5K for Lauren Hammond

 This past Saturday I ran another 5K! The event was to benefit my friend Lauren who battled with breast cancer. I am SOOO happy to say that she is now FINISHED with all her treatments! She did it, is now on the survivor side and is doing awesome! All the proceeds from the race went to help Lauren and her family pay the medical bills she's accrued during her journey with Breast Cancer. It was a lot of fun and my very good friend Marie ran it with me. She and I have been getting ready for another 5K we are running this upcoming weekend too and thought this race would not only be good to help our friend Lauren but it would be a good practice run for this weekend.

The weather was off and on rain all morning, it was cold, gray and all together yucky. It was a bit of a push to get there but when you go with a friend you tend to motivate each other to tough it out.  My friend Marie was just that somebody too. So glad she went with me. She keeps me going.

My goal this time was to beat Marie. She and I ran the Berry Run 5K last summer (I had just had Emma 3 months prior) and she beat me then. So this time I had to change that.  The competitive side of me took over at the end of the race and I was tired of staring at her back for every single mile lap we took. I decided at the last leg to sprint at the end and I beat her by less than 2 seconds! She claims she was waiting for me but I don't want to believe her :) I love this girl! She is my bestest buddy. She calls me during the day just to see what I'm up to, she's my 9:00p.m. shopping buddy,  going out for ice cream or a stroll through WalMart at 11:00 at night partner in crime. She's also who I vent to when things are crazy and I need someone to cry on. I love her and don't know what I'd do without her.

Here's a shot of us before the race sporting our pink sweatshirts and our "Lauren's Warriors" t-shirts.

 And here's the after. I look pathetic. My face was redder than cherry koolaid! But man it felt good and I knocked 3 whole minutes off my time from last year! 33:41. AND I beat Marie ( I love you Marie). AND get this! Apparently I came in 3rd in the women's division. Got to love that! There wasn't that many of us (maybe 15?) but hey I placed, and that is something I never thought I'd do.

Wish us luck for our race this weekend. I sure hope it doesn't rain on us. I sure would like some real summer weather. This Fall type stuff is really bumming me out.