Today was Race 4 Life in my local area and even though I have ran this rce every year today was even more important to me than it has ever been. I was so proud though as I managed to get my sisters and my nieces and even my newly born great niece togehter to complete the run. I ran it with vigor and shed he odd tear on the way round. Ironically Race 4 Life has always been an important part of who I am now. I first ran for my partner's dad who died of lymphoma. I had never ran before and I trained slightly. We started the first ever race with my mum cheering on with pride. I ran with passion and completed it in an amazing time. My mum ran after us cheering and shouting us down the remaining 500 meters and it was lovely to see her pride in me. Something I have always treasured. From that day I found a love for running and have now ran plenty of half marathons and 10k's. Even more importantly through the race 4 life and finding a love for running I stopped smoking, which is now really important to me. I still worry as my mum did smoke but gave up years ago and still got lung cancer.
Today was hard as there was no mother to shout me down towards the finish. My dad had said it would be too much effort and mum would find it difficult to get and cope through the race just to see me for a few seconds as I ran past, so they were not coming, I found this hard to take, I know selfish, but it may have been an effort, it may have only been a few seconds, but that memory would last me a life time. I knew that this would have been the last chance I would ever have of my mum seeing me run again, she will never, and I will never get that chance again and she has always watched me run. Today was a wake up call to this just being the first of many things where my mum would not be. I understand but it doesn't stop you having these emotions, right or wong, the emotions still happen.
I will always run, well for as long as my body allows me to, I will always turn up and complete race 4 life and I wil always do it for my mum.
I wish she wasn't dying I really wish I could change that.
FormerMember
Well done you should be proud of yourself, my sisters and I ran it in Belfast on 31st May, it was the proudest day of my life, I willl do it from now on. So moving to see wveryone running/walking for someone they love, give yourself a great big pat on the back, even thought your mum was not up to cheering yoiu on, I have no doubt that she would still have been doing it from home.
Your mum will have been with you all the way-I`m sure. What a shame she couln`t make it there to see you-she must be feeling quite unwell. Mum will also be feeling a bit guilty for not being able to be there to cheer you on-She will know that you did it for her.
