"I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength." Philippians 4:13
When people ask me, was 2009 a good year or a bad year for you? I pause for a moment to think about how I want to answer that. I look back at where I was a year ago on the eve of 2009 and I was a very scared man.
I was about to lose my job, there were no immediate opportunities and the doom and gloom being broadcast on the news was that it was only going to get worse. And at the time, I thought I could do it all by myself that I didn't need anything or anybody to help me overcome this problem. I was afraid!!
I was disconnected with my family, my wife, my two sons and my parents. I never spoke to my sister. I was alone.
But then something happened. I started to pray to God. I needed help and he was the only one I could turn to. In late January, I was attending a Between Jobs Ministry meeting and I heard the following verse.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to GOD. And the peace of GOD which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:6-7
From that moment on, my life changed. I came back to Jesus!! I turned everything over to him. The guilt and anguish was washed away. Hope came back into my life. And yes even though money was tight, we still managed to pay our bills and put food on the table. He provided for my family and took care of us. All I had to do was Love him and try and become a better man.
So the story of 2009 is this; God got me back on the road to him. He helped me see that the most important things in life are not how much money I make or possessing the latest and greatest gadgets. No, I realized that the most important thing in Life is my family and that I am here on this earth to Love people and spread the Good News about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
And yes there are still things in my life that make me nervous about 2010, but I also know this.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
So if you ask me if 2009 was a good year and my answer is YES, because I have one thing back that I had not had for a long time, HOPE..
Happy New Year!!
Rich
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Day After Christmas
"With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21.
Praying
The Christmas holiday was so awesome!! It started by attending Christmas Service at our church Fellowship of the Woodlands. All I can say is WOW. This was the first Christmas for me where I realized the true meaning. I understand now that if it wasn't for God sending his one and only son to earth that we would be living a life without hope.
Can you imagine that? A life with no hope. I shudder at the thought. Millions of people out there who live with sickness or disease have to have hope that someday they will be cured. God provides us with that comfort. You see by sending his son to Earth to live among us, it gave Jesus an understanding of what it was like to live in this World without Hope or Grace.
I know my sister Kellye lives with Hope everyday that someday a cure will be found for MS. I live with that hope as well. The Myelin Repair Foundation is working through its research to help cure MS. One thing I have learned about them is that all their doctors doing the research are working with each other and not competing to see who comes up with a cure first.
I spoke with Kellye yesterday and she sounded great!! In fact, it was the best she had sounded in a long time, not being on the drugs has really helped her regain some of her life back. God is watching after her and taking care of her needs.
Running
It was tough to get out of my warm bed this morning. The temperture at 6:30 was 32 degrees but I knew that running in the cold weather would not be a problem. I had laid out my cloths the night before and made sure that I had a few layers to keep me warm. My biggest concern was how I would feel physically since I had just done 21-miles a week ago. Of course the big Christmas meal from yesterday would provide me with plenty of fuel for the 12-mile run.
I finished in 1:53.49 which was a pace of about 9:26 per mile. I am very suprised with that pace because it didn't feel like I was running that fast. I started out slow and for the first 6 miles or so I think I was running a lot slower, probably more like a pace of 9:45. But for the second half of the run I wanted to push it a little bit and try and run at my goal pace which is now around 9:30 or so.
I am really feeling pretty good right now, my form and balance are there and running seems to be effortless. This week I will push it one more time and then begin to taper for the big day on January 17th. Tuesday and Thursday's workouts will be especially important. I'm not sure how far I'll run next Saturday, but I'll probably end up running between 10 to 12 miles.
Praying
The Christmas holiday was so awesome!! It started by attending Christmas Service at our church Fellowship of the Woodlands. All I can say is WOW. This was the first Christmas for me where I realized the true meaning. I understand now that if it wasn't for God sending his one and only son to earth that we would be living a life without hope.
Can you imagine that? A life with no hope. I shudder at the thought. Millions of people out there who live with sickness or disease have to have hope that someday they will be cured. God provides us with that comfort. You see by sending his son to Earth to live among us, it gave Jesus an understanding of what it was like to live in this World without Hope or Grace.
I know my sister Kellye lives with Hope everyday that someday a cure will be found for MS. I live with that hope as well. The Myelin Repair Foundation is working through its research to help cure MS. One thing I have learned about them is that all their doctors doing the research are working with each other and not competing to see who comes up with a cure first.
I spoke with Kellye yesterday and she sounded great!! In fact, it was the best she had sounded in a long time, not being on the drugs has really helped her regain some of her life back. God is watching after her and taking care of her needs.
Running
It was tough to get out of my warm bed this morning. The temperture at 6:30 was 32 degrees but I knew that running in the cold weather would not be a problem. I had laid out my cloths the night before and made sure that I had a few layers to keep me warm. My biggest concern was how I would feel physically since I had just done 21-miles a week ago. Of course the big Christmas meal from yesterday would provide me with plenty of fuel for the 12-mile run.
I finished in 1:53.49 which was a pace of about 9:26 per mile. I am very suprised with that pace because it didn't feel like I was running that fast. I started out slow and for the first 6 miles or so I think I was running a lot slower, probably more like a pace of 9:45. But for the second half of the run I wanted to push it a little bit and try and run at my goal pace which is now around 9:30 or so.
I am really feeling pretty good right now, my form and balance are there and running seems to be effortless. This week I will push it one more time and then begin to taper for the big day on January 17th. Tuesday and Thursday's workouts will be especially important. I'm not sure how far I'll run next Saturday, but I'll probably end up running between 10 to 12 miles.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Catching up
"When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers." Galatians 6:10
Good evening to all on this fine day. It has been awhile since I posted to my blog but timing is running short.
First, I would like to update everybody on how my sister Kellye is doing.
As many of you know Kellye has had multiple sclerosis (MS) since 2003. As of today for the first time in a few years she is no longer taking any medication. She has stopped taking the pain meds and the other drugs that can really cause some nasty side affects. Not only that, she quit smoking just over a month ago.
My sister is such a strong person and I'm amazed at how brave she is. Her faith in God never waivers. He is always with her and helps her through her bad days.
When we were growing up, Kellye was the strong one. If somebody picked on me or bullied me, she was the one who stuck up and fought them. She always had my back. If I needed my bike fixed, Kellye did it.
Before she had MS she was very active. She enjoyed snow sking, playing softball, kayaking and many other activities. She was always doing something. And every Thanksgiving and Christmas she spent time at her Church mentoring the young teens. BUT, by not being on the drugs she is making a comeback!! She is making it a point to exercise everyday and next week a new addition to her family will arrive. She's adapting a nine year old chocolate lab named Chance.
In July of this year, I decided to run the Houston Marathon for my sister and to raise funds and awareness for the Myelin Repair Foundation. Their mission is to accelerate the discovery of myelin repair treatments to improve the lives of people suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), and to establish the Accelerated Research Collaboration™ (ARC™) model as a new paradigm for medical research.
What's really cool about them is that 85% of the funds they raise goes to this research. In this day and age that is totally amazing!! So please support my effort next month and donate to this cause.
Running Update
"You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. So run to win! All those who compete in the games use self control so they can win a crown. That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but ours will never be destroyed. So I do not run without a goal, I fight like a boxer who is hitting something - not just the air. I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that I myself will not be disqualified after I have preached to other." 1 Corinthians 24-27.
The last couple of months have been filled with ups and downs. All of the races I have competed in so far have not really produced impressive results. My Half Marathon in October was one of the worst ever. I didn't run PR's in any of the races I competed in over the Thanksgiving weekend. But, I have trained hard the last 22 weeks. In the month of November, I logged over a 110 miles on the road. That is most I have run in over 5 years. It's been tough on my wife Ginger, she has put up with me training but I know she can't wait until this thing is over. My reasoning for doing this is that my sister lives with pain everyday, so putting myself through 4 and a half hours of pain is nothing.
Things have started to turn though and especially at the right time. Last week I did a 3.1 mile time trial and finished in 23:18, the second fastest time for me in over 4 years. And last Saturday, I ran 21 miles in just over 3:31, which is under a 10 minute mile. What was so cool about that is I was getting stronger as the distance progressed. In the past it's usually been the opposite. So we are now four weeks away from the Houston Marathon and I'm pretty excited about it.
Finally, my running is inspiring my sister to exercise everyday. God is with us in our walk to Glory!!
My goal until that faithful day is to continue to add posts to keep all of you informed on what my sister and I are doing.
Good evening to all on this fine day. It has been awhile since I posted to my blog but timing is running short.
First, I would like to update everybody on how my sister Kellye is doing.
As many of you know Kellye has had multiple sclerosis (MS) since 2003. As of today for the first time in a few years she is no longer taking any medication. She has stopped taking the pain meds and the other drugs that can really cause some nasty side affects. Not only that, she quit smoking just over a month ago.
My sister is such a strong person and I'm amazed at how brave she is. Her faith in God never waivers. He is always with her and helps her through her bad days.
When we were growing up, Kellye was the strong one. If somebody picked on me or bullied me, she was the one who stuck up and fought them. She always had my back. If I needed my bike fixed, Kellye did it.
Before she had MS she was very active. She enjoyed snow sking, playing softball, kayaking and many other activities. She was always doing something. And every Thanksgiving and Christmas she spent time at her Church mentoring the young teens. BUT, by not being on the drugs she is making a comeback!! She is making it a point to exercise everyday and next week a new addition to her family will arrive. She's adapting a nine year old chocolate lab named Chance.
In July of this year, I decided to run the Houston Marathon for my sister and to raise funds and awareness for the Myelin Repair Foundation. Their mission is to accelerate the discovery of myelin repair treatments to improve the lives of people suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), and to establish the Accelerated Research Collaboration™ (ARC™) model as a new paradigm for medical research.
What's really cool about them is that 85% of the funds they raise goes to this research. In this day and age that is totally amazing!! So please support my effort next month and donate to this cause.
