I am in PROGRESS

Some days I just want to zip my mouth shut.  One of my weaknesses is saying something out loud before I can stop it and then realizing how it sounded, but by that time it's too late cause the person that heard it has already took it the wrong way. Ever had that happen to you?  It's a terrible feeling cause deep down you never meant to say it the way it came out but it's too late to take it back.  So what do you do?  Well, I try to retreat or should I say.... get away from that person as fast as I can.  Well, not every person cause some you can immediately say what you really meant and they are fine with it....but then there is those others that no matter how you try to explain what you were trying to say, they will never accept it.  They are like a strong will child that will argue with you over a blue wall and say it's black no matter what.  They are determined and head strong to be the "RIGHT" one.  Some of you with teenagers probably really understand this cause you spend most of your days arguing with your teenager who thinks you as an old adult know nothing. Hee Hee

So what's the proper way to handle some people that are very controversial?  I have no idea except pray.  And I mean I pray for myself.  I pray for God to keep my mouth shut or let me say the right thing.   I do not claim to know all because I am in PROGRESS.  I'm still figuring out many things even at 48 (well, might as well say 49 cause it's just days away.... OH MY).

What I do know is I LOVE team Run4TheKids!  There are 40 of us and each one has their own personality.  But I can honestly say that every one of them is an encourager.  I believe that's why we are so drawn to each other.  "People who have an amazing sense of positivity are great to be around and train with.  When you are around them, they make you want to be a better person. They just have that aura!" Amy Yoder Begley.   She says it perfectly for me!  When we run, bike or swim together we are always encouraging to each other.   Yes, we may have bad days and even this weekend one said to me, "I'm just kind of grumpy" and I just smiled and understood completely cause I have those days.

Tonight as I was posting the next letter for the ABCs of cancer by St. Jude's kids, I was reminded that we just need to be thankful for God's blessings.

My grandmother is one of my greatest blessings.  She's rock solid in her faith and still supporting the Sellers Clan! :>)

Erin, Alice (mawmaw Sellers) and Me today at mom's for lunch.

and here's another one of my blessings.... Team Run4TheKids (all not in picture).

I am very thankful for each member on this team! You guys rock! You are incredible people to be around.  Now let's get busy! December is right around the corner...time for some LSD runs. :>)  

Cap'n D

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.  Philippians 1:3

Stink, Stunk, Stank

Funky-smelling gym clothes happen, this is more or less a fact of life.

Have you ever had that feeling where you're wondering if it's you or the person next to you that stinks? Well, I had it bad Wednesday night at spin. I kept thinking that I hope it's not me but someone smells. It's that time of year where we are all soaking wet with sweat while exercising. Everyday my clothes are drenched in sweat even at 5am!

I got home from spin Wednesday and as I peeled my drenched clothes off and as my shirt came up and across my nose...... I realized....It was ME!!! Ughhhhh. All I can say is that I'm very sorry to Serina and Belinda that were right beside me in class. 

After a hardcore workout, the last thing you want to do is deal with laundry. Unfortunately, leaving your rotten gym clothes in a pile on the bathroom floor for a week will definitely make the situation worse. I DO NOT do this!  I wash everyday at my house! So I'm not sure why this one shirt and sports bra smelled so badly! 

So how do you treat your sweaty clothes? I've done some research and this is what I've found:

1. Dilute one ounce of laundry detergent in a half gallon of warm water. 2. Squeeze an entire lemon’s worth of juice into the solution. The citric acid helps to break up oils from the skin, especially useful for those foul-smelling gym socks. 3. Gently scrub the armpits, neckline, the bottom of your gym bag, and any other odorous areas with the solution and a brush before washing.

2. Pre-soak the gear in 1 cup of white vinegar and cold water before laundering.  

 

 I'm not sure what works best.  Maybe you can give me some tips!  All I know is sometimes you just want to throw it out and not even try to save that piece of clothing. 

