Keeping the Pace: TOMORROW is the Big Day for the Lucky 13’s!

Here are some of my ladies in front of the VIP Lounge (don’t we all look ‘normal’?):

Julie, Judi, Amy, Keri, Mandy, LeDawn, Deb and Sarah

It is also my sister’s first Half:

Loving Sister.

I really like the shirt – it’s actually a bold color like RED and comes in a women’s cut:

Didn’t you know it is all about the shirt?

The VIP Brooks 1/2 Zip is also nice too in a neon green color:

Thank you to Cap City for making this a wonderful experience!

And I am starting to add to my collection of race glasses!

And my VIP wristband!

It’s Rebecca’s first race too and she is running the Quarter with me. I am so excited! Here we are at the Expo:

Isn’t she pretty?

Rebecca bought me a surprise! I needed a headband to match my blues in Pittsburgh and now I have the perfect one:

Thank you, RB!

AND – the night was made complete when the Lucky 13’s came across THIS gem. Could it be true? A sticker made just for us? Deb surprised me with one of my very own:

Lucky 13? Get it? Don’t worry, it took me a minute too.

It was a bittersweet night for me. My Mom was supposed to be there, picking up her packet and enjoying the festivities. She would have loved it! I picked up our bibs together. Her running buddy Julie will wear her bib tomorrow to run the Quarter. Julie was running it with her. Julie said she is honored to run with my Mom’s bib, “It really means a lot to me to have her ‘run’ the race with me.” Thank you, Julie.

My Mom’s and Mine.

There are many of us running in my Mother’s memory. Sarah was kind enough to make us back bibs to wear during the race. Here is a list of her team – Darlene’s Angles:

Richard A.

Rebecca B.

LeDawn B.

Julie D.

Amy F.

Michelle G.

Missi H.

Eve H.

Debra H.

Stephanie K.

Jennifer H.

Keith K.

Keri L.

Rachel L.

Laura M.

Kurt M.

Jennifer M.

Kristina O.

Mollie P.

Sarah S.

Mandi S.

Judi W. 

Deb W.

Sara W.

Mike Z.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to these individuals and all of the others who are holding my mom in their hearts, I can’t even begin to explain with words how much this means to me and my family. The running community is simply amazing – and that is an understatement.

I’m ready to race. For my Mom and the Lucky 13’s. You guys are my rock.

My NEW Brooks. Thank you Fleet Feet!

The real surprise came when my loving sister provided me with a gift – in the parking garage none-the-less!

I had been eyeing it all night.

This is more to me than a winged foot – the classic symbol of all things running. I liked it because it is different and doesn’t look like a track shoe to me. It reminds me so much of my Mom and that she is running in Heaven – and will be until I get there – probably at a speedy pace! No, I take that back, my Mom would be running right with the 13’s. That’s where she always wanted to be. When we buried her in her running shoes, I told her to “wear them proudly and when the angels asked her why she was wearing tennis shoes to meet the Lord, to tell them she was a runner, because she was.” I wear this for you, Mom.

Here’s to a race worth running for so many reasons,

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