Vegas Recap....Kristi Style :)

I already sincerely apologize for my lack of blogging the past week! Don't think I haven't thought about it every day as I have I just have not found the time and ambition even though I am overjoyed with all I have to tell you.  I have had to re-evaluate my Crohns this week and make some choices that scare me and many that are undecided because of the "unknown" but Im not going to tell you about that today...maybe tomorrow.  Today is the day of Recap Vegas Style!

Friday 6am-Sioux Falls airport- Time to leave!
Let me just say I look extremely tired with some big curly hair but we were so excited.  Hard to leave our husbands and children but was so excited to experience what was next!  Well the beginning of our trip did not turn out as expected.  We ended up sitting in the airplane in Sioux Falls for 1 hour because someone forgot to put the water in the toilets!  How ironic don't you think!!!  I'm glad they put water in them just in case I needed to go but of course I didn't because I was to busy freaking out about missing our plane in Denver.  Thank goodness for calm Dani who continued to smile and say "they will just wait for us, right?"  I kept thinking I hope your right yet knew better.  We landed at 807 and our plane left at 808 :(  BOO DENVER!  So we thank goodness got on the next flight to Vegas at 950am.  Ate some McDonalds and prayed that our luggage made it to Vegas. 

 

We made it to Vegas with no hiccups including getting our luggage and soon the butterflies started in the cab which by the way is outlandishing expensive! $25!  And the driver work a long leather jacket with his hair greased back...Kinda thought I was riding with the Mafia. 

 

  Now we finally get to meet this "virtual" team whom we have only talked to via email.  What do you expect?! Are we who they think? Do we hug? High five? Smile?  Well I do what I do best and smile and hug!  It was awesome to finally meet them.  After checking in we went to the Expo and got our race packet and saw all the millions of vendors.  It was so overwhelming the amount of things you can use for running.  I was thinking "Crap, I have no clue I needed all this!"  I of course found the booth with all the sparkle hence our sparkle arm warmers and my sparkle headband.  And I found a workout tank top that says "Blood, sweat, and sparkle"!  How true is that?!  I was in heaven :)  I will post a pic when I finally wear it.  After the expo we rested for a bit and then met our team to go down to Fremont Street.  That was definetly a great bonding experience that we won't forget.  I swear we saw LMFAO performing, at some Subway, saw a man dressed in a bridesmaids dress with boobs, a girl with a pink see thru fish net dress and Santas "ho's".  Fremont street didn't disappoint as neither did the bus ride there and home! 

 

 

Saturday:  This was our day of sleeping in and shopping at H&M and Forever 21.  I am so glad we don't have those stores in Sioux Falls as I would be broke but there stuff is so so cute!  Saturday evening was the inspirational pasta party.  I can honestly say the amount of love and warmth I felt from that party was something I have never experienced before.  I had a hard time holding back tears as we went thru a tunnel of people just cheering for us, 1500 people who fundraised for Crohn's research many who don't even have the disease.  I couldn't believe it.  All of these people are helping me in some way and all with such pride and grace.  I mean who gets up in the morning saying I'm going to start raising money for people who have problems with their "poopers"!  Its a hard selling point! Words are indescrible for the feelings and I am forever grateful I will have that in my heart forever.  The speakers were outstanding...the director of CCFA, an 8 year old Crohn's patient, Mike McCready's wife from Pearl Jam, Next seasons Bachelor.  I am so excited for next year! I met some amazing new friends and fellow Crohnies which is so beneficial when you want to scream and shout about your disease!  HI JENNY!

RACE DAY!  Dani said it all too way.  This morning was very somber and quiet in our room.  Grabbed our breakfast, ate in mostly silence and both kept looking at each other thinking "we are going to run 13.1 miles in less than 6 hours.  Holy crap!  I'm going to puke!"  I had a stomach ache all day and of course used the bathroom at least 10 times and all I thought was please dont have this happen on the strip!  Once we were all bussed to our race we sat in our corral area for at least 30 minutes before we actually started our race and Dani stood in line with me at the portapotty so I could get my "nervous" peeing done.  We started running aroun 510pm with a wind advisory.  We both thought at least the wind can push us for a bit.  The race itself was fantastic.  I felt honestly great the whole time and had a HUGE SMILE on my face which surprised me.  It was the greatest feeling to know that you were accomplishing something big with all of these strangers cheering for us along the strip.  I think it was our awesome tutus that drew the crowd towards us.  Glad we met up with awesome Coach Erin on Mile 8 because that was the ghetto area of Fremont street with limited lights and she was a great encouragement booster.  Once I hit Mile 10 I can say I thought I was going to die....I didn't however....WE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE TOGETHER WITH A SMILE!  I felt like my legs where going to fall off and my body was going to fall over but it didn't.  We got our medal, drank some fluid and basically stared at everything in awe that we just completed this amazing experience! And it was more than we could have asked for.  My amazing uncle John from here was at the finish line which warmed my heart knowing that kind of love and support I have surrounding me in good times and in bad!  It was so wonderful to see him :)  I also was so excited that as we checked in to the Team Challenge tent saying we were off the race and safe I met this awesome blogger Lauren whom I found via her blog about a month before.  I was so bummed because I knew she was in Vegas but hadn't met her yet and off course the last day and literally last hours I met her!  It was great to see you and your orange hair Lauren! 

Ok I think I probably have took up enough of your time as I could talk forever about this experience!  I am thankful for the love and support I have from all of you and plan to continue to be an advocate for my disease during the good times and bad!