This was sent to me today after a deep discussion of all I had been through. She said it was so me.
So maybe not quite like a Boss.. but President of the Breakfast Rolls will more than suffice.
Archive for May, 2013
Pre-TRI jitters
Posted in Uncategorized on May 26, 2013 by runmyssierunI spent the day sending thank you’s to those who have helped me along to this point. The day is almost over and I’m no where near the end of my thank you list.
Several stand out and were difficult for me to express but one has been with me since the beginning… Even before I knew I was on this journey.
Many of y’all know that I lost my best friend in high school because of leukemia. But I had several best friends. We were the original Breakfast Club. Rodney was a best friend to several others. The Club had other members.
One crazy red head was with me when we lost Rodney. She was with me when I lost my mom, when I lost Donny and when I lost Sissy. Just as I was with her when she lost her dad to cancer two years ago.
She offers her house for me to stay at when my events are in town. She understands more than anyone else the level of hate I have towards cancer as she has experienced it as well personally.
She offers her heart to me as well.
It’s funny. I have a lot of friends and support but rarely do I allow people beyond my “walls”. She has never hit one of those walls. Since the first day I met her, she never ever saw my walls.
I am so lucky to have the bestest friend ever in the history of the world.
And having friends like this be with you during and right before a triathlon that I’m running for in memory of all those important to us makes all the difference in the world!!!!
Lord, I am your instrument
Posted in Uncategorized on May 21, 2013 by runmyssierunThis entry is not written by me. I was just an instrument, a vehicle for something very grand and heartwarming. And for the little girl named Dezma that stole my heart and the heart of all who met her.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
Soooo…. Myssie-loo!
Earlier this year you posted a beautiful face of a young “fighter” on your Facebook page (Dezma). I was completely mesmerized by her smile and taken by her story.
My mom and I have been making quilts out of saved kid’s clothes for a few years now and my heart wanted to make a quilt for Dezma, as she was spending a lot of time in the hospital and was fighting so terribly hard for her life. So I messaged her uncle Adolfo through FB and offered to make her a quilt, from her favorite old t-shirts and clothes, if she had any to spare, as a gift.
I was devastated though in early March to learn that she had passed… More saddened, I had still not heard from her uncle. My heart absolutely sank. I was so very upset. And then a few weeks later I received a message from Adolfo that Dezma’s mom wanted me to make “her” the quilt from Dezma’s favorite t-shirts!!! And my life’s purpose changed, again! She sent us enough clothes to make her TWO quilts!… I think about losing my child, Myssie, and not wanting to let go…. of anything. I can’t imagine, I don’t even want to, so we make a “comfort place” to be, under memories and reminders.
It’s not an accident you’re “here” Myssie-loo, in moments you may never ever know about. It’s not an accident or coincidence you have such a huge impact in sooooo many people’s lives. I want to Thank You, Myssie, for bringing all our lives together without effort or intention. Quietly you aspire, and with enough “buzz” you inspire! I’m so blessed to know you. As a mommy of two young, beautiful healthy girls, I feel so grateful and honored to have been able to do this for Dezma’s mom. It would not have ever “been” had it not been for YOU and your sublime place in this Universe!!! Many many many hugs to you from me and my mom and my girls, we have all been deeply affected in many wonderful ways by Dezma’s life journey and the making of this quilt…..and because surely the stars had become perfectly aligned for this gift, through “your” own fight and journey.
Brand New Me
Posted in Uncategorized with tags assertive, inspiration, inspirational, ironman, taper, tapering, training, triathlon, triathlon training on May 21, 2013 by runmyssierun
A few months ago I was told that I needed to be more assertive to survive in this world. I was in an industry that is fueled by greedy incentives and mastered by bulldogs. I’m a playful squeaky longhaired chihuahua that gets fulfillment from a simple hug and pat atop the head.
But a few days ago, I told someone off. It was quite liberating and proved to me that my assertiveness was in check. Granted she deserved it and was long overdue but I do hope I am not put in this predicament again. I do not enjoy hurting people’s feelings even when they deserve it..
