Racing for the Cure with my 13 year old

Greetings from sunny and 70 Houston, TX! A few weeks ago my 13 year old daughter and lots of her friends got up at 2:30AM and headed to downtown Houston to set up for the Komen Race for the Cure. It was eerie being on the streets at 4AM but it was the most remarkable thing I've ever seen. I've lost count of all the races I've benefited from someone else's early morning rise and dedication.
At 4AM there were hundreds of folks out setting up. Our group made the balloon arches for the start and finish and some of the ladies did the arch for the Breast Cancer Survivors. It was just amazing. By 6:30AM there was a race start/finish and everything ready to go. The girls worked their fingers to the bone. Those with the craft-friendly fingers went to town. (I do not have those fingers). I took pictures and was happy to be there and to see it all happening. Then at 7AM most of those Moms/Daughters left. They got in their cars and went for neat breakfasts and female bonding time. My poor daughter and her friend knew better. They had come with me. I had put safety pins on their shirts and as soon as the work was done we changed into run gear and walked the area. There were thousands of people-- mostly women milling about. There were as many people as there were in Staten Island getting ready for the NY Marathon when I ran it a while back. I watched the girls. The friend's Mom is a breast cancer survivor. This 13 year old girl already knows the terror of breast cancer. Her Mom was home with the flu, but this girl was determined to run for her Mom. We got to the line and started the race. I loved every minute of it. I was weepy looking at the head scarves and dark pink shirts of the survivors. We had our yellow volunteer shirts on and stuck out as not belonging in the race. This morning I will never forget. I will never forget pacing them and then realizing I did not need to move them along. They are 13, but they are touched by a horrible disease and were running strong. I'm in awe of the future.