The upcoming race

Even with the cold temperatures arriving here in North Dakota and we had some days of beautiful weather and I am not complaining whatsoever because after my college running days, I do not mind any of the weather, hot, cold, windy, rainy, snowy or anything because of my great coach from the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.

My coach from high school, Earl Roberts was a great coach because from day one, he never compared me to my father who was a stand out athlete in his glory days. He taught me how to use everything around me and make it my own. Even though at competition, there were many who compared me or even felt disgusted that I wasn't like my father. But to him, it didn't matter, just as long as I was having fun and doing my best for my team, for him and most of all, myself.

I guess you can say that my coaches have been my guiding light and I felt priviliged to be with them and I got to learn and to this day, use everything they taught me as I ventured out into the running world, by myself and now at times, I do get to help coach those who need it. In a way, they taught me not only to be a runner but in some sense, a coach.

With the upcoming race on December 3rd in Fargo, North Dakota, I am ready. I have been ready, but my foot wasn't because of my injury. I kept my mind focused on what is at hand and what my plan was and that is this.....run and have fun. This race isn't just me winning a prize or a medal, it is for a great cause, for helping those with arthritis and it is a nation wide event! Can you believe that, every state has their own Jingle Bell Run.

Learning from reading the scriptures of the Bible, I have found it to guide my inner peace to help me with this race, to pray for my well being and for others in their time of need. My prayers are like my pain, I keep in silence.

These past few days of getting back on my trail to running has been my own miracle because I have yet to feel any pain in my body that prevents me from doing anything. My running has been off the map, I feel so much strength and it is all because of everyone, my family, my friends, just everyone.

One thing that made me feel great was I was looking through some old photos of myself to find one of my old running days and I stumbled across a picture taken on March 3, 2011 and I could hardly recognized myself because at that time, I was very injured with my neck and arm that I didn't run as much as I do now, that I gained weight and it slowed me down and made me feel horrible because I let myself go.

But after training and running starting the first week of June and to this day, I am happy to announced that from March 3rd to Present, I lost a total of 28 pounds and I feel great! I always say, be the miracle, even with your everyday life. I am amazed with how much determination and faith you can put in yourself to keep on going and what is even more amazing is that there are more stories that are bigger than mine, out there in the world. That someone overcame their obstacle and defined their own odds.

This was me (pictures on the left) March 3, 2011 weighing at 221 pounds and this is me in September 2011, weighing at 193 pounds and feeling great and stronger. What is your story?

Sometimes in life, we all look to be happy with ourselves, mentally, physically and emotionally and even spiritually. Be strong and never give up.

Thank you again for reading another blah blah blog by yours truely, have a happy Sunday and I will be posting more because it is my last race this week!!