I ran for her

I recently ran my first 5K - the San Francisco Race for the Cure.  I've been training hard to regain my pre-baby body and have run 5K a few times, so I casually asked my sister if she wanted to run it with me.  She did and we did.  I don't love running, but it was an inspiring and emotional morning.

After you register for this race, you can create a sign for your back "In Memory Of" or "In Celebration Of".  I am blessed in that I can celebrate the health of both my mother and my sister - survivors of 26 and 6 years, respectively.  Diagnosed the same month, 20 years apart.  Spooky.  And both of them are the picture of health - truly inspiring.

We raced - it was hard - we finished and there's a gathering area.  Once everyone is done running/walking, the Survivors are celebrated.  My sister walked into the area with her daughter - 2 years old.  When my niece got antsy, I held her and then a singer sang Melissa Etherridge's song - Run for Life.

When I created my memoriam and when I held my niece, I was overcome with emotion.  I am so blessed to have my mother and my sister - who deserve to be celebrated - but I run for her.  I ran for my daughter and my niece.  I ran so that they might never have to consider mastectomies and chemotherapy and ovarian suppression.  I ran so that they might not have to wonder at every annual exam - is this the year.  My family genetics give me an 80% lifetime probability of breast cancer.  Maybe my daughter and niece didn't get those genes.  But in case they did, I'll run for a cure.

What makes you run?