So as regular readers know, this past Sunday was the Run for the Cure.
It was, as always, a magical event and today's guest post comes from one of our team members - Laurie Shusterman who has managed to translate the essence of why she's such an inspiration to so many, into words.
Thanks Laurie for sharing this with me (and the blog), thanks to everyone who ran, and a huge thanks to my reader donors who crushed last year's total of $250 by donating nearly $1,300 this year and helping Team BMI raise over $10,000!
(P.S. Proud dad moment as my barely 6 year old ran the complete 5km. When I asked her if it was more difficult or easier than she'd expected she told me that it was more difficult, but she didn't mind because it was an important thing for her to do)
Today I ran a "Personal Best" .... those of us who consider ourselves "runners" ....ok maybe amateur runners at best, we strive to run a "personal best". Those are the days where everything comes together, the weather, the race course, your body (hopefully injury free and rested) to run the hardest and the fastest race of your personal running history to log your best time. Today I ran my "personal best". This race was different however, the runners were not wearing numbers, but rather names of loved ones .... grandmothers, mothers, daughters, sisters...the list is too long to mention them all. There is also that small percentage of men who should not go without a name, or be uncounted. The runners today were more concerned with their "costumes" than their running shoes, and we were no exception....there was a lot of pink hair envy out there today. One young group of girls even asked to have their photo taken with us!
When we started off we weren't concerned about setting our watches or stepping on the timing mat as we crossed the start line, we were busy looking for our BMI team mates. Off we went, not by a gun shot, but with music and enthusiasm, thousands upon thousands of people all out there for one cause. I found it so emotional as we all silently read the names people had written on their backs and realized this day was much bigger than any of us. Young boys in tiaras, grown men with pink shirts, even a young man running on an artificial leg .... young girls, many grandmothers; brides, ballerinas, dogs.... they were all out there today, all with a single goal.
The run did come to an end, but I believe it was not the official "finish line" because we won't cross it until researchers have found a cure for Breast Cancer. We didn't check our watches at the end, in fact I never even started mine; today was about being there for all those people suffering from or surviving from a horrible disease. It was about being with our BMI friends we have come to know over the last few years and working together for a cause....it was about raising money for the girl who was running for "More Time With Her Mother".
Thank you Kelly for organizing the BMI Team, it was an amazing event! Sorry we couldn't find you.
Today I ran a "personal best" and I don't even know my time!
Laurie