Running Update
"You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. So run to win! All those who compete in the games use self control so they can win a crown. That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but ours will never be destroyed. So I do not run without a goal, I fight like a boxer who is hitting something - not just the air. I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that I myself will not be disqualified after I have preached to other." 1 Corinthians 24-27.
The last couple of months have been filled with ups and downs. All of the races I have competed in so far have not really produced impressive results. My Half Marathon in October was one of the worst ever. I didn't run PR's in any of the races I competed in over the Thanksgiving weekend. But, I have trained hard the last 22 weeks. In the month of November, I logged over a 110 miles on the road. That is most I have run in over 5 years. It's been tough on my wife Ginger, she has put up with me training but I know she can't wait until this thing is over. My reasoning for doing this is that my sister lives with pain everyday, so putting myself through 4 and a half hours of pain is nothing.
Things have started to turn though and especially at the right time. Last week I did a 3.1 mile time trial and finished in 23:18, the second fastest time for me in over 4 years. And last Saturday, I ran 21 miles in just over 3:31, which is under a 10 minute mile. What was so cool about that is I was getting stronger as the distance progressed. In the past it's usually been the opposite. So we are now four weeks away from the Houston Marathon and I'm pretty excited about it.
Finally, my running is inspiring my sister to exercise everyday. God is with us in our walk to Glory!!
My goal until that faithful day is to continue to add posts to keep all of you informed on what my sister and I are doing.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Back Again..It's been awhile
"All things are possible for the one who believes. Mark 9:23
What's going on with Kellye
It's been awhile since I have entered anything. Things have been pretty crazy with work. I need to pick this back up especially since it won't be long until I start my campaign to raise money for my sister's charity.
Kellye has been through a lot lately. She finally made the decision to stop taking pain medication, naturally this process took a couple of weeks and she was almost through it when God decided to put one more test on the road for her. Because of her illness she is on Long Term Disability. The insurance company, Cigna has decided to discontinue her coverage because they think she can work and that she is not very sick!!! This is such bullshit!!
What I don't understand is why do people have to make it so tough for people with MS to live their day to day lifes? This is such a terrible disease and people with it have a hard enough time getting through the day. It's just so sad. As I get closer to the marathon I want people to know what people with MS go through. What their struggles are, what emotions they go through and how they overcome them.
I pray everyday for Kellye that God will ease her pain and give her the strength to overcome her day to day obstacles. I hope everybody who reads this will do the same. I am so thankful that God is in her life, so I know he will take care of her.
Running
I made it through July and now I'm almost done with August still injury free. The heat and humidity have been brutal. I can't recall the last time I ran in temperatures cooler than 75 degrees. Up until last week I was in a little bit of a slump, but I took off a couple of days and have bounced back nicely. I also changed shoes. The ones I bought at the end of June are already gone as 200 miles were logged on them. Combined with the heat and my weight they went quick.
Buying new shoes is so important, it's like tires on a car, the older and more worn they get the more you feel every bump of the road. The other thing I did is changed from a stability shoe to a neutral shoe because of my orthodics. We'll see how that works out. I think it should help my gate a little bit which help me become a more efficient runner. I have done two runs in the new shoes and have felt pretty good. I'm tempted to buy another pair and then trade them out so I don't wear them out so quickly.
There is about six weeks left until the first race of the season and I need to really buckle down and train hard for the next 5 weeks, if I want to do well. So far, I have managed the ankle issue, but big distance is not too far off and it will be tested. We still have four and a half months left till the marathon and there is a lot of work to do before then.
It's going to be a blast!! GOD IS GREAT!!!
What's going on with Kellye
It's been awhile since I have entered anything. Things have been pretty crazy with work. I need to pick this back up especially since it won't be long until I start my campaign to raise money for my sister's charity.
Kellye has been through a lot lately. She finally made the decision to stop taking pain medication, naturally this process took a couple of weeks and she was almost through it when God decided to put one more test on the road for her. Because of her illness she is on Long Term Disability. The insurance company, Cigna has decided to discontinue her coverage because they think she can work and that she is not very sick!!! This is such bullshit!!
What I don't understand is why do people have to make it so tough for people with MS to live their day to day lifes? This is such a terrible disease and people with it have a hard enough time getting through the day. It's just so sad. As I get closer to the marathon I want people to know what people with MS go through. What their struggles are, what emotions they go through and how they overcome them.
I pray everyday for Kellye that God will ease her pain and give her the strength to overcome her day to day obstacles. I hope everybody who reads this will do the same. I am so thankful that God is in her life, so I know he will take care of her.
Running
I made it through July and now I'm almost done with August still injury free. The heat and humidity have been brutal. I can't recall the last time I ran in temperatures cooler than 75 degrees. Up until last week I was in a little bit of a slump, but I took off a couple of days and have bounced back nicely. I also changed shoes. The ones I bought at the end of June are already gone as 200 miles were logged on them. Combined with the heat and my weight they went quick.
Buying new shoes is so important, it's like tires on a car, the older and more worn they get the more you feel every bump of the road. The other thing I did is changed from a stability shoe to a neutral shoe because of my orthodics. We'll see how that works out. I think it should help my gate a little bit which help me become a more efficient runner. I have done two runs in the new shoes and have felt pretty good. I'm tempted to buy another pair and then trade them out so I don't wear them out so quickly.
There is about six weeks left until the first race of the season and I need to really buckle down and train hard for the next 5 weeks, if I want to do well. So far, I have managed the ankle issue, but big distance is not too far off and it will be tested. We still have four and a half months left till the marathon and there is a lot of work to do before then.
It's going to be a blast!! GOD IS GREAT!!!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sunday August 2nd
"Jesus said to the father, "You said, "If you can!' All things are possible for the one who believes." Mark 9:23
Praying
It's been almost two weeks since I last wrote in here, for those who are reading I'm truly sorry. The other day I woke up and realized that I needed to pray to God to help me get close to him again. I felt like I had drifted apart from him and I needed to be reminded of who he is and that he Loves us no matter what we do. It's always amazing that when you pray how quickly he can come back with a answer. For example, at Church last night he told me the following things:
Praying
It's been almost two weeks since I last wrote in here, for those who are reading I'm truly sorry. The other day I woke up and realized that I needed to pray to God to help me get close to him again. I felt like I had drifted apart from him and I needed to be reminded of who he is and that he Loves us no matter what we do. It's always amazing that when you pray how quickly he can come back with a answer. For example, at Church last night he told me the following things:
- God is faithful when we are not
- God always gives us more than we deserve
- God loves to throw a party when we are successful
- God wants us to pursue others extravagantly.
- "Love people when they least expect it and least deserve it." - A core value of National Community Church, Washington D.C.
And then today when I was watching my regular Sunday morning shows I heard the same message. "Be a healer, seek out others that need your help and support." So now we'll see who God puts into my life for me to help, he works in such magical ways. I'm so excited about the coming days ahead to see what happens.
MS Update
I have decided to run for the Myelin Repair Foundation.
Myelin is the insulation that coats the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis damages myelin, causing a range of symptoms from paralysis to cognitive disorders. Finding a way to repair damaged myelin has the potential to stop MS in its tracks.
Unlike the National MS Society, 85 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS RAISED ON THEIR BEHALF ARE USED FOR RESEARCH!! MS Society supposedly on uses 33 percent.
So that's what I'm doing!! Over the next couple of weeks I hope to have everything set-up so I can start collecting donations. We still have a long ways to go, but I want to make sure and use ALL my available resources. So stay tuned.
Running Update
The month of July was tough but very productive. I logged a total of 73 miles this month which was the highest total all year. That number will increase steadily over through the end of December. My training focus has changed now from getting faster to becoming stronger and more consistent. It's all about maintaining a steady and consistent pace that will help me reach my goal of finishing the marathon.
I plan to do this by giving Glory to God on all my days whether my training is successful or unsuccessful. There are some tough days ahead. August is typically the hottest month of the year. Humidity is a huge issue as well so staying hydrated will so important.
For the most part, I feel pretty good. My track workouts on Tuesday nights have been very productive. The other workouts have been pretty good for the most part. There have been some bad days but I'm ok with that. The ankle is manageable and seems to be holding up. I finally got my shoes broken in so maybe that has something to do with it.
As a side note, I'm using Coach Dana's program which is broken in to two parts. The first is geared towards Ten Mile Texas which is the second week of October. From there we will transition into the training program for the Marathon. The program is tough because I am running at a minimum 5 days per week, and if I feel better, that number could bump to 6.
I will finish this I know that for a fact, I have done it before, the difference this time is that Jesus will be with me every step of the way!!!
God is Great!!!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday July 19th "Beautiful Morning"
"Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18
Praying
I picked this up from an old FOTW service.
Praying
I picked this up from an old FOTW service.
- Vision is Multi-facitated
- Vision gives meaning
- Vision gives motivation
I thought about this during the week because I started training officially for the marathon. My vision is to finish the marathon and run it for my sister. The week was trying at times but through it all, I still managed to read God's word every morning and say my prayers. Kellye posted something to Facebook last night so I wanted add that to today's blog. This is what she is going through as of today.
I wanted to write a note on my view of my MS and the choices I have made for myself. First a little history in May 2003 I was officially diagnosed with MS however it is very possible I have actually had it my entire life I had wicked headaches and strange illnesses which I now know as extreme fatigue since I was a toddler. That being said from 2003 to current my MS has been getting worse as time goes on. This week I got my doctor's charts and found out that it is indeed worse then he had been telling me.Now here is my view on this latest revelation I could have thought "woe is me I am doomed" and I did for a minute or two but then I reminded myself that I already knew this information deep inside and I had already decided that I totally accept my fate. When I cried to God "why me?" He spoke back saying "why not you?". I have an amazing peaceful life now that I have accepted what I have been given. I decided back in August 2008 to go off the second heavy MS med I had tried and neither one did anything to slow down the MS. The clarity I got and still have is truly amazing! I figured out I was living my life doped up from all the meds. I will be making more big changes in the months to come and I am ready to face them head on. I live my life with MS!
