I'm gonna watch you shine...

Last night was my very first DFMC meeting!!!
Lots of exclamations needed.
In fact, it was a meeting designated to "First Timers" running the Boston marathon. I asked Bernie if he wanted to come into Boston with me to catch the meeting and grab some dinner and I knew he would. He would drop anything for his girls. We drove in town and made our way to Dana Farber, a place that's sadly very familiar to our family.

While I headed off to my meeting, Bernie visited the healing garden because he's traveled this road before...
And it was a road that changed our family forever. But we've learned that from struggle comes hope. Always. It's in many different forms, but it comes...eventually.

I walked into a room filled with runners. So many runners. We got right into meeting people and got right down to some Q&A
Our question:
"What's your favorite pre race meal?"
My answer:
Peanut butter/Banana on whole wheat toast.
Coconut Water & Coffee.

There were cooler answers than mine.
At one point I looked up and saw my dad in the room chatting with Jack Fultz, our coach and the winner of the 1976 Boston Marathon. I had to smile because Bernie makes friends with everyone. I later learned that Jack asked if he was there as a runner. He laughed, a lot. While Bernie has offered me his very own training plan for the big day, a runner he is not. And the training plan I will have to not take him up on because well, it's insane. While it sounds awesome. I am going to have to pass.

But the meeting was great. It was awesome to be in town...
Looking around the room at all the signs for the towns and cities that we travel through was incredible....
Hopkinton
Ashland
Framingham
Natick
Wellesley
Newton
Brookline
Boston
8 of em. Just waiting for 300 DFMC runners to come through.

We heard some awesome speakers from the board speak about exactly why we are doing what we are doing. We are all fighting the same fight and 100% of this money goes to Dana Farber for so many people in the fight of their lives. It's extremely challenging to ask people for money as often as I have been. I'm also always on the giving end and I do all that I can for everyone I can but it's not always easy. We have all been here. Or there. So I thank you over and over with my whole heart because I know it's a challenge in itself.

Overall the meeting was very touching and super inspirational. I am so proud to be a part of this team.
We met some new faces, heard some funny stories, heard some great tips, training advice, speed workouts, training runs, and we now know that we can go to Jack for anything and I left there knowing that I CAN do this.
I can help fight cancer every day and I can run 26.2.

As we left and drove through Kenmore I was mesmerized over my favorite sign. A sign that I saw every day and every night for 4 years of my life during my time at Simmons. Memories that I will always hold in my heart. That's the best thing about memories. You can always revisit them. It's never goodbye. It's see you later...

And I am back, in my old neighborhood with my Dad revisiting these memories and it's awesome. My dad who came from nothing in one of the toughest cities around but who worked his whole life (2 jobs while I was living a 1/2 mile from this sign) to give us everything. I'm blessed. I'm thankful. And I'm so very proud.
It just makes another memory for that some day down the road when I will really need it. Not right now, but some day. I'll hold onto these days with all that I have.