Strength and Joy

^"yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. ¹⁹The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights." Habakkuk 3:16-19

Do you ever wake up, grab your coffee and feel yesterdays anxieties begin to mingle with todays agenda?
With barely a sip of coffee in me, I could feel yesterdays chaos intertwining with my morning. I was trying to relax and enjoy my cuppa Joe but my heart was a bit anxious. I grabbed my devotional and began reading, rereading and slowly the Holy Spirit began melting my heart. I could feel His words softening me, calming me.
As I read, I looked outside and smiled. It was so beautiful out. The sun was coming up over the pine trees and a pink haze shadowed below the soft blue sky.
BUT is was frigid. Another icy winter day.

My body has been acting up on me, I had awoke fatigued and lazy.
With each word of encouragement I found myself encouraged. I felt motivated, strong and excited to tackle the day.
Life can get really exhausting at times.
I was reminded when I am depleted Gods word fills my tank again.

When I FOCUS on HIM that is when I am strengthened. Not when I am focused on others, or things or social media, all these things are distractions. They derail you and can tend to deplete or confuse you.

It is so important to fill yourself up on things that encourage you.
That is Gods word FIRST. (This is not everyday...Honestly, I try but if I  am being truthful, I struggle keeping my focus)

You can only give what you have. If you have no HOPE, you can not give HOPE. If you have no STRENGTH, you can not give STRENGTH.
If you have no ENCOURAGMENT you can not give ENCOURAGMENT.
Learn to fill your tank up. Pick your company well.

STRENGTH and JOY. 

My devotion today was so perfect. 

Another blistering cold day. It was below 0' out.
My friends were running outside but as much as I had FOMO, I did not get baited in.
(FOMO=fear of missing out)

I weigh 105lbs and I am 5'2, running with 10lbs of clothing not only is like having another person attached to you, it also makes me as wide as I am tall!

And besides, I was excited to wear my new outfit my girlfriend Lisa bought me.
There is a Dicks Outlet store in Utica.  Carrie Underwood has a really cute brand called Callia. The shorts were already half OFF and then another HALF off! 10$

RUNDOWN
DISTANCE: 10 miles
PACE: 8:50min/mi

I was scheduled for 16 miles today. Time was not going to get me those miles. I had a staff meeting at noon and I got a late start.
Today was also a easy/moderate training run.
I went back and forth on where to run, the Dreadmill VS Track.

The music was blasting by the TM's. I looked for my favorite TM and it was open, they had a Treadmill class going, I thought I would try to use some of their energy to help myself along. Well, and the track was full of Grand Blancs CC runners, it is so defeating having those young legs pass you multiple times.

 "..he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights."

I seriously felt like a deer. Everything felt so effortless. Nothing was aching or nagging me. I sang my favorite tunes under my breath and even threw out the guns when I beat came that made me want to dance.

I love how this version uses the word TREAD. Like TREADMILL.

I was so tempted to pick up the pace but history is your best director. Eventually, it is not going to feel so effortless.
And that was true around mile 8. I had watched the TM class go, this dance class in one of the studios all finish.  (That is why I think I never got to bored, that class was done in the dark, when I really concentrated on seeing what they were doing I knew why it was in the dark! They looked like they were pole dancing boxers. It was the most interesting choreographing I have ever struggle to see!)
My attention span was crashing. I must have looked at the screen on the TM 10 times in 1 minute

I finished. Well, I wasn't paying attention and the TM shut off on me. SO ANNOYING. I had to restart the whole thing for 1.5 LAPS! That's a little more than a quarter mile.
Typical Anita, Paying attention to everything BUT the timer on the TM! UGH.

I finished my run smiling.  I had started this run sore from yesterdays workout. My legs were hurting, however, I was reminded of Gods word. I stayed so focused on my morning encouragement and the truth is I felt that JOY. It was that Joy that strengthened and encouraged me.

It really is a beautiful feeling.
Anita

"Create a permanent place for me in your mind, and My Light will shine on all your moments." 
Jesus Always Embracing Joy in His Presence. 


TRAINING TIP: Keep your easy day your EASY DAY!

Can't knock the Hustle

Galatians 6:4 ^"Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,"

Todays Run is brought to you by Genesys Athletic Club.

I don't typically think trail runners are pretentious, most of the ultra runners I have met are pretty humble and always encouraging one another.
But...don't be too fooled. I have heard a topic come up a few times and recently even saw a post sharing the topic.
The Topic. RUNNING solely outside. Runners poo poo-ing treadmill running.

