Why?

I am from New England.  Not from Boston.  I was born in Connecticut, lived there most of my childhood with the exception of 3 years in a suburb of Boston.

Growing up in New England, most everyone has a sense that the Boston is the “big city”….the place where people go to do things that they can’t otherwise do.  Take in a Red Sox game or a celtics game.  See some of the absolutely amazing historical sites.  Boston is alive and rich in living history of the trials and tribulations of our great country.

The Boston Marathon.  As American as apple pie, yet as international as the olympics.  I don’t know the exact number and frankly I am to tired to look it up but I would assume and you can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe there were runners from 53 different nations running in yesterday’s Boston Marathon.  Why do people come from all over the world to run in this event.  Several reasons but most everyone I know who comes to run in the Boston Marathon does so not just for the Marathon.  They come to see where freedom started.

Yesterday, on Patriot’s Day no less we again lost a little bit more freedom.  Things will change as we react to the terrorist bombings.  Much like 9/11, we will again make changes.  We are not the only ones affected by these attacks.  Everyone is.  Everyone who values freedom and life is affected.  These bombings occurred in Boston however they could have occurred anywhere.  Any city in America.  Any city in Canada.  Any city in Britain or China or wherever.  And unfortunately they have.

This morning while on my run for remembrance I was talking to a guy who agreed that the events of yesterday were tragic but what he said next was relatively profound.  Imagine living like this every single day.  Where bombings happen on a regular basis.  Where people live in the fear everyday that sending their kids off to school could be life or death.  I pondered that thought for a few minutes as we kept running and I responded with, “my friend, we are now living like that here in America.”

There is no safe haven.  Everyone is at risk.  The school shootings in Newtown, Ct not so long ago reflect that.  What do we do?

Well my opinion is that we cannot go into hibernation.  We can reflect on the lives lost and the devastation that these events wreak, but we cannot lie down and not live our lives.  We are America and Canada and Britain and every other place in the world that values freedom and those with freedom have the right to stand up and say F**K YOU!

I have no idea who did this yesterday in Boston and in the big picture, it really doesn’t matter.  What matters is that it happened and many 100′s of lives have been altered in an instant.

        Photo pulled from CNN.com

One of the lives lost is young 8 year old Martin Richard.  Martin was there at the finish line to give his dad a hug as his dad completed the race.  He was there with his mom, older brother and younger sister.  Sadly, Martin is no longer with us.  His mother is in critical condition with apparent massive brain injuries and his younger sister is being said to have lost one of her legs.  This is just one family whose lives have been changed forever and there are many many more.

I think it is human nature to be introspective in moments like this.  I think back to my own family.  My kids and Tanya waiting for me in bleachers at the finish line of Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth last June.  I think about what I saw at the finish line.  Hundreds and thousands of people all there cheering, most standing and some sitting in the bleachers.  Looking very much like the finish line in Boston with the bleachers and those standing.  I think about how in an instant, one single event could shatter the lives of so many.  Yesterday was one such day.

Races will no doubt change because of yesterday.  Race entry fee’s (which area already extremely expensive) will go up to allow for race directors to provide more security.  I would bet that even the act of racing will take a hit.  Many organizations will simply ask if it is worth it.  Is it worth the cost.  Many runners and their families will ask the same thing.  If it can happen in Boston at one of the most secure races in the world, it could happen anywhere.  Any local 5K or any other marathon.  Yes my friends, I fear that running in races is going to change.  Insurance to hold events is going to sky rocket.  I hope that it does not happen but it will.  Most race directors will tell you that putting on a race whether live or virtual, is an all consuming task where the margins are razor thin.  Adding additional security layers and the costs associated with those is going to be staggering.

I want to leave you with this.  I posted this on Facebook this morning.  Yes I wrote it and no it is not all that poetic but I do truly believe it to be true.

Welcome to today. Today is a new day. The sun rose in the East and brings with it light. Light that tells us that even in our darkest hours there is still there is still promise. Use the light as strength and move forward. Let’s turn our sadness into resolve. Let’s turn our weaknesses into strengths. Welcome to today. Today IS a new day, full of hope and promise. We get to decide individually how we want to live our day. I am choosing to live it with hope. Hope that I learned something yesterday and will use that learning to make myself better. Today is a new day and I will NOT waste it.

My thoughts and prayers to everyone who is struggling right now dealing with the events of yesterday.  No amount of money or prayers can bring back those we lost.  But we must move forward, we cannot stop.  It is the only way.

All the best and Happy Running and God Bless!

Jim

 

 

The life of Connor and his mom who loves him!

One of the greatest aspects of my “job” is getting to know people.  Not a single day goes by that I don’t learn something new about someone, the struggles that they have had, the joys, the happy times and the times when the tears flowed.  A few weeks ago when we introduced our Autism Awareness Run to benefit Autism Speaks, I was absolutely overwhelmed with the numbers of people who sent me emails telling me their story about their life and coping with an Autistic child.  Again, the joys and the tears.

One such story is here and I have asked if I could share it with anyone who wanted to read it.  Here is the story of Conner and his mom.

