ok. el.
numero. quatro [4].
[Yes, I was self-appointed captain of the spanglish club in high school.]
four.
4.
favorite #4.
but
first if you missed part one [
find it here]
missed
part two [
find it here]
part three [
here]
and well ....... four ......
here.
it.
is.
So the 6pm news
came and went. It was awesome. great crowds.
great vibe. Lots of cars &
people passing. Dawn will have to help me on this but I loved that the same
people passed me at 8am that passed me
again at 6pm. THAT brought in a lot of donations. People figured out I was
the same girl that was running hours ago......which peaked a lot of interest. Which
usually equalled a lot of cash. awesome!
Forgot to mention
another thing which I loved.
People were honking . . . . .
all. day. long.
I
loved it. Not like the way creepy landscapers [
no offense] honk but like
supportive honking. [yes, I truly think
I know the difference].
Each time someone would honk - my arms
would instantly & automatically go flying in the air.
I was like-
freaking Pavlov's Dog.
loved it.
7:00-9:30pm brought . . . .
Another TM move. [lost 20 minutes] but the
best move ever . . . . I was now
facing the street [and walkway]!
loved...
loved....loved....that!
potty break.
clothing change.
vitals check. [
weight stabilized]
1/2 bagel with PB
Powerade
pickle juice
body glide
Dawn - text/tweet updates [you guys
are amazing]
sponge bath
placed
an order for Chipotle [yum]
And.
a lot.
a lot. a lot of
awesome visitors.
Family
friends.
and
family family.
First Auntie B.
Auntie B - ya she rocks. She's
like a 18 year old in a "XX" woman's body.
The party starts when Aunt B arrives ...... and
she has arrived.
And even sweeter --- she brought my cousin Kijuana [
who ran with me] and her two kids too.
Then one of my favorite people from church came [with her two uber handsome sons].
Then
Summer and her sister came. Summer. Ahhhh
Summer.
She's amazing. She found out about my run
and set up a donation jar and bin at her work
almost instantly. Her daughter . . . . yep,
her daughter is the one who wrote that awesome letter and gave me the $5.00 donation
I wrote about here. Awesome parenting.
That's what that's all about. So happy I got
to run with you Summer!
Then.
This awesome
mom/daughter team stopped by after watching the morning news about
this event. donation made.
Yep,
got to run with her too.
And [
get this] she had a 10k
that next morning.
Loved. that.
I am, kinda, wishing I could
remember what I told her
when this photo was being taken?!
It
must have been positive.
I got a run in with Mr.
Michael Kornegay, himself.
Then. My.
Idol. Came.
Seriously,
love this woman.
My
Spin instructor. Yes,
THE spin instructor. Yep, the one I so
stalking-ly voice record on
my iPhone.
I hate group classes [like with
a freaking passion]. This woman taught me
to love them again. [well,
as long as she is teaching].
I wish I could remember what she
was telling me here:
I
can hear her when I'm running races . . . .
"you've. got. this.
don't think anything different"
"
make uncomfortable your friend"
"keep your head
in your training"
"
show up on that hill"
"keep
those thoughts in check"
"get to that
next level of fitness"
"if you are
not winded...you
are absolutely wasting your time"
"discomfort
is part of your training"
She came. I had
never even spoken to her. I. felt. like.
a freaking. rockstar.
[deep breath]
Enter
potty break [remember we are pushing fluids hard right now]
Vitals check [weight still stable, yay!]
Eat Chipotle
Ya, I bet you want to
see photos of that.
I was losing
my beans [and chicken] ....
so.....
enter
walking burrito break.
Enter
potty break [FYI - Dawn and I - we
started running during these potty breaks from
here on out.]
Now it's time for the 10pm news.
awesome.
just awesome.
"Coop" - ya, he was super nice. That's
my nephew Tanner that I'm running with here.
Here's a
glimpse of the crowd. Thanks Kim for getting
Peanut's hand up &
bringing Mrs. Susie.
A check
on mileage from Scott: [
70-something]
Next a visit from
RL and her boyfriend. So.
Freaking. nice.
I totally
"paused" for her.
Then she came over to the TM to visit
so I could keep the miles ticking.
Yep, and that's
my brother.
MY brother. He
came back?!?!
[Emz. is. all. smiles.]
to
RUN with me. in total
six. six miles
he ran with me.
Next. A
return visit,
what? I never saw her
the first time?!
I'm an idiot.
Seriously. So
Mandi [from
Mandi with an "I"] came back at 11pm. HOLY.
freaking. awesome. to run
with me. Her hubby came too. So
beyond awesome.
[enter blonde moment
#44,744,44 - I didn't recognize her - I swear
without the visor from her profile picture . . . . I
was lost].
When did I figure it out? Oh ya, when I said,
"what was your name again?"
Mandi: ummm
Mandi.
Emz: get. freaking. out. get.
freaking. out. You are Mandi.
THE Mandi?
[Emz looking all stupid and sheepish].
Thank
you Mandi!
Enter
another awesome friend from church [
Jill & daughter] so sweet. I am
so blessed.
Enter best
texts, tweets ever from
ETR [yes, the
amazing guy who sent me
this buckle from my training run],
MCM mama,
Caroline &
Chris K.
These people stayed up until
midnight at which time Dawn
lovingly told them . . . you can
go to bed now. She thinks [and
we all know] you. rock.
Midnight brought a
precautionary IV.
Yes, I
was loving every minute.
And
the best 30 minute
walk with the Pita, ever.
Ugggg. I can't see the screen . . . . .hope
spell check works.
It's
amazing what you realize [what you
quietly see] when you are choosing to be
stuck in one place.
I saw Dawn.
Never looking for
any limelight.
Always looking to help. 5 months?! no
freaking way.
I saw my Pita, gathering donations, hugging strangers, hugging family, looking at me with googly eyes, texting family, getting me water, winking at me, making sure others had food, making sure family in attendance were as comfortable as could be [chairs, temperature, fluids], taking care of our daughter, the gratitude he was expressing to others, the love I FELT at each moment from him, he took care of all the bumps along the way [sometimes in whisper form] so I wouldn't be worried or concerned, I could tell he was freaking proud of me without saying a word [and sometimes a girl/wife/mom likes to feel that].
I noticed
every second of it. Every smile. Every time he
gave me a thumbs up
as a question from afar [
as to say, "you good?"]. I'd smile
ear to ear and a few times
fighting back grateful tears --- sticking my thumb up, way
freaking high up .
. . . . as to say
you.
freaking.
bet.
cha.
I
love you Pita.
