I love running. It is an extension of who I am and what keeps me calm (I can't say stress free...but perhaps less stressed?). Several weeks ago, I made a commitment to use my love for running to help raise funds to fight cancer by entering races to benefit cancer research. This past weekend I was able to enter the Friends of Melana 5K in my hometown.
I was in Garrettsville for a family event, and to see my niece, and learned about the 5K in conjunction with an annual festival downtown. I thought "sure why not" and then learned the cause and knew "absolutely" I was going to be on that start line on race day. Friends of Melana was named in memory of Melana Matson, a nine year old girl from Garrettsville, who in 2009, was diagnosed with brain cancer. She lost her battle just nine months after her diagnosis. Friends of Melana was formed to honor her memory and help to fund the fight against this cancer.
So on a beautiful Sunday morning, I trotted on downtown, surprisingly fast, (its only a mile from my mom's house so I decided to use it as a warm-up and to add up a couple more miles) and signed in for the race. It's been about 14 years since I last lived in town, so I do not really recognize the new faces (or at least those who came out to sweat for cancer research) and just waited on my own for the starting gun (although I did chat a bit with Mrs. Z who was my gifted teacher through school and agreed to hold onto my race shirt for me).
When the race started, it started fast....one of the habits I've tried to break for years. But it felt decent so I just went with it. It was about 1/2 a mile in that I looked down at my pace and just thought "whoa...I'm going to die if I keep this up." It was pretty fast for me. A 1/4 mile later I looked down again and I was going even faster. My first thought was, "I'm not a fast runner, this must be Kaitlyn and Joey carrying me." (You may recall a post a few weeks ago about Kaitlyn and Joey...they have inspired this commitment this year). It was then I decided that if they wanted me to go that fast, I wouldn't let them down. And I don't think I did.
It was a hilly course, that's for sure. The course started on Center Street up to Maple Avenue, down to Water Street, up Liberty, turned onto Pierce, then Brosius Road and back down Center Street to the finish. Driven there lately? Its rolling...and Center Street throws in a whopper uphill right before the finish line. But rolling is good, rolling is fun. I even got to see my old eighth grade English teacher and middle/high school track coach bike riding along the course. It was great encouragement. But mostly, I wanted to keep running for Kaitlyn and Joey. And so I did.
So on this Sunday of small town parades, political booths along the street and Catholic church chicken dinner fundraisers, as a community we also accomplished a little something in honor of the children who did not have a cure available to them in hopes that those who come after will not have to know what childhood cancer can do. Happy trails!!!
Oh, in the end, I turned in a 23:49 time...did not quite beat my standing PR from 19 years ago (23:10), but slipped in as my second best 5K ever. Overall, I finished first among women 30-39 and fourth among all women. I also got the opportunity to share some old stories with Jason Adkins about when he and his mom used to sit a couple rows behind his brother, Nathan, and I when we went on dates in middle school :)
Stats -
Miles: 5.21 (1.11 miles to the race, 5K during the race, and 1 mile trottomh back with my niece before picked up by my mom)
Time: 1st mile 9:07 (average pace of 8:12 per mile), 5K 23:49 (average pace of 7:41 per mile), last mile? I have no idea...I was trotting with a three-year old who was convinced she could run like her aunt...it was slow, but I think she has a future :)
Location: good old G-ville, Ohio
Feeling: So great I can't even find the words
Earlier this year one of our neighbors, Kaitlyn, lost the fight against a lymphoma. Around the same time, our next door neighbor's 7-year old granddaughter, Sophia, was diagnosed with leukemia. Whether you've been touched by someone affected by the diseases or not, its hard not to wish for the discovery of a cure for these cancers, particularly for the victims whose time ends far too soon. 
That's why, when our neighbors invited us to join them for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk we absolutely said yes. Yes, we would walk with Team Kaitlyn. Even the diva went out to walk in support of the Dzurneys and in memory of Kaitlyn (she also got a balloon...which she loves).
The walk started at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and snaked down toward city dock before returning to the stadium. While a somber occasion, it also was a great and joyful coming together of families and communities to raise money for research. The atmosphere was celebratory, and a bit raucous if you were close to that large group of younger children. 