Connor, my little Bubbie, my Autism Warrior. Words are babble talk and his world is lonely and sad within his own mind. I wrote this haiku in my college creative writing class.  It reminds me of my son and how he sees the world. Connor James Hale was born December 15, 2003. From the first time I set my eyes on him, there was something special about my little Bubbie: Connor is an Autism warrior. I was in my first semester of my Associate’s degree for Fashion Merchandising when I gave birth to my fourth child.  Connor was born on a Monday and two days later I took my final exams.  I got two early Christmas presents that year, a beautiful little boy and I made Dean’s List. Connor was such an easygoing baby.  He slept through the night and didn’t fuss a lot.  He was always happy, but he would never look at your face.  I would hold him up to me and he would always turn his eyes away.  I guess back then I didn’t anything of it.  One of the scariest moments of my life happened days before Connor had his first birthday.  All of my children were put to bed and my kids’ father and I were sitting in the living room when a strange feeling came over me. I ran to Connor’s room and he wasn’t breathing.  I pulled him from his crib and he was turning blue.  He was having his first epileptic seizure.  Then until he was about four years old he would have these types of seizures that would scare the life out of me. The real fun and trials began when Connor began being mobile.

 

As soon as he knew what he could do with his legs, he was off and running and climbing.  He loved to climb everything.  I couldn’t keep anything on my walls because he would climb like a monkey and knock everything down.  As he grew, I knew he wasn’t meeting milestones that he should have been reaching.  He had his own “language”.  It was more like babble when you listened to him.  He didn’t start speaking words until was about five or six.  Kayla, my oldest, taught him how to write his name.  He also had a problem with smearing and he absolutely hated wearing his clothes.  You turn your head a quick second, and he was naked and he loved it. He’d jump up and down, smile and laugh.  He was also an escape artist. If you didn’t keep an eye on him he would find his way outside and run like the wind. He would probably be classified as a “wanderer”. I remember one afternoon; Connor climbed out one of the bedroom windows, naked, and ran down the street to the school park.  I ran after him barefoot and I could barely keep up with him.  Connor also has no fear and a high pain tolerance.  That’s why he would run and not realize that he was putting himself in danger. Through all this, Connor was a happy boy. Connor is 9 now and he has been living at a group home, the St. Louis Center in Chelsea, Michigan.  A year ago, Connor and his siblings Kayla, Cassie, and Andy, we’re placed in foster care with their grandmother.

She could not care for Connor so the St. Louis Center has become his home.  He has grown so much in the time that he has been living there.  He no longer smears and he stays dressed for the most part. I don’t know what the future will bring for my son but I know I will fight for him and keep him in my life.

Depression is NOT an obstacle

Over the past 2 years, since we opened the doors at Muffins to Marathons, I have often times sat back and wondered about a few things.  What benefit(s) are we bringing to people?  How are we helping?  Can we continue to make a difference in the lives of others?  Two years may not seem like a very long time and in the scope of things it is not.  However, I have to say that in the two years since Muffins was started, I have had the honor of being associated with some of the most fantastic, genuine, caring and truly inspirational people in the world.  Tonight is one of those nights that I have sit back and I don’t ask what we are doing to help others, I am sitting back and being very reflective and thankful for what others are bringing to me.  Several months ago, we received an online registration for one of our events.  Not to sound crass, but I didn’t think much of it at the time other than I need to ensure that I get all the documentation done, ensure that this person is going to be ready to go for the first race.  Little did I realize what was about to happen.  As I have (and most of you who are a part of our team) gotten to know this person, let’s call her Jane we have all realized just how inspirational a person can be.  Jane is always positive, always upbeat, always has a kind word to day.  Did I mention that Jane has Clinical Depression.  Jane has struggles getting out of bed in the morning, let alone getting out and completing a race.  I approached Jane about a month ago and asked her to share her story (after I had learned a little more about her) and she finally agreed.  What I am going to share with you right now is 100% inspiration!  It is heart!  It is dedication!  It is story that often times is painful to read, yet knowing who Jane is, I read this and I will post this knowing that Jane is going to be alright.  In fact, better than alright.  When you read this, please think about your own life and your own struggles.  We all have them, some greater than others.  What are you doing to make a difference in your own life?

Jane, I would be remiss if I didn’t publicly say something to you.  You have commented several times about how much our races, our motivation continues to push you.  I have to say that after getting to know you, and hearing your story, YOU are the one who motivates us.  I know that this was a hard blog post to write, I know that you had to really dig deep to find the courage to broadcast your story out to the masses.  I want you to know from me to you, that I am so thankful that you are a part of our team and that you will continue to thrive and succeed.  Here is Jane’s story….

After letting Jim know how much his Virtual races, motivational notes, etc., meant to me, he invited me to be a guest blogger, perhaps in hope that I may help someone as he in turn has helped me.

I have a disease that requires daily prescription medication and the onset was well over 30 years ago.  It’s not visible to you when you see me and some of my closest and longest term friends do not know of it or its full extent.

Rarely have I said it aloud, never mind to a vast number of people in a blog.   It took me a long time before I would even check the box on the list of questions asked at a Dr.’s office.  I suffer from clinical depression, a chemical imbalance in the brain.

I clearly remember the onset of this disease.  It had always been there, it just hadn’t quite surfaced.  I was 21 years old when my mother died at the age of 43 from breast cancer after a five year battle.  I know how I handled it, I didn’t………I still see myself lying on the couch, months later, saying to my father, “Dad, I need help”.  That was my first time seeing someone professionally.  It was NOT diagnosed by the therapist as depression, after all, my mother had died, why wouldn’t I need help, why wouldn’t I feel sad?

