Friends To The Finish…

June 28, 2011 By Tina Moore 1 Comment

I was blessed to spend the weekend with some fabulous women. We were together to experience the Scotia Bank Half Marathon here in Vancouver. We had shirts made that said:

“Sole Sisters – Friends to the finish”

Seven of us were running and one “sister” currently healing from surgery, was there to support the rest of us (and to shop!).

When you have eight strong women together, you are bound to have different opinions.

The beauty with this group is despite the difference in opinions or the small frustrations that may pop up, these women LOVE and CARE for each other. They SUPPORT each other in their running goals and their personal lives.

They have held each other up through separations, career changes, illnesses, family chaos, carpooling the kids, and financial challenges. They’ll give you a hug when you need it but they won’t hesitate to kick your butt either.

They are STRONG women who will tell you the truth but they are also extremely caring, compassionate and loyal.

I did a little research into how friendships can affect your health and scientists believe that friendships help you live longer. Apparently being around others (instead of being alone) actually releases endorphins in the brain. With this group, not only are we getting endorphins by being together, but we got another dose by jogging! And if there’s endorphins released from laughing, well, we’ve got enough for everyone!

As you can see, having friends is important but how do you be a friend?

Being a friend is an investment.

Friendships require time, love, patience, respect, and honesty. In order to be trusted, you must be trust-worthy. If you want to be respected, you must be respectful. Loyalty is built over time once you’ve shown you are dependable, authentic and honest.

Your actions must validate your words.

One “sister” said to me on the weekend:

“If my partner can’t accept my friends, well, that’s a deal breaker for me. My friends are my family.”

Now there’s a woman I am proud to call my friend. She has a healthy outlook, understanding what’s required to balance her relationship with her partner with her relationship with her friends.

The bottom line: If you want good friends, you have to be a good friend.

I was very blessed to enjoy laughter, great conversations and the experience of supporting each other as we ran our half marathons. Some of us ran alone and some of us didn’t. It didn’t matter because we cheered each other on and were proud of the accomplishment we’d all achieved. We just ran 21.1K!

We were indeed “Friends to the finish”.

Remember to hug your friends and thank them for being in your life. You’ll know the good ones, they won’t desert you when the going gets tough or you are down in the dumps BUT they’ll also kick your butt if you are down there too long.

Good friends = Good life.

With a smile,
Tina

PS. In case you were wondering, the guy in the back of the photo was our waiter. He was hilarious!

THE Jog Blog – 33

June 23, 2011 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

Thank YOU for your generous donations towards “The Underwear Affair”. Because of YOU I am getting closer to my goal!

Tina’s Favorite Thing:

Traffic signs. I LOVE them because when I drive past a sign I say, “Yup, I’ve jogged that!” It’s the greatest feeling in the world!

Jogging Blessings:

The wonderful friendships I’ve made through jogging. They are such a blessing.

Vancouver Scotia Bank Half Marathon:

It’s HERE! On Sunday my friends and I (and thousands of others) will be running 21.1K! My bib number is 2390.

My friends and I are all wearing the same pink shirts. The shirts say: Sole Sisters ~ Friends to the finish (Don’t you love it!) Watch for us and CHEER US ON!

How to prepare the night before the ‘Big Run’ – Training Tips Based On My Experience:

  1. Mentally prepare yourself. I have moments of doubt and fear but if I let those thoughts take over, then I will have a difficult run. I think of how great the run is going to be, how much FUN it is with all that energy around you and how healthy and strong I feel. POSITIVE THINKING is extremely POWERFUL and it’s proven by professionals that it works. THINK POSITIVE AND HAVE A GREAT RUN!
  2. Don’t change anything! Keep to your regular eating habits regarding your training schedule and don’t try anything new. I will be eating organic oatmeal and a toasted bagel approximately an hour to two hours before I run.
  3. Lay everything out the night before. It’s an early morning (we are running by 7:00 a.m.) so have all your gear: hat, shoes, socks, water bottles, gels, race bib etc all laid out so you don’t have to think about it. Attach your bib onto your clothing and your timing chip onto your shoe.
  4. Get some sleep. This is a tough one for me because I’m so excited but try to calm your mind because 4:45 a.m. comes very quickly!

