Race for the Cure

D and I went to DC this weekend. Both sides of our families live there. However, I was so busy this week, I totally forgot to tell my side I was coming. Part of it too was we had planned for so long in coming for 2 particular events for his side, that again I just forgot. Oh well next time.

So we arrived and D's sis Stacey was at the airport. So was D's dad in a separate car. It was ok, because our niece was having an emergency thing (scary, but she is ok) and had to go to the ER, so Stacey left and his dad took us home.

Around 7 we went to D's sis Dawn's daughter's graduation party. She just graduated high school, and is the first grandchild (of D's parents) to graduate (she is the oldest). The party was fun. We got to see Dawn who has breast cancer. She looks great. I don't know what I thought she would look like, but except for the no hair, she looks healthy. Stacey and her fam also arrived. Her daughter was doing better and out of the ER, but Stacey said she (the daughter) couldn't do the 5K the next day.

Dawn's husband Tim and younger daughter were doing the race. So we all coordinated, and then went home.

Saturday morning we got up and took the metro to the National Mall. It was super hot. The race seemed a bit disorganized but I think it was more because the area was so big. I heard Hillary Clinton and Cynthia Nixon speak, but never saw them and once by the registration you could hear nothing. We met up with Tim and younger daughter. She was trying to decide if she wanted to run or walk (the walk started later than the run). Stacey showed up too. She and T's younger daughter (she is 14) decided to run. So D, S, daughter, D's dad and I all went to the start line. It took about 4 minutes to cross the start line. A lot of walkers which was annoying since the walk was starting in 15 minutes.

Finally started running. It was hot. I passed the National Monument and a color guard was out doing their thing. It was cool. We ran up and at mile 1 my time was 13. Their time said 16 minutes. We ran up the only hill, and came back down. Ran back past the monument and got to 2 miles. It said 29 minutes. Mine said 26 minutes. We ran on the road between the monument and the Mall. It was so hot. Sweat was running through my eyes. Turned onto another road. Had a lot of cheerleaders... "it's hot, it's hot, give it all you got." I saw D's Dad ahead of me. He was walking. More cheerleaders. "You are the Cure." A calypso band. The lady in front of me stopped running and started dancing. It made me laugh. We passed the Smithsonian. I'm not sure which ones. I could see the finish line.

I got to Mile 3, and you could no longer run. We had to walk across the finish line because there was such a cluster. D's dad and I crossed at the same time, according to my watch at 42:15. We walked to the end with a zillion other people. It took us about 4-5 minutes to get out of this bottle neck. We didn't see D or water. We opted to find water and then D, as I was a bit unsteady.

D ended up being at the water table. Stacey called. She and daughter finished too. Dawn's daughter was so proud, as she should be.
About 10 minutes passed, and Tim called to tell us where he and D's mom were. We couldn't believe how fast they walked it. They crossed and we found them. D's mom looked a bit disoriented. So we got her water and we stood around. D's mom said they only walked 2 miles...they took a shortcut. That was ok, since we were all worried about how hot it was (D's mom doesn't do well with the heat). Then we all went home.

Overall, I was so proud of us as a family. But dang it was hot.
I remembered why I didn't want to move back to Maryland. So muggy. Atlanta cannot compete with that. It ended up about 100 or 103 yesterday.

So later, after watching the Belmont, we went to dinner with the family. I had a really good time.

And this morning, D's brother called. We are an aunt and an uncle (again) to a new little girl. After work tomorrow we are going to see them.