Rock and Roll Half Marathon

Well, I did it. I finished another half marathon. I didn't do it alone! I had many 'at home' cheerleaders praying for me! I had a few heavenly ones too! I even had a few on the sidelines of the race doing some cheering, but I never saw them! BOO.

Saturday, we headed to the EXPO to pick up our pac

kets.

They boys getting their gait checked on their stride.
INTRODUCING... the running crew!

Here is the clan. Photographer of the day... Kelli! It was suppose to be a nice warm day. It turned out rather chili which, probably worked out great, but it wasn't fun planning what to wear!

Well, here we are at the start. We start together, but this girl is like a cheetah! She is off. She is so dedicated with her running and training... and rocked this race. For me.. well, I finished!

Kelli was off to go capture the run with the camera, however, ask her what happened... it's kind of funny now, but wasn't at the time I'm sure! I didn't see her again until the finish. I had a good race. I stopped twice to use the restroom, and walked a bit when I needed to. There was a moment when I was 'in my head' too much and got very emotional. I looked up through the towering Highland Park trees to see some birds, LOTS of birds. Flying in AMAZING formation. I did take this picture, but last weekend, the only other time I have ever seen such a sight. During the race, it just reminded me that God is forever in control of my life. I choose to follow Him. He has given me everything I need. Period. I do miss my friend. I do not like some of the battles I am fighting right now or decisions I am having to make, but HE will use it all to bring Him glory!

I also missed my sister! They waited for 2 hours to see one of us, and none of us connected! The Dallas Morning News man, who took that photo, waited with her for awhile, also hoping to capture of a moment of the 2 of us. Fail. I was just thrilled they tried to come see us!

Stacey did come back and ran with me to finish. I just love him! He took this photo with my phone, moments after we crossed.

After party!

Oh, did I say after party? Brett Michaels was the entertainment after the race. I now have taught my children to sing.... 'talk dirty to me'. Nice. I recorded a bit of it on my phone and have played it for them.. now they sing it... I won't be winning any mother of the year award. All these years of KLTY 24/7, one 20 second snip of 'Talk dirty to me" and I have ruined them! That's all they sing, just that little part... over and over. I WILL get a call from the principal.

YEAH! SO proud of this team!
See the Razor? Yeah, just ask her.

This is Kelly. She is a new friend I have made through Running for Jenny! She trained, with her daughter too, for the half and ran it the day after her birthday. SO COOL!
And she trained with her sister. I've known Becky since college. These 2 girls are amazing and I am blessed to know them! So proud of their accomplishments, and can't wait to see what they do next.


My 2 favorite guys!

Shoes

You may have noticed in my blog header that I have some new shoes, or you may have just flat wondered why I put pictures of shoes on my blog header. These are my new shoes I got for my birthday to replace my old shoes (also pictured on blog header) that I got LAST year on my birthday that started this whole running thing for Jenny. Aren't they cool? I LOVE THEM! They are so comfy. Stacey took me to Luke's Locker in the midst of a huge ice storm for me to be fitted for new running shoes because that is what I wanted. I need to give a HUGE shout out to Luke's in Fort Worth for staying open for us! We were in so much traffic getting down there with all the ice that Stacey kept calling them, and they kept saying... come on, just knock on the door and we will open up for you! HOW COOL IS THAT!? That is very small town to me. That is something my dad would have do for his costumers and I like that. Stacey went back on his birthday and got the same shoe in them men's version. Different color of course!

This weekend is a big weekend. I picked this weekend to bookend my half running career. It is a bit over 1 year since I started my running journey for Jenny and I wanted to finish with a half. My goal was to do more half marathons, but I'll be real, this is my last one for a while. I just don't have the time, or I don't make the time to run the way I NEED TO to train properly for this type of running. I am going to finish this race on Sunday with my head held high knowing I have now finished 2 half marathons. If you aren't busy on Sunday, come cheer us on at the Rock and Roll in Dallas! Hold up a sign for Jenny!

