A Dream between Friends: Boston Marathon 2022

 “You must dream big and dream often. Take risks and see what happens.” – Debasish Mrida

There are some things I remember very well; one thing I remember well was helping to train Lacey for her first marathon. What I remember more than anything was her GRIT. 

Those weekly runs gained more than training they grew a deep friendship. 

Lacey was more than just physically strong; she was and is tough as nails mentally. After she had ran her first marathon, a few days later I encouraged her to think about trying to qualify for Boston.

That little seed rooted and began to grow. 

I had no plans to run Boston again after 2014. Even though I had accomplished my dreams, Lacey was still dreaming!

Lacey shared with me it was a dream to be able to run Boston with me. 

This dream would entail a lot of sweat and tears, dedicated runs, painful runs, intentional training and pavement pounding, all of which I was reluctant to do again. 

I fell in love with our training runs and time together. We signed up for marathons to test out our training in hopes of qualifying together. 

As time and training moved along, I felt my strength weaken. 

The truth is each marathon was fun and exciting, but I kept missing the mark. I was failing and falling apart. I was getting older, and training felt like it was increasingly getting harder. I was struggling to keep up, I was throwing up at 5K's and Lacey even reminded me of a marathon we ran where I vomited 1/4 of a MILE from the finish line. 

Lacey would qualify and actually run Boston without me in 2019. 

I was so happy for her. I remember tracking her and cheering her on from Michigan. 

With all the excitement when Lacey came home, I would have news of my own. 

I had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer in the time she was gone.

Lacey never let the dream die even with cancer! We ran, we trained, even when I couldn't run, she still truly believed God had us running Boston TOGETHER. 

And Against All Odds, so many left out details, God parted the sea for us to both qualify and GET it! 

BOSTON BOUND!

"A goal sets your life on a path, gives it direction, and energizes you." Andrew Wheating, Olympian

Lacey and I flew out of Detroit last Saturday morning. 

We arrived in Boston that afternoon and took to the city enjoying the expo and city shopping. 

Sunday Lacey and I had breakfast at a local favorite hipster diner called the Friendly Toast and headed to church for Easter. 

We met Doug, a friend of ours from Michigan for dinner and to talk about our race strategy the next day. 

One thing we knew, we had done the work to get here, our race strategy was to soak it all in. Lacey and I planned to run it together, have fun doing it and smile all 26.2 miles with gratitude. 

Patriots Day: Boston Marathon

"Now bid me run, and I will strive with all things possible." Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Starting Time: 11am was my corral.

Lacey and I had to head out of our hotel a little after 6:15am to get coffee and a bagel before we headed to our shuttle bus. 

We were doing great on time but quickly found ourselves turned around in the city and running to find our busses where we were meeting Doug and another runner we know, Christina. 

We made it to the busses a little frantic but quickly settled down as the other runners began boarding with excitement and smiles. 

The bus took us from Boston to the starting line on Hopkinton and dropped us off at Athletes Village. 

Our shuttle bus allowed us to stay on until our starting time. We could eat, use the bathrooms and relax. 

The bathrooms were great until they weren't! After a dozen runners with nerves and anxiety have used them, the back of the bus was getting really special! 

Lacey and I had matching outfits on with our motto of "Rule #1, Look Good"! 

Before heading off the bus I decided to have one more potty break. The bathroom light didn't work in the bus and without looking I hovered over the tiny toilet unable to notice that someone had politely put the lid down to try and close that pungent smell. Within seconds I felt something warm and then I heard a trickle sound and came to the conclusion that I was peeing all over the back of my new bright corral skirt! 

I could barely move in those tiny quarters as I felt not only my face getting flushed by my new outfit being soiled. Typical Anita! Never a dull moment and always something to laugh about. 