To all my running/biking/swimming buddies... I'm sorry if I've smelled.  I promise to try to do better.  However... Yeah. I smell.  Whatever.  I’m a runner.  Get used to it! :>) 

Hope you have a blessed weekend if you stink, stank or stunk. :>)  

D

The title of my blog is Prayers, Promises & Praises and today I've had many prayers flowing through my mind.  Most of my family can tell when I have a lot on my mind cause I tend to clean like crazy.  I guess it's a way to work through all the things that are bothering me.  Oh and don't make me mad cause that makes me clean also.  Tonight I have a very long prayer.   They say sometimes if you write down what's on your mind it releases you from worrying about it.  So here's my prayer:

Dear Lord,

I come to you with a heavy heart.  I have so many friends and family members going through very difficult times.  Sometimes I feel that the world is getting smaller and smaller and it's going to suffocate me. I tend to worry about things that I know I shouldn't worry about.  I should trust you.  And honestly I try to trust you completely but at times I fail.  Today I've let many things all pile up into one big volcano and it's about to burst.  Help me to remember that you are faithful and I need to trust you.  See I'm worried about one of my brothers and his son.  Their relationship has deteriorated until they have nothing to do with each other.  But I know my brother and if something happen to his son today and he never saw him again it would eat him inside that they left things unresolved.  And I know my nephew.  It's eating him inside that they do not have the father / son relationship that they should even though he would never admit it.  Saying your sorry is one of the hardest things ever to do.  They both are waiting for that to happen.  I pray that they realize that we aren't promised another minute in this lifetime and may they understand that in the bible it says we are to be Christ like.  We are to LOVE as Christ loved.  Forget the "well you did this in the past" and move forward. We can't rewrite the past. What is done is done and we must move forward.  Life is too precious to set and wait for an apology.  I pray you give them peace but most of all I pray that you let them see that they are both letting the devil win.  I know there is tons of troubled water but may they find that bridge to lead them back to each other.  May my nephew realize that by keeping his kids from his dad it is just hurting the kids.  Don't use them as a pawn.  And may my brother realize that he's the grandparent and he should want his son to spend as much time with his kids as a father should on his visitation time.  Sometimes I think it's fear that holds us back.  Fear of saying I'm sorry.  Fear of admitting guilt.  But I believe we can let that fear rule us or we can take control of it.

We all tend to try to solve problems and I'm the type that just wants to make everyone happy.   May we all remember that in Psalms 34 the words remind us that the Lord solves problems for "people who do what is right."  And usually doing "what is right" means doing the uncomfortable work of confronting our problems sooner rather than later.

I also pray for my sister-in-law that is watching her father suffer with cancer.  I pray that you give her the strength she needs to cope each day.  May she find quiet time each day to spend with you so she can draw from your peace and strength.  Give her father the strength he needs to endure treatments and may you lay you healing hands upon him.  Bless her sweet mother also.  Give her the wisdom and strength to handle the situation of her husband fighting cancer.  I know that with my sister-in-law being an only child that she is left with the burden of doing everything.  Please bless her and I pray if she needs help she will allow others in to be there for her.

I also pray for a couple of my friends that have lost their jobs due to the oil field.  May you send them work soon and may you give them what they need while they are waiting for a job opportunity.  You know dear Lord that some of my friends are battling several things today.  May you comfort them.  Wrap your loving arms around them.  And may I be a good friend if they need me.

I pray for a dear sweet high school friend that recently lost her son.  I can't imagine the grief that she must be going through.  May you comfort her and her family.  May she find peace knowing that she will see her son again.  There are so many families that are suffering with the loss of a love one.  Help me to be a comforter to those that need comforting but may they find their strength through you.

I pray for my run team.  May we all remember why the team was formed.  May we run and honor you while we raise money for the children of St. Jude! Help us to all encourage each other and work together.

