Archive for Century ride

Newer Entries »

everything’s gonna be ah right

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 16, 2013 by runmyssierun

So much has happened this week!

Congratulations to Kristina!!! Looks like she’s not just drop dead gorgeous but she’s a superhero cancer fighter as well!! It was great to hear how she’s beating cancer with a fabulous medical team and her incredible faith in her Lord.

581462_10100221753605839_86898759_n

Because of her phenomenal spirit, I know that the note I received from my old friend Martin will end up changing my life once again.

As you have probably picked up, I am very very uber superstitious. I believe in signs. I believe God talks to me in ways that may seem like ordinary circumstances for y’all… and it’s not like the Black Crows song or anything like that.. I’m just bold enough to admit that I believe that God is everywhere, in all of us, and He lets us know that. We just need to open our eyes, our hearts and our minds to Him.

So, with all the signs I’ve received lately, I have a feeling that the big boom in the novel is coming closer. I believe that everything happens for a reason. We don’t understand it when we’re going through it… but it all comes together.

It’s coming together now. I think Martin may have figured this out. WAAAAYYYYY before I did. 🙂

I truly believe he’s going to be just fine. He has a great story to tell us all. I hope I’m part of his happy chapter.

My happy chapter is coming soon, too!! I know I can feel it.

Trainings have gone well. I’m feeling probably a bit too comfortable on my bike now. Summer is ending and the boys schedules are starting to get a little complicated. I missed my early morning ride on Thursday and made it up that evening with Wally’s beginner bike ride. I was instructed by Coach Overly to do a 2-hr ride/5k run brick. It was a nice evening with a little drizzle so it was cooler than the triple digit temps we had been having. I have to say, it was quite enjoyable.

So much that I stuck ONE earbud in my ear and began to jam out… it’s what I do. I got busted singing aloud and bobbing my head to the beat a few times. Billy snapped a shot of me in action. (I look like I’ve gained a few here! Gotta work on that!)

photo (8)

After the ride, the participants all gathered in the parking lot to chit chat while I went to run the second half of my brick. When I returned, I remembered thinking to myself… These are some pretty awesome people. The way they egged each other on, pushed each other further, supported the whole group.. they were a great group of friends.  This is what so many people miss. It was a group of cyclists that had fun not talking about cycling. WHODATHOUGHT?!?!?

photo (9)

At the Beginner Bike Ride hosted by Wally’s Bike Shop, I learned not only the basics of riding in a group on the road but also how to spike a volley ball. 😉

Best part of today… My stunning custom Felt Bike got new shoes!!! And yes, you guessed it… they’re ORANGE!!

My custom Felt Bike is now all orange! She got new orange tires. Looking sharp!!! My momma would have loved this!

My custom Felt Bike is now all orange! She got new orange tires. Looking sharp!!! My momma would have loved this!

I love when I get notes from the guys at the shop telling me that stuff just came in for me :)

I love when I get notes from the guys at the shop telling me that stuff just came in for me 🙂

Can’t wait to take her out on our ride this weekend!!! I’m feeling real good about this now. 🙂

1 Comment »

Saddle Sore

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 7, 2013 by runmyssierun

I woke up early this morning ready to meet up with the 5 a.m. Wake up ride group when I noticed that my bike saddle was crooked. I got my hand and popped it back into place and sat down… went a few pedals… and I looked like I needed a V8. I quickly pulled over and inspected my seat.

saddle problem

Part of my seat was missing!! And the worst part about this was that today is TUESDAY!!! The one day of the week my bike guru is closed. 😦

I sent him a note anyway hoping that when he woke up would guide me through the process of learning to fix it myself.

His response? “Cheen-gow Myssie! Where’s the rest of your seat post?”

I could almost feel his eyes roll from miles away!!! After a feeble attempt of trying to figure out a solution, I quickly gave up and was able to make it to RPM class at Gold’s Gym.

964616_10152892732380068_176685119_o

RPM class is led by Joey Williams… the toughest meanest roughest most incredible wonderful experienced triathlete spin instructor (who I know doubles as a DJ some nights) in the gym. He is WICKED AWESOME! His class is like a night club… but at 5:30 a.m.

He immediately singled me out. It had been a while since I was able to attend his class. I think he was going to make sure I knew he had been counting the days and wanted to have me make up for them… in one hour. And boy oh boy did he!!!

I have never had that much sweat on me EVER in my life!!!

I am so very grateful for his advice and guidance and that of the rest of the class – including the Cyclepaths –  of bike experts who had just come back from other bike ventures similar to Viva Bike Vegas.

To make the day even better… German and Luci (owners of Valley Running Company) presented me with the brand spanking new Saucony Cortana 3s in yep… you guessed it… ORANGE!!! 🙂

1146673_10153110230180068_101275606_n

 

Today was awesome. Thank you.

 

 

Leave a comment »

What does a DATE mean?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 2, 2013 by runmyssierun

What does a date mean? I could go back to my pageant days and remember that famous on stage question:

“Describe your perfect date.”