Anyway, my point being is that a year ago, ten years ago, I could not have had the guts to do this. I’ve changed. Or rather, I’ve changed back to the girl I remembered a long time ago…. when she was 10 years old and limitless. She was going to conquer the world, become an Olympic ice skater. Who cared if the closest ice rink was at the Houston Galleria?!?!
I smile a lot more. I walk a little taller. I feel better about myself.
But don’t kid yourself… I still have insecurities. I bought my first bikini in ten years. I wore it. I’m ok with it.Still won’t wear it in public. I train like an insane maniac. Doesn’t mean I’ll place in the top 3. I’m ok with it but it sure would be nice to wear the bikini to the beach and have a medal placed around my neck and it is the need to continue to try to improve myself that will lead me – eventually – to check those two insecurities off my list.
In the meantime, I lean on those who have guided me thus far. After all, I have come long way. I’m not bragging. This isn’t shoving my accomplishments down your throat. It is an honest statement and I can honestly tell you that I’m certainly not done yet and still have a ways to go. And I can’t do this by myself. My coaches (many of them now) have all shared words of wisdom.
In the email I received today, I was reminded of how so many of them have said the same things to me. None of this is new to me but the reminder was needed for this week as I enter “tapering week” and reflect on who I was, where I’ve been, where I’ve come from and where I could be, who I could be and how I can get there.
With that, I share with you the advice given to me by an IRONMAN that I so dearly admire:
You’ve trained all season and race day is your time to celebrate all of your hard work. So… the mental game on race day… you might be freaking out on the swim, it might seem really, really far, the bike loops might be hot and full of turns, you might lose a bottle or get a flat tire, transition might not go as well as you think, and the run might be super hot. Oh well! Or it might be perfect! It’s an incredible journey through your body- physically and mentally. You will go through so many different emotions and your thoughts might surprise you! Everything about races is addicting: the rush, the people, the emotions, crossing limits, smashing goals, your perseverance, the starting line, and the finish line.
It will be hard at some point, BUT “You can quit and they won’t care, but you will always know.” ~John Collins
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
The only limits in life are those you impose on yourself.
Embrace the suck!
“The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t’ is you. And you don’t have to listen.” ~Nike
We are not defined by the days where everything clicks, those days are easy and fun. We are defined by our perseverance when everything does NOT click! ~Mark Jackson
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
I just stole this off my friend Victor’s fb wall “Great things are waiting to be delivered to you, but are blocked by your doubt, fear, limiting beliefs, and attachments so let go and let them reach their destination.”
What would you do if you were not afraid?
Something is going to go wrong. Learn how to deal with it.
Why watch a sport when you can DO a sport? Keep moving forward.
Sometimes you need to stop racing and just finish what you started.
The person who starts the race is not the same person who finishes the race.
It’s a line you have to cross to understand.
CHECK OUT THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO: He has an amazing attitude and everything he says is very inspirational! 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vrjp2P0GlE
M-dot crazy
Posted in Uncategorized with tags beat cancer, cancer, capital of texas triathlon, captextri, carrie knapp gonzalez, derek delapena, german medrazo, imtexas, ironman, ironman texas, m-dot, memorial herman ironman, run walk or crawl, Team in Training, tnt, triathlete, triathlon, triple crown, Valley Running Company, wally's bicycles, wally's bike shop on May 19, 2013 by runmyssierunIt is completely crazy. I haven’t even completed the second point to my triple crown and I’m contemplating a plan towards the impossible M dot.
How does this happen?
I was the living Molly Freakin Ringwald in high school! I was a sorority bow head in college. I was a beauty queen. I was a Bud Girl. Don’t ever remember a bead of sweat EVER developing on my face. Did you hear that? EEEEEEVVVVVEEEERRRR
I volunteered to help with packet pick up yesterday at Wally’s Bike Shop for the Kid’s Just Tri It triathlon when I conveniently ran into German Medrazo (remember from the previous entry about the man who got me my first pair of running shoes and started me off?) there. He was picking up his wicked cool bike and telling me how he was getting ready to ship it out to Brazil so he can complete his 9th… yes, it wasn’t a typo… NINTH Ironman. And as he’s telling me… I turn around and see hung up on the wall are all the framed bibs from Wally’s Ironman races.