Athletes Village

"When you get the environment right, humans will do remarkable things." Simon Sinek 

It was glorious out!  We decided to start heading to Athletes Village together. This is a very large area the race designs in the back of a school for the runners to wait before the race. It has clothing drop off, light food, water, port-a-jons, music and a announcer directing and pumping up the runners. You have to go here before you head down to the starting line. 

We were not here long when they announced "BLUE CORRAL you can now head to the starting line". 

Doug, Lacey and I were all smiles as we tucked into the hundreds of runners. 

Let's get it Started 

 “Through hard work, perseverance and a faith in God, you can live your dreams.” – Ben Carson

With runners on every side of us we all started together. 

Doug stayed with us for about a mile and then slowly broke free. 

The spectators were 5 people deep on both sides. 

Lacey and I couldn't stop smiling. I had so many people praying for us, I even had a list of prayer warriors praying very mile. 

The First 13: 

Lacey and I were having so much fun, we were high fiving people and cheering everyone on. 

I had forgot about all the hills but we continued to hit our splits for a fun 4 hour marathon. 

As we approached mile 13, Lacey passed me some Tylenol to open.  Lacey never let on she was hurting. She never does. 

The truth is, it was the grace of God and the power of prayer that had gotten her to the starting line. 

Lacey has been nursing injuries the last 9 months. The girl has GRIT.  Our injuries and illnesses the last 4  years have proved the resiliency of our friendship. We are more than just running partners, we are bonded together in more than miles, we are bonded together in love. 

The Second 13:

We let up on our pace but not our enthusiasm. Our outfits were so stinking cute that the spectators were commenting and cheering us on, this was a beautiful distraction! "TWINSIES!!" This was a very popular cheer and "Best Running Outfit" 

We didn't go minutes without being compliments on our matching outfits. No one notices your suffering if you look cute! The perfect distraction! 

Lacey and I were fueled by the energy surrounding us and Wellesley College was like a screaming tunnel of wild girls all looking for a KISS! As you barreled down the girls were screaming, almost deafening with posters and cowbells and unfathomable energy. 

That energy would come to a screeching halt as the Newton hills at mile 18 would continue to wreck us ending with Heartbreak Hill in between 20-21 miles. This is a pivotal hill because it is at the length of their longest training run.  

The sun beat down on us and the temperatures had us drinking at every aid station, both Gatorade and water. We were very intentional about staying hydrated. The final 5 miles are great, mostly downhill unless your ITband is hurting, then these last 5 miles could be very painful. 

At mile 23 , we came into a BIG spectator hub, BROOKLINE. The day was so beautiful that the crowds were 5 people deep. 

Lacey and I were still smiling with gratitude. One mile at a time I looked for the "Citgo".

I wanted a picture of the infamous sign, but the problem is you see it for a mile before actually reaching it at mile 25! 

THE FINISH:

“It’s part of life to have obstacles. It’s about overcoming obstacles; that’s the key to happiness.” – Herbie Hancock

Once we crested that last hill, Lacey picked up the pace. As the last mile to the finish chipped away the overwhelming feeling of gratitude began to surface. 

Lacey and I had been through so much together over the course of our friendship. Life had presented itself to both of us the last 4 years. Death, grief, heartache, cancer, families, life struggles. So many times we had to check in on one another, coax each other in our life struggles, in our pains, in our pursuits. Like a marathon we have had many rough miles in this thing called life and as I made that final turn to see our finish line I choked back the tears. 

It started with a dream. A dream that never lost its flame in all the struggles of life. 

The Finish Line just yards in front of us, I reached over and grabbed my beautiful friend's hand and raised it up as we crossed that dreamy Boston Marathon Finish together. 

Finish: 4h:10min

* Thank you for all the prayers! Especially to my Barn45 community! I was so blessed by all the love, prayers, support, comments, cheer messages on the Boston Marathon site. Those that tracked me, called me, messaged me, Thank you. So many that hardly even know me loved me like their own.  

In PEACE, not Peices,

Anita~

 

 

Being Miserable

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” ~ Wayne Dyer

 Miserable. Absolutely miserable. 