My primary care physician was the first to diagnose me as clinically depressed and prescribed medication.  I did not accept this right out and sought a second opinion.  It was suggested that I seek my second opinion from a psychiatrist (even I have a stigmatism with that one).   After ONE session, I was told, “you appear to be the perfect candidate for medication and I recommend it”.  WOW…….That was 20 years ago.

In the beginning, I fully believed taking medication would be short term.  After all, I have a good life, why couldn’t I just be happy.  My husband has always been loving and supportive, and we have three beautiful healthy children.  I have a great career, a job that I love and really minor health issues.  Someone once asked me “Why can’t you just change how you think?”  Well wouldn’t that be nice????  There is a commercial (for depression medication) that I believe portrays it so clearly; an overbearing sense of hopelessness that not only causes mental duress but physical pain.  It hurts you and it hurt’s the people around you.   You can want desperately to feel better, but you just can’t…..

At times I would start to convince myself that I no longer needed medication and attempted going without.  A Dr. finally said it the right way to me, “you will be on this for the rest of your life and it’s no different than someone who has diabetes and must take insulin every day”.  The medication doesn’t make it perfect; I believe it shields me from drowning in negative thoughts.  Medication and exercise combined, however…… well it’s my savior.  Again, the diabetes comparison, insulin alone is not going to work, diet is vital.

In January 2001, my sister was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer and given two weeks to two months to live.  She died at the age of 41 on September 5, 2001 (feels like yesterday).

It devastated me.  I stopped working out, gained weight (reaching an all-time high of 200 lbs.) and wallowed in the depression.  I remember my husband asking me “how long are you going to continue to watch the TV Guide channel”.  I was lying in bed day after day staring at the TV without really seeing it.  It’s such a vicious cycle.  I knew exercising worked for my mental health but my mental health was stopping me from starting.

Yes it was one of the hardest times in my life and it required me to dig really deep to find a way, but I turned the TV off, got out of bed and started over again.  Since the passing of my sister, I have run a Ragnar Relay (New Haven to Boston), been a member of a Dragon boat team, taken up Bikram Yoga, completed duathalons, triathlons, obstacle course events and in December 2012 my first virtual race!!  I’ve now done two Virtual 5 k’s, and a Virtual half marathon (my first half ever).  With the click of a finger, I have currently registered for several more Virtual races 5ks, 10ks and another half.  I now do all of these events power walking as I had to give up running in order to save my back and knees.  I miss running L but I’m power walking at a good pace and again I’m not giving up.

Quite honestly, my family genes really do suck.  J   My fathers’ side of the family is hearing impaired.  Attend any family event and it’s loud and every conversation is repeated multiple times.  I have been wearing hearing aides’ since I was 35 years old.  My mothers’ side, well, all cancer.  Since the passing of my sister, they have determined it is genetic and last year I tested positive for the BRCAI gene.

2013 has started off with some pretty big hurdles.  Mid January I had arthroscopy surgery on the knee and have been told I need a knee replacement sooner than later.  A week later, my 23 year old daughter had unexpected surgery to reattach the retina in her eye and it will take a year or longer for vision to return, if in fact it does.   My annual hearing exam this month showed my hearing loss has gone from severe to profound and on Feb 4^th a dear friend unexpectedly passed away in her sleep leaving her husband and 3 year old daughter behind.

How easy it would have been to just give in to all of that.  You have to admit that’s a lot of stuff to feel bad about.  Yes I cried, had sleepless nights and at times walked around in what feels like a bubble, my own world.  I’ve been at this long enough that I know how hard I have to fight not to allow myself to be fall down the “rabbit hole”.  Once I go down, it’s hard, hard, hard to pull myself back up and out.

The virtual events saved me as there they were lingering reminders of what I had signed up for.  I committed to 100 miles power walking in the month of February for “Shoot for the Moon” and registered for the Virtual “Love on The Run 5k”.  It most certainly hasn’t been easy but I am half way to my 100 mile goal and two days ago completed the 5k.

I have depression but depression does not define me.  It is not who I am.  How I have been described by family and friends is “honest to a fault” (shouldn’t always say what you’re thinking) “exercise fanatic” (prefer that over couch potato any day); “sensitive” (I cry easily, laugh out loud and wear my emotions on my sleeve); “no sense of direction whatsoever” (the Garmin is my best friend yet more often than not says “recalculating”…); “generous and empathetic” (if I have it and you need it, it’s yours)……all and all not so bad.

A friend recently sent me a note saying that the following made her think of me.  “Endurance – the ability to withstand hardship or adversity.  The ability to sustain a prolonged and stressful effort or activity.  To undergo without giving in. To regard with acceptance and tolerance. To continue in the same state. To remain firm without yielding. To last.”

Along with the definition, was a picture of a runner with the following statement “Stop thinking.  Run until your mind can’t keep up anymore.”   J

January 2013 Workout Report

Let me begin by saying, we want to hear about your January!!!  Feel free to make a comment below and let the world know how GREAT you did in January.

We all have expectations.  We all have goals (or we should anyways).  For those that know me, I am a HUGE fan of statistics.  I like to know the numbers on everything I do.  That is just me.  Along with expectations comes a certain level of responsibility to actually live up to those expectations.  Yes, I know this is a fitness and health blog but these same expectations carry over into all phases of our lives.  Our family, our jobs, or hobbies, and yes our fitness.