MS is NOT my life.
I am running the marathon for my sister. The foundation I will raising funds for is Myelin Repair Foundation. 84 percent of the funds raised goes to their research. MS Society only puts 45 percent towards research. That is why I running for Myelin. I will have more information in the next couple of weeks about this cause.
Running
Well the first week is in the books and for the most part it was pretty successful. My body is slowly beginning to adjust to the intensity of the three impact workout days. Today I ran close to eight miles and was fortunate to have some pretty nice weather. Injury wise the ankle is holding up pretty well. I am making it a point to stretch after every run and that is keeping everything in check. I have started using a heart rate monitor so I am able to control my efforts depending on the intensity of the workouts. I have'nt trained this hard in over 12 years, so far my body is holding up. Last Tuesday was probably the highlight of the week because I did 4 miles on the track and maintained a steady pace throughout. Mentally I feel very good. God has watched over me and helped me to stay focused on what I need to accomplish.
Finally, I am committed now to running the marathon. I signed up Friday morning. As of today I think it is close to selling out which is just amazing. I'm a little unhappy about that because I believe they should not have a cap. That will probably not change in the near future, it's turned out to be a very well run race and usually has some very good talent attending. This week will be tough but I have a massage scheduled for Wednesday night so that will help me a lot. Fit kicked off and for the most part it's doing pretty well. The volunteers and the coaches are the same people who helped grow the program so that's the good part. What disturbs me is that Luke's is constantly trying to push products on everybody. For example, yesterday was the hydration seminar and all they talked about were products and NOTHING about hydration. I thought safety was the first priority, apparently with Luke's it is not. Oh well, it's nothing I can control so I'm letting it go.
Well, I have rambled on enough so goodbye for now, have a blessed week!!!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sunday July 12, 2009
"If your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move. All things will be possible for you. Matthew 17:20
Praying
I feel guilty not keeping up with the blog. I really wanted to try and write in here everyday. But the week was a little crazy. Looking back at it, I would say the most interesting day was yesterday. It was the first day of Woodlands Fit and I knew that I had to go. I woke up, got dressed and went over to Luke's Locker where we were meeting. I did my 40 minute run just as I planned, and then prepared myself.
When I woke up, I didn't feel anything. Usually I feel close to God or I'm thinking of him but in a way I think I was angry with him because he took Fit away from me.
So anyway, I show up, reconnect with people. It was so weird. I can't even to begin to explain the feelings I had. But then something happened. I'm standing there watching the new organizer give her speech and my good friend Beth came up, looked at me and said "Rich I'm really glad you came this morning, it took a lot of guts to show up. It's the only way you will get over the hurt of losing the program."
Now most of you who are reading this, probably know that I believe God finds ways to pass messages on to you. Yesterday he gave me another message. I have to move on, but before I can do that I have to get over the hurt. I need to heal, maybe by showing up every Saturday that will happen. God has a plan for me when it comes to running and coaching, I know that someday he will show me that path.
Running
Last week was a productive week. I trained on all my scheduled days and did pretty well. But, a new issue has suddenly appeared. From the arch of my foot to the base of my heal I have some mild pain. It didn't bother me this morning while running but as the day progressed it got a little worse. I hope it is not Planter Faschiteas, because if it is, things all of a sudden have gotten real interesting. For the first time in a while I pulled out the ice pack. Everything else feels great, it's just the right foot. We'll see what happens as the week progresses, I see Crystal on Wednesday, but I might have to change that and stop by tomorrow afternoon.
Next weekend everything will become official when the marathon opens registration. One other note I will be setting up with the charity I am going to run for. A quick hint, it's not the MS Society, but an org that does research to help cure MS. More on this later.
Praying
I feel guilty not keeping up with the blog. I really wanted to try and write in here everyday. But the week was a little crazy. Looking back at it, I would say the most interesting day was yesterday. It was the first day of Woodlands Fit and I knew that I had to go. I woke up, got dressed and went over to Luke's Locker where we were meeting. I did my 40 minute run just as I planned, and then prepared myself.
When I woke up, I didn't feel anything. Usually I feel close to God or I'm thinking of him but in a way I think I was angry with him because he took Fit away from me.
So anyway, I show up, reconnect with people. It was so weird. I can't even to begin to explain the feelings I had. But then something happened. I'm standing there watching the new organizer give her speech and my good friend Beth came up, looked at me and said "Rich I'm really glad you came this morning, it took a lot of guts to show up. It's the only way you will get over the hurt of losing the program."
Now most of you who are reading this, probably know that I believe God finds ways to pass messages on to you. Yesterday he gave me another message. I have to move on, but before I can do that I have to get over the hurt. I need to heal, maybe by showing up every Saturday that will happen. God has a plan for me when it comes to running and coaching, I know that someday he will show me that path.
Running
Last week was a productive week. I trained on all my scheduled days and did pretty well. But, a new issue has suddenly appeared. From the arch of my foot to the base of my heal I have some mild pain. It didn't bother me this morning while running but as the day progressed it got a little worse. I hope it is not Planter Faschiteas, because if it is, things all of a sudden have gotten real interesting. For the first time in a while I pulled out the ice pack. Everything else feels great, it's just the right foot. We'll see what happens as the week progresses, I see Crystal on Wednesday, but I might have to change that and stop by tomorrow afternoon.
Next weekend everything will become official when the marathon opens registration. One other note I will be setting up with the charity I am going to run for. A quick hint, it's not the MS Society, but an org that does research to help cure MS. More on this later.
Monday, July 6, 2009
July 6, 2009 "Faith"
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have
had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your
faith..may be proved genuine."
had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your
faith..may be proved genuine."
1 Peter 1:6-7
Praying
"Always, Always he will be with you, God knows our pain." Song by Building 429. I couldn't get this song out of my mind. Our savior never fails and I truely believe that. I wanted start posting things from Kellye's friends. Most of them are writing about what it's like to MS. I hope this will help educate those of you who are reading my blog.
This first entry is from my sisters friend Kristin.
Having MS means many things change, and a lot of them are invisible.
Unlike having cancer or being hurt in an accident, most people do not understand
even alittle about MS and it's effects on us; and many of those who think they
do know are actually misinformed. In the spirit of informing those who wish
tounderstand...These are the things that I would like you to understand about me
before you judge me:
Please understand that being sick does not mean I'm no longer a human
being. I have to spend most of my day in considerable pain and exhaustion and if
you visit I probably don't seem like much fun to be with, but I'm still me stuck
inside this body. I still worry about school, and work, and my family and
friends, and most of the time I'd still like to hear you talk about yours
too.
Please understand the difference between "happy" and "healthy". When
you've got the flu you probably feel miserable with it for a week or two, but
I've been sick for years. I can't be miserable all the time, in fact, I work
hard at not being miserable. So if you're talking to me and I sound happy, it
means I'm happy, that's all. It doesn't mean that I'm still not in a lot of
pain, or extremely tired, or that I'm getting better, or any of thosethings.
Please, don't say "Oh, you are sounding better!" I am not sounding better, I am
sounding happy. If you want to comment on that, you are welcome to. Please
understand that being able to stand for 10 minutes doesn'tnecessarily mean that
I can stand for 20 minutes or an hour. Just because I was able to stand up for
30 minutes yesterday doesn't mean I can do the same today.
With a lot of diseases and disorders one is either paralyzed, or they
can move.With MS it's far more confusing: one hour or day or week or year we may have normal - or almost normal - mobility; the next hour or day or week or year we may be unable to sit, stand, walk, think, remember, or even get out of bed, we may be unsociable or depressed, and almost assuredly we are in pain. We have
good days and bad, and during our good days we may truly not "look sick", but we are.Please understand that making plans other than immediate ones is a crap
shoot at best, because we can't know how we will feel or what our physical,
mental or emotional condition will be.
If we seem to hedge about making plans with you, please understand it's
because we truly don't know if we will be able to honor them. The same applies
if we have to cancel plans previously made or invitations, even at the last
minute - it is not personal, and it makes us as frustrated and sad as it does
you! That is what MS does to us, and it's how we must live our lives. It is not
just a matter of sucking it in, or bucking up, or psyching ourselves up; believe
me if we could, we would!
Please understand that MS is variable - with each person and from
person to person. It is quite possible and often all too common, that one day I
can walk to the park and back, or bicycle 2-4 miles, or swim 12 laps, or even
run with my dog; while the next day I may have great difficulty getting out of
bed, walking to the kitchen, or be unable to walk at all without a cane, walker
or other mobility aid.
Please don't attack me when I can't do today what I did before by
saying"but you did it yesterday!" or "you did it before!" Your frustration can
not begin to compare to our own frustration. The very act of planning while
notknowing what condition we will be in is stressful and tiring in itself. If
you want me to do something with you, or go someplace with you... ASK if I can.
I may well dearly want to go, but simply be physically unable to do so.
Understand if I have to say no today, but please ask me again soon.
Please understand that "getting out and doing things" does not make me
feel better and can often make me seriously worse. Telling me that I need a
treadmill, or that Ijust need to lose (or gain) weight, get this exercise
machine, join this gym, try these classes, take these vitamins, herbs, tonics
and snake-oil cures will frustrate me to tears and is totally incorrect. If I
was capable of doing things, don't you think I would? And when I am capable, I
DO! I work with my doctors and physical therapists and follow the exercise and
diet plans they prescribe.
Another statement that hurts: "You just need to push yourself
more..."Obviously, MS directly impacts muscles and ours do not regenerate as
quickly as yours do. Pushing ourselves beyond comfortable physical limits can be
dangerous and cause a severe relapse. On the other hand, doing what we can when we can is excellent therapy both physically and mentally... and we do! If I work at a part-time job for 4 hours one day, my fatigue level is greater than yours
if you worked a 12 hour day. Many days I can still do anything I ever did as
well as I ever did ... but only one thing per day or week or month. Everything
drains us and exhausts us exponentially more than a normal, healthy person
ourage (whatever age that is); our recovery time is also exponentially greater.