It took everything for me to lace up and bundle up to run. Mondays, I am usually running 16 miles of trails but today I decided to hit the roads. 

As I headed outside, the wet snow quickly saturated my socks. Even though I was avoiding puddles my socks were heavy and sloshing the first 2 miles. I tucked my hat down further over my eyes to block the snow now turning to sleet as it bounced off my hoodie. I calculated my miles and the time it would take to run 16 miles, or maybe 14 miles or....my goals were quickly being intercepted by the agony I was feeling. 

And the more I ruminated on how cold, wet and soggy I was, the more I felt discouraged.   

My thighs were burning from the drenched and frigid fabric of my running pants. 

I instructed myself to just get to 5 miles then reassess my misery. 

Before I even made it to 5 miles, I found myself turned around. Seriously! How does one get confused less than 4 miles from home?

Its called misery. 

I had to confront my suffering and all the negativity I was trudging through. I found I was making a tough run more terrible by the torture of my thoughts. My gloomy thoughts were adding more discomfort than the elements I was actually running in. 

I reminded myself of the races I have quickly approaching. The next 3 weekends I have races. This made me smile. 

My thoughts began shifting. My steps found their purpose again. I quit making excuses to cut my run short and instead found myself adding loops to guarantee ALL 16 miles. 

My pants were frozen, my Complete Runner gloves were water logged and dripping, my shoes sloshed with mud and water but my body was sweating with excitement. 

Today was actually my 3rd day of "Back to Back" runs. And I was feeling pretty strong. 

Saturday: 19.5 miles

Sunday: 10 miles

Monday: 16 miles. 

I DID IT! Not only did I do it, I ran it miserable and mighty. I had to remind myself to bring it down adding walk breaks to settle down my pace. 

This weekend I have a trail marathon. I am so stoked! Andy is bringing out the camper for me and my girlfriends. We are all running Carpe Diem. I am running a 1/2 marathon in the morning and a 1/2 marathon at night! 

Today was actually good training for what the weather will be like this weekend! 

It is going to be COLD! 

But we are going to have hot coffee and campfires! 

COLLISION 

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” ~ Wayne Dyer

We are not going to escape discomfort. We are truly disillusioned if we think that life is all sunshine and fairy tales. 

Training presents many different runs. Just when I am about to throw in the towel, quit, cry or carry on in misery I have to consciously choose Misery or Motivate. 

I let my thoughts throw sand in the gears and make a mountain out of a mole hill. 

Pain speaks volumes to us. It is not easy to flip the script when you are doubled over in agony. 

But misery is a road we travel with easy, it takes courage to get off the wide road of misery and take a risk to welcome the joy and happiness. To be motivated or to find that motivation. 

There will always be suffering and misery, the elements of life will never run out of obstacles and challenges. But I have discovered that I have for more elements of life to motivate me to never give in to misery. 

 

In Peace, not Pieces,

Anita~

Out of the INBETWEEN

With my schedule so different these days, I am working harder to find the time to run. 

The "run" has become more precious as my time has become more limited. 

I get up consistently earlier than ever and find myself still working well into the night and I LOVE it. 

I don't have to, I GET TO. 

Don't get me wrong, I am TIRED but I am in a season.  I am not floating somewhere in-between some place. 

Everday is a GIFT and I find myself thankful to be exhausted.

I am grateful to endure long days and excited to enjoy the feeling of fatigue. 

I don't want to live life only to exist, stuck somewhere IN BETWEEN life and death,

IN BETWEEN happiness and sadness, IN BETWEEN absence and presence. 

It is frightening to be captured IN BETWEEN arrivals and departures, or depressing living life IN BETWEEN being asleep and awake. 

Chasing one experience after another, pursuing another day and wishing the present away only to forget the here and now. 

Not every day is butterflies and rainbows. I can say that with certainty. But living in the present, making the most and doing my best is not living to just EXIST, not just SURVIVING but THRIVING. 

