Yesterday was my 47th birthday. Guess how I spent the morning!?!?

Guess who spent it with me!?!?

#73 out of 129, 5K,  cut 26 seconds from my last run.

Whoooo Hoooo!

Everyone should spend their birthday doing only what they want to do...not what they have to do!

In a few days, I will let you know how I spent my birthday afternoon on Hurricane Lane,

have a wonderful week,

love and hugs

Sheila

APRIL 1, 2008 - APRIL 30, 2008

NEXT RACE:  (APR 26, 2008 LOOKOUT ROTARY SPRING ROAD RACE, 1M/5K/10K RUN, MOREHEAD CITY, NC)

                      (MAY 10, 2008, COASTAL WOMEN'S SHELTER 5K RUN, NEW BERN, NC)

     A week ago this past Saturday, I ran a 5k Run in Snow Hill, NC.

     Participating in the run isn't the most noteworthy thing here. What is, the most noteworthy, is the fact that I had the opportunity to meet in person, two very special people. These two people I had only known through comments traded back and forth here on spaces via a keyboard and computer monitor. 

     I don't know who visited who's space first...that isn't  important.  What I do know is that husband and wife team, Bobby and Mary Jo, from Losing In Snow Hill, are two of the most "fired up" individuals I have met in a very long time.  You don't get a hug like the one I got from Mary Jo from just anybody!

     In an effort to get active and fit, Mary Jo and Bobby started their MSN Biggest Loser space Losing in Snow Hill this past January. Mary Jo took on the awesome task of organizing a 5K run for their home town Rotary and I am sure this kept them both motivated.  Their exuberance for this new life they have chosen to embark upon together, has spilled out and over into the lives of so many people they have touched, not only in real life, but on spaces. I definitely felt it the day of the race.

     Snow Hill is a lovely little town (1500 population if my research is correct) and the photos I posted of the tobacco barns at Hurricane Lane are from a stretch of beautiful rural highway between my home town of New Bern and Snow Hill.

     I had the great fortune to be able to take some photographs before the race.  Mary Jo, being the director, didn't run this race and as a result, she was able to document in digital media, the race along the whole route.

This is Banks and his Mom, Mary Jo...my new "real" friend! Banks is a charming young man!

Me and Mary Jo (don't you just love florescent lighting with the wrong camera settings?)

A College running star, Becky (with her daughter) pushed little Sarah for the whole race.

She insisted at the beginning of the race, that Sarah and her would be trading places halfway through the race...!

I think this was about halfway through, when Mary Jo took this photograph of me. I asked her if she got my good side...

the back of my head!

Me an Bobby, he caught up with me and we finished the last 1/2 mile together. 

The best words I have had gasped in my ears in a long time were...."only 300 yards left to go!"

Right before the finish line.

Thumbs up...the best part of the race, is removing the chip timing device from your shoe.

     It doesn't happen very often that you can have an event captured like this, and I was so thrilled that Mary Jo shared these photos with me, so that I could share them with y'all.  But, I was even more thrilled that I got to meet my new "real" friends, Mary Jo and Bobby.  They have expressed interest in New Bern's 10K Bridge Run this October, and hopefully we will be able to do other local runs together when our schedules permit.  Meeting these two outstanding individuals was the highlight of the race...well, there was one other highlight...I won a 2nd place metal in my division 40-49 yrs....well ok, there were only two of us in my division....but I look at it this way.  I was one of the two females in the 40 - 49 year old division, who had enough gumption to get outta bed and show up for the race...and finish it!  I did it at a 9:54 pace too, I might add, so far my PB.....:o)

     So...the rest of you friends out there on my list, watch out...I am on a roll! I definitely want to visit Edmonton, Tennessee, Alaska, New Zealand, England, South Carolina, Joe Ja, Massachusetts (smile).....may just have to find a race in your town, just as an excuse! Oh and if you think I am kidding, think again!

Love and Hugs

while Running On!

Sheila