I pulled out a notepad last night to write out each day of what happened...how grateful I have been for this past (crazy!) week! If you haven't heard....we had the First Annual 'Head For The Cure-North Texas' 5K race yesterday morning. It was my first time to be on the working and creating side of a 5K race...and it was AMAZING! Here is why!
(fyi....this will be long...there are links to stories and videos that I totally want you to read and watch...to get the idea of the week)
Monday...Packet Stuffing...
So...you know when you sign up for a race, and they tell you to pick up your bib number and your t-shirt at "packet pick-up"? Have you ever thought about how the packet got stuffed? All those fliers, all those discounts, all those goodies? Well, I always just went through the packet and kept what I liked and threw the rest away...with no regard as to how it got into the packet in the first place. Hmm....someone, or some group of people...had to pick up each of those "goodies" and put them in the packet just for me to go through and throw away. Well, that is exactly what we spent Monday night doing. I'll admit...it was long (3 hours or so)...it was tedious...we laughed...Stevie ordered us pizza...but after the experience we had Saturday morning, the three hours seems like nothing!
Tuesday...Jackie...what can I say???
This was the one night I didn't have anything to do for the race. So...I went to boot camp...and Jackie kicked my tail! I did terrible....but felt great after! Thanks Jackie! Love you!
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| She looks really sweet...but class is a killer! |
Wednesday....On-Site Meeting...
So apparently right before a race, you have an on-site meeting. So you can see where everything is going to be located, where we set stuff up, and allows us to visualize the morning of the race. Thankfully it rained (thankfully only because we knew it wouldn't rain on Saturday)...but it made 'visualizing' pretty tough. I was one of the last ones to get my directions from Gerryl (our race director)...so as I was sitting there talking through the volunteers and how Saturday will work...Shari (the one in charge of getting Head for the Cure to North Texas) kept asking why I wasn't nervous...cause she was! Well...to me it wasn't a big deal...I just needed to be ready to tell 120 people where I needed them to work when they showed up Saturday. When I left, I got in my car and started thinking...am I supposed to be nervous?? No...I shouldn't be. I have great friends that signed up to help...and they were amazing. Here is a reminder of why we were doing all we did!
Dallas Morning News- Running Headlines
Thursday...Packet Pick-Up Day 1...
We had packet pick-up Thursday afternoon...and then we went to dinner with Stevie and her family as well as some of the staff for Head For The Cure (in Kansas City). What a super reminder of why we are going the race and why we are all going crazy with details. It was awesome to hear from Stevie's parents on what they were thinking as they received updates in Oklahoma from their daughter Tyler (the one responsible for sponsors for the race) on the numbers and work being done down here in Texas. All for their daughter. I left thinking how encouraged they must be to know what an influence their daughter has on so many peoples' lives. Here is the promo video of Stevie and Brandon...two of the people whose stories were embraced from the very beginning.
Head for the Cure You Tube Video
Friday...Packet Pick-Up Day 2...
So at packet pick-up the second day, we spent a lot of time discussing the final things for the race (as well as help people get their packets, bibs, and t-shirts). One volunteer that came to help is a brain cancer survivor herself. Deborah was amazing. She is going through her second round of chemo right now. She actually completed the 5K...received a "Keeping the Faith" award...and looked amazing doing it. Deborah made my night...such an encouragement!
Saturday...Race Day!!!
Here are a couple of pictures from the race. I was busy telling people what to do so I personally didn't take any pictures...but I downloaded these. Here were the numbers from race day. Remember...we had originally thought the race would have 250-500 runners, would only need about 50 volunteers....and here is how it ended up! Only God can receive the glory!
2219 registered
62 teams
283 on TEAM STEVIE
791 donors donating over $56,800
126 volunteers
We grossed $152,000 - all for brain cancer research!
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| Runners Ready!! |
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| And they are off!!! |
Praise the Lord for my 120 volunteers...I was there at 5 am...and they arrived shortly after. None of this would have taken place without them. And...Texas was right on schedule with crazy weather! We were FREEZING...and these volunteers served their hearts out! AMAZING!!!
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| Our Team that made it all happen! |
I went home and read in the quiet for a little bit, slept for about 30 minutes, and then met a few of my FCA kids for a rough-riders baseball game.
Here are a couple of the girls that I sat in the grassy area with...
Then everyone else came and sat with us...then they all left...here is how the "teacher" feels when they all go get food together and leave me to save their seats. :)
Sunday...Sleep...Rangers...
I had to sleep in...I was exhausted! My body only needed about 8.5 hours...but I got that much sleep...woke up without an alarm...and loved it! I had some time to read the Word...I made cinnamon rolls (like I used to have on Sunday mornings growing up)...wrote this blog...and then I headed to the Rangers game! Thanks Rachel for the invite!!!
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