Last Monday I headed out to Holdridge for a solo run. 

I disconnected all the noise, I shut off my music and the voices to just "feel" and embrace the quietness of the woods.

I wanted to enjoy all 16 miles.

I didn't want to "Get through it" rather I wanted to experience every mile, every wind that blew throughout the forest, I wanted to listen to each bird chirping and see every squirrel crossing as if it were the first. 

My training is picking up, my long runs are getting longer, and the intensity of my running is becoming more intentional. 

I broke the trail up into thirds, trying to quicken each segment, finishing my last segment faster than my first. 

My first segment is the hardest at Holdridge. The elevation is exhausting right out of the gate, my easy pace doesn't feel that easy at all. 

When the second section comes my heart rate is so confused and exhausted.

 As I moved through the trail, I noticed the foliage starting to grow. The trail was beat up from a hard winter of snow, ice, thaw and flooding. Many areas were washed out bearing thick roots and sharp rocks ready to disable you. 

When my watch hit 10 miles I was smiling, I was still UPRIGHT! 

My body didn't feel too abused as I coached myself to pick up my pace. I looked at my watch, swallowed my favorite coffee Gu, sipped some water out of my pack and chuckled as I came down the trail running along a ridge. "Let's Go" I whispered to myself knowing this was going to be harder than the first two loops. My legs were feeling the abuse from the eroded trail and the reminder I had to pick it up and stay strong was echoing to me. 

I recited my future races, the "WHY" in my run and I dug my heels back in preparing myself for the finishing challenge. 

I knew I had some prayers circulating around me as I recounted all the miles I had not tripped, flipped or fallen. 

I was coming down one of the last ridges trying to dodge a tangling picker bush only to quickly duck from a floating branch level with my eyes when I missed the root protruding angrily across the trail. That little booger concealed itself in the dirt and while my legs were moving and my eyes were darting from one side to the other, I was not fast enough to see this toe grabber and DOWN I WENT. I had my GU wrapper and my speaker in my hand, and they went in opposite directions into the weeds. My left palm skidded through the rough dirt and my shin felt the sting of open skin and dirt. 

And I laughed. And laughed some more. 

I gathered my pride, my posture and picked up my pace! 

I finished 16 miles of trails on Monday with gratitude and glory. Not because I "HAD TO" but because I "GOT TO". 

I ran it 2 days after running a marathon. I wasn't attached to a specific outcome, I was attached to the experience, the passion, the Gift with flexibility and gratitude.  

I wasn't caught in the IN BETWEEN, I wanted to enjoy every moment in whatever capacity I was capable of. 

Some of us are only living to exist. From day to day, from experience to experience, from one epic moment to another and are missing all the IN BETWEEN. 

Some of us are missing the good and the bad, yes, even the bad is meant to be experienced, to teach us and to grow us. 

ASHVILLE MARATHON 26.2

CAREBEARS TAKE ASHVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. 

My CRU! Antonio, Nathan, Sarah, Doug and I made this little girls Day! Check out her tee shirt!!

We snuck out to Ashville this past weekend to run a marathon. My friends and I all showed up in Carebear onesies. 

Our CRU was so much a hit that Ashville Marathon invited the Carebears back on THEM!!
Our best 5-hour marathon EVER!!!!!! 

The Carebears were a HIT! We felt like the paparazzi was chasing us with cameras. The race director even invited us to come back to Ashville next year on them! 

We never took the costumes off even when the temperatures reached almost 70 degrees. At mile 13, alongside a busy road, I literally tripped over a stick on a flat sidewalk, CAREBEAR DOWN! 

The temp heated up and the sweat and cramping came out, but we NEVER quit smiling and cheering on both runners and spectators. 

Poor Bedtime Bear was feeling sleepy after the marathon!

