“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain”

Alright…I’m sitting here feeling guilty for my semi-rant yesterday and the negative-ness revolved around it (Yes I know some things could always be worse, but some days I find myself just wanting to be grumpy I suppose).  Apparently God wanted to entertain me a little bit and make me “think” about things…so after visiting my Grandparents in Charleston we came home to a house we were locked out of for several hours until a Locksmith was able to get us in J  The spring in our doorknob had broken loose so the door itself wouldn’t operate.  By coincidence too our neighbors had driven by to drop off some no-bake cookies (don’t tell dad because it’s quite possible they won’t make it long enough to share) J and it was nice to have company while we “waited the storm out” to re-enter our home.

I somewhat caught myself off-guard upon walking back into the house and showing my neighbors a few things we got in the Amish Country a frame I had on our mantel with the quote “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain” I suppose it was a little bit of a slap in my face for my “bad attitude” J 

I did hear from my “mentor” for the Team Fox “team” who has ran the NYC marathon 3 times, and training for a triathlon for Team Fox now….her father also has Parkinson’s so I’m really looking forward to exchanging training suggestions, ideas, and having someone so similar to work/talk with.

I had to “blog” today…as it’s National Running Day! Info Website: http://www.runningday.org  So I’m looking forward to going home (and getting into my house) J…lacing up my shoes and going for a long run to get back on track J  If you have a chance today…..it might make you feel better ….go out even if it’s for not very long…but run to feel a part of something! J

If you’d like a fun project…I’ve become “twitter friends” with a new program/app called Charity Miles…if you have an Android or iPhone you should really check out this app. Their website info is: http://www.charitymiles.org/  (I’m debating upgrading my phone just to get it)…you can download the app for FREE…choose a charity…and they give you so much $ per mile walked, ran, biked to the Charity of your choice. (Bikers earn 10¢ per mile; walkers and runners earn 25¢ per mile, all up to our initial $1,000,000 sponsorship pool.) Team Fox is a top 10 on their site which of course I’m biased too…BUT you can choose whatever you’d like!  It’s an easy way to get movin’ and make a difference!

Also…if anyone wants a “TEAM FOX” sticker to show your support let me know!  I just got some from Team Fox and I can mail you some!  I’m going to stick them on lots of things I send out.  I have a friend working on Team Spangler’s logo to do some T-shirts, Tanks, and Window Decals for us to take orders on so we can tackle running race season as a team J  Just email me: MissySpangler22@yahoo.com if you’d like some stickers.  Also…you can stick them on a jar to help promote “Pennies…loose change” for Parkinson’s….I have a bank who will count the coins for us and write a check to the foundation on our team’s behalf.

I suppose I should sign off today with a typical “team huddle” to kick off National Running Day and motivate us to do something! J

(This picture is prior to the state meet my senior year…I will call out Meghan Walker as to motivating us so much to make us cry prior to the race! Haha….  I think dad shouted “There’s no crying in cross country) or something to make us stop being "girls" :)

“The Journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step”

“The Journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step” – Confucius   I think of that quote often in the worlds of running, although I’m certain it has a more in depth meaning then the obvious world of running.  I’m not certain how many steps it will take to complete the marathon but I am certain I will lose track counting during the race, probably so within the first block.  I reflect on this quote for this particular journey due to what these steps mean to me and what these steps are for. The journey to find a cure will be so far from 1000 miles but with every mile meaning something….we’re bound to get somewhere. I’ve found myself in a little bit of a slump which I’m struggling for what reason I don’t know when it’s come to running the last few days.  A few miles into the run I seem to be fine…but those first few steps have taken a little bit more of a push to get going than usual.  I woke up this morning telling myself to get over whatever it is and let’s get going again.  (I’m certain that’s dad’s advice as well…) J 

I think sometimes it’s easy to isolate yourself into a "nobody understands" train of thought when in reality there are many others that actually do understand.  I’ve been searching and reading other Team Fox member’s pages, stories, journeys, and events that have inspired me to get over whatever this hump is and make something happen. 