When I first started running, about 16 years ago, I had a gym membership to American Fitness. (This iconic gym is no longer on the corner of Dixie Hwy and Andersonville rd.) I didn't even know that people ran outside. The thought never occurred to me.
Grown adults run races? Clueless
I had a treadmill in my basement as well but running outside was a foreign concept to me.

Alec was born, 2001. I could hardly get to the gym and running on the treadmill would wake Alec. I didn't have enough money for one of those fancy jogger strollers. I was a hot mess from post partum and Austin, 3 years old had enough energy he could have run a 5k in his Stride Rites.
I did the best I could with what I had, a red wagon radio flyer. Alec was almost 1 year old and I would pull that wagon with both the boys in it all around Holly.
I started running outside out of pure default and necessity.
I LOVED it.
The warm sun, the freedom, the scenery, the adventure. I loved the breeze on my skin.

But Michigan weather brings most of us back indoors. Back to the gym, back to the treadmill. When I started marathon training, running more than 10 miles on the dreadmill was torture. You feel like a hamster on a wheel. Your legs are spinning but you head space is desperately trying to find things to occupy you.

I saw a post that said " What's so bad about treadmills? Not ashamed to say we use them. Sure they aint trails, but"

BUT...But we are still running.
BUT...But we are still getting our miles in and our sweat on.
BUT...It is still good training, Mentally FOR SURE.

"Can't Knock The Hustle" Weezer

I work hard for that gym membership. I have no shame in grabbing my water bottle, my towel and punching in my numbers, especially when I get to wear shorts when the rest of Michigan looks like the Michelin Man.

To me, I don't think it matters if you are getting your run on indoors, on the treadmill, playing the WII or running in place.
For that matter, you get your hustle on any way that works for you. If it gets you off the couch, puts a little sweat in your brows and makes you curse your name in agony, GET IT DONE.

RUNDOWN: 
WHERE: GAC; TRACK
Distance: 6.25 miles. 
WORKOUT:
* 1 mile w/u
*4X800m repeats w/ 800m cooldown, shuffle jog 
*1 mile cooldown
Total mile: 6miles, walked the quarter
*Core
*weights, ALOT of reps, a little bit of weight. 

This was NOT my idea. This was Andys workout that I got suckered into.
Andy has gotten so fast since last August when he started back to the gym. He is giving me a run for my money. Andy is very competitive.
When we lined up for our first repeat my legs felt so fresh. I stayed next to him, afraid when the suffering would sabotage my pace. After the first 400m, I said to myself, "Rattle him..." And I took off hitting the 800m ink a few steps ahead of him. I smiled inside.
I just remembered his lack of remorse when he tapped me on the shoulder at IDIDARUN and blew past me just a couple weeks ago.
REPEAT1- 3:22
"Don't get to cocky Anita."
We started the 2nd 800m aiming to bring it down. "Andy, bring it down, or your going to hit this one at the same time."
I stayed next to him.
REPEAT2-3:30
REPEAT3- 3:30
That last interval, I was coaching myself in every voice I could. The final turn I knew we had to pick up another gear. Andy was voicing a few words of struggle. "GOOO" I yelled at him. He didn't have an option. I was abrupt, loud and bold.
Out of breath, voiceless and gut wrenched, I knew we had hit that last one but I wanted confirmation. "What is our time?
REPEAT4- 3:32

"Can't Knock The Hustle" 

Haters gonna Hate. . Just because you never run on the TM doesn't make you are more bad A$$ runner. What makes you a bad a$$ runner is how you encourage other peoples HUSTLE. 

RELATE don't Compare. 

This seems to be an all around problem. When you remove yourself from someone else's story and encourage them, relating with them,  it is always their STORY. But when you add yourself into their story you are no longer relating you are comparing. 
Different isn't wrong. Don't be that guy who knocks someone else's hustle. 
Listen to your thoughts. 
Be KIND. Be encouraging. And if you cant, BE QUIET. 

ANITA~

Grubers Grinder, Ice Ice Baby

Next Race: Snow Moon Run 25K 
February Saturday, 16th Nite Run. 
Sold Out
2018 Race Results : 2h:33min
Averaging 30 minutes a loop. (3mile loop)

All my races are planned as stepping stones to my BIG ONE: Kettle Moraine 100K in WISCONSIN!

