Run4TheKids 5K & Battleship 12K weekend.

 On November 18, Team Run4TheKids hosted their annual 5K race to raise money for St. Jude Children's Hospital.  We didn't have as many racers this year as we've had in the past, but we still had a successful race.  I blame college football some for the attendance.  Southern was playing away from home.  Plus other SEC games.  We normally have our 5K in early summer, but this year decided to try a cooler month.  It was beautiful weather and no one was overheated.  😅  So far our team has raised over $10,000 for St. Jude this year.  💓  I'm very proud of every team member and I thank them all for their dedication to St. Jude.   AND I am so thankful for everyone that came and worked our 5K race!  You don't know how much that means to me.  Giving up your Saturday morning to work a 5K.. you are SPECIAL.   Several will head to Memphis this weekend for the St. Jude Memphis race weekend.  Keep us in your prayers for safe travels and running.  Just a few pics I had on my phone from the race.  I don't have a picture of everyone that worked 😌 I missed... Frank, Krista, Lyndie, Nestor, Tammy, & Sunshine! I didn't even get a picture of Sunshine's beautiful medals.  Oh and Ronnie Freeman made these amazing bowls out of wood that we also gave out as awards.  He does amazing wood work!  THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU THAT HELPED!  I need to go steal one of Nestor's pictures. 

Susan placed in her age group.  Yay Susan..coming back from knee injury! 

Michelle and Candy working one of the road crossings. 

When the cop showed up that would support our race, he realized Penny was his old grade school teacher.. 😍

The Freemans and Ms Ann always do a fabulous job with the half way water stop. 

Felicia, Misty & Janis working road crossings. 

Wanda working another road crossing. 

After the race me and my PPRF girls went on to Mobile to packet pickup for the Battleship 12K that would be on Sunday.  It was another beautiful morning to run.  Cool and sunny.  We had such a good time.  I laughed so hard my stomach hurt Saturday night.  We had dinner at a really nice restaurant and the food was fabulous.  It was right down from our hotel, which was so nice.  There were 7 of us in total that stayed together....   Penny, Felicia, Candy, Michelle, Virginia, Susan, & me.  

Race morning Michelle did her glitter thing and got us all ready to sparkle.  😍  We all dressed alike too. 💓  When the race started I tried to stay with the girls, but my body felt good so I just started running and not looking at my watch.  When I got to the first mile and had a 9 min pace, I was like there is no way I will be able to maintain this.....BUT... I told myself, just run... take it 1 mile at a time and see how the body feels.  So I did just that.  I did stop at a water stop and walk while drinking my water one time and I stopped and took a couple of pictures, but other than that, I ran.  I was surprised I had a 9:42 avg pace when I finished.  I really felt good.  I haven't felt that good in awhile.  You have to enjoy those moments because every race is different...... sometimes you feel like crap... and others you feel amazing... 😀  I give God all the glory! 

Here's a few pics from the weekend:  

our amazing medal... notice the battleship in his helmet

The start line.... over 1,300 runners were present 

a little photo booth at the expo 

Love our Bible verse... it's one of my favs. 

Grabbing a pic afterwards with 2 fast men.. Nestor and Dan! 

Ran into Wanda along the course. 

Finally saw Kathy at the finish line... I spotted her pony tail on mile one..but couldn't keep up with her fast pace.  💓

Michelle still putting glitter on us! 

Our hotel.. looking at that morning right before we headed to the start line... Love these two.. Felicia and Penny. 

OH AND GUESS WHAT????????????  I got the most amazing news right before these races!  I have been given the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon  in April for the 26.2 Foundation.  I am over the moon! A dream come true.  😍  I was blown away when they called and email me.  

Hi Deleica,

You have been selected to run in the 2024 Boston Marathon® Presented by Bank of America on Monday April 15, 2024, for 26.2 Foundation’s Team Inspire.

    

As you know, the 26.2 Foundation is a philanthropic non-profit 501(c)3 organization with community roots in Hopkinton, MA. Founded in 1996, the Foundation’s mission is to promote and support the sport of marathoning, as well as health, wellness and economic-development initiatives through strategic investments in innovative, multi-generational programs. We understand that there is more to a marathon than running 26.2 Miles and our initiatives can be found from Hopkinton, Massachusetts to Marathon, Greece.

 

We are honored that you have been moved to join our mission to honor, celebrate and inspire the power of the human spirit through the sport of the marathon.

 

Up next... St. Jude Marathon to finish out my 2023 year of races.  

