Rose told me at dinner tonight that she had her first grade class (private school)praise God today because I'm a survivor. She must have heard Jeff and I talking that indeed, today is the one year anniversary of my surgery. She told me she was really glad that I'm a survivor. It surprised me that she even thinks about it since I feel like we've moved on and seldom mention it. We jokingly celebrated with chicken pot pie from Asbury United Methodist Church and a very over-zealous schedule of ballet, soccer and Y Princesses.
The house is quiet now and it's given me a few minutes to reflect on the last few months when we've gone at full speed seldom slowing down to rest. I just passed all my exams, mammogram, chest x-ray, bloodwork, etc. and there is "no evidence of disease". Yet when Rose brings my cancer up out of the blue I have to think there is actually still evidence of disease. Cancer definitely changed me. There is evidence, beyond the physical scars, that cancer permeated my family. We're a little closer as a family, I have much stronger friendships than I did prior to cancer, I'm not shy about telling people how much I appreciate them and I have a lot more empathy for those around me. Yes, there is still "evidence of the disease" but it's much more positive than I ever expected.
Live life large.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Ann's Fans Run It Out!
This past weekend was Race for the Cure. My team, led by my sister, Ann's Fans raised more than $5,000 for the Komen Foundation! I couldn't be more proud or thankful to all who contributed and supported me and my family along the way. Thank you. Between this year and last year, Ann's Fans has raised more than $17,000 for Komen!
I wasn't sure what to expect going into the race this year. I was nervous about how my emotions would settle out. It is difficult to believe that last year it was difficult to walk the full three miles. I just keep remembering that last year I didn't have much hair and I was pretty exhausted just walking up the hill. This year was very different.
We arrived at 6:30 on race day and there were pink shirts everywhere ... until we toed it up on the start line for the 7:00 a.m. competitive race. There were only 34 competitive survivors and I was proud to be one of them. My dad, brother-in-law and sister all joined Nancy and I for the big "fast" run. My goal was to break 30 minutes and to finish in the top ten -- for survivors.
It was hot from the start and we ran a great first half but after that the heat started to take it's toll. By the 2.5 mile marker, I had to walk a bit to catch my breath after a few of the hills and I ran all over the road to catch every sprinkler that was along the road. In the end, I finished at 31:11 and in 11th place. I didn't quite make my goal but it gives me a good baseline to work toward. I'm most proud of Frances Widmann. I don't know her but she is a 74 year old survivor that beat me by about a minute! She must have a lot of spunk and moxy!
After we cooled off from that race, we went to meet the rest of the team under the trees. We had a total of about 60 members on the team and dozens more donated. I had great support from Gibbs & Soell and I saw several of the young ladies from the office on race morning. We also had a good showing from Asbury United Methodist Church.
At 8:45 it felt like it was 100 degrees out and we were sweating before we started. We walked a lot of the race with our friends, the Jeffries. Andrew, as always, was prepared with water bottles and squirt guns which kept all four of the kids interested and moving forward. The sprinklers on the second half of the course couldn't come fast enough for them. I'm not sure they could have been any wetter if they were in a pool. My brother and his wife joined us as well and pushed my nephews along the way ... they were coated in sweat. My mom met us all at the finish line and we walked it in together! That's always the highlight for me. It's great to have such awesome support.
Suffice to say, we had a great time. The Race for the Cure is such an awesome event when you see all the pink shirts and women in so many stages of life who have been affected by this miserable disease. As we crossed the finish line, there was a man holding a poster of a beautiful woman and the dates of her life were written below her photo. She'd passed sometime earlier this year. Rose asked me why he was carrying her poster and I explained that she had died and couldn't be there to run. Rose asked the obvious question: how she died. I said, "cancer, probably" and Rose's blue eyes got huge and her eyebrows shot up. I quickly dropped to my knee and explained to her that I'm very healthy right now and she doesn't need to worry. I had a tear in my eye though. And, a fellow survivor patted me on the back and congratulated me on a job well done. She had a tear too. I don't think she meant the race.
Peace.
I wasn't sure what to expect going into the race this year. I was nervous about how my emotions would settle out. It is difficult to believe that last year it was difficult to walk the full three miles. I just keep remembering that last year I didn't have much hair and I was pretty exhausted just walking up the hill. This year was very different.
