Monday, August 11, 2008

Race for the Cure-- to the toilet?

I woke up at 3am the morning at my friend Kelley's where I'd spent the night before Race for the Cure. Something wasn't right. Whether it was the veggie burger I ate the night before, or just general stress, I felt sick. When it was time to get up for the race at 5:30, I was so dizzy, I had to get out of the shower wet but not clean, and lie down.
"do you need anything Sophia?"
"I'm sick. My head is spinning."
"Go back to bed. Don't race if you feel sick."
I had to do this race. I'd spent most of the week setting up interviews with Travis Fox. He'd done my trail running group (trail nerds/muddbabes) and my friend Coleen and me personally a huge favor by designing a logo for Brew to Brew. Later it became the logo for the trail running ladies. His mom, Cindy died of breast cancer at only age 42.
I called my photographer Justin.
"I just about threw up. I'm dizzy and I've had other 'adventures with the bowl' all night."
"I thought you were going to puke during the race (from running fast)"
"Justin it's coming out both ends."
"Can't you put a cork in it?"
I laughed weakly. But he gave me what I needed. A little push. Had he been lackluster about going to the story, I would have crawled back in bed. Well actually I did crawl back in bed, but not for long. I managed the shower and got to the race. I was greeted warmly by my best muddbabes Coleen and Debbie. We wore our pink shirts with the logo Travis designed in honor of his mom.
"How are you?"
I think Debbie was asking about my emotional state, but instead got a synopsis of the power sprayer out the end, I'd been dealing with all morning.
And the race was very inspiring.
24 thousand people running for a cure, in memory, for awareness-- or just simply for hope.
I brought a small video camera and did interviews which aired on my TV station that night at ten. My friends Debbie and James caught up with me (Coleen was running slow with her charity group) and I interviewed them and got some cute shots of Debbie's shoes. I was very touched by so many that I met. I'm glad I could do my part, and also share it on the news.

And I was able to give back in another way. A young girl had stopped with a super-sized ankle at the aid station (where they were destroying the planet passing out plastic bottles -sheesh people it's a 5k?!!) Anyway the workers seemed to understand about as much about a swollen ankle as they did about the planet. I grabbed some ice out of the bin and fashioned an ice pack with the remnants of a bag on the ground. I hope her ankle is ok. The volunteers did call for transportation for her.

I suppose you all didn't need so much information from me on my physical state-- but hey it proves you can get through anything. Right?
Also in Coleen's interview she said she did her first self breast exam in the shower the night before. Her husband will not let her live down that she told the world she felt herself up the night before the race! Oh yeah that one was not going to die on the edit bay floor! So I'll tease myself about my rear end issues.
And anyway let's face it, the Trail Nerds' Muddbabes are after all -- a movement!! (please insert baby wipe joke here...)

Mudd and Kisses everyone!

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