"OH WELL"

 "I'd rather have a life of 'Oh Well's' then 'What If's'". 

I am just not sure how I feel about turning 50. 

Where did time go? My mind says I am still 15 years old but the rest of me is in complete disagreement. 

So, I decided to EMBRACE it. 

• I decided to set BIG goals. 
• I decided to go for the GUSTO. 
• Go Big or Go Home. 
• There is always more life to live!
• I like the idea of at least trying. No regrets. 

2024 Running GOALS:

1. A race a month
2. A race in EVERY increment.  
3. Maintain 50 miles a week. 
4. Qualify for New York City marathon.
5. Give God the Glory. 

• 10Miler: The Crim August
• 1/2 marathon: 
• 25K: Snow Moon Race February 
• Marathon: Treasure Coast Marathon Florida March 
• 50K: 
• 50mile   Yankee Springs January
• 100K: Black Beards Revenge Outer Banks March
• 100mile: Kettle Moraine June

 "I'd rather have a life of 'Oh Well's' then 'What If's'". 

Every obstacle serves a purpose. So does every success and every failure. 

Even if I FAIL, even if it ends UGLY, even if...I TRY. 

I am just going to GO for it. 

I am going out in FAITH. One step forward, a little fear but a whole lot more FAITH. 

I am going forward not looking for failure or flaws rather the potential that Faith can deliver. 

It's not about ME getting the glory; it's about GIVING HIM the Glory. No matter the outcome, the Lord gives purpose to it all. 

It's strange to see this 50-year-old woman staring back at me in the mirror. My wrinkles are adding up and getting deeper, the gray hair is surfacing boldly and yet I find myself laughing through it all. 

Life has not been easy for me. 

But I laugh. 

I mentioned my wrinkles to a friend a couple weeks ago. They responded, "Quit Laughing Soo MUCH." 

My wrinkles are not proof of a life of defeat and discouragement, they are an illustration of ZEAL. A biproduct of my Faith and Love for the Lord....

Of Joy. 

Of Faith.

Of Love. 

Of Dreams. 

So here we go, all in, everything I have and even more, Everything He has for me. Even IF I fail, I won't have regret not trying!

Scriptures of Encouragement:

• Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 
• Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not evil, to give you a future and a hope." 
• Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in well doing, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." 

RUNDOWN: 

Week of Jan 15-21

Distance: 66 miles

Time: 11 hours

Elevation: 1,010

Longest Run: WALK BRREAKS/ INTERVALS

Indian Springs 24.10 miles. 16 miles with Andy, 8 miles solo. This was a hard run. Winter running is full of stinking thinking. I gave myself a walk break every 2 miles to crash the mental chatter. This walk break was brief, but it did the trick! It gave me something to look forward to, it changed my running pattern, and it helped to encourage me to keep going! 

I OVERSHOT my mileage considerably BUT here is why...

I have a sweet friend, a mom who works full time training for a marathon. She needed company for her long run-on Sunday. This weather is tough training weather. I knew that Andy was there for me on Saturday and vise versa, and this allowed me to finish with success. Even though I didn't need more milage I knew the company would help her. 

Running is more than using your legs, its about using your gift for others to be successful to you. 

Iron Sharpens Iron. 

"Faith expects for God what is beyond all expectation." Andrew Murray

In Peace, Not Pieces, 

Anita

RUNDOWN! 2023

The RUNDOWN of 2023 had a lot of surprises for me. I met goals and created goals halfway through the year. 

Races for 2024

January: Out with the Old 5K, Lake Apopka 30K
February: Snow Moon Trail 25K, Winter Loops 1st place female, 21.75miles
March: Pot o' Gold Female Masters 31:39 4 mile
April: Trail Weekend 50K
May: Flying Pig Marathon, High Ball to Thurmond 50miler 
June: Loopty Loops 38miles
July: Bastille 15K, Red Moon 25K
August: Crim 10m
September: Run Rabbit Run 50miler, Atwater Growler Gallup
October:  Monster Dash 1/2 marathon
November: Flying Monkey, Turkey Trail Trot 10K, Black Toenail 1/2 marathon
December: Run Like the Dickens 10K

Total Days active:

244 days: No, I do not run everyday! 

