Dedication or craziness

O.K. so, it was 23 degrees this morning at 8 o'clock by the thermometer in my car, but 3 of the peeps ran anyway. Vicki, Tracey and myself actually met at 8 this morning to run our 7 miles just like we were suppose to. And, yes, it was cold. So, I don't know if you call us dedicated or if we are crazy. There is something about it once you start running, you get hooked. Anyway, looks like we are going to have a long cold fall and winter to run in this year, so I guess we better just get use to it. It is hard to get out of a nice warm bed and get started, but I am always glad I did when I am finished.

PS. My poor hubby is still not feeling good. Please say a prayer for him that he will get to feeling better soon.

Thursday

I guess it has been a pretty uneventful week so far. My grandma that was in the hospital, did get out and is back at Forest View Manor Assisted Living. She has made a wonderful recovery since being back. Things are looking up there. I ran today for the first time since Saturday and I must say that it felt good to get back into it. Some days I hate getting started, but I am so glad when I finish that I did it. Vicki, Michelle and I ran together this afternoon. The 3 of us did 3 miles together, then Michelle and I did 2 more. The air was cool and crisp, but it felt good.

Right now while I am blogging, my husband is on the couch sick. It has been a long time since he has been sick like he is today. He went to work this morning, but came home and that is so unlike him. I don't like to see him down like this and wish there was more I could do. So, if anyone reads this, say a prayer that he will feel better in the morning. I love you honey and hope you get to feeling better soon.

O.K. that is all for tonight. Goodnight all.

Saturday

This past Saturday I was to run in another race, the Volunteer In Medical Missions. The skies were not very promising for a dry race when we first got up. But, the rains stopped and the sun came out for the race. Turned out to be good running conditions. The course took was in Hunters Creek, which has hills. Anyway, I was not really racing, I was just running to get a good run in. Well, I ended up finishing 1st in my age group, but more importantly I met the very cute, sweet young girl names Carissa. I had followed her most of the race, but ended up passing her in the last half mile or so. When we finished we got to talking. She was from Columbia and this was her first and she was here by herself. Anyway, we talked some more about running and races in the area, why we started running, running shoes, etc. Then I introduced her to some friends of ours, the Newby's that run and we just kind of took her in for the time she was here. When the time came for them to announce the winners, overall and age groups, she won 2nd place in her age group (she was 21). She really was excited at that point and I think hooked on running/racing. Cheryl Newby took her picture and got her email address and all that stuff so we can send her the picture. Carissa explained that her had picked this race as her first one because she had gone on a mission trip to Peru and thought this one was for a good cause and wanted to help. After all the awards were given and we were saying good bye's, Cherly offered to make Carissa' picture in front to the VIMM sign to have. I was surprised when Carissa asked me to be in the picture with her. I was honored. If you ever start running and doing these races, you will find some that runners are very special people. You get to know each other from race to race and keep up with how each other is doing. I really enjoy my running and hope to be able to keep running for a while.

Another Busy Day

Well, Saturday was another fairly busy day. I met Michelle at 6:30 to do our run. Michelle is really doing good and I am proud of her. She is sticking to the training for a 1/2 marathon and seems excited about what she is doing. This past Saturday was her first time at running 7 miles. Go Michelle. After that April had a shower from 11 - 1 at Vicki "peeps' house. We all had a wonderful time and everything was super nice. Thanks so much Vicki. Then by the time we got home and unloaded and I made room for the gifts, worked outside a little, we decided to go visit my dad who had surgery on Thursday. He had surgery on his shoulder and will be out of commission for a while, but that is o.k. My step-mom will take wonderful care of him and make him behave his self. Oh! and if is that time of year to change out summer and winter clothes, I did a little of that on Saturday as well. It was an absolutely beautiful day.

I have missed running with the other peeps, and hopefully, we will be able to work on that some in the next coming weeks. Vicki, Michelle and myself was able to all run together this afternoon. And I must say that it is starting to get just a little cool out, but that is o.k., we still run anyway.

