New Pants

I bought two new pairs of pants about 1 1/2 months ago. I ordered them online and, depressingly, neither fit when the package arrived. For some reason, I held onto them.

Normally, I'm not the type of person to set a goal of fitting into an outfit or piece of clothing, but I decided to hold onto these for some reason. Maybe it's because they were really long?!

Today, after a grueling quality workout of 400m repeats, I put one pair on.

...and guess what? They fit!!

New Time Trial, New Goal

18:22....Best time trial before 9/11/2007
17:09....Time trial on 9/11/2007

4:45:00..Best marathon time
4:30:00..New goal marathon time

Messages of Love

I am reading the book, Fat Girl right now.

No one recommended it to me, it simply caught my attention on the shelves in the bookstore. It is a memoir. An account of one woman's life. Her struggle with weight, her struggle with family, her struggle with friendship and with love.

My heart broke to hear the messages that were communicated to her as a young child. Messages from an absent father. Messages from her mother and grandmother.

You make me sick. Just look at you.

Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You with a face not even a mother could love. You.

Reading Judith Moore's story made me sad. The adults in her life should have taken more responsibility for the impact of their words on this child. She should have been loved. Instead, she was ridiculed by her own mother.

The story also made me reflect on the messages that I communicate to my loved ones. It made me reflect on the messages have been communicated to me...

My mother went through surgery this afternoon to remove a lump in her breast. As she was preparing for surgery she had a number of tests, blood draws, vital reads. She told her family that she was tired of being poked at and ready to "get the show on the road." :-)

In the midst of her frustration, she shared a message of love. "That's okay," she told us. "It will be worth it. Just look at the two beautiful children who came out of the doctor's poking and prodding me during my two deliveries."

My brother and I are her beautiful children. A beautiful message.

Need-More-FUN

Too-much-work...
Need-more-fun!

Here are a few small moments found in the past two weeks...

two fun co-workers during freshman orientation

Lindsey, Jenna, Michelle and I before the home opener

my kegball partner

getting away from the city

surviving Sunday in the Austin heat

a frozen mimosa with fun running friends

Keep Moving Forward

I went out for my first long run three Saturdays ago.

The long run was 7 miles. This is 5 miles longer than I've run in recent months. It was hard. Very hard. I wanted to stop almost from the moment that I started.

Instead, I kept moving...kept moving forward.

Life has been challenging for me lately.

The hours at work have been very long and it has been a drain on my energy both physically and emotionally. There have been moments that I've thought to myself...

"I didn't think it was possible, but I may have lost my Texas Spirit."

This is not because I do not like what I do. In fact, I find that my job is very fulfilling. It's just that even though I really enjoy what I do for a living, I don't want to work 50-60 hour weeks. I don't want work to be the last thing on my mind when I'm falling asleep and the first thing on my mind when I wake up in the morning.

In addition to my long hours, I learned that my Mom has been diagnosed with breast cancer nearly a month ago. This news shocks and scares me. While her prognosis is good and her doctors are excellent, it is still difficult to deal with the news.

Keep moving forward.

All of these things in my life came to my mind during my long run. During my long, long run. I kept moving forward though on that morning...and I will keep moving forward.

My training is only just beginning and in February I will run a marathon. Between now and then, I hope that my determination will help find relief and routine at work. I hope that my love and perseverance will help my mother battle in her fight against cancer.

In the next six months, I will have many more runs in which to be challenged. I suspect that life will continue to throw challenges my way as well...just as it usually does.

I have already decided. I will keep moving forward.

Keg Ball 2.0

Labor Day Weekend Fun