Running on Faith

If you are just joining our irregularly scheduled blog post, please go to my Timbeaux site for the first part of this story.

Okay, so you now know that I sprained/fractured/broke my little toe a mere two days before my 20 week marathon plan is about to start.  For those without a calendar, I hurt my toe on Saturday and my plan starts on Monday.

I had left off my story with the question, “What does this mean in the grand scheme of things?”  So what does it mean?  It means I am in exactly where I want to be:  In Pain.

Not a lot of logic in that statement is there?  Let me see if I can explain further.  I have noticed a component of my personality that comes out when I am raising money for charity.  I usually feel very unworthy of every dollar donated unless I have in turn given a pound of sweat, blood or tears.  If it comes too easy, then I am not doing everything I can.

Somehow I want to put myself in the shoes of those children I am attempting to help by suffering as much as I can.  Of course, I would never assume to understand the depths of their and their family’s mental and physical anguish.  I have been through the living and dying of adult family members with cancer.  But as with all things, children are a different story.  It just never seems fair.  And it never will.  I may never understand why some children get cancer, and that is not my job.  My job is to help the ones that do have cancer in anyway that I can.

And that is why it seems every year I find a new mountain to climb.  The peak of the mountain is always the same: raising money for a charity.  It is the terrain that I try to continually change.  And the more obstacles the better.  Have you ever seen the show, “Wipeout”, where they run an obstacle course at the end?  One part has a long uphill ramp with barrels rolling at them which they must jump.  Without the barrels, it would be boring to watch with no challenge or reward in it.

My little toe is the latest barrel on my ramp.  It wasn’t the first and I hope it is not the last.  Because when I reach the peak, it will be the barrels that I jumped that made me feel like I had done something to deserve the donations.  And the donations to St. Jude are what it is all about.

Okay, I finally  have found the time to write about how my running and training sessions have been going since I decided to sign up for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital Marathon again this year.

I continued to train after I ran the Half-marathon for St. Jude Children’s Hospital last year because it was such an AWESOME experience and I knew that I was definitely going to participate again this year. I just wasn’t sure which event I was going to run. I have decided to run the FULL Marathon. I have had the wonderful opportunity to continue my training with Robin Schreiber, my son Connor’s  Running coach (and mine). Her love for running and for encouraging people to believe in themselves and strive for their best, is priceless!

Although the longest distance I have run (in a day) since last December has only been ten miles (in late March), I have been able to log in at least twelve miles a week. However, the heat has been terrible and I have had to walk or cut back on my mileage and pace drastically! Some days just to finish a workout can only be done with one long prayer just to get back to my house without passing out whether it be running, walking, or crawling! Thank God for my team mates, friends, family, and their words of encouragement and prayers!

I have run in several 5K’s and  local Fun Runs with Connor, his summer track team (Team Us (not Them)), and  Coach Robin from February through spring and now summer. The latest one was yesterday, The Freedom Run (one mile), in Downtown Baton Rouge. It was HOT, of course, but it was an easy run (with the benefit of some downward slopes!). I actually ran a PR of 8 minutes and 8 seconds taking first in my division which was the first time I have ever actually placed in a race. It was very uplifting and motivating as well as surprising. I  would have never thought I would have finished with that time because my weekly runs have been so depressing (run walk run walk – longest being barely 6.5 at an average pace of 10:50+ most of the time!).

I want to make sure that my teammates know that they need to stay positive and not worry about their pace,ability to finish, love/hate relationship with running, etc because as long as we are moving and we keep “Running on Faith”, we will be fine!  My goal for my FIRST Marathon is to raise money for St. Jude Hospital, rejoice and appreciate my health and ability to participate in such a wonderful race, and have fun!