That all for tonight. See ya'll

I mentioned in a previous blog about our 2 children getting married. Matt's will be in December. I have been looking for a dress to wear to the wedding. A mother of the groom dress, but had not had much luck until this past Saturday. My step-sister Zonya and I went shopping in Greenville. We left after the race and spent ALL day shopping. But, we found something. Yeah! I was beginning to get worried. So, that is one thing off of my long list of things to get or things to do. Anyway, I really enjoyed spending the day with Zonya and Kierstan Daye her 18 month daughter. I must say that Keirstan Daye was so good. To have been drug all over Greenville for that long, she didn't cry or fuss, she was just precious. So, I just want to say Thank You Zonya for helping with the dress and I enjoyed the shopping trip.

Reaching my goal

Several things have happened since my last blog, so I am trying to decide where I want to begin. I think in this blog I will tell you about reaching my goal. I think I mentioned in one of my previous blogs about running. You see, I took up running several years ago due to health reasons. I went for a physical and the Dr. told me that my cholesterol was too high. I could either go on medication or I could try diet and exercise to try and get it down. I asked him to give me 1 year (until my next physical) to try the diet and exercise. I don't like taking medicine, so I wanted to see if I could control this myself. Anyway, a long story short for now, I starting watching what I ate, starting going to the Y and working out. From that I started running (full story another day) and was successful in lowering the cholesterol. Running has become an addiction now and I have run in several races and even completed a couple of half-marathons. This past Saturday was the Run For Life race at the YMCA. I wanted to bet my best time. When Mark looked up my best time for me, I was a little disappointed because I didn't think there was anyway I could beat it. I was a little better than I had remembered, 26:33 for a 5K race. A 5K is 3.1 miles. I was a little discouraged Thursday and Friday, again thinking that there was no way I could do any better. I didn't think that I had been training well enough. I tried to mentally prepare, but in the back of my mind there was doubt. Anyway, we got up Saturday, go ready as usual, went to the Y and picked up our race packets. I met up with the group that I run with, did the usual stuff again to get ready and waited on the race to begin. Then the call came for all runner to line up. A devotion was given, then a prayer and the singing of the national anthem. Runners, on your mark, get set, go. We all took off. What pace do I need to run? Will I be able to keep it up? Can I do it? Yes, no, it was not a mental battle as well as a physical battle. Look at my watch, what pace am I running? How far have I gone? 1 mile marker the time was good, but could I maintain. Keep looking at watch, mile 2, one of the volunteers is calling out the time. O.k. I only have 1.1 miles to go. My time at the 2 mile mark was 16.41. I said to myself, you can do a mile in 10 miles. If you can at least finish in 10 more minutes, you will have been close. And at the time under a 27 minute time sounded real good. I could not look at my watch anymore from that point on because I knew it would mess with my mind. My Ipod stopped working, Oh no! no music. Keep running. Keep pressing forward. As I rounded the corner back at the Y headed toward the finish line, I could not believe my eyes. Did the time clock actually say 25: something. Yes, I'm going to make it. Sprint, push, you can do it. And I did. I beat my personal best time. My new personal best is 25:53. Needless to say, I was so excited. I was on cloud 9 all day long. It is amazing what a natural rush, high it is. And most runner are so nice. One of my competitors came up and hugged me and congratulated me. I was looking for Mark, and he came up and hugged me excited and proud for me. Then I went back to find the other girls I run with to cheer them on to the finish line. It was so exciting. We get excited for each other and encourage each other to keep running, keep going, keep pressing forward. The physical activity has been good for my health and my competitiveness keeps me pushing to do better, but the friendships and bonds that some of us have built is what is really special. I look forward to seeing these people during the week. We vent our frustrations, we share our aches, pains, sorrow, worries and joys. We encourage each other. We pray for each other and each others families. I hope that even when we can't run any longer, we may even be walking, but that the friendships will last a lifetime.

You know running the race, the mental sturggles, the preparations, finishing the race always reminds me of the following bible verse:

2 Tim. 4:7-8 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."