21st Annual Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure

On any given Saturday morning 5am would have come way too early. However, last Saturday 5am arrived perfectly on time. After all I had been waiting for June 5, 2010 for months; I could not believe it was already here. Little did I know as I got ready for the day that it was going to be one of joy, frustration, excitement, tears and accomplishments. Amidst all the emotions, it would end up being one of the best days yet this year.


As the sun was rising on our Nation’s Capital I was preparing to volunteer for, run in, and support one of the largest Susan G. Komen for the Cure races.


My shoes were tied tight, my number was pinned on straight, a smile was on my face and in my heart…………….I was ready to go.

Because my brother is the best he got up early to have me dropped off on the mall by 6:15am. I know what you are thinking….”I will never be running in a Race for the Cure if I have to be there at 6:15am.” Hold up, get those panties out of a pinch…….the race didn’t start until 8am. I registered to volunteer at the I Am the Cure tent before the race started. The first unfortunate turn of events happened during the hour and a half I volunteered. Brace yourself for this devastating news I am about to divulge…….are you ready……I didn’t get any pictures of my volunteer effort. Okay so maybe that is not life or death, but for this photographer it almost seemed like it.

On a more positive note…………….I did get pictures from the rest of the day, and was even able to commission some help from Chad and Ashley to capture many sweet moments while I was out doing something silly like running a race.


A mom going through treatment with a shirt that says “My girls are racing for ME” and her three girls have shirts that read “Racing for MOM.”


The parade of nearly 4,000 survivors.



Country singer and Susan G. Komen for the Cure Celebrity Ambassador Candy Coburn singing what I like to refer to as the Komen Anthem…’Pink Warrior’. You can read the lyrics here.


Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker sharing the promise she made to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, over 30 years ago......to find a cure for breast cancer.


Dr. Jill Biden joined by her granddaughters as she speaks on her involvement with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.


Women and Men, young and younger were showing their support for the Cure!


Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure 2010 started!!


Look really hard do you see me………anyone? Anyone?


I still can’t seem to find myself amongst all these runners either, hummmm?


If I didn’t know better I would think I was trying to play where’s Waldo.


Oh look there I am! No I am not at the front of the pack setting a pace of 5:45. The winner Meghan Ridgley is my new hero she finish the 5k in 17:52 and yes she is my age. I also did not photoshop any runners out so it would appear I am running the race alone. I won’t go into the details of how exactly this pictures was able to be taken, I will leave that up to Chad and Ashley to explain if they so choose….Love you guys, I really do, I promise..I just can’t let you live this one down!!


One of many survivors running the 5k. What an inspiration these women are!!


How cute!! I have never tried running and holding hands, but it is working for these three.


I love the color combination. I am pretty sure pink goes with just about anything!!


There were so many runners, I felt honored to be among them.



The finish line is in sight!!


How empowering to see thousands of people out to support one cause…the mission to find a cure for breast cancer.


Representatives from around the globe came out to run.


Here I come around the bend and into the finish line. I have run a lot of races, and more 5k’s than I can even begin to recall, but never has one meant as much to me as this one did.


Not only is it a great feeling to simply cross the finish line, but for me in this race it was so much more. I was running for a cause, I was running in memory of my grandmother who lost her life to the disease, I was running for cousins and friends who have survived; I was running for those who just heard “you have breast cancer” and those who have been told “you are in remission”. I was running to fund research and grants; I was running for those that can’t, I was running for my employer, I was running for our future. I was running because my heart, my passion, my time, and my love lie in the arms of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Knowing now why I ran you can imagine the wave of emotions that went over me when I heard for the first time after running hundreds of races, “now crossing the finish line, Jennifer Barrington from Glenpool Oklahoma” as I finished on June 5, 2010 the Global Race for the Cure.


This however was the icing on the Georgetown Cupcake for me.


My brother


and Ashley were there to support me.


I can think of very few things that feel better than knowing you are supported by those friends and family you hold closest to you. Seeing Chad and Ashley standing there cheering me on swept away my frustration as to why I was running the beginning of the race alone and as a result why my time was not what I would have liked it to be. Their love and support meant more to me than they will ever know.


Chad and Ashley seem to think I am the department of energy……something about being on the go all the time. As a side note, the arm thing was not my idea, just wanted to state that for the record. It however goes quite well with the message on the back of shirt.......please remember and be strong!!

I have not seen the figures for the 2010 Global Race; however the 2009 Race raised over $4.7 million for education and community outreach programs in and around the Nation's Capital and across the globe. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide and is the leading cause of cancer death….claiming a new victim every 68 seconds. Being that many of the deaths due to breast cancer occur in developing countries where education and treatment are not as readily available, it is comforting to know that 25% of funds raised through Race registration, individual and team fundraising, as well as sponsorship dollars at each Affiliates race is used for research and bridging the gap of knowledge in the less educated nations. In the words of Ambassador Nancy Brinker “where a woman lives should not determine whether she lives.”

Please help support your communities Affiliate through volunteer efforts or by participating in an upcoming Race for the Cure. I have included a list of many upcoming races and a link to each Affiliates website.

June 26th Baxter, MN
July 17th Aspen, CO
July 17th Manchester, VT
August 8th Kansas City, MO
August 14th Cheyenne, WY

These are the summer races. Most Affiliates hold their races in the fall, I will update you on the remaining races for 2010 within the coming weeks.

Thank you for your love, support, time and generosity in helping us to one day live in a world void breast cancer.

Love you,
Jen