My mother, my inspiration.

My mother has been my hero. For a long time. She and I have been through a lot of things together, and I can only wish that my own daughter will find me as inspiring and as much of a support as I have found my own mother (this is one of my irrational fears - that my daughter and I will have a combative relationship and that she will openly wish for another mother). Although we live 5 states away, I can always count on my mother for support, advice, and unconditional love.

My mother has moved up a notch on my admiration meter over the past few years as she has begun biking, running 5Ks, swimming, and *gasp* doing triathalons. She has become another reason for my recent inspiration to get moving. Granted, she has two grown children and some extra time on her hands with no little ones running around the house - it would be so easy for her to just sit back and do nothing. Instead, she has chosen to do something and kick a** at it! Full of admiration, I started to brainstorm ways that I could get moving, keep me accountable for staying active, and maybe inspire my own kids along the way.

Here's my mom high-five-ing my dad during the Bermuda Triangle Challenge this past February. I've entitled this picture "Super Mom":

 
So....I signed up for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer that is taking place in late October. It consists of a 26.2 mile walk on the first day and a 13.1 mile walk on the second day all throughout the quaint streets of Charlotte, NC. I am required to raise $1800 but my goal is $2000 (click on the link to my personal fundraising webpage on the left and donate if you can!). Honestly, the fundraising is freaking me out a little bit because there's only 60+ days to go, but I have faith that it will all come together in the end (Do you think Avon can sue me for not raising the money? I might need to check into that!). Sometimes I think "What have I done, signing up for a marathon-and-a-half walk?" but I am committed to doing this thing and kicking it's a** "Super Mom" style.

My mom has been a great source of support, even sending me a foot care package in the mail this weekend with tips on how to prevent blisters. She says the toenail-falling-off thing is pretty much inevitable at some point. Guess that will save me money on pedicures in the future.

I have been doing "training" walks to build up my stamina to make it to 26.2 miles without being taken off the road on a stretcher. Last weekend I was working on a 7 mile walk around my neighborhood and stopped back into the house for some water. My 9-old son said he wanted to join me, so off we went out of the house together. He walked over 3 miles with me and not once did he struggle to keep up (I am choosing to believe that he has awesome stamina and not that I was walking as slow as a snail). Then my 3-year old daughter was sitting on the stairs inside impatiently waiting for us to return so she could walk with us. And there we were, the three of us, spending time and getting moving. Together. At the end, my son asked if he could do the Avon walk with me. Now, I'm not so sure I am even going to survive that walk, and cannot afford to add another $1800 fundraising to my efforts, so instead he and I are going to sign up with a team for the 5K Race for A Cure in early October (walking, of course) and he is going to raise as much money as he can towards that effort.

Now that's pretty darn cool. Inspiration to my kids? Check, "Super Mom" style!!!!