Revisiting the past

This weekend was the Tour de Pink Atlanta 5K, which I ran with my friend Erin.
The event is actually a bike ride, but the organization added a 5K run/walk, I'd like to think at my suggestion.
I've had a long history with the Tour de Pink Atlanta, because I was there for its first one back in 2009, when it was cold and rainy. I didn't have a bike, so ended up helping to drive the SAG wagon, but in the post-race suggestions, I said they ought to add a 5K!
The bike event benefits Young Survival Coalition, which I've been a part of since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006.
Now that I'm seven years from diagnosis, revisiting my cancer past is somewhat bittersweet.
There are many women, and men, I know as a result of my diagnosis. They would be in my life no other way than through cancer. Not exactly the way I would have chosen to meet any of them, but that's just the way it happened. Knowing those friends is truly the "sweet" part of cancer, and believe me, it's hard to write that, because really no part of cancer is sweet.
But events like the Tour de Pink Atlanta also remind me of the bitter part of cancer, particularly the bitterness of losing so many young friends to the disease.
Last year, during the survivor ceremony, I was suddenly overwhelmed by the memory of my friend Kat, who died just a week before the Tour de Pink Atlanta. She died from a blood clot after giving birth to her SECOND post-cancer baby.
Post-cancer babies, I think, are truly miracles and so life-affirming.
They come after a time of uncertainty and hurt, and provide the sweetness and light that only children can provide. Especially children to parents who weren't sure they could HAVE children after cancer.
I honestly feel that post-cancer babies are a sign we are winning. A giant F-U to cancer. A sign that cancer can't take everything, because here is this little miracle.
This year's race had a little more sweetness than bitterness, in my opinion.

Before the race, my "pink" friends Christina, Vanetta, Maya and Erin

Pre-race fun: Christina, Maya, Erin and me

Erin and I got to the race in Alpharetta pre-dawn. Getting up at 5:30 am for a race is hard, particularly when it is so nice and cool outside, and the bed is so nice and warm with two kitties all snuggled up with me!

At the start

Sunrise at the race

 

Me and Suzanne, the survivor speaker at the event 

After the survivor ceremony, the bicyclists all start out first. Best not to mow over the runners and walkers!
Erin and I both felt we had "lead legs" for the race, but we came in around 34 minutes, which would be absolutely stellar for a 5K for me. Except the course is short by about a quarter mile. :)
That's OK. We did an 11 minute first mile, which I knew we were running fast.

Every 5K should finish with wine!

 Erin and I clearly rewarded ourselves for our hard effort with a glass of wine at the post-race celebration. Every 5K should end this way in my book!
That is the real fun of Tour de Pink Atlanta. It's not JUST a race, it is a festive celebration, with live bands, lunch, beverages and camaraderie.
And then there was THIS celebration:

Lisa and Kevin, a post-cancer baby

Lisa, Kevin, Erin, Me and Maya

This was Kevin's first 5K, which should be reason enough to celebrate, but Kevin is also a post-cancer baby. Mom Lisa and Dad David were at the event to show him off and we all simply fell in love with him! What a doll.
I think it might have been the sweetest part of revisiting my past today.

Tour de Fun

Last week was a week of peaks and valleys.
Sunday, Sept 23, started out well. It was a lovely fall day, with a little breeze. I got out and stained both my side and front porches. That's a chore.
I was so busy I never came in for lunch, and thus, never came in to check Facebook. Turns out, that was probably a good thing for my productivity. Because once I was done and sat down to "check in" I found that a fellow breast cancer survivor had died -- of a blood clot, a week after giving birth to her son. I was devastated.
The evil that is cancer means that I have been to far too many funerals of my contemporaries, and I'm in my 40s. This should not be happening. Women in their 30s and 40s simply are not supposed to die. I'm supposed to go to funerals 30 to 40 years from now.
Kat's death put a cloud over me for nearly all week. I went to work and distracted myself well, but at odd times I'd think about her and begin to cry all over again.
But I had the Tour de Pink 5K race on Saturday, Sept. 29 -- the day of Kat's funeral in Virginia -- that benefited Young Survival Coalition, an organization that benefits young breast cancer survivors. It's an organization that helped me tremendously when I was going through treatment, and continues to help me today deal with post-treatment life.

I was excited to see my "pink sisters," but I wasn't sure how I'd feel, given how raw my emotions were after Kat's death.
The morning was overcast and humid, but thankfully, the rain held off.
I'd signed up about a month before and my friend Joyce urged me to join her team, The Self-Examiners. She even designed some T-shirts for our team.
I got there pretty early. It was still dark when I arrived at Verizon Amphitheatre in Alpharetta, just outside of Atlanta. As my car pulled up, volunteers were already there, and my friend Vanetta, a tireless volunteer for YSC, recognized me and alerted the others that a survivor had arrived.
"Survivor! Survivor!" the shouts went up. I was pointed to the survivor area parking lot -- the closest to the event. Honestly, I'm 6 1/2 years out of treatment and I could very easily have parked in a far lot and walked over, but it is nice that survivors are put up close. Those who are still in treatment, or just out of treatment, can have very low energy, and parking up close is a huge benefit.
I got my race number, got my information, and ran into Joyce early on.

Joyce and me before the race

 She gave me my T-shirt, which was hilarious -- two hands strategically placed in the front. I didn't wear it right away. I put it on AFTER I ran the 5K. I was very glad to have a new T-shirt to put on after sweating through the 5K.
But I'm ahead of myself.
The Tour de Pink is actually a bike ride. The 5K was added just a couple of years ago -- I like to think I had something to do with that, since that was my loud suggestion of how to get more participation. There are more runners/walkers than cyclists in Atlanta.
Just prior to starting the bike ride, the survivors met on stage and were honored, then the events began.

An early start

The bicyclists all took off first, then the 5K started.
My friend Bridgette ran/walked the race with me. Bridgette runs about an 11 minute to 11:30 minute mile. I was certainly feeling the push I was getting in running with her. Thankfully, she let me take my walk breaks when I needed them.
We jogged along a mother and her 5-year-old son, who stopped and dropped to do push ups at the water station "because he needed the exercise." What a pip!

Wish I had his energy!

We finished up the race and then the fun began! There were bands, there was food, and there was pink champagne! Now, this is the way to end a 5K race!

What a way to finish

In the end, it was a great race and event to catch up with women who have survived and thrived.

Me and Bridgette. Aren't the Self-Examiner shirts great?!

The Self-Examiners

The Self-Examiners

Me, Vanetta and Bridgette

Suzanne and me

Nancy, Vanetta and Bridgette

Princess and me

I did think of Kat during the race. And the way to remember her best is to live life each day for those who are no longer with us. Experience all we can, for those who cannot.
It was a great race, great event, and great way to honor a fallen sister.