CRAWLING TO THE FINISH LINE

After just three days of training I decided to walk in the 10K Bellin Race. Heretofore I had walked only as far as the corner of my street. I broke my tailbone in Texas and was rather constricted as to my activities. So on Saturday morning at 6:30 I got up. It was dark, cold, and rainy out. I sent a quick e-mail to my kids and asked them whose idea was this anyway? And then I left to join the 17,000 other participants.








The run is like the third largest in the nation I think and it is for cancer. At $25 bucks apiece that is quite a large chunk of change for breast cancer. I think they include leukemia and other cancers too now. Such a teeming mass of humanity is gathered there together with all the onlookers who encourage the runners on. A Kenyan wins every year lately. I guess it has been l4 years since an American has won it. Shucks, he was back and done before many of the rest of us had started! Sort of broke my hopes of winning right there.:)


No, I must confess that I only entered the one mile event for those who had had therapy of one kind or another for knee surgery, hip surgery, heart problems etc. And I barely made it. I had to rest often and almost had to crawl to the finish line. This time I didn't have the police watching over me--I had two physical therapists from the hospital. I don't know how I picked them up but they must have spotted me resting - - -often leaning on the temporary barrier.

And I got mixed up with another group again but regained my straggling group soon enough. Only they weren't straggling. Only I was. Heck, they were not nearly as old either. Anyhow it was fun and very satisfying to finish and not quit. Here are a few more pictures.

Thought I was near the finish line but the lady said, "Oh No, you have to go around this next corner and go several blocks before you get there!" I thought that mile went awfully fast. But after we turned the corner and got to the other street I hadn't counted on such a far far destination. It looked like it was to hell and gone. But we toiled on.

Look kind of beat here and the therapist is right beside me. Kind of cool to have them watch you that well. The last 40 feet my head kept telling my feet to put one in front of the other and I made it!!!!!