We arrived at 6:30 on race day and there were pink shirts everywhere ... until we toed it up on the start line for the 7:00 a.m. competitive race. There were only 34 competitive survivors and I was proud to be one of them. My dad, brother-in-law and sister all joined Nancy and I for the big "fast" run. My goal was to break 30 minutes and to finish in the top ten -- for survivors.
It was hot from the start and we ran a great first half but after that the heat started to take it's toll. By the 2.5 mile marker, I had to walk a bit to catch my breath after a few of the hills and I ran all over the road to catch every sprinkler that was along the road. In the end, I finished at 31:11 and in 11th place. I didn't quite make my goal but it gives me a good baseline to work toward. I'm most proud of Frances Widmann. I don't know her but she is a 74 year old survivor that beat me by about a minute! She must have a lot of spunk and moxy!
After we cooled off from that race, we went to meet the rest of the team under the trees. We had a total of about 60 members on the team and dozens more donated. I had great support from Gibbs & Soell and I saw several of the young ladies from the office on race morning. We also had a good showing from Asbury United Methodist Church.
At 8:45 it felt like it was 100 degrees out and we were sweating before we started. We walked a lot of the race with our friends, the Jeffries. Andrew, as always, was prepared with water bottles and squirt guns which kept all four of the kids interested and moving forward. The sprinklers on the second half of the course couldn't come fast enough for them. I'm not sure they could have been any wetter if they were in a pool. My brother and his wife joined us as well and pushed my nephews along the way ... they were coated in sweat. My mom met us all at the finish line and we walked it in together! That's always the highlight for me. It's great to have such awesome support.
Suffice to say, we had a great time. The Race for the Cure is such an awesome event when you see all the pink shirts and women in so many stages of life who have been affected by this miserable disease. As we crossed the finish line, there was a man holding a poster of a beautiful woman and the dates of her life were written below her photo. She'd passed sometime earlier this year. Rose asked me why he was carrying her poster and I explained that she had died and couldn't be there to run. Rose asked the obvious question: how she died. I said, "cancer, probably" and Rose's blue eyes got huge and her eyebrows shot up. I quickly dropped to my knee and explained to her that I'm very healthy right now and she doesn't need to worry. I had a tear in my eye though. And, a fellow survivor patted me on the back and congratulated me on a job well done. She had a tear too. I don't think she meant the race.
Peace.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Nothing Mini About It
Looking back, it’s still pretty amazing to me that I was lucky enough to run with SEVEN family members in the Indy Mini. In early May. Of 2010.
I had hoped to run the Indy Mini last year but I didn’t sign up early enough … so my friend Nancy Zech ran it last year and boasted about how great it was. Subsequently, at one of our family events last year we all started talking about running the Mini. And, one thing led to another and in early November, seven of my close friends and family signed up for the Mini. My husband and I are both from Indiana and he’s a huge Indy car fan so when he heard you get to run the track … even he signed up.
Training was tough. First, it’s tough for both of us to train and find times throughout the weekend to schedule long runs around church, soccer and other commitments – including and especially -- laziness. Second, I’m not in as good of shape as I was last year … the effects of chemo and radiation definitely took a toll on my body.
Checking the weather as we packed we knew it would be chilly. I was stressing about which shoes to wear. On long runs, my new Saucony shoes leave my toes feeling like someone took a baseball bat to the base of all my toes. My older shoes, Asics, often cause my knee to hurt and I think the lack of padding changes my stride. At the last minute, I took my old shoes.
On Friday, Jeff and the girls and I had a leisurely lunch with my former travel buddy in the rice field of Louisiana where she provided us with great knowledge of the course – including where her “patent pending pit toilet” strategy. It came in real handy on Mile 6. We ran into a dear friend from high school at packet pick-up and had just a few minutes to exchange pleasantries and wish each other luck.
Throughout the afternoon, friends and family started converging on the Spring Hill Suites which was located right at the start line. Most of us could see it from our hotel windows. I can't say enough about the SpringHill Suites, it was great!
With our support crew and cheerleaders, there were 17 of us at TGIFridays (a very short walk from the hotel in what may have been a smattering of rain) for our pre-race dinner. Nearly half the table enjoyed the Bruschetta pasta dinner. Selection was slim! The weather report was predicting 40 degrees and windy. We were all strategizing about what to wear – tights, shorts, Capri, long sleeves or short … the list went on.