SELF CARE:

I saw Benita at Ocean Wellness this week and I’m so glad I went! My hips were out again so she asked me to come in this weekend before the big run and make sure I’m in alignment. She will ‘fit me in’ just to make sure I am safe to run. I love Benita; she is THE BEST!

CHARITY RUN:

As I mentioned last week, my dear friend and trainer, Jody Kennett from Leapfit and I are running IN OUR UNDERWEAR for the 10K “The Underwear Affair” on July 9th to raise awareness for cancers below the belt.

This is very real for both of us but particularly for Jody as she has spent a lot of time with her father in the hospital as he recovers from the removal of his kidney due to cancer. Any positive energy or prayers for her Dad are greatly appreciated.

It seems everyone is affected by cancer in some way or another. Please help us raise awareness, raise funds and reach our goal.

We will be jogging IN OUR UNDERWEAR (I was hoping Jody wanted to run in bloomers but she wants to be a little braver than that! Yikes!) Please CLICK HERE to make a donation. From the bottom of my heart ~ THANK YOU ~

Have a GLORIOUS weekend full of LAUGHTER, FUN and GRATITUDE. Don’t let the small things get in the way of what’s really important: EACH OTHER.

See you on Tuesday!

With a smile,

Tina

PS. My website is getting pampered with a makeover, so check out the Facebook, Twitter (I love it!) and LinkedIn buttons on the side and PLEASE SHARE YOUR COMMENTS (it should be easier now). You can tell me about your experience with cancer, training for a run, raising funds or anything else you’d like to discuss! I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!

A Few Good Men

June 21, 2011 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

These are just a few of the incredible men I am blessed to know. Some are fathers and others may not have children of their own but still have an enormous impact on the lives of kids and young adults. Since Sunday was Father’s Day I wanted to acknowledge the exceptional men in the world: the men who understand RESPECT, INTEGRITY and HONESTY.

Thank you.

I’ve known some pretty rotten men and you confirm that it’s the person that’s rotten, not the gender. I adore men and feel blessed to have such quality men in my life. Men who understand how to be supportive, how to listen, communicate and speak the truth. These are loving, funny, kind, strong, and talented men.

To the fathers who are LISTENING, LOVING, NURTURING, VALIDATING and SUPPORTING their children:

Thank you.

Your presence in your children’s lives is invaluable. You are a role model to your sons by showing them what it means to be a good man. You are an example of how to communicate, be respectful, work hard and live with integrity. You prove a man can be strong and still show emotion.Your daughters look to you as the example on how a man should treat a woman. Your influence in their decisions on male/female relationships is profound. Their self-esteem is based on your involvement in their life.

Thank you for being strong, loving, kind, generous men: generous with your time, your emotion and your love .

Father’s Day is an interesting day for those of us who didn’t have that positive male role model growing up. My father neglected to validate, love, nurture or support me. I didn’t feel safe and I definitely wasn’t heard. I had the opposite and yet, I loved him. He didn’t deserve it but that’s what children do: they love.

As an adult, I was introduced to a family who embraced me as their own child. They are my friend’s parents but they are like my own. Their presence in my life has had a deep and profound impact.

I don’t need my birth father because I have someone who exemplifies ‘Dad’.

I am blessed that their children accept and embrace me with open arms and allow me to share their parents. They have given me a gift and for that I am grateful.

Sometimes life doesn’t give you what you want so you have to create it, even in the case of a parent. There are other options and choices out there and there are certainly more than a few good men in the world.

Thank you to all the respectful, loving and generous men. Thank you for having INTEGRITY, MORALS and being true to your VALUES. Thank you for being positive role models through your ACTIONS and not just your words. Thank you for restoring my faith that there are indeed more than a few good men…

With a smile,

Tina

PS. Ladies, check out my Ezine article on “How To Pick A Good Man…”

THE Jog Blog – 32

June 16, 2011 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

A plaque on my seawall jog

Tina’s Jogging Motto:

I feel good. I feel strong. (Repeat as many times as necessary)

The Magic Hour:

I love jogging in the morning. The air is fresh and it isn’t too busy. Peace and tranquility is the perfect way to start your day.

