Pat's Run

7:00 am.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

ASU Sun Devil Stadium

I'm excited. It's been a couple of months since my last race. The last time I ran for time (and charitable cause) was late January when my SIL, Shari, and I did London's Run together. Although I've been thinking about Pat's Run off and on for a while, I didn't think I would be able to swing it with everything we have going on this Saturday. But, miraculously, the girls' 8:00 am softball game got rescheduled to Saturday night at 6:00, we got Afton's guitar competition time scheduled at 11:00, and I can be a little late to Scrapfest if I must.

So I'm gonna run. Me and 14,000 of my closest friends and Valley of the Sun neighbors. Parking might be a nightmare, but I think I'll park off site and walk. A little warm-up will do me good. Hopefully I can get Ryan to come along with me and take some pics and be my cheerleader. I'd really like it if he was running right along beside me, but I doubt that will happen. He hasn't run since the Turkey Trot last fall. Maybe next time :)

It's a short race. Only 4.2 miles (in honor of Pat's #42 uniform he wore while he played football at ASU. He went pro and played for the Arizona Cardinals as #40). The race ends, very appropriately, inside ASU Sun Devil Stadium on the 42 yard line.

Nice.

I've never done this race before, but there's always so much hype about it that I'm intrigued. I've read the post-race articles in the past, checked out all the websites. It's huge in our state. Here is a blurb from the Pat's Run website:

"In the aftermath of the attacks on September 11, 2001, Pat proudly put his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals on hold to serve his country. This decision was just one of many he made over the course of his lifetime to help others and serve a cause greater than self-interest.

The Tillman family and friends created the Pat Tillman Foundation in 2004, following Pat’s death while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan.

The Pat Tillman Foundation was established to carry forward Pat’s legacy of leadership and civic action by supporting future generations of leaders who embody the American tradition of citizen service."

I'm excited to run. Excited to support a former Sun Devil and War Hero memory, contribute to a good cause and to be part of the excitement. Anyone else out there in blog land going to be there?