Redefining "WINNING"

I ran a 5K this morning. Not a big 5K with thousands of runners, music and streets lined with supporters; but a small, local 5K to benefit an adorable little boy in our community with Sanfilippo syndrome, a genetic error of metabolism. Quinn is 5 with a life expectancy of 10 - 20 years...but no one's told him that! He was cheering on the runners and having a great time (You can visit his Caring Bridge page to see his full story)! As the mom of two healthy boys, my heart breaks for Quinn's parents. I simply cannot fathom what they are going through as they work to help find a cure to heal their sweet boy.

I've seen several people since finishing the race, and I'm still proudly wearing my "I Ran for Quinn" sticker. The first thing they asked was, "Did you win?" Which has me thinking...

How do I answer that? I ran a pretty hilly course and set a new PR for 5K (27:39). That's a WIN!! I ran alongside a super sweet 7th grader who was running his first 5K. We chatted throughout and had a great visit! Although he said several times he could barely keep going, he did...and so did I. WIN! The race was organized by the Winston County JR Miss Committee, and I have several beautiful girls who make my life better that will be competing for the title in a few weeks. Despite the overwhelming desire to sleep in because my boys are at their grandparents - I showed up and supported them in their efforts to help this sweet little boy. WIN!!

So, did I cross the finish line first? No. Will I ever cross the finish line first in a race? Probably not. But did I "win" today? Absolutely!!

So, today, I'm redefining "winning" and declaring:

I WON THE RACE!

**Quinn's color is purple and today I use it proudly in this post!