5k and 50 Pounds!

This weekend I participated in my first 5K!

It was an amazing and emotional experience. I chose the Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure. It was so awesome to be with so many people in our nation's capital working together to end breast cancer. I rode the metro (our subway) downtown and was so inspired to see all the people getting on the train who were race participants. One group really touched me. They had camo shirts that said, "Heather's Team". About 15 team mates got on the train and then there was Heather. It was obvious that Heather is in the midst of her battle. Head wrapped in scarf, donned with a tiara she got on the train pumped and ready to walk! I was so touched by this display of friendship and courage. It was amazing. I cried for the first time that day!

Dr. Jill Biden spoke as we got ready to walk. I was pretty excited and ready to get going. I was walking with a team of people and we were all ready to get started! It gets going pretty slowly with all the people who are there walking. But we did get moving. It was hot and I was sweating but we were walking! We walked for what seemed like a long time and then we can to the cut off. They have a 1 mile cut off (instead of a 5K you can just do 1 mile). This cut off is mostly for the ill and disabled people who are walking. That's when it started. The doubt. Can I make it? Why I am doing this? Why don't I just quit?

I could have quit. I could have cut the race short and walked only 1 mile. I really thought of it. I even figured out my excuses to use with my group.

I nearly did, but I didn't.

I am not a quitter anymore. I've quit a lot of things in my life. Mostly the saxophone and diets but those are in the past. I am not quitting again!

I finished that race. It was HARD! I don't know how I did it but I did! As I crossed the finish line I broke down in tears. I cried because I did it! I finished something that at one time seemed impossible. I cried for all the women- all the sisters, daughters, and mothers battling cancer, I cried praying that my nieces and daughters would never have to walk to end cancer, I cried because I am a new person.

I was so exhausted I don't know how I walked 5 blocks back to the metro. But I did. Everything hurt! To top all that off I found out today I walked with an upper respiratory, ear, and sinus infection!

I am 50lbs down too! I am over that little hump and back to loosing. I have to keep getting that exercise into my schedule but I am glad to be loosing again!

Thanks for all the support and encouragement! It really means a lot to me!