Firecracker, Firecracker, Boom Boom Boom!

Do you remember that cheer ladies?  Well, it's as old as I feel today!  I am proud to say that I did complete the Firecracker 5K in respectable time (under 40 minutes is what I consider respectable).  I felt great during the run and even afterwards, but today is another story.  At 4am when Ava began crying for me I realized getting out of bed was more than a challenge!  Luckily after rubbing her back for 15 minutes she was happy to go back to bed and so was I.

 Erin, Sara, Holly (before the run)

 Sara, during the run

Ava and Blake patiently waiting for Mommy!

The race was certainly an experience that I am glad that I took on.  I need to thank Holly for inspiring me and challenging me to do this for myself and check it off my bucket list.  I am so grateful to have a friend like her.  She is always putting others before herself and thinks of the small things that mean great deal to a person like me.  She prepared me for this race in countless ways.  For the past months when I would tell her about me running at home she always sounded impressed.  The last month she had me running the course every week with her and told me where the mile markers would be and more importantly where the water stations would be located.  She let me know that she always took a drink and even walked some of the course herself.  On our last run she presented me with a digital sport watch to help me track my pace.  When we did our final run before the race last week she limped her way with me (she has had a knee problem that almost caused her not to run) and we looked at our watches to see how long it took us to get to certain places.  We had a marker at a yellow house and I was thrilled when I got to that house yesterday and saw that my watch was at 28 minutes and just last week it read 32 minutes.  It gave me the boost that I needed to keep trucking along.  At the end of the race I got to see my shining family with flags in their hands and smiles on their faces.  Holly and her family were cheering as I came down the home stretch and Erin and Shane stood at the very end when I crossed and almost collapsed in their waiting arms!  I have to say it was it worth my sore body today.  Erin I am so glad that you joined us on this adventure.  You are so encouraging and I am blessed to have you as a friend and now a running partner (well, I may not be running every week in town, but we will meet up again next June to run).  Now Erin and I will have to look forward to the "Turkey Trot" that Holly is signing us up for:)  A special thanks to Holly for the special medal that Ellie gave me as I finished the race.  The inscription says "Sara 5K champ".  Also a big thanks goes out to Ed who gave me the opportunity every week to run with the girls because he saw this was important to me and encouraged me every week to keep it up.