Reflecting back on 2019

Reflecting back on 2019 ......  As I sit and think about this year there is one word that comes to mind over and over......  BLESSED.

At the end of 2018 I was recovering from my bike wreck and a missed Ironman race.  I wasn't sure how 2019 was going to go because 2018 had went so well up until my bike wreck.  I was scared to get excited about upcoming races.  I had learned from my bike wreck that all could be going very well in training leading up to a race and then in a blink of an eye everything changed!  So I took 2019 cautiously.  I mean I did look forward to the races I had signed up for, but I just didn't get all hyped up before hand.  I kept telling myself don't get too excited because something else could happen like the bike wreck.  But as the year progressed, I begin to realize more and more that you've just got to live life! Enjoy the day!! and be THANKFUL for it!  We are not promised tomorrow.  I think about Drew EVERY single day!  My husband keeps a picture of Drew on his nightstand that every day when I make the bed, I stop and pause looking at the picture.  I'm a bundle of emotions when I'm looking at that sweet gorgeous smile of his in the picture.  When you lose someone it really hits home that you need to go out and ENJOY life and for God's sake tell people you LOVE them.  Don't hold grudges.  Get over it and be KIND.  Spend time with your FAMILY.. no matter how big, how loud, how messy, how small, how unorganized, etc... just DO IT!  

I had a pretty busy year when I look back at all my races.  And again, I feel BLESSED that I am able to do all of this!  I have a wonderful family that supports me.  I have a great job that allows me to be able to pay for all these extra activities.  AND I have a GOD that has blessed me with health and the ability to accomplish all these things this year.  Some things were not easy this year like swallowing a DNF at Chatty Ironman.  But it taught me not to give up! Push forward! Stay the course! Let God be my anchor... and Guess what? I accomplished my goal of completing a Full Ironman in 2019. :>) And I meet a very sweet guy who encouraged me the whole time leading up to Florida.  He was at Chattanooga also and missed the time line.  He encouraged me to sign up for Florida like he had to try to complete his goal of also finishing a full Ironman within the time limit.  Almost every single day leading up to the Ironman in Florida he would send me messages of encouragement.  I have to say a BIG THANKS to MIKE!!  It has always amazes me the people God will bring into your life in certain moments when you need them.  I believe God spoke through Mike to me.  Such a sweet blessing!  Now I have many other friends who also helped me along the way.  There were my very faithful friends who each week asked me how training was going and they prayed for me and with me!  You know who you are! I don't know what I'd do without you guys! 18!!! and I could go on and on about my coach, Lisa.  She knew how I felt deep inside after my bike wreck.  She understood all the emotions I was going through.  She didn't push me to sign up for another race, but she was there for me!  She listened to me when I whined and she also told me when it was time to get over it and move forward.  I couldn't have done it without her! So thank you LISA!  AND to Jennifer my sweet friend who did much of the training with me as she planned to do the full Ironman also and ended up having her own bike wreck right before the big race..... You are and always will inspire me!  You are dedicated and hard working in all aspects of your training.   Do not let up! Keep moving forward! I look forward to running behind you very soon.  Love ya💕💕

Races completed in 2019 by Month:

January:

Steam Whistle 12K
QB 5K and Polar Plunge (yes I went in the cold ocean! it was actually FUN)

Louisiana Half Marathon (coldest race ever!! I never took off my gloves!) 

February:

PBP 20 for 20 and Jim's 50 miler! (it was awesome seeing Jim finish!)

Children's Classic 10K (Pushed Korbin, An ARC child)

March:

QB Duathlon

April:

Rise and Shine Half Marathon (Pushed Korbin again! an ARC child)

Dream Bike Ride - 65 miles

May:

Natchez Trace Bike Ride - 50 miles

Gulf Coast Half Ironman 70.3 (rough ocean swim, but I survived and finished!)

June:

Team Run4TheKids 5K for St. Jude

July:

Shark Run - 4th of July (SO HOT but Fun with my PPRF group)

September:

Ironman Chatty (118.4 miles finished)- swim & bike only (DNF... my stepping stone)

November:

Gulf Coast Full Ironman 140.6 miles (I finished!!.. Goal Achieved!)