Someone had mentioned beach balls and as we made our way to Corral O, the place was crazy with hundreds of beach balls bouncing over heads. With 1,500 runners in each corral, it was a sea of arms fending off these ferocious beach balls. They came faster and harder as we waited for the starting gun.
Finally, we were off. Within two miles, we had seen at least four bands of varying talents and skills, the 33 Indy princesses working a water stop and an elephant! That’s right … you run past the zoo and along the river for a while. It was at mile 2 that I waved my 67 year old father, my sister and my sister-in-law (who just had a baby in Nov.) onward. My race strategy was to walk about a tenth of a mile at every mile marker. Only Jeff stayed behind with me.
We motored on … usually in silence … just enjoying the many, many bands. We ate our Gu, we nibbled on shot blocks. There were water stops and Gatorade at every half mile. It was a well stocked course. You could throw a water cup behind you and it would get caught in the gusts and pass you … As usual, I had an old t-shirt to shed … it took me until mile 3 or 4 to drop it off. I then was sporting my new “Will Run for Wine” shirt in a nice Merlot color!
About mile 6, we were running through an industrial section of town and finally turned right onto “Main Street” in Speedway. It was our route into THE track. The Brickyard. While the stands were deserted, it was cool and awe inspiring to imagine what it must be like to race there. This is where my lunch with Carla really paid off and I took her advice to find the third set of pit toilets … where there were toilets that flushed with no line! I washed the Gu off my hands.
Our walk/run strategy was working well until we hit the track. It was just so cool that we walked a lot! We pulled out our digital camera and staged a few photo opps of the runners, the stands and the enormity of the track. There is only one yard of bricks remaining at the Brickyard and the tradition is that the winner of the 500 kisses them … we took the opportunity! It was great! I’ll post pictures on Facebook.
Meanwhile, we kept passing and getting passed by a woman who was running in just a running bra and was fairly pregnant. About 4 or 5 months. She stopped at every port-a-jon and we stopped at every mile which gave us a game of cat and mouse all the way back to the start line! We ran past an older man in his 60’s or more who wasn’t wearing a shirt … might not have been so memorable if you couldn’t see his thong that he was wearing … no it wasn’t a jock strap! It was a thong! Seriously!
The course back was overall unremarkable and the crowds were sparse (they may have been blown east to Ohio). We did pass a restaurant/bar that offered fresh fish and frog legs. We were temped. We trotted along and at one time picked up a sweatshirt as a souvenir for my friend Nancy … but we quickly tired of carrying it and shed it near IUPUI. My brother called me as we were entering mile 10 and let me know he was at the 13 mile marker. We trudged on. Jeff and I were both starting to get tired and were trying not to complain.
Finally you could see the crowds and we passed the final water break, which was the Indy princesses again! Jeff and I kept going and saw our girls and my mother and brother right beyond mile marker 13 just as we were finishing! I really felt like I earned this medal! We ran into my Uncle John and Cousin Mike at the finish line.
Apparently, somewhere along the way, we passed my dad, sister and sister-in-law – they were probably in line for the potty! They finished shortly behind us.
I feel really lucky. This time last year I was bald and in the worst of the chemo. It was difficult to walk just 2 or 3 miles … so it feels great to have made such progress in a year. I couldn’t have done it without a whole lot of support. Thanks to Stephanie and Nancy for dragging me out on so many mornings when I really didn’t want to go. Thanks to my family for believing in me and supporting me and being such great examples of a healthy lifestyle. And, I’m really proud of my husband … who barely trained for this and was a real champ. His biggest concern was me and I’m really lucky to have him. Congrats on your first half!
As I think about our next adventure though … I have to wonder if we could morph into the kind of family that just rent s a house on the beach for the week, or goes on a cruise, or just has a reunion with barbecue and carrot cake in the backyard. And, while we’re all there we could talk about running Nashville or Disney or Vegas or …
I had hoped to run the Indy Mini last year but I didn’t sign up early enough … so my friend Nancy Zech ran it last year and boasted about how great it was. Subsequently, at one of our family events last year we all started talking about running the Mini. And, one thing led to another and in early November, seven of my close friends and family signed up for the Mini. My husband and I are both from Indiana and he’s a huge Indy car fan so when he heard you get to run the track … even he signed up.
Training was tough. First, it’s tough for both of us to train and find times throughout the weekend to schedule long runs around church, soccer and other commitments – including and especially -- laziness. Second, I’m not in as good of shape as I was last year … the effects of chemo and radiation definitely took a toll on my body.
