My teenage son and I enjoy participating in 5K walks/runs together. He's a pretty good pacer, as I have to take two to three steps to his one long-legged stride. He also encourages me to jog a bit during the walks, an action that does not come naturally to this non-athlete.
I am fully aware how lucky I am that my teenager chooses to spend this time with me!
We prefer to do walks that benefit others. Today's event incorporated a celebration of Holi, a Hindu spring festival, with a fundraiser for providing eye surgery and care for people in India. We had never done a color run before; the spirit of joyous spring renewal and reparation made it even that much more meaningful.
The preparatory email told us all we needed to know--wearing sunglasses to keep the colored powder out of our eyes, keeping our mouths closed as powder was thrown, even covering our car seats for the ride home.
It was a cold morning; our layers couldn't keep the chill from creeping in until the warm-up began. First some traditional moves and stretches from a fitness coach, and then some Bollywood dance moves to get us going. We eagerly started the walk, just to keep warm!
Five color stations later (and an orange face swipe from a well-meaning, apologetic walker), we crossed the finish line in under forty-five minutes. A personal best--and probably the best I've ever looked at the end of a 5K! I hope the Sankara Eye Foundation decides to make this an annual event.
What a fascinating tradition to share as mother and son, for such a good cause. My husband had a rare form of eye disease last year but is doing well. I enjoyed learning about this colorful event!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your blog posts, I can see the personal connection for you!
DeleteWhat a fun time!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun; hope to do it again, Robin!
DeleteYou had me at Bollywood dance moves. I've only done one color run and it was fun. Congratulations on the personal best!
ReplyDeleteI bet you do some Bollywood moves in Zumba, too! I had to pull out a Bollywood exercise video to do the next day, just to recapture the fun.
Deletecongrats on the 5K! Color Run always look fun - but not sure if I'm up for the stamina :p
ReplyDeleteI am a very slow-ish walker, but hey, any movement is good movement, right?
DeleteLooks like you had some fun. It been chilly here. Saturday was the St. Patrick's Day Parade. This year I did it sitting inside a car!!! Today is my annual MRI. By noon it will be a memory. Have a great day. Love Ya, Dad. P.S. We will call Ed this evening. Say Hi to Mason for us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the morning post, dad! Hope all goes well for you.
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