Let the Icing begin

Apparently I got too excited about the long run Sunday and should have known better as to the soreness that would come next J  I suppose some things you never learn.  (Random) Like eating tortilla chips before a run… I’ve done that a million times, yet, NEVER learn my lesson!?  Maybe it’s just me J

I had a hill workout scheduled for last night that I altered a little bit.  We were supposed to do 8 hill repeats around 1 minute each…I did 6 and added some time onto the other part of the run…our long runs should be on Saturday but since I had to alter days around my legs are still just TIRED…so I didn’t want to do anything too silly.  I suppose nothing a little couch sitting while watching International House Hunters while icing my legs can’t cure J

I am wanting to check in more often as I promised I would with everyone…I want to change these blog entries  around sometimes too so it’s always different J

Yesterday I checked the PO Box (which for me I get excited like it’s Christmas or something)….there was a return address on the envelope around the Pittsburg area that I didn’t recognize so I tore into the envelope and it was a lady in the area who had heard of our story (I believe from my grandma Nelson but still checking that), however she had the sweetest note included that spoke of her husband having Parkinson’s and her daughters are runners and send a little donation to help out with our project here.  I can’t express how the random notes lift my spirits and I always call mom right away to have her relay the information onto dad.  It’s always amazing how connected so many of us are in ways we never knew, and the goal to work together to find a cure for this disease can be discovered $1 at a time.

Tonight we are suppose to do cross training (this storming is aggravating me)…someone please agree with me so I don’t feel crazy that I struggle at the thought and concept of cross training. I  KNOW it’s important, but even in college when we were supposed to do swim workouts instead or something, I somehow always felt I was cheating training because I wasn’t actually running.  I know there are studies done and so forth to prove things….but mentally I still struggle at feeling like it was “ENOUGH” of a workout to mean something. 

I’m trying to stay on the fundraising routine too of keeping up on things we can do and continue to move forward with opportunities to reach our main goal of $10,000.  I’ve discovered I’m going to approach this in 1% increments so I feel like I’m getting somewhere quicker each time….so I’ve broken down my mini goals into $100 which equals 1%.... My cousin Jim has been my email pen pal in planning and he will probably soon regret telling me to tell him what to do… I can tend to be bossy and nonstop J  We are looking to host 1 or 2 after hours/early evening events in Parkersburg so it’s a easier atmosphere to get together mingle/network/visit for a purpose…with the concept of appetizers, drinks etc….we are also working on some sponsors for those events and then obtaining some silent auction items to have at those events to help raise some additional money.  I’m thinkin’ just a little “Shakin it up for Parkinson’s” theme.  We are finalizing some dates so we can move forward and get that going.  Also a scrapbooking crop event is set for October 20^th in Charleston at our other Cousin’s Crop location and she is helping us put this on…so if you are interested in that it will be a all day crop for $30 and will include prizes, some food,  as well as the hope of some silent auction items.  I’ve been asked several times by people what can they do….feel free to reach out to me if there is something particular here you want to be in on, or any other ideas you want to incorporate and I can help you with.  I’m going to be sending out some donation requests and sponsorship letters as soon as we finalize some dates… so just let me know…. ALWAYS feel free to Email me at MissySpangler22@yahoo.com.. I tend to feel like I overwhelm people through all this (I tend to be a non stop go-getter) so I’d love to hear from you J

Just a reminder…we are still doing the dollars for dad project and could still use A LOT of States!... 

If you need the direct website link to the fundraising pages to pass along it is: http://www2.michaeljfox.org/site/TR/Sponsored/TeamFox?px=1007327&pg=personal&fr_id=1210

If you want to write a check please make it out to: Michael J Fox Foundation and you can mail it to our PO Box and I’ll get it sent in with our Team:

Team Spangler

Attention: Missy Spangler

PO Box 403

Ripley, WV 25271

I Heard a GREAT quote the other day and I just wanted to share….

”We run for those who can no longer run for themselves”

  108 Days till NYC….

"She thinks we're just fishing"

Before I get too involved with this story….

**I did run yesterday evening (A little 5 mile run) while stopping to visit a neighbor I always wave at and wanted to at least check in….long story short….he ended up being from Boone County (where dad is from) and we know some of the same people…go figure….funny what a small world)

I heard this song on my way home last night and it seemed appropriate to blog about.  It kinda brought some tears to my eyes as the personal meaning it means to me.  Also, like many other days, the timing seemed funny after my blog I posted, maybe that’s why it caught my attention as much as it did.

