Race Day!

Nine months ago, I set a goal.  That goal was to RUN the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in St. Louis.  It's a 5k and it is the largest Komen race in the world. It is such a great cause, I urge everyone to get involved, whether it is just donating or getting out and supporting a local race. 

Going back to my original goal...it was to RUN the Komen..which did not happen.  Mainly because I did not train well enough and because I signed up for the walk thinking that I was going to have an opportunity sprint a few blocks...yep...not happening.  The sea of people was so immense that there was no RUNNING anywhere.  I suppose, I should have signed up for the untimed run and just did that.  Maybe next year, but really after walking it...I have LITTLE desire to run it.

This is me walking...13515...I have never seen myself from behind before....See all the people in front of me...guess what folks..see the building with all the windows to my right...that is the STARTING LINE.  There were tens of thousands of people in front of me...and there are tens of thousands of people behind me.  All in all I logged 5.24 miles this day.

My day started at 4:45 am...woke up and drove the hour to the metrolink (St. Louis light rail system) where I met up with my family who was walking with me.  Arrived just before 7am and after being squished like sardines in a moving tin can we finally arrived downtown at about 8:05, met up with the team about 2.5 blocks away, team photos, and then onto the line up. 

This is us before team pictures...On the left is my sister Snoozy, me, my childhood friend (Tracy who graciously came from two hours away to run with us)  All others pictured are Amy's friends and family.

It was an amazing event,in which we honored an amazing woman. 

Let me tell you what I know about Peggy Guenther.  Virtually nothing...  I never had the pleasure to meet her, she passed before I had the opportunity, but I know she was amazing because she is the mother of my bestie!  Through her daughter, I know that she must've been kind, generous, and exceedingly gracious.  She had to be to raise such a wonderful, special person.

This was kind of a culmination of work for me...this was my deadline, my last actual goal written in stone (more to come of course, but...)!  It was a neat experience, because I was surrounded by people I love.  Both of my sisters and my mom walked as well.  Snoozy walked the Healthy Hermann 5k with me in May, but my sister Viceroy and my Momma have never done a 5k!  The three of us along with my friend Amy (by a stroke of luck and with another of her friends in tow) crossed the finish line together! 

While we were walking...my mom said something that really struck a chord with me... (she will probably be mad that I am relaying this) She said, "You know how on the biggest loser the first time they do something like this they get all weepy and cry in the end about how much they've learned about themself?"  Then she laughed.  I understood this to mean that she didn't feel that way about her experience...lol, but when I crossed the finish line in Hermann (my first 5k)  I cried like a baby.  I think they cry because they are in touch with their journey...who they were and who they are becoming. I didn't know that I could do it then...this time was different.  I had done it before and it was still hard, but if not for the cause, felt a bit "old hat".

From Left to right : Me (clipped with the fitbit...lol), Tracy, Snoozy, Viceroy, and front and center is my cousin Jenn. (from whom I stole most of these pictures thanks to FACEBOOK [sorry Jenn...you can sue me if you like])  I also walked for my mother in law who is in remission and Jenn walked for her mother in law who is almost 5 years cancer free!  Somewhere floating around is a picture of me with my bestie at the finish and as soon as she feels "up to it"  I will post...lol!

I leave you with this...my weight today...278.5 (thinking, I might be retaining water)  My outlook:  Grand.  I am a child of God and he continues to bless me. and finally....a picture confirming my step stats from yesterday...over 15,000!