From now on, I will be running 5k's and 10k's. The Gregg Pearson Foundation will also be putting on a RUN for Jenny in October. More details to come....

February 23, 2010, Tuesday

The story doesn't stop there...

8:38 Me to Michelle L: Stacey is bringing kids to school. He should be there around 8:45

Michelle: See him then

8:39 am Jessie: How r u? I just don't even know what to do. I got up and got the girls off to school but it feels like I am a zombie in disbelief. I'm praying for u and Stacey

Me: I am praying for you Jessie> I am hysterical one moment and praising HIM in this storm I don't understand the next. I miss her so. Parker did NOT do well

Jessie: Sweet Parker. Maybe we can go to lunch in a couple of weeks and I can love on him a little. My girls did okay. I don't think they can quite digest it.

( You readers need to know that Parker has had a CRUSH on Ms. Jessie for years! She is a complete rock star in his eyes)

9:04 am Jami: Hope you were able to get a little rest last night. Thinking about u. Praying for peace for your day. Love you

9:29 Kimberly H: Thinking of you, hope you are okay.

10:37 Stacey: How are you doing?

10:42 Linda: How are you making it today?

10:58 Stephanie: How r u 2 day? How did it go last night?

11:24 Julie: You are on my mind. I love you friend!

11:30 mom: Call when u have a moment

1:16 Jodi: Do u get the feel that service will be thurs? I'm still in town but trying to make a plan of when to go home... BTW, ILY

Me: carepages says thurs., Tentative

2:11 pm David: Would u consider being a pallbearer?

Me: absolutely

2:28 me to Stacey: David asked me if I would be a pallbearer, or if I would consider it

Stacey: me too!

Me: so sweet

David: thanks

3:14 Mindy: I love you and am praying for you! Jenny was just as lucky to have you as you were to have her

3:32 Jessie: Wondering if Jenny wrote out that prayer she said about heaven at her birthday party? If she did it might be with all the things she wrote about all the women. If so that would be beautiful to share. Just an idea.

3:47 Me to David: fell my love?

David: I do. Can u email some pics to Jessie for the video? We are at Richland Hills discussing service.

Me: Oh sweet friend. Do you have what she wrote about heaven from her birthday?

David: Is that the letter she wrote on her birthday to everyone?

Me: I think it should be on her computer

David: I will find it. I will call when I start looking for it

David: Carepages was just updated with info

at 4:34 pm ME TO DAVID AND STACEY

I mile 13:48!!!! I ran 3/4 of it! Here I go Jenny!

4:35 David: :)

4:35 David: Love you girl

4:32 KimQ: Hope u are able to have moments of delight in the midst of days of sorrow! I love u!

Me: I love you! I just ran for Jenny! 1 mile in 13:48! I told her we would run! I begin my journey. Thank you so much Kim. Today has been... better than yesterday.

KimQ: I've been praying for that! That everyone will have a spirit of conquering and not a spirit of defeat!! Jenny may be gone but we still have other blessings to delight in. I am so thrilled for your strength rising up Paige Bowden Pearson! I pray for ur moments of grief to bring u closer to a God who lost His Son 4 us. May we press into his Holy presence receiving His Holy blessings! So on with your bad self girlie!!! I am proud of you!

9:21 pm me to Kelli: Are you guys coming to visitation? I'm trying to find someone to watch my kids. Didn't know if you planned on coming to both funeral and visitation

Kelli: I can watch the kids what time do u want to bring them?

Me: First off, I hope you had a wonderful time. I can't wait to hear about it! I think around 5. I will bring their pjs. I'll know more when STP gets home.

Kelli: My trip was good. How r you? I'll be home around 2:30 tomorrow.