Checking the weather as we packed we knew it would be chilly. I was stressing about which shoes to wear. On long runs, my new Saucony shoes leave my toes feeling like someone took a baseball bat to the base of all my toes. My older shoes, Asics, often cause my knee to hurt and I think the lack of padding changes my stride. At the last minute, I took my old shoes.
On Friday, Jeff and the girls and I had a leisurely lunch with my former travel buddy in the rice field of Louisiana where she provided us with great knowledge of the course – including where her “patent pending pit toilet” strategy. It came in real handy on Mile 6. We ran into a dear friend from high school at packet pick-up and had just a few minutes to exchange pleasantries and wish each other luck.
Throughout the afternoon, friends and family started converging on the Spring Hill Suites which was located right at the start line. Most of us could see it from our hotel windows. I can't say enough about the SpringHill Suites, it was great!
With our support crew and cheerleaders, there were 17 of us at TGIFridays (a very short walk from the hotel in what may have been a smattering of rain) for our pre-race dinner. Nearly half the table enjoyed the Bruschetta pasta dinner. Selection was slim! The weather report was predicting 40 degrees and windy. We were all strategizing about what to wear – tights, shorts, Capri, long sleeves or short … the list went on.
Someone had mentioned beach balls and as we made our way to Corral O, the place was crazy with hundreds of beach balls bouncing over heads. With 1,500 runners in each corral, it was a sea of arms fending off these ferocious beach balls. They came faster and harder as we waited for the starting gun.
Finally, we were off. Within two miles, we had seen at least four bands of varying talents and skills, the 33 Indy princesses working a water stop and an elephant! That’s right … you run past the zoo and along the river for a while. It was at mile 2 that I waved my 67 year old father, my sister and my sister-in-law (who just had a baby in Nov.) onward. My race strategy was to walk about a tenth of a mile at every mile marker. Only Jeff stayed behind with me.
We motored on … usually in silence … just enjoying the many, many bands. We ate our Gu, we nibbled on shot blocks. There were water stops and Gatorade at every half mile. It was a well stocked course. You could throw a water cup behind you and it would get caught in the gusts and pass you … As usual, I had an old t-shirt to shed … it took me until mile 3 or 4 to drop it off. I then was sporting my new “Will Run for Wine” shirt in a nice Merlot color!
About mile 6, we were running through an industrial section of town and finally turned right onto “Main Street” in Speedway. It was our route into THE track. The Brickyard. While the stands were deserted, it was cool and awe inspiring to imagine what it must be like to race there. This is where my lunch with Carla really paid off and I took her advice to find the third set of pit toilets … where there were toilets that flushed with no line! I washed the Gu off my hands.
Our walk/run strategy was working well until we hit the track. It was just so cool that we walked a lot! We pulled out our digital camera and staged a few photo opps of the runners, the stands and the enormity of the track. There is only one yard of bricks remaining at the Brickyard and the tradition is that the winner of the 500 kisses them … we took the opportunity! It was great! I’ll post pictures on Facebook.
Meanwhile, we kept passing and getting passed by a woman who was running in just a running bra and was fairly pregnant. About 4 or 5 months. She stopped at every port-a-jon and we stopped at every mile which gave us a game of cat and mouse all the way back to the start line! We ran past an older man in his 60’s or more who wasn’t wearing a shirt … might not have been so memorable if you couldn’t see his thong that he was wearing … no it wasn’t a jock strap! It was a thong! Seriously!
The course back was overall unremarkable and the crowds were sparse (they may have been blown east to Ohio). We did pass a restaurant/bar that offered fresh fish and frog legs. We were temped. We trotted along and at one time picked up a sweatshirt as a souvenir for my friend Nancy … but we quickly tired of carrying it and shed it near IUPUI. My brother called me as we were entering mile 10 and let me know he was at the 13 mile marker. We trudged on. Jeff and I were both starting to get tired and were trying not to complain.
Finally you could see the crowds and we passed the final water break, which was the Indy princesses again! Jeff and I kept going and saw our girls and my mother and brother right beyond mile marker 13 just as we were finishing! I really felt like I earned this medal! We ran into my Uncle John and Cousin Mike at the finish line.
Apparently, somewhere along the way, we passed my dad, sister and sister-in-law – they were probably in line for the potty! They finished shortly behind us.
