In case we needed even more inspiration

Following the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Facebook page usually provides a lot of inspiration - but nothing like the what I felt this weekend as the photos from Boston were posted. Some of the photos calmed my fears ... one brought tears to my eyes ... and the others just got me uber excited for Chicago!

It's so close I can taste it as clearly as I can taste the coffee I'm drinking.

When I signed up for the 3-Day I didn't realize how much inspiration was involved. Sure, I was inspired to do something in the name of my boyfriend's mother.

Along the way, however, I have found so many separate sources of inspiration!

The woman I met on a training walk last month who happened to be wearing a 3-Day hat ... Turns out she is a survivor and she's walked before. She gave me a great pep talk that carried me through the next few weeks of solitary training walks.

The woman I blogged about a couple of weeks ago who just wouldn't give up ... though she's earned the right to stop, in my opinion ...

The photos from Boston ...

The friends I didn't even know I had who have jumped on board to support my efforts ...

The pink flowers planted along my walking routes ...

But now, I've finished the longest walks of my training regimen, have raised almost 75% of the money I need, have several fundraisers in line for the final weekend, and all I can think about is that fact that it's almost here! I didn't need any extra inspiration - in fact, I wouldn't have thought it possible to get any more inspired. Seeing the smiles on the faces in Boston, however, did it. I am so blessed to be part of such an amazing experience. And each step I take in Chicago will be an inspired one.

3-Day inspiration in 13's perspiration

I volunteered to run an aid station for a 15m/50k ultra run (runners could choose between one lap at 15 miles or 2 making it a 50k) this weekend. At first, I was disappointed to be missing my training walk, but by the end of the day I felt so blessed by what I'd witnessed that I can't imagine a training walk being a better way to prepare for the 3-Day.

Ultrarunners are incredible. I was amazed by the physical prowess, insane determination and overall dedication to athleticism that I saw on display. But, mostly, I was impressed by the slowest "runner" out there: Number 13.

You see, Number 13 was the last one to visit our Aid Station at mile 5 - more than 3 hours into the race. In fact, several runners had passed by our station a second time before 13 showed up.

I could see right away that she was having problems. I walked out from my shady pavilion and met her beneath a tree. She was ashen, but talking lucidly. She was complaining about the course - a rocky trail that involved climbing up muddy inclines using ropes at some places. Having run marathons before, she was shocked at the difficulty she was having.

But what shocked me was that she was no spring chicken. In fact, I later found out, she was 63 years young.

I'd be lying if I said we weren't worried about her. She'd been out in the heat for hours and only had a small water bottle. Plus, it was obvious she wasn't prepared for the physical challenge she had undertaken.

But it was when I heard her mutter under her breath, "If cancer can't stop me, this can't" that I melted for her and became her silent cheerleader. I also understood the stubbornness that made her bark at us every time we tried to talk her into sitting, resting, and quitting.

We talked her into sitting and resting, but the quitting part was a much harder sale.

Once she had rested a bit, she looked up at me, read the "End Breast Cancer" shirt I was wearing and told me that she was a survivor.

Wow.

At that moment I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.

It wasn't until later, after we cleared her to continue on the trail (the next aid station was about 2 miles away and we let them know to keep an eye out for her) that her friend told me the real motivation behind Number 13. She lost her daughter this past year and her daughter had registered for the run. Number 13 was doing it for her.

She finished too - and not even in last place! I was thrilled when I learned that.

I am still so overwhelmed when I think about all this woman has survived. And she still sets out to prove things! After all she had endured, shouldn't she be the one we are doing things for?

Number 13, feel free to rest - you've earned it! This walk's for you!

What are the words?

My boyfriend's mother is having surgery again today.

It's the biggie - the mastectomy followed by reconstructive surgery. She will be in the hospital for the next two days and then home recovering for the next 6 weeks.

I'm staring at a card to put on the flowers we are sending her and I just don't know what to say. What are the appropriate words for times like these?

Breast cancer really sucks, you know? And it scares me. I can't imagine waking up one day knowing that one of your breasts will be taken away and the next time you look down you'll be looking at something filled with silicon.

As the son's girlfriend, I'm not privy to a lot of details, but I'm pretty sure they got all of the cancer through other surgeries and chemotherapy. And all I can say is: Praise Jesus! And if they didn't, Please Lord, may today be the day.

I still remember the moment he told me about his mom's cancer. I was speechless for the first time in my life. There was a time when breast cancer was a death sentence. But thankfully, we are no longer in that time. Thankfully, her cancer was found early. But what if her annual exam wasn't scheduled for that December day? What if it was scheduled for June? Where would she be now?

And that is why I'm walking the 3-Day.