If I go to a party or dinner and show tonight for several hours and
have awonderful time, I do so knowing with 99% certainty that tomorrow I will
need all day to rest and recover, much of it spent lying down. MS causes
secondary depression in and of itself; our depression may escalate when dealing
with days on end of constant pain and limited mobility or cognitive function. We
are NOT tired because we are depressed! We are depressed because we are so
tired.When I say I can't do something because I am so fatigued, please don't say
"Oh I know what you mean! I am worn out too, but..." because you don't.
MS fatigue is not like any tiredness you have ever experienced, nor has
anyone who does not have MS or other fatigue-producing disorder. I know you mean well, but it's irritating to hear because it tells me you don't understand me or
my MS at all. I may well be just plain tired - we get normally tired during
remission phases just as any normal person does - but trust me: we know the
difference, and it's huge.When we are together, please understand when I say I
have to sit down, lie down, get a drink, take these pills, or get into a cool
place that I have to do it and do it now! No, I can't walk another 5 blocks to
the car, or walk back down the hill I just climbed up. Don't baby me, don't
hover over me, don't do things for me unless I ask - we are very proud and never
want to be a burden.
Our independence, or what we can retain of it, is of paramount
importance to us! Please help by listening to and believing what we say we need
and act upon it accordingly and as quickly as possible. You wouldn't question a
known diabetics request for orange juice or insulin, so please don't question us
or urge us to 'keep on... we are almost there!' Not unless you are prepared toa)
carry us the rest of the way or b) call 911.MS does not wait, nor does it forgive... when we say "please ... now!" it means now. If you want to suggest a cure to me, don't. It's not because I don't appreciate the thought, and it's not because I don't want to get well. It's because I have had almost every single one of my family and friends suggest something at one point or another. At first I tried them all, but then I realized that I was using up so much energy trying things that I was making myself sicker, not better.
If there was something that cured, or even markedly helped, all forms
of MS the world would know about it. If you still insist on promoting 'cures' to
me or giving me'this will make you better' advice, do so; but understand I won't
rush out and try it though I may well continue to research it on my own and
discuss those findings with my doctors. In many ways I depend on you... people
who are not sick...
I need you to visit with me when I am unable to go out; sometimes I may
need you to help me with shopping, cooking or cleaning; sometimes I may even
need you to do those things for me. I may need you to go with me to my doctor
appointments to help me remember and understand their direction, or I may just
need a ride. I need you on so many different levels... as much as possible,treat
me as normally as possible, enjoy me and allow me to enjoy you as much as
possible, and.... as much as it's possible...
I need you to understand me.
Running
So let me re-committ myself.
On January 17, 2010 I WILL RUN the Houston Marathon.
It will be my 13th Marathon. And the first one in three years for me. I will RUN for A REASON for MS. So if your reading this make sure you contact me so I can email an invite to sponsor me.
When I did the marathon 3-years ago, I ran for CanCare, because my father in-law Dave passed away of Lung Cancer. But he had MS for over 20 years. And even though people told me MS didn't have anything to do with him having cancer, I believe it did, because he could no longer fight because of what MS did to him.
As healthy people and runners we are so lucky!! The least I can do is go through four and a half hours of pain, it's just a drop in the bucket to what people with MS go through on a day to day basis.
And if your a runner and want this years marathon to be something special run for MS!!
This Saturday my training kicks off. For the next 26-weeks a big part of my life will be dedicated to training for the marathon. I pray that my wife Ginger and my boys Davis and Drew understand. Anyway, until tomorrow.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
July 7, 2009 "My Faith"
"Whoever accepts you, accepts me, and whoever accepts me also accepts the One who sent me." Matthew 10:40
Prayer
What an awesome weekend!! I was able to spend some great time with my sons. They are so sweet and innocent at times. And they are so happy and full of life. What's amazing is what I call God moments. We were on our way to lunch on Friday and listening to KSBJ. At high noon everyday, they say the Lords prayer. So as we're driving I look in my rear view mirror they have their hands crossed and their eyest closed. At the end of the prayer they both say AMEN!! It was so cool!! The reason I picked the verse for today's post Matthew 10:40 is I know people have never seen me this way. In the past, I would have hidden my faith, but now I'm really trying to put it out there, because I feel it's the only way people can come to him and learn to love him like I do. Some people might say, oh he turned to God because he was out of a job for so long. Well, that's wrong because I knew God and fell in Love with him when I was 17 years old. He sent me a message back in January and I am never going to forget about him again.
Running
I should have listened to my body last week. I decided to run Saturday morning and it turned out to be a disaster!! I covered 7 miles in just under a 1:15, not good. Not to mention the ankle started to act up again. This is not a good sign leading into the beginning of my training for Houston. I'm really not sure about how I am going to avoid pain. But, what I can do is that God will give me the strength and wisdom to finish the Marathon in January. How I get there, well what can I say, that's half the fun of it. I am going to take tomorrow off since the ankle was a little sore today. Saturday is the start of Woodlands Fit!! It should be interesting, but I'm looking forward to seeing and running with my old friends.
Friday, July 3, 2009
July 3, 2009 Taking a Break
"When you pray, you should go into your room and close the door and pray to your father who cannot be seen. Your father can see what is done in secret, and he will reward you." Matthew 6:6
Praying
This is so true. Every morning before I do anything I make it a point to read the bible and pray. Early in the morning is so nice because the house is quiet, there are no tv's just quiet.
What's really cool is in the morning when I'm driving to work I usually see the sun rising. Lately the sun rises have been so beautiful. It's at that point you realize that the picture in the sky is God showing you his power and beauty. Since I have re-started my relationship with him everyday he shows me these moments. It is so awesome!!
Running
So far this week has been pretty good. The heat continues to be a factor but otherwise I'm enjoying my workout. How connect God to my running is always lifts me up when I need it. On Tuesday that was the case. I was kind of down and really not looking forward to my track workout. So I prayed about that and asked him to help feel strong, stay cool and pain free. Well, as usual that prayer came true because I ended up doing 12x400 at pretty much the same pace (1:46) it was truely amazing!! I really didn't think beforehand I could do that many. So I'm feeling pretty good right now. I should take tomorrow off but I'm enjoying my running so much I don't know if I want to. The cool thing about running early in the morning is it is not super hot so I can get a good distance run in.
Next week Fit starts so I'm excited. Training for Houston will officially begin on July 11th.
Monday, June 29, 2009
June 29, 2009
"So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lordis ever useless." 1 Corinthians 15:58
Praying
It's been awhile but I have been working hard just as I was commanded by the Lord. I want to do well and glorify him. Slowly but surely things are starting to come together at work. There is still a lot to do and I am still very nervous because it's a new job. I don't trust this company. Anyway, my two co-workers are very negative and sometimes that is hard to deal with. I really try and keep my mouth shut. I can tell they are not happy because they don't understand what it is like to not have a job. Not only that I don't think they are believers. Most of that is based on their attitude on a day to day to basis. All I can do is pray and trust the Lord for putting me in this job. He has a plan for me and will provide for my family and I.
On another note, I am very disturbed about the things my sister is going through. The doctors in Portland don't listen to her so they are not prescribing the right medication to help her live her life on a day to day to basis. I feel so bad for her and she gets so frustrated. I will pray that God will find a way for me to help her.
Running
I ran the Polish Pickle run Saturday and started out great in the first mile (7:15), but that was too fast and mile two was in 7:55 and 3 was in 8:30. I totally crashed and burned. I did not run a very smart race. It was very warm 85+ and the course was hilly. The field was pretty fast to, probably because there was a first place prize. The ankle is still bothering me a little bit but I'm trying to fight through it. I haven't decided on if I will run Saturday morning yet. I'll see how I feel. I could use the break. The week after next, Fit starts so my new training schedule will start up then as well. I feel pretty strong and I know if the weather was cooler I would do pretty good. Tomorrow is track and it looks like we will be doing 400's. That could be interesting especially with the heat and humidity.
Praying
It's been awhile but I have been working hard just as I was commanded by the Lord. I want to do well and glorify him. Slowly but surely things are starting to come together at work. There is still a lot to do and I am still very nervous because it's a new job. I don't trust this company. Anyway, my two co-workers are very negative and sometimes that is hard to deal with. I really try and keep my mouth shut. I can tell they are not happy because they don't understand what it is like to not have a job. Not only that I don't think they are believers. Most of that is based on their attitude on a day to day to basis. All I can do is pray and trust the Lord for putting me in this job. He has a plan for me and will provide for my family and I.
On another note, I am very disturbed about the things my sister is going through. The doctors in Portland don't listen to her so they are not prescribing the right medication to help her live her life on a day to day to basis. I feel so bad for her and she gets so frustrated. I will pray that God will find a way for me to help her.
Running
I ran the Polish Pickle run Saturday and started out great in the first mile (7:15), but that was too fast and mile two was in 7:55 and 3 was in 8:30. I totally crashed and burned. I did not run a very smart race. It was very warm 85+ and the course was hilly. The field was pretty fast to, probably because there was a first place prize. The ankle is still bothering me a little bit but I'm trying to fight through it. I haven't decided on if I will run Saturday morning yet. I'll see how I feel. I could use the break. The week after next, Fit starts so my new training schedule will start up then as well. I feel pretty strong and I know if the weather was cooler I would do pretty good. Tomorrow is track and it looks like we will be doing 400's. That could be interesting especially with the heat and humidity.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Thursday June 24th
"And my God will liberally supply [fill to full] your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
Praying
It's been a couple of days since I have blogged but life has definetly picked up. But the one thing is, God is meeting all my needs. For example, last night before I went to track, I said a prayer to God to please keep me cool during the workout. It was 103 degrees out and the workout was going to be a real tough one. So I really was wondering if I should go out and run. But I did, and although I did sweat a lot, I felt pretty good. In some ways the heat didn't even seem to be a factor. So he took care of me last night. He is truely amazing!!
