Angel on my shoulder...

Today during my run I looked over in a field. There stood 6 beautiful deer watching me. This instantly made me think of Lanett's post about Paramedic Gary Hammer. Each time I see deer I think of him, especially on a run. Perhaps the angel flying with me today was a paramedic. 

I ran today Chad Null. Firefighter/Paramedic Null had just returned to quarters after completing two medical emergency calls for service. Co-workers left the room briefly. When they returned, he was found unresponsive on the floor. Resuscitation efforts were immediately initiated and he was transported to an area hospital. He was later pronounced dead from an apparent heart attack.

He passed away 4 years ago today, December 16, 2010 at only 33 years old. He left behind his wife, a young daughter & son, his parents & his work family. 

Praying for their peace & healing. God bless them. 

 

Early morning 2...

I love early morning runs. I'm doing my best to get back to them. I like how I feel when I start my day like that. Sets a good tone. Plus I get it done before everything else gets in the way. On Dec 10, 2014 I hit the road at 5:30 to get in a couple miles. 

This morning I ran for a young man that was taken way too soon. Officer Nickolaus Schultz was shot after he and other officers responded on a Friday evening (Sept 5, 2014) to a condominium complex following a report that an evicted resident had returned to his former residence. The subject, who was wearing body armor, opened fire as officers entered. Officer Schultz was shot once in the head and was transported to the hospital where he was placed on life support. He was removed from life support Sunday morning (Sept 7, 2014) and later died.

Officer Schultz was only 24. He left behind his parents, a sister & his girlfriend. He had only served for 13 months. It's so tragic to lose someone, an officer, so young. 

God bless those he left behind. 

Nice day to run...

Today was very nice for the last day of November. It hit the 60's. I bought the full program on my running app so I gave a new interval set a try. It wore me out. Then I did stalls at the farm. Good workout today!!

Today was my first run in memory of a female. Flight Nurse Sandra Pearson was killed when her team's Bell 206 LongRanger helicopter crashed in a cornfield located outside Burney, IN. The accident occured at 1:17 p.m.

Flight Paramedic Wade Weston and Pilot Roger Warren were also killed in the accident.

The 3 participated in a community day sponsored by the Burney Volunteer Fire Department where their chopper was on display and were returning to their base in Rushville when the accident occured.

She was in service, saving lives, for 10 years when she & her teams lost theirs. She is survived by her 2 children & her parents. God bless those they left behind. 

Here's to you Robert "Bud" Webster...

While writing my last post I noticed the one about my run for Chief Firefighter Robert "Bud" Webster wasn't here. So I'm writing it again. 

On July 4th, 2006, Chief Webster and units of the Glencoe Fire Department were dispatched in response to a report of 'wires down' during a thunderstorm. While at the scene, a report was received of a motor vehicle crash on Interstate-71 with injuries and persons trapped. Chief Webster, driving the department's mini-pumper cleared the scene of the wires down and responded.

While en route to the crash, the mini-pumper slipped off the roadway and hit an embankment. The Chief was ejected from the apparatus and sustained critical injuries.

Chief Webster was mostly bedridden afterward with debilitating injuries. He died of complications of his injuries almost eight years later on May 6th, 2014. 

He passed away at the age of 64 & spent 12 years in service. He left behind his wife, a son, a daughter & a granddaughter. 

I ran 3.02 miles for him on 10-29-14 while Brandon worked the Haunted House at the fire department. Prayers for his family & thankful for his service. 

Need a new start...

I've been struggling. Forcing myself through half-hearted, sporadic workouts. It's time I get serious. I was more focused when I wore my activity tracker daily. It stopped working & it seems I did too. It's time to get real. I've gained weight & lost focus. 

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays. Today, I'm spending my Black Friday at home cleaning & focusing on my health. I'm recording everything I eat & drinking more water. I've recoded my weight & measurements. Time for a turn around. Trying to keep my focus on being healthy this time & become obsessed with what "size" I am. Hard to do but I have to. 

Getting back to it...

Getting into my groove again...at least working on it. Running for heroes gives me a motivation different from any other. It's truly an honor. 

On 10-28-14 I ran 2.3 miles then finished walking for a total of 4.5 miles. This workout was in honor of Flight Paramedic Wade Weston who flew with Air-Evac Life Team. Weston passed away, along with his 2 crew mates, when their helicopter went down in an Indiana cornfield. They had just participated in a community day, sponsored by a local fire department, where the helicopter had been on display. They were returning to base at the time of the accident. 

Paramedic Weston was 38. He had been in service for 10 years. He left behind his wife, 2 young daughters, his parents, 5 sisters & a brother.