Battleship 12K

Stennis Half Marathon

December:

St. Jude #39 Half Marathon (team raised close to $20,000 again! and my daughter did her first HALF marathon!!)

Gulf Coast Marathon #14 (Michelle got her sub 5 hour marathon!)

For the year my mileage totals:

Bike = 2,502.6 

Run = 851.5

Swim = 109.6

Or a total exercise miles of 3,463.7 miles for the year.  

Goals for 2020 .......... at this moment.... my goal is to ENJOY life!  I have a couple bucket list items for next year that I'm super excited about!  One major abbott marathon (Chicago)! YIPPIE  that will make 2 out of the 6 for me. 😍  I do plan to continue to cross train.  It just won't be as intense as this year.  I want to keep a good balance because who knows when I might up an decide to do another half or full ironman... 😏  yep, the day of the race I said those famous last words.. "never again"...   then gave it a few days and now I'm like... "hum, maybe again"... 😊

Oh and did I mention my son is getting married in 2020!!!!!! YEP!!!💒

And it will be the 7th year for Team Run4TheKids..... So 2020 is going to be an AWESOME year. 😀  I'm in the process of brain storming ideas for the team.  Seven has always been my favorite number.  Some consider it a lucky number so I'm trying to come up with ideas for Team Run4TheKids annual race that we will host in 2020 for our 7th year in a row!!! 💖

And you know what? I love training, well most days I do, there are always those days that even I don't want to get up.  But I love it because it improves my life in so many ways!  It makes me healthier, it makes me happier, and I get to go to races with so many friends and have some FUN!  and Yes, there are people that still ask me if I'm crazy.  Heck, even some of my grand kids tell me they don't know why I'd want to go run multiple miles or do all that I do.  I know it's just that they are too young to understand.  They don't get it yet.  But hopefully one day they will get it and they will look back and say, wow, that is my grandmother. 💖 However, I know not everyone will be a runner or want to be a runner.   Heck, my husband doesn't get it.  He never ran long distance so he's never understood my desire.  It's kind of like the saying in Ironman..  it's a finish line you have to cross to understand.  Well, long distance running is just like that.  You  kind of have to cross that finish line to understand. 💗

Let me also put a challenge out to you....   Go to the grocery store, buy some good foods like fresh veggies, meats, etc.  When you come home instead of putting it all away, put it all out on the counter and for 45 minutes to an hour chop, bake, roast ... etc.   When time is up take a look at what all you've done.  Put the food up in meal size containers and there you go... healthy lunches.  So when you are working and don't have time to run get food, or you are stressed and don't know what to eat... well now you have some good healthy options and don't grab that candy bar or chips! 😃

Here's a great blog post from a doctor on how to F.A.C.E the future and stay healthy after 40+ .. click the link and enjoy reading..

F.A.C.E. The future in the New Year


Here's to all of us F.A.C.E.... ing the future. 😎

"Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction." "Every moment is a fresh beginning." "Life's not about expecting, hoping and wishing, it's about doing, being and becoming." 

Marathon #16 - Gulf Coast Marathon 12-15-19

Marathon #16 - Gulf Coast Marathon

Well, I'm no where near my buddy Joe who is working on having 100 marathons by 2021, but for someone that didn't start running till late in life and didn't run her first marathon till 2011, I think 16 is pretty good. :>)  That's like an average of 2 marathons a year. :>)  It was funny Saturday while running with Joe for several miles when I asked him his age.  I don't know why I asked because I typically don't just ask people their age.. hee hee, I just couldn't remember if he was or had turned 40.  And I was thinking how soon my daughter will be 30!  To my surprise he said he was a solid 32. :>)  I laughed and told him I was a solid 53! .... sure hope I didn't offend him thinking he was close to 40.  He doesn't look 40 and I don't even know why I thought he was around that age.  Just call it old age getting to me!  Heck, he could be my child since I have a soon to be 30 year old! :>)  I'm really excited I hung with that 32 year old running during the last part of the race.  We had FUN.  He face-timed his wife and twins and I got to talk to them.  He ordered waffle house... Yes, at mile 24 he ordered waffle house waffles and ran off the course to get them and finished with waffles in hand going across the finish line!! He's a NUT and I'm glad to call him my friend and a St. Jude HERO!!  