I feel really lucky. This time last year I was bald and in the worst of the chemo. It was difficult to walk just 2 or 3 miles … so it feels great to have made such progress in a year. I couldn’t have done it without a whole lot of support. Thanks to Stephanie and Nancy for dragging me out on so many mornings when I really didn’t want to go. Thanks to my family for believing in me and supporting me and being such great examples of a healthy lifestyle. And, I’m really proud of my husband … who barely trained for this and was a real champ. His biggest concern was me and I’m really lucky to have him. Congrats on your first half!
As I think about our next adventure though … I have to wonder if we could morph into the kind of family that just rent s a house on the beach for the week, or goes on a cruise, or just has a reunion with barbecue and carrot cake in the backyard. And, while we’re all there we could talk about running Nashville or Disney or Vegas or …
Friday, April 30, 2010
Ann's Fans: Volume II
My beautiful sister has started back up my Race for the Cure team again ... it's called Ann's Fans and we're hoping to get many of you to join us again.
http://bit.ly/bmnFNr
If you weren't there last year ... it was crazy good! We had more than 100 people on the team and raised $12,000 dollars. Dozens of my colleagues at Gibbs & Soell joined us for the walk/run. My tears swelled that morning (again and again) but especially as I wrote the word "ME" on the the sign I work. I was running for "ME" and others but it's scary to write your own name. My biggest fear was that my girls would one day have to switch to the tag "In Memory of ..." and then fill in my name. I swallow hard just thinking about that.
A year later, that's still a concern I have. A sparkly woman from my church who helped me through so much of last year has just had a significant cancer scare and is now facing several surgeries. My heart aches for her as I think about the hills and valleys that she'll encounter this year. I know she's very strong and in such a better place than she was during her first battle with breast cancer. As survivors, we will always have that little nagging ... what if ...
Please consider joining us in the hills and valleys. I'm really fortunate to be in a beautiful valley right now. My health is good. I'm getting a three hour infusion in the chemo lab as I type and I'm again touched by all the different people here for various medical states. We offer one another shy grins. No one wants to ask ... "how long you been coming?"
I've nominated Jeff for party planning. We were trying to rent out our clubhouse pool for Sat. evening but we'll also scouting other options. We'd love a chance to celebrate with all of our friends and families and take the opporutnity to really make a difference.
Next weekend, I am running a half marathon with many family members and friends. I'm not in as good of shape as I'd like but I'll finish it. I'll provide my race report here after I'm done.
http://bit.ly/bmnFNr
If you weren't there last year ... it was crazy good! We had more than 100 people on the team and raised $12,000 dollars. Dozens of my colleagues at Gibbs & Soell joined us for the walk/run. My tears swelled that morning (again and again) but especially as I wrote the word "ME" on the the sign I work. I was running for "ME" and others but it's scary to write your own name. My biggest fear was that my girls would one day have to switch to the tag "In Memory of ..." and then fill in my name. I swallow hard just thinking about that.
A year later, that's still a concern I have. A sparkly woman from my church who helped me through so much of last year has just had a significant cancer scare and is now facing several surgeries. My heart aches for her as I think about the hills and valleys that she'll encounter this year. I know she's very strong and in such a better place than she was during her first battle with breast cancer. As survivors, we will always have that little nagging ... what if ...
Please consider joining us in the hills and valleys. I'm really fortunate to be in a beautiful valley right now. My health is good. I'm getting a three hour infusion in the chemo lab as I type and I'm again touched by all the different people here for various medical states. We offer one another shy grins. No one wants to ask ... "how long you been coming?"
I've nominated Jeff for party planning. We were trying to rent out our clubhouse pool for Sat. evening but we'll also scouting other options. We'd love a chance to celebrate with all of our friends and families and take the opporutnity to really make a difference.
Next weekend, I am running a half marathon with many family members and friends. I'm not in as good of shape as I'd like but I'll finish it. I'll provide my race report here after I'm done.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
It's not called Chapel Flat
On Saturday morning the alarm went off at 5:15. (It seemed wrong to me as well.) I pushed Jeff out of bed and we quietly put on our running attire and slipped out the door. Our friend, Tim, came to read the paper while the girls slept in. We met Nancy at Starbucks (which was still closed) shortly after 6. I like to think that we were just fashionably late but at 6:00 a.m., it's just rude. Sorry, Nancy.
