Back in the saddle again...

2011 will be remembered as one of my best years. Professionally, I took over Real Estate at the end of 2010 and I can honestly say that I really like my job, a fact that surprises me on a daily basis. At home, my husband spoils me and my children are growing and changing and turning into responsible, thoughtful, mindful teenagers. We are by no means a perfect little cookie-cutter family but you have to be able to find perfection within the imperfections. It’s been a while since I’ve said this but, we put the FUN in dysfunctional! HA! Personally, I completed something that I never ever considered an option. I’ve always thought that I could accomplish anything as long as I put my mind to it, but when I push past my own mental limitations, the feeling is amazing!

I am a self admitted over-achiever. I always have been. I’ve played sports my entire life. I was never the best player on the field, but I was best at my position. I played softball from age 5 to 15 and then a couple of times as an adult on a women’s team and then later a co-ed team. I played basketball all the way through high school. I wasn’t planning to play but the varsity coach called me at my house (we didn’t have cell phones) and asked me to” just try it out”. I played volley ball in junior high, was on the swim team in high school and I was a cheerleader for 6 years, 7^th grade through senior year, serving as captain 9^th, 10^th and 12^th grades. Do you see where I’m going with this? OVER-ACHIEVER!

I didn’t like running though. I saw running as a punishment, miss a free-throw, run a lap; miss a ground ball, run a lap; make a bad pass, run a lap. Now, here I am, training for not one but two half marathons in June. The Virginia Wine Country ½ on June 2^nd and the Kona ½ on June 24^th. In the span of about three weeks I will be running, not walking or run/walking, running 26.2 miles to raise awareness and dollars for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.  Am I going for a personal record (PR)? You bet I am! I walked Kona last year and I did a run/walk combination in Vegas. I plan to run the entire race both times in June. Ultimately that is the most important factor for me, to be able to run the entire race, even if it means I have to slow down. I am a RUNNER!

It's been a while...

Yesterday it seemed I was destined to have “one of those days”. You know those days. I had a full schedule at work, not knowing how I would get everything finished before I had to pick up my daughter from basketball practice which was ending earlier than usual. My phone was not holding a charge, so even though I had it plugged in all night and on my drive to work, it would die after about 20 minutes of use.

Nothing serious, just the little things like that to annoy me throughout the morning (if I let them).  Then I drop my phone in the parking lot at work. I shattered the screen. Ok, not the best way to keep the positive attitude going, right? Then on my drive out to take photos of a home in Greenwood, I miss my turn onto the service road and end up driving to Stanton before I can turn around. Seriously! I did that! I actually ended up doing it twice, in a row! Yes, I was living the dream yesterday. I walk back into the office prepared to let everyone in on my misadventures when I notice a letter on my desk. I was expecting a check in the mail for a VIP ticket (for the Black and White night) and I thought this letter must be the check. I open the letter and sure enough there is a check, but not for the VIP ticket. It is a very large check from an anonymous donor. I was floored! My day did a 360 degree turn around from the time I saw the letter on my desk to the time I read the enclosed note. One moment made all of the difference.

Generosity is defined as a generous act. It can mean bigheartedness, openhandedness, openheartedness and unselfishness. The past year has introduced me to so many people that are all of the above and more. I am in awe of the good that can be done by people who are willing to make an effort, willing to take a risk, willing to make a difference. So turn off this computer. Get out there! Make an effort, take a risk; it will make a difference in someone’s day. You may even turn it around. 

We can't give you cash, but we'll give you water...

Soooooo.....
In tomorrow's Midland Reporter-Telegram I issue a challenge to all college football fans. I'm challenging everyone to make a donation to CCFA in honor of your favorite team. You have to include gratuitous smack talk in the comments section if you make a donation online, so I'll know which team gets the credit for the donation. I'll also be making a donation myself for the LSU Tigers and adding my own smack talk, just to get everything started off on the right foot! Geaux Tigers! If you would like to read Sunday's column or any of the columns I've submitted you can find them here. The football column will not be available until tomorrow (9/18/2011).

On to fundraising. I received my first no yesterday. Not an all out no, more like a "we can't give you cash, but we will donate bottled water" kind of no. Which is helpful, I am going to have a booth at the Midland Memorial Hospital Healthy U Fair on October 22nd so I can definitely use the bottled water, but I was really hoping for the cash. So if anyone is actually reading this and you want to make a donation, please click on the Team Challenge logo and it will take you to my fundraising page. I'll also say thank you for the bottled water donation, I'm sure everyone at the fair will love it! People do get thirsty!

TTFN

You're going to the gym? Now?