Running
I have managed to stay on schedule pretty much this week with runs on Monday and Tuesday. I'm off today simply because I had track last night. I will run tomorrow, but I'm not sure for how long. Temps are supposed to be at or above 100. What I'm really looking forward to is my massage tonight. It's going to hurt, but the long term affects will pay off. Saturday, I'm running a 5K and it may be the last race I do until September. The ankle is a minor problem but so far I have been able to keep it under control. All I can do is keep stretching and really keep a close eye on it. If it wasn't so dang hot right now running would be a lot of fun!!
Praying
It's been a couple of days since I have blogged but life has definetly picked up. But the one thing is, God is meeting all my needs. For example, last night before I went to track, I said a prayer to God to please keep me cool during the workout. It was 103 degrees out and the workout was going to be a real tough one. So I really was wondering if I should go out and run. But I did, and although I did sweat a lot, I felt pretty good. In some ways the heat didn't even seem to be a factor. So he took care of me last night. He is truely amazing!!
Running
I have managed to stay on schedule pretty much this week with runs on Monday and Tuesday. I'm off today simply because I had track last night. I will run tomorrow, but I'm not sure for how long. Temps are supposed to be at or above 100. What I'm really looking forward to is my massage tonight. It's going to hurt, but the long term affects will pay off. Saturday, I'm running a 5K and it may be the last race I do until September. The ankle is a minor problem but so far I have been able to keep it under control. All I can do is keep stretching and really keep a close eye on it. If it wasn't so dang hot right now running would be a lot of fun!!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sunday June 21 "Fathers Day"
"I celebrate before the Lord. Yes and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!" 2 Samuel 6:21-22
Prayer
It seems like every week now God has a new message for me. Last week it was about my job. This week it was about taking my faith out to the edge. It was a consistent message not only yesterday but today.
As it is stated in 1 Corinthians 1:27, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
I am no longer afraid, I am totally at his mercy he has me and he will never leave me. I see it all the time.
I have been praying for Ginger that she will finally make the committment and be baptized. She is so close, next weekend it will happen. I will continue to pray for this.
Father's day is so important to me. I read today in the bible that role is to lead my family in all matters. It's an enormous responsiability but I love it. I am so thankful for everything I have. When I was growing up, my dream was to someday have a wife, kids and house. Those dreams have come true and it's all because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It was a great day today and I'm so happy right now. God is so Great!!
Running
Yesterday I ran 7 miles it was a good run. The ankle bothered me a little bit but I made sure and stretched good. I have some good consistency going on my Saturday runs where I'm averaging around 9:30 to 9:45 per mile. That's a good easy pace. The big question I have is can I maintain a 8:30 pace in the longer distances. We'll hopefully see next weekend.
Today the ankle feels a lot better. This week is going to be a pretty hot week. Weather forecasters are predicting tempertures to be in the high 90's or low 100's. Could be interesting. Also, on Saturday I will probably run a 5K, mainly for fun but it will be interesting to see how I do. After this race there might not be another one until September so it's kind of important. Needless to say this week is critical as it will be my last hard week until Fit starts in two weeks.
Finally, I'm looking forward to Wednesday because I'm finally going to get a massage. That should help out a bunch. Until tomorrow.
Prayer
It seems like every week now God has a new message for me. Last week it was about my job. This week it was about taking my faith out to the edge. It was a consistent message not only yesterday but today.
As it is stated in 1 Corinthians 1:27, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
I am no longer afraid, I am totally at his mercy he has me and he will never leave me. I see it all the time.
I have been praying for Ginger that she will finally make the committment and be baptized. She is so close, next weekend it will happen. I will continue to pray for this.
Father's day is so important to me. I read today in the bible that role is to lead my family in all matters. It's an enormous responsiability but I love it. I am so thankful for everything I have. When I was growing up, my dream was to someday have a wife, kids and house. Those dreams have come true and it's all because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It was a great day today and I'm so happy right now. God is so Great!!
Running
Yesterday I ran 7 miles it was a good run. The ankle bothered me a little bit but I made sure and stretched good. I have some good consistency going on my Saturday runs where I'm averaging around 9:30 to 9:45 per mile. That's a good easy pace. The big question I have is can I maintain a 8:30 pace in the longer distances. We'll hopefully see next weekend.
Today the ankle feels a lot better. This week is going to be a pretty hot week. Weather forecasters are predicting tempertures to be in the high 90's or low 100's. Could be interesting. Also, on Saturday I will probably run a 5K, mainly for fun but it will be interesting to see how I do. After this race there might not be another one until September so it's kind of important. Needless to say this week is critical as it will be my last hard week until Fit starts in two weeks.
Finally, I'm looking forward to Wednesday because I'm finally going to get a massage. That should help out a bunch. Until tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Wednesday June 17th
"You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:8
Prayer
Today was an awesome day!! The last two days I prayed to the Lord to help me strong, wise and compassionate. And when I read this verse this morning, I really felt like I was walking in the Light. It was really cool. What I enjoy a lot right now is in the morning before leaving for work I will read a chapter or two in the bible. It sets me at ease and helps prepare me for the day. I know there are going to be tough times in my job, but he will help me get through them. AMEN!!
Running
No training today and probably not until Saturday. My ankle was a little swollen this afternoon and Dr. Mark suggested I wrap it and then take it easy for a day or two. I am going to get a deep tissue massage next week with Ute so that should help a lot. Dr. Mark told me it is very important I stretch after my runs otherwise the ankle will continue to get worse. Since I have gigantor calves those especially need to be stretched. I want to run and I love to run, but the other thing is that it is just so hot after 30 minutes it is just brutal. So no tempo run tomorrow and Saturday's run will probably be only 6 to 7 miles.
Prayer
Today was an awesome day!! The last two days I prayed to the Lord to help me strong, wise and compassionate. And when I read this verse this morning, I really felt like I was walking in the Light. It was really cool. What I enjoy a lot right now is in the morning before leaving for work I will read a chapter or two in the bible. It sets me at ease and helps prepare me for the day. I know there are going to be tough times in my job, but he will help me get through them. AMEN!!
Running
No training today and probably not until Saturday. My ankle was a little swollen this afternoon and Dr. Mark suggested I wrap it and then take it easy for a day or two. I am going to get a deep tissue massage next week with Ute so that should help a lot. Dr. Mark told me it is very important I stretch after my runs otherwise the ankle will continue to get worse. Since I have gigantor calves those especially need to be stretched. I want to run and I love to run, but the other thing is that it is just so hot after 30 minutes it is just brutal. So no tempo run tomorrow and Saturday's run will probably be only 6 to 7 miles.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
June 16, 2009
"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through His Spriit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19
Praying
I read this verse this morning before I went to work today. What weighed on me was the overwelming feeling that I wouldn't know enough to do my job. I'm really afraid that I will look like a complete idiot in front of people that have way more experience than I do. So I have turned it over to God. Through him, he will give me the knowledge and the confidence to do great things. After all, he picked me to do this job.
Running
Speed work in the summer really sucks. It was 98 degrees out tonight and running 400's at race pace was very difficult. Not only that, the workout got changed. Instead of doing 200's and 400's we ended up doing 6x400's and a 1600 time trial. I did great in the 400's but for the first time since I could remember, I couldn't finish the 1600. I am bummed about this but I'll get over it. I have also decided for the moment that I am going to take the rest of the week off because my ankle is really bothering me. I am hoping to get in with Crystal tomorrow and then on Saturday get a message. Hopefully that will get me back on track. Otherwise, I may be going back to Dr. Sutton which will costs some money. Also, I have already decided to top my distance at only 6-miles this weekend. I'm really nervous about this because I'm seeing the beginning of symptoms that I had last year when I had to shut it down for four weeks. Pray for my ankle to get better.
Praying
I read this verse this morning before I went to work today. What weighed on me was the overwelming feeling that I wouldn't know enough to do my job. I'm really afraid that I will look like a complete idiot in front of people that have way more experience than I do. So I have turned it over to God. Through him, he will give me the knowledge and the confidence to do great things. After all, he picked me to do this job.
Running
Speed work in the summer really sucks. It was 98 degrees out tonight and running 400's at race pace was very difficult. Not only that, the workout got changed. Instead of doing 200's and 400's we ended up doing 6x400's and a 1600 time trial. I did great in the 400's but for the first time since I could remember, I couldn't finish the 1600. I am bummed about this but I'll get over it. I have also decided for the moment that I am going to take the rest of the week off because my ankle is really bothering me. I am hoping to get in with Crystal tomorrow and then on Saturday get a message. Hopefully that will get me back on track. Otherwise, I may be going back to Dr. Sutton which will costs some money. Also, I have already decided to top my distance at only 6-miles this weekend. I'm really nervous about this because I'm seeing the beginning of symptoms that I had last year when I had to shut it down for four weeks. Pray for my ankle to get better.
Monday, June 15, 2009
June 15, 2009 - A New Beginning
"Do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the sprit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." Ephesians 1:16-18
Praying
This morning before I started my new job I made it a point to read the bible. This verse just jumped out at me. I was extremely nervous because I didn't know what to expect today. Now I know what I have to do. It is going to be a tough job but I know God has picked me to do this job because I can do some good. I sensed today people were down and they are probably worried especially with what I am going to be doing. They feel threatned that they will lose their jobs. So I really need to turn this over to God because I know I can't do it all by myself. I can do good in this, a lot of good.
Running
I got to run tonight at Terry Hershey Park. I love running there. It's all on greenbelt trails, the paths are asphalt and are mostly in the shade. I ran pretty good considering that it was about 98 degrees out. I'm still concerned about the ankle but I'm sure it will get better. I may keep the mileage down this weekend. We'll see.
