Smile – I really did practice her smile. See?
So many things I am grateful for.
I didn’t say it enough then. I don’t say it enough now.
THANK YOU
We were nicknamed the “dream team” and I have to agree, this truly is an awesome group of phenomenal people who inspire, look fear in the eye, conquer it and have fun doing it. So when our Team in Training alumni group quickly organized a “silent 3-mile run for Boston” after the tragic events that unfolded, the “dream team” sent texts to each other confirming our solidarity. We wouldn’t miss this for the world.
http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/article_4ef4deb4-a70c-11e2-9d26-001a4bcf6878.html
Cyndi Karr is one of THE most amazing gazelles in my run club. When she qualified and went up to New York for the New York marathon but was sent back because of the hurricane, she was disappointed but not defeated. So when she crossed the finish line in Boston on Monday morning, the chatter on our facebook messaging was out of control!!! All us girls were planning her welcome home party, organizing volunteers to get flowers, cup cakes, balloons, etc… and then quite literally silence. We all saw the news at the same time.
Frantic and praying, our little group of normally speechless women waited on one of us to communicate with Beto (Cyndi’s husband).
They were safe. THANK THE LORD!
When I met them the following day at the airport as they arrived, I was so elated when I heard her say “I walked eight steps on ‘Heartbreak Hill’ and ran the rest. I can’t wait to do it again next year!” and tears rolled down her cheek.
She posted the following on her facebook:
“These cowards managed to plant these explosives at the happiest part of the race…the finish, but they messed with the wrong people. If their intentions were to break the human spirit…marathoners are the wrong people to mess with. That’s why we run… & put ourselves through the pain to see how much more our hearts can endure… Although my experience is blurred by the feelings of saddness and anger…the Boston marathon was everything I expected it to be and more!! I will definitely be at Boston 2014!!”
The group of women that I’ve been training with and have been supported by have now all become official triathletes… And one became an ironman! We are all so proud of ourselves and each other but outside of this circle, the pride has to scale down.
If anyone truly knew how powerful and inspirational this group really was….
But the world won’t truly know. At least not yet.
The world is infatuated with drama. You can have a success story here and there but try not to make it a habit. The people around us get a secret thrill in watching us fail, watching us fall flat on our faces.
But it is in falling that the lesson is learned. It is learning that makes us better. Without learning, we become stagnant.
This group is far from stagnant.
I, however, am the underdog. Of all these women, I am one of the oldest and least athletic, least experienced. My personal life has the most against me. The cute part when the world is cheering for me in the beginning is now over. I’ve been doing this for a year now. But not nearly as long as these others.
So I push myself further, harder, beyond what pain and exhaustion limits me just to keep up to their warm up levels. No one can know what I endure. No one can know the pain and disappointment I have in myself sometimes. No one can know the pride I have in myself when I realize how far I’ve come.
But she does. She knows. I feel her smile. That’s all that matters.
I don’t understand how someone can be so evil.
I hope I never understand.
I love music. I love dancing. Growing up, I frequented way too many dance clubs, befriended all the cool DJs and most of the club owners… and ALL the bouncers. So, when BAD was blasting… you know who was right smack in the middle of the dance floor. Arms flailing and eyes closed, I was in my own little world. 
Not much has changed. Now that I’ve become so engrossed in training for the Triple Crown I hope to win in Momma’s honor, I’ve found myself in a similar state… my own little world, arms flailing and eyes closed. So when this song played recently on my playlist, I remembered that I had not been paying much attention to the “Bottom Line”.
The Triple Crown that LLS is dangling in front of my eyes calls for me to complete a marathon, a triathlon and a century ride. It also requires me to spread awareness, train correctly and raise funds.
I’ve splattered social media with my message. I’m on billboards along the expressway all over the Valley. I’ve been featured on front pages of local newspapers.
I’ve trained like a “maniac” for months now and tracking my progression on this blog, on Run Walk or Crawls FB page. My coaches have turned this flabalanche into an athlete with potential. And that’s a pretty difficult thing to do!
But I’ve not spent enough time with my fund raising.
Thank goodness for my friends who have stepped up and offered help when I need it most.
Summer Garcia is donating ALL her proceeds of the Scentsy fundraiser she’s hosting for me. If you’d like to buy one or get a refill, please, click here.
Lulu Luxuries is hosting a ONE week fundraiser of Lenny & Eva cuffs and charms. If you use the code RUNMYSSIERUN when you purchase a cuff (just in time for Mother’s day), a portion of those proceeds will go to Mimi’s Miles via Team in Training as well. Click here to shop online.
Or you can simply donate directly by clicking here
Help me get to the bottom line. Help me fight cancer on this very special week in memory of my mother and my little brother.
RunMyssieRun 