Within minutes, I’m having more conversations with members of the groups that started me running and triathlon-ing (Team in Training, Run Walk or Crawl and the Cyclepaths) and here we go again… talk of the M-dot. My run coaches – who are new to triathlon are even getting into the conversation. It’s almost as if everyone is thinking at the same time “If Myssie can do all these crazy things… heck ya! I can do it too.. and better and faster!!” – and yes, they can!!!
One of my TNT run coaches on her first bike as a result of all this talk!!! She’s gonna be fierce!!
And then that surprise phone call from Derek (aka Dr. D) from high school who wrote a book about his journey to Ironman. We were on the phone all afternoon sharing stories of inspiration, determination and tips and tricks.
I have to quote him: “Wow, paradoxically you are likely the most experienced/least experienced runner in the world!!! Ps I told a few people your story at ironman Texas and they were all very impressed!”
Just a little over a year ago, I had never run a mile before in my life. And now I catch myself saying “sure I’ll run that half marathon with you… it’s *just* 13 miles.”
I was a kid of the 80’s. We all had bikes. The world was safe and naive back then and was the only means of transportation to the video arcade for me as a pre-teen. Times have changed since then and I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was 12 years old. After getting my “Mimi” in January of 2013, I was able to ride from La Joya to Rio Grande City – a 60-mile trek just a few weeks ago WITH clips put on just the day before!
Just a little over six months ago, I had never swam the length of a 25 meter pool. I could lay out like a pro but I had never free-styled. And next week, I’ll be at the Capital of Texas Triathlon… my second triathlon.
This weekend, my TNT Triathlon coach, Carrie Knapp Gonzalez, became an Ironman. Watching her cross the finish line via the internet was surreal. I’ve never met her face to face but receive workouts and coaching advice through her emails for the last few months. I swear I hugged the monitor and belted out a “Hell ya!” loud enough to wake up everyone in the house.
So with that track record of attaining the insanely impossible… why would the elusive M-dot not be on that list to do as well? And every stroke I swim, every pedal I take, every step I run… will all be to fight cancer.
Unsure of posting publicly that I’ll do it yet… but I’m thinking really loudly. Can you hear it? Can you?
Suzie Q the Triathlete
Posted in Uncategorized with tags handicap, hero, inspiration, inspirational, inspiring, kids triathlon, kids who rock, motivation, ms, multiple sclerosis, negu, never ever give up, special needs, triathlete, triathlon on May 18, 2013 by runmyssierun
A child can do anything they set their mind to, regardless of whatever limits the world may try to impede on them. It is someone special – most of the time it is parents – who allows them to break beyond those limits. I am so grateful that my parents and her parents gave us that gift of telling the world off every now and then.
Her dad didn’t do it for her. Her dad taught her how to do it herself and he never left her side when she proved the world wrong.
P.S. Just because you don’t see her mom running beside her doesn’t mean she’s not equally deserving of kudos. I keep her mom busy running beside me 🙂 What her dad does for Susannah, her mom does the same for me.
I need a sign
Posted in Uncategorized on May 17, 2013 by runmyssierunI feel you drifting away from me. Please, I beg you, if you can’t tell me… Then give me a sign. Let me know you’re still here with me. Let me know that I’m doing the right thing. Let me know this isn’t all in vain.
Maybe I’m spread out too thin with increased workouts, end of the school year activities, family matters, donations and requests for help from so many organizations to see the signs that used to comfort me.
No, it’s not in vain.
No, it’s not wasted efforts.
Someone out there is going to be able to live your dream.
Don’t worry… I’m not crazy. I just typed out a little prayer that I say to my Momma. When was the last time you prayed? Said thanks? Here’s your sign.
If momma had her way, she’d convert the whole world to Catholicism. Renewing faith was one of her dreams, too. So if you’re reading this and need some renewing… This was for you.
Keanu and TMNT
Posted in Uncategorized on May 16, 2013 by runmyssierun
I was sent this picture. I love it and all of its symbolism.
Letterhead
Posted in Uncategorized on May 15, 2013 by runmyssierunI’m not sure why this little surprise gave me such joy today. Seeing my name on the Texas Oncology letterhead just made my quest seem so much more official.
Legit.
RunMyssieRun 