We ran into my sister and her brother-in-law, Daryl, when we were parking at Chapel Hill and we all made our way to the start line. You could call this my "reentry" into competitive running ... except my times aren't competitive. The gun went off at 7:30 and we took off running around Chapel Hill. The challenge: The Tar Heel Ten Miler. It was in the 40's and beautiful. The azaleas, tulips and dogwoods are all blooming in unison and some of the neighborhoods we ran through were like running inside of a Southern Living spread ... except with serious elevation changes.
After 3 miles of running, I really wanted to turn left with all the runners who were just signed up for 4 miles ... but Nancy and Jeff surrounded me like bodyguards. They ushered me on toward mile 5. We ran past the famous Dean Dome and the Old Well. We ran down the bar district of Franklin Street. It was really beautiful. It was about this time I noticed that there was this man in his late 40's or so that passed us ... in a wheel chair. I think his name was Wayne. We'd pass each other on the hills, and he didn't have a fitness wheel chair. He'd roll down the hill past us and we'd catch him on the next one.
Much of the course was the same course that I walked with the girls several weeks ago through the Get Real and Heel program, which benefits breast cancer survivors. So, at some places along the route Nancy and Jeff would be talking to me and I was completely zoned out considering where I was a year ago (bald and in the worst of the chemo treatments). I considered how much my faith has grown and been tested in the last year. Running between Nancy and Jeff was a real treat. They were very encouraging when I wanted to walk every hill (and there are a lot of them) and I reflected as I walked/jogged how much these two (among others) have helped me get through the year. Not only were they coaching me through the run on Sat. but they were two of my biggest coaches last year and I'm really grateful for that. Wayne kept passing us and I wanted to say something clever but I couldn't think of anything. It was like a chant in my head, "This is Chapel HILL ... not Chapel FLAT." Have I mentioned it was hilly?
As I ran/walked/crawled up mile 9, which was similar in topography to Mt. Mitchell, I thought about what I would say as we crossed the finish line and how I should thank them both and let them know how much I care about them and how grateful I am to have them surrounding me. By the last mile we were running again and as we ran through the parking lot near Kenan Stadium the man in the wheelchair went zooming past us and asked us, "Are you going to let a fat man in a wheel chair beat you?" I was shocked. I'd wanted to tell this man how impressed I was with his stamina, endurance and discipline and suddenly he was talking smack ... so I asked him, "Are you going to let a cancer survivor beat you?" I don't know who was more surprised. I was stunned and embarrassed that I said that out loud. I can't imagine the trials and inconveniences that this man endures.
We sprinted through toward the tunnel and unfortunately for him it was an incline so we beat him to the path around the football field. It was really neat to see the inside of the stadium (there were hedges planted there I think ... odd). Our faces were on the Jumbo tron as we crossed the finish line and then it was over. They handed us our medal and we were done. As we made our way out of the stadium I saw the man in the wheelchair again and I congratulated him on a good finish. It was about 9:20.
So, that's my race report. It was a great run. It physically hurt and I'm not in the kind of shape I'd like to be. But, I'm really grateful that I got to run with one of my running buddies and my husband. More than anything I'm very appreciative to all the people who helped me get there Tim, Stacy, Nancy, Jean, Stephanie and my family -- Thank you to everyone! I certainly didn't do it alone. I'm hopeful that I'll get a chance to go back next year and run it again using my time this year as my benchmark. And, of course, I'll try to encourage more of my running buddies to join us. You know who you are.
... now I just have to decide if I want to run the New York marathon this fall ... anyone have a contact at ING who can help me get in?
We ran into my sister and her brother-in-law, Daryl, when we were parking at Chapel Hill and we all made our way to the start line. You could call this my "reentry" into competitive running ... except my times aren't competitive. The gun went off at 7:30 and we took off running around Chapel Hill. The challenge: The Tar Heel Ten Miler. It was in the 40's and beautiful. The azaleas, tulips and dogwoods are all blooming in unison and some of the neighborhoods we ran through were like running inside of a Southern Living spread ... except with serious elevation changes.
After 3 miles of running, I really wanted to turn left with all the runners who were just signed up for 4 miles ... but Nancy and Jeff surrounded me like bodyguards. They ushered me on toward mile 5. We ran past the famous Dean Dome and the Old Well. We ran down the bar district of Franklin Street. It was really beautiful. It was about this time I noticed that there was this man in his late 40's or so that passed us ... in a wheel chair. I think his name was Wayne. We'd pass each other on the hills, and he didn't have a fitness wheel chair. He'd roll down the hill past us and we'd catch him on the next one.