Poconos Marathon 10/21/2023 & visit to PA to see Ellie (MeMe)

 Scratching off another state.  ✔️  when I started running at 40, I wish I had put thought into doing this … I’m 33 marathons in and so few states done …. However my friend, Penny Smith has told me she wants us to try to start working on getting more states done.  ❤️.   Texas and Ohio are already on tap in 2024 and maybe Alaska ❤️👊.

“Time flies” … we say that often …… and sometimes it really hits us.  I haven’t been to Pa since fall of 2019! Seems like just a year or two.  Someone was asking me this week before we left to come see Gary’s mom and it really hit me.  I had to think back to the last time … and what has happen since … 2020 COVID hit and the world shut down …. Then we had work rules where they did not want us to travel.  Pa had rules where you couldn't enter the state and his mom said she didn't want us to try to come.. she was too scared of COVID... 2021 … when travel restrictions finally started slacking up ….. my daughter got married in the fall and it was a busy time …. Then 2022 … my son's first child was due September and I ended up getting into the London and Berlin marathons in the fall, which are HARD to get into... that's also when Gary prefers to travel to Pa and the company I work for also started a major merger with another company,  so I was limited to when I could travel.  It’s not a hop and skip to get here.  It’s either a 16 hour drive or a long day of flying and driving.  Gary has went by himself several times to check on her, but it’s been 3 years since I’ve been. 😳    As they say … don’t blink … time slips away so fast!  Thankful I’m was able to go this year.  🙏❤️. I sure was looking forward to a week of cooler temps.   AND a week off work 😂👊❤️  

We headed to Atlanta on Friday after work to fly direct to Pa.  Trying something new...  either you fly out of New Orleans or Jackson and have multi layovers before reaching PA which ends up being 12-16 hour travel day, driving for 16 hours, or doing what we did this time... drive 5 hours to Atlanta, fly direct from there for 1 1/2 hours to Pa! then a short 90 minute drive to his moms.   We saved a lot of travel time this time... HOWEVER, it was rough coming back on Sunday after the marathon.. hee hee  

When traveling it’s good to ask about local places to eat.   If you don’t, you’d miss an awesome place like Morrone’s cafe.  We always try to eat here.  Gary’s friend, Mike Morrone, owns this restaurant.  It’s fabulous!   I had the homemade ravioli and it was amazing.  We didn’t get to see Mike while we were there, but visited with his daughter.   

If you were traveling, you’d probably miss it unless you asked about local Italian.  They’ve been here since like 1934.   Gary remembers when they came and could barely speak English.  The mother of the kids rarely spoke English from what Gary remembers as a child visiting their home.  

I’m lucky to have Gary who is a native from here.  He knows so many good places to eat that are owned by locals that were friends of his growing up.  ❤️❤️

I forgot how much I love running there! The paved path by the river is so nice.  Even though it’s was calling for more rain the whole week we were there 😩 I was able to squeeze in my taper 8 miler on Sunday 👊.  And yes the grass there is green. While we had a drought in Ms, they’ve had a wet season.  It was 43 when I started.  But after a mile in, I ditched the jacket, gloves and earmuffs 😂😜😁.  Only  have 2 short 2 milers during the week I hope I can get in between rain shower before the marathon on Saturday.  

Ellie.... Gary's mom... 94 years young.. still living on her own.  What a blessing that most never see.  She’s doing great and I expect her to make it to 100.    Although she’s told me … “D it’s hard to get old … you can’t hear, you can’t see and you got false teeth” as she smiled and laughed.  😂.  Still in good spirits.  These eyes and ears have many stories.  She’s still as quick witted as ever.  ❤️❤️❤️

We went to another locally owned restaurant on Sunday evening.... Pier 87 is amazing.   Gary’s friend he grew up with son is the owner.  Can you image sitting outside looking at the mountains and hearing the water flowing??  It’s awesome.  Their outside is closed during the winter months… winter is rough with snow here. We met some of Gary’s high school friends that still live here for supper.  It was great seeing them again.  We missed Kristy, John’s wife who passed away.  She was always smiling and laughing.  These guys are so lucky to still be able to get together so many years after high school.  I’ve heard their stories many times over the 19 or 20 years of coming here with Gary 😂😁  

Eat local.  Stay in touch with friends.  

