Au revoir Au revoir 2017

Yep.... bye bye 2017 

It’s that time of the year where people reflect back on the past year. They try to figure out what went wrong on things that didn’t go their way and they celebrate the things that did go their way.  I too have done this most years.  But this year I don’t really want to think about some things that happen.  For there is one thing I know for certain, you can’t change the past. You can only move forward.  That’s my plan for 2018.   But first a glance at 2017 just to help me get my thoughts together.  

1. The year started off great.  I completed the Dopey challenge at Disney and had a wonderful time with my mom.   (Note...can’t imagine doing 48.6 miles in 4 days right now).

Recap of races:
9 1/2 marathons
1 Full marathon
1 20 K
2 10 Ks
Couple of 5 Ks
3 sprint TRIs
1 almost half Ironman (swim canceled) so .. 69.1 miler.. ha

2.  I improved my swim time at the first Sprint TRI in April. I was super excited about this. 

3.  Once again I pushed an Arc child at the Rise and Shine half marathon.  What a honor.  I love seeing those kids smile.  

4.  I ended up taking most of the summer off due to bursitis in my hip.  It was not fun and I was grumpy. Ha.  I did take my mom, my sis and her girls and my daughter to the beach for a few days and we celebrated my niece graduating high school.   I love family trips!!! I had hoped to have my bladder surgery that I had been putting off during this time when I was not running due to bursitis, but the cards didn’t fall right for me to do that.  Crazy insurance makes you have a bladder test to show you need the surgery and the lady that does the test comes from Jackson to Hattiesburg once a month!! By the time I got in for the test it was time for me to train for the Vegas and St Jude half so I elected to put surgery off till December 18. (Note.... in hindsight I will never ever schedule what is supposed to be a simple surgery around the holidays. Thanks to complications it’s been a miserable holiday).     Vegas was so much fun!! It’s a race I’d do again! And seeing the Hoover dam, Route 66 and the Grand Canyon was just icing on the cake!!  And so course St Jude is always my one race every year that is very special to me. Honored to do it for the 5th year in a row. 

5. I thought watching my husband grieve losing his father in August was the worst grief I had seen up close until he lost his son on October 31.   Our lives have changed drastically.  It’s a Day by day thing with Gary.   My heart breaks for him.  It was a very emotional holiday.  Gary says he’ll never be the same.  I’m at a loss as how to help him.   It’s hard with me having my own kids and him having his own kids.  There are things I want to celebrate like my son getting his first house, but I feel bad and don’t say much around

Gary with him missing his own baby boy.  I can’t explain it. It’s just hard.  I dont recommend divorce or remarriage at all.  It’s always been a struggle. .... but ..... I can’t change the past.  Move forward. 

6.  It’s 3 days till 2018 and honestly I haven’t set any goals.  I have a half marathon in 4 weeks and a full marathon in 10 weeks and currently I’m not allowed to run due to my bladder complications.   (Note... guess I’ll walk those if I can make the time limit). 

So what am I going to do in 2018?..  first and foremost I hope to spread love.  I want to be more like Drew, my stepson we lost.   He always had a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone.   I figure if I can spread Love the way God intended us to that other things will fall in place.  No need to worry.  Heck most the things we worry about never happen so it’s wasted energy.  Ha. 

The only big race I have registered for and booked my travel for is a marathon in Hawaii in June.  I’m going to make a vacation out of it.... taking my daughter.  I asked both my husband and son also, but Gary said he didn’t want to go and Brett said he didn’t think he could ride a plane that long. Ha.  So it  will be a girls week. I’m excited. 

Now I’ve got to get busy as soon as the doctor releases me! I’ve gained 10 pounds with all this  downtime the last few months.  I feel bloated and miserable.  It’s time to get serious and stick to a  plan in 2018!  We are getting a gym at our office in a few months and I plan to use it at lunch to try to get this old body back in shape. I’ve fell off the wagon big time and need to get back on.  I know  

neither Gary’s dad or Drew would want us to continue to mope around.   Yes, I’m goimg to be sad every time I think of them, but I’ve got to get out of this depressed funk and also help Gary out of his.     

Maybe more to come later as I rest the next few days ....... 

D

Gulf Coast Soak up the Run Half Marathon #32

 

A flat race down highway 90 along the beach.  What more could you ask for to end the year? Not to mention the cool looking medal.  They also had a very cool print that I picked up at the expo and will have framed.  I don't have a picture of it and already dropped it off at the print shop so I'll have to add that later.  It's going to look awesome either in my office or at home in my medal room. :<>) 

I went to the coast with two of my very good friends for the race.  They were also doing the half.  They have both been so dear and sweet in helping me through this difficult time that our family has been having.  I can't say THANK YOU enough to them!  We shared rooms that joined.  We went to see the Christmas decorations at the Beau Rivage and ate supper at McElroy's Seafood the night before the race.  

