Last weekend, I walked 5K in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with the Hapkido Women's Empowerment Class. I must say that the experience was one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had, and I certainly plan on doing it again in the future!
When we first arrived, I was amazed at the number of supporters there were! There were men and women of all ages and walks of life! It really drove home how breast cancer affects EVERYONE, in some way. Many vendors had tents set up and were handing out freebies - anything from free samples of food to cloth bags to hats and scarves. The crowds around the tents were enormous, and moving around such a large area was difficult.
When we started the walk, there were so many people that it was forced to be more of a "stroll." We came over the top of a hill and the sight we saw was absolutely breathtaking! I've never seen 65,500 people in one place before, and it is a difficult thing to grasp! The picture above only shows the walkers in front of me who have not turned the corner yet - the sight behind me was just as incredible. It really tugs at your heart strings to see how many people care about such a worthy cause. Several people had a sign on their back that read, "In memory of..." or "In celebration of...". Reading all of the names of people who were afflicted with breast cancer really drove home the importance of breast health. The one that really got to me was a little girl that had a sign that said, "In memory of my mom." What a horrible disease.
The finish sign was a welcome sight, and I teared up at the view. Not because I was tired (which, in reality, walking 5K at a leisurely pace was not very strenuous), but because on the right side was the "survivor finish," where the survivors walked between 2 lines of the Rams Cheerleaders cheering them on in their fight for life. It really is such a fantastic event, to see so many who had the fight of their life to be able to cross that line.