My long run for marathon training is 16miles this weekend.
My long run for ultra training is in the same place.

School was closed again today. I hated that I had a long run and Alec was going to be home.
There is one thing that you can not cheat, and that is your long run.

I had no option, I had to run 16 miles on the trails.
Kris had to run distance today as well.

OHH DID IT HURT.
OHH was it a quiet RUN.

16 miles of RUTTS, deep crevices frozen in the snow where the bikers had divided the trail with a vengeance.
The warmer tempertures froze the ruts, the animals added insult to injury with little potholes scattered in the trail making the path even more evil.
Between slipping, twisting, climbing, sliding we were using all our energy just trying to stay upright.

"'Kris, I feel like my brain should be stronger having to think so hard.."

If I didn't break my ankle, slip on my toosh, get slapped in the face by multiple low branches,  my pea brain was about to EXPLODE concentrating on where to land my feet.
Kris wore her nano spikes, I was too brave (a ridiculous word for DUMB) and just wore my Cascadia's without traction.
Kris no doubt had more traction than I did. But I was more concerned with 16 miles of running with that aggressive running gear on my feet.
I was trying to pick the lesser of two evils.

Grubers Grinder typically takes about 3hours to run. That's just one foot in front of the other, no hurry, just getting her done.

ICE Rink. 

3h28minutes moving time. The last few miles we were just getting to the next half mile marker.
I felt great, other than my ITband beginning to tighten up and my ankles being totally abused I felt really good.
We were intentional about drinking and eating:
MILE 6: Espresso Love Gu and one Babybel cheese ball.
Miles 11: One fruit chew..frozen and nasty.

My Favorite! Tastes like coffee, 

The run was quiet other than the crunching of the snow beneath our feet. But the finish was full of smiles and gratitude.

When everything hurt, we continued to run.
When we couldn't feel our fingers, we continued to run.
When we got whopped in the eyes and face with branches, we continued to run.
When we gutted up another stinking hill with our feet sleeping behind us, we continued to run.

It was a tough run. BUT I am soooo stoked we didn't quit.

Every week I have been making a new goal.
A Weekly Goal. 

I am loving it. My weekly goal keeps me in the moment. It allows me from getting to anxious. It also keeps me from getting burn out.
This week my GOAL was to increase my miles but maintain my pace.

• “The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it.”
• “Don’t try to be perfect. Just try to be better than you were yesterday.”
• “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
  
  

ANITA~

Discipline: The word of the day

The call came before the alarm went off.
School was closed.
I wanted to go back to sleep but I had made plans to meet Jeffrey at the gym at 8.
I sent him a confirmation text. We decided to push it to 9am.

I was up. Coffee time, quiet time.

With my extra sweet and creamy cup of coffee, I snuggled into the recliner to read my devotionals. I always have an array of highlighters, pens and my personal favorite, fine tip sharpies. I underline my favorite words and highlight the inspiration that speaks to me.

DISCIPLINE.
Noun
1. the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.

• the controlled behavior resulting from such training. 
• activity that provides mental or physical training. 

Definition compliments of SIRI. 

DISCIPLINE: Todays topic.

Hebrews 12:11 “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

It spoke to me when Jeff cancelled all together....GET up NITA...MOVE
I moved all right, deeper in my fuzzy blanket.
It spoke to me when I had foul thoughts cross my mind. Nita, think on kindness.
It spoke to me when I saw I missed Laceys call. I knew she wanted to run.
I NEEDED to be disciplined and RUN.

Today was about getting my feelings under control.
I DIDN'T FEEL like RUNNING.
I FELT like staying in my jammies all day.
I FELT like it was a good day for a snow day for me as well.

Sometimes we JUST DON'T FEEL Like it.
We don't feel like dealing with something.
We don't feel like returning that phone call.
We don't feel like taking care of that daunting issue.
We don't feel like parenting, working, or even adulting.

We come up with a million incredible excuses to justify our "FEELINGS".
Oh we are soo good. We can even manipulate ourselves.


But it comes back to Discipline.
Being even disciplined to control those feelings. To override them, dig deep, pull up your bootstraps, and GRIT IT OUT.

Discipline OFTEN is painful.
Oh it hurts to deal with LIFE.
It hurts to deal with that teenager self destructing.
It hurts to apologize and swallow that pride.

It hurts to crawl out from the fuzzy blanket and run in the rain.

But you know what HURTS MORE.
Making excuses and getting stuck on stupid.