Thursday night we ate at another local place that I highly recommend.  The Old Corner.   Not only is it good it’s beautiful.  They have a mirror / window that came all the way from Italy here.  Oh did I mention that Gary’s friend, Frank, who passed recently and we missed dearly 😢… Owned this and now his daughter does.   It’s been in the family for a long time.  Gary remembers when Frank and his family came over from Italy.  Frank could not speak any English.   I don’t think franks mother ever spoke any English, but his dad did.  I had the pleasure of knowing Frank and his dad.   It’s not the same coming in here without Frank.  He was always a super host and I loved listening to all of his and Gary’s stories of growing up together. ❤️❤️  life is too short!  #eatlocal #downtownwilliamsport

After a week in PA with Gary's mom, we drove over to

the Poconos to be here for my marathon on Saturday morning.  It’s been another cloudy day with lots and lots of wind.  Calling for rain to start tonight and go through tomorrow! 😩   The sun did come out some today and when I went to packet pickup at Promise Land state park, I grabbed a few pictures because tomorrow I may not be able to in the rain.   I also didn’t realize this race is somewhat a trail run until the email in the race came with instructions and said there would be water stops every 2 miles except for where vehicles couldn’t get 🙈😜🤔😎  I’m thinking tomorrow will be a slow easy really long run for me 😂😁👊.   The area is beautiful and the run around the lake will be beautiful even if it rains.   Glad the hubby is letting me do this while we are here.  In all the years of coming to PA, I’ve never ran this state.  

SATURDAY... State of PA ✔️ done and dusted! 😁👊.  It drizzled rain off and on and we had winds.  See all the leaves on the ground.  I tried to snap a few pictures in between rain showers.  Often I was all alone on the course.  I don’t think many did the marathon.  The first loop there were tons of people but the 2nd loop out and back was lonely.   Hence…. My 3rd place age group award 🤗😁.  It pays to run the smaller races 😂❤️

I give God all the glory today.  He helped me make that 2nd loop.  Ezra 10:4  and all the text from my friends that I didn’t see most until after due to hardly any cell service.  

I also wore my short from our run group and so many people said thanks for telling me don’t quit when we passed on the course 😍. 

They said it was flat on the website … 🤔🤔🤔   Nope! Now it wasn't mountains, but it was not flat.  

Gary and I enjoyed ihop afterwards and relaxing in our hotel until our 6am flight home the next morning.  It felt like a really long travel day home! We had to get up at 2:30am to leave hotel to go to airport for 6am flight.  Then drive home from Atlanta .. 5 hours.... I was so stiff every time we stopped I could barely get out of the vehicle.  I don't like long travel directly after a marathon. 

So another marathon done and a visit to see my mother in law.  Both were a success.  Now to recover and prepare for my marathon in December... St. Jude in Memphis.  This will be my 11th year running as a hero for St. Jude in Memphis! 💓 

B.O.B Marathon 9/10/2023

Another marathon???? YEP! my 31 marathon! B.O.B. which stands for Boston or BUST! We are the BUST part. 😂  It's the last race where people can run a Boston qualifying time for the following April.  

I often wonder why I let my friends talk me in to another marathon! 😜   Especially one that you have to train for during the summer months.  It's been one of the hottest summers we've had here in South Mississippi.  We went a whole month with the heat index over 100!  So needless to say even if we started our long runs at 4am, we were still soaking wet a mile into our run.  I've struggled with cramps the last several weeks and had to cut 2 of my long runs short due to cramps!  It's been a battle.  After having to get a hydration IV in August after our long run at the coast, I wasn't sure I'd make the 26.2 miles this past weekend.   I had to cut my 15 miler to 11 and then I had to cut my 20 miler to 16 miles due to cramps.   I've never ran a marathon without going to 20 miles except for my Ironman training.  And during that time of my life I didn't worry because I was biking and running so much I felt ready.  But this past weekend, I was nervous and unsure if I could make 26.2 miles.  I went ahead and scheduled me a hydration IV on Friday before the marathon.  When I had gotten one after my epic fail on my 20 miler, the nurse told me they were good to get prior to a race.  So I did a little research and everything I read said it was good for athletes.   I'm so glad I did it!  I highly recommend it for anyone suffering with cramps.  It's basically what they call the "Myers Cocktail".  

