Scoop of the Race

Well here I am .. the end of the race. It has been an emotional journey, a physically demanding grueling at times, physically painful most days but I persevered and was determined I was going to do it if it was the last thing I do. I was expecting to do it alone with Keith but then some of my children rallied around me. And that surprised me but will tell you why that was later. I picked up the run kits the day before and I noticed she put 2 t-shirts in mine and so I asked why I got 2, 1 of them pink. She said "Oh all survivors get a pink shirt". I looked her straight in the eye and said "In our family we are all survivors." She was stumped at that one.

We had to get up very early and be at the train station by 7:30am. Now you all know and have been reading how I have been training to do this 5K run in under an hour. I was so determined to do it. We had 2 little granddaughters who have been in training with me and they were determined to be doing this race. I thought that meant IN the strollers. Nah,... not so much. Anyway when we got there and although we were early somehow we were in the wrong spot at the beginning and when he headed off we were about 3/4 way into the group of over 13,000 people and it probably took 10 minutes just to get to the start line.

It also took us till about the 2K mark to get going. I really wanted to get moving but those little legs of the toddlers just would not meet my stride and they didn't want to go into the stroller. It was a RACE!! So the little girls actually did over 3K of the race on their own 2 feet.During the times that Keith and I could convince then to sit in the stroller with the promise we would run very fast, I would run ahead and then wait up ahead to wait for the others to catch up. At the 4K mark all I could focus was finishing under that 1 hour. I lost focus of why I was doing this. I lost focus of who I was with and what they had given up to be there with me. By the time these thoughts were coming up I was coming up over the Cambie Street bridge... as I crested over the bridge I saw paramedics doing CPR on someone. It brought me up very very short. They kept moving us along and when I got to the bottom of the bridge I told Keith I would wait there for the others and explained what had happened and how I was feelng. He said I would not be able to make my time and I said I already made my time. My children and grandchildren and my soulmate are here.. what's an hour in the grand scheme of things??

So he went off to the finish line so that he could film us coming across. I waited for about 20 minutes before I finally saw them coming down off the bridge. I felt sooo bad. Lareta was waddling like she was 9 months pregnant. When she reached me she told me how much pain she was in. I told her I had painkillers with me and said said she did too but it was in her purse in HER stroller that I had taken off with. I said why didn't you call me I would have come back but her cell was in the stroller was. In our stroller was our son's water bottles. I felt so incredibly bad. Here there 2 children had over come some HUGE obstacles to be there and I had not raced with them. But the race is over and I love them for being there. And next race I do and my family is there my goal is going to be walking arm and arm all in a row everyone finishing at the same time. So what was my time? 1 hour 24 minutes.



This was our team shot:
From far left: Senthia, daughter in law Linda with little Rosaleen in front of her.Son Jody with grandson Darien in front of him. Jody has special soles in his shoes and has incredibly bad knees and anjkes but he was there to do this race with his Mum. Then Linda said well if he was going to do it she would as well. Then it is me with Latitia and little Miranda in front of me. Keith beside me with our daughter Lareta holding baby Kloie with her and granddaughter Britnee on the far right. I had made shirts for some of the granddkids saying I support Nana and some with the same saying except saying of Nana and Gramma and their other grandmother died of breast cancer 2 years ago. Our children had I support Nana, Keith's said I support my Love and Soulmate.I made some for EVERY member of our family even for those that don't live here as I could not have done this without them. Ever.

Keith and I..if this ever happens agin hope you have a husband like Keith. There is NO GREATER love and supportive man then this one. None.

This is a picture of our son Jody, his wife Linda and daughter Rosaleeb


Pictures of our daughter Lareta and her children. I was so sad at the way I had left her behind :( She just had a newborn baby and had been on bed rest for about 4 months before the baby was born. She had dislocated pelvic joint which is still not healed and very painful and here she was to support me and I left her behind. I will remember that moment for a very long time.

tattoo that Rosaleen insisted i needed.. she called them Butterly Kisses :O








I racked my brain trying to figure out what kind of tshirt I could make for Kloie. She is so small nothing I wrote on the shirt would have worked then I thought UH HUH.. I transferred the pink ribbon on her little cheeky butt heheh



Time to go home and these kids were so tired. That was a long run for them!!





One of my mom's cousin who I had never met had written to me when she found out I was doing the race. She called me a Warrior Woman and so this picture was just for her :)







It's been months since they told her about it
The darkness her body possessed
And the scars are still there in the mirror
Everyday that she gets herself dressed
Though the pain is miles and miles behind her
And the fear is now a docile beast
If you ask her why she is still running
She'll tell you it makes her complete

I run for hope
I run to feel
I run for the truth
For all that is real
I run for your mother your sister your wife
I run for you and me my friend I run for life

It's a blur since they told me about it
How the darkness had taken its toll
And they cut into my skin and they cut into my body
But they will never get a piece of my soul
And now I'm still learning the lesson
To waken when I hear the call
And if you ask me why I am still running
I'll tell you I run for us all

And someday if they tell you about it
If the darkness knocks on your door
Remember her remember me
We will be running as we have before
Running for answers
Running for more

Next year I will be training for the 60K race 4 day marathon. As well as the 5K one which I will do with my children and grandchildren and I will walk side by side with them and enjoy the blessings that come with being alive. And being with them. Hopefully you will ALL come join me for either of them. We need to end this disease. I will do it.. Will you do it with me?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0myvLD0zpAM

Thank you so much for listening to me talk about this race for the last couple of months. It has made the whole world to me! Thanks you