Getting Ready

A lot of prep going into Monday's  wear blue: run to remember . It started off with just a hope that some of my friends & fellow community would come out to honor our Fallen. We have managed to get over 30 adults plus children now who have pledged miles. We are currently up to 172 Miles Pledged for our Fallen. I'm so grateful to everyone who is giving up a couple hours of their Memorial Day to remember why the day is really set aside as a holiday. 

Someone said to me today " happy Memorial Day" it made me stop and think. I thought back to last year as I read a BLOG from a War Widow who wanted others to realize it's not a "happy day" for most. No it may not be sad & full of tears for a lot of people . But each person who has lost a soldier is in a different stage of grief so to say " happy Memorial Day" is not really appropriate. This made a lot of sense to me so I am no longer saying happy Memorial Day ever again, but Thank you. My way of saying this will be this run this year & I hope every year I am able I will run . Here are a few of the pictures showing the prep leading up to the run. Anyone can offer to host a wear blue: run to remember at anytime. I just wanted to make Monday's a little more special.

It started with Banyan & I doing a little shopping yesterday. Then we headed out to Dupont early this morning to pick up the shirts that several of our runners bought.

 From there Banyan & I where close to post so I headed to the 4th Brigade Memorial. Every year since they opened it I have visited on Memorial Day to remember all our friends listed on that wall. This year we will run for them so I went today to place the flowers & the flag.

Next I met up with my friend Dana who offered to help make placards with all the Fallen soldier's names. If a runner turned in a name to be read then we made a placard that will line the trail part of the way. It's a visual reminder of their sacrifice. It was very touching as Dana & I worked on these to look at the date. To see how long ago some soldier's died as well as just this past Monday we lost two. It was a very sobering reminder that this war is not over until they all come home.

These simple extra touches are not required if you host a run. But I felt it will make the meaning behind the run that much more powerful. These men & women went when called, stood beside their fellow soldiers . Then made the ultimate sacrifice so my family could live free. It was no trouble at all to do things to honor them. I was over whelmed with emotion as I made shirt deliveries .The excitement that my friends & fellow runners expressed over participating really solidified my choice to host this run. I am ready for Memorial Day are you ?

Getting Stronger

Saturday was packed full of fun! It started for me with a 9AM walk/run workout with Bekah my good friend. I talked her into trying on a weighted vest for our hike around our trails. We both grabbed our vests, mine was 25llbs hers 20llbs and off we went. When we approached the playgrounds with the monkey bars we got to be kids again for a moment. The only problem is we aren't as light as our kids anymore. I mean seriously folks how on earth does my nine year old just glide across the monkey bars? I've been trying for months now & still feel like a piece of cement is hanging from around my waist! But I am getting somewhat stronger each time I try and that is what counts!  Let me say I tried to hang by one arm-haha I also managed 5 or 6 little pulls to work on my strength for pull-ups. I did get higher then last week- so YAY ME!!
I am not sure Bekah appreciated the playground where I made her jump up & over the tire. Bear crawl through the tunnel, run up the stairs then back down, & last but not least knees to chest on monkey bars. Now we did take off the vests for this activity- but after 5 rounds we where tired! Then we had to put the vests back on to walk the mile & a half home to my house. It was for me a great way to start my Saturday! I just love a good work out! Here are two fun photos collages of what we looked looked like to anyone passing by us at the playground-haha I am sure they thought we where a little bananas!