One of the things I learned a long time ago when I started, is that you cannot and should not compare yourself to another person.  It has the potential to defeat you.  This can be said of attempting to compare yourself from a past self.  In my past self, I would have looked at my January numbers and been completely defeated.  I didn’t run nearly far enough or fast enough.  I didn’t complete nearly the amount of cross training I should have.  I ate to much, and worked out to little.,

Some argue that talking about your workouts is tantamount to bragging.  I completely disagree and I encourage everyone to share what they did.  This is an amazing act of self indulgence to a point, but it is also beneficial because once you put it out there what you did and what your expectations are, now you have to work harder to achieve the goal.  It is not bragging…bragging is telling people that what you do is better than what they do.  I can run faster than you!  I can run longer than you!  I can lift more!  I can do more push-ups!  Well that is great and it is potentially true, but I am doing what I know I can do.  Huge difference between talking about what you did and actually bragging about it.  Bragging about it can make others feel defeated.

Everyone likes to say that I am a fast runner.  As much as I appreciate the compliments, I like to tell those same people that speed, much like the weather is all relative.  I may be faster than you but there are 10 more people for every 1 that is faster than me!  Again, this goes back to not comparing yourself against others.  All you can do is work hard, train hard and prove that you can run 1 second faster on this run this week than you did last week.  Sure I can hold my own on speed, I can run a 6:30 per minute mile on a 5K and for me, that is an all out effort.  That is 100%…but I also see the ladies and gentleman passing me by at a 5:00 minute per mile pace and they aren’t so much as breathing hard.

Everything is about perspective!  If you are running a 10 minute mile, work to improve that to a 9:59 this month.  If you can do 5 push-ups in a row now, work to improve that to 6 this month.  If you can do that each and every month, you are a winner and NO ONE can take that away from you.

Anyways, I as well as many others would absolutely love to hear how your January went.  Please, take a few minutes to post how you think you did.  Here is my workout report for January.

January 2013 Fitness Stats

Motivation (Part 5)

Every once in a while…every once in a while you run across a person who’s story is so amazingly inspirational and motivational that it makes you stop and give pause.  This is one of those times.  There are no words that I can use that will give any justice to what you are about to read.  So I am just going stop talking and let you get to it.  Thank you JoAnne.

 

My Journey to complete and Win the Icebreaker Gold Medal Challenge

 I have to confess I have started to write this a million times but nothing ever seams to come out just right. This weekend along with the training that went into it and the journey that brought me to this point has been a long emotional one. I could not figure out what was important enough to leave in and what to leave out.. So I decided to start from the beginning. For me all aspects of the journey have made my life a better place and I cherish every moment of it!

Running and working out has always been a big part of my life!  Even after I married and had kids. I did not know how important it was till my husband deployed for the first time to Afghanistan. While my husband was deployed I tried my hardest to workout when I could.  It was very hard with 3 little kids and I did not make it a priority, I put my workouts on the back burner. I was feeling ok but looking back I can see how I was very fast I was falling in to depression. It was very hard having him gone and when he finally got home all the depression I had been holding on to came up to the surface and I gave up on many things I loved, like working out and running because I just wanted to sit on the couch with him. I AM NOT BLAMING him!! He always encouraged me “get out and do my thing.” but I choose to just stay home and just be depressed.

My husband being the great man he is saw how depressed I was and thought signing me up to do the San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon in October of 2011 would help me get out of it. I was not worried because hey I did one before, it will be a piece of cake. WRONG!!! I did not train much and just winged it.. And I DIED on the run!! I almost did not finish it and promised my husband I would never run another marathon again!!

This marathon made me realize that I was out of shape in more than just my body but my mind as well and needed to get back in the habit of working out and was praying it would help get me out of my depression state. I started meeting with Dustin, a personal trainer  at the YMCA and words can not even start to say what influence that he had on me! He pushed me back to life!  Everyday when I walked in there he would have the greatest workouts for me and I would smash them and then he would have even harder ones the next go around. I loved it he was challenging me  and helping me reach out of the depression hole. I  was really starting to feel alive again. My family started to notice a difference and our home life became enjoyable again!  The saying is true if the mom is not happy no one is!

Dustin then challenged me to participate with him in a local 5K run. I was so scared. Our workout friends had bets who would win, him or me. I can honestly say I think we both did!  I came in first for my age and he says it did no care that he did not place and I beat him.. He just loved seeing his trainee win! That is when my self esteem went through the ROOF!! I felt like the old me again and life was looking up!!  Working out and running was helping me see that there was more to me and it gave me so much to look forward to and something to challenge myself at.

When things were really looking up we found out that my husband once again would be leaving us to do a tour in South Korea. This time I made a promise to myself that I would not get depressed and would not give up my running/working out and I would stay grounded. Running would be my therapy and I would get through this tour happy and strong!

My husband was worried I would fall back into my depression and had us move up North to Wisconsin to be with my family. At first I was so mad I did not want to leave my people in Texas and did not know if I was ready to go on my own working out. I did not know if I had it in me to keep going. The first day I got to Wisconsin I went out and ran and pretty much every day since! When I started to feel depressed I would push myself harder to be faster. This determination to keep going and not become depressed is what led up to me signing and winning the Icebreaker Gold Medal Challenge Jan 19 th and 20 th of 2013.