I really enjoyed my girls night!  We had 5 of us in our room at the Beau.  I was a tad concerned about having 5 girls in a room together especially concerning the bathroom...  But It worked out perfect!  Michelle brought her twin air mattress... here's a pic:

She had that thing blown up and all fixed within 5 minutes!  Isn't it cute?  She had her own sheets, etc.  She was prepared! LOL  Two of the girls were doing the half marathon and didn't have to catch the shuttle to their start line until like 25 minutes after our shuttle to the full start line, so we had plenty of time to get dressed and all use the bathroom.  The Beau Rivage is beautifully decorated every year for Christmas and we had a nice evening on Saturday just walking around and enjoying each other's company.

We even ate supper there so we never had to get out and drive anywhere.  We were all in the bed chilling by 7:30 pm.   I was so glad because I was a tad nervous about the marathon.  I hadn't ran all week.  It was just a busy week at work and it also rained a couple of days.  I did have a peloton ride and some yoga, but that's it.  

Race morning was perfect.  It was chilly, but not FREEZING like it has been in the past.  There were only like 700 doing the full marathon, so it wasn't that crowded.  I think there were 2,000 in the half marathon.   I was surprised to run into my cousin at the start line.  Neither of us knew we were doing the full (hate I didn't get pic..we didn't see each other at the end).  I think most people were surprised to see me doing the full.  I think they all thought I was still on rest from the ironman.  Which, I wasn't there to "race" or run hard.  I was there to have fun with my friends and also help Michelle get a sub 5 marathon time.  She's done several marathons, but had not got a sub 5 yet so that was her goal.  

Here is Penny, Michelle, Me and Be before the start of the full.  It was a beautiful morning.  

Us at the Beau with Misty and Megan that was doing the half marathon before the race.

I also ran into Joe before the start.  Which I had picked up his bib for him on Saturday so we had planned to meet up.  Here is his crazy self.  

Penny, Michelle, Be and I all started together.  Penny was going to keep Michelle between a 10:30-11 min pace so she could make the sub 5 hour.  I had planned to stay with them the whole time, but my body runs a tad faster pace even when trying to run easy when I feel good.  I felt really good that morning, but I did hold back.  Be and I would get out ahead of Penny & Michelle and I would stop and take some pictures and walk a minute and they'd catch back up.  Be went on.  She's my idol!  That little woman is in her 60s and she can smoke all of us!  Can't wait to see her at Boston next year!!  The wind was light and there were clouds when we started.  However, the clouds went away and the wind picked up around half way into the race.  And it began to get HOT. 

Around mile 15-16 I meet up with Joe again.  He had stopped and grabbed a biscuit and coke at the McDonald's!!! yes, he was having a good time!! We walked and talked while he drank some more of his coke washing down the biscuit and then he was ready to run.  I ended up running off with him ahead of Penny & Michelle.  He was doing 2 minutes on and 45 seconds off.  I looked down one time when we were running and we were getting close to a 9 min pace.  Now that's not fast to many of you, but for me who's not been doing much speed work lately, and it was also late in the marathon, it was a tad fast.  I told him I needed to slow down..  ha  and I jumped for joy every time his watch beeped to walk. :>)   We stayed together several miles.  It was nice to visit and catch up with what all has been going on with each other.  We soon ran into one of his friends around mile 22-23 that was doing his 150th marathon!  He was walking some and shuffling some and telling us he didn't know why he was doing another marathon as he laughed.  That's the funny thing about us runners... sometimes we make comments like we have no idea why we are doing a race, but we still LOVE IT.  We walked with him awhile and then Michelle and Penny caught up to us.  I had to go live on facebook at mile 24 as we were going up the ramp to the finish line.  The last time Penny & Michelle ran the race the course did not go up on the ramp.  Why they changed it to do that... I have no idea! but it's not fun!! Saving a hill/ramp at the very end of a flat course! how dare them!  And it got so HOT once we turned off of 90 and didn't have that beach wind to cool us.  It was then I just didn't have it in me to run much anymore.  So I walked more and Penny & Michelle got ahead of me.  I was so proud of Michelle! She was going to get her sub 5 hour marathon!  She said she wasn't enjoying it, but she did it!!! Penny & Michelle finished in 4:53 and I finished right behind them in 4:54.  It wasn't a PR for me, but considering I walked, took pictures, went live on FB like 3 times, went to the bathroom 2X and stopped at every water stop along the course for a sip of water, I consider my time pretty good.  Penny was an excellent pacer for Michelle!  Penny is strong and doesn't like to stop at all.  She just continues on with her run until the end.   Here they are running together in their cute matching shirts!  

