Broke my record...BIG!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-14-2007
Broke my record...BIG!!!
16
Sat, 06-06-2009 - 3:46pm

My husband and I just returned from the Victory In The Valley Race and..get this..Taaa..Daaa..yesterday I walked the 2K 1.2 miles for practice and it took me a hard full 60 minutes with several stops. Well..I walked the 2K (1.2 miles) walk today in 44.17 minutes!!! There was a good sized group behind me still..meaning..I was not the last one across the finish line as I thought I would be!! :-)))


Rusty..I thought of you as I as I'm wearing Saucony athletic shoes at your  suggestion to Pat and I've done very well with them. Also, thank you for encouraging me to get back to walking more..you inspired me!!


When I was approaching the finish line, there is a walking bridge that you cross under and other walkers were up on the bridge applauding and cheering all of us in right to the last person. My husband walked the 5K before me, so he was up on the bridge with his sister giving me thumbs up & "You did it!" and laughing and cheering for me..I was sooooo excited!!! When DH came down and met up with me, we hugged and I cried as this means so much to me. After all of my various surgeries, I didn't think I could ever be in another race..and I did it!!!


I love the atmosphere of these races, people everywhere in the coveted tee-shirts, all happy and having a great time, cancer survivors everywhere with their support teams, the scents of foods cooking, a really good band playing 70's music, and so much more. We had 18 people on our team, mostly family members. Two of John's sisters are cancer survivors and both were there walking with us. Love watching how people dress for these races too. You can tell the real runners in their short shorts and tank tops with tight buff muscles from the rest of us. I saw one woman who you could tell was probably in her late 50's I'd say and she was dressed as a real runner and her legs were totally toned..tight and youthful looking..she must take very good care of herself.


It was emotional at the end when we walked the Celebration Stroll of Survivors and their Supporters. It's a slow walk of about a half mile around and up to the walking bridge. The survivors were wearing purple scarves and carrying purple balloons. When we reached the bridge, the supporters parted and clapped as the survivors walked through and onto the bridge. When they were all on the bridge, the band began playing, "When you need a friend"..many tears..much joy..and after the song ended, they all let their balloons go. Awesome!!!


The path we walked was along the river downtown near our modern beautiful science center. It was such a pretty walk along the river, across a bridge, along the other side of the river with pretty flowers and park like landscaping and such, across the walking bridge and back that my husband and I have deciced that this will be our favorite place to walk from now on unless the temps are too high, then we'll stick to our park where there's more shade.


Here is my commitment to myself...By this time next year, I will be many pounds lighter and will do this race in under 25 minutes! That's the time limit for your time counting and getting your name listed in the paper with your time. I want that!! I will do it!!


Thank you to all of you who have stuck it out reading this loooong message..LOL! Most of all, thank you for your wonderful support..this is an amazing board of people that I am blessed to be a part of!!


This is National Cancer Survivor's Week and this Sunday is National Cancer Survivor's Day.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-14-2007
Sun, 06-07-2009 - 2:13pm

Thanks Ann! I've always had an attitude of, "Don't *even* try to tell me I can't do that!!" My DH knows that if I want to do something, I'll do it. It's kind of a joke with us. Fortunately, he likes to do stuff too..he's not sure he'll go parasailing with me though..but I know he will when I get the opportunity! I'm pretty persuasive!


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-14-2007
Sun, 06-07-2009 - 2:57pm

OH I am so happy for you,, also for J who did the 5K.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-14-2007
Sun, 06-07-2009 - 3:08pm

Yes, it is hard to find athletic shoes with a narrow heel. That's what does it with these I think!


We won't give up Rusty..must keep walking! Ask me every once in awhile how I'm doing, that way I know I'll have to keep it up so you won't scold me..LOL!! Really though, this is something that J and I like doing, it's just the old get yourself up off the chair and out the door kind of thing. Since I finally got the courage to push my walker around the block and it was fine, no one was watching and even if they were, so what!! That will help on days when we don't feel like driving to a walking location. It's going to be getting too hot to walk outdoors soon though..darn it! Walking in Target is okay, but gets boring! Much prefer outdoors!


Walk on girlfriend...always!


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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2003
Sun, 06-07-2009 - 4:51pm

Oh you have a "kitchen dancing" partner now...Love it!


I hope John enjoys it as much as you do. He does sound like the kind of guy who is up for anything you suggest.....Have fun:-)


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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2003
Sun, 06-07-2009 - 11:15pm

waytogo.gif Way to go! image by drawing_girl


AWESOME !!!!!


your post gave me goosebumps & tears. i am proud of you, my friend! keep going :O)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-14-2007
Mon, 06-08-2009 - 12:00am

Yes, a "kitchen dancing" partner, how cool is that!! J pretty much likes doing everything that I like doing..except he's not sure about parasailing with me..LOL! He will though, the two of us up together and away we goooooo..LOL!! When the opportunity presents itself one day, I hope my back can take it. You know me though, I'll give it my best shot! :-)


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