Meeting a Challenge

Nine years ago I had my youngest son. He was born with Muscular Dystrophy a genetic disability. I strived to live as ordinary a life as we could despite numerous doctor appointments, therapists, educators, adaptive equipment, feeding equipment, and other inconveniences. At the time I was adjusting to our new circumstance I was mother to two other children, (one who was later diagnosed with ADHD and with all the energy that Brendon didn't have) and a new city and husband with a new high demanding job. I struggled for many years with being the mom I wanted to be and meeting the needs of my family. Even though I was a former teacher and had a degree in special education, I was in no way prepared for the emotional roller coaster I was riding. One thing that I always enjoyed was running. I completed two three marathons prior to Brendon's birth, one in which I was unknowingly pregnant with Brendon. Following Brendon's birth I continued to run to maintain my sanity. I found that I could release my fears and frustrations as my body pushed to run faster, harder, and through pain. I was able to release some of the emotional pain through vigerous running. I completed another marathon and 1/2 marathon following Brendon's birth. Then life got busy, we moved again, more medical appointments, proceedures, therapy, numerous school meetings, etc. and my running dropped off. I simply didn't have time. I started suffering physical and emotional illness. After almost three years of enduring my own hosiptalizations and medical proceedures, I decided to take controlof my health and sanity again. I began running again this year and completed the courtry music 1/2 marathon mainly because my oldest son who was going off to college at the end of the year suggested it. I was able to connect with him through running. I began to think, maybe this would be something I could share with my three boys. My middle son who had ADHD completed a 5 K with me. I saw a friend of mine Tommy McAuley start a foundation similiar to TEAMHOYT and saw him completing local 5k and 10k races. Brendon began asking me if he could run with me. This got me thinking about how I could connect with him as I was able to connect with Ryan, my oldest and Andrew my middle son. Why not! We began asking questions and found Kathy at Team HOyt very helpful with infomation and contacts and Team McAuley with equipment suggestions. We even discovered Team Rocket that had some great training and race suggestions and tips for running pushing strollers and wheelchairs. I am forever greatful to those that have come before me for inspiring me to think, WHY NOT US! We began training and I stared a blog, we raised money for Muscular Dystrophy which coincidently airs it's Jerry Lewis Telethon on Labor Day. This race will represent the endless possibilities, the acceptnce of the community, the joy of completion of a goal, and the return of mom to sanity. This process even begun a new career path for me in which I will share my writings with others and develop workshops and speaking engagements to encourage others to celeberate the joy in their life and explore all the possiblities. It is so much more than a race for me and my family. It is about acceptance of limitations, accomplishment despite those limitations, community awareness, finding your joy and overcoming fears! I would like to offer a work of gratitude for all who have shared in our journey. If you ask Brendon what this race is about, he'll tell you, "It's all about the medal"! Blessings to all running, and have a blast, I know we will!

Relationship

God desires relationship with his children. This is what being a mother has been all about. I am very aware with my oldest son having left for college recently the importance of relationship, because when your children are grown, no matter what path they choose to walk, a mom wants a relationship with them. She wants the assurance that they will continue to be in her life, they will choose this because the relationship has been important to them. Running has given me the opportunity and time to reflect on the relationship I have with my children. I am aware that I made many mistakes with my oldest, mistakes resulting from inexperience and lack of confidence in my own abilities. Many of my errors resulted from a very bumpy relationship with my God. Thankfully God provided a path for making an amends, for learning, for developing into the mom he meant me to be. This is an ongoing process open to all who seek to do God's will. I am so grateful that I have been allowed to make mistakes, that I would never be perfect but I would be ok and my children would be ok as long as I sought to do the will of God. Running has provided me the opportunity to connect with all three of my boys. It has given us a shared experience, to work to achieve a goal, to develop a relationship. Tomorrow Brendon and I will set out on our final training run before the marathon with Andrew riding his bike alongside of us. Ryan is now on his own independent path to complete his training since he has officially left for college. We will come together in one week and one day to share another journey, achieve another goal, and strengthen our relationship.

"I will run with persistance the race that is set before me."