We had taken a little trip last week to the Amish Country and I found myself completely exhausted in the evenings.  I sure hope all the walking around count for something in regards to training. I kept calling mom to update her and dad on everything we did because I know dad loved going to the Amish Country (I’m certain it was for the food…which if you remember in prior blogs is how mom coaxed him into going anywhere) J 

 I need to become more of a morning person again and get some runs in prior to the work day getting started to switch my schedule around a little bit.  I have found myself in a “habit” of the same old routes and routines that I think have made the “same old” runs too normal and need to change it up.

My Running Report to catch up on:

Wednesday:  Ran the typical route on the road (with a few words of encouragement from some of the neighbors checking in along the way)….ran the extra little flat going the other way to total about 6 miles this evening.

Thursday:  We traveled to the Amish country this evening, so we just walked around some in the area and got settled in. 

Friday:  -off-

Saturday: -off-

Sunday:  I think I entered into an “Amish Chocolate Chip Cookie” coma today and literally felt like I had to throw myself off the porch to get moving enough to get my run in.  We’d been doing outside projects to catch up on and finally in the evening got myself together to go running.  I felt like a turtle could have beaten me on today’s run.  I ran about 5 ½ miles this evening.

Monday:  Another little bit of a sluggish start day, but started to feel a little bit better on the way back (most of it being a downhill probably helped with that) but….I had added a little bit to the turnaround point as well as adding the flat part…so got about 7 miles in…with a little bit of a hill workout in afterwards chasing after the dog.  I think he does it on purpose anymore to help me with training.   

Our journeys take us all difference places in life, give us life experiences we may not learn to appreciate until years later, but for each of those experiences it’s what we take from them and allow to make us better people.  Dad gave so much of his “time” to others…. Along with lots of words of advice…so as dad would tell me…quit being a baby and make something happen J 

I had to share a picture from several years back (obviously) of us at the Milam side family reunion (on Dad's mom's side).  Dad’s orneriness obviously comes honestly from Papaw’s facial expression in this picture, and don’t under estimate what Tony is probably about to say that will break us all out in laughter in any given second during this picture J 

Pennsboro Coaching....

The usual “training update”

Friday:  We were en- route to Ritchie County this evening, and we didn’t get a head start early enough for me to be able to run once we got to the farm.  I think I carried things up and down the steps thinking it was my “fix” for the day

Saturday:  I snuck out of the house before I was given a “to do” activity so I could know I got my run in for the day because they were working on some projects getting ready for Brock’s Family Reunion event.  We were teasing when I got back about dodging projects.  I did truly enjoy the tiny bit of traffic and most of the time having the country roads all to myself.  (Minus the 2 snakes I passed…don’t worry I threw rocks till they slithered a safe distance away)  I ran about 5 ½ miles on a this rather sunny warm morning.  I tried to claim my sweat was from doing projects when I returned.  Too bad I couldn’t count the 4-wheeler miles we had for the day or I would have been able to claim a marathon for the day J

Sunday:  Rise and Shine…Alison laced up her running shoes and went on a run with me.  People use to think we were cousins in high school running days (which I hope the story is straight now given her and Brock being cousins)…it was fun to have a running partner for the day.  We ran around 3-4 miles maybe.  We had to hurry back to get ready for the family reunion. 

Monday:  We left the farm and stopped by to see mom and dad.  Mom had a project for us so I can at least claim some lifting as my work out for the day.  We didn’t get home prior to daylight….I think I’m going to have to start rising a little early on these busier days and run in the morning before the schedules get out of wack.

Tuesday:  I think a turtle could have beat my pace this evening.  It took at least 2 miles before I even felt like I was moving.  My legs wanted nothing to regarding movement for some reason.  I almost didn’t run the hill part of the run, but that little voice inside my head talked me back into it.  I did enjoy running back down the hill a little more after debating not to do it at all.  I ran a total of 5 miles.  