“Hmm. That’s a tough one. I’d have to say April 25 because it’s not too hot and it’s not too cold.  All you need is a light jacket.”

We all thought this was funny because of the way that the word “date” was used. And she was actually right. April 25 really is a very nice day.

It has meaning.

Dates to me have meaning. I see signs in everything. I choose to see them.

In late September of 2011, Sissy lost her life to cancer. But not before she was able to push me into a healthy lifestyle and start running.

In late September of 2012, MidValley Events chose me to be their Athlete of the Week. They sent me to a little bike shop for a photo shoot because the shop had an orange wall that could be used as a back drop. I had come a long way in one year from Sissy’s challenge to the athlete of the week. That day changed my life once again. I went from running to cycling (and triathlon) when I was introduced to Wally’s Bike Shop.

In late September of 2013, I will have completed the Triple Crown. A challenge instigated by Sissy, supported by my community, guided by Wally… all exactly one year apart.

What does a date mean? If that date is September 21, it means a lot.

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment »

Weekend Worrier Warrior

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 23, 2013 by runmyssierun

The last few weekends have had some intense workouts. I got the chance to ride with the Mellow Johnny’s group last weekend and witness a few of my friends compete at the Couples Triathlon in Austin. I got just as much joy in completing something that I once thought was impossible as watching others complete something they once thought was impossible, too! And yes, I had cowbell!!!

I’ll insert the pictures now and explain back later…

941240_10153011040855068_1315287801_n 14767_10153025868740068_987307767_n 1069280_10153049076515068_938454116_n 1075769_10153053244390068_929700647_n 27117_10153053391830068_932134151_n juan pelota 1 juan pelota mellow johnnys mellow johnnys

Leave a comment »

14 bruises

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 18, 2013 by runmyssierun

What a week! This morning I missed my early 5 a.m. wake up bike ride and did some one handed bike drills and speed intervals with Coach Sandy and some of the Multi-sport Maniacs. I don’t want it to seem like bragging so I feel the need to say this up front now… I really am very surprised that my legs are not hurting and sore as how I would imagine they would be. Coach Sandy really does know what she’s doing. She’s making me stronger!!!

This morning was really awesome with Coach!!  She took us along a stretch of road that was laced with sugar cane fields. There isn’t a lot of traffic so it’s safe for us to practice drills and high speed intervals in flat straight lines. The best part was that she came up to me and recognized that I was improving. Albeit, I still have a long ways to go… but I’m improving!!!

The whispers of the sugar cane silenced my worries. There have been a lot this week. The sound they make is amazing. If you ever have the chance to run or bike by a sugar cane field on a windy day, I promise you, you’ll feel the magic. I needed to feel that.

sugar cane

About three weeks ago, I fell while on a bike ride. It wasn’t a huge smash boom crash. It was one of those slow motion I’m-falling-and-can-order-a-triple-latte-and-still-have-20-seconds-left kinda falls. I was able to buffer my fall with my arm and caught myself with a giggle. No biggie. But my ego got hurt.

The following day, I noticed a bruise on my butt and some tenderness around… well you know… down there. I saw them but casually blew them off. I mean… come on. They’re bruises. That’s all. I rode the Hell of the South a few days later so clearly they weren’t bad enough to stop me.

But they were enough to make a friend of mine tell me that they were not normal for that kind of fall. She is in the medical field and I have to admit… she made a good point.  I believe I can properly quote her with “OH MY GOD! Those aren’t bruises! They’re Hematomas!”

I now have bruises all over my body for no explainable reason. Fourteen of them!

Now, I debated on whether or not to make this little trial of mine public on this blog. After watching Robin Roberts last night accept her award at the ESPYs, I knew I had to. Whether or not this is life changing, it becomes responsibility when you know better to educate those around you.

So here goes…

I went to the doctor and got my blood checked. I have symptoms that could possibly identify leukemia. Bruising, fevers, night sweats, increased white blood cell counts, weight loss, tiredness, tingling and numbness… and other symptoms. In the back of my mind, I have answers and reasons for each of those symptoms. I’m a clutz. I fall off my bike. That’s why I bruise. I exercise a lot, that’s why I’ve lost weight and am tired. etc etc…

But after all that my family has been through, wouldn’t it be really stupid if I did get leukemia, saw all the signs and then ignored them because I was scared?

The smart thing would be to address the issues with my doctors and medical team.

My doctor did find some problems in my blood. I have been referred to a very good doctor at Texas Oncology. Please keep me in your prayers these next two weeks. Deep down inside, I do not believe that I have cancer. However, ignorance is NOT bliss. If I do have it, I hope to identify it in the early stage and fight it with everything I’ve got. If I don’t have cancer, I hope that someone out there who may have similar symptoms sees this and has the courage to address it properly, too.

