So you wake up in bed on a Sunday
morning, stretch lazily, and you think about what you’re going to do with your
day. Do you visit the in-laws? Catch up with some friends? Maybe a little
Sunday dinner, then spend the day how Sundays should be spent, being a little
bit lazy. Well not The Beziere Beauty Belles!
This particular Sunday, was Race
For Life! And I was well up for it, I know me and exercise? Who knew right??
A few weeks ago while out with
lunch with our Beauty team in work, I agreed to join them in the race for life
that they were taking part in. Cancer is a huge thing in my family. I’ve seen the
struggle that it brings to lives, through the losses and survivors. I don’t
know why it’s actually taken me this long to be a part of it actually, it’s
something that having done it now, I’m really ashamed of.
The day had arrived and we got
ourselves prepared and Pink’d up, the 6 of us were ready a raring to go. We joined
hundreds of women and children to give a communal “up yours” to Cancer, and it
felt awesome. It began rather gloomy though , as we made our way to
Loughborough. We drove through fog, overcast and drizzle, a dreary contrast to
the heat wave we’d been experiencing the last 14 days! Would we let this dampen
our spirits? Hell no! We arrived at the run, attached our numbers, and took in
the atmosphere of why we were there, and who we were there for.
We joined in a ten minute warm up
on the field, with two fitness instructors taking us through our paces, leading
the crowd in a series of stretches, star jumps, and squats. The echo of
enthusiasm that ripped through the crowd was electric. We cheered, sang and
clapped on cue together, we may have been excited for the cause or simply the
fact that we had muscle bound ripped guys in lycra commanding us through the
routine! Sorry Guys!
The warm up complete we stood in a
minute of silence to remember those we had lost, the ones who had survived, and
the mass effect this disease has on us all. The most amazing thing that I
realised on this day was the positivity that surrounded everything and
everyone. We couldn’t dwell on any sadness, just focus on the reason we were
here and what taking part in this will achieve.
The music blasted from the
speakers and we were off. The 5K began, and Cancer we were coming to get you.
Armed with smiles and laughter, and some severe excitement from some in our
little troop, we hop, skipped and jumped around the 5k course. Obviously
stopping for a few cheeky candid moments along the way, the fun of getting
around the 5K is what it’s all about. People dressed up posed happily with
other runners, and chatted about their experiences like lifelong friends. A
woman dressed in a onesie stopped to pose with me. She was 54 and had beaten
Cancer herself, she was so inspirational. It was such an amazing thing to be
part of.
Nearly an hour later, after many
hills and dales, we’d done it. We crossed the finish line to rapturous applause
from all the supporters. All that was left to do was collect our medals and a
free pan au chocolate apparently! That I
didn’t understand, but hey, we weren’t complaining mind you!
The day meant so much to me. I
ran for my Nanny Bett and Uncle Pad who we’ve lost in recent years. Looking
around throughout the day I continually got choked seeing the signs of I run
for…. You never can realise what an amazing cause this is and how it affects so
many different lives. I can safely say that I will be a part of this every
years now, I’m addicted. Next year we take on the 10k!
