Saturday, May 15, 2010

God Bless America, God Bless Boobies!



Well today was the day! The day I started training for in March. As I said then, running has never been my favorite. So imagine my surprise at the slight love affair running and I have developed. Yea, it's hard, but it feels so good. The miles start to get easier and pass more quickly. My legs got stronger, and my determination greater.  No equipment or gym pass required. Just lace up and head out (iPod pretty necessary though I'd say ;))

It was an early morning for us, we live 40 minutes from the city, and had to get there early to park and get squared away before the race. After a week of training everyday, I took the day off yesterday, relaxed, ate a good dinner, drank plenty of water and got to bed at a decent hour. Even more shocking than my love affair with running was my actual excitement when my alarm went off at 5:30a.m. I was EXCITED to get down there and run! Who is this crazy person??

When my sister and I got down to Columbus, I knew there would be lots of people, a projeced 50,000 people had registered for the race (50,286 ran today - a new record). It was definitely crowded, but in a strange way. Everyone seemed a little nicer, a little more patient, not shoving and irritated like usual crowds.  We were all there for the same reason. To race. To find a CURE. And that's when it hit me. I had been looking at this race as a stepping stone to better fitness and an introduction to race running. But that's hardly what this race was about. It was about the women that have been affected by breast cancer. Our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives, best friends... The love and support resonating in the crowd was a tangible feeling. People lined the sidewalks to cheer us on as we ran, slapping high fives and running out into the runners with water or a supportive hug & words of encouragement. All our lives have been touched by breast cancer. On a table in a booth there were simple pink slips of paper to pin to your shirt to display who you are running in celebration of. I stopped to fill one out and was struck with sadness at the list of names I had when I finished. All these women in my life, have been forced into a sorority they never wanted to join. So then I realized, I'm not running for me. I'm running for them.
Connie Curry
Sara Paulin Casto (rest in peace<3)
Dee Dee James
Kim Byerly
My highschool soccer teamate (and best friend)'s mother, a dear family friend who lost her battle late last year, my high school attendance secretary, and another family friend, who babysits my dear baby nephew. These are some of the most loving and sweet women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

I ran for them today.

pink wigs galore!
My sister Oshun, and I at the end of the race!

Finishline. We will walk and we will run until we find a cure.


Another thing that touched my heart was an article I saw in the Columbus Dispatch today (which, by the way, was printed on pink paper to heighten breast cancer awareness). The story was about a "shadow run" that took place at Camp Liberty in Baghdad today. Over 1,000 National Guard servicemen and women ran a 5k in honor of the Race for Cure going on today in their hometown, that they couldn't be present for. Half a world away, and we're still connected, running together for a singular cause. God Bless America. God Bless healthy boobies.


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