Coldest Day 5k

On Saturday I ran in the Coldest Day 5k, benefitting the Springfield Rescue Mission. The race started at the Mission and followed the Riverwalk and over a large footbridge that had not been cleared of what seemed at times a foot of snow. Icy and snowy conditions made this certainly a "coldest day" for the 5k, following in the footsteps of the homeless. 

While those of us who are blessed with homes and transportation are complaining about all the snow, however justified our complaints, it's absolutely frightening to realize the fact that the homeless struggle to stay alive during all this piling snowfall. 

Homelessness is not just an urban problem. It's an issue that has hit home to me. My mom recently lost her apartment, and is struggling to find a new apartment that will accept a section 8 voucher. With waiting lists in the 1-2 year range in some areas, the housing situation for low income families and single people with disabilities is staggeringly poor. For me, running in this race was not only practice for the upcoming 10k, but a race for a cause that needs a lot of attention. 

Since my mom is staying with me for a bit, she came with me to the race to cheer me on. Mom decided to walk with a friend she made that morning. Though I can't put into words what she must have been thinking while walking, I can say that I was thankful that she was there with me, and hasn't yet found herself on the street. 

On a more technical note, race-wise I was surprised how I held up during the  icy conditions. I had a goal of 40:00 with just an abstract idea of what the race would be like. The film crew showed up from Catholic Communications to shoot a couple areas of the race. Knowing they were out there spurred me on, even though portions got slow because of the depth of snow. Coming down off the bridge was certainly an experience. I finished in 43 ish minutes, happy I made it through. A fellow runner took this "action shot" during the race on that icy bridge:

On to the St Pat's day 10k!