Tina’s Next Run:

In nine days I will be running with my dear friends in the Vancouver Scotia Bank Half Marathon. I am so excited to run with these ladies! Registration closes on Monday, so if you are still thinking about it…don’t think, DO!

How To Run Through “The Wall” Training Tips Based On My Experience:

For me, “The Wall” is a mental block, not a physical block. I have never hit a wall (knock on wood) so far that I haven’t been able to shift my thinking and work through. Remember: You CAN do it. You WILL do it. You ARE doing it!

  1. I had to run 19K alone this past weekend. When you begin a long run, don’t start too fast too soon. Even though you have lots of energy, you must PACE yourself or you’ll burn out before the finish. Don’t let yourself be swayed by the music (if you listen to music) or other runner’s passing you. Conserve your energy; you’ll need it.
  2. I don’t run with music so I’m running 19K alone, with just my thoughts. How do I do it? Well, I process a lot of my emotions and stress and then I observe and appreciate what’s around me – the ocean, the animated conversations of people walking by or if I’m lucky, I’ll spot a harbour seal poking his head out of the water. I am still discovering new things on routes I’ve ran for over two years!
  3. If you still feel like you are hitting a wall mid run, trust me when I tell you if you keep moving that wall will slowly fade and you will get your second wind. I felt that way this weekend but by 15K after running through it, I had more energy and new life in my step.
  4. Repeat a motto so no negative words can enter your head. Make sure you are well hydrated and don’t forget to refuel by taking some gels or gummies. If you need to take a couple extended walk breaks (3 minutes instead of 2 minutes) do so. Your body just might need that extra rest to repair and revive itself.

RUNNING IN MY UNDERWEAR!

My dear friend and trainer, Jody Kennett from Leapfit and I are running 10K in The Underwear Affair on July 9th to raise awareness for cancer’s below the belt. Our goal is to fundraise $500 each. We both have personal reasons for doing this run.

I personally have been affected with cancer below the belt so I am running for my own health and prevention. I recently learned my dear aunt was diagnosed with Uterine cancer. I will be running for her, and her daughter (my cousin). Both are strong, beautiful women.

Jody is running for two very special people in her life. Her Dad has survived both prostrate and bladder cancer. In addition, he is currently recovering from the removal of his kidney due to cancer. He is a three time cancer survivor! Another family member was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer and is currently undergoing treatment. The size of her tumour was 14 cm and she was not aware it was there.

Education of what to look for, awareness of the symptoms, and research for a cure can save a life!

I don’t know of one person who hasn’t been affected by cancer in some way or another. Please help us raise awareness, raise funds and reach our goal.

We will be jogging IN OUR UNDERWEAR (I’ve only done this in the privacy of my own home on the treadmill, so this will be an interesting experience and a lovely bonding moment for Jody and I! Ha ha)

Please CLICK HERE to make a donation.

From the bottom of my heart ~ THANK YOU ~

Have a BEAUTIFUL weekend full of LOVE and GRATITUDE…and make sure you LAUGH. It’s good for the soul. See you on Tuesday!

With a smile,

Tina

PS. My website will be getting a ‘check-up’ this weekend so if you are trying to access it or you’ve passed it on and your friend has trouble logging on, please try again in a few hours. THANK YOU!

I’m Sorry…

June 14, 2011 By Tina Moore 1 Comment

The other day I had to look someone in the eye and apologize. It wasn’t easy. It was actually very difficult because they looked back at me with such pain and confusion. They looked so sad and hurt and I felt awful for making someone feel that way.

I could barely look this person in the eye. It’s important when you apologize that you look into their eyes and truly mean what you are saying. I had to do it.

The words got stuck in my mouth…eventually they came out, but very softly…

I’m sorry

Tears welled up in both of our eyes. I could see that what I was saying meant something so I continued…

[Read more...]

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