 I will say my feet were killing me at the end!  So everyone got a sub 5 hour marathon.  Be got like a 4:39.    We were all very happy to be done!  Here is us at the end and our medal:

Michelle told Be she was not doing that again. hee hee  She said she'd much rather enjoy the run then work for a sub 5 hour again.  I think she'll change her mind in a few days.  Now that she's done it, she can do it again.  I missed seeing Frank and Krista at the race.  They were doing the half and since the half started in a different place and they were at a different hotel I never had the chance to run into them.  They both had a great race also! :>) 

We didn't hang around the finish line because Penny had booked us a massage at the Beau at 2 pm so I didn't run into anyone else that was at the race after wards.  I must say the massage was AWESOME!!! I'm so glad I didn't back out of going.  I almost did because I've always heard that it's not good to get a massage directly after a race that it's better to do it like 2 days after.  However, having an easy rub down is ok and that's just what mine was that day!  There was no deep pressure or anything like that.  It was an amazing Swedish massage.  And their spa facilities which we had full access to is AMAZING!! I could have just stayed there all night if I wouldn't had to come back home for work on Monday. 

So that's a wrap for me this year!! No more races till 2020! It's kind of sad the year is over! It means I'm going to be another year older ........ man...where does time go??!?!?!?! 

I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas!!  Hope you didn't do like me and send out Christmas cards where some were not finished.... LOL  I got interrupted at work and sealed some without writing a personal message thanking that person for their encouragement and prayers during the year because they all helped me accomplish my ironman dream!  I should learn not to try to multi task at work with Christmas cards! Oh well, hope they all know how much I appreciate them! 

Merry Christmas! & Happy New Year!

D

Half Marathon #39 - St. Jude, Memphis TN

St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon - #39 marathon! Wow I'm 39% of the way to 100 half marathons :>)  Never Ever would I had dreamed I would run that many half marathons growing up with no sports background at all!  I must say I've only been able to do it with the SUPPORT and LOVE from so many friends!!! Thank you to each of you that have encouraged me in some way!!! I get private messages all the time from people telling me how I have encouraged them, but truly it's all of you that have encouraged ME! THANKS!!

I chose the half this year at St. Jude because guess what??? My daughter also signed up for the half with a little bit of coaxing from me.  Sometimes, we have to push our kids. hee hee   I knew she could do it.  I wanted her to believe in herself.  Her training started out pretty good during the summer.  She was getting in some runs and she was even coming over and riding my peloton bike some.  I was all giddy inside waiting to do the half with her.  Then school started, she's a teacher, and her training basically came to a halt.  So then I began to worry a little.  However, I checked the website and she had a 4 hour 20 minute time limit on the half, so I knew she could walk 13.1 miles in that time and my worry went away.    

I must say I am so very PROUD of her!!  I told her I would stay with her the whole time.  I also told her I'd let her lead the way.  I would not push her.  I told her when she wanted to jog, we would jog and when she wanted to walk we would walk.  She did so good!! We jogged off and on and stayed up with Frank, Krista, Charity, & Sunshine most of the race.  Erin said seeing them directly ahead of her kept her going.  So THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR ENCOURAGING MY DAUGHTER!   

