Race for the Cure Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the big Race for the Cure day! 

The Kelly Kicked It! team officially has 8 people who made the "cut off" date, but we've added another 6 since then. 

Holly, Valerie, Michelle, and I will be running.  Ken, Jason, Tom, Jan, and Jim will be walking.  I think Anne is walking, though I'm not sure.  I'm not sure what Jeff, Jen, Nate, and Sam will be doing, either (probably running/walking).  My friend Jim will be running the race in absentia while visiting his parents in PA.  He's a marathon runner so he plans to run it twice (10K).  And last weekend my brother, Bryan, and his children, Blake and Carlie ran the race in Salt Lake City.  I got great pictures from them at the race (via blackberry, I think). 

I tried to talk "race strategy" with Val tonight.  I suggested she and her Aunt Michelle run 8 minutes (as Val does frequently in gym) and then walk 2 and then run 8 more, etc.  I told her the running magazines talk about planning walk breaks as a good way to break up a race and ensure you have energy left for the end.  But she was not into that scientific method.  She said her strategy is to run until they get too tired to run anymore and then they will walk awhile.  Sounds like a great plan to me. My plan is to do the turtle method; the slow-and-go; a steady 11 to 11:30 minute mile pace throughout. 

Val, Michelle, and I will line up at the 10 minute mile sign (if they have signs).  This year they are starting runners who paid the extra $5 for timing chips 15 minutes before everyone else, so they may not even bother with pace signs.  Last year I had a timing chip.  This year I didn't get one because I thought I'd be running with the team.  Besides, I'd rather not be the last person in the timed group who is getting run over by the fast no-chip people who started 15 minutes later.  That would be less than motivating.

However we traverse the miles, we will be joined by over 30,000 others who are coming together to raise money to raise money for breast cancer research and support services.  Thank you to all who are running or walking, and to all who supported us with donations or moral support. Our team raised $1,745 for the cause.