Through out the  summer I trained for the  2012 I ran the Chicago Allstate ½ marathon and the Chicago ½ marathon and the Cahoots Challenge in Utah always improving my times and feeling good about myself. When I completed the Milwaukee Brewers ½ marathon in September and came in first for my age division I knew it was time to up my game and once again try a marathon!  My family thought I was crazy they remembered what I looked like and felt like after the Rock n Roll marathon, but I was determined.  I was a little worried because I had not trained over 15 miles the whole summer but I figured if I ran 9 min miles instead of my 7:20 miles then I should be able to do fine. And I was! I completed the whole Haunted Hustle Marathon without stopping, even though my legs were SCRREAMING at me. I finished with a time of 4 hours 2min. I came in the top 10 for my age and was 141 to cross the finish line! While on this run I met Bill and Amy, they were pacers from a few of the races I had ran and remembered me. We talked and with all the encouragement that they gave me I decided it was time to push even harder! The next day I started training for the Gold Medal challenge!

The Gold Medal Challenge is a unique Challenge. It consists of completing the Icebreaker PRO ½ marathon on Saturday (in which you HAD to be done with under 2 hours!) and then the full Icebreaker Marathon on Sunday. Only 40 people are allowed to enter this because it all takes place on the  INDOOR track at the Pettit National Ice Rink. Going into the run my thoughts where see if you can place for the ½ marathon and then just finish the marathon! What got me really excited about this is I would get 3 medals for completing both runs and I LOVE my race bling!! Then I really got excited because my brother asked if I would train him so that he could complete his first marathon!! (but just the marathon! He want it know that he is NOT as crazy as me!)  The race just kept getting better and better!

As we started our training I knew it would be difficult because I had to be faster at the ½ marathon and then take it slower for the marathon. I came up with a plan that I would do my normal pace of 7:20 during the week and train for the ½ marathon on my own and then on the weekends my brother and I did around 8:40 miles but we would train for the marathon distance. I will be very honest I got scared!! I started to get worried that I would not be able to keep my ½  marathon time low enough and I would be cut off from the race. My brother and father never once doubted me… call me crazy and insane, yes but they always said you can do it.

Training with my brother was so much fun!! We were able to leave all our kids behind and just run, talk, laugh, poke fun, complain, whatever and it was ok! I really got to know my brother and to me that was the best part! We never had the chance growing up because he is 6 years older then me so this was a great opportunity to really get to know one another and we have become very close since!

The weekend runs became my favorite because I did get to spend time with my brother. We became a funny pair, Saturdays that I just did not want to get out of bed he would show up right on time ready to go and then once we got going and I was awake I would find the biggest hills possible to get back at him for waking me up. He was always allowed “1 death” for 6 miles where he could complain. I was proud of my brother each week! Before this he had NEVER ran over 8 miles and now he was running in the teens each Saturday or more!

The weekday runs became the work. I would push myself to reach new PR and I would put everything I had into my insanity workouts, TRX and yoga. The Insanity and TRX  helped build my endurance and muscle so that I could push my legs to go faster. The yoga was a big help because I hated to stretch and always seemed to forget to do it! I felt strong and with the encouragement from my brother, my husband, kids and my parents I felt like I was ready to go!

The night before the ½ marathon I could not sleep at all! I was more worried about none of my family showing up, and letting the people I had met while running down by not getting a good time then I was about running the track 47.7 times! My most loyal fan, my Dad drove me in to the Pettit center the day of the race nice and early so I could pick up my timing chip and get ready for day ones ½ marathon! I was so happy he was there! It is always nice to see someone you know cheering for you while you run but in this race I would be able to see him 47 times!!  While picking up my timing chip I met the race nutritionist Amy and a running Coach named Dave. We got talking and they introduced me to Mary Flaws the winner of the Gold Medal Challenge since it began!  After we talked Dave said to me.. “I bet you can beat her!” I laughed and said I”I just want to place and then finish the marathon!”

Start time was almost here. I went to line up talked to a few people and the gun went off…. Along with my heart and legs! The energy in the building was AMAZING!! As you ran around the track you got to run with first place, last place and everyone in between! Everyone cheered each other on, yelling good job as people passed you and getting encouragement as you passed others! It was the running community at their best! As I ran in circles Dave the Running Coach was there yelling at me that I was in 4 th place overall now 3 rd place and I was 3 laps ahead of Mary and all kinds of encouragement. I also had my dad there yelling you can go faster I know you can! To top off my cheering squad my kids, niece and brother showed up and started yelling at me to Go Go Go! What I loved most is I had someone yelling at me every min or so and my energy just soared! Having so many people there believing in me I knew I could take first for my age division!

1hour 32 min latter I crossed the finish line a very happy lady! Not only had I set a new PR I had my kids jumping on me yelling good job mom we love you, my father and mother there saying we are proud of you, my brother yelling that’s my coach and to top it off Dave saying you took 3 rd overall women!!! Talk about taking my goal and accomplishing it!! Standing on the podium with the first and second place ladies felt amazing! I had done better then what I had set out to do!!

Right after I jumped off the podium Dave graded me and said “you are in first place to win the Gold Medal.. You have 9 min on Mary and 19 on Katie who was in 3 rd place.. Just keep Mary in your sight and you can win it!” and of course my family heard this and agreed… talk about adding the pressure on!!

The next morning I was up and ready to go!! In my mind I had the two little runners going back and forth saying “you can win this you can do it!!” and the other saying “if you go after it and loss you will disappoint yourself and all your family and fall into a depression, better not try.. Just take it nice and easy” talk about a conflict in my brain! My brother told me “if you wanna go for it do it. I will be ok finishing on my own.” I felt like I should stay with him so as the race begin we took off and we were doing great! 2:15ish min laps we passed Mary 3 times I was feeling great! And my mind started shouting “you can do this YOU CAN WIN!” and then the wall came for me and my brother at the same time, right around lap 50 and we still had 46 to go….. My brother said “keep going I will catch up I just need to walk a second.”

