A Noteable Life

I was checking the weather for KC-watching for impending snow. One of the headlines struck me and sort of made me mad. It was "Noteable Deaths 2009".
Hmmm-
We can look back on celebrities, friends, family who have all passed this year. I know, for one, my Grandpa wouldn't want to be remembered by his death, but how he lived his LIFE!

That is what we, Women of Warrensburg, are all about-it's how you live. The choice is there to enjoy, embrace, and appreciate life by becoming an active person.

I ran today-am now trying to commit myself to this half-marathon training thing. I know there will be days I don't want to-but I want to have that accolade on my belt that "I ran a half marathon while I could during my life."

This is how I want to live my life-and let me say-there have been a few moments that took my breath away! I know there will be many more!

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away” ...

Hoping this year is breathtaking for you!
Looking forward to seeing you on the road-there are many great races coming up!
Teri
"It's How You Live"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7HFk6flUOQ

Makes Sense!

I read a great quote today-and it really inspired me.

The New Year is approaching. And we sort of set that as the "clean start" we all hope for. Some people find it each day, others at the end of a week, still others, with each year.

What it truly boils down to is our own determination and tenacity. Dreams hang in the clouds until they become goals-once they become goals, they are achievable because we create plans to put them in place.

Whatever your goal is-I hope you chase it-it's at that point you'll see those dreams on the horizon!

We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort. Jesse Owens

Hope to see you on the road!
Teri

Repeat the Sounding Joy!

Before I became an elementary teacher, I was a music major-so we sang sang sang!

I love lyrics to songs-they have so many messages. One that slipped my eye was from a traditional carol-Joy to the World.

Repeat the sounding joy-repeat the sounding joy.

Wow! That is what I think of with our WOW girls. Every footstep-just repeating that joy.

We're getting together on Wednesday morning to share some holiday cheer and the joy of running!

Repeat the sounding joy! I know I'm grateful for all of my new running friends-!They'll know we are coming WOW Gals when they hear us on the street! Whether it is a jingle, jangle, laugh, or conversation-we have so much joy in this group!
Repeat the sounding joy!
Hope to see you on the road-
Merry Christmas!
Teri

The Richest Man in Town!

I'm slowly creeping into the holiday spirit. This year has had it's challenges.
My favorite all time, most loved holiday movie is It's a Wonderful Life.

This movie just is classic-the scene with Jimmy Stewart running through Bedford Falls in the snow always brings a smile to my face.

I don't recall the song, but it says "people need people". While we're busy buying gifts and laying them under the tree, the greatest gift we have are "our" people.

I know I couldn't get by without my loved ones and the encouragement and support they offer.

When we ran in the Great Santa Run I was the last dog in our quartet to haul into the finish. And when I saw my WOW friends yelling and hollering for me, I just smiled and thought "there are my friends!"

As you know, we had a huge loss in my family this year. It was almost foreshadowing, as Steel Magnolias was on every weekend for awhile before Grandpa passed away. There are so many times in that movie that friends and family are the ones pulling each other out of grief. My daughter, Katie, swears this is our bunch! All with laughter!

I don't know, whether it's a run, the economy, a lost loved one, needing coffee or TP from my neighbor, or a laugh when you're down, I'm thinking the love and support of friends makes all of us very rich and blessed!
They aren't wrapped in fancy packages with shiny bows, but surely, people we love make us all rich indeed!
I know that I am blessed and so many people make life very rich!
It's a Wonderful Life!
Hope to see you on the road!
Teri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErrzjGCi3gY&feature=PlayList&p=2BA603D3E54B0DA6&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=50

City Mouse, Country Mouse

Happy Holidays to you all! My sister in law and her St. Louis Girls are running the Nashville Country Music Marathon/Half on April 24th in 2010. I was wondering "how many people will be there?"

I grew up in a town with approximately 15000 people. When you go to "big" races, the group generally excedes the whole population of my town.

I started to ponder. I've ran in KC Komen twice-25000, St. Louis Komen 65,000 twice.

So while I don't choose to live in a larger town, for a few hours, I embrace a much larger community of runners. These people are giving high fives, smiling, and all very very happy to be there.

So now I'm looking forward to venturing to one of my favorite states, The Volunteer State, Tennessee, to meet more running friends.

How many new running friends will we meet? It's all very exciting!

My sister and I are going to sign up next weekend when they visit for Christmas-so the ink will be on the line-and we will be committed-I think her 3rd half marathon-my first. I'm so excited, scared, and looking forward to this adventure~!
http://nashville.competitor.com/
http://nashville.competitor.com/photos/?nggpage=3
Hope to see you on the road!
Teri

Who Knows What the Tide Might Bring?

It seems so odd to think that this year is almost over. I was talking to my daughters, determining when their cousin, Sydney, will go to the school I teach at. We figured out when my youngest daughter, Kellyn, will go to school there. And the reality hit me that my oldest, Katie will be a senior then, and Caroline will be in the 8th grade nearly ready for high school.

How did time go so fast? If there has been one thing I have learned this year-is you have to live life as though today was your last day. (I'm linking a song to this also!)

The woulda, coulda, shoulda attitude will get you nowhere. My boss shared a quote by JFK, that paraphrased stated change is inevitable. You can't so focus so much on the past and present that you miss out on the future.

I type this as I've heard of another person who passed away yesterday.

