Tucson Marathon!!!!

What a day we had at the races!

It rained for 2 day's before the race and high winds. Very strange for Tucson this time of the year so I am told.

Race morning the sky was crystal clear and deep blue, no wind...needless to say it was perfect for running any kind of race. With over 3,000 people running I had 14 coaching students running from all over the USA but also one from Canada! Most everyone had a personal best!! Jim from Chicago was 24 minutes faster than his last marathon, Ed from NYC was 16 minutes faster than his last...the list goes on and on! Marcy from Calif. qualified for Boston:):)
Some this was there first half or full marathon. What a joy it was for me to see them all come across the finish line...I felt like I had run 10 marathons by the end of the day I was so full of emotions.
Mike from Canada did his 1st half marathon. He started working with me 2 months ago at 305 pounds. In 2 months he has lost 24 pounds and went from only being able to walk 1 block to walking and a few minutes of running a HALF MARATHON IS 3 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the marathon to run if you are looking for a fast time or to qualify for Boston. Great course! The winning time was 2:24!!!! We hope Mike Wardian will come next year to see how fast he can run and we hope to see the rest of you here as well.

Way to go Dreamchasers!!!!!!!



I leave you with this today: which are you??? Thank you Becky!
A CARROT, AN EGG OR A CUP OF COFFEE??


A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.