I found myself last week discussing and telling stories about Pennsboro High School’s famous “Cow Patty Bingo” Event.  Ok…maybe it isn’t “famous” but I sure think it was one of the highlighted events of the summer.  I can remember as a kid thinking it was such a go to event.  For those of you wandering what in the world is a Cow Patty Bingo….. Well you see in the country a Cow’s “Poop” is called a Patty…. Soooo to further explain….  You would square off (mark off) a large football field into individual squares…people would buy chances (which would be the squares) for spots on the field; all of the spots were labeled so people knew where their square was.  We would bring in a cow and load him onto the football field…. You could be at the event for hours upon hours…and I even remember one year it was as quick as can be.  The winner would be….wherever the cow laid his “Patty” the owner of that square wins the pot of money.  If the “Patty” landed in several of the squares depending on placement, the pot of money would be split among the square owners.  You can imagine people cheering on the cow to walk towards their purchased square on the field.

I suppose we enter into this humorous highlight of dad again….How could you not find an event like this funny?  It was a way for the community to come together, raise money, and share some laughs, and honestly speaking I didn’t know of any other way when I was growing up.

Speaking of Fund Raising....here is dad doing his part in a Dunking Booth 

        I love the movie Remember the Titans, not just because it’s a great inspirational sports movie, but because that little girl that was the coach’s daughter in the movie was me when I was little.  I didn’t know of any other place to be rather then the sidelines of the football field after school while dad coached.  Whatever dad yelled, I probably echoed it just so I could be like him.  I had a whole team full of big brothers growing up because dad coached them and if dad was there, I was probably 2 steps behind him.  Some of my best childhood memories were at the old Miles Stadium and the field house…the locker rooms were in the bottom of the building and the coaches office was at the top.  Before and after practices when I’d go to the field and up to the coach’s office to see dad, I’d have to yell “I’m coming through” right before I’d jet through the doors and up the steps so the boys would know to be “decent” for a second. 

Tommy, Jim, Dad, and "Little" Tommy
Pennsboro Cardinal Days

 So many of these memories were reflected this weekend too when I saw Bryan Ireland.  I think Bryan was always on dad’s team but then maybe it’s just he always came back to visit even when he was out of school J  Dad always loved Bryan’s work ethic and they could talk football literally as long as you’d allow them.  I remember coming back from college once visiting and Bryan stopped by to visist with dad…a few hours later his wife Rhonda called and was kinda laughing saying Bryan went out for milk and she was backtracking where he could have gotten side tracked to stop and visit along the way and just wanted to check if it was to see dad.  Sadly, I have to call out dad on this; I’m almost 100% certain mom’s had to do that same thing on several occasions. 

                Growing up in a small community was one of the best things my parents could have given us.  At times you’ll find yourself aggravated at some of the things that come along with the saying “The Best Thing about Living in a Small town, is when I don’t know what I’m doing someone else does”.  However, when dad started to get progressively worse with Parkinson’s Disease there were numerous people that have stepped in to make so many great things possible, offer to help with abundant things, and not hesitate to send an encouraging word/message/card.  When I come home to Ritchie County (and even many miles outside of Ritchie County) I get asked everywhere I go, “How’s your dad doing?”  It is a bit reassuring at that moment of the support that makes dealing with something of this sort just a tiny bit easier. 

**Thanks Tara for posting these pictures today to help be able to incorporate in today :)

"Choose to be Happy" Fundraising Friday Update

Tuesday:  What a great evening to just run,  the weather was absolutely beautiful, and I can’t say I can complain about anything bothering me J I extended the usual turn around point and got in about 6 ½ miles. 

***Today was a little milestone in regards to donation levels as we received a donation that pushed us to being officially a quarter of the way to our big goal we set, and its only May…..Thank you to all those who have followed, jumped in, and kept up with this journey….We’ve got lots of strides ahead of us to keep this going.