RIP Parametic Weston

Fighting burnout. A few miles for ME.

I've been fighting burnout lately. I've let so much get to me & get in my mind. Issues & people involved with our local running community have gotten under my skin. I've almost forgotten why I started in the first place. It's been very discouraging. 

When I first started running there were, what seemed like, just a handful of us. We joked about the "closet runners" in the area. We even created a running group to pull us together. Over the years we've developed more. Now there's a running BOOM! There are runners everywhere!! It's a great thing. However, with more people come different opinions & different opinions lead to friction. There's been friction on so many levels & I'm beyond exhausted. 

I believe we should encourage each other. Not put someone down because they don't run like you or as fast as you feel they should or if they don't have the "ideal" runner's body. Build each other up & promote the sport. Above all, remember these races are for charity, not glory. 

Through it all, I've learned that not everyone has the same heart & values as me. Because of this I decided to run for ME a couple times. I did 2.25 miles on 10-22-14 & 2 miles on 10-23-14 & it felt great. At times I guess we all just need to step away & refocus. 

I will make my comeback. I will be better than ever. I just need to remember why I started & stay focused on MY goals. 

107 minutes for 107 fallen...

This past weekend there were 107 fallen firefighters added to the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial. That's 107 dedicated responders who paid the ultimate price over the last year. That's 107 families that gave their loved ones. 

Today I ran for these fallen responders...107 minutes...1 minute in memory of each. I also read through their profiles. So many people, different as night & day. Men, women, young & not so young. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children & grandparents. The one thing they had in common was dedication to a career they loved.

I invite you to go learn about these heroes. Give them the honor & respect they deserve. Pray for their families. God bless them. 

http://www.firehero.org/events/memorial-weekend/about/2014-roll-of-honor/ 

Anniversary dedication...

My run today was dedicated to a wonderful family man who would've celebrated his 43rd wedding anniversary today, Paramedic Gerald "Garry" Hammer. 

I've been blessed in many ways while learning about Supporting Heroes. We honored the 8 that had fallen in 2014 prior to August 2nd during Heroes Challenge. Garry Hammer was one of those. During the process I actually "met" his son Jeremy. Jeremy, aside from my running partner in crime Lanett, is the only survivor (family member) I've had the privilege to speak with. He's told me things about his dad & I can't help but think I truly would've adored this man. 

Garry served for 39 years & taught for nearly 30 of those. Though I've heard his classes weren't in typical classroom style, many people learned a lot from him. He loved the medical field & was dedicated to taking care of those in need. This showed in his work. 

Paramedic Hammer suffered a fatal heart attack minutes after arriving home from a 12-hour overnight shift. He had made emergency responses during his tour of duty, including a 55-minute emergency transport from LaGrange to Fort Wayne.

In addition to serving as a paramedic with LaGrange County EMS, he served as: LaGrange County Sheriff's Department SWAT Medic; Cadaver Dog Handler with Indiana Department of Homeland Security District 3 Search and Rescue Task Force; Deputy Coroner in LaGrange and Noble Counties; and was a member of the Primary Instructors Education Committee of the Indiana Board of EMS. He was also Critical Care certified and CISM certified.

Outside of work his passion was hunting. He loved to deer hunt. 

His passing left behind his wife, 3 daughters, 2 sons & 12 grandchildren. I know today was rough for them. This was yet another 1st for them as he's not here on this anniversary. I pray that God's blessings cover them with happy memories today. They were blessed with a great man & I'm honored to run for him. 

RIP Garry Hammer

One more to wrap it up.

I'm a day late writing this post but I guess better late than never. The first annual Heroes Challenge is officially wrapped up. Donation check was mailed & planning for next year is underway. I thought it only appropriate to run for the man who's story was the first I read with Supporting Heroes. My first dedication run was to him & another officer so this one is just his. 

Officer Ellis was a young officer with a wife & 2 small boys. He had been in service for 7 years when he was found dead from a gunshot wound on an expressway ramp shortly after the end of his shift. His shift ended at 2:00 A.M. and he was discovered at 2:40 A.M.

His vehicle was parked with the emergency lights activated in a position to block traffic. There were no witnesses and he had not called in to advise dispatch of any activity. 

On May 25, 2013, he left behind his young family, his parents & 2 sisters. 

Sadly, the person(s) that took his life haven't yet been found. 

RIP Officer Ellis

Needed to clear my mind...

I needed to clear my head today so I squeezed in a quick couple of miles before picking up my girls. 

