RunMyssieRun

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.

My stomach was in knots all day. It was my first day of official triathlon training with Coach Sandy Overly. I had a really big important lunch meeting that I think went pretty well but could hardly eat three forkfuls of food!!!

See, I’m just a regular ordinary girl. I don’t have the history of athletics that the rest of these people have. My self confidence is probably large enough to fit in the palm of a child’s hand. And that’s enough to blow my time… That and an injury and just finishing the Herothon half marathon just two days ago and being off my feet for a month was probably all it took. I blew it. I clocked an eleven minute mile.

I know I’m better than that. And even though I KNOW it’s not about time, it’s still disappointing that I felt I didn’t do my BEST. Now I HAVE to do better.

There’s no room in this journey for going at it half a$$ed. That’s not what they wanted for me.

That’s not the message I want to send out in their memory either.

I must try harder.