My favorite day (up to my favorite part), Day 3

One day some friends asked my favorite part of the whole 3 Day. I knew I'd start crying as soon as I started talking about it. In fact, I tear up now.

The last day was the hardest physically, but also my favorite.

I had spent most of the morning in line at the medical tent. My feet were covered in blisters. Covered. (The woman lancing them even said, "we got a gusher!" Yesss!)Out of pained or happy, Cristina said I should make a pained face.

Wink for Pink walked with me and Barbra for the first few miles, then most of them were going to walk it pretty fast. (Of course Vera dragged Debbie pretty quickly so she could be back in time for the Closing Ceremonies of which she was a part of).

We walked slowly to the first Cheering Station. We saw some of our other cheer-leaders and talked a bit. Toward the end of the line, I saw Dad and Cindy.

Suddenly I was able to run a few steps into Dad's arms. It was so good to see him and Cindy and Amanda and Karen. All there waiting for me.
As I walked a bit further, I saw a couple with Twizzler's and those soft mints. ... The woman behind me in line at the medical tent said her parents asked her what they should bring to the Cheering Stations (to give out to people). She said Twizzlers (NOT Red Vines!) and those soft mints. I was excited to meet them. She was a great person to have in line behind me. Even held my spot when I went to get breakfast.

Barbra and I continued to walk pretty slowly. But it was a good pace for us both. The curbs just killed to step off and on. I groaned. I hurt. My left shin started to hurt. We went loopy:
It was still my favorite day. I talked to more people. I ate lunch with Dad and Cindy--and we were determined NOT to be whisked away in the sweep vans which would take us to the next stop if we didn't finish lunch in the next 8 minutes.

As we crossed one of the last streets, I heard my name and Ryan was standing there--I had not seen him standing there, nor taking several pictures. I knew I was nearing the end. Ryan walked with us for a bit, and snapped a few pictures.

He went on ahead. Soon we saw Yvonne and she walked with us in to the finish.

Here's where we get to my favorite part. The part that still makes me cry every time.

That pained face of mine is full of emotions. I'm crying, but trying not to, but at the same time letting the tears fall.

I saw the crowds, heard the yelling. The tears started. We grabbed each other's hands. We walked together. I couldn't stop crying. We crossed through, hand in hand. People cheered. I cried. They cheered louder. They cheered as loud for me as they did for the first person. Hundreds of people were there, screaming and yelling on either side of me.

I saw some of my team-mates. They screamed, they took pictures. They smiled big. I smiled and cried.

Just before I got to the tent where I would pick up my much-coveted shirt, I felt a huge sense of relief. All this pain and exhaustion just left. A huge relief to be done, to be done with the training, to be done with the walk.


Those minutes (I have no idea how long they were) as I crossed the finish line, up until I got my shirt....That was my favorite moment.