Life is not summed up in what it is "Supposed to be". There is no perfect equation, but rather our response to every individual moment. Rather than waiting for the perfect, enjoy and make the most of the present. 

Anita~

Press On

 

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phil 3:12-14

As my miles add up and add on, I am finding myself with myself more and more. I am having more solo miles, the company of one, myself and my God. 

As much as I am inspired by music and the beat that moves my feet to a faster cadence, I have been turning off the tunes a little more. Some pray on their knees, some in their closet, I find my favorite place running with the Lord next to me, coaching me, encouraging me, teaching me and loving me. 

 

"To be a consistent winner means preparing not just one day, one month, or even one year-but for a lifetime." -Bill Rodgers

Training consists of eating proper calories, maintaining good sleep, stretching, rolling, cross training, long runs, fast runs, hard runs and easy runs. I have fun runs and runs I want to quit on. I have runs I fall short and runs I nail. 

Longs runs consist of 2-4 hours right now. I am running on an average of 50 miles a week. 

Every run, every planned run and every run ran, I try to give my best. 

It's all about training. 

My mindset is that of an athlete. At 48 years old, my training has changed but my mindset is the same. 

I have learned to not look at my past, I have to forget what lies behind me and reach forward to what lies ahead. 

I PRESS ON

when it hurts. 

I PRESS ON 

when I want to quit.

I PRESS ON

when I feel inadequate.

I PRESS ON 

when I feel incapable.

I PRESS ON 

when I am weak.

I PRESS ON

when I am alone.

I PRESS ON 

when I am scared.

I PRESS ON 

when I hear the whispers. 

I PRESS ON 

when I am confused.

I PRESS ON

when I feel hopeless. 

I PRESS ON 

when I am insecure. 

I don't PRESS ON in perfection. I press on in the capacity I am, not in my strength, not in my will, not in my abilities but in HIS. 

My training to PRESS ON, to continue on with excitement not just my physical training but also my spiritual growth. 

As my physical training heightens with race season beginning, I am reminded to rest, to eat meals to help me recover and rebuild, I am reminded when I get injured or hurt to PRESS ON. 

In this life this will happen. 

We will have seasons when we find ourselves injured. By others, and sometimes from ourselves and then there will be times when we are disabled with no good reason. 

Be flexible to PRESS ON in the capacity you are at today. Not yesterday, and not somebody else's, right where you are at!

"In the days of my victory and joy, I had faith enough to thank the Lord. Now, as well, I should not but accept my accident in grace." Abede Bikila- two-time Olympic champion crippled in a car crash 1969.

• Feb. 28-March 6th = 62 miles
•  Make a Difference 10k- (McKenna Schummer lost a 20 month-battle with Osteosarcoma at the year young age of 11. 

She helped other children find thier courage, strength and beauty through McKennassquad Beauty Bar.

All proceeds went to #McKennassquad beauty bar. 

Congrats to all those that came out to run or support this beautiful cause. 

Don't Give up, PRESS ON

Anita~

Made of Mistakes

 "I am selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and, at times, hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve my best" 
Marilyn Monroe. 

I couldn't get into the seclusion of the woods fast enough today. I wanted to run deep into the solitude of the trees, hiding from even myself. I knew I couldn't outrun myself, but I also knew I could run to God. 

Maybe it was because it was Monday that my mistakes seemed heavier than normal. 

But as I tried to chew on my mistakes it seemed like too many to swallow. 

My first bite was just a small nibble but as I took that little spoonful, I unconsciously did a face plant in the bowl of my mishaps and mistakes. I found myself a mess in the middle of ordinary blunders that really should have been left on the shelf. 

With a mouth full of my morning errors, I did what I know how to do best, Run. 

I needed to run it out. I needed the counsel of God to be a voice bigger than my own. I had beat myself up enough. I had taken a few minor mistakes and turned them into a 5-course meal pulling up every mistake from my yesterdays and began self-deprecating.  

