World 10K Race - Bangalore India

While Katie was here we got involved in the World 10K Race here in Bangalore.  When I was approached by a friend asking if I would like to push a physically disabled person in a wheelchair (and it was only a 5K) - I thought, "Sure!  I'd be willing to do that."  She had done the race last year and had glowing things to say about the experience.  I thought it sounded like fun and could picture myself pushing a wheelchair and chatting it up with a few other willing and able bodied friends.  OH MY WORD!  I HAD NO IDEA!!  It was such a HUGE deal.  I was anticipating a FEW people.  Oh no!  We're talking THOUSANDS of people.  Literally!

I was involved with the charity ProVision Asia but people were running for all sorts of reasons and causes.  I just had NO IDEA!  So I was initially overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people involved in this event but then I also found myself in a state of shock when I realized I wouldn't be casually chillin' with my girls while pushing a wheelchair - OH NO!  I was SWEATIN' my BUTT off!  I HAD NO IDEA it would be that much work!  Hahahah! 

One of the venders was passing out WTF juice?!  SERIOUSLY!!  

Matt & Our Friends, John & Jack
(Jack showing off his Vibrams®!  Finger-toe sock sneakers for those of you that don't know what Vibrams® are!)

First order of business...finding my "partner"....CHECK!

 Elite Men's Division - Running 10K

Elite Women's Division Race

 

They had a "costumed-runner" division!  I'm soooOooooOo wearing a costume next year - Even if I'm not in this division! :0)

Me & My Pal, Joan
(The Elite-Women's Division has Nothin' on Us! Haha!)

Stadium is starting to fill up!

Don't you Know it!!!!  Woo-Hoo!!

If you arrived lacking personal motivation there was plenty of it hanging from the walls of the stadium.

That one is almost too deep for me. ;0) 

Oh, Great!  Are you trying to tell me something?!

Security keeping the 10K runners at bay until the

official "start" of the race.

CRACK!  And they are OFF!!

Thanks for the encouragement!!!  Geesh!  :0)

Post-Race

Thank Goodness, No ambulance was needed.  WE DID IT!!!!

LOVED this girl!  An absolute ray of sunshine!

As I already mentioned, this race was A LOT harder than I could have imagined.  I'm not one of those "dig deep" kind of people nor am I a fan of the phrase, "No pain, no Gain."  Grrrr.  Once I start "paining"..."I'm all set.  Yup.  How about we call it a day?  Good workout there, Fellas.  Alrighty then.  See ya next time!"  So, without a shadow of a doubt if this "Little Ray of Sunshine" had not been riding along side of me - I don't know if I would have made it across the finish line!?  You would have found me sitting cheek to cheek in the wheelchair next to the Gal I was supposed to be pushing across the finish line.  "Scooch over there, Missy!  There's plenty a room for two!  I'm "paining" here!  Yep.  Move it over.  There ya go!  Don't be selfish now.  Make room for my tired toosh!"  ;0)

 

Well, Little Miss Sunshine she helped keep the spring in my step for the last leg of the race.  I kid you not I thought I knew every "church song" in the book and she just kept crackin' 'em off one after another.  She literally SANG and SANG and SANG!  And then she'd look up at me with a big bright smile on her face and a gleam in her eye and say, "You know this one?!"  And she'd launch into another song and you better believe it....I LOVE TO BELLOW!  So I sang right along with her.  It was GREAT!  She completely blessed my heart that day and I will never forget her. 

 

Although I didn't get any pictures of her, my friend Katie also did the charity 5K wheelchair race and she had a different experience all together.  (I think she actually wanted to inflict bodily harm upon me when I told her stories of my SINGING during the race!)  Apparently, the gentlemen that she was pushing was "in it to win it" and he literally did not let Katie stop RUNNING the entire time!  SAY, WHAT?!  Um.  Yah.  I definitely would have needed an ambulance.  In fact, Katie told me that at one point someone fell out of their wheelchair in the race and when she tried to slow down to help and see if the person was okay the man she was pushing yelled out, "No. No!  Keep going!  No stopping!  They are FINE!!!"  Despite Katie's drill instructor companion - She had a positive experience and I'm so glad we got to do the race together!

 

  How come My Little Honey doesn't even look like he broke a sweat?!  JERK!

Unlike me, Matt DOES have that inner "grit" and so he woke up the day of the race and ran the 5K.  Are you kidding me?  I have started and stopped the Couch To 5K running plan more times than you can imagine; however,  I DID have to tease him mercilessly about the shirt he was given to wear on the day of the race.  REALLY!?  What were they thinking?!  Clearly, I'm more inclined to fashion than I am to fitness ;0)

 

Some of the runners stopping to shake the "wheelers" hands and congratulate them on completing the 5K.

 

Phew!  What a crazy-great-hot-and-sweaty-day!  Can't wait to do it all again next year!!   The Elite Women better start training NOW b/c I intend to BRING IT!  Now that I've got a year under my belt and know what to expect next year I am "in it to win it";0)......I know, I know!  Who am I kidding?!  I'll just stick to pushin' and singin'  ;0)