday morning, nearly 1,000 people had signed up for the race and more than $30,000 had been raised from donations and registration fees.
 

“I’ve really been blown away by the support and how the popularity of the race has spread. People have been so good and concerned and what to support, even if they didn’t know Sarah, they want to run and support the race,” Foley said.
 

A portion of the proceeds from the race will go toward the Sarah Roberts Hart Fund, which Hart’s family formed to benefit Russell County students who are pursuing a medical or pharmaceutical degree, Foley said.
 

Ironically, Foley said, after they chose a course for the race, they saw that it formed “an odd-shaped heart.”
 

The course also happened to be 4 miles. So, they decided to name each mile after one of the four children of Sarah and Ryan Hart, including the baby Sarah was carrying when she was killed, Foley said.
 

“Sarah had three children, she was pregnant with her fourth, and her husband did name the baby that she lost, and his name was Alexander,” Foley said.
 

Miles 1 and 2 are named for Hart’s girls, Avery and Addison, respectively. The third mile is named for her son Archer, and the final mile is named for Alexander, Foley said.
 

Another special part of the race is the logo that “has just swept across the entire United States and even into other countries, because it is such a sweet logo and it is very personal,” Foley said.
 

The logo is an angel, with Archer’s footprint as the body and Avery and Addison’s handprints forming the wings. The angel’s head is a heart with a halo on top.
 

“The race has really become very popular and people have been so, so kind. It was such a tragic event that happened to Sarah and a tragic event for the whole entire family and community,” Foley added. “But, we’ve been able to see that there are good people out there. And I think that’s been comforting to the family and comforting to us too, just to see people want to do good things and want to bring good to the community.”
 

In addition to money raised from donations and registration fees, many local groups and businesses are donating their time and products to the race.
 

Fruit of the Loom donated 1,500 race t-shirts and local vendors and businesses will provide food for the race and give away products like sunglasses and pepper spray. The gospel group Driven will perform a free concert after the race and eight praise bands have volunteered and will be set up every half mile along the four-mile race.
 

“We want to just fill the whole course with music, because the intent for this is to celebrate Sarah’s life. Everything we want to be positive and full of happiness that day. We’ve all mourned and been sad, and we want (the race to be) uplifting and happy,” Foley said.
 

Additionally, according the the Run with all your Hart Facebook page, an anonymous donor gave money to cover registration fees for almost 20 registrants who are in hardship situations and cannot afford to pay. A tree was donated by a local nursery that will be planted in Sarah’s honor at Russell County High School.
 

The University of Kentucky wildcat mascot and the University of Louisville cardinal will both be at the race to cheer on the runners.
 

“If you knew Sarah personally, she was just a really happy, positive person,” Foley said. “She wouldn’t want us to be mourning and being sad because she enjoyed life too much and she enjoyed different things about life that we just want to spread that joy and happiness around — carry on her memory and her legacy.”
 

For more information and to register for the Run with all your Hart race, click here. Follow Run with all your Hart on Facebook to keep up with the latest news about the race.