Race for the Cure

**Written on 1/31/09**

This morning at approximately 6:11 am, we all wake up to get ready to drive an hour north to West Palm Beach for Race for the Cure. We were awoken by a text message from Sarah, one of our teammates, who actually pussed out because it was simply "too early" for her. Our other teammate, Lora, couldn't come because she had class. Excused. "Too early"? NOT excused.

Anyway, we left the house around 6:30 am. Last night, Erik told us he was running low on gas. He thinks it's cool that his BMW tells him exactly how many miles he has left in his gas tank and in his fuel reserve. Needless to say, he probably should've gotten gas last night or at the very least, this morning before we hopped on I-95 towards West Palm Beach.

Erik is NOT a morning person so he was a giant DICK this morning. I wanted to drive separately with Emily but it just wasn't economical so we all rode together. We got off on Okeechobee Road and headed to the intercoastal in downtown. Now, in downtown West Palm Beach, there are NO gas stations. So, we arrive in town around 7:30 am running on fumes. The BMW gas gauge indicated the car was out of gas and there was no gas in the reserve either.

At this point, Emily turns on her GPS to find a gas station. We pull up at a Marathon gas station, only a few blocks from the ghetto and the goddamn gas pump doesn't work! It took Erik's credit card info but wouldn't pump gas although the gas pump indicated it was ready. Erik, having to take a massive crap and already crabby as FUCK, decides he's going to punch the gas pump, throw a temper tantrum, and get back in the car.
REMEMBER: We were running on fumes 5 miles before we tried getting gas so every acceleration makes it worse; but Erik's idea of acceleration is going 50 MPH when the light turns green.

Erik says fuck it let's get to the race because his event started at 8:00 am and it was about 7:40 am when we pulled into the parking garage that we weren't sure we'd get out of with no gas. I mention to Erik he should've gotten gas before we left and he says "SHUT UP KARA!" like he used to when we were 12 years old. I told him he said the SAME SHIT to me when my car was broken into and it didn't feel good to be made a fool of after
the fact! He continued to be crabby and pissy because HE decided he didn't want to stop for gas. Fine.

Anyway, it was a brisk 48 degrees this morning lining up to start the race. Erik started running his 5k race at 8 am and we started our 5k walk at 8:30 am. I heard the announcer say they made about $1,000,000 and there were at least over 22,000 participants just this morning. There were all sorts of people participating--Men, women, kids, seniors, breast cancer survivors, teams, individuals, corporations, etc. It was an amazing sight to see. It was a little emotional at the beginning but that's to be expected. Once Erik started his race, Emily and I made our way to the memorial garden that had garden signs either in celebration of breast cancer survivors or in memory of loved ones who died from breast cancer. We bought a sign for Yvonne Rawley and took it home with us.

Erik's race went really well. He finished the 5k in about 30 minutes and towards the end, he claimed he slowed down and started walking but there was a woman standing off to the side who said "C'mon! I had breast cancer! Keep running!" So Erik smiled and ran his ass to the finish line. By the time he was done with his race, Emily and I just started ours. But I'll get back to that in a minute.

Emily and I finished the walk in an hour. It was just amazing to get up early and go walk for a purpose--we donated money and got people to donate! Thank you to all of you donated!!! Everyone appreciates it!!! It was just truly amazing to see so many people out there participating in an event for someone else--maybe it was herself, or maybe it was her family, or maybe it was our family--it didn't matter. We were all out there for the same reason. Corporations such as Ford, Panera Bread, National City, Fuse, and many others were out there handing out free breakfast bagels, water, juice, bandanas, and pink capes--which said "FUZE Hero for Hope" and many men, women, and children wore them. No matter how bad this world gets, once in a while you can get a glimpse of the good that's still in people's hearts.

Congratulations for those breast cancer survivors who continue walking and showing support not only for yourself but for other families who are going through the exact same thing. Sympathies to those families who weren't so lucky, like the Rawley family. Yvonne Rawley is sorely missed but I can only hope she would be proud Emily and all the other people who get out there and donate and show their support by sacrificing their Saturday morning/afternoon for someone else. It's too late to help Yvonne but it's never to late to help other families like hers! So, you can still donate for Race for the Cure until February 27th, 2009 on www.komensouthflorida.org BUT you can donate year round to the Susan G. Komen foundation. It could be you, your mother, your grandmother, your sister, your aunt, your family, or someone else's family--every dollar counts.

Emily and I finished around 9:30 am and walked around to the memorial garden to grab the in memory of sign and get a "Warriors in Pink" bandana from Ford. In the meantime, Erik said he was on his way to find a gas station using Emily's GPS but his BMW actually sputtered and stopped in the ghetto. He proceeded to call a cab, who then brought him to a gas station so he could get a red gallon and pour enough gas in his beamer to make it to the gas station again to fill up. So, instead of stopping for gas this morning like he should've, instead he spent an unnecessary $40 or more on cab fare and tips. Whatever. In the words of Erik, "It is what it is."

Overall, today was great. Tiring and chilly, but definitely worth it. Next time an event such as Race for the Cure arises in your area, get your ass out there and SAVE THE TATAS!!!