I hope to change my diet. The new job may force me to take my lunch more so I should be able to eat better. Diet is so important when running and training get intense. If you don't eat enough with the heat you can bonk very quickly. If I find myself eating a lot of fatty foods I usually feel sluggish. I really want to eat more veggies and fruits especially since they have water in them. It would be nice to lose about another five to 10 pounds. If I can do that, than maybe it will reduce some of the stress on my knees and ankles. Tomorrow night is speed training. It will be a pretty tough workout. The workout is 4 to 6 400's and 200's. I doubt I will be setting any PR's in this one, it will be pretty warm out.
Time to go to bed I have a long day ahead of me.
Praying
This morning before I started my new job I made it a point to read the bible. This verse just jumped out at me. I was extremely nervous because I didn't know what to expect today. Now I know what I have to do. It is going to be a tough job but I know God has picked me to do this job because I can do some good. I sensed today people were down and they are probably worried especially with what I am going to be doing. They feel threatned that they will lose their jobs. So I really need to turn this over to God because I know I can't do it all by myself. I can do good in this, a lot of good.
Running
I got to run tonight at Terry Hershey Park. I love running there. It's all on greenbelt trails, the paths are asphalt and are mostly in the shade. I ran pretty good considering that it was about 98 degrees out. I'm still concerned about the ankle but I'm sure it will get better. I may keep the mileage down this weekend. We'll see.
I hope to change my diet. The new job may force me to take my lunch more so I should be able to eat better. Diet is so important when running and training get intense. If you don't eat enough with the heat you can bonk very quickly. If I find myself eating a lot of fatty foods I usually feel sluggish. I really want to eat more veggies and fruits especially since they have water in them. It would be nice to lose about another five to 10 pounds. If I can do that, than maybe it will reduce some of the stress on my knees and ankles. Tomorrow night is speed training. It will be a pretty tough workout. The workout is 4 to 6 400's and 200's. I doubt I will be setting any PR's in this one, it will be pretty warm out.
Time to go to bed I have a long day ahead of me.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sunday June 14th
"Whatever you do, do it heartly, as to the lord and not to men. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24
Praying
Tomorrow is my first day on the job in six months. I was watching Lakewood this morning and it was amazing how the message related to what I am about to start. I am not working for man, I am working for God. So my mission is to be the best worker. I need to stay positive no matter how bad it gets. Stay motivated and always strive to do my best and finally always find ways to improve my capabilities.
God rewards excellance!! Through him new doors will open, new connections will increase. Most importantly I need to honor God in the Workplace and go forth in his Glory.
My faith and Love for him will truely be tested now. What's the next miracle? I don't know. But I have to remember that he has a plan for me and this job is part of that plan!!
Running
Today was a day of rest. I was not that sore. A little tight but overall I feel pretty good. I feel stronger for some reason. Anyway, tomorrow will be interesting and exciting because I will be running around 5 pm or so when it is really hot. I get to go back to my favorite park so that will be fun.
Praying
Tomorrow is my first day on the job in six months. I was watching Lakewood this morning and it was amazing how the message related to what I am about to start. I am not working for man, I am working for God. So my mission is to be the best worker. I need to stay positive no matter how bad it gets. Stay motivated and always strive to do my best and finally always find ways to improve my capabilities.
God rewards excellance!! Through him new doors will open, new connections will increase. Most importantly I need to honor God in the Workplace and go forth in his Glory.
My faith and Love for him will truely be tested now. What's the next miracle? I don't know. But I have to remember that he has a plan for me and this job is part of that plan!!
Running
Today was a day of rest. I was not that sore. A little tight but overall I feel pretty good. I feel stronger for some reason. Anyway, tomorrow will be interesting and exciting because I will be running around 5 pm or so when it is really hot. I get to go back to my favorite park so that will be fun.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Saturday June 13th
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38
Praying
It's so cool when God talks to you. I went into to tonights sevice, not knowing what to expect. My miracle, I have been praying for the last six months finally came through. So what do I do now?What miracle is next? The verse above says it all, there are things I need or my family needs and the scripture says I should ask for it from God. You should Give what you need. If you need energy, exercise. If you need money give back to God. So the next step to take for us is to try tithing (not sure if that is the correct spelling) 10 percent of our take home income. That's a lot of money!! I have thought about it, and I even discussed it a little bit with Ginger, we are going to do it. I have to admit it is the ultimate leap, but everything else I have done in trusting God has happened. A lot of miracles!! It's only money right? As long as we can pay the bills and save a little that is all that matters. More on this later, I'm still thinking on this subject.
Running
I finally did it. I pulled my sorry ass out of bed at 5:30 to run 10 miles. You know what? It paid off!! The weather down here has been terribly hot. I managed to get in about 11 miles and felt pretty good. It was still pretty warm but starting a hour early makes a huge difference. The only thing that bothered me was my ankle, which seems to be acting up some since I switched to a new pair of shoes. I have to admit I'm a little worried but it's going to be something I am going to have to push through.
Afterwards, I was sitting around with a few friends and we were discussing Saturday long runs and what the purpose should be. My belief is they are meant to be long and easy which is usually what I'm able to do. Your body needs to be trained on knowing the difference between easy and hard. If you don't do that, than during a race how are you going to monitor how your performing? When running a marathon you have to be able to do this otherwise your day is going to be a long one.
I have been doing this long enough to have finally figured it out. Today was just another long easy run. It felt good. There will be some tough days ahead. But during every single run, God will be right there with me. He will take care of me and help me to be the best I can be.
My next miracle I want from God is for him to give me the strength to take that leap of faith and to trust him. I desire to become closer to God and our Lord Jesus Chirst. My journey has only just begun.
It's late, I'm beat so I'm going to bed.
Praying
It's so cool when God talks to you. I went into to tonights sevice, not knowing what to expect. My miracle, I have been praying for the last six months finally came through. So what do I do now?What miracle is next? The verse above says it all, there are things I need or my family needs and the scripture says I should ask for it from God. You should Give what you need. If you need energy, exercise. If you need money give back to God. So the next step to take for us is to try tithing (not sure if that is the correct spelling) 10 percent of our take home income. That's a lot of money!! I have thought about it, and I even discussed it a little bit with Ginger, we are going to do it. I have to admit it is the ultimate leap, but everything else I have done in trusting God has happened. A lot of miracles!! It's only money right? As long as we can pay the bills and save a little that is all that matters. More on this later, I'm still thinking on this subject.
Running
I finally did it. I pulled my sorry ass out of bed at 5:30 to run 10 miles. You know what? It paid off!! The weather down here has been terribly hot. I managed to get in about 11 miles and felt pretty good. It was still pretty warm but starting a hour early makes a huge difference. The only thing that bothered me was my ankle, which seems to be acting up some since I switched to a new pair of shoes. I have to admit I'm a little worried but it's going to be something I am going to have to push through.
Afterwards, I was sitting around with a few friends and we were discussing Saturday long runs and what the purpose should be. My belief is they are meant to be long and easy which is usually what I'm able to do. Your body needs to be trained on knowing the difference between easy and hard. If you don't do that, than during a race how are you going to monitor how your performing? When running a marathon you have to be able to do this otherwise your day is going to be a long one.
I have been doing this long enough to have finally figured it out. Today was just another long easy run. It felt good. There will be some tough days ahead. But during every single run, God will be right there with me. He will take care of me and help me to be the best I can be.
My next miracle I want from God is for him to give me the strength to take that leap of faith and to trust him. I desire to become closer to God and our Lord Jesus Chirst. My journey has only just begun.
It's late, I'm beat so I'm going to bed.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Friday June 12, 2009
"He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Corintrhians 9:16
Praying
Ok so I kind of figured it out while I was unemployed. We all go through lives with our heads down and not really thinking about others that are not as fortunate as us. It is so important that we help others out. This can be in really any form or fashion. Maybe it's in the form of tithing at your Church, volunteering in Community Service.
The first thing I am probably going to do is help out with the Job Ministry at Fellowship. There are still a lot of people out of work and they need all the help they can get. I am no longer afraid to show people that I am in Love with God our Savior. "I am walking in the light and I intend to stay there!"
One last thing, Facebook has punished my sister for promoting this blog. I'm really bummed about this because I want people to read my experience. Oh well, we'll figure something out.
Running
So yesterday I did my Tempo run and it was a lot slower than usual. I have figured out that for the next couple of months that effort is going to be more important than time. Which means it is time to go back to using the Heart Rate monitor. I felt pretty good yesterday but I really need to make sure I'm increasing my heart rate. I'm a little sore today. I'm little concerned about my ankle, some of the old symptoms are popping back up. I need to stay healthy this season especially since I'm doing the marathon.
Tomorrow I will attempt to run 10 miles. I am going to start a lot earlier especially since it is so hot. I cannot remember it ever being this bad in June...It is going to be a long hot summer..
Peace Out!!
Praying
Ok so I kind of figured it out while I was unemployed. We all go through lives with our heads down and not really thinking about others that are not as fortunate as us. It is so important that we help others out. This can be in really any form or fashion. Maybe it's in the form of tithing at your Church, volunteering in Community Service.
The first thing I am probably going to do is help out with the Job Ministry at Fellowship. There are still a lot of people out of work and they need all the help they can get. I am no longer afraid to show people that I am in Love with God our Savior. "I am walking in the light and I intend to stay there!"
One last thing, Facebook has punished my sister for promoting this blog. I'm really bummed about this because I want people to read my experience. Oh well, we'll figure something out.
Running
So yesterday I did my Tempo run and it was a lot slower than usual. I have figured out that for the next couple of months that effort is going to be more important than time. Which means it is time to go back to using the Heart Rate monitor. I felt pretty good yesterday but I really need to make sure I'm increasing my heart rate. I'm a little sore today. I'm little concerned about my ankle, some of the old symptoms are popping back up. I need to stay healthy this season especially since I'm doing the marathon.
