Trapped

The weather outside is a little too frightful with all this rain, so we are trapped.  What to do?  What to do?  Camp inside!  "Trapped" might not be so bad after all. Sweet dreams!  Couldn't think of a better bunch to be trapped with.

Quirky's the Secret

Spent our anniversary in a simple but favorite way. Biked on a beautiful evening to Stomping Grounds and sat outside on the patio all evening long. Happy #17 to my best friend! If loving quirky's the secret, I think we'll be fine. By the way... the strawberry crepes are divine.

Market to Market 2012

Another relay race today. So excited. PR'd today with an 8:14 minute mile 5.73 mile run and a 7:59 minute mile 3.9 mile run. Pretty sure the Speedy Streakers brought me luck today. And now. Good night. Sweet dreams.

Our Angel

Our Angel:

Fast cousins are nice, but it also never hurts to have an Angel on your relay team. It was fitting that Team Running for Sunshine had one. From the moment she hopped in the van on our way to pick up Valerie from the airport, she won our hearts. She was just what we all needed. Alive. Funny. Cute. Spunky. All rolled into one. Unassumingly so. All of these things without the slightest hint of trying. Her presence instantly put everyone at ease. This was no ordinary Angel. She ran the middle leg of Melanie's Runner #3 miles and made grabbing the baton through a van window look easy as she finished off the very hard course that Martha started for a total of 5.15 miles. Rumor has it she also managed to avoid stepping on a black bull snake - one commonly reported being sighted on that last leg of Runner #6. This beautiful woman was a last minute addition that ended up being one we definitely couldn't have lived without. Thanks for being our Angel. There's no doubt our team wouldn't have been complete without you.

Never Hurts To Have a Fast Cousin

Alternate #2: Carlena

Coerced to join our team as an alternate at the very last minute and I'm so glad she complied. We certainly needed her "fast as her little legs would go" on our team. She's a veteran runner. Just never done much formal racing is what I believe I was told. Really? Well, let's see... this pretty little lady ran a total of 5.8 miles. And pretty fast, too. She was her sister-in-laws's helper running the first leg of Runner #3 (Melanie's) and the middle leg of Runner #2 (Valerie's) and help she did. I thoroughly enjoyed those rosy cheeks and that sparkle in her eye when she was about to "make a funny". We won't tell you what happened out on the course. What happens when being passed by the Team Running for Sunshine van, stays in the Team Running for Sunshine van. That said. What a cutie patooty. A very capable cutie patooty. Sure glad you gave up a day of turkey hunting to go flamingo chasing instead, Carlena.  It's been two weeks since I met you and I can honestly say I miss you.  Moral of the story is it never hurts to have a fast cousin.

For the Record

For the record.  It also snowed on May 3rd.

Snow Storm in May

Today, May 2, 2013, I ran five miles in the snow. Snow storm in May? Unheard of. The five mile run? Absolutely exhilarating.

What Does the Fox Say?

Alternate #1: Donna

The spunky team darling. Our foxy lady. Our relentless team cheerleader who was game to pick up 2.6 miles of the last leg of Melanie's run at the end of the day. Wait for it... wait for it... wait for it... and with a dance and a spin, she's off... game to take on a hill and then a long steady hill to the finish, she championed the final leg of Runner #3, a deceivingly challenging course, in the afternoon heat. It only took a few smiles, some water, and a walk up the hill to the van to revive her spirits. Nothing keeps this girl down! She is fearless and fun and funky and foxy. Crazy like a fox. Life is so much better with a little crazy and a fox. Thanks for being ours. We love you, Donna!

Church Bells Were Ringing

Just because I want to remember the kind things they said about me.

Recap on Runner #8 which was me (courtesy of dear Vinda):

Our Runner #8! She may have been the "baby" of the group but she was DEF the "leader of the band!" I had only formed a deep friendship with her on Facebook but when I saw her in person I also knew we would be friends for life! She brought jazz and pizazz to our run!! she brought TONS of decorations and laughs! She got us signed up for this healing run...which was one in a million shot! She designed the shirts, the sign on the back of the van we all loved so! and about a billion other things I'm sure we don't even know about. She made it happen! She made sure each one of us crossed that finish line first before her. She got us in under the wire as the church bells were ringing. She may be tiny but she is a BEAST at running!! her unselfishness spoke volumes! I honestly don't have the words for this tiny lady with a huge heart...sometimes you just know what "friend" feels like! I love you Lani ElleJoseph! I'm so thankful your in my life now!

Recap on Runner #8 which was me (courtesy of dear Martha):

SUPER AMAZING RUNNER #8: I want to weigh in and do a post also..sorry it's going to be a bit short and to the point. DITTO what everyone else so eloquently said today. I've known her longer than many of you and so feel like I don't know where to start. All I know is that Lani is full of fire and energy and she definitely funneled a lot of that energy into the R2R event...I think it's safe to say that without Lani, our captain extraordinaire, the day would not have happened. Thank you so much , Lani!!

p.s. I did want to say tho'..I"m the first one who spied her in the encrouching darkness in her white skirt sprinting into town...i recall saying rather excitedly..."THERE IS THAT CHICK!!" and alerting the others to the wonderful sight of our dear captain zipping into town and then as the church bells rang for the final time ( we were last place donchaknow? but at least we made the cut off) we all ran together towards the finish line..I recall thinking , "She really kicked it cuz if this is her pace...pant pant...no wonder why we made it!!!" So there ya go. Eyewitness account that this girl, Lani, can really kick it. Fast. Sorta wonder what her times were.

Recap on Runner #8 which was me (courtesy of dear Valerie):

Runner #8, Lani ElleJoseph, lives & loves with her whole heart! She runs that way too. There wasn't a leg of this race too challenging or a hill to high to intimidate her. She ran all 3 of the legs with speed & strength and I'm pretty sure she could have & would have done at least 1 more if we would've needed her to. She was our Team Captain who didn't let the thought of organizing 10 women in 6 states dissuade her from creating a TEAM & following it thru from Registration Day to our awesome finish in the dark in Golconda!

 

She showed up with a box full of van decor & memorabilia that would've done a Hawaiian luau proud! The chiefest among the decor was a HUGE inflatable pink flamingo named Kenny. Words can not describe how loved I felt when Kenny & Lani & most of our team members met me at the St. Louis Airport after about 7 hours of flight delays & rerouting! The sight of the big pink flamingo & those lovely ladies & their big smiles made my heart want to burst!

Did I mention, SMILING is her favorite?! She smiled thru every step of this relay process! I love you, Lani, & am so glad we've become friends. Friends, that are bonded by our hearts & for always.