Today was one of the most unusual Sundays in my 23 year long running experience with our group. That's because I was in town and didn't run, and I surely missed it. I was supposed to run the Grand Prix Series 10K at Celebration, but that went by the wayside due to a persistent ankle problem.
However, the ever-vigilant Chris, my running partner of some 20 years, saw me slipping into Panera's with Mary and checked in by cell phone. He reported a turnout of nine people, not bad for a race day. Those who showed were treated to as good a running temperature as one could expect. Sorry I missed it.
RECAP ON BLANKET COLLECTION EFFORT
The good news I have to share is this: We have delivered 256 blankets to the Coalition for the Homeless! That is a lot of blankets and, thanks to our group and many others groups we have significantly surpassed last year's collection effort. We are particularly indebted to Susan Paul, whose three marathon training groups contributed about a third of the blankets! St. Margaret Mary Church came up with about 40 blankets. The
Besides a generous contribution by our ORC group, we also had participation by the lululemons (who are continuing to collect blankets at their WP store on Fairbanks), Teresa Williams Sunday group, Fleet Feet running store, personal trainer Diane Merritts at TV Pro Fitness and Cross Fernandez & Riley.
This exercise vividly demonstrated the caring nature of people like you and the power which can be unleashed by those of like mind coming together for a cause.
INVITATION FROM LULU LEMON STORE TO THE SUNDAY RUNNERS
Chelsie DiPaolo has issued the following invitation to our group:
"At lululemon we just rolled out a program called Gift of Yoga. To put it simply, we think yoga is a gift and it should be shared with everyone so we purchased a bunch of classes from different studios and are gifting it to people who haven't tried yoga. If you and your wife stop by the showroom we'll "gift" you so you can go give it a try! Also - send anyone else by you think may be interested... we have a lot of gifts to share!! The more people we can touch with yoga the better! We always say it's those that aren't practicing it yet that need it the most. The only thing I would ask is that you also share with them our hours so they're not showing up to be "gifted" on a day we're not there. We're open Thursday-Saturday 10am-6pm.
11/14 Posting on Marty Katz website by his wife Robin
I am posting below the latest info on Marty Katz who ran with us for many years and who was the victim of a horrific biking accident just over a month ago. Marty has miraculously survived a near death experience. His wife Robin's posting today has a wonderful message of hope and gaining perspective on what life throws at us from time to time. Please keep Marty in your prayers. He still has a long road ahead to recovery. He just moved to the Winter Park Hospital Rehab center and would appreciate a visit from those of us who know him.
"Yesterday Marty declared he would lay in the hospital bed only for rest or sleep and that he would sit in the wheelchair in the 'day room' to eat his meals. He is determined to sit upright in the wheelchair for hours. This takes great effort for one who has laid prone for weeks and weeks; dormant stomach and back muscles are now called to attention, and it is sobering to discover how much of that muscle has so quickly disappeared. We are glad for the weekend downtime before Monday's evaluations by the rehab team and the important work begins.
Marty is piecing together the puzzle of the past weeks and the emotional ramifications of his near death experience. For those of us who watched him live through this, who were witness to his recovery journey, we can supply him with our own vantage point, but none of us know what this has been like for him or the impact it will have on his way of proceeding forward. We are sorting this out as time goes on, as we trust in the healing taking place and we feel safe in knowing he will recover.
What is amazing is the perspective that comes with a life changing event, so much seems completely unimportant now. What is revealed is an immediacy for matters of the heart, for love, for appreciation, for the preciousness of time, for little else than gratitude. When friends swoop in for visits with news of the world, of events social and otherwise, from this vantage point it may all seem rather silly by comparison. Everything is a matter of perspective it would seem.
Marty and I wonder if we will continue to bring this mindfulness with us as we reintegrate into our world at home? Will the lessons of this time be revealed to us as we live out our lives? These are deep questions to sort out and to share. Thanks for checking in with us, for being there, for listening and for living your good lives with joy."
Have a great week and hope to back on the road with you shortly!
Jack
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