So a couple weeks back I was listening to one of my favorite radio stations, STAR 106.1, Sacramento, CA; and I heard them say the phone numbers to call in, so I dialed! Nope, had NO IDEA what I was calling for, but thought, "Why not?!" And, BAM, Just like that they answered! They said, "Congratulations! Please hold and we will get you your winning tickets!" "Okay!" I said with excitement, not knowing what just happened! lol I was so worried it was going to be for something silly, or for kids, or something. But, I stayed on the line, and was patient. When he came back on the line, he said, "Congratulations! You just won 3 tickets to the 'Pretty Muddy Women's 5K race' in Sacramento!" "AWESOME", was what I managed to scream! I was SO excited because my whole life, I have always wanted to do a mud run! And then when I got cancer, I seriously thought that there would be no way for me to be able to do a mud run again! When I talked to my doctor a few months back, she said, "I don't see why not! Just modify what you need to and do what you can!" OMG, music to my ears!
Now I know a lot of you are thinking, "really, a mud run! WHY?" Well, I had an AMAZING time in the Army and loved every minute of the obstacle course, until I was injured. Then I just thought, okay if I can get back out there and do it again, at some point in my life, I know I will not have fallen too far from where I was! So when the thought of making a 100 item Bucket List started, I knew that was going to be one of them on there! SO, in the end I was told, go ahead (With Caution) and it was scheduled for May 3rd, 2014! Now, after that was said and done, I had to find two other "crazy" people to do it with me! One person I thought of right away was my sister in IL, Alicia. She has done a TON of races and has done a handful of Mud Runs! Obviously she wouldn't be able to run with me, so I thought of my sister Erin, whom walked the 3-Day with me last year and is walking the 3-day with me this year, and keeps me motivated when I need to exercise more, and has been a great support for the past three years! She immediately said YES! I was excited at this point because I knew, I would not be doing this alone! EVERYTHING is better when you can share it with someone!
We quickly found a third person to join us the night before the race! Erin's friend Fawna, was ready to get down and dirty with us! IT WAS ON! So we made cute little outfits, and became the "Fairy God Mudders" for the race! It was so exciting and fun! We got there and we were all amped up, taking selfies and ready to run! We were at the front of the pack before the race started and met another fun runner, Vera, who came all the way up from Southern CA to run the race with a family member, who ended up not being able to do it. SO we adopted her! :) We spent the whole race together, cheering each other on, getting cheered on, and all the while, knowing, I have accomplished another thing on my Bucket list! Just knowing that, put into perspective that I am, and continue to be SO ALIVE! I am my own person, and I am alive, and I have accomplished SO much in the past few years!
I would NOT be who I am today if it wasn't for all the support from my family, friends, and yes TOTAL STRANGERS! Thank God for the little moments in life to make me feel alive still!!!
