Terry Fox Run

the day finally arrived.
I hadn't run in over 2 weeks...probably closer to 3 weeks, actually, and the furthest I had run was 2.6km, with one attempt at 3km - that one I walked about half of it.  so when I woke up on Sunday Sept 19th I wasn't ready at all.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous, God had blessed the day with beautiful sunshine.  Pulling into the high school parking lot i saw the sign for the run; way up there on the crane truck.  I honestly got so choked up and the tears began to form.  I couldn't cry, this was ridiculous.  No, it wasn't nerves about running it was the fact of what I would be running for.  I had to be able to run 5km.  Terry Fox attempted a marathon every single day during the Marathon of Hope.  5km was honestly the least I could do to do my part.  it was a lot for me, but i would be running with dan and our kids.  he was going to run with me, to help me keep going, AND he would be pushing the jogging stroller with our 3 yr old and 18m old in it.  we registered, handed in our pledge sheet and waited.  I kept looking at the sign. 
The Terry Fox Run.
This year was the 30th anniversary of Terry's run.  1980 - 2010.  I was 5 when he ran.  i don't really remember a lot of memories without being told about them first, but Terry Fox is one I remember.  He was so strong.  Even when he was so sick.  Cancer didn't seem to be everywhere yet.  But now, honestly, I don't know anyone who doesn't have a loved one that cancer has directly affected.  ANY Cancer.  there are so many varieties it is overwhelming when one stops and thinks about it.  it is something that affects us all, and Terry Fox ran to raise awareness and to get closer to a cure one day.  I'm sure from everything he started there are thousands (minimum) who are alive today, beaten their cancer, in remission....  i was going to run 5km in support of the research to help thousands, millions, more.  no wonder I got choked up and teary.
None of us had ever done the run, but dan and I had wanted to for a long time.  the emotions arrived again when they sent the bikers off... it was almost our turn.  the boy wanted to run with us.  he's 3, but he wanted to race.  so we told him he could help daddy push the stroller up the hill (yes we started on a hill) with daddy and when he got tired he could go in with the girl.  So, it was runners and bikers turn.  We were off - in a mass of people.  walkers, kids on bikes, dogs, rollerblades, runners, strollers.... and up the hill we ran - weaving around people to get out of the mass.    the boy ran his hardest up that hill holding the stroller with daddy.  We got to the top and he was tired - into the stroller he got, but I was so proud of that little guy.  off we went.  i did have to slow down and walk a couple times, but dan says it wasn't any longer than a 300m walk, total.  When we got to the top of the hill - the home stretch, the emotions were back - but i still couldn't let them out.  the boy wanted to run down the hill so he got out.   but he was more tired than he thought - he tripped and fell - dan carried that determined little boy down the hill to the end and I pushed the girl down.. Throughout the run when I was slowing and struggling Dan would run ahead of me and run backward wo the kids were facing me.  They would cheer and laugh, it was so great having them help me find it in myself to do something Dan believed I could do.  I finally believed it too.
I had done it!  We had done it!  so exciting!   couldn't believe it was all over though.  next year it's the 10km...i have a year, I can't let myself procrastinate that badly.
Thank you to all the volunteers and everyone that keeps this run going every year!