So Saturday morning me and the girls met up and headed to Huntsville, Al.  It was a 5 hour drive and we had to take 2 vehicles to accomodate us all.  I did all the driving in my vehicle.  I didn't mind, but it does tend to make you tired afterwards.  Huntsville was a bigger town than we had thought.  I soon realized after we all got settled that several others were also nervous about the race.  It was going to be a tad cooler than what we were use to but it was going to warm up fast.  We were all glad the race was starting at 6am.   We went to packet pickup, had lunch, went to a sweet store and back to our hotel.  We opted to stay at our hotel and get pizza that evening.  We ended up sitting outside on the patio with our pizza and it was so nice just sitting and relaxing with the girls.  I've said it many times... these girls are my therapy session.  😍  Michelle gave me an awesome jar of a sugar scrub she had made herself for a late birthday.  It smells so good!  and then  Feleica surprised me with a pair of socks!  We all went to bed early and alarms starting going off around 3:45am. 😁  Time to rise and shine for that 6am race start.  

It was still dark when the race started, but the sun quickly rose in 15-20 minutes.  It was pretty watching the sun come up around the mountains as we started running.  The temp was around 68 degrees.  It felt really good and during the first half all of our PPRF group ran very well.  You could tell we all felt great!  I was like wow this is going to be a PR race for all of us...  but that frame of mind quickly changed on the 2nd half.  The sun came out and it was blistering hot except for the shaded areas and the course kind of depressed you.  It was an odd course.  We started and went out 5 miles and back 5 miles then out another direction for 1 1/2 miles and back 1 1/2miles where we did it all again to make the 26.2 miles... so we had to run through the finish line 4 times!  It was just aggravating and they only had a water stop like every 3-4 miles... and just 1 set of porta potties!  It was the worse race as far as aid stations that I've ever ran!  I felt so bad for the ones that didn't take a water bottle.  I was very thankful I had taken my 2 bottles and when I realized the water stops were few and far between, I filled my bottles up every time I got a chance so that I would have some water.  By mile 20 we were all ready to quit.  Well, maybe not all... Penny was on fire! She started out saying, "y'all I'm going to pull back and settle as this slow steady pace", ... but by the 2nd half she was ahead of us all.  She looked STRONG!   I just knew Ms Be was going to run her BQ time and we could all celebrate afterwards, but that didn't happen.  She fell slightly behind Penny and when I saw them coming in on that last loop when I was going out, I looked at my watch and knew she was probably not going to make it.  It broke my heart.  I wanted her to get it so badly.   But I know one thing... She won't be defeated!  She'll get it again.  She's already qualified once before and she'll do it again!  Not once after the race did she get upset or try to come up with reasons why she didn't make her time.  She simply thanked God for letting her cross that finish line.  She inspires us all.   And every day I learn from her.  She's not bold and boatsful.. she meek and mild... but on the inside she's one TOUGH cookie!  I want to be just like her when I'm 70... heck I want to be like her now at 57! She's amazing!  And so are all the other women in my group!  Penny was the only one that finished the marathon in less than 5 hours!  Like I said she was on fire!  Afterwards, I was like wow Penny!  She told us she had something to prove to herself and she did it. 😁

Joe was also there running his 96 marathon! His goal is to get to 100 by December at St. Jude.  I'm so excited for him!  He's worked hard!  and We going to PARTY when he finishes his 100 at St. Jude in December! 😍

Our hotel would not let us have a late check out so we ended up taking a quick rinse off shower at the campsite at Ditto Landing where the race was held.  Feleica was a tad unsure about taking a shower there, but we all reassured her it would be ok.  We are slowly breaking her in. 😂  Heck she will even share a bed now with one of us. 😁😂

So that's a wrap on BOB! Would I recommend it ?? NOPE! not unless they have more aid stations! and maybe change that out and back route!  Huntsville is a nice area and we did have some nice scenery while running most of the route and we did have some fabulous food at Drake's before driving home.   It was a GREAT weekend except for the running part. 😁😛  Actually the running wasn't too bad.  It taught us all that we can push on and we can do HARD things! So I call that a win / win! 💓  and I give God all the glory for letting us all finish.  Without him, I'd be no where and unable to accomplish anything.  🙏

Here are a few pictures from our weekend.  Now we gearing up for October marathons! 

Early on in the race.  

The guy at the finish line let the ones that had finished give the others their medals as they came in. 

Picture at Loves on way  home. 

Pizza at hotel outside.

Sweets and more sweets!

Drakes before heading home. YUM YUM

Before race start.. Joe even matches us in the red! 

Let's do a funny finish line pic 

Our race shirts.

the medal

Finish line Pic with Susan, she did the 5K and took lots of pictures for us.  

Me and Joe around mile 25. 

Cracker Barrel for Breakfast in Meridian.

Finish line picture.