Wednesday, March 9, 2011

All about the race

3/9/11 – Hey, everyone!
I finally registered for the race last night.  The registration is really cool because it asks you what your expected time will be (I put 45 minutes) and it asks if you plan to walk or run the 5K (I put walk because that is what I mostly do, some jogging).  I thought that was really nice.  I had been a little worried about finishing in enough time.  I know most people run a race but I felt a strong desire to do this and I knew I am not physically able to run the whole way.  I kept pushing myself to do it in 45 minutes because that wouldn’t be too far off from a slow jog (which is what I generally do when I am fit).  The option to select walk and know that they are sensitive to people that want to participate but physically have some draw backs really made me feel good and not as worried.  I still plan to finish in 45 minutes or less – it is typed into my registration so I have to meet it or beat it now!
On the registration they also had a place that said “medical condition”.  Um, was that put there just for me?  It was like it was screaming at me.  I generally scroll over things like that because I’m fine, nothing’s wrong with me.  This time when I got to that section I seriously stared at it for a few minutes.  Should I or should I not fill this out?  Is it that important that I’m going through chemo?  Do they really NEED to know that?  It is so hard to decide if you actually have a medical condition or not.  There is also the fact that I tend to down play what is going on as not that important – unless I have a head cold and then I blow that WAY out of proportion, can I get an Amen?!  I asked Todd and finally decided that I did have a medical condition and wrote that I was currently undergoing chemo and would be walking with my husband and had been cleared to participate by my oncologist.  Ok, so that last part was a fib.  I haven’t even mentioned it to my doctor yet.  Oops!  I guess I know what I will be talking about when I go to chemo next Tuesday. = )
One more thing about the race and I will move on to other topics.  After I registered what did I start to do?  The only logical thing, I started thinking about what I was going to wear.  I have a pair of brown Bermuda type workout shorts and a thin blue top – both colon cancer colors.  Outfit done, right….?  Wrong!  What about my hair?  I have to put something in my hair for flair and to get it out of my eyes.  I started thinking about those stretchy headbands.  I could get a blue one.  Nah, it would fall out and my hair is too short to go into any form of respectable ponytail.  A hat!  I needed a hat.  And, not just any hat.  I needed a colon cancer hat.  If you remember back Tara had bought me a mouse pad that says “Cancer picked the wrong diva” and Erin and Mark sent me a coozie that says “Fight like a girl”.  I knew there had to be something cool that I could wear during the race out on the internet.  So, at 12:00 in the morning I’m browsing the internet looking for cancer stuff.  I found cancer apparel through zazzle.com.  (If you have any type of cancer just google cancer apparel and click on their link.  It will redirect you to zazzle.com and get you to the right place.  You can choose any form of cancer or disease and they have tons to choose from.)  It took me a while but I finally found the perfect hat.  It is blue on the sides and the bill and white on the front.  It says “Fight like a diva”!  Haha!  Like I needed a hat to enforce that for me?  I’m now prepared for the race and perfectly styled.  Friday is the last day to register for only $20 if anyone is interested. 
Did all of you know that March is colon cancer awareness month?  I knew it but I’ve completely neglected to say anything about it.  I think I was a little distracted because I had chemo on the 1st.  In order to bring awareness I’m going to post one colon cancer fact or tip each day of the month – k?  First and foremost people should get tested.  No, colonoscopies are not fun – still haven’t had one yet – but if you could do something simple to prevent a big problem wouldn’t you do it?  I’m scheduled for sometime in July.  I’m pulling my info off the American Cancer Society website.  We’re going to start with the 5 Myths of Colorectal Cancer. 

        Myth 1: Colorectal cancer is a man’s disease.

Truth: Colorectal cancer is just as common among women as men. Each year, about 150,000   Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and about 50,000 die from the disease.
Well, today starts Lent and I think I’ve finally decided what I want to give up.  Since I’m Baptist we really don’t participate in the ceremony part of Lent.  I went to a Christian college (Judson girl and proud of it!) but not all the girls were the same denomination.  I really enjoyed it when my friends would talk about Lent and what it meant and why they gave up something to draw closer to God during the time leading up to Easter.  I could lie and tell you that I’ve decided to give up cheeseburgers or milkshakes but let’s not get too hasty.  I have figured out what I’m going to give up but I want to keep it private.  I don’t think that is something that you really share with others.  Since I am Baptist I don’t think it’s as big of a deal for me because others aren’t really going to know that I’ve given something up.  I sometimes wonder if it becomes too ceremonial for other denominations that do participate.  Do members lose the true meaning?  It becomes something you’re supposed to do and not something you chose?  I’m not pointing any fingers, I’m just wondering.  I hope everyone has a good Ash Wednesday, no matter what you decide or don’t decide to do, and that all of us participating remember that what we have given up is supposed to remind us of God’s sacrifice.   Done with the heavy.
Tonight I’m hanging out with some friends.  It should be a good time.  I’m trying my hand at making homemade pizza crust – whole wheat, of course.  If I could have anything to eat in the world I would like a good seedless watermelon like you find all over the place in the summer.  I heart watermelon!  My song of the day is “Brown Eyed Girl” by Jimmy Buffet. 
Night y’all!

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