You do nothing...that's exactly what you are going to get...NOTHING.

The RUNDOWN:
Distance: 6miles
Location: backroads
Time: 1:09
Pace: 11:28min/mi

I write this laughing out loud.
"AHHHH" I shrieked as my legs came out from underneath me.
"NITA, can't you see the shiny stuff where the ice is?"
Everything was ice. It was a total slip and slide.
I slipped countless times, my arms flailing in the air like a mad man. If Lacey was close enough I would have grabbed her and took us both down.
PACE? We gave that up. We decided to just get our miles in.

We could hardly put one foot in front of the other. And every time I slipped, I would pee my pants from laughing and being soo startled. This just made me laugh more.

It might have been the slowest run ever, but we had fun, ran a lot of hills and made sure an older lady made it across the icy street.
OH, OH...and we GOT it done!

Michigan Barns. So beautiful.
"Lacey, look there is a little stream in between the barns, isn't it pretty?'
"Ahh, Yeah, that's just where the snow is flooding..."

Laughter, friendship.
Discipline. 
Without Discipline my day would have been all together different. I would have missed out on these moments.

I would have missed puppy kisses from Marley. 

Anita

Come Come Come Along.....

Have you ever REALLY listened to the dialogue in your head when you are suffering? When you are in pain, physical or emotional? 

Well, I am not sure what your voices speak to you, but mine...its like a barrage of different tones and conversations of mass chaos.

Saturday I had a race, IDIDARUN in Linden. It was a 8 mile race using the middle schools parking lot and CC course.
ANDY beat me. Granted that was his only mission and he succeeded. He passed me on the trail, hit my shoulder and took off.
EXCUSES.
I am not one for excuses but I had a few reasons that my time suffered.
Friday alone I wore the same heels for 12 hours, both to work and for a funeral. Saturday I worked again all day on my legs.
I was not starting out with fresh legs my any means.
The cries of suffering and defeat echoed, screamed and tormented me with every mile.
I felt my Wednesday workout, squats and lunges.
I felt my Thursday long run at Holdridge.
I felt my heals on the tile. I felt my fatigued. I felt the bitter cold holding me back. I felt every little incline and that dreaded hill I had to run 4 times into the trail. I felt my quads and hammies cursing me.
My heart rate wouldn't come down with the inclines, my ears were ringing, the trail was frozen making my ankle wobbly. And the pavement was hard and giving my footing no grace.
By mile 6, my body was tore up, my heart hurt from discouragement. I wanted to be done, I wanted to walk, Jeesh, I wanted to just breathe.
"Great Job" I mumbled as I passed a few runners who were grunting through the same pain.
I saw the finishing mat and gratefully mustered a faster finish.

Even though I felt behind the gun before I even raced, I somehow, quite shockingly, took 1st place female overall. This came as quite a surprise to me.

Pathetic.
I think my 45 year old body is not in alignment with my ideas. I believe my tolerance for pain has decreased and I am getting a bit soft.
Monday, I was running an easy run, Kris slowed down into a walk. And when I responded to our walk break she kindly says "..you sounded like you were breathing pretty hard...."
I WAS! I wanted to cry. My body was still sore, I was out of breath I was going to pieces.

Last week, my GOAL was to run sore: ACCOMPLISHED! 49 miles.
Learning to run in a beat up phase teaches me a lot. A great reminder I can still move forward. I just have to coach myself harder. I have to count on my mind to over ridie my body.
I thought of this over the last couple weeks. Days when I am suffering emotionally, I coax myself to battle back against the negativity, the discouragement, the confusion.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

Life does not always go the way we plan. When our bodies don't behave as we have trained them or even the way we were expecting them to care for us it is discouraging.
My thoughts, my plans, my goals, my ideas are just THAT, MINE.
Life throws a her plans at us and we fight the process rather than changing our paradigm of thinking.
HE is in Control.
Take time to Breathe.
Give it to God.

Catching my Breath.

Today as I ran on the treadmill alongside my old buddy Jeff, it  was no different. I was breathing like a dying horse, seriously trying to string a sentence along without crying in defeat over a pace I used to run in my sleep.
Jeff reminded me I needed to suffer, I had to increase the intensity. With everything I had I gritted out 5 miles. I found some energy to sing to him in his agony. "COME Along....Come, Come, Come along now, we will run away from the humdrum....." I giggled singing loud enough that I saw heads turn around towards us. "we will dance and sing till sundown..."
And I picked up my pace!