I embraced the cold crisp February chill. I saw my breath drift off as my heart began to thump in my chest. My blood was quickly warming me up as the winds cut through the open field.

As if Jesus Himself was running next to me I bashfully began to share my heart with him. The embarrassment of my mistakes, my errors and my blunders came to the surface. 

"Sometimes God, I feel like I am made of mistakes..." 

I thought for sure I heard a giggle in the woods. 

The more I shared, the more I heard God chuckling at me. 

With each passing mile I felt freedom. Calmness encapsulated me. Peace refreshed me. And joy put a little pep in my step! 

Mindfulness in MISTAKES:

• Admitting mistakes makes you real.
• Making mistakes leads to great lessons. 
• We all make mistakes, you are not defined by them, your refined by them.
• Give grace to yourself in your mistake, Give others the same grace in their mistakes. 
• Mistakes gathered together is called experience. Learn from them. 

Collision:

"He who is most attached to a particular outcome has the least amount of power." 

Susan Stiffelman 

My miles for this year are a little down but my life activities are more than they have ever been. This is where I have had to let go of being attached to a particular outcome. I find myself singing "Let it GOO, Let it GOO" from Frozen. Running is a gift that the Lord has given me. Getting to run, working 2 jobs and doing ministry is a blessing. My motto has always been "I'll rest when I get to heaven'!

January Miles: 221

Yankee Springs 50K

February Miles: 196.73

Hot Fudge 5K

Snow Moon Run 25K 

I am currently training for a March with excitement.

March 17thPot-o-Gold 4miler

March 19th Ashville Marathon

Last week I did some fun workouts.

The Track: Ran 3 easy laps then 4th lap @ 80%. for 5 miles. 

I sandwiched this in between 2 long runs. 

One of my mistakes this week involved SIMPLE MATH. I wanted a 20-mile run on Saturday. I ran 7 miles on the backroads with Rachel only because we had to bail on our trail run of solid ice. 

She headed home and I had to pull up my big girl pants and get back out there. 

I had it in my little head I had to do 14! I thought I would do an out and back. I headed out in the blistering cold and as I approached 7 miles, I even decided I would go a little further in case I messed my miles up!!

Oh yeah, I messed my miles up all right! 14 and 7 is 21!!! And about a half mile more! 

I was going to call it in at 20 miles. But I grabbed ahold of some inspiration and challenged myself the extra mile. 

MISTAKES: 

I am full of material when it comes to making mistakes. I never take myself too serious because I just know I am going to mess something up. 

I wish I had it all together. I wish I was more organized with my thoughts and actions. I have had so many people try to fix me. But I can promise you, I have tried to fix me more than any other. 

But this I know. 

In my quiet place. In the presense of one, Him, that is when I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

That is when I hear HIS giggle, when I feel HIS grace, when I am fully confident in my make-up with all my mistakes and mishaps. 

Anita~

"Gird up your Loins"

 "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on grace to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:13

This was Joy and my verse on Wednesday. When I first read our verse last week, I was so excited to learn it. Truth be told I learned more than I had expected. 

Tuesday night I was in bed talking to Andy about our verse. I shared with Andy that I really liked the KJV version where it says "Gird up your loins..." But as my voice drifted off, I noticed Andy had a childlike grin on his face. Oh, that man. I knew something ridiculous was brewing in his adolescent mind and I should have just ignored his goofy smirk. But I didn't. 

And with the brains of a 48-year-old but the maturity of a 14-year-old he responds "Ha ha, I'll gird up your loins..." 

I couldn't stop laughing. Andy is not getting any dates with that line! 

I loved this verse, small in size but large in meaning. 

The verse showed me 4 areas:

1. ACTION
2. INTENTION
3. OBEDIENCE
4. OBJECT

ACTION: "Gird up your Loins" : Prepare your Minds 

Girding up your loins was an ancient practice of pulling up your robe when in a hurry.

This really spoke to me. 