Blessings,
Michele

Perfect Running Conditions

Today was a perfect weather running day. It was a cool 63 degrees at 6:20 this morning. The sky was bright and clear. I set out for my longest training run, 12 miles. I decided to seek out the paths in my neighborhood I had never ran before. In Sherwood Forest subdivision I picked up a dog. He stayed with me throughout the next 6 miles. Who would have though in the suvdivision there would be roosters. This is one of the things I love doing, hearing different sounds, seeing different sights. There were several steep hills on the first half of my run. The dog continued on trailing me into the next subdivision. I was heading to highway 258 and I was wondering what to do with the dog. There was no way he was going to be safe on that road. Luckily he had a tag on and I called his owner to come get his dog. Back to solo running. I decided to head down a road next to Hunter Middle School I had never gone on before. It turned out to be the best road I've run on yet in Hendersonville. It was about a mile and a half in, flat, shaded, narrow, and not a car in sight. I ran past cows, I love running past cows, they always stop to see what you're doing and follow you with your eyes. I had a brief conversation with them and on I ran. I headed to Beech High School, ran around there for awhile, enjoying watching people getting ready to head to Long Hollow Church for morning worship.

Running is medative for me.I was able to reflect on a presentation I will be doing at a local church. I reflected on the words "differently abled". We tend to think of this term in a negative manner, what a person doesn't have that we perceive they should. Then I started to think about my oldest son Ryan, who will be heading off to college in three short days. I thought of his ability to wrestle, an emotionally difficult and often draining sport. He was also giften in the abilty to play football, aren't these things that make him different from most people, in other words "differently abled"? I certainly wouldn't be able to twist my body and someone elses in the manner necessary to wrestle, and I definitely couldn't take the hits common in football. These things distinguish Ryan from most, they are his differently abled abilities. We all have them, they are Gods gifts to us that make us one of a kind. Discover your abilities, the things that make you stand out, make you different, enjoy them and be grateful for what they bring to your lives.

Happy running, dare to be different!

M

UP HILL RUN

Straight up hill. Brendon and I tackled for the first time in his stroller the Longview Hill. It was the 12:00, very warm but thankfully a breeze. I can only explain it as God energy. After several warm up hills we headed for the big one. Straight up! PUSHING, PUSHING, SWEATING... But we made it! I wasn't prepared for the downhill which was even harder. With the momentum of the stroller I struggled to keep the pace slow and even. I kept thinking if there was a way to steer this thing I'd just jump on. But we made it both up and down, and then had the flat, even, quiet run to the station camp area. Brendon was an excellent training partner though I forgot the sunscreen and he complained about his legs being hot. The stroller rolled well and was easy to push. We ended up running a little under 10 miles, in a little less than 2 hours. Have a blessed week, until next time...

Rain Running

Yesterday was a 5 mile run. I was going to run from my house, early. It was very humid and the clouds were getting darker. I was glad I didn't check the weather before I left or I would have missed the opportunity to run in the rain. This is something I hadn't done in awhile and it always makes me feel like a kid. After about a mile it began to slowly drizzle, there was a slight breeze and the air was humid. The rain came down harder. More running with the rain dripping down my head, glad I had on a cap. A few more minutes and my clothes, shoes and socks were soaked. This is fun! To run in the elements really is exhilarating. Remember when you were a kid and jumping in the puddles was so much fun, the wetter the better? That's what it felt like and noone would think I was silly because I was exercising anyway.

There was ne problem, I had on my favorite running shorts, the ones I've had for years. The problem with these shorts is they are a little big and as they got wetter and wetter they began to slip from my hips. What to do.......... I battled my shorts a few more steps. I actually considered taking them off because I couldn't keep them on, they kept slipping farther and farther. I had on boy short underwear, you know just like the gals on the Olympic track team, no big deal right? This thought kept me occupied a few more minutes. The pros, the cons, the neighbors. What to do, body isn't quite that of an Olympic athlete so somehow I've got to keep the shorts ON MY HIPS! Finally a solution, roll the shorts up, and tuck them into the elastic of my underwear. My shirt was long and covered the top of my shorts. Rain running,nothing like it and with the extra challenge of keeping my shorts on the time flew by. Run, train, have fun, get really wet, jump in the puddles, just remember don't wear shorts that are too big in the rain.

One month until the Labor Day 1/2 marathon!