Tomorrow I will attempt to run 10 miles. I am going to start a lot earlier especially since it is so hot. I cannot remember it ever being this bad in June...It is going to be a long hot summer..
Peace Out!!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Thursday June 11
"A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul."
Today was another great day walking in God's light. I was able to see my brothers at the Exchange and give them the good news that I now had a job. It's so cool when you know that people are truely happy for you.
Second I took a big step and went to the Woodlands Fit orientation meeting. I was really suprised with how good it felt. I thought I would have some pretty hurt feelings about it, they even acknowledged me and gave me a chance to announce to everybody I was running for Kellye my sister. I needed to do this for my healing. God was me all the way.
Last night I posted the MS Letter that really explains at a high level what MS does. Tonight I want to post part two which is the response to that letter. It takes on the point of view of responding to MS and basically saying your NOT GOING TO WIN!!
So here it is.
The Response
Dear My chronic condition:
I would like to clarify that, while you may wreak havoc on my body, and maybe even confuse my mind. You cannot have my heart or my soul. You cannot have my faith, my hope, or my love. There are some good things that you have given me, things I never could have experienced had you not come to possess my body.
You have given me:
Today was another great day walking in God's light. I was able to see my brothers at the Exchange and give them the good news that I now had a job. It's so cool when you know that people are truely happy for you.
Second I took a big step and went to the Woodlands Fit orientation meeting. I was really suprised with how good it felt. I thought I would have some pretty hurt feelings about it, they even acknowledged me and gave me a chance to announce to everybody I was running for Kellye my sister. I needed to do this for my healing. God was me all the way.
Last night I posted the MS Letter that really explains at a high level what MS does. Tonight I want to post part two which is the response to that letter. It takes on the point of view of responding to MS and basically saying your NOT GOING TO WIN!!
So here it is.
The Response
Dear My chronic condition:
I would like to clarify that, while you may wreak havoc on my body, and maybe even confuse my mind. You cannot have my heart or my soul. You cannot have my faith, my hope, or my love. There are some good things that you have given me, things I never could have experienced had you not come to possess my body.
You have given me:
- Renewed friendship with strong, close, true friends.
- Appreciation for every precious moment I am given. A gift that is sometimes lost on the "healthy".
- Growth in character, perseverance, and hope.
- Ispiration to help others.
- More compassion for others who are suffering.
- Better knowledge of my own body & health.
- A reason to eat more nutritiously and take care of myself.
- Reasons to rest when I need it.
You see, you will not find me an agreeable host. I will fight you, I will not give up. On bad days, I will take care of myself. On the good days, I will take advantage of every precious moment. You have thrown some obstacles in my life's journey, but I will go over them or around them, no matter what it takes. In fact, while I am overcoming them, I will stop for a moment to reflect upon the mountain I am climbing, plant a few seeds and then continue on. I will learn and grow from this experience and help others.
Sincerely, Me
Article written by Brandi Lasnick, found on butyoudontlooksick.com
All of this leaves me speechless and in awe of what everybody who has MS goes through on a daily basis. I Love you Sis!! your my hero!!
Bro
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday June 10..A new day
"For I know I have plans for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Today was pretty good, I went to Between Jobs Ministry and gave my testomonial it was pretty awesome.
Anyway, I wanted to post something from my sister Kellye who has MS.
The letter below is something she posted on Facebook and it's from MS describing what the disease will do to you. Once you read it you will never again complain about being hurt.
Letter from Your Chronic Condition
To whom it may concern:
Congratulations! You have been selected to be the host for Multiple Sclerosis. You will begin to experience many or all of these symptoms -- and may even deal with several of them at the same time.
-Pain can be anywhere you can imagine. We are equal opportunity destroyers, therefore we will choose many places for you to experience pain. We have even devised many different types of pain -- it could be aching, stabbing, throbbing, tingling, burning, gripping, or cramping. We are continually improving our repertoire of pain categories, so updates are to be expected.
-Dizziness. This can be accompanied by nausea, mental confusion, ringing in the ears, vomiting, loss of coordination, and sensations of spinning, rocking, or shaking. We try to simulate the experience of riding a never-ending roller coaster to satisfy your adventurous spirit. No safety harnesses required, and you have no choice of when the coaster ride starts,ends, or how fast it goes.
-Extreme fatigue (Now remember, this is not just being "tired". We will suddenly "pull your plug", so to speak, and you will have NO energy at all. Even dressing or taking a shower will be too daunting of a task for you to complete. And because we like surprises, we will NOT give you any advance warning, so you could be in the middle of the grocery store, at work, playing with you kids, or trying to clean the house.)
-Poor balance, lack of coordination. Let's just say you may walk or talk like you are drunk -- even if you haven't had any alcohol recently. And for those of you who have never indulged in alcohol, you are now going to understand what it is like to be drunk and to have a hangover.
-Forgetting, losing, dropping things. These are just a few of the perks of your condition. You will learn to expect them, but never to enjoy them.
In addition to the symptoms above, we also want to eliminate some things from your crowded lifestyle. Here are a few of the things which will be taken away from you now that you are chosen to have a chronic condition:
Today was pretty good, I went to Between Jobs Ministry and gave my testomonial it was pretty awesome.
Anyway, I wanted to post something from my sister Kellye who has MS.
The letter below is something she posted on Facebook and it's from MS describing what the disease will do to you. Once you read it you will never again complain about being hurt.
Letter from Your Chronic Condition
To whom it may concern:
Congratulations! You have been selected to be the host for Multiple Sclerosis. You will begin to experience many or all of these symptoms -- and may even deal with several of them at the same time.
-Pain can be anywhere you can imagine. We are equal opportunity destroyers, therefore we will choose many places for you to experience pain. We have even devised many different types of pain -- it could be aching, stabbing, throbbing, tingling, burning, gripping, or cramping. We are continually improving our repertoire of pain categories, so updates are to be expected.
-Dizziness. This can be accompanied by nausea, mental confusion, ringing in the ears, vomiting, loss of coordination, and sensations of spinning, rocking, or shaking. We try to simulate the experience of riding a never-ending roller coaster to satisfy your adventurous spirit. No safety harnesses required, and you have no choice of when the coaster ride starts,ends, or how fast it goes.
-Extreme fatigue (Now remember, this is not just being "tired". We will suddenly "pull your plug", so to speak, and you will have NO energy at all. Even dressing or taking a shower will be too daunting of a task for you to complete. And because we like surprises, we will NOT give you any advance warning, so you could be in the middle of the grocery store, at work, playing with you kids, or trying to clean the house.)
-Poor balance, lack of coordination. Let's just say you may walk or talk like you are drunk -- even if you haven't had any alcohol recently. And for those of you who have never indulged in alcohol, you are now going to understand what it is like to be drunk and to have a hangover.
-Forgetting, losing, dropping things. These are just a few of the perks of your condition. You will learn to expect them, but never to enjoy them.
In addition to the symptoms above, we also want to eliminate some things from your crowded lifestyle. Here are a few of the things which will be taken away from you now that you are chosen to have a chronic condition:
- The ability to stand or walk for longer than 15 minutes without experiencing pain in you feet, ankles, knees, or legs.
- The ability to sit for longer than 10 minutes without experience cramping in your legs and butt, or shooting pains in your back.
- The ability to complete any task which requires more than 10 minutes of concentration, multi-step activities or long-term projects will take 2-3 times longer then average.
- The ability to play and run with your children like you did before.
- The ability to have a "normal" social life.
- The ability to accumulate sick days at work/ school to earn the perfect attendance bonus.
As indicated previously, this condition is in constant flux and more symptoms will be added as we deem necessary. There is no warranty guarantee, technical support, or customer service available.
Sincerely, Your chronic condition
All I can say is WOW..Now you know that we as healthy people have no reason to bitch about our minuture aches and pains.
Tomorrow I will post the response, which is awesome..
God Bless
June 9th - The Greatest Day of the Year!!
"And my God will liberall supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:19
By far today was the best day of the year. I finally am employed and I will start on Monday. God is Great!! So many times we ask Why me Lord? Most of the time you don't get a answer or I should say you don't hear the answer. But he always answers you, you just have to look for it and trust your free will he has given you to make the right the decision. There were times over the last five months where I didn't see his answer or find it, but what is really cool, is when that answer came, it was huge!!
I was faced with a decision today, should I turn down what is being offered to me and hope for an opportunity that will pay me more money. Or take the lesser paid position that would keep me in Houston. I prayed for the wisdom and courage to make the decision and he answered. So all I can say is WOW!!
On to the running part. Tonight was tough. Mainly because of the heat and humidity. It was 93 frickin degrees when I stepped onto the track. I asked myself how am I going to do 2 to 3 1200's in these condtions. Well, I ended up doing 4!! Not my fastest times, but I finished and I know the work will eventually pay off.
Over all these months, I have realized that the hard work you put in, in June, July and August will eventually pay off in November, December and January. So what did I get out of this workout tonight? Mental strength!! I wanted to stop after 2, but I kept going and I finished.
Until tomorrow. Goodnight NOW!!
By far today was the best day of the year. I finally am employed and I will start on Monday. God is Great!! So many times we ask Why me Lord? Most of the time you don't get a answer or I should say you don't hear the answer. But he always answers you, you just have to look for it and trust your free will he has given you to make the right the decision. There were times over the last five months where I didn't see his answer or find it, but what is really cool, is when that answer came, it was huge!!
I was faced with a decision today, should I turn down what is being offered to me and hope for an opportunity that will pay me more money. Or take the lesser paid position that would keep me in Houston. I prayed for the wisdom and courage to make the decision and he answered. So all I can say is WOW!!
