Race for the Cure-Pirate Style

It was Race for the Cure time again last Saturday, my kids love this even if James cried when we told him he was old enough to do the full 5K this year. We usually do this with the rest of the Bellamy Clan but due to injuries and work we were on our own this year. 

We got the kids up early in the morning and the boys took to the pirate theme again this year, staging a sword fight in the hallway between "Jake" and "Capt. Hook". 

Despite the traffic (sorry public transit it is cheaper to drive my family downtown and pay for parking than drive them to a park and ride and pay for Trax) we made it in plenty of time to snap a few pictures. A nice man offered to take a picture for us....um poor Matty didn't make the cut. 

From there we split into two groups, the girls and boys. The girls moved at a slightly faster pace than the boys did so we took off. And paused at each mile sign to mark our progress. 

See how sunny it is right here...a quarter of a mile later the girls and I were battling an impromtu hail storm that killed my pirate hat..alas. We battled through though, and the boys who were a little under a mile behind us missed the hail all together. 

We cheered when we saw this sign, it was an exciting moment....more exciting than the finish sign which we did not pose by. 

While we waited for the boys we walked around the festivities. I love the random pink thinks that you can find around this race. 

We were able to get one family picture when everyone finished, There was even one when everyone was smiling and looking at the camera. It made me proud. 

I love doing this race every year. There is something about the sense of community that you can find among those united in a greater cause. It doesn't matter where you stand on political issues, what your religion is, or how much money that you have, for one brief moment everyone is united in the cause of that touches so many of us. I can't think of a greater lesson to pass on to my children. To teach them that together so much good can be done even of it is one step at a time. 

Saturday is the only day pink is my favorite color

Last week the following things were heard around our house,  "Saturday is the only day pink is my favorite color."  and "I am going to run the 5K this year." and "How many more days until the Race for the Cure?"  and "Whose group are you going in? Dad's, Mom's, Aunt Hilary's or Aunt Amy's"

This has become one of the best family traditions that we have. The kids look forward to the race all year, in fact as we left this year they were already talking about who was going to run the 5K next year. 

It is funny this is the one Saturday that the kids don't complain about getting up early on a Saturday. In fact they were up before I was and had started breakfast before I could point them towards the lovely carb filled doughnuts I had purchased the day before.  They got themselves ready and got Matty ready and were in the car a full ten minutes ahead of schedule.

We drove downtown this year, by passing public transportation and saving ourselves from the crowds and a few dollars. And the kids were ready to go. Donning their pirate gear this photo right here became a photo opt for more than just mom. 

So there we were. The Bradly Pirate crew, with Matty, Captain of the the Pink Pearl. We are a surly bunch of buccaneers. 

Matty refused to don any of his pirate outfit, except for the pink belt. That boy has style.

The best thing about this race is we do it with family. Some of these kids have been doing this race since they were weeks old, it is fun to watch them get excited about this walk every year. That may have something to do with the swag that they love to collect- this year there was even cake pops. 

We all participated in one race or another. I was sidelined to the one mile with the boys thanks to my broken toe. While the girls and Christian did the 5K. In the end though we all finished.

It was a bittersweet year to walk though. Thoughts of Grandma Helen were fresh in all our minds, we walked in honor of her and missed her. Whenever we took her with us on that race she always thought that everyone was there for her, as if she was the only cancer survivor in the state of Utah.

It was a beautiful day and a ton of fun and a tradition that we will continue. I love that my kids don their new favorite color, pink, once a year. I love that they are learning that so many people are effected by cancer every year. I love that maybe they might learn a little empathy and compassion to others who are suffering.

Race for the Cure 2012

It was the annual Race for the Cure this last weekend in Salt Lake and there couldn't have been a prettier day to have this race.

For the past four years the Bellamy Clan donned tutus and became team Tutus for Tatas. Apparently we created such a strong fashion statement that others began to copy our idea and by last year there was even someone who decided our team name was awesome and needed to be shared. So with tutus becoming the thing to run in we decided it was time to change our name.  

Thus team Buccaneers for Boobies was born.   There were new shirts, pirate bandannas, pirate tattoos, pirate hates, pirate earnings, and pink pirate eye patches. With everyone dressed Saturday morning we drove to trax and then headed down to Library Square. 

I was impressed with my niece Sophie and her ability to keep the bandanna on her head. Matty's lasted for a few minutes then that was that.

We headed to the start of the race. All but one of us did the one mile. It was just easier with all the strollers and kids.  These two little boys decided to hold hands most the way. I love that they are such good friends.

These older boys did not hold hands the whole way, but I am sure they would have if they each didn't have their own stroller to push.

The girls decided they were going to walk/run the one mile and we were able to run about 3/4s of the route. It was a lot of fun and all three have decided that they want to train to run the 5k next year.

Waiting back at the starting line for everyone to come back.

Matty loved being outside and seeing all the people. He was a good little boy even if he didn't get his nap in.

Everything ended at Library Square where the vendors were. We used this time to snap some family shots.

On the way over to our picture James scrapped his knee, poor little tyke.

The kids had a lot of fun playing in the water.

One thing that was different this year is people were stopping us to take our picture. I found it amusing how many people wanted to have a snap shot of pirates that were in no way related to them. But it was good. Some even hopped in the picture with us.  Of course taking a picture of all 19 of us turned out to be a big adventure. Most of them ended up with one parent or another trying to calm a crying child or another child looking off in the distance.  

We had a great time though and I was glad that we did it. We were there for those that no longer can walk for themselves and that will trump anything else.