Run, Mama! Run!

This post is so very, very late but it's better late than never, right?!  A month ago I ran in my first 5k with my older brother in Boston, MA.  Running in a 5k was an item that both my brother and I had on our bucket lists to complete and what a better way to do it (and remain motivated) than to run for charity.  We named our little team of two the Bucket Listers and set about fundraising for the HIV/AIDS Action Committe of Boston.  I'm very proud to say that we both finished the 5k in just under 45 minutes (my time was 44:45) and raised $440 to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Registered and ready to run

The race was run along the Charles River in Boston with beautiful scenery and gorgeous weather.  We were also fortunate that there were no hills to contest on the race route! :P  My brother made the trip to Boston from sunny Florida and brought his boyfriend along with him.  It was so great to finally meet him and discover that he is absolutely perfect for my brother.  They are such a cute couple and both look so happy together.

Almost to the finish line...

A.R. got to bond with my brother's boyfriend while we ran the race (they were our cheerleaders along with Miss M) and said that he was such a nice guy.  M loved watching as the racers finished and cheered and clapped them along.  There were about 700 racers on race day and the winner finished in just under 17 minutes (EEK!), so she had a lot of cheering to do before her Uncle and I made it to the finish line.

We finished!

After the race we all hung out for the health fair that the walk was hosting and got great samples from various companies that sell prodcuts at local Whole Food stores.  Then, we stuck around for some of the entertainment after the walkers finished their walk before calling it a day and heading out to Fanuel Hall for a late lunch at Cheer's.

My brother's bf, me, big bro

Both my brother and I have "the bug" now and are itching to do another race.  He lives in prime 5k country down in Florida, so he could do one almost every weekend if he wanted to.  I'm going to look to do another one the end of August here in Connecticut and maybe a third one in October??!!  Running in the race and finishing was such a high.  Now, I want to do it again to improve on my time and better my own fitness level.  I hope to use 5ks as a motivation to keep my new gym routine up.  Maybe someday I'll be able to try a 10k...HA!

Giving A Little Something Back...

I have been blessed with good health and a really high platelet count and so every 6 weeks or so I donate platelets at the Red Cross in a process called Apheresis. I first learned about this donation option after donating whole blood at a whole blood drive held at the company I worked for. After my donation, the apheresis department called me to tell me I have a really high platelet count and that I'd be an excellent candidate for double donations of platelets.

Me at a recent donation.

The platelets can be used for various purposes the most common being for bone marrow transfer, cancer, and leukemia patients. The donation process takes an hour for a single donation and a bit longer for a double. During the donation, the donor gets to recline in a really comfy chair complete with blankets and heating pads to stay warm (the fluid return can make you kind of chilly!). Where I donate, you get to watch your choice of movie during the process to pass the time. I donate using both arms, but there are chairs and machines that can do the donation using just one arm (it takes a little longer, though). Since you get your blood back after the platelets are removed you can donate more frequently and I find that I don't feel faint after the procedure like I do when I donate whole blood. However, if you bruise easily just be warned that sometimes a donation doesn't always go as planned...I've had several beautiful bruises after a donation!

Don't let scary bruises deter you though, it really is worth it to donate: My little brother was in a bad accident on my parent's farm in 2007 which required him to have multiple life saving blood transfusions (see picture of him in the ICU). Isaac was kicked in the face by a horse and suffered a broken jaw and deep laceration on his cheek. The horse's hoof severed an artery in his cheek and my brother nearly bled to death before receiving the life saving transfusions. Having seen how donated blood is used first hand, I try to give a little something back so maybe I can help someone else's brother survive. You never know when your donation is saving someone's life as one donor helped do for my little brother. Please consider donating blood at your local Red Cross. If you can give up a couple hours of your time, please see if you are a candidate to donate platelets at your local Red Cross.

It really CAN save a life!

H