RunMyssieRun

This is my TEAM. There is no I in TEAM. I spent every Saturday last year with them. When my Sissy died of cancer in September, they were there. When my Momma died in April, they were there.

They hardly knew me, the quiet girl who cried at every mission moment and smiled during every run. They all ran for a cure.

Each of their runs have helped someone out there get treatment, research, awareness… And helped heal me. They helped heal my sorrow, my unhealthy habits, my emptiness.

I run with my TEAM. My TEAM runs for you. There is no I in TEAM.

But there is in triathlon!!!! And this is how I….. I will do my own little personal part. I will try harder this year.

I will TRI. And my TEAM will be there for me and for you and for the rest of this world.

Go team!!!

This is Sarah. She is my honored hero.

The Team just gave her a Valentines Day goodie bag. From the look on her face, it’s pretty clear cancer is not the first thing she’s thinking about and that makes me feel like this was soooo worth it today!!!

P.S. I was the only one that she hugged and said “I love you” to today. I feel so very special 🙂

As crazy as it may sound, all my little “signs” have pushed me along a path of adventure I would never have had the guts to attempt and incredible people I would never have met. People who have all deeply touched my heart in all the best ways possible.

I’m cheating a bit here. Pictures say a thousand words but for a few of the people who I’ve intended for this to be written for… I won’t have a picture for them. For those people, pictured and not pictured… I am so very grateful you are in my life. My life has meaning and purpose beyond what I ever imagined because you have made it that much more grand.

I truly believe that the impossible no longer exists. For that… I have nothing but hope and faith for Sarah (pictured in the first photo)

Today I got “tagged” for Erica. The group of women runners that supported me this last year with donations, running partners and nonstop encouragement are the same women who have now organized an effort to fund raise and encourage another one of our own women runners as she battles cancer. A simple shiny pink dog tag – probably worth pennies – is being sold for $50.00. Iris, the ring leader of the run group known as Run Walk or Crawl and “tag” instigator, had to make another order of tags because they went so fast… But so have her expenses. Each of us that bought a tag placed it around our necks and posted a picture of us wearing it on Facebook for her to see. Erica is single mom with young children fighting with all her might to regain her life as she once knew it. We are doing all that we can to help her. And it’s truly amazing to see how many wonderful people are out there who do step up in a time of need. I made a single post on Facebook and was able to get so many airplane tickets and donations for her and her family to go back and forth to MD Anderson. I was able to lead them to Angel Flight ministries who have offered to fly them when those donations run out. She is now on the list at Hospitality Apartments with rent free and utility free housing just blocks away from the hospital and transportation, wifi and even pots and pans for her. So many good people!!!

My life is so blessed to know so many wonderful people! I hope and pray it’s not too late for Erica to know them too.

I hope I’m sending the right message. I hope people don’t think that one day, out of the blue, I just woke up and said to myself “I’m going to run a marathon today!” And did it. Because that’s simply not the way it happened.

I trained. I trained hard for what I’ve done this last year. I went first to Dr. Monoharan to check my heart. I went to Dr. Alison Garza to do a full check up on anything else that could be an issue. I joined Team in Training (a no-fail couch to marathon training program for beginners). I further went under the guidance of German Madrazo – owner of Valley Running Company, an experienced triathlete and Ironman. I had personal training with Hector Gandara – who is training for his own Olympic chance! I surrounded myself with positive influences of an all female run club – a.k.a. Run Walk or Crawl. And started with baby steps alternating a slow jog and brisk walk from light pole to light pole. It took me almost a month of that before I was able to run a continuous mile… And still stopped for a break!

Last weekend, a man died at a local 10k as he crossed the finish line. Two women almost had the same fate as they collapsed at another local 5k just a few cities away.

My point?

If you’re inspired to do what I’ve been doing – for what ever reason YOU may have, make sure you do it the right way. Train, practice and accelerate in baby steps under the guidance of those who do this all the time and do it well! Get yourself checked out by a team of doctors that run. And listen to your body.