I did as he said but did not want to my body was just screaming at me wanting to stop that is when Dave yelled at me “Get a GU packet NOW!!” Guess I not only felt dead but looked it to. I had never had a GU packet and thought fine I will give it a shot.. And man was that a nasty little shot!!! But I downed it grabbed some water all the while Dave laughed. He latter told me he was laughing because of the faces I was pulling as I forced down the GU.  I caught up to my brother and was about to stop and walk when my dad yelled “don’t you dare” and my brother yelled “WIN IT” how could I stop after that!? The next time around my kids showed up and seeing them there smiling and cheering for me I got the most CRAZY burst of energy. I picked up the pace back to 2:15 min laps just so I could see them more often and before I knew it I only had 12 laps left. Every time I passed them they would yell how many I had left and each time I picked up the pace and ran the next lap faster. Dave was yelling “You  look like you just started!! What happened?” as I came around the bend and I heard the announcer say “JoAnne Bernhardt you have one lap left” I almost started crying! It was such a great feeling I ran past my family and yelled last lap and they cheered and I picked up the pace again and came flying in to the finish line and as I crossed it I yelled so loud I was so happy I finished the marathon I did NOT walk! I did not give up even when I really really wanted to! I pushed myself I had done it!!

As I crossed the finish line my family was there waiting along with Dave, Amy, Mary and the race director Chris there waiting for me I was so happy thought “heck yeah I just came in second place for the Gold Medal challenge!”  but then Dave says to me “Girl you won!!” I went into complete SHOCK I had won are you people sure!? Mary was there saying “congratulations!”  I was so happy I did cry! I was giving everyone hugs and my kids were there just beaming at me. My 6 year old ran up and said “Mommy I am so proud of you!!” those 7 words were all I needed to hear!!

Dave told me he never doubted me for a second that he knew I had it in me to win it! I learned a few days latter that this was true because he had talked to the news reporter and pointed me out to him as I ran. It was a amazing feeling knowing that this running coach someone I had only met day earlier had that much faith in me!! How I could not have the faith!?

After the award ceremony I was able to jump back on the track and finish out the last mile of my brothers marathon!! I was so proud of him for finishing it!! He had a amazing time as well 4:22!!! I was one proud sister and coach! He loved/hated doing the marathon so much that he has now signed up to do another marathon with me and has 3 ½ marathons this summer! The best part of training my brother was seeing he succeed and his love for running grow!!

I was so proud and happy that I did not give up when it got tough and that I pushed it out to the end! This just goes to show what you can do when you put your mind to it, and have a loving support system. Running has taken me to new levels of fitness but has also helped me gain self esteem, has kept me sane while trying to be a single parent while me husband is deployed. I have met the most wonderful and inspiration people while running and know I will enjoy those friendships for a very long time! Running is more than a sport to me it is a therapy , a drug, its my “me time” . Depression did not take over this deployment, running and my family made sure of that! I cant wait to see where my running will take me next!

Motivation (Part 4)

A few weeks ago, I asked one of our runners to write up a little something about her weight loss journey.  Little did I realize at the time that what I was asking for was more than just a little story.  What you are about to read is an amazing story…a story of not only a physical transformation but one that is emotional and psychological as well.  Kelly is an amazing woman who’s dedication to her health and her family are simply amazing.  She has the support she needs and she knows that she is not where near where she wants to be but she keeps pushing, keeps moving forward.  That is all any of us can ever expect or hope for.  Kelly, not that it means a whole lot coming from a guy who you have never met, but I as well as so many others are super proud of you and we are here to support you in any and every way that we can.

 

