I Raced For The Cure!

Yesterday was the day. In my opinion yesterday was Mother's Day. Yesterday I ran in the Salt Lake City's Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure. I couldn't have asked for a better event to show my mother my love and appreciation for her strenghth and bravery. Her fight was sucessful, but it was no walk through the garden. It was brutal. It was emotional to say the least. I can't even begin to imagine what my mom went through. It was all I could do to not hop on a plane with my three wild and crazy hellions just so I could be by her side and give her a hug her when she needed it the most. But I know that was impractical. She knows I love her and besides she has an amazing support group right where she is. My stepdad alone has been the strongest and most supportive in her team. I consider him to be an angel with red hair and a beard.
So let's get to the race. It went amazingly! The weather yesterday was warm and sunny with a slight breeze. It was perfect walk/run weather. My two other friends, Rachael, Laurie and I took off together from the light rail station in Sandy, Utah headed for downtown Salt Lake City. It was a great way to travel, and at each train stop the train loaded up with more and more people covered in pink and white. Most folks wore the assigned Race For The Cure tee-shirts, but many loaded onto the train that were dressed in pink tu-tus and bright pink wigs. Some had on shirts that said, "I'm just here for the boobies" and some wore shirts that were in memory of their mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, or daughter. All were heart felt and all were very touching. I discovered when we arrived there in the very crowded downtown area that I could fill out and wear a sign that said 'In Celebration Of'. I filled out my piece of paper to say 'My Mommy'. "In Celebration Of My Mommy".
My friends and I walked around for a bit just people watching and looking at all the crazy get-ups that some of the other folks wore. Some ladies wore their bras on the outside of their shirts and some wore coconut bras. Many had on the pink tu-tu and I was secretly thinking I would like one of those myself. Ha ha ha!
Some men even wore the pink tu-tus and some folks brought their dogs in a pink tu-tu. It was the craziest and most fun event you could go to dressed like a pink wierdo. Some men had on the shirts that said, "I like boobies" or "I'm just here for the boobies" and I was thinking they could probably only wear these shirts here and not be considered perverts.
My two friends and I lined up at the starting line where we were elbow to elbow and lost in the massive crowd of pink. When they announced it was time to, "3...2...1...GO" we were bumping into everybody and stumbling over our own feet trying to get past the pink and white balloon archway that stood over the starting line.

Finally we were able to get going in a fast walk/light jog rhythm and pass by so many others that were dressed in crazy pink get-ups. One thing this race was for sure was a feast for the eyes! If you enjoy people-watching this is the race for you! We jogged past older women wearing solid pink shirts that said "survivor" on them, and women that looked like very serious runners that had been checking their pulses at the beginning of the race. We ran past women and men who pushed the new style jogger strollers that had pink decorated babies inside them. What I liked the most was the woman who appeared to be a very serious runner and  who looked like she was no stranger to running races. Beside her was her son. They were jogging together. He couldn't have been older than 6 or 7. She kept a slow pace to stay next to her son and they jogged together. They looked so sweet. Mother and child.

My two friends and I kept a fast pace walk, light jog. We jogged when we could, but walked most of the time because you could only go so fast without running over the folks in front you. At the half way point they passed out water, thankfully. That was just what we needed to keep going. We decided that at the last mile or so we would push it into a run no matter who we had to run around to do it. So we broke into a run, and kept going and weaving around groups and teams of people till we reached the second pink and white balloon archway that signaled the end of the 3.2 miles. We completed the race in 55 minuets. That's not so bad, I suppose considering we walked most of the way. I couldn't have been more proud to have been apart of such a great race.

When it was all over with, we sat next to a stream that flowed through the downtown Gateway Mall area and we peeled and ate the oranges they passed out at the finish line and discussed our options for where we would go for an early lunch before it was time to get back home. We decided to catch the train back to Sandy, Utah and eat a bite at the Sweet Tomato right across the street from the train station. The Sweet Tomato is a like a huge salad/pasta/soup bar. It was a great place to go and apparently a popular choice for others that had run the race. We met many others in the pink and white tee-shirts there.

I got to enjoy a great lunch with NO KIDS, and quality conversation with great friends. Did I mention it was with NO KIDS!!! Like I said earlier, in my opinion yesterday was Mother's Day. I got to do something for my mother and I enjoyed a meal with no whining and no fighting and nobody had to go potty that couldn't take themself. I get to say that I was part of a terrific race for a terrific cause and in celebration of a terrific woman. A woman who, in one month's time, will be here to visit me and my boys. I get see my mommy again! I have missed her. You know what? I really am the luckiest girl in the world. I have MUCH to be thankful for. God bless my mother. God bless all mothers. Happy Mother's Day!