'Race for Life' Bristol 2008

I'm sure that everyone has been touched by cancer in someway, be it yourself, a relative or a friend and this is why research into the treatment and cure of this terrible disease is so important. This event has been running for a number of years but I got involved last year as you can read here.

I had been avidly watching the weather forecast all the week and if you believed the met office we were supposed to get rain! I woke up to an overcast sky and a cool breeze...but no rain, thank goodness. My friend, Tina, had decided to do the race on the Sunday with another friend so I wondered what it would be like walking alone with thousands of people all around you.
This got me thinking about cancer, because in a way that is how you might feel if you had the disease. You are battling alone whilst being surrounded by loved ones, friends and professionals who are all offering support, but it is the person alone who, bravely endures the treatment and actually fights the disease.

As we congregated at the starting point for the walkers, reading the tributes brought a tear to my eye. It took me back to the funeral of Sam's friend Sheena, who sadly died in October last year; it made me think of all the bloggers I knew who had written about their, and their family's personal stories of cancer. It made me thankful that my mother had her skin cancer removed successfully, earlier this year; and it made me pleased that so many people were supporting this event to raise money for research.



Luckily the rain kept off and being a little cooler it made the walking a lot easier. I managed to keep up a steady pace, and my knee and hip did not let me down, although today my knee is twice the size it is normally and a bit sore. Some 40 minutes later I was at the finishing line.....Embee tells me I am in this picture but I must be hidden!



These last two photos are not exactly flattering, but I just wanted to show you that I got my medal for completing the course.



I would like to say THANK YOU to everyone who sponsored me. I have raised £180 (approx $350) so far, which is a modest amount, but combined with everyone else's will make a difference.

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2007: Surprise Parcel