It is telling us to pull up those floating thoughts, that stinking thinking that drags us down. Those thoughts that trip us up and prevent us from getting after it. They hinder us from digging in by having loose ends tangling around our legs. It is not easy to get after the life God has for us, when we let the threads of our poor thoughts cause us to stumble. 

INTENTION: Keep sober in spirit

This part of scripture is reminding us to be alert. To be clear minded and not allow our mind to be altered or intoxicated. 

Having a sober spirit isnt more than just being physically intoxicated. We can be spiritually intoxicated and do just as much damage. I don't drink, smoke or toke but I have been spiritually intoxicated in other areas. It is about not having control. Friends, movies, music, even food or books can spiritually intoxicate you. When your spirit isn't sober your guard is down. The gates to your spirit are broken leaving you a target for the enemy. 

OBEDIENCE: "Fix your HOPE completely"

This command requires action! A command to HOPE. This HOPE is not a physical action rather a spiritual action of our soul. 

OBJECT: 

What are we being commanded to HOPE for? "the grace to be brought to you at the revelation pf Jesus Christ." 

"GIRD UP YOUR LOINS" 

STRENGTH

Proverbs 31:17 "She GIRDS herself with strength" or "She dresses herself with strength" 

I have always wanted to be the Proverbs 31 woman. The lady who is soft, and gentle, who has everything in order. But I always seem to miss the mark. Until I read and studied this. 

This is ANITA! I know about getting dirty! I have done many years in youth camp, I have eaten cockroaches in the name of JESUS! I have played paint ball with those crazy kids with bruises the size of lemons, dancing and singing in the aisles in the name of Jesus. I  found this part of Proverbs 31 that I can relate to. A part of who I am that I am excited about. 

ENDURANCE

1Kings 18:46 " Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah and he GIRDED UP HIS LOINS and outran Ahab to Jezreel." 

Elijah was the first Ultra RUNNER! God had his hands on Elijah giving him the gift to outrun the chariots. 

COME ON!! I have been telling you all God has his hands on my running for years. I know I don't run in my strength; I have the Lords hands on me. I ran a 50K in the middle of chemo. That was totally of God. My doctors had never had a patient like me and my Jesus.  I have been coached, lead and encouraged by the Lord to endure miles and miles in His name. 

PERSEVERENCE

Job 38:3 "Now, GIRD UP YOUR LOINS like a man." 

Man up, get up and fight. Quit whining, quit wishing, quit wondering, and get back out there. Life is tough, but we were never designed to give up and make excuses. God is reminding Job of this. 

Pull up your bootstraps and get after it! 

 

Collision:

I really like the NLT version. A version I can relate to, "So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control."

I had to reevaluate myself when I got sick. Most people don't have to have a near death experience to make some critical changes. I on the other hand am a bit more hardheaded. 

I had to change my thinking. "As a man thinketh so is he". I knew I had to change my thoughts to make such radical changes in my life. As I prepared my mind, as I changed my thinking about myself and others, as I changed my ideas, my perspectives I found myself getting stronger and stronger. I had to pull up those thoughts of stinking thinking so I could run not my race by THY race.  

Gather that sweat, get after that grit, gird up your loins and get after it!!

Anita~

The little engine that could.

 "Runners come in all shapes and sizes. You don't have to be a scrawny little punk to be a top distance runner, if you have the determination and work your hardest." 
Chris Solinsky, First American to break 27:00 for 10K

DETERMINATION. 

Where is this thing called determination birthed? 

Some like to call it "Stubbornness" or even "Pride". 

I can appreciate that; truth is I have juggled with both stubbornness and pride.

DETERMINATION started as a young girl growing up in a mess. 

Determined to make it through a night as a teenager in a house of drugs, alcohol and chaos to Determined to graduate high school on the honor roll without excuses. 

As a young adult I was determined to make better choices. 

I was determined to make a better life for myself.

I knew at a young age I was going to have to fight all of Hell. But I truly believed God had bigger plans for me. 

