A weekend that taught me: On Saturday, October 11, 2014 I was registered to do the scarecrow run in Fairport, New York. As my family and I headed there I was getting more and more nervous which is sort of silly because I have already completed 3 5k’s this Spring/Summer. When we arrived to my horror I looked at the wrong time, I missed my race. Furious at myself for not paying attention we got in the car, I grabbed my phone and said “ I am GOING to find a race for a charity, I WILL be running this weekend” to my joy I found the Bandana Bolt in Seneca Park. The race was for Teens living with cancer. This is very important to me, to do run’s for charity. I believe in paying it forward. This Summer I did, Sunset Hospice House 5k, as well as Steel Lillies. On Tuesday October 14 it will mark 5 years that I lost my mom to cancer. She was NOT just another statistic, she was not just my mom, she was my best friend, my inspiration. She overcame so many obstacles in her life and never gave up. She raised 5 children on her own. She went back to school at 50 to get her GED and proceeded to get her Associates Degree. She gave what little she had to help others. As we arrived 45 minutes early to Seneca Park ( there was no way I was going to be late) I was nervous yet again… ran into some friends and said goodbye to my amazing support system and best cheerleaders around, my husband and son. Then it was time, running in Seneca Park was beautiful, the crisp air, the changing of the leaves, then oh yes then I hit the hill… I don’t like hill’s they are not my friend… I trudged through it… as I made it around another bend… what was that smell… ahh yes deposits from the residents of Seneca Park Zoo… that will most certainly wake you up in the morning. Got back to the 2nd lap and there was that hill… I didn’t think I was going to have to run it again, needless to say some not so nice words came out of my mouth as I grumbled, tripped, and heaved up that hill… last lap, im tired, my body hurts but I cant give up… a friend comes back after he completes the race and runs with me because he is the best! Looks at me and said you got this Kelli believe in yourself, now sip water and kill it go go go… I looked at him smiled and said a naughty word, looked up to the sky and said “mom, this is for you, my butterfly, I miss you and love you” and pushed my body harder than I have ever pushed. Finished. Stopped my Nike app to discover not only did I finish I hit a personal best! After meeting Melissa’s mom yesterday, and hearing her story, when we left Seneca Park I knew in my heart Saturday didn’t happen so yesterday could. I may not be the fanciest, prettiest, skinniest runner in the world with all the techy gadgets… but since February to now I am a kray kray kray kray runner and the running community has truly become part of my extended family. I have made some amazing friends. Now after I rest my aching body today.. I dust off my irish a** and start to prepare for the Turkey Trot in Webster. Thank you everyone for welcoming me into the running community.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 14:53:09 +0000
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