Why I walk

The three day is now 11 weeks away and it has been on my mind more and more. Maybe that is because I am getting things ready, maybe it is because if I see something pink I buy it, or maybe it is because of all the training. The day is drawing near and I don't think that I have ever told you all why I walk. Growing up I always knew about breast cancer. My grandmother is a two-time survivor.

When my mom was eleven, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was a widow with four children- the oldest was 20 the youngest was my mom. My grandma was sent to the hospital and told that she had a few weeks, months at most. My mom was not allowed to visit the hospital and she lived with the idea that she would be an orphan and never see her mom again.

Luckily, my grandma is a fighter. I don't think the words give up are in her dictionary. She fought against the cancer and won. She jokes that God and Satan can't decide which one gets her and until that happens she is still around. She was diagnosed a few years later and beat it back again. My grandma is a 46-year survivor. She has also survived five other cancers. She has taught me not to give up, to fight through everything, to be strong no matter what life throws at you.

When I was 14, my mom had an abnormal mammogram. I was so nervous as we waited for tests to come back. I was so worried that I was going to lose my mom. I have vowed since that day that no one else should ever have to go through that. No one else should have to worry about losing their mom.

Unfortunately, we still have to do that. I have held my breath as friends go in for abnormal screenings. I have cried when biopsies have come back with negative and positive news. I have prayed for so many people, their families, and their health. I have attended funerals for lives cut short. I don't want my nieces to worry about their mom and their aunt. I don't want them to worry about their friends. I don't want them to anyone to have to go through that pain.

I am a true believer that once we find the cure for one cancer, we will find it for the rest. We can stop a disease that has taken my grandfather, that attacks my uncles and aunts, that has weakened friends. It is the one thing that scares me.

One of you made me a lovely stitching for me last year that says: What if the big C was cure. That hangs right above my desk and it has become my goal. If it is running, walking sixty miles, sleeping in tents, showering in trailers, orbegging for money before my life is over I will make sure that the big C is cure.



To support me or anyone of the FBG team please click here....any donation from $5-$2500 brings us closer to the goal.

Run Freedom Run

There's a trickle of sweat

Drippin' in your ear

But still, you gotta run
Run-a, run-a, run
Freedom, run away!

Now, don't you fret
And never fear!
'Til freedom's
Won, won-a, won-a, won
Freedom, run away!

I know that this is an odd way to start out my entry on the Race for the Cure, but this song is on my race play list to let me know when it is time to run and today that verse pushed me to finish.

You know, there is something about an event that everyone is walking/running for the same cause that just makes me proud. I was taken back to the three day and the awe that I found with so many people coming together for a cause that I care so much about. It was amazing and I was decked out in pink ready to push ahead with everyone else.

You know, it was an interesting 3.1 miles, one that pushed me.

The first mile I was bored and missed Erin, that is fitting. There I was in a tutu surrounded by a sea of pink and I looked over and my 3-day partner wasn't there. I made due though and was excited when someone stopped and asked me about the 3-day sign on my back.

Before I knew it I passed the midway point and I looked down at my watch. It read 20:31 and I realized that I was on pace to break my 5K best time. My goal going in was 43 minutes- my fastest time before. When I passed the mile two sign I was at- 27:03 and I pushed harder.

When I started to lose steam, I was urged on by how great I would feel to text out that I had finished in under 40 minutes. I pushed harder and harder knowing that Adam and Amy (who both had great times) and my mom (who did the mile hope walk) were at the end. And when I crossed the finish line at 39:54 it was with the biggest grin on my face- even if it wasn't to the Doctor Who theme song as I planned.

Really, it was amazing. It reminded me of one of the reasons I do the 3-day. Here were so many people willing to put aside themselves and help others, and that is the way that the world should work. Plus I saw Shauna and I hadn't seen her since Christmas.





Waiting for the other half of the group to finish (the half with the 4 year old and both babies) oh and that is not sweat, that is water that I spilled when trying to rehydrate.

Why my dad rocks. He did the last mile and a half with Lu on his shoulders and pushing Bost.


Uncle Addy and Hayden, both sporting tutus

Boston loved his. In fact we got so many comments on the way that kid looked toddling around the post race activities.

The whole tutu clad group. We were known by everyone as the tutu family. People actually stopped and took pictures of our group.

Girl Power

How cute are my parents? I mean they are freaking awesome.