There was a bad wreck here this morning. Somebody was watching over me. I overslept & I decided to take Tori to school first. As I left town to drop Gracie off I passed cops flying. I would've been right in that area at that time if I had followed my usual routine. It's had me shaken up all day. 

For some reason Deputy Jacob Calvin of the Tipton County Sheriff Office (Tipton County, IN) has been on my mind as well. He lost his life in the line of duty as he was responding to a car accident. His cruiser left the road & crashed. He was killed in route. He was 31 & had been in service for 2 1/2 years. 

I spent this past weekend at the Kentucky State Fire School promoting the Heroes' Challenge & Supporting Heroes. I've been lucky enough to get to know a lot of great people through planning the HC. It was difficult to come across this accident & see so many I knew working to save these lives. It's an everyday thing for them but not for me. I could NEVER do these jobs but I'm truly thankful for those who can/do. God bless & keep them. 

Always pray for our responders, especially when they're running with lights & sirens.

RIP Deputy Calvin

LODD 6-28-14

It all counts...

Tonight I did a couple miles on the elliptical after training a couple. I wasn't sure if I should count it but I am. Sadly I didn't have my dedication written on my arms but it was dedicated all the same. 

Tonight was for Officer Charles David Howley of the Oldham County Police Department. Officer Howley's End of Watch (LODD) was May 14, 2014. He complained about not feeling well after an emergency response & ended his shift early that day. He suffered a fatal heart attack at home. 

Officer Howley spent 20 in service. He was described as a "superior" & "dedicated" officer. A post on his memorial page says, "He was a great officer and friend who always brought a smile to people's faces." 

Along with many friends & brothers/sisters in the department, he left behind his wife, his daughter, parents & a brother. He was only 51. God bless & keep his family. Thank you for your service. 

Family for family

Tonight I ran a total of 2.25 miles with my oldest on her bike & my little one in her stroller. Brandon joined us for the last mile. Proud of my girl. That's by far the farthest she's ever gone. My time wasn't great but it was good to get out there with them. 

This run was in memory of Lieutenant Jonathan French of the Glendale Vol Fire Dept. He was killed in the line of duty on Aug 6, 2014. He was only 26 & engaged. He was working an accident on the interstate when their fire truck was hit by a tractor trailer. He was hit by the fire truck & died at the scene. His mother was working with him & was airlifted to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. Four of the six working the accident were related. 

I thought this was an appropriate run to do with my family. We're blessed each day & each moment we get with them. Make the most of the small things. 

God bless!

Colors of Courage 5K

Today I ran/walked my 18th 5K!! We had a great turnout to fight cancer. I ran for my mom, aunt, cousins, Brandon's mom & several more. He ran for his mom, grandmother, my mom & others. It was fabulous!! Took 2 new classes on Wednesday & Thursday. I felt those today!! 

I wanted to dedicate this run but I wanted to do it for a fallen responder who had fought cancer. Couldn't find that out in time. No matter it was a good test run to see exactly how far I have to go...& it's a LONG way. 

It was great to be back out there & have Brandon by my side. ❤️

They said goodbye to him yesterday. I ran for him today.

Sadly, on 8-5-14, there were 2 firefighters lost in the line of duty. One of those was Assistant Chief Jamie Middlebrook. 

He was 41 & had been with the New Carlisle Volunteer Fire Dept (Indiana) for 22 years. Shortly before midnight New Carlisle and other area fire departments responded to a commercial building fire. As Assistant Chief Middlebrook and another firefighter were setting up a portable ground monitor within a section of the structure, there as a catastrophic collapse of the building. Assistant Chief Middlebrook was killed in the collapse.

He was also a career EMT with New Carlisle EMS.  He is survived by his wife - Julie, mom - Carol, and father - Bob, who has been a member of the department for approximately 40 years and is a former chief.  He was on the scene with his son when the incident occurred.

Nobody likes to think about losing a loved one, especially a child. Tragically, both men lost last week were working alongside a parent. Doing what they love. 

RIP Assistant Chief Jamie Middlebrook & God's peace to your loved ones. 

This was my log entry:

SOOOO humid this morning!! At times I felt like I was breathing thru wet cotton. Then I thought about Assistant Fire Chief Jamie Middlebrook. Killed in the line of duty on 8-5-14. Lost in a structure collapse while responding to a fire. His family laid him to rest yesterday. I ran for him today. I can't imagine trying to breathe in conditions they do so I can handle some humidity. Good run!

First official dedicated training run.

This past weekend was fabulous!! Heroes Challenge finally came & went after 9 months of planning. It was a HUGE success. Now it's time to focus on training for the Indy Mini!!

When I stepped out this morning, the song I'm The Man was playing. Appropriate. The words sank in...

