I ran the Relay for Life at Stallworth Stadium Friday starting at precisely 7:00pm. Just prior to that I had driven my mother in law Irene in a golf cart around the stadium for the Survivor's lap. It was a proud moment for her as she has now survived breast cancer for 27 years. Her 90th birthday is in September. Her picture was in Sunday's Baytown Sun!

This Relay was very congested - the event has really outgrown the stadium. It was hard to run and even hard to walk. There were 5000 people there and who knows how many tents! I don't think I was able to complete even one lap without walking to push through a crowd of people. It was also warm for running and very humid so I was sweating a lot. Nevertheless I took the long wide way around the outside of the track and tried to get as much of a run going as possible. By 9:00pm I had 47 laps and was in 2nd place to a young man with 55. The luminaria ceremony was beautiful! About that time Kelley Espindola and Carla Rowland came to run with me. Kelley and Carla got to see the luminaria and stayed through Elvis' performance at 11:00-11:30pm. They provided a big lift for me as I was feeling pretty strained. Kelley ran with me to 100 laps. I reached 111 laps by midnight and now I was in first place.

My crew was great! I had Terry Fromm, Corina Garcia, Susan Mohnke and Laura Brockelman helping me get the food and liquids I needed and stay organized. My wife Kathy came and my daughter Beth and her boyfriend Kris came and brought goodies to eat. Debra Ibarra, Christina Cardova and Don Bartusiak were standing by to help in the early morning hours. I realized that I did not have enough salty foods so my crew found me pretzels and a dish of salt to lick. I also had my electrolyte pills. I was just sweating out so much. After midnight Team Sponsor and BTEC manager Chia Chee ran with me and that really helped as I was starting to be in a lot of pain from a neuroma in my right foot.

It had been threatening rain all day but after midnight we got some showers and then at 1:30am Saturday the sky opened up with a gully washer. Lightning accompanied the storm so we all took cover under the stands and that area began to flood as we got about an inch of rain in just a half hour or so. I had 143 laps when I took cover at 1:30am. At 2:10 the storm had passed and I began making more laps. Everything was soaked and there was about an inch of standing water on the track. At 2:30am the Relay officials announced that the Relay was over due to possibility of damage to the field. Everyone was instructed to pack up and leave. I stopped at 153 laps (about 35 miles) with mixed feelings. Yes I had been on track for 300+ laps at the finish and wanted to make my goal but I was very tired and in pain. It felt good to get in bed but my wife did not appreciate this sweaty smelly person waking her up at 3am and telling her to "move over".

I really appreciate your support and I know that the American Cancer Society does too! Twelve dollars per lap total was such motivation - I kept thinking about the $$$ accumulating as I went around. You made a big difference and the money you have contributed will continue to work for a cure to benefit all mankind.

THANKS!!!!