Please come support me

Dear Friends,
I know that several of you have been keeping track of my running season and have been supporting me online as I face my challenges. I have been working with a group called BeRunning and have been training for the past eight weeks with them in preparation to run my first official 10K (6.2 miles) We found out the race route the other day and I was kind of excited that we'd be finishing on the track at Shenendehowa High School. This means bleachers. This is a request to help fill those bleachers.

But Hollie, I don't want to get up early.
Here's the thing, it will take me about 1hr 30mins to run the race. So if you get to the bleachers by 10-10:15am you are pretty much guaranteed to see me cross the finish line.

But Hollie, what will I do while I wait for you to hit the finish line.
You, my friends are a creative bunch. My suggestion is to bring blankets & hot cider. I mean, if that cider is spiked with brandy I won't tell anyone. Just make sure you have a designated driver.

But Hollie, you run all the time. I'll catch another race. It's cold.
I get it, I understand. It's cold, it's early. Bundle up, I'll be running in shorts. But here's why I want you there. We all have things in our life that are challenges to us. When we overcome those challenges, we want our loved ones to be part of that experience. I can't tell you what it does for a runner when you hear your name being cheered out as your approach & cross the finish line. A mentor cheered for me this weekend when I crossed at The Great Pumpkin 5K. It made me smile & push faster the last 25/50 yards.

But Hollie, I don't even live near you anymore.
I'll take care of a place to stay if you really want to come up (or down) for it. If you're randomly up for the weekend, well this would be a little early morning adventure. Perhaps we'll all go get some pancakes after.

But Hollie, I run all the time too and I want to run it with you.
O.K., all the race information is below.
SO my friends, please just promise me you'll think about coming and sitting in the bleachers to cheer me on. I know we all have busy lives and it seems really silly to have people come out early in the morning just to watch people run past you. But you can't blame a girl for trying.
-Hollie

AREEP'S INAUGURAL FALL FRUN 10K PRESENTED BY THE ALBANY RUNNING EXCHANGE
To Benefit the Albany Medical Center Children's Hospital
Sunday, November 6, 2011 - 9am at Shenendehowa High School, Clifton Park, NY
The newest road race to hit the Capital District will be a mega-experience that you will one day gladly say you were there for the first! The course barely has 5 turns and features an epic finish on the Shen HS track! We'll be pulling out all the stops with technological fun, so come on down and see what we've been up to back in the lab! There will also be ample refreshments for you along with a live band and a true party atmosphere!

Here's the event website: http://fallfrun10.com/