1st Annual Christina Marie Latini 8K & Walk in the books on a beautiful sunny morning in Lake Norman ! Speed for Need and Run for Holland ready with 2 Track Commanders to don the yellow and pink running chariots and all shifted their 2ndF button into High Gear ! Boom.
So why does anyone attend an event like this ? In the movie Bronx Tail, Chaz Palmenteri's character had a great catch phrase that really "Nobody Cares". He would say "He thinks people care. Nobody really cares kid". One attraction that keeps YHC coming back for all 3 Fs is that F3Nation CARES. We build from the attraction of the 1stF to get our butts off the couch for some Fitness. Then we realize we have some really strange male relationships with guys at work and neighbors and old buddies that may even live 760 miles away. No we catch the Fellowship of strong male bonds locking shields and encouraging each other instead of tearing down with negativity. This brings us to our Faith with maybe a general spirituality or simply believing in something positive like the overall power of the F3 pax or linked to your own religion.
Thanks to Don Ho, Frogger and I were tapped to Q Speed for Need for this Great Event. We were able to meet TCs in their home and learn their stories, and they learned ours. Of course they were able to test out the SFN speed chariots in their own driveways and streets. So we now have a new Friend in Nick with all his Carolina Panther gear with few time on the course hands behind his head with really no cares in the world for those 5 miles. Then Run for Holland seem to be seasoned veterans of CSAUP and SFN with our Friend in Holland smiling literally from ear to ear with the gorgeous NC sunshine on that face.
So now with this 1st annual race and walk we honor the life and memories of Christina Marie Latini who left this world to become our Angel In The Sky to now look down on us with her Creator. Unfortunately I never got to meet Christina, but someone all of us seem to know her and care for her. Simple, I believe all of us have some kind of heartache linked to this because we know if it could happen to our family and one of our babies.
So Somehow as Olive, Regina, and Michael (Happy Meal – Stud) have literally turned their Purpose into Pain within 2 years we Celebrate this gorgeous sunny morning with lots of smiles, laughter, hugging friends and family we haven't seen in some time. Frogger, No Shoes, & YHC there early setting up F3 tent then soon after Lego and boys setting up SFN tent.
Shift forward closer to start of the race and the parking lot of St Marks Chursh seems to fill with people and sincere Excitement ! Volunteers getting their assignments, Local Vendors setting up to show LKN what great stuff they offer, and LOVE in the air.
Warmorama with YHC and Moses with Giant circle around the Fountain. Loosen up cause now after all this glory we still have to run 5 miles through the hills of McCauley and Winfield Forest. This will be a challenge, but we know nothing like the pain the Latini's have endured for 2 years. The SFN race chariots are ready with our 2 Track Commanders and families tingling with anticipation of shear Energy Flow.
Running and walking with tons of opportunities to push the chairs and hit the hills. Done and now we get treats like choc chip cookies, bananas, and lots and lots of H2O. Phew ! Smoker.
AA has a great slogan that says when you are at a meeting, or I say really anywhere that you have an opportunity to learn, "Take What You Can, and Leave the Rest" which means take some positive things that will help you from any interaction with a group or event and leave the negativity or things that don't seem to apply to you. Be Positive, Not Negative. We truly have a choice every day to wake up, for some of us beat the Fart Sack and post, or simply decide that you are going to be Positive today. Not an easy task with all life's challenges, but my best days are when I try to reset as much as need with Positive Mantras, Quotes, Stories, and being Friends with Positive People who can challenge us and push us to grow and succeed in so many realms.
Off the Soapbox for now.
Greg "F3Olive", Regina "FIAJagger", and Michael "F3HappyMeal". There is strength in numbers and for certain F3 Nation has the Extreme Numbers. Lean on us, text us, email us, call us, meet us for lunch, post with us, laugh with us, cry with us, scream with us, but make sure you stay with us to Live as we feed off your experiences and learn also.
F3 Nation Loves You, Supports You, & will remain to Be There For You ! God Bless the Spirit of Christina Marie Latini as she looks down on us daily with that Huge smile we have seen in so many Incredible Pictures.
Love the Latini's !
Mayhem (in the AM)
Richard Michael Farmer