If you have been reading for several months then you know that Michelle and I have been doing a race every month since January. We did not do a September race because of our upcoming race in San Jose this weekend. I decided to volunteer for a race for my September race instead of running one. I volunteered this past weekend for the Hot Chocolate 15k/5k. This is a really nice race. I volunteered for Girls on the Run and worked in the Chocolate Tent. Doesn't that sound awesome?? Here is the sad thing, I didn't get a single piece of chocolate! I am sure I could have taken a bit here and there but I would have felt guilty if I had. I helped put the mugs together for all of the race finishers. These mugs were awesome with all kinds of goodies. There was hot fudge sauce, marshmallows, cookies, pretzels, a banana and a few other things and a cup of hot chocolate right in the middle.
I got there at 5:30 in the morning to start getting things ready and then we had some busy times where we really had to keep things moving. We had some downtime also and for someone who is used to being really busy, it was hard not having anything to do at times. I think I might have been the oldest volunteer there!! Almost everyone around me was 20 years old and doing it for points for some college courses. I started feeling really old!! I left a little early so I could go watch for my friend Lizette come through the finish of the 15k. I watched for 45 minutes and never saw her until I heard the guy with the microphone calling her name out as she crossed the finish. I couldn't believe I missed her, I was right there!!! I am amazed at how many people looked so much like her! There were a lot of people wearing black pants and a black tank top!! At least I got to see her in the finishers' shoot so it wasn't all for nothing!!
As I stood there waiting for my friend I realized that I was watching a lot of the mid to back of the pack runners. I have to tell you that I was really inspired. I know it is cool to watch the elites and really fast runners but I have to tell you, watching the back of the pack runners was almost more inspiring. I watched people who were continuing to fight all the way to the finish despite looking like they were in quite a bit of pain. They really inspired me how they kept fighting until the end. Some of the people looked like they were about to drop dead but they kept going. So, I would encourage you to go to a race and cheer on those people at the back of the pack. You will be inspired I guarantee it!!! Plus, sometimes the people in the back of the pack do not have a lot of spectators left to cheer them on. They need it just as much as those in the front or middle of the pack.
On a different subject, I have not updated you on mine and Michelle's progress lately. We stopped focusing on losing weight and started focusing on eating for our training. We have been eating for endurance rather than losing weight. Sadly we both got a little burned out on our training. I think racing each month kind of messed us up with our training for our San Jose race. Frequently our races have fallen on long run days and so we would have to do them the next day when we were fatigued and sore. We both quit our jobs and Michelle started a new one that has been very stressful. So, needless to say, we fell off track on our training. We have both been very stressed with either work or family issues and lost some of our motivation. We have abandoned our time goal and just want to go have a good time now. I am really looking forward to going out there, going to the expo and running the race. It is supposed to be warm that day but we should be done before the heat really sets in. I will of course post about our race to let you know how everything went. I think it is going to be a really fun time!!
I hope you are all having a great week! I want to share one other thing with you. My friend Lizette who I attempted to see coming across the finish line at the Hot Chocolate Race shared this with me as a means of helping victims of Hurricane Harvey. Lizette is such an inspiring person and I interviewed her and will share that with you later because I know you will also be inspired by her. Anyway, she is running to raise money for Harvey victims. This is the link to her page: http://anython.com/miles-for-harvey?participant=105201. I hope you will check it out and donate if you can!!! I was born in Houston, TX so this hits home for me as well. I will be donating.
Thank you and have a great week!!
Kristi