At a loss for words

Today I learned that a dear friend of mine is under hospice care.  She has been battling stage four cancer of the liver and intestines since being diagnosed three days before Christmas in 2011.

The last time Laura and I saw Potts she was volunteering at a 5K road race.  Her battle with cancer hadn't stopped her from her love of volunteering, from coming out and supporting all of the runners she loves and those who love her fiercely in return.

Laura showed Potts her engagement ring and Potts sweetly stated she wanted to come to Laura's wedding and be a stand for her marriage to Chris.

I don't know if there is anyway that she will be able to come and I know without a doubt if she is able she will be there.

So Potts, here's to you.  The kindness you have shown to Laura and my family has mattered greatly to me.  You have made a difference in our lives.

I love you and am sending love and light and prayers your way.

In love and gratitude....

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Thunder Challenge

Thunder Challenge-Larkspur Colorado

I did my first adventure race today, a 10K run/walk/hike with ten or so obstacles challenges to surpass.

Project Sanctuary  Super Hero's: Randi, Michelle, Heather and Ginny 

Here are the female members of the team that I ran with. 

The first challenge consisted of running up and down a  hill carrying an empty beer keg or a 10 pound sand bag. 

After that we jumped into a pit of water, lurched out of the water pit and headed over to the next obstacle. 

We hit the first few obstacles early in the course and then began a long hike before we encountered the next challenge.  And we climbed and climbed and climbed. 

View from the top of the climb

You want me to do what?

We finally got to the last challenge where we had to swing over another pit of water with a rope in one hand and then reach out with the other hand and began scaling a large wall.

A couple of things I learned today about adventure racing.

1.  Having a very strong upper body is an absolute necessity.  There was a lot of pulling oneself up over walls, houses, monkey bars.   The people that had strong upper bodies had a huge advantage.

2.  If you do not have a strong upper body, make sure you have a strong team.

I had signed up to do this race as an individual and was fortunate to bump into a friend of mine, Heather Ehle at the registration table.  She invited me to join her team and I am so happy that I took her up on her offer.

When I got to the last challenge, I didn't think I could do it.

I got coaching from a Navy Seal on how to tackle the challenge.  "Commit to jumping over the water, explode into the wall and grab the wall with your other hand."

My teammate Ginny went first and made it safely over the water and started to climb over the wall.

I don't think I exploded into the wall, I think it was more of a glide, but somehow I made it over the water and started to scale the final obstacle.

I got up to the top and wasn't sure I could get my leg over the top of the wall.  I was stuck.  I couldn't go up, couldn't go down.

Luckily my teammate Ginny was there for me.  She waited for me.  She coached me to swing my leg over the wall, she reassured me that I was safe.

I've got your back!

It was the perfect ending for the day.  The Thunder Challenge was designed by Navy Seals.  The Thunder   Challenge was put on to benefit Project Sanctuary.

One of Heather's military family members from Project Sanctuary, Ginny stood on a wall for me.

This is what our military does for us every day.   They stand on a wall and say nothing's going to hurt you, not on my watch!

Thank you Ginny and a heartfelt thanks to the men and women of our armed forces and their families.

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One foot in front of the other

I saw a dear friend at a coffee shop on Saturday.   Someone I have know mainly through running.  I don't know her real well and yet I care about her deeply.  She has been a big part of my life, a big part of the Denver running community.

I walked right past her the first time, did a double take.  She looked different.  I turned around and went back to the table where she was sitting.  It was her.

She stood up and we hugged.  I was so happy to see her.  I wasn't sure if I would get to see her again.  I wondered how she was doing.

I found out a couple of months ago there was a serious medical challenge to face.  I found out over the following  weeks that the challenge was cancer.  There was no other information, cancer...

She told me that her prognosis is not good.  Stage 4, small intestine cancer.  30% chance of survival.

There was a  60th birthday to celebrate on April 23.  Her doctors had told her she wouldn't make it to that day.

"My doctor's have written me off.  I will not let them put the punctuation mark on my life. That is up to God" she told me.


25 pounds lost since starting chemo treatments.

An Aurora police captain takes her to the chemo treatments. Takes the day off from work and stays with her the entire time, takes her back home.


She told me she still tries to walk 5 miles a day.  She doesn't care how long it takes her to do that.

She told a young man sitting with her how important it is in life to keep putting one foot in front of another.  So simple, so powerful.

She was going to participate in Cherry Creek Sneak on Sunday.  She knew she could walk a 5K.  She choose the 5 mile event instead.

"I am worried that I might fall tomorrow and I know that if I fall, someone will help me get back up."

She was serene in that knowing.  Someone will pick me up, someone has my back.  If I fall, someone will help me.

I felt tears welling in my eyes as we talked.  I loved her faith, her strength, her courage.

She asked about my family, she always does.

We hugged each other goodbye.  We said I love you to one another.

I felt sad.  Another person touched be such a cruel, heartless disease.

I felt so blessed that I had the chance to see her again.  Tell her how much she touched my life, she matters to me.

She is planning her next 5K event, End of Watch as a race director in late September.   She is moving forward, one foot in front of another...End of Watch 5K benefits police and fireman who are killed at the end of their watch.

I felt incredibly inspired!  Doctor's simply can't measure a person's heart.  Her conviction that only God could place the punctuation mark on her life was so strong.  Trusting she might fall and someone would pick her up.

I was watching one of my favorite movies yesterday(Saint Ralph) and loved these questions from Father George Hibbert.   If you have never seen the movie, fast forward to 3:30 of the video.

"Did you ever put it on the line?  Did you ever not know know and still jump?  Did you ever close your eyes and let go?"

Here is to not knowing and jumping, trusting someone will be there to pick us up if we fall.

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