Keeping the Faith,

Weesie

There’s not much to talk about.  I wasn’t able to run during the week at all, either from working late or because of Blake and Cam’s swim class at Crawfish Aquatics.  Saturday morning, Camren participated in BREC’s Rocketkid Rookies Triathlon in Baton Rouge.  BREC does a great job with this event and it’s great to see parents introducing their kids to the sport of triathlon.  Camren volunteered to compete in the triathlon and he did a great job.  He has a big heart and likes to have fun.  I truly believe he enjoys doing triathlons and the only thing he worries about is that he finishes and that he has fun.  As a parent, you can’t ask for better for that.  My 7 year old nephew Tristen also competed in the triathlon.  I don’t think he enjoyed the event at all, triathlon is not his sport.  It is my wish that they both stick with it though.  Years after they’re done with the baseball, basketball and football, the sport of running and triathlon will still be there for the average person to participate in and enjoy with their friends and family.

 

Saturday afternoon and evening, we spent a GREAT evening with some friends.  It’s always nice to relax and talk with friends that face the same challenges with working, raising a family, setting goals and training for an event.  Of course, we stayed out too late knowing we had a long run to face on Sunday morning.

 

So….Sunday morning, we slept too late and didn’t hit the pavement until 8:30.  When I opened the door to the side porch, the full force of heat hit me and I think it was 150 degrees.  We decided that we might not make the full 8 miles we planned; it was getting too hot and too late.  Somewhere around the 2 mile mark, I realized I didn’t have my water bottle….oh darn.  I did adjust to the heat but I knew I would need to get some fluids somehow.  As I finished every half mile, my motto was, “oh well, at least that’s behind me.”  I said that to myself 14 times that morning!  As I approached my in-law’s house, I was hoping they’d see Paul and I out there and bring us a bottle of water.  No doubt about it, Paul and I are spoiled and very, very lucky to have family on our run route!  And yes….there was an ice cold bottle of water sitting in their mailbox.  Thank you!!!!!  I think Paul managed to run up their driveway, grab a bottle and put it out for me.  Either way, it was very much appreciated.  An hour and a half later (for me anyway, I’m not sure what Paul’s time was) we were back in our driveway and we managed to get 7 ¼ miles in.  Good enough for me.  And yes, Paul did try the ice buckets again for his legs.  I planned to capture the moment his feet entered the water on camera and share it with the world but I quickly changed my mind when he looked at me.  He said it’s like a brain freeze in our feet.  He dared me so I tried it…..YIKES!   Timbeaux is right, Tequila and loud music would help pass the time!

 

 

I am Timbeaux, hear me roar!  Actually I think the song said woman, but I am not a woman so I changed it.  You may have noticed a trend amongst the posters of this blog that are kind of touchy feely: puppy dogs, squirrels playing, birds chirping, pink thongs.  Actually I think there was something else in that post like a birthday or something, but all I remember is the pink thong.  If you are expecting more touchy feely, stop reading.  I am sure I will get into that mode later when I really get into the fundraising for St. Jude.  It is difficult not to break down and cry when reading about those children.  But for now, I have a steep bill to pay.

Through my own choice, I have decided to try to qualify for Boston at the St. Jude Marathon.  And with that choice comes a bill that can only be settled with blood, sweat and tears.  So for the time being, there will be no time to stop and smell the roses.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have seen first hand how hard Christine and Marcelo have worked for their running.  They have each shed plenty of sweat and tears.  And if you had been fortunate enough to be along side Christine like I was last year for the marathon, you know she paid her bill in full.  And then some.

But right now, they can take time to enjoy their runs and the environment around them.  I, on the other hand, am constantly fighting the urge to stop or slow down.  But I can’t.  I have to push and find some speed somewhere even if it hurts.  And that is why I adopted the pain don’t hurt mentality (see my other blog).

I ran a 10K this afternoon at home.  It was warm/hot and I was exhausted from sleeping very little last night.  As usual, I started off a little too slow and then pushed.  Every time I hit a U-turn, I wanted to stop and walk.  Every time I got thirsty, I wanted to stop, walk and take a drink.  Every time I felt like I was pushing too hard, I wanted to ease up and catch my breath.  But I never walked.  I drank while I ran which caused me to bust my lip on the water bottle.  And I finished my 10K at about a 7:47 minutes per mile pace.

What does that pace mean in the grand scheme of things?  It is about 9 seconds slower than the pace I will have to run the entire 26.2 miles in December.  It means I am not even close yet.  But it also means I am getting better.

