Marathon, or really, 5K Training

Fair warning: This post is way more about me than about Mom.  In general, no news is good news on the Mom front.  Her energy is picking up and she is going on mini-outings each day.  Mom and Dad enjoyed the Elvis exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts yesterday.  Today, they went to Dillard's (it's a step up from the grocery store). The weather here is still great, so there have been lots of walks.  She's regaining her appetite slowly but surely.  For now, cinnamon and honey mustard salad dressing are off the list.  Last night she ordered ravioli with the sauce on the side so she could control the amount of sauce.  She said it was delicious!  Apparently, the foods that taste good, taste very good.

It has been 3 weeks since the first phone call from Mom telling us that her biopsy came back as breast cancer. A whirlwind 3 weeks.  The way I have begun to describe the last few days is that we thought we were sprinting and just realized that we are actually running a marathon.  We've had to adjust to a new pace...the new normal.

This analogy seems especially fitting today because I started training for the Komen 5K.  To be fair, I start training this time every year and don't usually stick with it until May when the race happens.  But, last week, I downloaded the couch to 5K app.  After a week of perfecting the "couch" part, I decided I finally had it in me to start.  And then, it all seemed to fall into place.  I did my first Komen 5K training run on a bright pink treadmill.  Because, really, how could I pass up the opportunity to say I did my first Komen 5K training run on a bright pink treadmill?

I have been participating in the Komen Race for the Cure for the last few years, usually as a run/walker.  I'm hoping to run it this year and get Dad and Jess to join me.  We have until May 12 to get ready, so there should be plenty of time.  They are likely already able to do it, so it's me that has to catch up!  To show how serious we are, we have already purchased Groupons for the "post 5K pancakes" at River City Diner.

Here are some photos of the years that Mom was in Richmond to walk with me.

In May 2009:

In May 2010:

On a similiar note, Mom signed up for yoga and starts on Wednesday.  There are special classes through the American Cancer Society at the hospital so she doesn't have to worry about hurting her port.  Neither of us have ever been very successful at this exercise thing, but we have some extra motivation (or anxiety?) these days.  Hopefully this is the year it sticks!

As a parting thought, here is the quote that came with the workout for today: "The longest journey begins with a small step by a brave person."