Ready, Ready, Ready...Ready to Run

it has come as a complete shock to me, and to many of you as well, that i am so enjoying this whole running thing i've been doing. in fact, i'm enjoying it so much that i'm actually planning on running another 5K and even thinking about running 2 others after that. no...i haven't lost my mind and no...an alien is not inhabiting my body. i'm truly enjoying the running and i'm enjoying being part of a cause.

my next adventure will be the jingle bell run on december 5th. this run will raise money for the arthritis foundation. this cause is also close to my heart. being an aopii this is our philanthropy, and it is an amazing one at that. i'm really looking forward to contributing to this organization again. speaking of contributing...if you would like to help me raise money, visit my run website and feel free.

you can find me at http://2009JingleBellRunBirmingham.kintera.org/hollymartin0704796

i'll be donning my santa hat, jingle bells and running for a cure. hopefully shane will bring some mistletoe for afterwards!

peace and love.

Race for the Cure 2009

after a few months of training....yes....i had to train for a 5K, running in the race for the cure was both humbling and exhuberant. it felt great to set what at the time seemed like a huge goal, not just for myself, but for someone else, and accomplish that goal. having my mother at the race made it all the more meaningful. while there were a lot of smiling faces, there was a great deal of emotion as well. i felt so thankful that my mother is fighting and surviving her battle with breast cancer and yet i was saddened for those who fought the good fight and have lost. while it was a small thing in comparison to those with brillant minds who are working to develop a cure for this disease, running this race felt like i was contributing to something greater than myself. it was a special day.

mom and i after the race

the finish line!!

malerie and i after the race.


mal and i "running to the finish"
actually this was taken by her husband kevin
after we had already finished the race. the boys forgot to
take a picture as we crossed the finish line.


the hoover high school cheerleaders
cheering the runners on!!

me and my running mate.

great picture of malerie and i as we

passed by shane, kevin and the cheerleaders

this should give you an idea about

how slow i actually run!

at linn park they dye the fountain

pink on the day of the race.

for my mother and best friend...

"i have fought the good fight, i have finished the race, i have kept the faith"

peace, love and a cure