Last Sunday was the Sioux Falls Half Marathon and Brody and I couldn't have asked for a better day...it was absolutely beautiful outside! A perfect day for a run! I ran the half marathon and my Brody ran the 5K. We had such a wonderful weekend. This was my 5th time doing this particular half and for the first time in 5 years, everything was different...the route, the finish line, the people along the way...it was amazing. I loved every minute of it. The route was more along residential streets and not so much on the bike trail which meant LOTS more spectators along the route. The finish line was the best yet. Instead of turning into Sertoma Park, it was a straight line shot down Oxbow. You could see the finish from 3/4 mile out which really was exciting. There were twice as many people lined up along the street waiting for their loved ones crossing the finish line. It was such an adreline rush. I totally loved it. My dad and Brody were there waiting and cheering. Brody ran his race in 25:20 and I finished in 1:43:16, about a minute off of my personal best. And that minute was due to the shoe lace incident at mile 9...my shoe came untied! I had to pull over and tie em up and after 9 miles of running, suddenly stopping like that made my leg muscles instantly tighten up. So it took a couple of minutes to get back into a rhythm again. There was my minute I couldn't make up for. Still happy with my time and totally giddy with sharing it with my son. He is so cool. I love him to pieces.

But there was something else that made this race even more special. I was running it for my friend at my school who is suffering from both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkins cancer. After months of chemo, Susan found out there are more cells in her chest. She is now undergoing more intensive rounds of chemo and then will have to have a stem cell transplant. It's a long road ahead. She is not even 30 yrs old with 2 small girls at home. We are rallying around her and showing our colors for her. The official Hodgkins cancer colors are lime green and purple. I told Susan I would be running for her on Sunday...so I found my green and purple and ran my heart out for her. She got me thru to the end. She told me she felt my strength within her that day and because of that, it was totally worth it. I'll keep wearing these colors until the day she is cancer-free!