This morning I woke up early. I say early because I actually got up about 2 minutes before the alarm, got out of bed and didn't hit the snooze button 100 times or tell Matt, "Wake me up when you leave." I woke up, put on my gym clothes and headed for the door. I hear Matt in a sleep muffled voice, "You're going to the gym?"
"Yep"
"Now?"
"Yep"
"ok, I love you"
"Love you too"

He sounds surprised. Well he should be! But after skipping my morning run on Wednesday (thinking I would get it after work, what a joke!), I have decided to get my butt out of bed and as the Nike commercial says, JUST DO IT!

It doesn't hurt that some co-workers and I are starting a biggest loser contest today and there is money on the line. Plus the fact that I am in training for another half marathon in just 3 short months. Now I've just got to get up before the alarm (aka 5 am or as I like to call it ~ the butt crack of dawn) every day until the race. Wish me luck!

Girls LOVE shoes...

Since August, 29^th (the first official day of training) there have been several conference calls with our virtual trainers, Melissa Spooner and Dave McGovern. We’ve discussed how to fit regular training into an already hectic schedule and the importance of shoes and apparel. SHOES? Now we're talking!

I started out in March of this year (training for Kona) with my regular old shoes. I soon found that the coaches were right when they explained how important the right shoe is. I headed to a local running store (the only running store), Run This Way, to get fitted by an expert and get the right shoe for me. Austin was great! He had me walk and asked questions about the type of training I was doing and determined, well I’m not quite sure what he determined, but he explained it to all me and then brought out several shoes for me to try. I made my choice and loved the shoes immediately. I could tell a difference on my first run. My shoes are so great I just went back to get another pair. Austin helped me again, but no foot analysis was necessary this time. I stuck with the same shoe, different fabulous color of course. The Team Challenge walk coach, Dave, suggested alternating the old shoe with the new shoe to help build foot strength and increase the life span of my new shoe.

Funny thing about me and shoes, I love them. At the race in Kona I saw so many bright colors and fun styles of running shoes. I especially wanted a pair of neon orange and blue shoes (the Team Challenge colors). According to both Mel and Dave, I'm not supposed to buy my shoes based on color. DANG! Some people love gagdets, some people love purses, I love shoes.

I love my Mizunos, so I'll just stick with them ~ for now...

Back in the saddle again...

A lot has happened since my last post in July! Sorry to keep you all waiting in suspense for my next post! All 2 of you!!!

Ok, you all (and by all I mean 2) know that I signed up for my second event with Team Challenge. The next race is in December in VEGAS BABY! As a side note ~ it's my second TC (Team Challenge) event and the second time I will be going to a brand new place! I know, shocker, I've never been to Las Vegas. I also applied to be a mentor for this event and I GOT IT! WooHoo. I told Matt that I would be pretty busy last weekend. He asked, "For the rest of the day?' My reply was, "NO, THE REST OF THE YEAR!"
I'm really looking forward to being a mentor. I've sent my first official email introducing myself to my "metees". And training and conference calling starts on August 29th. This time I want to run at least 6 miles. Then maybe by my third event I'll be running the entire 13.1 miles. By the end of the year (when I reach my fundraising goal) I will have raised almost $10,000 for the CCFA. That thought blows my mind.

Please consider making a donation to the CCFA. Someone you know probably suffers from one of these diseases and you don't even know about it. If you know of a company looking for a tax deduction for the end of the year, send them my way! 100% of your Team Challenge donation is Tax Deductible. What's not to like about that?

Even MORE exciting than that...

wait for it...

My youngest daughter, Baylee, is home for the school year. There isn't a large enough font in this program to express my happiness! So I've been doing the mom thing again: Registering her for school, tracking down the girl's coach to find out the scoop on the sports available at her Jr. High, school shopping, and staying up waaaaay later that I'm used to, just so I can spend as much time with her as possible! For those of you that don't know, I have 2 daughters. Their dad and I share custody of them and sometimes they live with me and visit him - and sometimes they live with him and visit me. Being away from them is one of the hardest things I'll ever do, but we are both their parents and they need us both equally. I wish more divorced parents would realize that.

Anyway, back to me, me, ME! I've also been kicking around the idea of catering again and actually done a few events. So much fun, but so time consuming - especially because I work full time too. I think I'll submit a request to officially extend the number of hours in a day...

~Robin

Here I go again!

It's official! I'm signed up for the Team Challenge event in VEGAS in December! Woot! Woot!

So why don't you just go ahead and make a donation now so I can just concentrate on training?

http://www.active.com/donate/vegas11national/VegasRKingha