Suffering  hurts. Getting older is not for the weak of heart. I am learning to laugh at myself even more than I used to!

 I am trying to really not let myself fade emotionally. So many stolen moments. I wonder if I will ever get them back. The silence of the unknown is almost more painful then the thoughts that try to convince you that you SUCK.

BUT you embrace the little moments, the small victories, find gratitude in the little things.
Laugh. Laughter is the biggest kill Joy for those nasty negative thoughts!

Sooo once for the Brightside....Run away from the Humdrum....
Come Along: Cosmo Sheldrake
Song of the Day.


Anita~

The Fight.

A couple things about me. I hate confrontation. It makes my stomach turn inside out and upside down.
Its not because I struggle with communication. Its because I struggle with ME.
I struggle with The Old Me.

The hot tempered, short fused, spit fire. I am afraid of the Irish temper and the Mexican mouth that once controlled me. When it unleashes itself it is like the Hulk. It rears its powerful personality that is capable of destroying a city in one easy swipe.

I am a Fighter. I was born that way. Fearfully and Wonderfully made. A FIGHTER.

We are ALL called to Fight.
never GIVE UP.
To be Persistent.
To have the Zeal of a Zealot.
God gave us tools to Fight:

“The Lord is my strength and my shield …” (Psalm 28:7)

 "For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.” (Proverbs 3:26)
“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.” (Isaiah 40:29)
“In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.” (Psalm 138:3)

One of my best friends lost her mother to cancer this week. 62 years old. SO young. Oh the memories flooded through me. 
She asked me to do the Eulogy. Sadly, I have done this a few times now. 
"Anita my mom was a fighter, she fought so hard.....she didn't want to go...." 
My chest was so heavy as her words penetrated every emotion I had. "Don't cry, Don't cry Anita..."
**

Yesterday, I was on the treadmill gritting my teeth, my lungs were burning.
I thought of Denise. She fought so hard.

With 3 miles in, sweat dripping so early, lungs burning prematurely, I felt my hands clench.

We FIGHT. We Fight all of Hell and we don't QUIT fighting.

I fought so hard. I fought so many battles. I fought all of Hell to have a different life. I fought for life and sometimes I fought for death.
Some battles I fought out of confusion and some battles I fought out of desperation.
I fought blindly and I fought skillfully.

BUT DAMIT, I FOUGHT.

I fought HELL. I Fought Abuse, I fought Addiction, I fought for life, my future, my broken marriage, my children. I fought.
I fought resentments, I fought love, I fought for myself and I fought for those I love.

BUT DUG DEEP, PRAYED HARD, I begged, I pleaded and I never gave up.
I fought myself across 100 miles, I fought through the mountains of Kentucky crying in the rhododendron in the middle of the night.

I fought for my beautiful mothers life, anxious for life to flow through her.
I fought for my boys. sacrificing, working so hard to give them a chance.
I fought for my husband, when death flirted with him, tricking him, battering her eyes at him, I fought.

My BIGGEST FIGHT....MYSELF.
Let me explain something.  You see a smile, you see success, you see happiness...BUT what you DON'T see is THE FIGHT.

FIGHT. DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP.

You fight all of HELL, you fight your yesterdays, your tomorrows, you fight your demons and you fight YOURSELF, but DO NOT QUIT FIGHTING.

Quit looking at your defeats, you take those with you and grow from them. You get back up and go another ROUND.
We have all FOUGHT, you are equipped, you are stronger than you think.

Rest in peace Sweet Denise. You fought the good fight. 
Thank you for reminding me to never quit fighting. 



RUNDOWN:
WHERE: Holdridge
Distance: 12miles-ish

We hit the East loop together. Bitter cold temps and winds had us hustling for the protection of the trails.
I thought we were doing 16miles. The crew dropped down to the 11.5 route instead. I had my pack on, loaded with nutrition ready for 3 hours on the trail.
I was actually happy to hear we were cutting out those few miles even though I didn't have a handheld and would be wearing my pack for the next couple hours. "It's Good Training" my crew would say, a polite way of saying "Suck it up".

I lead, I kept a steady pace running half the hills and walking the other half. I felt great considering I worked out my legs Wednesday. "It's Good Training" as I found myself running sore.
As our miles increased we slowly separated from one another.
We were all in sight of one another within a couple minutes.
Or so we thought.

