Me, Frank (my dad), Tammi (my sister), Frankie (my brother)

The human body is capable of amazing physical deeds. If we could just free ourselves from our perceived limitations and tap into our internal fire, the possibilities are endless.

Dean Karnazes

San Antonio Rock-N-Roll Marathon 2011 - Temp at start was in the 90's

Why do you run said I to myself

To be healthy said myself to I

Why do you run said I to myself

To be fit said myself to I

Why do you run said I to myself

To be free said myself to I

Why do you really run said I to myself

To stay out of jail said myself to I !!!!!!

The Great Find

No, this is not me, unfortunately!  But it is a picture of the most wonderful running bra!

Finding the right sports bra has been a tremendous problem for me. I have chaffed and even torn underneath my breast. The back of the sports bras have dug deep sores. I bought an Armour Bra Made for Me, size 34 DD. I can now stop looking for the right sports bra. I can run without the chaffing, tearing and sores. It keeps the ladies well under control. The bras are color coded according to cup size which makes for easier shopping. For DD’s there is no trying to climb through the bra and then yanking them puppies up into the cups.  There are small removable pads in the cups.  I’m normally not the padded bra type, but these are thin and help with control.  I highly recommend the “Armour Bra Made for Me” bras.

My Heartbeats - Douglas, Tiffany and Brayden

Lesson One (for me):  You have to be flexible with your running schedule.  Those who know me know that I’m a very rigid person.  If I have a schedule that tells me to do things on certain days and at certain times, I become agitated when I can’t get those things done.  I’m only in my second week of training for the MS-50 and I already have to move around my running schedule.  This because my husband dares to ask me to go to a family reunion in North Louisiana this Saturday when I have 18 miles to run!!  All of my training runs this week have to be moved up a day which means that I will be doing the 18 miles on Friday after I get off of work and getting up early Saturday to do 5 miles before we leave.  Breath in, breath out!!!  It will be okay.  I will get my mileage in and make my husband happy!

My Running Coach, Phyllis Aswell, and Me

My usual marathon training schedule has me running around 3-4 miles on Monday, 4-5 miles on Tuesday, 3-4 miles on Wednesday, 4-5 miles on Thursday, rest on Friday, long mileage on Saturday, and rest on Sunday. Relentless Forward Progress’ schedule for the 50-miler has me resting on Monday, increased mileage Tuesday through Thursday, resting Friday, long mileage on Saturday and 5 miles on Sunday. This past week I missed my Thursday’s run so I ran 6 miles Friday, 10 miles Saturday and 4 miles Sunday (shortage of 1 mile and a pace of 13:37), my first Sunday run.  Needless to say, I was quite disappointed in my Sunday run.  I don’t know if it was the fact that I had not rested Friday or that my body is not accustomed to running the day after a long run even though the long run was only 10 miles or even that I had started after the sun came up.  But, I choose to look at it as, “when you start at the bottom, there’s no place to go but up!” - - RELENTLESS FORWARD PROGRESS!

Me and My Dad

I found this on another blog and thought I would share:

26.2 Bible Verses For Running & Racing

Mile 1: Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of age. Matthew 28:20

Mile 2: The Lord will work out his plans for my life. Psalm 138:8

Mile 3: I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as the mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. Matthew 17:20

Mile 4: To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. Luke 19:26

Mile 5: I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Mile 6: Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we can not see. Hebrews 11:1

Mile 7: ‘I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11

Mile 8: Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. I Timothy 4:12

Mile 9: We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28

Mile 10: Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1

Mile 11: Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. Psalm 37:5

Mile 12: With God’s help we will do mighty things. Psalm 60:12

Mile 13: We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. Romans 5:3

Mile 14: We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:9

Mile 15: The Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Mile 16: Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Mile 17: It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5

Mile 18: Be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded. Chronicles 15:7

Mile 19: Whatever you do, do well. Ecclesiastes 9:10

Mile 20: He will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. Psalm 91:11

Mile 21: Anything is possible if a person believes. Mark 9:23

Mile 22: The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Luke 6:38

Mile 23: I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize… Philippians 3:13

Mile 24: Our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 2 Corinthians 4:17

Mile 25: I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

Mile 26: Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3

Mile 26.2: But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

The sky is the limit.

Me, Jason Guidry, Coach Phyllis Aswell, Melissa Landry

Apparently I was the 48th person to sign up for the 50 miler.  There are currently 62 people signed up for the 50 miler.

48

Rebecca Stockman

45

LA

Ode to Tape

Oh, how I love to run

But the blisters were no pun

Around mile 14 they would start to fester

And at mile 21 they became a pester

Then I found wrapping tape,

My new love

For the blisters were afeared

And now steer clear!

My Children, Brayden, Tiffany and Douglas

As I start my “official” training, my emotions roll from one end of the spectrum to the other, from total elation and excitement to complete fear.  But, I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Right now, I’M EXCITED!

How do you get in your mileage?

Next week starts my “official” training for the Mississippi 50 mile trail run.  One of my concerns is how I am going to fit in the extra mileage.  Working full-time and helping my kids with their homework consumes most of my day and all of my energy.  How do you fit in your weekly mileage?  

Finishing my first marathon at the Chevron Houston Marathon.

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." 
-John Bingham

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'" 
- Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

Relentless Forward Progress

When you recognize that failing doesn't make you a failure, you give yourself permission to try all sorts of things. 

Lauren Fleshman, American track and field athlete 

I have found that my running is 90% mental and 10% training.  If I put in the training, barring any unforeseen circumstances, then my run is what I tell myself.  This past marathon season was a bad season for me.  My season started with the San Antonio Rock-and-Roll where it was 90 degrees at the start.  People were passing out and being taken to the hospital because of the heat.  I walked most of the back end of the race.  I had put in the training, but there was absolutely nothing I could do about the weather.  I chalked this race up as a bad race, but I mistakenly set it as the foundation for my subsequent races.  I ran the Swamp Stomp Half Marathon here in Lake Charles and became sick afterwards.  The Houston Marathon was a cramping nightmare for me.  (I had never cramped in a race before.  BUT, the highlight of this race was getting George Bush, Sr.’s autograph.)  My last race of the season was the New Orleans Rock-and-Roll marathon.  It was my first time to run this race and the last race of my season.  I threw caution to the wind and decided to just enjoy the run.  Surely my season couldn’t get any worse than it was.  I WAS RIGHT!!    Throughout the race I kept telling myself “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)  I ran the best race I’ve ever had!!  I quit concentrating on myself and concentrated on the source of my strength – JESUS CHRIST!

Registered

Well, I may be a little crazy, but I'm a lot of nervous.  Today I registered for the Mississippi 50-Miler.  This is a trail race that will take place in Laurel, MS on March 2, 2013.  My running coach, Phyllis Aswell, has taught me that I can do anything with the right training.  I'm a little apprehensive about the training.  I have to pick up the weekly mileage.  The training schedule listed in Relentless Forward Progress for 40 miles to 100k is 50 miles per week. :-o