Wednesday: I didn’t run this evening, we had some prior plans and trying to keep some rest days for now built in.  We went and visited some neighbors we discovered we'd somewhat knew while running/biking and just had a great time!  It’s amazing the people you meet and their positive spirits are contagious.

Thursday: Last night I set off to run, only to discover loud thunder and some lighting shortly after..so I turned around and headed back home.  The storm never really got to us, so I ran some circles around close to the house just in case so I felt like I did something.  Probably got in 2 miles or so.

Just a little dad update.  It’s a little tough to talk about, but I suppose this is what this blog is all about and the reason for all this.  Dad has had a rough week, between the hardship of being bed ridden and things that come from that at times makes it difficult.  I ask mom several times a day how dad is, but sometimes I still find myself wanting to pretend nothing is wrong.  Kelly and Andy have been able to help a lot being at home and there are days I just ponder, I have no idea how mom does it.  Through the extended “Team Fox” I’ve come across after starting this, being a caregiver is something that comes up often in the discussions of trails and struggles.  I know I’ve reflected on this before, and some days I really have to focus on not being bitter about the situation.  It’s easy to consume myself with the “why” factors but I constantly tell myself whatever the situation is, you just have to make the best out of it.  I hear people complain often about silly things (which is fine), but it quickly brings me back to the realization of “it could always be worse”.  Michael J. Fox was interviewed about Parkinson’s the other night, and his phrase “Choose to be Happy” has a lot of truth to it.  If you have a few minutes watch this video….and keep remembering to Choose to be Happy….what we do today, will make a difference for tomorrow.

 Michael J Fox Interview with ABC News (Click to See)

Fundraising News:

I've been told several times as another goal for our Dollars for Dad project is to get $1 from every county in WV....so who's up for it :) WV has 55 counties I also know which counties we have covered so far from my list....so for WV Pride I think we can do that as well.

The states we have represented and donations arrived so far are (It keeps growing!):
Please note also I am still finalizing where some of the online donation people are “Located” to show representation of their location for this project.
(Also please note Canada has been represented) :)

West Virginia- Counties of (Wood, Raleigh, Boone, Ritchie, Jackson, Marshall)
Connecticut
Alaska
Hawaii
Colorado
Ohio
PA

Virginia

Vermont

California

Pennsylvania

North Carolina

New Jersey

The address to mail Dollars for Dad Project is:

Team Spangler

Attention: Missy Spangler

P.O. Box 403

Ripley, WV 25271

Our Team Fox Official Website Has Donations as of now for: $2,504.84

We are a quarter of our way to our Goal of $10,000!!!  We can do this!

The Website for it is (You can click on this link directly and donate via online):

Click here for Team Spangler for Team Fox Donation Page

I will be submitting Dollars for Dad funds & Greeting Cards once we get in $50 increments or after specific events.

If anyone would like a “Pennies for Parkinsons” coin jar to display to have people drop in their change, just let me know and I’ll arrange to get you some we are making.  Every penny counts!

If you are running the Parkersburg Half Marathon or 2 mile, send me a note at MissySpangler22@yahoo.com.  I will add you to a list to update you on any plans we have to do for the day and as a “Team”.

If you would like to write a check and mail it directly to the Team Fox Please Email me at: missyspangler22@yahoo.com and I will email you a form you can use.

So there is your Friday Fundraising Update J Have a great Memorial Day weekend!  I’m looking forward to the long weekend and being in Ritchie County with the families, friends, farm, eating, 4-wheelers, fishing, and long runs in the country.

Rebels Are State Champs!

I know I’m a few days behind a little bit on this update from the weekend’s state track meet excitement but I wanted to share a few things. 

First…the training update. 

Friday: I got about 5 ½ miles on with the typical run on the road. 

