Monday 5 May 2008

THE RACE FOR LIFE

So yesterday was the day…. Duly arrived at the venue with number two son and the daughter and met up with my work colleagues, all in our matching bright pink t shirts. So far so good………..
Then I started to look around and every one of the thousands of participants had their personal messages on their back. It was all a bit much seeing such visible evidence of the number of lives this illness affects. Must have been feeling very sensitive yesterday as I started to cry and once the first tear fell, it opened the flood gates and very soon I was in a right state. I hastily pushed Evie to a quieter part of the ground to try and compose myself but by this time I was crying uncontrollably. I got my mobile out and rang my mum, thanking my lucky stars that I still could. Couldn’t talk at all initially and my poor mum was in a real panic wondering what was going on. Eventually I managed to stutter I was ok just very upset and we had a chat and I calmed down. Her parting comment was that I was just a very sensitive person and that was why I had been so affected. So back I went to my colleagues who were by now in the queue to the start line.

Well I did it, though rather than race for life, I pushed! Couldn’t bring myself to leave Miss Evie-D behind so along she came in her pink buggy and we power walked our way round. Saw several very poignant messages along the way – one lady was there in memory of her twin who had died from cancer, which really struck a chord as my mum is a surviving twin (although her twin brother died of a heart attack, aged only 51)……. Further on, a lady had a couple of names of people close to her she had lost to cancer and then her sign read “and me 10 days out of chemo”……. Well I didn’t really need anything to spur me on but that certainly gave me a kick up the bum to stop being such a sap and get on with it.

I had a colleague’s 13 year old daughter walk with me and she was lovely company. We didn’t talk much, just enjoyed having someone to swap the occasional comment with and the rest of the time, we walked in quiet companionship.

It took us an hour to walk round and probably the same to get out of the car park! My overwhelming feeling driving away was of being really empowered at participating in this enormous joint effort where every single person had their own story and every single person made a difference.
Photographic evidence exists, although whether they make it to here remains to be seen. My abundance of sensitivity is accompanied by an overly large dose of vanity and I need to see how fat and sweaty I look first!
Good to be back - I missed you........

13 comments:

softinthehead said...

Well done you! I know exactly what you mean, those things make me well up - it really is a case of there but for the grace of a higher power. Life's a lottery.

Kim said...

Wonderful! That's a great thing you did. My mother-in-law is a ten year survivor of breast cancer.

Working Mum said...

Good to have you back!

Well done on the Race for Life; I've failed to do it twice through illness (what a surprise), so I've sponsored colleagues instead.

Maggie May said...

Well Done. Cancer is a blasted nuisance.We are sponsoring a friend & every bit counts.

the mother of this lot said...

Clever girl! Glad you're back. I missed you.

Hope you don't look TOO fat and sweaty.

Mimi said...

Well done to you! Over here, they have a Womens'Mini Marathon each June- i've done it twice, great experience.Women power raising loads of money has to be good! mimi

She's like the wind said...

Well done and I would have been in a terrible state too. xx

Pig in the Kitchen said...

Good on you MMOF. I totally understand the blubbing, I ran a race for a breast cancer cause in memory of my Mum. I got over the finish line then went and dissolved into tears. Life isn't fair, and somehow it helps to make a gesture for those who didn't have enough years of life.
Pigx

ginger witch said...

You look perfectly lovely in your pic, as does your gorgeous girl, well done and keep on running xx

Expat mum said...

Well done. Helping others and getting yourself in shape. What could be better!

Suzy said...

It's very interesting being in a group/crowd of people that are there for the same reason. It's a communion of sorts, a breaking of the bread together. The bonding that happens at events like this always gives a glimmer of hope that we are all alike, more than we think.
So good to have you back- Missed you! Would love to see the photos of your beautiful self and the lovely Ms Evie D.

Love,
Suzy

Swearing Mother said...

You? Fat and sweaty??

Never!

Manic Mother Of Five said...

SITH, indeed we can only play the hand we are dealt

Kaycie, thank you. Big up to you Ma in law.... Hope she continues to keep well

Working mum, at least you are contributing in some way

Maggie, indeed it is and we all only need to do a little bit

MOTL, ah shucks you missed me. back now!

hey Mimi - you can't beat GIRLPOWER!

Thanks Windy and I don;t believe you for a minute. Remember, I've seen your photo now!

Hi Pig, at least you had a decent reason for your tears. I am just a baby!

Hey Ginger! Yes sir!

Thanks ExpatMum

Hey Suzy, you have definitely got a point there about the common bond. Powerful stuff

Oh fuck off sweary!!!!!!!!