Summer Run 2007

Today was awesome simple put. We woke at 5:30 AM to the sound of pouring rain on the roof and it would have been easy to pull up the covers and stay in the warm bed, but up we all got to meet at the church parking lot where people were already gathered to pick up their race numbers and carpool to the start. My sister-in-law, Sandy, spent the night and walked with us on her birthday!

I debated wearing a second jacket but knew from previous experience that it would warm up soon once we started walking in the now muggy weather. Groups continued to join us as the carpools found parking and I was beginning to feel like a the bride at my wedding wanting to hug everyone and reconnect with faces I hadn't seen in a long time. The sheer numbers were energizing as we tried to round up the forces and take a group picture. A wound up aerobics instructor lead stretching excercises to get us warmed up with band jazzing it up in the background. Chelsea came over to introduce me to Sara whom she had just met-a 29 yr old 3 time survivor fighting once again for her life. Emotions ran strong and we vowed to stay in touch. We kept a strong pace and talked along the way. The rain let up just as the race started. Friends and family of friends along the way cheered us on and before we knew it the race was over.

John Curley from Evening magazine MC'd the event and the SeaGals thru tennis balls into the crowd of participants to give away prizes. One winning team raised $23,000 (we were over $11,000-not bad for our first attempt). A sponsoring company gave $100,000-I don't know the total dollar amount, but it was an amazing event with so much money raised for research. Dr. Saul Rivkin, the ovarian cancer specialist to whose wife this race was dedicated, and a member of my medical team at Swedish Center, was there to thank the crowd.

The survivors grouped together at the end and it was an inspirational reward to know that we were not alone in our varied journeys.

Your support has carried me and energized me through and I cannot thank you enough. The after party at Tamae and John's was fun and much appreciated. Chelsea promised to type up the blog I wrote at naptime, so you will not doubt get my afternoon version of the day as well, but had to let you all know I love you all...Give your friends and family who support you the same love you send out to me and you will get it back exponentially...I promise.