Faulty stars

Training in bipolar weather is an adventure. One day it’s 80 degrees and the next day our streets are closed off because of black ice. Makes it difficult for scheduling bike rides or group runs. So on Sunday evening when the sun danced in a cloudless sky, I took the chance to run the trails in Mission. I normally run the 2nd street trail because it’s usually filled with familiar runners… but that’s usually at the crack of dawn. And it was already late in the afternoon.

I took the chance and went to the afternoon runner hangout, Mission Trails. I plugged in my playlist.. a new one.. err old one that I hadn’t really listened to since I was a teenager. It didn’t really have the bpm that I was striving for but honestly I had been sick for a while with congestion and had missed a few days of running so I didn’t know if I could/should push myself into a high bpm and wear myself out and/or get myself even worse.

Kinda cool what a few days of rest does for your body. It was my fastest time in a little over a year. My pace went from an embarrassing 13-some minute mile to a 7:41. I don’t know if it was the rest, the music, the new trail or the thoughts in my head… whatevs… I’ll take it. I did a nice warm up mile and then went full blast into my 7-minute mile. After I saw what I did, I was pretty dang proud and then it happened… squirrel. When I’m at a new place, I’m like a big ol’ kid and have to explore and heaven forbid there be a sign that tells me not to go into a certain area. That’s like a big fancy wedding invitation to me!!! With the exploring into the trails, my time went down a bit but boy oh boy was it fun getting lost!!

My swimming, my running and my cycling have all improved and I’m stoked to begin my new season with Team in Training Triathlon team – the first tri team for tnt in our area! I love my coaching staff. I’ve seen them in action and have already trained with them. Phenomenal in action, genuine encouragement and humble in deed. These are traits that I prosper with and that I’ve seen others do incredibly well, too.

We had our first “kick-off” this weekend and was really impressed with the alumni and newbies that signed up for the challenge. It was a great mix of experienced athletes and excited rookies but all had an immense internal need to do all they could to fight cancer. This was especially evident when our two honored heroes were continuously greeted with hugs and kisses and showered with gifts and goodie bags.

See, the little known incredible fact about MY honored heroes is that they really ARE super heroes. Superman was an animated comic. And as awesome as he was written up to be… kryptonite could still take him down. But MY heroes can run a marathon, can beat cancer and are NOT imaginary comic strips (although they are both very animated). They are both very very real people fighting a very very real enemy to the human race and planet Earth.

In ancient Greece, they looked up to the stars and honored gods that controlled various elements of our world. Today, we can look up to the stars and know that the rest of our heroes have full control of our hearts and empower us with passion enough to change the world. They are our angels.

Today, I think those angels came back to my training schedule. In a time where many parts of our nation and even my city closed because of the unusually fierce cold weather, not a single gust of wind blew this morning. The temperatures went up a few degrees making a bike ride bearable. While it was still a bit chilly compared to our normal temperatures in the Rio Grande Valley, it was no where near what it was like yesterday. Only one other brave soul joined me in the 5 a.m. Wake Up Ride. I’m sure word will soon spread about my weather angels. So long as I continue to do this in their honor and memory, I have full faith that they will ensure a safe and comfortable outdoor workout.

And to make today even more special… I was greeted with a note from a former co-worker and advertising client.

I hope she doesn’t mind but I have to share her words with you.

“Because, you have been such an inspiration to me, and I absolutely think you are truly one of the most truthful and motivational people I know, I would love to have 10% of the ticket proceeds for the McAllen retreat to sponsor you.”

Her kind gesture and donation meant so much to me today because just yesterday I was told that another co-worker (from a different job) had been spreading a malicious rumor about me. The contradiction was pretty amazing. P.S. I’ve worked with some pretty amazing people and I’ve worked with a few crazies … Hasn’t everyone?

It used to be that malicious rumors ran rampant around me at all times by this same group of similar people who (coincidentally?) all run within the same circles of friends. However, now… for every rumor that comes back around to my ears about me, I have ten compliments and kind gestures that muffle and discredit that rumor.

I feel validated in my efforts to give of myself to others. I feel like for all that I do, for all that I sacrifice, that the Big Guy upstairs really IS taking care of me and rewarding me tenfold. You do something nice for someone and someone else will ruin you for it… But God will reward.

I really need to find out about the next ACTs retreat. It’s time.

Oh! Aaaannnnnndddd…. I was asked to sit on the Board of the Rio Grande Valley Colonoscopy Assistance Program. Our first fundraiser is a 5k on March 1 at Fireman’s park in McAllen. I am so honored to have been asked!!!! 🙂

THIS IS HUGE!

My training is working. My fundraising is coming into place. I’m getting recognized for my efforts in my community. I’m gaining support. And people are getting the help that they need!!!!

***Okay? Okay.
#thefaultinourstars