"For I know the plans for you..." Jeremiah 29:11

Determined to do more than just survive, I wanted to thrive. 

I thought I just had to do everything opposite of what I saw growing up. 

Andy makes the comment every once in a while, "You can take the girl out of the trailer park, but you can't take the trailer park out of the girl."

It usually makes me giggle because no matter how hard I try to behave I find myself fighting or as I like to say passion. 

Passion, stubbornness, pride but ultimately DETERMINATION seep out of my pores. 

My demise and my trophy. 

Determination is important to have in marriage as well as parenting. 

Determination is important to have in the center of insecurity and fears. 

Determination is important to have for your integrity. 

Determination is important to have as a child of God in a world against God. 

Truth is I love that feeling of "FIGHT". 

I stroll back to those trailer park days in remembrance of where I learned this thing called DETERMINATION. 

Last week, I was tagged by Cristine King on Facebook showing me where my Determination had taken me. I was given a great shout out by my running group at Complete Runner and a running companion I met on my first 100k shot this to me. 

This is where Determination led me,  UltraRunner Magazine where I made a list highlighting "RACES WON OUTRIGHT BY A WOMAN" 

DETERMINATION.

I have had 3 knee surgeries, 2 less than 1 year from each other, the other in 2020. 

I had to be rushed to the hospital with appendicitis 2 weeks before my first Crim, (That I still ran).

I qualified for Boston on my first marathon in Chicago after they red flagged it due to 90' temps. 

I have had 2 IT band injuries, one 6 weeks before I would run Boston. 

I have been knocked out for an entire summer with Plantar Fascitis. 

And Let's not forget CANCER 6 months of chemo and 20 rounds of radiation with 8 surgeries in 14 months. 

DETERMINATION. 

"Most people quit after the first wind and don't realize they have another." 

You get back up and get out there. You have to be so determined that all of HELL shivers. 

I didn't quit. I might have done it UGLY, but I never threw in the towel. 

And it paid OFF. 

I don't believe in LUCK. I don't believe in FATE. I don't believe in "The God of your understanding" 

and the universe doesn't have a heartbeat. 

"For I know the plans I have for, declares the Lord , plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." 

Cancer just about knocked me out. I remember wanting to fight and I remember wanting God to take me home. 

I hated Cancer. I hated being scared I wasn't going to see my boys grow up. 

I hated being sick and the fear of being sick.

I hated getting poked all the time, blood draws and port infusions. 

I hated having my strength and determination fade from me.  So weak. 

I hated trying to act strong for everyone else. 

When I had my wits about me I would coax myself back in the ring DETERMINED to go another round. 

I knew I had to keep running. I knew that was giving me passion to persist. God kept me strong for those runs. It might have been all I did for the day, and many days it was. 

But I totally believe God had plans for me and He was using my running to Glorify Him. He was using my running to give me Hope. He was using my running to show me the Future He had for me. 

He knew He was going to give me that Race. He knew He was going to put my name in that magazine. He Knew all this. 

He just needed me to keep trusting Him. To Keep believing, keep hoping, keep fighting...

He needed me to stay DETERMINED. 

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.”–Tommy Lasorda

We Got home late last night from 5 days in Cancun with the boys. 

So many adventures. We snorkeled seeing sting rays and a huge turtle, we road 4 wheelers, we went Zip lining in the jungle, we went diving in Cenotes and enjoyed the sandy beaches. 

I got up early to sneak a run in. I love running in new places. 

The little engine that could, against the odds, just a little thing, nothing that looks like strength or power, the underdog, the one that didn't look like he stood a chance, NEVER quit. 

Determination. 

You gotta fight and keep fighting. When you are alone, you fight. When no one seems to be in your corner you gotta keep fighting, when you are hurt and struggling keep fighting. You gotta fight the haters, the hurters, the voices and the demons. 

Stay Determined. 

Anita~