RunMyssieRun

Every Team in Training marathon event I did in 2012 – Austin 1020, San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon, San Antonio Marathon and the Nike Women’s Marathon – Jeanice was always by my side and sharing my hotel room at each of them. She, thankfully, didn’t have a personal connection to cancer when we first began our journey together. She did it because our offices were adjacent to each other at work and she saw how much it meant to me to do this. She did it really for me. I never forgot that.

In 2013, I transitioned to triathlons and cycling and strayed away from running. However, she continued and went on to mentor many more team mates through TNT’s marathon training program.

This year… This year was different. My office is no longer next to hers. My events no longer correspond with hers. And somewhere along the line… We had to put a stop to that.

She surprised me on the last day to sign up for the triathlon team and ran with me for two miles. We chit chatted just like we used to and she signed up a few days later not knowing how to swim nor having a bike ride on.

I set out immediately to get her ready for swimming and biking just as she got me ready for all those marathons not so long ago. I got her a swim cap and goggles and began the hunt for a bike to fit her that wouldn’t break her bank.

Before I go any further about Jeanice, I need to tell you about her background. Jeanice is a former Mrs Washington. Ya, I’m talking major beauty queen… Like Miss America beauty queen but MRS America!!! She’s stunning. I’m talking drop dead gorgeous stunning. Have you ever seen the music video of the song “Vacation” by the Go-gos? You know the fabulous water skiers that do the human pyramid on skis??? Ya, she does that.

Ok, so she did great on her first few swims. She struggled with breathing but let’s be honest, who doesn’t struggle with breathing??? I loaned her the bike I had borrowed from Xavie to learn to ride. Since she and I are about the same height, I figured it would work for her as well.

Not two hours from her very first bike ride with me, I received a photo from Wally, my bike guru, saying that she had bought herself a new bike.

There is no stopping us now!!! Beauty queens wear a crown for just one year… But my rhinestone mafia is built of real queens who reign over a kingdom, see something that needs to be done, roll up our sequined sleeves and get ‘er done…. All the while wearing five inch heels and spreading glitter and sparkles all around.

We are not princesses. We are much more than that. We will reign over cancer. You just watch and see.

This woman is a queen.
Bow

This entry was posted on March 3, 2014 at 4:11 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.