One change I've noticed in myself is my attitude towards running/exercise. In the past it was always something done out of necessity usually while dieting. The thing that I love now, and that my friends in the WOW would probably echo, is that we run for enjoyment and leisure.

The other day was not a good day, and to unwind, I felt the need to go on a run. That is a terrific feeling knowing that I have found a new passtime and way to have fun or destress.

So, as the year is wrapping up, I know 2010 will greet me with even more changes. I don't think this will go down as a year we look back on and miss. The recession, war, and many of us lost loved ones. I know now that it's all in the attitude we have. Two years ago, I found running. Last year I helped get WOW going and found my new running friends. I know that no matter the struggles, that there will be something new and exciting for me in 2010. As Tom Hanks said in the movie Castaway,

"And I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"

"If Today Was Your Last Day" Nickelback
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y__hGIzJpGY


Here's to Change!
Hope to see you on the road-
Teri

Through the mouths of babes!

Hello my friends-Christmas is all about a very special child. We all have a special child or children in our lives I'm sure.

Well, my special children were talking to me tonight and letting me know how they feel about some things. I was watching the Biggest Loser and got this flood gate of information from my two younger girls about self-image, fitness, diet etc. Scared the pee out of me. They are 9 and 7.

What do we think WOW gals about creating a co-group for our children? If we do it for ourselves-awesome. If we do it for them-spectacular.

I'm proposing a group of WOW (Winners of Warrensburg, Wonders of Warrensburg-whatever we come up with for that acronym)

I believe if we worked through WPR we could find and develop something to now begin including our kids in this club.

WOW is approaching our one year anniversary-and like all anniversaries, we want to grow, make it better, and set new goals. What if maybe we bring some kids into this and start helping to get some little people involved, so they don't and won't have to discover running a 5K for the first time at 35?

We had out negative output from a disgruntled Warrensburger-you know what, we all live in this community, and it is for our tall, small, old, young, discouraged, or excited.

Let's start thinking about what we can do for our kids, and maybe begin mentoring some of these kids!
Hope to see you on the road!
Teri

Warrensburg, Missouri 64093-a town of Runners!

I guess there was an editorial written to the Daily Star Journal about the negative impact runners have on our community. I have not read it and would like it sent to me by anyone who has it-so I am responding without all of the facts and quotes. Our club has decided to respond with a collective voice and after we are better informed.

Let me say-this aggravated and irritated many WOW gals-we are planning a response collectively, so if you saw this editorial, please provide your imput.

We are a group that focuses on the positive aspect of being involved with a fitness group. SO-with that being said, there will be no bashing or lashing out.

Our group was founded on January 31, 2009 to bring women together in an easily accessible way to focus on fitness, fun, and friendship. Our mantra is "All Women, All Ambitions, All Abilities".

I know that those of use who have benefited from this group would praise the support and fun we have had. I can't imagine how anything that promotes health and community is a negative and harmful effect which will bring us all down.

I'll go on personal testimony-I have running friends. I have friends in group who upon meeting then became excited about meeting and became more physically fit. This group is growing-we are up to 100 members and counting after a year. Several WOW gals attended a race of 800 in Overland Park KS-and guess what, they knew who the WOW women were and greeted us! Warrensburg is extending a friendly hand with our club of runners and walkers.

WOW Gals-keep coming!
There will always be those who are negative, but the positive change for each of us and our involvement in the communithy is only going to make Warrensburg a better, friendlier, and healthier place to call home!
Sorry for typos-but I'm a little irritated!
Hope to see you on the road!
Teri

It's all a state of mind!

Running in the cold stinks-until you get used to it. You should layer, for sure. Really dress for 20- degrees warmer than you are going to be running in.

We set up obstacles for ourselves-and they can seem massive. But no matter the hill-you will reach the top, you'll climb over the top, and you will succeed. They are metaphors in life-and if you can conquer them, you can do anything!

Keep reaching! You'll get there!
Teri

The Greatest Generation

Several of our WOW women have lost loved ones this year. These people were from the post WWII generation.

And it made me think of our club. My grandfather was illerate, but worked hard his whole life. He led a proud life, and worked until his body was worn and his heart just stopped. He didn't waiver, fall, or gasp-just slipped away.

Another one of our WOW sisters had a grandfather who earned $.60 an hour to provide for his family.

My best friend lost her grandmother who did the hard farm work and hand-sewed and quilted the most beautiful quilts I've seen to keep her family warm.

This generation-the Greatest Generation, worked so they could live. They didn't have to worry about fitness, because they were fit by their mere survival.

We do not have to live that way-we can go to Wal Mart unlike my great grandma who baked 5 loaves of bread on a woodstove.

We can drive to work, and not have hard physical labor awaiting us.

We know we've had the opportunity of education when they had no choice but work to ensure their extended and nuclear family could survive.

So when we think our physical well being-we are half if not less stronger than this great generation who had so much less, and was willing to work so much harder.

If we have the choice to at least run or walk for recreation-don't we owe it to them? They worked so diligently, they didn't know how to just have fun once they retired.

They were strong, and as a result, our parents had good lives. They, in turn, gave us many blessings.

So we should run for them-because they did all the work for us!

Thank Goodness for this Great Generation-that they were willing to knock down all the brick walls they faced, so we have the choice of taking a leisurely morning run!

Hope to see you on the Road!
Teri