I have been very busy lately working on things around the house and with the family that my running has been very bad and almost nonexistence. We have been in our new house now for about almost 2 years and this spring and summer is time for the outside projects to be completed. I had to clear out about 40 very small trees and overgrowth and then dig up the root balls and lay some dirt down to grow grass. We kept 10 trees and I will plant more in the fall. We then had a fence installed last month and then a huge playset for our son. It is all very awesome now and still needs lots of work but I want to get back into running more. I think I will start running and then doing some more yard work, especially since most of the stuff is weeding and establishing plant beds.
The hardest part of getting out and running for me is that I had a melanoma skin cancer removed almost 2 years ago and have a hard time spending lots of time in the sun. I have been in the sun my whole life and never really thought to much on the damaging effects it has on the largest organ of the human body. It has never really bothered me and was very easy to have removed (during my lunch break) so I don't really consider myself a survivor. I have to continue with check ups and can't donate blood for 5 years. The fact that the removal of the cancer was so easy does the opposite for the mind and all of the thoughts that run through your head. I have always had the mindset that cancer will not define me and limit my life, but it definitely affects my lifestyle.
I plan on doing a 4 mile run again today or tomorrow and I'm ready to get this show on the road!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
greenway run
I had a great 4 mile run last night at the local greenway. Was a slow run but was great to get out and run on a flat course. My Aunt Pat donated to my relay for life donation site in memory of my mom and I think I thought of the the lose she went threw of her only sister. For 24 years I have only thought of the lose of a mother and how I know she is watching over me and my siblings. I never thought of what it would be like to lose your only sister. I came home to an empty house and enjoyed eating my dinner in my back patio and thinking of my mom and praying. I Love You Mom. Thanks for watching over us and always being there for me.
Monday, May 21, 2007
weekend run
Relay for Life was a great event and I am going to do the relay again next year and plan on staying the whole night. A co-worker and I did 10 miles walking around the high school track and we were both hurting around the 5 mile mark. He was thinking of calling it quits at the 7.5 mark and I was motivated to do the 10 miles so we did and felt great afterwards. The event istself was great and really moving when you think of all the illuminated bags as a person being affected by cancer.
I took my son to the race track here in Charlotte to meet my oldest brother who was working with the Speed channel and we had a great time. My son got to sit in a race car that was half open to see what a race car is made of. He loved it and wanted to see the cars race but there was no way I was taking him in there. The place was packed with the most interesting of people and I think each and every person had a beer and a cooler.
I ran 3 miles on sunday at a 10 minute pace and really enjoyed getting out in the afternoon heat. I run in the community I live in and have several small hills that make any walk or run good and challenging. Since we have moved here almost 2 years now I run alone. When we lived in Greenville SC, I ran during lunch at work with a group of people through Spartanburg and really miss the people and time I was able to run. It is hard to find time to run now as I don't want to take away from family time, but I still am able to run at least twice a week. I want to run a marathon and I know I will need to pick up the training to do that but I am really focused on my family first and foremost.
I took my son to the race track here in Charlotte to meet my oldest brother who was working with the Speed channel and we had a great time. My son got to sit in a race car that was half open to see what a race car is made of. He loved it and wanted to see the cars race but there was no way I was taking him in there. The place was packed with the most interesting of people and I think each and every person had a beer and a cooler.
I ran 3 miles on sunday at a 10 minute pace and really enjoyed getting out in the afternoon heat. I run in the community I live in and have several small hills that make any walk or run good and challenging. Since we have moved here almost 2 years now I run alone. When we lived in Greenville SC, I ran during lunch at work with a group of people through Spartanburg and really miss the people and time I was able to run. It is hard to find time to run now as I don't want to take away from family time, but I still am able to run at least twice a week. I want to run a marathon and I know I will need to pick up the training to do that but I am really focused on my family first and foremost.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Relay For Life
I am not sure of how much thought i am going to put into blogging, but if you don't try, you'll never know. So here goes nothing. I am going to try to keep track of my thoughts and memories from my runs and hopefully try to motivate others to do something positive at the same time.
I am doing the Relay for Life on friday night in memory of my mother who passed away from cancer almost 24 years ago when I was 11. The only thing I have done in the past to help fight cancer has been to discuss it with friends and others. I decided to do something about it and this is just the beginning. My mother brought 7 amazing and very special children into this world and was always there for us and IS still always there for us. I feel her watching over me and my family each and everyday, and I want to thank her in anyway possible. I try to live each and everyday to the fullest and wake up every morning thinking "Carpe Diem".
I am also doing the RFL in honor of my Aunt Pat and in memory of Dickie Montalbano (Mr. M). Mr M was father to one of my best friends Pete and was always there for us. Pete and I were unseperable growing up and the M's would help us do whatever it was we wanted to do. Mr M helped make me into the man I am today and I hope to be half the family man he was. I lived with the M's a couple of times and will always think of them as my family. Mr M is where my nickname "streak" came from as well as the "useless brigade" that I was vice president of. I remember the day I met the M family like it was yesterday, I was 6 years old and my dad had to go over their house for some soccer business. Pete and I went in his room to play and ever since then we were family. Through all these years, I do not have one bad memory or experience , we all lived life to the fullest.
I also want to do the RFL for all the many people that have fought or are fighting cancer and will think of them as I experience this relay. I have read many blogs of different cancer experiences and remember feeling the same way when my mom was battling cancer. I remember the amazing support we had from the local community of friends and family as me and my siblings all had to deal with losing our mother. My brothers and sisters have been there for each other and not sure what would of happened had there not been 7 of us.
I am doing the Relay for Life on friday night in memory of my mother who passed away from cancer almost 24 years ago when I was 11. The only thing I have done in the past to help fight cancer has been to discuss it with friends and others. I decided to do something about it and this is just the beginning. My mother brought 7 amazing and very special children into this world and was always there for us and IS still always there for us. I feel her watching over me and my family each and everyday, and I want to thank her in anyway possible. I try to live each and everyday to the fullest and wake up every morning thinking "Carpe Diem".
I am also doing the RFL in honor of my Aunt Pat and in memory of Dickie Montalbano (Mr. M). Mr M was father to one of my best friends Pete and was always there for us. Pete and I were unseperable growing up and the M's would help us do whatever it was we wanted to do. Mr M helped make me into the man I am today and I hope to be half the family man he was. I lived with the M's a couple of times and will always think of them as my family. Mr M is where my nickname "streak" came from as well as the "useless brigade" that I was vice president of. I remember the day I met the M family like it was yesterday, I was 6 years old and my dad had to go over their house for some soccer business. Pete and I went in his room to play and ever since then we were family. Through all these years, I do not have one bad memory or experience , we all lived life to the fullest.
I also want to do the RFL for all the many people that have fought or are fighting cancer and will think of them as I experience this relay. I have read many blogs of different cancer experiences and remember feeling the same way when my mom was battling cancer. I remember the amazing support we had from the local community of friends and family as me and my siblings all had to deal with losing our mother. My brothers and sisters have been there for each other and not sure what would of happened had there not been 7 of us.
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