Race for the Cure!

The Susan G. Komen annual Race for the Cure (a 5k) for breast cancer was May 7th.  Somehow I am just now blogging about it.  slacker

A couple of years ago, my friend Kelly and I went and volunteered for the Race.  This year, though, I wanted to run jog it!  Helps that I'm NOT pregnant.  ;)  It was my very first race of any kind and my whole goal was to finish.  I did!  :D

Kelly is a great running partner and will keep telling you that you're doing great, no matter just how slow you're going.  She's super fast, but also super patient.  ;)

At the beginning of the race.

Notice how I'm still smiling?  It's because we just started.

The amazing Kelly!

There were about 18,000 people there.  It was INSANE!  Just this huge mass of people every direction you looked.  SO great that so many people come out to support the cause, but SO sad at the same time that breast cancer has affected so many people in this world.

Just after we passed the 2nd mile marker, I heard someone come up next to me and a deep voice say, "How're you doing?"  I was annoyed that I couldn't breathe and was coughing up a lung (exercised induced asthma), so at first I thought about ignoring the guy.  I glanced over, though, and saw my dad!  He had somehow found Kelly and I in the massive crowd and came to support me!  He's a competitive runner, so the distance was barely a warm-up for him. He gave me my exercise induced asthma, so he understood what I was going through with trying to breathe.

Me and my dad.

At the finish line!  Yes, my face is crazy red.  It means I was working hard.  ;)

It was a really fun day and I'm really glad Kelly went with me!  I was coughing so hard at the end that I could taste blood, and the day after (on Sunday) I couldn't talk at all because every breath in and out hurt like heck.  I have an appointment this Friday with my dad's doctor who helped him with his asthma.  :D  Yay!  Maybe I'll be able to do a 5k again someday and not stop to breathe!  Woo!

People always have such fun costumes and names for their teams.  On the way back to the car, we spotted these guys:

Yep, that's a BOOB he's carrying!