Last year I ran it with chemo thick in my blood, Carbo Platinum and Taxol. I was bald and sick but stubborn. I ran with everything I had, which wasn't much and it wiped me out the rest of the day. I never let on how sick I was, I always told myself to just "Keep Smiling".
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| One year ago, on the way home from running The Crim, I was so sick. |
This year due to Covid most races have either chosen to cancel or go virtual. Even though I am no longer battling breast cancer I am still battling. I am battling the effects cancer and chemo wounded me with.
Run, walk, crawl I was not going to loose my streak. Almost 5 weeks out from meniscus surgery and on the mends from plantar fasciitis, I was determined to keep the streak alive.
THE VIRTUAL CRIM 2020
Psalm 27:14 " Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
The Crim has been a Flint favorite since 1977. It typically attracts over 50,000 runners and spectators but this year the streets were empty. The 43 annual HAP Crim would be virtual this year.
Lacey picked Melissa and I up to tow the line at 8am. You could have shot a canyon through the streets. I had really expected to see more runners but the Crim Foundation had really discouraged runners from coming into Flint to run the blue line course.
I was not sure what my body was going to allow me to do but I was mentally prepared to suffer if I had to.
"God is seldom early but he is never late" as the saying goes.
One week ago my feet were as damaged as they had been for months. But on this day and the few days prior my feet began to love me again.
Lacey, Melissa and I found the blue line and began to follow it.
They typically paint this line every year for the runners but not this year. The faded blue line had many spots missing or barely visible.
Laughing and running we found ourselves on part of the course that was foreign to us and we had led others in the same direction. We caught our mistake, realizing we were on a very old and retired part of the course and turned around!
It was sad to not have any of the traditional course entertainment out there. However, just as we reminisced we saw the famous champagne corner guy out there! I am not a drinker so I had to celebrate with a picture. We were all so excited. 
The temperatures began to rise and so did our spirits as we were encouraged by little aid stations people put out for us runners determined to keep our tradition alive.
As I ran I thought, "If only they knew how much this meant, they were not just supporting us few runners they were supporting this broken runner and cancer survivor." I thought deeply. My circumstances to get to the starting line were not an easy feat, my body over the course of the last 16 months has been challenged but my heart has been passionate. They had no idea how much being on champagne corner meant to me even if I never took a sip or how much that man watering his lawn meant as I dipped into his stream to cool myself down. Or to the residence that created a aid station with ice water, what an encouragement that would be to this cancer survivor who was blessed with another Crim.
I take nothing for granted. I have an on time God. I have not been able to run for months and God blessed me with another Crim. He healed my body from a very aggressive breast cancer, he healed me from knee surgery just weeks ago and help to release my plantar fasciitis this week to allow me this beautiful moment, The Crim.
I get to celebrate ANOTHER CRIM! It didn't matter how fast I ran, or whether I walked it or crawled, I GOT TO experience it another year. By the Grace of God go I.
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The Finish Line, The Bricks. photo credit Lacey R |
Psalm 27:14 " Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
Anita~
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The CAT LADY! She just reached in and grabbed me! So much for social Distancing! phot credit Lacey R. |
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