Race for the Cure- 5K

I think I've already mentioned before that I started training to run a 5K a couple of months ago. Finally the race was on this past Saturday( May 10th) and I was ready! My best time a couple of days before the race was 26 min 12 sec. So I was really excited to see how I could do the day of, but then found out that there would be no time keeping for the race. Which was OK, considering the cause. I would just time it on my own. But, I could not find my watch before heading out to the race. I looked everywhere and who knows where it is 'til now. The wristband it's broken, so I can't wear it and I'm always loosing it. It's a really good watch (with that exception) It's a Nike watch my husband gave me like 3 or 4 yrs ago, and the battery's still running!! How could I just dispose of it with a running battery!? Anyway, I wasn't able to time myself!!! SAD!!! But I feel I did really good.

It was very confusing at the beginning. The crowd was huge, so it was a little bit overwhelming. First I was trapped amongst the walkers and then realized the runners where to the right of the street. Once I was on board it was very tricky and distracting to work your way through the crowd. That plus the fact that I didn't have a watch made it hard to concentrate on really running. Then I had and idea. I would find someone to try to stick to all the way to the finish line, and maybe if they were keeping track of their own time I could ask them their time at the end and that would give me an idea of my own time. So I started looking for someone who looked like a serious runner, but kept passing them up. Then this tall, skinny, blond chic passed me up and I went after her! She was a good runner, maybe too good for me. There were times were she got too far and felt like just dropping her. But then I'd gain sight of her again, which wasn't very hard, I could see her head sticking above the crowd's, she was like 6 feet tall! So I'd speed up. I was about 20 yards behind her most of the time and I finally caught up to her when we came to a little bit of down hill. Anyway, we cross the finish line, and start slowing down until almost a complete stop. I tap her on the shoulder (it took her a couple of seconds to see me, since I was so far down out of her sight) and told her she did good and that I was behind her the whole time and was wondering if she was timing herself so that I could have and idea of my own time. She tells me "Oh, I never time my runs" ....Anyway, it was challenging to follow her and I felt really good after all.

When I picked up my shirt the day before, they also gave me a tag to wear if I wanted to dedicate my run to someone. The tags said: "In Memory of..." or "In celebration of..." One of the sisters that I visit teach has been battling breast cancer for 3 or 4 yrs and is actually going in for surgery this Tuesday. I thought of her when choosing my 5K, but hadn't really told anyone. I called her the night before and told her I'd be running for her and she was really happy about it. Being at the race and seeing everyone else's tag was very humbling. I saw a little boy whose tag read "For my Mom..." and another of a man whose said "For the love of my life..." It made me count my blessings and be grateful for them. It was a good experience to be there. I'd do it again even if there was no time keeping and I didn't have a watch.