So earlier this year I wrote about how my injury prevented me from training for the Austin Marathon. I talked about how I was going to redeem myself and run that thing again. Towards the middle of the year I decided there is no way I want to attempt it. Now there is more than a reason to do it. My friend Elda Hernandez got diagnosed with throat cancer after she signed up for the marathon. She cannot run it because she is going through chemotherapy and finds herself being really tired, therefore not allowing her to train. In her honor I have decided to run. If she has to endure the pain, anguish, and tiresome feeling of cancer I feel I should endure just a fraction of that just to show her I {Corazon} her. I will say it has not been easy trying to run and work at the same time. But I tell myself to shut up!! People complain day in and day out about their life, including myself. They throw pity parties for themselves on FB to conjure up comments from friends while those in real pain read on and just sigh. Prior to enduring her chemo she has to be on a strict diet of no salt or carbs. Can you imagine life without salt?! Well she has to. I work two jobs and feel exhausted, but I put myself through that. Her on the other hand feels exhausted and didn’t ask to be. I told her I would run in her honor with one condition: that she is there to cheer me on. Although we all know that the only one that will be doing the cheering for anyone is me for her. I wish I could train and little by little my steps can make this thing go away. I wish that I could finish those 26.2 miles and make the whole cancer disappear. I tell myself it worked on my heartache nearly 2 years ago why can’t it work on this. It’s just not that easy. Every year my best friend and I participate in the Race for the Cure. Every year we are presented with the Survivor tent and cheers for the people that make it. We try to be happy but we can’t help but think why couldn’t Jennifer’s mom have been one of them? People take for granted everything they have. It’s perfectly fine just give up a little once in a while. My roommate and I had this conversation right after the race. A recent pet peeve of mine has been people that run the races but don’t register, in other words don’t pay. I understand you have bills to pay but honestly I see that you are holding a top of the line cell phone and your Nike are looking pretty sweet. If you want to tell me about not having money well let’s go talk to the people that live with cancer and can’t pay for medical insurance then you can tell me all about your pity party. I rather get a loaf of bread and a rotisserie chicken so I can eat all week to have money to do a race. These organizations feed two hearts those of the runners who enjoy a good workout and ability to run on closed off streets and then a person battling with an unconceivable amount of pain just giving them hope and assurance that they are going be okay. I am not going to tell you that I am some sort of great person because I do this, because I am not. All I ask is to pay registration, because I am sure those beers and drinks you had a few days ago cost more than the registration fee. I missed the Turkey Trot this year after paying the fee but to me it was nothing knowing that my $20 helped raised $50,000+ for CARITAS of Austin. I started running in a selfish attempt to heal my pain. I have gained hope that I will be a small part of healing someone someday one registration fee at a time. And for those that say that you can’t make a difference I will tell you that I can be sure they would make more of a difference here than they would at the mall. In any case if you can’t afford to run, okay…but then have the heart to make sure your cousin, friend, co-worker needs a hug or a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes that’s the least you can do
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