Day 1: Raymond Hulsing

Back foot in the bay - front will be in the harbor in MD

So sorry I couldn't blog yesterday... but here's the blog just a day late:

Wooohooo! Today was our first day of running! we woke up at 5, packed our vans and had a little for breakfast and then we met at Crissy Field to learn our ceremony and our amazing team cheer! After talking to Ryan, the founder of 4kforcancer, our team ran the first 3.5 miles of our journey across the Golden Gate Bridge together.

Running partners for the first day! 

 Then we separated into our two groups and my group moved forward to cover our miles while the other van covered the first section of miles. We paused our running in Sacramento to present a scholarship to Kim Schmidt for her outstanding commitment and support to her father throughout his cancer treatments and for following her academic strive and continuing to do the best she can during her family's hardships. From Sacramento to El Dorado Hills, one van decided to finish those miles. I ran 4.5 more miles totaling the day at 16.5 miles.

In El Dorado, my Uncle Dale invited my entire team out to eat at his house before calling it a night. His family literally made our day - lifting our spirits by the encouragement (and food) they gave us. :) It was so delicious we even ate it for lunch today!! 

Today's running was dedicated to my grandpa, Raymond Hulsing.
My Uncle Donald Hulsing and his son Michael shared some of their memories about Ray with me to share with you all today. Both of them said that when they first found out about Grandpa's diagnosis that they were shocked and very sad. We all knew his health was declining but none of us knew he would go in for a doctors appointment and come back with the news of terminal cancer. Michael's favorite memories with Grandpa were going to the farmer's market with him every week and seeing the smile on his face when Mike helped him do something at the house. Michael said that they were always pretty simple things that Grandpa used to do without needing assistance but due to his health he could no longer get it done. Donald said that the biggest thing he missed about his father was just going over to visit anytime he wanted. He said that now after work he just goes home instead of getting to enjoy a beer or two with his dad. They both said that they often went over to the house to visit Raymond but after the diagnosis that it seemed like they went there more and more.

Grandpa was living alone because Grandma Hulsing had passed away a few years before and all the kids were out of the house living with their families' or starting their own lives. There are 12 kids in the Hulsing family (one being my father) and they all live in separate area's of the states and one lives in Japan. I will never forget the last few days of my Grandpa's life. He was on bed rest and my father and sister and I went up to Iowa and missed work/school. Some of my Aunts and Uncles were already there spending the little time their dad had left by his bedside. As a 17 year old at the time, I can remember thinking how awful and sad it would be to be losing one of my parents and hoping that each of my siblings made it home to say goodbye. Daniel was the last Hulsing to arrive from his long flights from Japan. Once all the kids were home they all circled around in the family room Grandpa was now living out of and said the Lord's Prayer. Within a few hours Grandpa breathed his last breath. I felt like it was sort of peaceful. In a way I could sense that he had held on for all his family to be beside him and know he was ok.

4k silliness from the west coast 

Check out my facebook profile for more pictures from the first day!!