4 Comments »

10 Life Lessons

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , on June 18, 2013 by runmyssierun

TEN LIFE LESSONS

Life Lesson Number 10

DEAL WITH LIFE ONE DAY AT A TIME

Sometimes when life gets crazy we feel like we’ll never sort everything out. But if we just deal with everything one day and instance at a time, life just has a way or working through things. It also makes life’s circumstances a little less overwhelming.

 

Life Lesson Number 9

TURN EVERY LIFE EXPERIENCE INTO A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

The best way I have found to cope with hard times more easily is to become knowledgeable about what is going on and try to find a meaning to everything that happens. Trust me, there is always one there.

 

Life Lesson Number 8

ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE POSITIVE

No matter how bad life can get, there is always a positive to be found. If you focus on the positive aspects of life, the hard times are easier to get through. The power of positive thinking is amazing and it works.

 

Life Lesson Number 7

TRY TO DO AT LEAST ONE NEW THING EVERY DAY

Much too often, people get into a routine of doing the same thing every day and their lives get boring. The new thing doesn’t have to be big. It can be something really small like taking a different route to work or trying a new kind of food. Make a wish list for yourself of new stuff you want to try. Some things can be small and others, big. Plan on completing one of those things each day and by the end of every day your life will be that much more full.

 

Life Lesson Number 6

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF

No matter what happens in your life if you are true to yourself and confident about who you are, you can overcome anything. Always stick to who you are and don’t worry if people are going to accept you or not. If you are confident with yourself, it will show and the people who really matter will accept you for who you are, not for who you are not.

 

Life Lesson Number 5

TOUCH AS MANY LIVES AS YOU CAN

Every time you meet someone new, you leave a little bit of yourself with them. They are affected by you. The more people you meet, the more complete both their and your lives are because of how you have been affected by each other. Think of the possibilities.

 

Life Lesson Number 4

ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS

Although the big accomplishments in life are important, sometimes it’s the little things in life that are more enjoyable. The conversations with you best friend in the middle of the night, or a quiet moment somewhere peaceful where you were just able to think, can add up to be much more important and memorable than any big thing.

 

Life Lesson Number 3

DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

Many times in life, people begin getting concerned with petty things. What people forget is that in the long run, it doesn’t matter what “he said” or what “she did.” It’s not worth your time to get worked up about anything small or petty.

 

Life Lesson Number 2

HOLD ON TO YOUR FRIENDS

No matter what happens in your life, good or bad, your friends will be there for you. Whether it is a pat on the back or a shoulder to cry on that you need, your friends are there for you always.

 

Life Lesson Number 1

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT

Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose. We should never throw any opportunities away.

 

These life lessons were written by Kimberly Joy Costa, a 19-year old who passed away on July 24,2000 after her battle with hodgkins disease. These words were presented to TEAM in TRAINING participants at the Walt Disney World Marathon on January 6, 2002 by her Dad.

Leave a comment »

Bump on the road

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , on June 17, 2013 by runmyssierun

Coach Overly and I decided to move me from the Maniac team to an individual athlete because of my crazy goals. Honestly, I thought she’d have a bigger conniption than I did when I got the news about the change in the Century ride race for the Triple Crown. But she didn’t… I’m still having my conniption.

See… There’s this bump. A five thousand foot incline bump on the course!!! I live in flat lands. We don’t have bumps… a.k.a. Mountains.

20130617-164241.jpg

Other than training, I’ve been able to get great news from so many new friends I’ve met along this journey.

Heather just returned from her doctors office who have her the good news that she was cancer free.

Baby E seems to be doing well too. She returns to chemo next week after this good break but if she’s got half of her Monmy’s spirit, I’m sure she’ll bounce back like always.

Christa went to see her doc just days after doing the triathlon with me and came back with the news that she is cancer free too!!!

Deborah just celebrated her 22nd wedding anniversary with cancer free news too!!! What a party!

I know what I’m doing is crazy. But in also getting people to talk about this more. Friends are going to the doctor and getting checked more. They know what signs to look out for. They know there are options and best of all…

They know there is HOPE.

 

20130617-164251.jpg

20130617-164306.jpg

Leave a comment »

Life’s a beach

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2013 by runmyssierun

20130312-115214.jpg

If only I could photoshop my way through this challenge. Still can’t believe this is really me!!! I look mean!!! If I were cancer… I’d be afraid. I’d be very afraid. I’m on a mission to destroy it! But gotta wonder, can I still do it with my dimples on?

6 Comments »

CyclePATHS

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , on December 27, 2012 by runmyssierun

Last night was my first “Steak Night” with the CyclePATHS. This is a crazy group of adrenaline enthused women who have taken me under their wings to lead me to my goal of a triple crown. We planned, laughed, reviewed plans, laughed some more, rode a pony and laughed even harder. Not much training last night but it gave my abs a laughter workout.

I am genuinely stoked about being surrounded by these women who seem to take on whatever challenge they set their minds to.

I do best when I’m around people like this. Can’t wait!!!

20121227-095625.jpg

Leave a comment »

Newer Entries »