Sunday, June 13, 2010

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!!!!!

23 comments:

Barb said...

You GO Gal! Glad you finished the mile and added that memory to your "I did it!" list. Good for you, Bernie.

Pseudo said...

Yea! So happy you made it. You are a wonderful role model.

Unknown said...

Wow, that's amazing. You should be very proud, I hope I'll be as fit as you when I'm my the eighties.

Helena xx

some tall, stable girl. said...

Oh, that's wonderful. Good for you, sweetheart. You look like you did just fine.

Gail said...

So proud! For such a great cause.

Julie Garst said...

Great job! Makes me just shut my mouth and get my tail movin'!

becky said...

Nice job, Bernie!

Wanda..... said...

Wonderful for you, Bernie, a whole mile! Love the first photo of you smiling, you really don't look your age, especially when smiling! I'll have to remember that!

June said...

"...my head kept telling my feet to put one in front of the other..."
**************************
That's how it is ALL done!
Good for you!
Proud of you!

Von said...

Onya Bernie!!! I'll know who to ask next time.

yaya said...

Bernie, you followed the advice of another very wise, beautiful 84yr. old..my Mom! She always says "just do it!" and you did! Good going and it's great to see all the support for cancer too. You sure don't look 84!

Donna said...

Congrats!...good job!...woop..Woop..WOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!
You're my hero...I hope to be just like that!!!!!!

whalechaser said...

You've got some determination! Hope you are feeling ok today, sometimes a day or two later it really lets you know about it!

Cheryl said...

Well done Bernie, you are truly an inspiration. Probably thousands of people half your age who didn't do it. So I'm guessing next year you might do a bit more training and go just a little further! As we'd say here "Go you good thing!"

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Very proud of you, ma. Keep at it now. Oh, the places you will go.

Giada said...

Wow Bernie... You were great!

Lin said...

You're such an inspiration. Congratulations, Bernie!

Frank said...

Way to go Bernice. So proud of you for completing the mile. It's all about the experience and comraderie, not the distance travelled.

Wander to the Wayside said...

Phew, even the therapists next to you looked worn out! What a wonderful thing to do for a wonderful cause! I didn't know how long a mile was until I ran out of gas one time and decided I was close enough to my daughter's house to walk there instead of bothering anyone as it was nighttime. Took me forever and I finally had to call someone as I couldn't take another step...turned out it was a little over TWO miles, and I'd walked less than one!

Jenna @ Falling Letters said...

Wow, congratulations on making it to the end!

Deb Shucka said...

I hope I have half your spirit and courage when I reach your place in life. How was the afterward? When's the next race?

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Anita said...

It's all relative. I felt like that the first time I ran a 10k. :)
BUT WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT!
Are you going to do it again? :)

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