Saturday:  I didn’t get a run in due to some other plans, but we did enjoy the day going to Emily’s dance recital and eating ourselves till we couldn’t eat anymore.

Sunday:  If yard work and projects outside count for something I should get a few bonus points and lifting for the day accounted for.  I then ran the flat parts of the road and circled back around a little bit totally about 5 miles.

Monday (Last night)- I wanted to get a little bit more in so I went further than the usual evening turn around spot to try to get the mileage going back up.  On the way home I can’t help but love the fact now that my neighbors have caught onto me running and most wave and several upon passing me say something positive about NYC marathon or even Team Fox.  I’ve made a few pit stops to chat a little bit with some new friends I’ve made as neighbors and it just makes the training a little bit more special and meaningful.  I totaled about 7 miles on this run. I do have to say, I loved running, which usually means a “feel good” day, but it’s nice to not feel sluggish and build the momentum to know you can run the streets of NYC for 26.2 miles.  I tend to reflect a lot of what that day will be.

Knowing Dad is Proud and Happy for the Blue and Grey:

Where I’m from, Ritchie County, they have created a tradition for state championship teams.  Those individuals along with whatever fire trucks can make it go to the county line.  They go to welcome home the state champions along with a parade around what we call the major cities in our small county.  You can keep up with some of the latest happenings through Facebook with our county which I have appreciated during my time of living further away.  It was so great to log into Facebook and see all the updates on the state meet and highlights.  The final result….Ritchie County Boys Track Team was AA 2012 State Track Champs…which causes for a celebration. (thanks Brian for the pictures!)

Waitin' at the County Line

Bring Home The Rebels

 As you’ve learned, dad’s passion for sports ranks high upon his interests, his journey with sports, his students, and athletes emphasize so much about his life.  Dad had a little bit of a rougher weekend, and due to him not being able to get out of bed it poses some challenges to things he’d enjoy most.  Mom knew they usually bring the parade by our house along old route 50, and with her keeping up with where the parade was coming from she knew about what time to expect it.  I had spoken to her on the phone earlier in the evening and she’d updated dad on everything.  Mom turned off dad’s oxygen for a short bit (due to the volume of the machine), and she’d turned off all the TV’s etc, and opened all the windows that she could along with the door closest to dad’s hospital bed.  It wasn’t long after she said she could hear the sirens and see the lights of the firetrucks flashing as they are going by.  (It was after dark at this point) Mom said she didn’t know how else to respond for dad because the blow horn dad has had since his cross country days wouldn’t be heard through the sound of the sirens so mom said she kept flashing the lights on and off to show they were “inside” cheering for them.

I suppose for some that doesn’t seem like a major deal, but those little things mean a lot to dad.  Mom called me right after the parade went by to update me and told me dad got to hear the parade and there was excitement in mom’s voice, which means it made dad smile.  We all know on top of it all, dad loves winning, several of those boys on the high school team dad had in Middle School.   As many of the runners were referred too over the years as “Terry’s Kids”.  (Some of that stems from the poor lady in Wal-Mart on a trip to the state cross country meet that we had convinced upon our stop there that we all ACTUALLY were his kids.  I don’t know how we convinced her but we walked out of that store assured she believed us.)  I’m sure dad expects a full report from you boys as to your split times and so forth J 

Congrats Boys on a State Championship, it’s always a great day to be a rebel….but those days make it just a little bit better! J

Good Luck at State Rebel Runners!

I had found these pictures going through some the other evening, and thought it was perfect timing with the State Meet starting today!    

(Training update I have to say, this week’s schedule has terrorized my running, but I promise I’m making up for it this weekend!)  Wednesday and Thursday I had things both evenings I wasn’t able to get a run in….so I’m really looking forward to a long run tonight with hopefully my biking partner. For a distance runner, Friday Night State Track meet meant you’d be running your 8 laps under the lights at Laidly Field.