I don't know where to start my story, maybe that my entire life I have
been struggling with my weight. A story that most of us know all too
well. I was a chubby kid, or shall I say was convinced I was big
boned. I was 112 lbs. in the 4th grade, but at that time I really
didn't know I wasn't good enough. I finally got a nickname in 6th
grade, at that time I didn't think too much into it. Oh they called me
shark. Why? Oh I ate anything in my path.
Years went by, but the time I graduated high school I was still
chubby but not enough for me to really think I was ugly. I did find
out I was wrong. I went out with a guy, let's call him Bob. It seemed
to be going really well, until he said and I will quote, "you would be
such a pretty girl if you got braces and lost a bunch of weight!" Oh
that was the end of THAT date! So, what did I do besides realize that I
wasn't very pretty? Oh, got braces and lost weight. 8 months after I
did all of this I ran into Bob and he couldn't believe the change.
What did I do? I didn't do a thing.
In those months, I started to run and eat horribly. I ate no more than
1000 calories or at times less than 800 calories. I thought at that time
it was the right thing to do. However, I didn't realize how I was not
doing my body any favors. I continued to eat poorly and workout. I
finally met the man I was going to marry and on July 31, 1988 I did just
that. I was at that time very fit from running and eating good portions
and making good choices.
Then I was running my 2nd marathon, I wasn't performing well, but I
finished the race. I found out I was pregnant!! However, I was having
many medical issues I was told to hold off on my extreme exercise. I then
at that point started eating more and more. I gained 85lbs; let's say
baby fat.
After my daughter was born, I was a doing that yo-yo dieting. I
couldn't lose the weight, actually kept gaining more and more. I added
running, and after a month, I figured I was in the best shape in the world
and I could do anything! (Note this was without proper training). May
1991, I entered in the Hagg Lake Run. It was (and still is) a 10.2 mile
hilly race. I didn't even think twice that I wasn't prepared for
this. Ah yeah, after a mile and running uphill, I saw my daughter and
husband, cheering me on, I for the first time in my life, stopped in the
race and said take me home.
This was the start to my weight reaching the highest point which was over
270 lbs!! I was so depressed that I let my family and mostly myself
down. I had a job/self-employed company which I couldn't stand doing
anymore and was angry, mean and very sad. Since I worked from home, I
often went to the kitchen and ate everything in my path. I kept turning
to food and what a way to live. I have always had problems looking into
the mirror and just liking myself.
I finally decided one day to stop and make changes in my life. It took me
over 18 years to make that decision. I started to walk a short distance,
then longer then started to jog/run again. Having such a great support
from my husband, I closed my business and returned to College.
I am getting better with my weight loss but it has taken over 2 years to
totally drop the 110 pounds and I still have 30 pounds to go. I am a work
in process, really. I am currently working on a few goals, the main one
this year is to break the marathon at 4 hours, do a Half-Ironman in 5
hours so next year I will complete a full Ironman. They say it takes baby
steps. It really does because honestly I still find each and every day a
struggle. My favorite thing to do is run or shall I say run with my dog.
I will succeed to where I am going to go, because I finally do believe in myself.
The one thing I forgot to mention, that Lynn (husband), got me in the Hagg
Lake Run for my mother's day gift 2011 to finally get that nightmare of
failure to pass. I did complete that race and got 3rd place in my age
division! SO yes, I am a winner!

 

Motivation (Part 3)

What you are about to read is a true story!  It is a story about heart and dedication as much as it is about willpower and strength.  Motivation comes in many forms, it comes with many faces, it comes with many different lifestyles but there is one thing in common with everyone who is motivated to accomplish something.  The will to accomplish what you have set out to accomplish.  This is a true story about one woman and her dream of accomplishing something that she set out to accomplish.  Her name is Vicky and I don’t know her personally, though I would like to.  I would like to know what she has within herself to meet this challenge head on, knowing that she was going to be the last person out there on the course, knowing that she was going to finish “last” on the stat sheet.  What drives a person, what drove Vicky to set out on this journey of accomplishment?  The bigger question is what drives you?  What/who motivates and pushes you?  This is a true story about a brand new woman, a woman who can now say that she is a marathoner.

I am a marathoner.

It was a long walk and I was out there a long time BUT I did it.
Months of training, which at times was hard, worked out for me in the end.
I missed a couple of training walks as I had either other races to do or illness that stopped me from working out.
My longest walk to date was 17.4 miles and that was in chilly, rainy weather.
Sunday January 20th 2013 was the day I toed the line to begin my journey to the finish line 26.2 miles away.
Arriving at 5.30am I got my timing chip and then sat nervously in my car until 6.15 when I went and found some friends who I knew were running also.
I started with the early walkers as I knew I would be slow and not meet the 7.05 start cut-off time.
I felt good on the first half of the race and actually had a walking PR. After the halfway point I started to slow down and feel the aches and pains coming on.
Hips, knees and feet started talking to me. I managed to walk through a cramp in my left calf and could feel blisters forming on the soles of my feet.
The volunteers manning the water stops were awesome as were the spectators just out to watch the race.
Around mile 18 I had to itch my foot and tried to do so several times but I could neither bend down to reach it or pick it up to scratch it. There was a bench on the trail an I sat down to make it easier to reach. It was tough getting back up again.
I knew all along that I would finish the race and that I was last and would be outside the ‘official’ finish time but I kept putting one foot in front of the other.
Also knowing that I had a group of friends waiting for me at the end kept me moving forward.
At mile 19.5 two friends one of whom is my walking group coach, Colleen & Tracy met me to walk me in the remaining miles.
I was extremely greatful and appreciative that they were there. Sometimes I didn’t feel like talking so they talked to each other and I listened and jumped in when I felt like it. They both said that I still looked very fresh as I met them and that I was still smiling. They saw several peeps who looked like death warmed over and wondered how they were going to make it to the end.
They were awesome and I think them very much.
Also the Clearwater Police Dept were at my disposal. I was the ‘talk of the town’ as I was the last one on the course and they were there to be sure that I safely made it across all the roads and to the finish line.
I rounded the corner and saw the finish line and heard my friends cheering for me and taking pictures.
I crossed the finish line with my head held high, a smile of my face and my arms triumphantly above my head yelling out myself.
I recieved my medal and bottle of water and a hug from the race director Chris Lauber.
After hugging all my friends and having several pictures taken we went out for breakfast/lunch/dinner to Tony’s Pizzaria and had a good time together. I put my feet up on a spare chair and relaxed. Kept my legs moving while sitting so I didn’t get stiff.
Walked back to my car and headed home for a nice bath in Epsom Salts and bubbles (thanks to my daughter, Emma, for running the bath for me) and talked to my Mum on the phone.
Legs were achy and stiff yesterday. Blisters have been popped several times.
Legs feel fine today. The only oroblem I have are the blisters as they are on the soles of my feet.
Other than that all is well and I AM A MARATHONER!!!

