This morning right on time at 8am thousands of women (young, older, and oldest) left http://foxfieldraces.com for the 18th annual 4 mile trek down and back up Garth Road. These women have spent the last 12 weeks training http://www.w4mtp.com/index.htm under the enthusiastic tutelage of http://www.roywheeler.com 's Joan Esposito. It was a perfect morning for a race and from start to finish it epitomizes what makes Charlottesville such a special place to live. This race takes Hours, Days, Months to pull off and happens because of the illustrious Pink Ladies who take this cause on with a passion. The generosity of the people who make up the Charlottesville area is shown not only in the hopefully $400,000 raised but also in the volunteer hours of the Pink Ladies and hundreds of other volunteers like the runners' spouses or significant others, area high school track and cross country teams, the Charlottesville Track Club, and the misc others who don't fit into one of those groups. The comraderie that is established while training is shown as folks finish a race that 12 weeks earlier was a goal they weren't sure they could achieve. My favorite picture taken away from my time cheering these women on as they sprinted, walked, skipped, held hands, linked arms toward the finish line was the Moms and daughters that were participating together and the women that were clearly doing it for someone battling cancer or who had lost someone from this dreadful disease. Whether you were a participant, volunteer, or like me showed up to cheer those I knew toward the finish line, you left encouraged, motivated, fulfilled, and happy that you call Charlottesville home.