A few trips ago back when I was at home visiting…we all were talking about fishing.  I had showed dad the pictures through the TV from my camera of kids at the reunion fishing and all the fish they caught.  We couldn’t help but tell the story of “the one that got away” at Crystal Lake.  You know we all have “that one” that makes a true fishing story exaggerated enough to think it possibly was the biggest fish you’ve ever seen “around these parts”. 

I meant to go through some pictures last night and try to find some photos of fishing when I was younger, so I may need to come back and update some later. 

I have some really fond memories of Crystal Lake (for those of you not from around here, it’s NOT the one from the horror movie Jason)

Dad Being able to fish Shortly after his Brain Surgery procedure (at Crystal Lake).  He was able to get around better for a short while after that.

As kids I was either running laps around the single lane black top path, walking around fishing in all the right spots, laps of riding bike, swimming, in Ryan Jones’s case falling into the lake, soaking up some sun, etc.  It goes without saying as soon as darkness crept up you could find us on the dock setting up camp for a night full of catfishing (don’t forget the chicken liver, my secret hot dog bait, and whatever bait someone mentioned the night before they caught some with).  Sometimes one of us may have taken a break to make a lap around the lake to see how everyone else was doing, but I usually stayed put to show off our catches upon anyone passing by our dock because we had a reputation to keep (ok actually at the time I was too young to drive) J  I think catfishing is a contributor to the lesson of learning patience.  It’s just too tempting to reel a little bit of the line in to see if you just might feel a little tug at the other end, or worry maybe your bait was gone.  Sitting there in our chairs, with our flashlights handy, surrounded by whatever disgusting smell of bait we chose maybe isn’t for everyone, but for me and dad…..it was perfect. 

Now…the one that got away….One day Rick and Isaiah were there for the day visiting (thank goodness they were so I had some witnesses) and I was on the dock casting away.  Upon reeling in one cast I got a bite…a big one…you know one that makes the pole jerk and pull and bend which induces panic and probably a few slight squeals.  Of course quickly followed by the screaming of “DAAAAADDDDDDDD”.  I’m certain those butterflies in my stomach added to the pitch of my voice which created panic to dad and Rick that something bad happened and they came running down the steps.  (Honestly speaking I don’t blame them; we usually were up to something)  This fish jerked, pulled, swam in, swam out…dad kept telling me to let it wear itself out and I kept wanting to reel it in.  We finally fought the fish for what seemed like 3 days….(hence the true fisherman exaggeration here)….  Now…here is where the story goes bad…..  I handed the rod to dad….  Regret #1 (or maybe no regret at all because now I get to place this blame on him).  I was probably driving him nuts upon my way of handling the fish so he decided he better take over.  We finally got the fish close to the dock and dad started to pull it up and it was bending the reel really bad, so Rick decided to reach down and see if he could pull it up.  (It was a bass)  Well Dad thought Rick had a hold of it, so he jerked on the line to do I don’t know what, however that resulted in the hook coming out of the fish and as all big fish stories go….the fish wrestled away and swam off without us getting it out of the water completed to see just how big….But I do promise you it was at least 12-15 inches “halfway” out of the water……  As I type this I feel the disappointment creep back….ohhh thank goodness it was dad holding the pole J

I do think there were a few days of silence between us and I’m almost certain I didn’t allow him to touch my pole after that.  Even though that fish probably would have broken the line far before that if I had been holding the pole, but those are just minor details in the midst of this.

Still Love Fishing :)

Just a little Catch for the Day....notice the 2 chairs sitting on the dock...they always say, try to find a man who reminds you of your dad....(don't worry I reel in my own fish now) :)

Carter's Fish, my nephew, (We may need to stretch the truth on this one when we tell pappaw what we caught in his pond)

Sophie's (my niece) Pretty Fish to tell pappaw About

I treasure all those talks we shared waiting on a pole or bobber to move (even just a little jiggle to stir up some hope) all those nights.  I’m certain that’s where dad and I became best friends. 

Now…I suppose I need to go looking for the next big catch to stir up a good story.  As the saying goes…

“Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught.”

“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" :)