Erin and I also dressed up as Elvis and Priscilla.  I thought it would be fun to be in costume since we were not going to be really racing (running).  It was a BLAST!! So many people stopped us and asked to take selfies with us.  I bet we are all over social media.. ha    It made the time go by fast and she didn't realize she was doing 13.1 miles!  Well, until around mile 10 and then she said her hips hurt.  But she wouldn't quit.  She kept going!  Maybe she's a little like her momma after all. :>)  We ended up finishing with a time of 3 hours 15 minutes!  I was so happy for her!  If she had really trained she could have easily ran a 2 hour half because she never got out of breath or tired doing the jog/walk to finish in 3 hours 15 minutes!  I guess a little of all those years of competitive gymnastics workouts are still in her.  She got her 1st half in before she turns the big 30 in a few months!  Yippie!  Here are a few pictures of us:

Now that wasn't all to my fabulous weekend in Memphis..... This year my son & his girlfriend joined us and did the 5K with my mom.  I was so glad they did that because usually Erin does the 5K with mom while I do the marathon.  I don't like mom being alone.  AND... my son proposed to his girl!!!!!!!  He surprised us all! :>)  Well, except his sister who he had told that he might do it while we were in Memphis.  :>)  It was so sweet!! I was so honored to get to see it.  He's a very shy man and I'm super shocked he let us be around when he finally got on that knee. :>)  Erin captured it thank goodness because me and mom had walked on up ahead and then a couple walked right in front of us when we turned back to see why they were dragging behind. I think Whitney was surprised also! :>)  The ring is absolutely beautiful!  I'm so very happy for both of them!! I've prayed for years for my children to find Godly partners.  Brett has found his so now we just got to find Erin one.  I'm debating on putting an ad on Facebook.. hee hee. ... mom approval before meeting Erin... Not really...she'd kill me. :>)   I'll just keep praying that the special person that God has picked for her will come along and knock her off her socks. :>)  

Here are a few pictures of Brett & Whitney:

I feel so blessed that my mom, son, daughter and Whitney were with me in Memphis this year.  Paying for 2 hotel rooms, picking up all the tabs on the meals for everyone, zoo Christmas light tickets, and gas to Memphis ... all PRICELESS when getting to do it all with the people I LOVE and CHERISH!! 

PS... very, very, very proud of team Run4TheKids!  We raised close to $19,000 for St. Jude this year!  I think we had 20 of them present in Memphis.  I didn't get to hang out with many of them because I was busy doing so much with my family.  I think we all had a great race.  Some set new PRs! Yeah! and we missed a couple that couldn't be there due to family in hospital.  Looking forward to 2020 with the team! 

So that's a wrap on the St. Jude Memphis weekend! 

What's up next? Gulf Coast Full Marathon with my peer pressure running friends. :>)  

Happy Running,

D

Stennis Half Marathon 11-30-19 & Thanksgiving 2019

Can you believe November has come and gone???!!!??? I'm not ready for 2020, but apparently it's coming! LOL  I know.. I know... I keep saying how fast the year has gone by.   Maybe it's the fact that when we are older the years seem to zoom by or maybe time was always going by fast but as a kid you were waiting for those big days.. like turning "16" or "21"... or getting that first big job... or getting married... etc.    Whatever the reason is for time to zoom by I don't have a clue..but I know that it has for me! 

I had not planned a race for Thanksgiving weekend, but I had a long run of 13-15 miles on tap and figured what the heck.  It's always easier to run with many people verses all alone.  So the day before Thanksgiving I registered for the Stennis Half marathon that would be the Saturday directly after Thanksgiving.  Why not work off some of those holiday calories also! :>)  

Thanksgiving at mom's was fun and FILLING.  I was going to go run the 5 mile Hobble Gobble race in Hattiesburg that benefits the ARC that morning, but decided I better go help mom.  I did register for the race to benefit the cause.  I LOVE the ARC.  Mom does 90% of the cooking for Thanksgiving.  Oh we've offered to all bring stuff, but she likes to make her recipes and to be honest, we all would rather her food most of the time. :>)  So I skipped the 5 mile race and ran 5 miles at home and then went to moms to help her cook.  See I'm the good child (1 of 5).. hee hee  .. I am there usually early to help and late to clean up.  I can't say the same for the others.... God love them. :>)  and I DO LOVE them! I have the best Siblings! 