On to the running part. Tonight was tough. Mainly because of the heat and humidity. It was 93 frickin degrees when I stepped onto the track. I asked myself how am I going to do 2 to 3 1200's in these condtions. Well, I ended up doing 4!! Not my fastest times, but I finished and I know the work will eventually pay off.
Over all these months, I have realized that the hard work you put in, in June, July and August will eventually pay off in November, December and January. So what did I get out of this workout tonight? Mental strength!! I wanted to stop after 2, but I kept going and I finished.
Until tomorrow. Goodnight NOW!!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Monday, Monday
"I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation." Pslams 118:13-14
Last night, I learned from my sister that one of her friend's family suffered a horrible accident. It struck me rather hard because this friends husband lost his 3-year old son and his wife and daughter are very badly burned. My kids are just a few years older and I find it hard to imagine what it would be like to lose one of them. They are my life!! Up until 10 years ago, I never knew what unconditional love was. But with my family it's so deep, it is amazing. God has blessed me with what I have today.
He has also blessed me by returning back to me, my Love for running. I went in to today's run with a little apprehension especially after Saturday's workout. It was hot!! But I played it smart and ran for the most part in the shade. After Saturday's run I was a little concerned about my ankle, but there was no pain today.
On Monday's I always go in with the attitude of keeping some fuel in the tank because I know tomorrow's workout is going to be very difficult. I know I will not have anything left. I need to make it a point tomorrow to eat because if I don't I the workout will be a complete waste. With my height and weight I supposed to intake about 3,000 calories a day. I need to make sure and hit that number tomorrow.
Finally tomorrow will be a very busy day since I am supposed to go to Port Arthur, TX for a job interview. I need to make sure and get a good nights rest tonight.
Until tomorrow.........
Last night, I learned from my sister that one of her friend's family suffered a horrible accident. It struck me rather hard because this friends husband lost his 3-year old son and his wife and daughter are very badly burned. My kids are just a few years older and I find it hard to imagine what it would be like to lose one of them. They are my life!! Up until 10 years ago, I never knew what unconditional love was. But with my family it's so deep, it is amazing. God has blessed me with what I have today.
He has also blessed me by returning back to me, my Love for running. I went in to today's run with a little apprehension especially after Saturday's workout. It was hot!! But I played it smart and ran for the most part in the shade. After Saturday's run I was a little concerned about my ankle, but there was no pain today.
On Monday's I always go in with the attitude of keeping some fuel in the tank because I know tomorrow's workout is going to be very difficult. I know I will not have anything left. I need to make it a point tomorrow to eat because if I don't I the workout will be a complete waste. With my height and weight I supposed to intake about 3,000 calories a day. I need to make sure and hit that number tomorrow.
Finally tomorrow will be a very busy day since I am supposed to go to Port Arthur, TX for a job interview. I need to make sure and get a good nights rest tonight.
Until tomorrow.........
Sunday, June 7, 2009
June 7th - A day of rest!!
"God cares what happens...even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail-even numbering the hairs on your head!" Matthew 10:30
It's so amazing that when you need to hear a message God speaks. Last night at Church, God told me that he cares about my loss and that I need to heal from that loss. I need to ask him to take away the hurt and give me my healing. Yesterday I mentioned that I needed to let go and forgive what happened to me in relation to my losing my position of Organizer of Woodlands Fit. So that is what I will do today. Please say a prayer for me.
Physically today I am little sore from the run yesterday, but I'll be ready to go tomorrow. It's going to be a very hot and steamy week so it may be a good idea to get my runs in early or at least before the hot temps of the day. Usually down here in South Central Texas the hottest time of the day is around 4-5 PM. So even if I get my runs in around 12 or 1 I should still be ok. This will be a heavy week for me since I kind of took it easy last week.
Tomorrow (Monday) - 40 minute easy run
Tuesday - Track workout - 2 to 4 1200's...This is going to be a tough one..
Wednesday - Off
Thursday - 30 to 35 minute Tempo Run
Saturday - At least 10 miles if not further.
By the end of the week I should be adjusted to the new shoes.
The other goal for this week is to research MS so I have a better understanding of what I am running for. I think I will also post the letter my sister wrote earlier this week.
For now the rest of the day will be spent relaxing.
God is Great!!
It's so amazing that when you need to hear a message God speaks. Last night at Church, God told me that he cares about my loss and that I need to heal from that loss. I need to ask him to take away the hurt and give me my healing. Yesterday I mentioned that I needed to let go and forgive what happened to me in relation to my losing my position of Organizer of Woodlands Fit. So that is what I will do today. Please say a prayer for me.
Physically today I am little sore from the run yesterday, but I'll be ready to go tomorrow. It's going to be a very hot and steamy week so it may be a good idea to get my runs in early or at least before the hot temps of the day. Usually down here in South Central Texas the hottest time of the day is around 4-5 PM. So even if I get my runs in around 12 or 1 I should still be ok. This will be a heavy week for me since I kind of took it easy last week.
Tomorrow (Monday) - 40 minute easy run
Tuesday - Track workout - 2 to 4 1200's...This is going to be a tough one..
Wednesday - Off
Thursday - 30 to 35 minute Tempo Run
Saturday - At least 10 miles if not further.
By the end of the week I should be adjusted to the new shoes.
The other goal for this week is to research MS so I have a better understanding of what I am running for. I think I will also post the letter my sister wrote earlier this week.
For now the rest of the day will be spent relaxing.
God is Great!!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
June 6 A new Day!!
"Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will RUN and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint." Isaiah 40:31
I woke up this morning anticipating a great run because I knew the weather would be cool. We don't have many of these left this summer so I wanted to try and run as far as possible. I figured with my shoes I purchased yesterday I would be in great shape. But I was wrong, or I should say God wanted to teach me a lesson. Bottom line, the run didn't go so well.
Maybe it was the heavy heart I carried into the run this morning. For the last four years, I had been the organizer of Woodlands Fit. About this time last year I was informed that I would be replaced this season by Luke's Locker. No reason was given, and to this day I still haven't heard why this change was made. I thought I had forgiven USA Fit for this decision and actually looked forward to only having to worry about running and training for the Houston Marathon. But I guess I haven't done that and now with the program start date rapidly approaching I am beginning to wonder how it will affect me. I have to admit I am going to miss my involvement in the program. I could have stayed on as a coach but I decided to not accept that position. So I guess I need to pray to God that he helps me forgive those who were involved in the decision to not have me back.
So now on to other things, I running the marathon this year and I'm doing it for my sister Kellye who has MS. I have seen this terrible disease at work because my father in-law Dave suffered for many years. One thing I want to do is learn about MS. I want to know how it affects the body. What causes it, how can it be treated, how close are we coming to a cure?
We as runners always whine and moan about the little pains we suffer through while training. Today my ankle was bothering me, but compared to what my sister goes through every day that is trivial. Kellye is a hero to me simply because she has overcome so much in her life. God is such a huge part of her life and he saved her. I wish I was a strong as she was, maybe this experience will make me help me get there. It won't be easy. I'm three years older and have issues all over the place. But with God's help I WILL DO THIS!!
I woke up this morning anticipating a great run because I knew the weather would be cool. We don't have many of these left this summer so I wanted to try and run as far as possible. I figured with my shoes I purchased yesterday I would be in great shape. But I was wrong, or I should say God wanted to teach me a lesson. Bottom line, the run didn't go so well.
Maybe it was the heavy heart I carried into the run this morning. For the last four years, I had been the organizer of Woodlands Fit. About this time last year I was informed that I would be replaced this season by Luke's Locker. No reason was given, and to this day I still haven't heard why this change was made. I thought I had forgiven USA Fit for this decision and actually looked forward to only having to worry about running and training for the Houston Marathon. But I guess I haven't done that and now with the program start date rapidly approaching I am beginning to wonder how it will affect me. I have to admit I am going to miss my involvement in the program. I could have stayed on as a coach but I decided to not accept that position. So I guess I need to pray to God that he helps me forgive those who were involved in the decision to not have me back.
So now on to other things, I running the marathon this year and I'm doing it for my sister Kellye who has MS. I have seen this terrible disease at work because my father in-law Dave suffered for many years. One thing I want to do is learn about MS. I want to know how it affects the body. What causes it, how can it be treated, how close are we coming to a cure?
We as runners always whine and moan about the little pains we suffer through while training. Today my ankle was bothering me, but compared to what my sister goes through every day that is trivial. Kellye is a hero to me simply because she has overcome so much in her life. God is such a huge part of her life and he saved her. I wish I was a strong as she was, maybe this experience will make me help me get there. It won't be easy. I'm three years older and have issues all over the place. But with God's help I WILL DO THIS!!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Starting Over
Friday 6/5/09
It's time that I get with technology. I have been running a lot lately but I am now crazy enough to committ to running my 13th marathon in January 2010. The fact that I'm 45 years old and haven't run one if almost three years presents
There are two things that are different this time though.
First, I'm running with God on this one. Over the last couple of months I re-established my relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and my life has changed so much.
Second, I will running for MS which is what my sister Kellye has and my late Father in-law suffered from before he passed 2 1/2 years ago.
I'm going to try and post something everyday or at the least a few times a week. It will consist of some scripture, maybe some photos and of course all the fun I'm having training for the marathon.
For now I'm off to buy a new pair of shoes since my current pair of shoes are pretty much trashed.
It's time that I get with technology. I have been running a lot lately but I am now crazy enough to committ to running my 13th marathon in January 2010. The fact that I'm 45 years old and haven't run one if almost three years presents
There are two things that are different this time though.
First, I'm running with God on this one. Over the last couple of months I re-established my relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and my life has changed so much.
Second, I will running for MS which is what my sister Kellye has and my late Father in-law suffered from before he passed 2 1/2 years ago.
I'm going to try and post something everyday or at the least a few times a week. It will consist of some scripture, maybe some photos and of course all the fun I'm having training for the marathon.
For now I'm off to buy a new pair of shoes since my current pair of shoes are pretty much trashed.
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