We all finished but Kris was no where in sight. We ran up and down the road screaming "MARCO" no answer.
Rachel jumped in her truck to go looking. I ran down the road again screaming with panic. Every bad thought began to pierce rational thinking. I jumped in my truck to find Rachel. Together, we both jumped out and found a hidden trail head off the road. "MARCOOOOO" we yelled. "POLOOOO" It was Kris. We got so excited she sounded so close, we kept yelling, but them we had NOO reply. Rachel went back to her truck to see if she was coming out  of the trail and I went back in screaming "MARCOOOOO".
"POLOOOOO"

And a SMILE. 

YES! I could hear her but I couldn't see her. We followed each others voices until we could see each other through the trees. We discovered the only way to get to one another was to bushwhack our way through the woods.
I gave her a big hug and kiss.

Always an adventure with Teamsquishy Toes.

Anita~

I challenge you...When you don't feel strong, you feel defeated, collect your battles, Remind yourself you are a FIGHTER, Don't ever quit fighting. 

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)

2018 Race Recap.

”And now we welcome the New Year. Full of things that have never been.”- Rainer Maria Rilke

It takes a lot of time to go back in time to look up my races. But it always brings me great Joy to see my accomplishments, to reminisce, to collect the faces, places and races that shaped my year. 
2018, I learned a fair amount about myself. Sometimes you learn the most when you idle. 
I never ran too far out of my comfort zone, I worked hard at steadiness. I was very blessed that I went another year injury free. Not to say that I didn't have minor annoyances, this is part of running. I learned that taking a breather is great but I want to burn. I want the struggle, the fight, the soreness, the goals that scare you. I want to see what I can still do if I train just a little more intentional. 
I was blessed to have such amazing friends to run with. My tribe is very supportive and encouraging. Many times we found ourselves praying for each other on the trail. We trained together, we raced together, we cheered each other on running hours and hours together. 
I drive people nuts over lunch, my tribe ran with me for hours at a time.  

2018 Races
February 3rd- Snow Moon Trail 2:33:10
April 21- Glass City Marathon 3:50:20
May 19- Highland Loops Trail 17miles 3:00:50
June 26- Mohican Trail Run 50m 12:43:06
Aug 8- Great Pizza Challenge 5k 25:30
Aug 24 The Crim 10mile 1:23:18
Sept 7- Run Woodstock 100k 15:14:18
Oct 20- Detroit Free Press Marathon 3:58:19
Nov 11- Clarkston Backroads 1/2  2:08:43
Nov 23- Howell Fantasy 5K 25:39
Dec 31- New Years Resolution 5.69m (supposed to be a 8k!)  45:24
My goal every year is to try to run a race a month.

My Best run, time wise was Run Woodstock. I ran my own race, pushed myself and hobbled across the finish line without any regrets.

Age Group Award!

My biggest Accomplishment was Glass City, where I qualified for Boston. It still wasn't good enough but it was so awesome to have Rachel and Kris come to Ohio and cheer me on every few miles. It was so amazing!

Kris and Rachel, Heaven Sent.

Team Harless! 

My most EPIC Race, MOHICAN Trail. This race was probably my favorite race of the year. The course was breathtaking. Breathtaking in every aspect. I had my gang again with me. Lacey stepped out of her comfort zone and ran this with me. To be able to share such beauty with my bestie is really truly a blessing.

Great Gang, Epic Race. 

Howell Fantasy 5k was a my most Festive Race. Andy RAN his first race of the year and did great! We ran it together and he killed it. Alec and Lydia cheered us on, making it feel like the old days again.

Andy had me sucking wind at the finish. He did soo GOOD. A blast seeing all his hard work pay off. 

MILES RAN 2018: I quit logging my miles about a month ago! I am over 2000 but I don't have the exact numbers.

MONEY SPENT on REGISTRATIONS.....
$625...NOT INCLUDING Marine Corp Marathon that I DEFERRED
that brings my total to $890. Registration 175$ + 90$ to defer to 2019! OUCH!


A Big Thank you too all of you for your encouragement. I am always so humbled to see where God takes me. I am very blessed to continue to run. I am reminded of what I am capable of and What I am capable of WITH HIM.
I have gotten significantly slower but I never lost my JOY. Not every race went the way I had hoped and I really endured a lot of pain in the process for the times I was getting.
I reminded myself several times I have a lot to be thankful for.
Times are great, but friendships and a good attitude outweighs that for me.


Anita~