Total Elevation: 

159,121

August I ran over 20,000 feet preparing for Run Rabbit Run in Colorado.

• Mt. Fairweather in Alaska is 15,325 ft.
• Mount Bear in Alaska is 14,831ft.
• Mount Rainer in Washington is 14,417 ft.

Total Distance:

 3,120

The MOST milage I have ever run and WILL ever run again. This was stupid!

July was my highest milage, My superpower is running in the heat, 317 miles. 

• 1,316 miles to visit my brother in Stuart, Florida
• 1,964 miles to the Grand Canyon
• The Appalachian Trail is 2,198 miles long.
• The East Coast Greenery is 3000 miles long from Maine to Key West Florida

My Longest Race: 

Highball to Thurmond, 54 miles. It was a 50-mile race I got LOST at! 

2023 GOAL was to run shorter races. Oddly enough, my yearly milage depicted the training of a 100 miler. 

Hardest Race:

Run Rabbit Run. The hardest part of this race was losing my phone. This messed with my head space so bad I struggled to stay motivated. I found myself discouraged and a disaster. 

I had confidence it would show up, However, by the time I TRULY BELIEVED that I had to drop a gear to finish before dark, that was my goal. 

Silliest Race:

I pace the Crim every year, 10min/milers. I love getting dressed up and encouraging others. The crowds at this local favorite are full of hype and even in the August heat we are all having fun...ish! 

Inspirations:

Andy challenges me to step out of my comfort zones, we hiked the Grand Canyon last year backpacking and camping each night, afraid of heights I conquered so many fears. 

1. Andy! He proved you can turn 50 and still set PR's! Watching Andy work so hard always challenges me and motivates me. He encourages me without a lot of fluff. Andy doesn't sugar coat his words, testing me to work with my abilities not my emotions. 

I have plenty more inspirations, truth is, all my running partners inspire me in different ways. I could say something about every person I run with. 

Favorite Shoes:

1. Trail: Altra Timps, Topos Atmos
2. Road: Saucony 

Nutrition: 

POUCHES, Applesauce w/Chia, Baby Food with protein. Roctane Gu Expresso, 

Post RUN: COFFEE, Recovery Smoothie

Run Supplements: AG1, Gu Recovery Protein, Collagen, Tart cherry juice. 

Hardest Training RUN/ROUTE:

I did 20 miles on Fox Lake rd. I ran some with friends and finished solo. It was a little sketchy out there by myself, this only made me pick up my pace. Focused and hyper alert gave way to one of my best efforts out there. I was sore for almost a week! 

About 2500ft of elevation. 

States I Ran a Race IN:

• Florida: Lake Apopka 30K
• West Virginia: Highball to Thurmond 50mile 
• Tennessee: Flying Monkey Marathon
• Colorado: Run Rabbit Run 50mile
• Ohio: Flying Pig Marathon 

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness" Romans 8:36

2023 GOALS:

Last year's goal was to NOT run any races OVER 50miles. And technically I did that until I got LOST and turned my 50 miler into 54! 

I also SET a goal 3/4 of a way through the year, to run 3000 miles. I do not look closely at my overall training and decided to check it out only to discover that it was possible to run 3000 miles. 

(And still have a life)!

A great reminder we can set goals anytime we want. Setting goals flippantly gives us a reset. I had moments when it was fun, and I had moments when I thought I was a little ridiculous and so was running! 

As I close out my recap of 2023, I end with humble gratitude. Every day is a gift. 

The Lord gave me this gift to reach others, to love others, to encourage others. 

This is how He has me communicate with others. 

I run ONLY because HE has given me breath in my lungs, passion in my soul and His strength in me to Run for Him. 

I can do nothing without Him. 

That is the beautiful reasons why I run but there is also the Brutal reasons why I run. 

Running heals my broken places. I can step out of my disruptive thoughts and run them out. Not every run is heavenly. But every run I feel heaven healing. 

"Your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is.' Kara Goucher 

In Peace, Not Pieces, 

Anita