10/22/07 Race for the Cure

I did my annual Susan G Komen Race for the Cure on Saturday (or as I like to call it, "Leisurely Stroll for the Cure" since I'm not getting up in the pre-dawn hours to actually run). The weather was beautiful, even before the sun came up, which was a marked improvement over last year when the temperature hovered around the low 40's. This is my 5th year doing the race, so I have my own little tradition: Arrive really freaking early for team picture. Be grumpy. Eat annual Krispy Kreme doughnut. Get annual goody bag of freebie giveaways. Eat banana. Eat free bag of Sunchips. Drink free water. Possibly eat second doughnut. Make my way to the starting line for the race. Race. Come back for more water and to see if there are any doughnuts left.

This year, I varied the routine by replacing the second doughnut with a free pre-race chair massage. (Saves on calories AND works out the kinks!) I also did the 5K instead of the 1 mile fun run since I was feeling particularly sugar-powered. (Oh yes, doughnuts so count as an alternative form of fuel. A tasty one too!) This year's race had an estimated 11,000 people, so they staggered the groups doing the 5K. First the timed runners went, then the first wave of untimed runners/walkers. Then the second. It turns out that I was in the front row of the second wave, which is why you can see me clearly on this photo of the race from the News-Sentinel. (Not the Jazzercise picture, but the one with 50 million people running).

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/oct/21/race-cure-turnout-grand/

It's like where's waldo! Can you spot me? I'm in black pants with a black jacket tied around my waist. I'm looking down because my feet are actually running, and I'm saying "Feet! What's with the running?! You never run!"

The running happened out of self-defense. Apparently, the people behind me felt like running, so I had to run to get out of the way. I ran for a whole 30 yards before the course widened and the crazy insane real runners were able to pass me and I was able to stop. (I figure all that running took care of those doughnut calories and entitled me to eat another as soon as I finished my race).

Other than the first 30 yards, my Leisurely Stroll for the Cure went as planned. I popped in the ol' earphones for some race-inspired music (The Proclaimers I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) if you're curious) and settled into a brisk pace behind a team of people with T-shirts that exclaimed "Save the ta-tas!" on the back. (I also saw some with "The Rack Pack").

I did my 5K in roughly 50 minutes, got a little weepy over all the "In memory of" names, and successfully dispatched my second Krispy Kreme doughnut. All and all, not a bad morning.

And all for a good cause.