9:38 me to Krista: You are so sweet!! I am doing okay.. when I am not awake. You get it? I'm dealing. I started running today for jenny

9:39 pm me to AMY: I hope you are having the fun of your life! THinking about you partying with the princesses! Wish I was with you! (BTW, she was at Disney World)

So you see, my running journey started one year ago today! I remember running that .75 and finishing that mile on the treadmill. Watching every number pass waiting for it to hit 1 mile. I also remember falling off the treadmill, reaching for my phone and sending that text to Stacey and David. David has been an incredible cheerleader. We now have 180 participants in Running for Jenny and 314 members on Facebook. I never knew.... but God did! Every step of the way... He has used me to let His light shine... although MY light... doesn't always shine... sometimes it whines, it cries, and it just says NO, not tonight. I still do not like to run. Nope. BUT, I knew/know that if Jenny was still here on this earth, we would be doing this together... yes we would. My prayer is that God can use me to bring Glory to himself... As I sat at the cemetery yesterday all by myself... I realized I am NOT alone. He used my bible study to tell me about my troubles.. that I am being refined, not defined by these troubles. I am doing a study by Jennifer Rothschild. I bought it soon after Jenny died and am still not all the way through it. I did a Beth Moore study this summer, but have continued to be drawn to this one. This is what my study said yesterday (GOD IS GOOD)!

"God works through the difficult situations in our lives to discipline, nurture, and instruct us. Sometimes God is most merciful when He allows us to experience the pressures and pain of heartache because it disciplines, instructs, and nurtures us. I'm thankful God doesn't remove His hand from the clay of my life too soon, leaving me misshapen. I'm thankful He is nurturing me through patient teaching. I'm thankful He carefully positions me near His refining fire until I begin to reflect His glory."

Isn't God good?? This was the reading as I sat on the bench on her gravesite! This scripture was also in the reading

" We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" 2 corinthians 4:8-9

Jennifer says: "When we live by faith, we are not destroyed. Endure... persevere.... stand firm... stand your ground. These words are proactive, don't give up kinds of words! They are the very pictures of faithfulness. Don't throw in the towel or faint. Crawl if you have to. Remain faithful, for a reward beyond imagination awaits you. God promises: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (Jas. 1:12)" That is Jenny! She received the crown of life!!

Now, I am to persevere! To reflect His glory! To lean on Him, read His word, pray.

The next part of the study is titled: Canvas for His Glory. I can't wait to start it. God's timing is perfect. Sorry for my ramble... Kind of got carried away.

I can't wait to share other things I heard yesterday during my time with the Lord. It was good. Now, go RUN, or join Running for Jenny. Would love to have you on this journey!

200/35

These shoes. They were bought 1 year ago tonight. It was raining. I bought them so that I could start running with my friend and her husband and my husband. I have run more than 200 miles in these shoes. I have cried in these shoes. I have praised the Lord in these shoes. I ran my first 5k in these shoes, plus 2 more 5k's. Then I ran my first half marathon in these shoes. Today is my birthday. I turned 35. My husband took me out and bought me some new shoes to start this new adventure, this new journey, even on the ice. I won't be running in my new shoes until this snow and ice melt, but I can't wait. It's not a secret, I don't love to run, but I love the time I get to spend worshipping the Lord, praying, crying and just telling myself to put one foot in front of the other remembering my friend, who I love, who I miss. Tomorrow starts that adventure.

Today, was filled with zebra peppermint hot chocolate, hugs, donuts, wii, bingo, puzzles, movies, kisses, grilled cheese sandwiches, cake balls, dead baby bird on porch, over 160 facebook messages, text messages, phone calls, lilly plant, babysitter, driving on ice, Luke's waiting for me, new shoes, great dinner, coming home to my kids and sitter playing Go Fish, reading all the cards the kids made me and hung on the wall.

White Rock

Well, on Saturday (a few weeks ago now) we went to the EXPO for the White Rock. We had dropped off the kids at the Crimmings house for the weekend, and off we went to get David.

It was neat seeing all the names of all the runners on the boards. Oh, and in case you didn't know, my REAL first name is Kathryn.


The reality of it, seeing my name on the BIB, a bit much for this emotional girl. Stacey organized a dinner for some of the Running for Jenny team, but we also took a photo of the group at the EXPO.





