It’s happen! Finally, it’s happened!

I’ve been waiting, ever so patiently, for my first 3day story that I can carry with me for motivation. As if having a best friend who’s suffered through breast cancer wasn’t enough motivation. Or as if all the millions of women who have suffered, or will suffer isn’t enough. No, now I have even MORE motivation.

Her name: Unknown. Her spirit, remarkable, as is just about everyone I’ve met who’s had to deal with this.

Yesterday, I got home and decided to get my butt out there and walk. I mapped out a 5mile trek that would take me through a good part of the hood and get me back in time to head over to the Newlywed’s house for dinner (and planning of Blueberry’s 40th birthday party). Off I went. About 3.5 miles into it, the allergy attack from hell kicked in.

Sidebar: Allergies. Hate them. Last season I didn’t have a single sneeze, sniffle, or difficulty breathing. This season, it’s making itself up ten-fold. My goodness it sucks.

Now, back to the show.

Right, allergy attack. I sneezed SEVENTEEN times in a row. No lie. And anyone who’s lived with me know’s this happens during spring. It’s a ton of fun. By sneeze 10-ish, it hurts. Really really hurts. My eyes started watering and started to itch. I literally wanted to pull my eye balls out and scratch them. Ugh. This whole time, me with two kleenexs, couldn’t walk fast enough.

Then the clouds opened up. I’m a mile or so from the car. Rain pouring down, sneezing, and feeling like crap. Questioning why the hell I was doing this? Telling myself how stupid it was to have ever thought this was a good idea. And as soon as I get back to the car I’m calling the whole thing off, well, after I stop at Starbucks for some warm cuppa love.

Now, picture, if you will, that I’m a vision in pink. I have on my new pink – albeit soaking wet – fleece breast cancer vest and pink shoe laces in my spiffy new sneakers. Out of the corner of my eye I see two women sitting at a table near the door. I don’t really pay much attention to them as there are people in Starbucks usually sitting chatting.

As I’m standing waiting for the warm Americano to be served up, I feel a tap on my shoulder. There standing beside me is one of the women from the table. She has a pink baseball cap on covering her clearly balled head. She looks to be somewhere in her 30’s though it’s hard to tell. She says to me, “Are you a survivor?” I responded that no, I was training for the 3day/60 mile Breast Cancer walk. The smile that took over her face can be compared to nothing I’ve ever seen. She asked if she could give me a hug. As she did she said, “Thank you, I appreciate your effort.” Even typing this now my eyes get all misty.

I grabbed my Americano – doctored it up with cream and sugar – walked out to my car and just sat there. As I sat there I thought about how incredibly crappy and cranky I was when I went in. All things in perspective now I realized I didn’t really have anything to complain about by comparison. But I did have yet another reason to continue to train and fight to find a cure.

As for how I'm doing with regards to this adventure. I'm over my $1000 mark in fundraising - just $4000 left to go. And I'm just a measly 6 miles away from my first 100 training miles.