So send me some motivation.  Click the link on the top right corner of the website that says, “Donate Now St. Jude Children’s Hospital” and make a donation.  The next time I run, your name will pop in my head when I am struggling and that may make a difference in my run.  Just like it would make a difference to the children at St. Judes.

Ok Tim, I am finally posting.  This week was very busy and but I did manage to actually start some training.  I got in four runs this week and they did not go too bad.  The first run was pretty uneventful until the neighbors dog smelled the fajitas on me and chased me for about 1/4 mile.  I never thought I had a 20 second quarter in me but was glad that it came at the right time.  Paco 1, neighbors dog 0!!!  The second run was not a thing of beauty.  I felt like I was in quicksand and was going nowhere very slowly. I did manage to beat my half marathon time, too bad I only ran 3 miles.  The third run was much better and I became a new superhero in my own mind – “Latino Heat”.  If I knew how to add the pictures I would as LH is pretty awesome.  My 4th run occurred before church this morning and the morning was really pleasant.  Another 3 miles.  I know have a LONG way to go to get back in shape, but I will get there – especially since Tim has offered a case of beer if I make 7 miles in July.  No wonder he is my best friend!!!

This next part is off the subject of training but worth sharing.  While sitting in the youth service this afternoon I loooked at Mason playing the drums – he has grown up quickly and I know Tim and Christine are very proud of him.  Then I took a look at Thomas – he is now a jr in high school.  When he was younger most adults would run as he made Dennis the menace look mild – but Thomas and I became friends nonetheless.  He has grown up and is a really good kid.  I guess what I am saying is that these youth are reaching goals and growing – kind of like team Running on Faith.  The team is growing and we have goals that we want to hit as a team as well as individual goals.  Even though I am very much out of shape I look forward to the challenge as my team will make this a very fun journey.  I look forward to meeting all of you and I really look forward to our fundraising effort as well.

White Knight???

 

I woke up this morning thinking about two things…it’s my last day off from work and I have to run 7 miles today.  Neither are pleasant thoughts when you wake up on Sunday morning.  Paul (Mr Xctmnt) and Blake were out on a bike ride so I would be running alone again.  I grabbed my gear and hit the road and man, it’s hot at 8:15 in the morning!  I’ve already told you that I tend to daydream while I’m running and true to my word, for the first three miles all I can think about is that my hips are hurting and I have to return to work tomorrow.  I have to find a way to find inner peace with this job and maybe I can find it while I’m running…..nah.  Somewhere around the 3.5 mile mark my focus quickly changed as I realized that while half asleep, I grabbed the wrong sports bra and I know this because I’m feeling the chafe already.  You know it’s going to be bad when it hurts hours before you get in the shower and you still have almost 4 miles left to go.  Oh well, I know I have to suck it up and deal with it. 

 

Mr Xctmnt and Blake passed me on the road on their way home and I had a feeling that Mr Xctmnt would be chasing me down.  Sure enough, I see him out on the road, running after he and Blake just finished a 30 mile ride.  I know it was hard for him but it makes me feel better knowing he’s out there too.  I made the turn down North Old Settlement, hoping I would see one of my in laws outside so I could ask for a cold bottle of water (the one I was carrying had water so hot it could boil eggs) and some Kleenex to help with the chafe that was getting much worse.  No luck, they must all be sleeping in, lucky them.  Somewhere around 6 miles, I started to feel really bad, I’m hot (not in a good way), thirsty and starting to feel lonely.  Then a vision appeared, it was a white horse with handsome knight holding his hand out…. BUT wait, he already had a fair lady.  Actually, it was a white Volkswagen Passat and it was my father in law holding out an ice cold bottle of water and my mother in law was sitting beside him smiling.  How blessed am I??  They didn’t see me but they did see Paul, and thank goodness they did.  It gave me extra kick I needed to finish my run without Paul catching me.

 

As I sit here typing this, I know three things.  1.  I am not in as good a shape as I thought, the heat is killing me and it’s not even really hot yet.   2. I have a lot of training to do to prepare for this marathon.  3.  I need to lose about 10 pounds; I can’t carry this weight for 26 miles!!!