My first official 5k race...

As you may or may not know...I have been jogging for a year now.
When I started, I couldn't run even a 1/4 mile. I could never run in school and never thought I could run at all.
I guess my motivation was a few things related to health.
I hated every second of it though!

Strangely...something was keeping me motivated.

Usually when I "can't" do something in my mind, it's over.

But with this, it was like I was trying to prove myself wrong!

Suddenly, something clicked with the whole thing. My breathing developed, I changed shoes. Then, I daresay I was looking forward to it. I could finally run a whole mile without stopping (3 months later).
I started running almost 3 last December on regular basis, up to about 5 days a week.
My goal for this spring was to do a 5k.
There were so many to choose from!
So when my company was sponsoring people to do the race for the cure, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to reach goal #1 and help a great cause at the same time.

And a perfect opportunity it was.



I arrived super early Saturday morning, not knowing what to expect - just that there would be a LOT of people.
However, 6:30 am was a bit early!
I got a great parking spot and just started walking around, checking out downtown from this perspective.
Tried not to be nervous.
What did I have to be nervous about?

At 8:30am, they were having a "survivor's celebration" on the statehouse lawn.
It was a perfectly beautiful May morning, a bit on the cool side, but refreshing after a long week of rain.

I wandered down and around, Tim Horton booths all around. Too bad I don't drink coffee!

It wouldn't be long until the crowds would arrive.

Pink, pink, everywhere pink!

The obvious color to remember the race for the cure is pink!
And there was no short supply of it in sight.
There were plenty of activities to keep me busy up until the race time.
In fact, they had so many freebie giveaways and I was there so early...I had 2 bags full of stuff after going around to all the booths!
So, knowing I couldn't run 3.2 miles (!!) with that extra stuff, I headed back to dump the stuff in the car.
With 40,000+ people there, I didn't expect to see anyone I knew.
Would you believe, as I put the stuff in my car, I saw Heidi from Longaberger!! She looked great (she is a personal trainer) and was walking with one of her "trainees" that day!
We hung out for a bit until I got nervous about running the race...so off I went!


The dumpster was later OVERFLOWING with water bottles...:(

They gave us bags, scarves, cosmetic bags, frisbees, free manicures, chair massages, candy...

Everyone seemed to enjoy it! This was before the race, so the crowd was still thin.

The throngs of people had begun to fill High Street...

It was now time to race.
The starting lineup was OVERWHELMING.
I was ready!!!

I ran the whole thing, start to finish. I was not the first, nor the last. There was a band on every corner, encouraging us to keep going. At each mile, another set of fans encouraging us to go a little further. I was emotionally overcome at the number of racers in pink shirts (survivors) and those with pink tags (running in memory or celebration of one or more specific folks in their lives.)
It sure kept me going.
I had picked the right one for my first 5k!

At the finish line...

They took care to feed us...(that is a LOT of bananas!)

Make sure we stayed in our lines...

And this was the glorious finish line (although this was taken at 7am, before the crowds!)

What a great feeling to come up High Street and see that finish line. Never understood the motivation, but it was definitely there!
And the people lined up on either side, hand out to congratulate, lined up to encourage us.
It was a great experience and one I can't wait to do again!

Big changes at our house..

This is week number 2 of BIG CHANGES at our house.
It was time to become a little closer as a family.

I give my kids credit, they have always had some responsibilities to help around the house.
They empty the dishwasher, put away their clothes, maintain (um, mostly) their rooms clean, make their beds, and empty the trash.
They get $1 for every year old they are, every 2 weeks, if they complete their tasks without grumbling and complaining.

But I got to thinking...I am not doing them any favors by not teaching them the next steps and phases of being a grown up.
And, I don't have my garden helper this year (not sure what happened to him!).
It is time for the next level of responsibility on the road of life!

So...since "we are family"...it was time for everyone to take on some fun jobs!
Last week, Ian mowed the grass, Megan and I did the laundry, and I had kitchen duty.
This week, Megan has the mowing, Ian is the kitchen assistant, and I will do the laundry!
I wasn't sure how well miss Megan would do with the mower...but look at her go!!

A few "missed stripes", but not bad for her first try!

You go girl, I knew you could do it!

And, it's Ian's turn to be...

KITCHEN ASSISTANT!!

Duties: Help plan the meals. Help with the cooking (by the time you are 20, you better be able to feed yourself and possibly others).
Set the table properly. Clear the table. Clean up the kitchen.
Go Ian GO!!!


Putting things in the dishwasher...

There is hand washing and cleaning up to be done...

Yep! He is still smiling!!!!
(But if looks could kill...:)

Sheboygan???

Yup, that is life's next great travel adventure.

Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Add another state to Megan's list, anyway.

Sheboygan???

The exciting part is that it is a Nationals competition for gymnastics! This will be a new experience, all the way around.

Sheboygan.

It's WHAAT? May 12TH???

Well, after a brief blogger break,

I am back!!!

So much to catch up on - another trip to NYC, the beginning of my 37th year on this planet, a son appears very differently to the world, and I am halfway through my to-do list, written a week ago.

Stay tuned for another chapter in...THE WORLD ACCORDING TO....