My support crew Colleen & Tracy

My finish line friends

My medal

My own personal starfish avatar drawn by Colleen

Motivation (Part 2)

In the first part of our motivation series, we discussed what motivation is.  We talked about the fact that you don’t need to be the strongest to demonstrate strength, you don’t have to be the smartest to demonstrate intelligence and you don’t need to be the best to demonstrate success.

So why do some people have more motivation than others?  Why does it seem that some people “want it more?”  Take a look at this video and REALLY listen…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmurxfN-o9k

Often times motivation is a combination of many factors.  The ability to actually do more than what you think you can.  The ability to actually achieve a goal or a dream not because it is easy but because it is hard.  The ability to dig deep within yourself…BUT…one of the greatest contributing factors to motivation is having someone who believes in you.  Someone who can push you, to challenge you, to inspire you.

All of us have someone in their lives that inspires and challenges us.  If you don’t, send me an email and I will be that person for you, but I truly believe that ALL of us have someone.

I talk to people every single day who have the dream and the goal of losing weight, getting in better shape, running faster, walking faster, being at better this or that.  But they want the EASY way!!  They want someone to tell them that if they just eat right they will lose weight.  Well, let me make something very clear, the easy way is almost never the best or the most efficient way.  It takes work dammit!

You cannot run faster without actually training to run faster.  You cannot walk faster without actually training to walk faster.  You can’t just magically lose weight just by eating right.  Any by the way, eating right is NOT that easy in the first place.

Look back to the video that we all just watched.  You have a football team who doesn’t believe they are going to win.  And one of the “star” players tells the coach that he hasn’t written the next game off as a loss if he “knew we could beat them.”  This is a classic example of a person who needs to have something shown to him, he doesn’t have the courage to stand up and say, “you bet your backside we are going to beat them because we are the best!”  Why?  Why the doubt?  The coach doesn’t say anything inspirational at this point, what does he do.  He makes the kid carry another kid to the 50 yard line…or so the young man things.  Instead he is blindfolded and told to give it everything he has.  The young man has no idea how far he is going but he uses his own internal willpower to push himself farther than he thinks he is going.  His mind and his body were unable to communicate and therefore he was able to push the entire 100 yards.

In the end, my point to all of this is often times the only limiting factor is our minds.  We believe we can only go so far or do so much.  Our bodies are so much stronger than we think they are.  Our minds are strong, very strong, to strong sometimes and when we let our minds tell us that we can’t go any further, that we can push any faster or any longer, then we won’t.  Clear your mind and just let go and when the pain sets in…..let your mind go!  Your mind is just giving you excuses why you can’t.

I have a quote that I use at the end of every single email I send….it is something that I live by day in and day out.

If it is important to you, you will find a way.  If not, you’ll find an excuse!

What is going to be your excuse today?  Or will you find a way?

Are you ready to Shoot for the Moon?!?

I am happy to announce that our new Shoot for the Moon website will be up and running by Tuesday next week.  So with that said, we are going to give away some $$$$$$$

We currently have 148 registered challengers and if we can get to 200 challengers by the time the site goes live, we will give away (6) $50 cash prizes!!!!

If you want to know what the Shoot for the Moon Fitness Challenge is click HERE to learn more about it.  Let’s put all of our miles to a great cause and with purpose.

Motivation (Part 1)

What is motivation?  We hear people say (myself included) that you need to have the motivation to continue to push forward.  With anything and everything.  Whether it is being motivated to do a better job at work, as a father, as a mother, as a husband or a wife.  If you are son or a daughter, isn’t it always in our best interest to be a better son or daughter to our parents.  But what really IS motivation.  For the next few posts I want to talk about motivation and why some people have more of it and some people tend to let their motivation waiver a bit from time to time.  There are a lot of examples out there that we can point to that demonstrate motivation.  I would like you all to watch this brief clip from a movie that most of you have either seen or heard about.  This movie is based on a true story and is one of the better examples of what having real internal motivation is all about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnPxOttpVdI

This first clip that we watched here is from the movie Rudy.  Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger is a no name, small framed kid who wants to make the Notre Dame football team in the early 70′s.  EVERYONE told him that this was not only not going to happen but it is a stupid dream.  It cannot be done.  This scene opens with one of the coaches telling all the potential walk ons that their chances of ever getting to play for the Notre Dame football team is next to impossible.  That they are not the best at what they do and that for the next 5 days the only job of the coaches is to “kick their ass” and whoever is left standing MAYBE just maybe they might get a spot on the practice squad.  Talk about a downer.

So off to get their “asses kicked” they go.  What do we see here.  We see Rudy all 5 ft nothing of him out there getting getting hit, over and over again.  And he keeps getting up.  He fails.  He get’s back up and keeps going.  He does NOT allow himself to quit.  Yes, he fails in measuring up to the standards of what we think of when we think of a football player but succeeds in never quitting.  At the 4:34 mark one of the coaches informs the head coach and the defensive coach that Rudy has put in more heart than any TWO players out there.  All it takes is one person and that one person gave Rudy a chance.

What lessons can we learn from this one small snippet of a movie?  I think the lesson here is very simple.  You don’t have to be the best to achieve success.  You don’t have to be the smartest to demonstrate intelligence.  You don’t have to be the strongest to show strength.

Every single one of us has the ability within ourselves to demonstrate success, intelligence and strength.  What then is motivation?  Motivation is having the heart to say that you are not the best, the smartest or the strongest….but you are going to go out there every single day and achieve success, demonstrate intelligence and have the strength to never quit!