Much of the course was the same course that I walked with the girls several weeks ago through the Get Real and Heel program, which benefits breast cancer survivors. So, at some places along the route Nancy and Jeff would be talking to me and I was completely zoned out considering where I was a year ago (bald and in the worst of the chemo treatments). I considered how much my faith has grown and been tested in the last year. Running between Nancy and Jeff was a real treat. They were very encouraging when I wanted to walk every hill (and there are a lot of them) and I reflected as I walked/jogged how much these two (among others) have helped me get through the year. Not only were they coaching me through the run on Sat. but they were two of my biggest coaches last year and I'm really grateful for that. Wayne kept passing us and I wanted to say something clever but I couldn't think of anything. It was like a chant in my head, "This is Chapel HILL ... not Chapel FLAT." Have I mentioned it was hilly?
As I ran/walked/crawled up mile 9, which was similar in topography to Mt. Mitchell, I thought about what I would say as we crossed the finish line and how I should thank them both and let them know how much I care about them and how grateful I am to have them surrounding me. By the last mile we were running again and as we ran through the parking lot near Kenan Stadium the man in the wheelchair went zooming past us and asked us, "Are you going to let a fat man in a wheel chair beat you?" I was shocked. I'd wanted to tell this man how impressed I was with his stamina, endurance and discipline and suddenly he was talking smack ... so I asked him, "Are you going to let a cancer survivor beat you?" I don't know who was more surprised. I was stunned and embarrassed that I said that out loud. I can't imagine the trials and inconveniences that this man endures.
We sprinted through toward the tunnel and unfortunately for him it was an incline so we beat him to the path around the football field. It was really neat to see the inside of the stadium (there were hedges planted there I think ... odd). Our faces were on the Jumbo tron as we crossed the finish line and then it was over. They handed us our medal and we were done. As we made our way out of the stadium I saw the man in the wheelchair again and I congratulated him on a good finish. It was about 9:20.
So, that's my race report. It was a great run. It physically hurt and I'm not in the kind of shape I'd like to be. But, I'm really grateful that I got to run with one of my running buddies and my husband. More than anything I'm very appreciative to all the people who helped me get there Tim, Stacy, Nancy, Jean, Stephanie and my family -- Thank you to everyone! I certainly didn't do it alone. I'm hopeful that I'll get a chance to go back next year and run it again using my time this year as my benchmark. And, of course, I'll try to encourage more of my running buddies to join us. You know who you are.
... now I just have to decide if I want to run the New York marathon this fall ... anyone have a contact at ING who can help me get in?
Monday, April 5, 2010
Bunny Poop.
Easter with the family. It was nice to have hair this year! We had hats just for the fun of it this year ... maybe it will become a tradition for me and the girls. This green hat was one of the first I bought last year and I don't know that I ever wore it. The girls are showing off their missing teeth .. Rose is missing one on the top and Grace is missing one on the bottom. The Easter Bunny brought them very bright and long kites. Of course, it was 90 degrees and very still out so they didn't get to use them much. We let them run up and down the sidewalk with a few yards of line. They were thrilled. They especially loved finding "bunny poop" (mini marshmallows) all over the hallway, stairs and creating a trail all the way to their baskets.
I was really fortunate to spend Easter with my brother and sister and their families on my back porch most of the weekend! We had a long run (around 8 miles) on Sat. as most of us prepare for a race in Indy in early May. I'm not sure I can run it all but I have heard that there is no shame in walking!
Happy Easter!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Doctor appointment
I've got a "regular" doctor appointment this morning and the anxiety is killing me. I don't know why. I should be healthy enough. But lately I wonder. My running is horrible and I'm having a difficult time keeping my breath, my energy is low and my chest hurts. I'm terrified that he's going to find something. I'm reading a book called AntiCancer and it focuses on diet and exercise and suddenly I realize there is so much more that I should be doing. It's not rocket science ... eat good and exercise for 30 minutes a day (which does not mean 10 mile runs every weekend ...)
Anyway ... I just needed to get that off my chest and admit that I'm still nervous. I wish all the angst could go away.
Anyway ... I just needed to get that off my chest and admit that I'm still nervous. I wish all the angst could go away.
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