I pray that the doctors at St. Jude continues to find cures for cancer so that more children have a chance at living a full life.  Bless those children has they are undergoing so many treatments.  Give them strength and courage.

I could go on and on with so many prayers but you know my heart.  You know my thoughts even if I don't write them down in this prayer.  May you guide me daily so that everything I do and say be becoming to you.  Thank you for today! Thank you for all my many blessings! In Christ name, Amen

Why do I succeed?

HELLO Saturday night!

You know one reason I succeed?  It's because I have amazing, encouraging friends!  Today a couple of us went on a group bike ride then run.  We rode 21.9 miles on rolling hills!  Some of the hills were tough!  Serina had said that the last road was going to be really hilly but I wasn't aware we had switch to the last road and before I knew it I was facing a huge hill! I was about to try to change to my little wheel (that's why I call the gear I need to be in for hills) but the hill was already upon me and I was having to peddle hard so I tried to make it on my big wheel, well needless to say I didn't! I got almost to the top and that was it.  I tried standing up and peddling but it was too hard so I had to get my foot out of the peddle and walk the rest of the way.  I was mad at myself.  I had made it up every hill until we hit that hill and I'm a HILL LOVER.  I love the challenge.  Mel our spin instructor rode with us today.  She wanted to race me several times.  Hee Hee  There is always competition among the group.  I almost gave in several times and said let's race, but I didn't know the route and didn't want to wreck.  We are in training so we need to be safe.  Although I almost got bite by a nasty dog!!! My peddle actually hit him and I sprayed my mace.  My heart was beating so fast!  Thank goodness that was the only bad dogs we came in contact with on the whole 21.9 miles.  Here we are about half way into our ride.  It was very muggy!!! I love these peeps!  Serina keeps up laughing and Mel pushes us hard! Frank is just there to take care of all the women. LOL  

After the ride, Serina and I ran 5 miles. We needed to practice the transition from bike to run to get ready for Sunfish TRI coming up in a couple weeks.  It was so HOT by then! My clothes were dripping wet! Boy have I missed running with Serina! She can talk about anything and everything.  I so enjoyed our run today even though it was so very hot and we were dying.  At least our legs should be ready for Sunfish.  We plan to do this training a couple more times before the actual race. When I left Serina's house I went straight to the pool.  I was going to swim a few laps to cool off and also get in some swim time, but it was closed.  Pool doesn't open till 1pm on Saturdays...boo hoo  So I came home and relaxed by my pool.  Just not fun doing laps in it because I dizzy turning around so much. LOL  

 This is an article on my friend and teammate Jennifer.  I laminated it Friday at the office and I have it up like a poster in my bathroom.  It's going to be my reminder that I CAN TOO! She's one tough cookie.  I hope by looking at this article over the next year that it will encourage me to get up and out the door and do the training.  They say .... Train the brain and your body will follow.  

Happy training! D

Fitness Friday

Why do some call it "Fitness Friday'?  I honestly have no idea.  Maybe someone can enlighten me.  As for me, I try to plan my LONG training runs/bikes miles on the weekend so Friday is a planning day for me.  

Recently I've been asked by a couple friends if I had lost weight.  Well, I officially weighed this morning and I've NOT lost any weight! However, I did fit into a pair of blue jeans that I've had for probably 15 years today without "sucking in", "laying down", or any other crazy technique us women use to get into those jeans that we love.  So maybe I've slimmed in some places but gained muscle so my weight is not down.  LOL  That's what I like to believe.  

So what's your plans for the weekend?  Here's a thought for you.

NO EXCUSES... JUST DO IT!

I have a 20 mile bike ride planned for in the morning followed by a 5 mile run.  Yep, that's 2 things together.  Got to practice that running after biking since I'm doing Sunfish TRI in a few weeks.  There's a group of us doing it together tomorrow so it will be FUN.  I LOVE group training!  