"It's a thin line between love and hate. 

Is you really real or is you really fake?

I'm a solider standing on my feet. 

No surrender and I won't retreat. 

Stand up now and face the sun. 

Won't hide my tail or turn and run. 

It's time to do what must be done. 

Be a king when kingdom comes."

This was my first dedicated training run & I was honored to carry 2 fine officers on my shoulders. Jason Ellis' story was the first I read when learning about Supporting Heroes. Then I got to hear his lovely wife speak at their annual gala. This story has always gotten to me. Chad's story was told to me be a friend of his just yesterday. Both are very moving. 

Officer Jason Ellis served as a police officer for 7 years before he was shot & killed in the line of duty on 5-23-13. He was found dead on an expressway ramp. His car was parked in a position to block traffic with emergency lights activated. There were no witnesses & his shooter has not yet been located. He was 33 & left behind a wife & 2 young sons.

Officer Chad Spicer joined the police force in 2004 & lost in the line of duty on 9-1-2009, only nine days after he turned 29. He responded to a report of a man with a gun at a restaurant. After locating the vehicle & calling for backup, the driver got out & opened fire, killing Officer Spicer & injuring his partner before fleeing. A second man in the car fled the scene but a third came to assist Officer Spicer. The shooter & man who fled were arrested. The shooter relieved the death penalty. The other got 10 years. The third was not charged. Officer Spicer left behind a young daughter as well. 

I did a fast 2.6 miles before work for these guys this morning. Never met either but I'm greatful for their service. RIP Officers Ellis & Spicer. 

Off-road workout...

A few months ago I found out about a local trail that leads to a waterfall. I'm a sucker for this type of stuff & I love waterfalls. Planned to go a couple times but it's always fallen through. This weekend we were kid-free. Saw a movie last night & vowed to do the hike today, rain or shine. It rained. We went anyway as we promised ourselves & I'm SO glad we did!! It was muddy & chilly but absolutely incredible!! It even cleared up. We got a killer workout & my legs feel it for sure!! The falls were amazing. Fantastic day!!

Wow...really?!?!

Ok so it was hard to roll out of bed & hit the road this morning. I managed it though. I've been doing a bunch of squats so my legs/feet felt like lead. I decided to just take it slow & use it as an easy day but keep moving. Through my music I could hear my program progress updates but didn't think much about it...until toward the end. I hit the 2 mile mark earlier than usual so I got a bit pumped. It wasn't until I finished & was logging the workout that I got REALLY excited!! On this day, when I was feeling so awful, I averaged an 11:38 m/m which was way better than before AND set my fastest mile EVER at 10:14!! Wait...what?!?! HAPPY DANCE!!!!

Wake up world!!

First morning out on my road in FOREVER!! It felt amazing!! The fog was beautiful, watching the neighborhood wake up, the quiet, unseasonable nip in the air, my neighbors waving & motivating me, & even one telling me it was good to see me back. He's one of the early risers & used to see me often. My pace was even great. I love morning runs!! Great run!!

Fun with some great friends!!

Met up with some great friends for a run tonight & even met 2 new ones!! Didn't look at my program during the run. Just followed the prompts. I was thrilled to see we had gone a full half mile further than the last time we did the same program. Finished a full 3 miles this night. I'm a LONG way from my mini but I'm on the right track!!

Breaking in the Brooks!!

We went for a stress relieving fun run with my guy to break in our new Brooks. Just a couple miles but thru pavement, gravel and grass and my knee still feels great!! These things are amazing!! 

Happy Birthday to me!!

SO excited!! My boyfriend surprised me with my birthday present a day early. He took me to have a foot evaluation & bought me my first pair of Brooks!! I've wanted these since I started running. He's an amazing support system!!

It all starts here...

About 4 years ago I started running. I wanted to lose weight and get healthy. I did! I completed 17 5K's and lost over 80 pounds. Then life took over. I had my second beautiful baby. My marriage fell apart. Spent months going through a divorce. I started planning more races than I ran which limited my training time. During all this I put back on much of the weight I worked so hard to lose. Now I'm making a comeback! I have decided to run my first mini marathon. I have support and encouragement from some GREAT people in my life. One of these ladies I met through a race I'm planning. She works with an organization called Supporting Heroes, Inc. This great organization provides financial and peer support for the families of police/firefighters/EMT's killed in the line of duty. She suggested I try the Indy 500 Mini Marathon. She and I have decided to run it together and pull together a team. We are running in honor of fallen first responders and taking up donations for Supporting Heroes. I decided to blog this experience along the way. Thanks for the push Lanett, this will be a life changing event!!