Ryan had my camera and was goofing off, and this is what he captured, me trying to handle my anxiety.Angie ran again, and beat her time from her previous run. This time she ran for Jackson AND Jenny.

Here we are at dinner.

Race day!
I woke up early, and NERVOUS. A friend of mine had put a sign out side by our cars encouraging me! It was so kind. 22,000 people ran the White Rock. Before the race was crazy! Stephanie and I didn't even know what corral we were in because our letter was O. We thought we would just jump into a corral, and after a LONG line at the restroom, that is just what we did. IT was quite emotional. We took some photos pre-race on her phone. I need to get those! Stacey and David were in one of the first corrals, so I knew they started the race LONG before Stephanie and I got started. It sure was cold out there.

We had friends who came to cheer us on! Ryan was at mile 3. He waited to cheer me on before we went to cheer on the rest of his family. He was my co-cheerleader in San Antonio, and I was way behind the rest of his family at the WHITE ROCK, but he waited for me. I was so happy to see him.

Kelli and Lane were going to be at mile 5 and somewhere towards the end. These next few photos are what she took at mile 5.

There are my guys!

There goes Angie!
Here comes Stephanie.
Stephanie HIGH FIVING Lane.

Here I am! Mile 5. I am smiling! I sure was glad to see a familiar face or 2! I was pointing to see if they saw Stephanie. She wasn't that far in front of me at this point. :)

About mile 8 is when I started REALLY fading. I mean struggling. I wanted to stop. I started having pains in my legs and hips. Mentally I was exhausted. All this build up and the day was here and I was tired before I started. I started praying, asking for the Lord to carry me, to encourage me, to help me through. I felt a hand on my shoulder, I looked over and it was a fellow Running For Jenny runner, Sharon Budd Gorman. I had just met her the night before at a dinner. Her words: YOU CAN DO THIS! I still get chills as I think about it. I just started crying. I kind of tell her what had just happened, kind of, because I was mumbling and crying trying to get it out. For the next few miles she would run beside me, or behind me and if I started to slow down, she would catch up and without a word I knew she was helping me along. Mile 10 was a let down. YIKES! I still had 3.1 more miles to do. That didn't sound too comforting. Sharon running beside me, we kept going. At mile 12, I look over and see Stacey on the side line (if that is what you call it in running). I LOSE IT! I start pointing but no words come out, just blubbering. He is dressed in pants and jacket and his gloves. THIS MEANS he had finished his half, gone to the car and gotten his clothes and met me on the course. PEOPLE! He finished an HOUR before me! Almost exactly! He started running along side me. Sharon faded to the side. Stacey Pearson finished AGAIN right along side me. I love him! I could NOT have done it without him or SHARON OR THE LORD! Not in that order:)!

Here we come finishing mile 13. See my pain!

LOOK! There is KELLI! HI KELLI!

As we pass by, I am starting to have that lump in my throat! That hyperventilating lump. You know the one, right?

After Kelli took those photos, I GUESS she got up and ran, but I wasn't moving too fast at this point to capture the rest of the moment.I see the finish line! YEAH FINISH LINE! I actually think the one above and the one below are out of order. The one above is when they called my name out as I approached the end.

This is when I realized I AM FINISHING A HALF MARATHON FOR JENNY! I did it! I sure wish my friend was beside me. I love how Stacey is looking at me. He has been so encouraging through this entire journey

Here we are after. Stephanie and I both have ICE on our knees and we are COLD! NOtice my jacket? My husband actually had on 2 jackets when he met me so he could give me one! HOW SWEET!!

Kelli! These girls and I have met on Monday nights for YEARS! I love them and this journey we have been on even though we have battled through SOME REALLY tough STUFF! Stephanie and I have been meeting for 7 years!

I love him!
And the finishers. I know we are missing MANY! Thank you for all who ran for JENNY! Who is ready for March 27th???? WHO IS IN!??