Love this!! Hee Hee

Well, my lunch break is about over.  If you don't have anything physical planned for this weekend...... now is the time to think about it and set you a goal! Remember, only the early bird gets the worm. 

Happy Fitness Friday!

D

 

1 Corinthians 9:26-27

“Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.”

Don’t make exercise a half-hearted endeavor! Set goals, create a plan, and then execute it. Don’t be afraid to pray for help. 

Respecting your Body

Respecting your body

My devotion was great this morning so I wanted to share with you guys. 

In the 12^th chapter of Romans, Paul encourages us to take special care of the bodies God has given us.  But it’s tempting to do otherwise, isn’t it? It’s easy to grab that burger and fries at lunch rather than taking a bag lunch full of good foods to work.

We live in a fast-food world where unhealthy choices are convenient, inexpensive, and tempting.  And, we live in a digital world filled with modern conveniences that often rob us of the physical exercise needed to maintain healthy lifestyles.  As a result, too many of us find ourselves glued to the TV, with a snack in one hand and a clicker in the other.  The results are as unfortunate as they are predictable.

God’s word teaches us that our bodies are “temples” that belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  We are commanded (not encouraged, not advised – we are commanded!) to treat our bodies with respect and honor.  We do so by making wise choices and by making those choices consistently: day by day, month by month and year by year. 

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will accept.  When you think of what he had done for you, is this too much to ask?  Romans 12:1 NLT

Sunday Funday ---- or WORK day?

Some people call Sunday their "funday".  Mine started off as a WORK day.  As I was sitting on my porch this am around 8 o'clock reading my devotion and drinking my coffee, I looked out at my bushes/trees around the pool area and frowned.  They needed trimming so badly.  My husband who calls himself a yard guy is really just a "mowing grass" guy. LOL  He rarely trims anything.  A few weeks ago I tried to trim up the bushes in the front yard and ended up with a pulled muscle in my back so I swore I wasn't doing it again.  And here I was looking at the backyard and thinking to myself how I might as well get up and start trimming.  

So that's exactly what I did.  I started trimming and soon had to go get the wheelbarrow to start loading.  I'm not sure how many trips it took to take the wheelbarrow to the back yard to load all the limbs on the trailer but it took forever! My husband soon came outside to see what I was doing and was shocked.  He looked at me like I was crazy and asked if i was going to cut everything down.  I just laughed and told him the bush I was trimming was a "bush" not a "tree" and it had grown way out of hand!  I really thought I'd be finished in time to go to church.  However, when I came inside to check the time, it was 10:30am! I had been working for two solid hours.  It was too late to go to church so I continued on with  more trimming.  I finished up around noon.  It was good thing that I had a pot roast in the slower cooker.  

My Sunday was turning into a work day! I decided I'd jump in the pool to cool off before eating lunch and maybe try to swim some laps.  Well, all I can say is that a 18X36 foot pool is not near as big as a 50 meter pool! I was getting dizzy turning around so much on my laps that I finally just gave up.  Oh and I worked so hard I knocked the NEW paint off my toe from my fresh pedicure. GRRRR

After lunch and a short break by the pool it was time for my SUNDAY FUNDAY! A couple of us were going to ride bikes.  We decided to go to the trace so we would have some shade since it was 92 degrees outside.  We had an awesome bike ride!  I tried to push it hard since today's bike ride was a training day for me.  We got up to 25 MPH.  I ended up with 21.9 miles with an average of 16.2 total.  There are a couple stops you have to slow down and look for cars. My thighs were burning most of the ride.  At one point, I thought to myself is this really fun. Ha! Then a huge deer jumped across the trail and it was beautiful.  I think it was God reminding me to look around and enjoy the sites and not focus so much on riding hard.  After that I seemed to just glide on end.  I finished up slightly ahead of Frank and Kathy so I stopped and captured them coming in to Jackson Station.

I enjoyed the company today! Missed SERINA badly! 

