Sprint For Life 5K Recap

Sorry for the week delay of this post and I will be delayed on the El Chupacabra post, as well. 


On Saturday, May 5, 2012, I participated in the Sprint for Life 5K under Team Teapot for MD Anderson in an effort to raise money for Ovarian Cancer. This event really meant something to me for 2 reasons:

• I was running in honor of MaloRee and BranDee Allen. They lost their mom to this disease and couldn't be here for this event. I took their place to run with their other sister, MegGan.
• This particular 5K started the whole, "I'm training for a half marathon and then writing a blog about it" thing for me 2 years ago. I did sign up for the Chevron 5K a couple of months prior, but that was just to run in a 5K for nothing other than to see if I could do it (didn't do it, foot surgery). See my posts here and here. 

The big surprise to this whole day was that I FINALLY got Kate to run with me. I was doubtful that she would even sign up; she did. I was suspect when we talked about getting to the run and how; she picked me up. And on that morning, I was surprised that I didn't get a text to say that she had caught this weird disease skiing in the Pokonos (which inadvertantly set off the zombieapocalypse) and is now quarantined in the CDC (meaning she wasn't going to make it). But then she showed up right on time and I was so glad, because I was nervous about running alone sick (MegGan was walking and I didn't know the others in the group, except Derek). I have dealt with a viral infection for about 3 weeks and then it turned ugly on Thursday. Consequently, I woke up still very sick on Saturday morning and not sure I would actually survive. I made a promise to not push myself and I'm glad Kate was there in that matter. It's the only time I'm going to say that, Kate. You hear me?!

Anyhoo, on to the race. We got up really really early (Kate much more than me since she lives in the sticks). If I was at normal capacity like last year, I would have walked up to the event (2-3 miles away), but there was no way that I could do it. The event organization and information was not great. They sent out a pdf, but didn't inform us that it was NOT at MD Anderson; it was across the street. Naturally, we parked far away providing us with a good warmup. We found Team Teapot hanging by the balloons although we left them to go pick up our packets.

Kate and I in our standard before shot.

 Kate made the mistake of eating a free kolache. She should have seen that I didn't, but I wasn't going to tell her. Actually, I just wasn't hungry since I ate oatmeal before we left. 

When we got back to the group, we took pictures with our cool new shirts that were made.

Team Teapot in our new awesome shirts.

Kate and I can't NOT be goofy

Then, we started to hear the calls for the runners to take their place (that's Kate and I since I believe everyone else in the group was walking). Kate and I head to the mass herd of cows...er...I mean people.

Waiting on the race to start. 

It's getting packed all around us.

Thankfully, it wasn't as packed like at the Susan G. Koman Race. We took some pictures, heard the Star Spangled Banner (forgot to take off my hat), and we were off. I held on to Kate's hand (yeah, I know) to guide her through the masses. We managed to clear the crowd and start the actual running. Stupid me forgot to start my nike + ipod app.

I love that I'm so close to my house.

We ran for about a half a mile before Kate needed a break to walk. Our goal was to make it to 1 mile, but she was huffing pretty hard. I had us stop after the light so that we could beat the traffic. The main thing that I didn't like about this event was that there were at least 4 times where we had to stop at a light to let the cars go in to the parking lot (I believe the VA Hospital). We managed to miss most of them, except for 1. It just messes up the flow of running.

Kate begging the Gods to let her stop.

This was a nice easy run and so cool to be in my neighborhood running for an event. I never get that...ever. I tried to steer us to the middle of the road since I knew how bumpy the roads were. One guy complained that we were running up hill; we were not. It was mostly flat the entire way. I had to set short goals for Kate to keep her going without dying ("Let's run from the light pole to the stoplight."). To keep her mind off the whole I'm running thing for the first time ever, I talked to her about random things. I told her about my first 5K in June (MUCH HOTTER) where I was only allowed 2 breaks of walking that lasted 10 seconds maybe. So, she should be greatful that I'm letting her walk and reward me with beer.

She's moving. 

Look closely, I'm running backwards.

A lady thought we should have our picture taken together during the race.

At one point, she poured water all over her head.

Finally, we got towards the end. I got worried seeing these people running the opposite way and thought that there might be a turnaround point. Usually turnaround points for 5Ks are at 1.5 miles, but I was pretty sure we were at 2 miles. Thankfully, it turned out to be the showoff people running to the event, running, and then running somewhere else. In fact, I wasn't even sure they were in the event. They were just there to make us look bad.

We got to the last turn in to the final stretch and I had to stop to take this lady's picture.

What an awesome shirt.

I let Kate walk ahead of me. In her words, she was hoping that I would take my time and then she heard my feet running up in which she let out a loud moan. She also mentioned to me that she felt that she was running like a banshee in heat and I'm not going to lie, it looked similar.

And then it was the final stretch. I got in to pure motivation mode to keep her going. People on the sidelines were cheering us on. It was 40 ft, then 30 ft, and then I had her pick up the pace. We crossed the finish line at 43 minutes. I high-fived Kate and then we waited for the others (okay, Kate was dying on the side looking like she just gave birth), while I high-fived strangers until the rest of Teampot crossed.

What a drama queen.

Keith and David waiting for MegGan to cross.

We finished. So very proud of Kate.

MegGan and other Team Teapot member (didn't get her name) crossing the finish line.

Now, everyone say Ahhhhh. 

 Team Teapot at the finish line.

Congratulations to everyone that participated and especially, congratulations to Kate on her first ever 5K. This won't be her last, oh no, it won't. Thank you to everyone who donated, everyone on the team, and to MegGan's hubby and son to cheer us on during the race. Team Teapot raised a total of $1,765.50 raised by 15 people. I raised $485 of it. Kate also told me that her coworkers were going to a donate a dollar for every minute that she made it under 1 hour. This was our motivation throughout the race and I'm hoping they stay true to their word.

Next race for me is a 2012 goal for me...the infamous El Chupacabra race this Saturday. Somehow, I need to run 6 miles between now and then. EEK!

On a side note, I've lost a total of 6lbs.

We saw this gazebo on our walk back to the car and we couldn't resist.

Yeah, I'm rocking it.

Picture 56 of 60 in this style. For some reason, I couldn't get it right and this was the best one.

This was a Chinese food truck called Happy Endings. Yeah, we thought it was funny, too.