2001 4x800 AA State Champions- Ritchie County

Me, Tina, Meghan, Jessie

Dad coached 3 of us girls in the picture in Cross Country; I think we tried to steal Jessie a few times to run. Maybe dad should have put her name in the newspaper J  I can’t believe it’s been as long as it has since we ran this race, but I do know it was a surprise win.  In the predictions Ritchie County wasn’t suppose to win the 4x800.  Coach Haught switched up the routine of who ran which leg of the race and it worked perfectly.  The excitement I remember of each leg of the race, I started the relay off and was so excited I could hardly keep from running to the turns to cheer on the other girls.  I even remember Jim Butta being next to me while we were breaking down the splits and comparing the times of the upcoming legs for the other teams.  Leaving the state track meet as a State Champion for a relay is a feeling I’ll never forget.  There is just something about a blue ribbon medal that looks a little prettier than all the others.

I do have to joke and say I use to claim track season as my break from dad J  He didn’t coach the track team, don’t worry his voice still echoed and carried across the track from every turn.   I did love having Coach Rick and Ryan Haught as my coach, it helped prepare me having a different style of coaching and perspective being an athlete.   (I still think they secretively talked a lot though about what to do with me) J

The entire distance group can claim, we loved days like today (well minus it being a race day) with the weather how it is.  We did a lot of trail runs as distance runners.  Our school is the perfect location along the Rails to Trails for us to just hop on it and get our longer runs in.  However, we did discover the perfect swimming hole about 3 miles down the trails to jump in and enjoy on days like today.  I remember one particular day we came back still displaying we obviously went swimming because our hair and running clothes were wet and a sprinter got mad saying we went swimming.  I suppose we had one thing going for us…..Coach Haught laughed and said something along the lines with him being ok with it because he knew we had to have ran our distance because the swimming hole was round trip 6 miles and anytime they’d like to run with us and go they were more than welcome J  I suppose it isn’t worth 6 miles to a lot of people, but we never argued we weren’t crazy runners! 

Good Luck Ritchie County Rebels!!! 

LKC Banquet

I’m a little torn what direction to take this blog entry.  Between graduations, awards banquets, and the state track meet approaching I’m going to have to play catch up on some memories and highlights.  

The usual blog update: 

I had taken this weekend off, just needed to get my legs back under me and with the schedule I had I just wanted to give my legs a little break.  I did get to enjoy some time at the farm and visiting mom and dad at the “home front”.  Dad got a good chuckle out of a new rental house story.  I sure hope I inherited his story telling characteristics. (Just maybe not the trait of forgetting if I told the story 50 times already) :)

Monday:  I ran about 6 ½ miles on the road and had some company with me while Brock road the bike.  It is a little bit more entertaining with company and I think I pick up my pace a little bit and not as aware of it.

Tuesday (last night):   I had organized an after-hours picnic for work in Ravenswood, so I think I tricked a new friend (Tracie) into running, either that or just told her afterwards we’d go running.  She never argued the remark so I found a running buddy for the evening J  I think I scared her for just a bit, I had a little bit of dad in me with my response to her “I’m gonna die running with you”.  I simply said…”you won’t die running, you’ll pass out first”.  We ran around the riverfront park and looped through town a little bit.  It was almost 4 miles and always glad to have a new running friend J 

End of Season Banquets are approaching and I jusst wanted to share a little picture showing my senior year of high school’s LKC Banquet (Little Kanawha Conference, that was our sports conference title).   Dad was Conference Coach of the Year that year (I think…yikes I may have to check that, but I think that’s the trophy he has in his other hand) I do know our basketball team won conference that year (thanks to the trophy for that fact) J  We competed in a pretty tight nit conference and it was always nice to see everyone after the seasons on a “neutral field” to celebrate a season of accomplishments.  I look back and realize how many friends dad had that were other coaches, and I think it spoke highly of the level of respect that was distributed among them all. 

Me, Dad (Coach), and Mom the sports mediator