Another bike ride in the books! Maybe next weekend we will go to Meridian to ride the Sunfish course since that's one of the reasons we are training right now.  Sunfish Sprint TRI in July! 

Well, it's after 9pm and past my bedtime.  My body sure has appreciated me going to bed around 9pm every night.  A happy body = happy training. 

Today in my devotion was this statement....  "A person's character is determined by his motives, and motive is always a matter of heart." John Eldredge

A pattern of GOOD WORKS>.. Titus 2:7 

D-Day 5K, Weekly Stats, & Friends

Today I ran my first 5K in awhile.  I was trying to remember the last 5K that I did and I can't remember a single one this year so far.  I think the last one I did was labor day last year.  I probably need to check my running log to verify, but I know it's been awhile.  I was signed up to run Day in the Park in May, but I was having shin issues during that time and took a little break from running.

Anyway, as soon as I got to the race site my stomach started hurting.  Yep, even I get nervous before a race! Especially when I haven't done much speed work lately.  I've only done long endurance runs.  I was telling my friend Renee that my nervous stomach was bothering me and she said just remember don't overdo and hurt something.  So as we started out I felt great until I looked down at my watch and my pace was 7:40! I told myself.... D...Slow Down Now! I know all too well that if you go out to fast at the start, you'll have nothing left in the gas tank at the end.  So I settled in and slowed slightly.  I was shocked at how well I felt while running cause I was maintaining a 8 min pace and not breathing extremely hard.  I really think all the cross training as helped my running lately.  I finished with a 24:29! Not a PR, but certainly a very good time. I was extremely pleased.  The course was flat with one small hill, but for me to run a average pace of 7:53 for a 5K when I haven't done speed work.. that's AWESOME.  Only 2 Run4TheKids team members (Frank & I) ran the race today.  Others on the team had obligations elsewhere.... So I grabbed a picture with Frank with my new selfie pole after the race :>) The pole works great!
 

Here's a picture of the T-Shirts.... I LOVE them!

Let me tell you about the guy in the picture above, FRANK.  Frank is one of my best friends.  He is like our "Daddy" on our team.  If you need a run/walk partner or just an ear to listen, call him.  He is always ready to go and loves to help others out.  He ran 50 miles this week!  Some of the miles he did with team members and some alone.  He's making a great comeback since his shoulder surgery.  Running more and more every day!  He even rides his bike and I know for a fact that he already has over 2,000 bike miles in this year!  Our spin teacher loves to give him heck in class. She actually had a shirt made just for him and wore to class on Wednesday night.  Take a look...

The shirt says "I "heart" Spin and FRANK. :>)  You can tell he just ate that up.  BTW Kathy and I are in the background.  Serina cut us out of the picture. LOL  

So far the week, I ended up with 20.6 miles running, 25 bike miles, and 2 miles swimming.  And let me not forget my planks..did them every day! Another week of training in the books! And yes, it's summer! Even at 5am my run is HUMID! 

I have another very special friend.  We don't get to see each other much cause she moved to the beach.  However she always knows how to brighten my day! On a day this week when I was really having a bad day, I came home and opened my mail to find this precious card from her!  I can't explain how it lifted my spirits.  Thanks ROBBIE! Good friends are RARE! If you have them, appreciate them. :>) Love you ROBBIE!

As you start thinking about next week and setting your goals, think about why you are setting the goals you are setting.  I know sometimes I get so tired trying to fit in all my training, but I know in the end that if I keep pushing I will be able to accomplish my goal.  Hard work accomplishes dreams.  I have people tell me often that they don't know how I do all that I do and some say that you won't see them running unless you see something chasing them. LOL  I would have never been able to train like this when my kids were small.  I was a full time "TAXI" driver then.  All I had time for was running them around from soccer, gym, cheer, etc., etc.  Now they are grown and I can drive myself where I need to be. :>)  Hope you had a blessed week!

May we all remember this:

Happy Running D