I wore my Thanksgiving socks for my run and then me and mom had to do a snap chat filter for our picture while we were cooking. 

This is 13 of the 15 Sellers' grandkids.  I LOVE how even though they range in age from 29 to 3, they LOVE to be around each other.  I hope they always keep family close! 

Now to the half marathon...  Well let me just say if you've ever done Stennis then you know how BORING it is.  The whole route is inside the Stennis Space Center facility.  You don't run around any neighborhoods, etc.  So there is no CROWD support to cheer you on AND if you are doing the full marathon you do 2 loops of the same boring route.   I knew I was NOT doing that.  However, I had a couple of friends that did!  Penny did her 25th marathon and it was also her very 1st marathon a couple of years ago.  All I can say is she's my hero!  Her and Michelle!  Michelle stuck with Penny and did the marathon also.  Oh and I will say that if you need the long miles, Stennis is a cheap race to register for.  I think the full marathon was like $45... you won't find that around! Most are like $100 +  ...  It's also put on by a good group of people... The Gulf Coast Running club.  The food afterwards is always good and plenty of beer. 

As for me.... I did the half!  I had overdressed thinking it would be cold like it had been for several days.  I was thinking the high may get to 50.  Well, I should have checked the weather because it got to 78 degrees on race day! UGH.   I really wanted to try to run all of the 13.1 miles and see how my body felt.   I started out pretty good and maintained between a 9 and 9:30 pace until mile 6 when I had to make a bathroom stop.  Then I got back on track, but by mile 8, I was toast.  I had on long leggings and I was so HOT!! My face was covered in salt from sweat.  My body was starting to not feel so good.  I was aggravated because the week before I did 18 miles and felt awesome.  But race day was a different story!  Oh where oh where did winter go???!!   anyway, I slowed down and did my jog/walk intervals and decided it wasn't worth it to push it.  Besides it's only been 4 weeks since the Ironman race.  I ended up with a time of 2 hours 21 minutes.  Certainly not a PR, but a decent time.  I was glad it was over and I felt so bad for Penny & Michelle who were starting their 2nd loop.  Here's a group picture of several of us before the race started:

All the bibs said "marathon" but the half marathoners were blue and the full marathoners were white.  Notice in picture above... some white bibs and some blue. 

Did I mention that Stennis was my very first half marathon way back in 2010? Just so happen this picture popped up on my memories on FB:

That's me in the middle.  Serina to your left and Renee to your right. 

These two girls, Serina & Renee, had talked me into the half.  I had never done distance before in my life.  Serina had done several with her parents.  Serina and I first met at a 5K race.  She's the type person that once you met her, you are friends for life.  And she can talk you into anything!! Literally after this race in November, 2010, I did my very fist marathon the following February in 2011.   And I've been going ever since.  Stennis half was my 38th half marathon in just 9 years!  

So what's next?  my 39th half marathon in Memphis with my Daughter at St. Jude! :>) 

And.... I must be letting PEER PRESSURE get to me!!!! I've been registering for some races to do with friends and I just entered them into my training peaks calendar and OMG I have 4 marathons coming up!  I didn't think about the dates really when registering.  I was just happy registering and thinking about going running with some friends.  One friend, Brittney, will be doing her 1st marathon at Louisiana so you know Krista talked me into going and supporting Brittney. :>) 

Gulf Coast 12-15-19

Louisiana 1-19-20

Mercedes 2-16-20

Big Sur 4-26-20  (can't wait for this trip to California with my MOM!)

I know one thing... I WILL be doing my jog/walk program so keep this old body from overdoing. :>)   I've been looking forward to some races with friends so looks like I'm going to get just that. :>)