Do you want to get up early on a Sunday morning, stand out in the rain, and cheer on a bunch of people who decided they wanted to run 5 miles for a very good reason? If so, it’s your lucky day! Sunday morning is the 25th Annual Nordstrom’s Beat the Bridge to Beat Diabetes Event. This event, which takes runners from Montlake Blvd, across the University Bridge, and back around to Husky Stadium, is a benefit for the Juvenille Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Every year, more than 30,000 people are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Two years ago, the love of my life was one of them. There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetics no longer produce insulin to break down the glucose in the blood stream. Those with Type 1 must inject insulin every day, sometimes several times a day. Type 2 diabetics produce insulin, but the body can’t use it to break down the glucose in the blood stream. Because glucose is carried in the blood, diabetes can affect every organ in the body.

my running shoes

Getting off the soapbox and back to the race… My boyfriend and I are both running, along with several thousand other people. It’s called Beat the Bridge because the first part of the race is a 2 mile mini-race from the starting line to the University Bridge. Exactly 20 minutes after the slowest runners start, the bridge is raised, stranding those of us who don’t make it for a few minutes. Once the bridge is lowered again, we can keep running all the way to the finish line.

You’ll notice I included myself in the slow group. I am a very slow runner. But it doesn’t matter how slow I am, I’m still running and I’m running for a cause that means the world to me personally and to more than 21 million people. See you there!

Related posts:

1. Sunday Morning Street Closures
2. Weekend Races
3. a few of our favorite things
4. Calling all runners
5. Faster Than the S.L.U.T. Guerilla (Run or Bike) Race or Ride