It all started out with a Run.

"Movement is the best form of medication... It makes your mind sharper." 

Conor Mcgregor, MMA Fighter

The best combat to fight fatigue is to exercise. This was the golden nugget that my Oncologist nurse gave me. Of course she had to follow with "That does not mean that you can go back to running 50 mile run weeks". 

This originally started out as a RUNNING BLOG. I have every intention of keeping it that way. 

A blog that was designed to encourage us to be OVERCOMERS. 

To teach us that despite our circumstances, Against the Odds, we can be successful, we can be talented, we can be encouraging to others.

That in all of it I GIVE GOD the GLORY. 

So I look back, growing up in a @#%*  storm, living a life like a pipsqueak, feeling like a black cloud was chasing me, like God himself hated me, was punishing me....

But reminding myself that in fact He loves me. 

And here again, almost comical, I stand at 45 years old with Stage 2 Breast Cancer. It is all I can do to just laugh. 

I thought if I didn't drink, I didn't smoke and I didn't toke, I was golden. Eat clean, run, exercise, be kind, praise God, eat your Vegetables I would dodge the bullet. 

HA HA, It really is comical. 

Everyday I feel that lump on my right breast. My lymph are so large it hurts daily.  I have this adorable pixie cut. All reminders that I have Cancer. It makes me shiver. 

In less than 2 weeks, I will be bald. It makes me tremble. 

Just 3 days ago, I couldn't hardly get one foot in front of the other I was so sick. 

"Not so tough now, are you Nita"...I had to laugh. Back to feeling like a pipsqueak. 

I had enough energy to tackle Friday and Saturday at work. 

Not enough to RUN.

Sunday, I started to come out of the woods even more. 

A little run. 

TODAY....Every Mile Matters. 

10 MILES. 

Its the little things. Its not giving up, its just readjusting your expectations. 

Finding JOY in the Little things. A few miles are better than NO MILES. 

I am learning to take each day as they come. I have heard most people say that the first 3 days after Chemo are the hardest. Because I have "Dose Dense Therapy", my first round would hold true to that. 

I have 3 more ROUNDS of the "Red Devil".  Because it is accumulative it is only going to get harder. But if I THINK about that then add how I felt Thursday and Friday to the equation then I am going to cower in defeat and depression. 

I have to feel the pain, then relate to it to prepare me for the next round. 

I also have to FIND JOY, adhere to it so I can have HOPE. 

That was today. Finding HOPE. 

Running a 10 mile run when I would normally be running a 25 mile run brought me HOPE not Despair. 

I counted it ALL JOY. 

Its Finding the best in the worst situations.

Its Being your best in the worst circumstances.

Its searching for the light in the darkness. 

Like Lacey says "Its not always unicorns and rainbows." And I am not pumping sunshine in ignorance. I have felt the pain of cancer, one round, and I have SEVERAL more rounds to go. 

But I know I will have Joy in the process. 

Today was indeed a JOYOUS day. I was ANITA! I know I overdid it but I felt so good. I got to do all the things I loved. 

I got to run with Lacey.

I got to clean Maw Maws house.

I got to have lunch with Joan and baby Wes, and stop over Lisa's for a quick cuppa joe. I got to have my heart full coaching XC and I even was able to hit the grocery store and MAKE DINNER! 

If you could see the cheesy smile I still have. 

Me and Wes, He is sooo Adorable. 

Lori and Gay took me to Honchos a couple weeks ago, It was nice to play it forward and take Joan and Wes there today. 

The BEST Nachos and tortilla soup!

It all started out with a RUN. 

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

ANITA~