Us at the Beau

Race morning came early!  We had to catch a shuttle right outside our hotel no later than 5:45am to take us to the start line since we would run back to the finish line that was directly across from our hotel.  I was hoping we would run into my friend Robbie who was also doing the half... and we did... :<>)

Me, Krista, Frank, & Robbie waiting to start.. boy it was COLD... 32 degrees!

We all quickly warmed up when the race started.  But never got really hot because the temperature only warmed up to 47 degrees by the time I finished.

Finish line..  

I was glad the race was over..... my big toe joint was killing me and for some crazy reason I developed two blisters on my foot.  Seems no matter the socks or shoes I try... I still get blisters.  And the course change this year taking us on the overpass bridge that was a complete slant really aggravated those blisters. grrrrrrrrr

They always have a ton of food items after the race.  It's one of the biggest after parties that I've seen at a race.  Check out the booths:

We all 3 quickly showered and headed back to Mississippi.  It had snowed on Friday and I was hoping there was still some snow on the ground..... and guess what??  there was a little...

Got a picture in my backyard with my medal on the snow/ice that hadn't melted completely.  Who would have thought the Soak of the Run race in Mississippi would be the same weekend we'd get snow?  It's RARE to get 5-6 inches of snow in MISSISSIPPI! And boy it was beautiful.  I'll have to make a post with some of my pictures.  It could be several years before we see that much snow again. 

Well, that's a wrap for my 2017 races.  I'm having bladder surgery next week and will not be allowed to run for 4 weeks.  My plan is just to try to enjoy the holidays as much as possible and recover after surgery.  The holidays are going to be tough for us.  But I know with God's help we can get through it.

MISSING JIM HE WAS THE BEST FATHER-IN-LAW

MISSING DREW - WONDERFUL, SWEET STEP-SON

Amen,
D

P.S.   --- IT'S TIME TO START THINKING OF 2018 GOALS...

Half Marathon #31 - St. Jude Memphis 12-2-17

I'm a tad late in writing this post.  I just can't seem to find the proper words to describe this race to me.  And maybe it's also a combination of having two deaths in our family recently.  I just seem to be at a loss and my emotions are all over the place.  Let me first say this is the 5th year in a row that I've ran for St. Jude.  From the very first time I was just blown away.  This race is so much more than running.  It's for a great cause.  

After watching my stepson recently pass away from an accident, this race even touches me more and I didn't think that was possible.  I truly can't imagine a parent dealing with a child that has cancer for months on end.  Going week after week for treatments that cause their children to be so sick.  It's heart wrenching.  It changes you forever to lose a child.  So as long as God is willing, I will be a ST. JUDE HERO and raise money so that maybe one day St. Jude can put an end to childhood cancer so that ALL kids may live out their life as a normal child.  

As we are coming to the close of 2017 and many of you are setting new goals for 2018, I encourage you to think about becoming a hero for St. Jude Children's Hospital.  There are many races you can pick from to run as a hero.  I've done Nashville and Memphis.  I LOVE Memphis because it is the home of St. Jude Children's Hospital.  This year there were over 26,000 runners that ran on 12-2-17.   It was amazing.  And we'd love to have you join Team Run4TheKids when you sign up as a hero.  

For the first time in 5 years, I did the half marathon instead of the full marathon.  With so many personal issues over the last 6 months I just didn't have the time to train for a full.  I was bummed about it at first, but then I remembered that this race is NOT about ME.  It's about the kids.  So no matter if you ran the 5K, 10K, half marathon or the full marathon as a hero... you were a HERO! 

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend.  Every year I take my mom and daughter and we have a girls weekend at the Peabody.  They do the 5K together.  I'm so BLESSED with a wonderful family and great running friends. 

Going into the hospital...check out the crowd!

My daughter.. love her!

My mom and daughter after they finished the 5K.

Her name is Erin so of course she got a picture with the big E 

Elizabeth finishing her first half marathon with Sunshine's help.

Erin, Me and Mom took a carriage ride back to the Peabody... so cool. 

In front of the giant Christmas tree at the Peabody. 

My crazy mom. 

This is what it's all about!!!! Every time I run through the campus of St. Jude Hospital I have tears flowing. 

Sunshine.. :<>)

Our team raised over $30,000 this year!  So let me just recap the last 5 years for you on Team R4TK:

2013 - (just me)  $5,000

2014  - (team formed)  $23,000

2015 -  $43,000

2016 - $50,000

2017 - $30,000

Do you realize that is $151,000! WOW! I'm so amazed by my team members!  They are incredible people who give up so much of their personal time and money to be St. Jude HEROES.  GOD BLESS THEM ALL! 

THIS WAS THE TOTAL RAISED BY ALL HEROES!

MY MEDAL

My time.... not too bad considering my training has been mostly walking for several months... ha  and I took videos along the way.  Here's the link to the video I made:
St. Jude Memphis weekend 2017 Team R4TK

Looking forward to 2018 with Team R4TK.  Stay tuned for fundraisers we'll be having during the year to help us reach our hero goals. :<>)

Much love,
D

PS... post coming soon on Gulf Coast half marathon... Last one for 2017.