There's No Way It's May!

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I'm getting closer to current times-only one month back!

Once May got here, I haven't been able to keep it straight.  Time is flying, I say yet again.  I had mixed feelings about the end of the school year coming so fast.  On one hand, it couldn't come fast enough.  I was exhausted, stressed, and so ready for a break.  On the other hand, I wanted more time, because I didn't feel ready for my AP tests and needed more time to study!

 

The first weekend of the month was our conference championships.  It was a great day!  The weather was beautiful, and the track at South Doyle was really nice.  I woke up that day lacking motivation, but God sent me a verse that lifted me up.
"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him."  Philippians 2:13
That was awesome knowing that even though I may not always feel like it, if it's what I am supposed to do, God will give me everything I need to get it done. 

I had been choosing "focus" verses to keep on my mind as I raced this season, and it really helped me keep a better mindset. 
First for this day was 1 Peter 4:11, "...do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Christ Jesus."
The second was 2 Corinthians 5:9, "So we make it our goal to please Him..."
I decided that my total focus while I was racing that day was going to be on using what I have been given to please God.  I just wanted to enjoy it.
The 4x800 was just a fun race, becuase we obviously would win it with our B-team, which is why I even ran it.  The 1600 wasn't my best, but it was 10 seconds faster than the last one I ran!  I was excited to feel motivated to push myself again.  I had to just let go of comparing myself to the other runners in the race and focus on doing my best.  I felt much better.

The 3200, my main race, was another good one--I had fun!  I even broke my conference recrd from last year by a second.
During a longer race like the 3200, you have a little time to think.  To keep my mind positive, I pray, think of verses, and sing songs in my head.  Three songs stood out while I checked off those 8 laps
"It's my joy to honor You, in all I do, to honor You"
"Lord, I need You, O I need You, every hour I need You.  My one defense, my righteousness, O God how I need You"  (This one is one that comes to mind during speed workouts when I'm worn out!)
A newer MercyMe song that makes me want to dance: "God, I'm running for Your heart, I'm running for Your heart until I am a soul on fire!"
This kept me pushing through the finish line!

 

This is the picture that came up that morning to get me going, but that wasn't all!  God works in ways where you know it can only be Him.  I went on Twitter and there was the same verse!

I was so excited for how I felt a change in my motivation, that I kept my number from the race and decorated it with those verses.

Every May for the past several years, I go to Regency for the Mother's Day banquet and eat with my grandmother!  I love going up there and eating with them.  They enjoy company and seeing young people so much!  Since my grandmother moved rooms, she doesn't get to see her old friends except when I come to eat with her, so that makes it even better.  We all get together around the same table, same people, and have a great time.  They don't always think the food is good, but I love it!  People tell me I should just live there.  Food, bed early, wii, yoga, I have to pee a lot, self serve soft serve all day, I get cold easy, I wear contacts or glasses...the list goes on.
These are the wonderful women of the back table!

And here is the great Granannie herself!

Mom and I are both hardheaded, so that leads to arguments a lot.  We have so much fun, though, because we also share a sarcastic sense of humor!  We get under each others' skin a lot, but she sacrifices so much for me, I can't thank her enough.

This will give you a little insight into how we work in the Jones house.  While many moms were out for fancy dinners on Mother's Day we spent about $8 total on a pizza, eaten on stirofoam plates, in our living room, wearing whatever clothes we happened to have on.  We don't have to have fancy to be happy.  In fact, 99% of the time, we are much happier without the fancy!

For all those who were enrolled in AP US History (a worldwide tested class) and Chemistry (a statewide tested class), we were not happy.  We had to take both those tests back to back.  But the school thought we would be okay because they brought us pizza...yeah that made it soo much better...Luckily, as soon as we finished the EOC, we could go home!

May is graduation time, so people were having parties and sending mail left and right!  Abby has been one of my best friends since we met as her dad (red shirt) was my elementary and travel basketball coach and her brother Noah was my first real boyfriend.  They treat me like family, and I love them to death!  Abby is responsible for many of my best memories through those years.  We were so goofy!

She, along with two other girls, had a little celebration at one of the family's property that does all kinds of fancy things.  They had it decorated so nice!

That same day had another celebration:  Aunt Debi and Uncle Chum were in town!  He's always finding something to give me a hard time about, and as you can see, here he is making fun of my huge taco salad.  He's such a goober.

El Sazon has become the restaurant where we go for any family get-together.  We all love it, and they are so fast!

 

This beautiful picture came from a post by Pastor Dean!  I didn't see it until the next day, but it was the morning of our region meet.  Rainbows are reminders from God that everything will work out His way, and He sure does!

Joy is my word, and God is my joy.
This was an awesome day.  The 1600 was a crazy race.  I hadn't been in the tops of that race for more than 2 laps this season, but this day was my kind of weather.  It was the hottest day we had all year!  I stuck with the pack and held on to a qualifying spot until the last about 80 meters.  I don't have much of a kick, but I was going as fast as those little legs would go!  I missed qualifying for state by just 1 place, but my time was my best for the season.  I wanted to go so bad, but it just wasn't meant to be.  I was okay with it because I gave it everything I had, so that was God's plan.  My race was just good enough to leave me satisfied, ending my 1600 season on a great note.

The 3200 was a great one again!  I enjoyed it...again!  I was so happy to be back into things.  My time was the exact same as my win from conference the week before.  While we were waiting near the tent for them to take us over to the start, I saw a girl wearing one of the race shirts, but it was a tank top.  I asked her about it because I had never seen anything but tshirts.  I do not need more tshirts.  My drawers runneth over.  This got me more excited!  If they were still there making shirts after my race, I was going to get one!  Luckily I won, so Mom was also more willing to pay for it.  I loved feeling free and flying while I went through that race.  It was a long, hot, tough day, but at the end of days like that, all I can do is praise the Lord!  It was also great hearing my mom's positive cheers from her secluded spot each time I passed by the 300 mark.  After the finish, I said a few words after walking out the gate, then pointed to the tshirt truck and said, "They have tank tops, and I want one!"  Mom laughed and was all for it!  I didn't have much breath, but I got out the words that I needed to get that point across.  We went over there to choose a design, and we found the perfect one.  You can't see it in this picture, but below the "Running His Race" it has Hebrews 12:1-2, which was my focus verse this whole season. 

Again with the late nights...We didn't have much time to grab dinner and dessert before they both closed, but luckily, Salsarita's (MY FAVORITE) and Marble Slab were in the same shopping center.  I am not a fast eater, so scarfing down that burrito bowl was not easy.  It still tasted just as good.

Back to back 3200m Region I champ
The new uniforms were a nice touch.

Track kinda copied the idea of carrying something around the week before state, so we got monkeys!  Danny is a cool dude, and he matched my monkey and me one day, so we had some fun posing for a picture.

He may drive me nuts sometimes, but Calvin can be nice, too.  And you know I'm not going to turn down fresh pineapple!

Chemistry was an entertaining class this semester!

And school was over!  Praise the Lord we survived!

Super Saturdays

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This winter I added a new season to my sports:  indoor track.  I'd seen a few things about it before, but never considered it.  I thought it was too out-of-my-league and too far away to get to any races.  However, I found out about a new thing in my area led by Knoxville Youth Athletics to get more kids involved in track.  Two qualifying meets were put on by the group and other meets' times were also considered in order to qualify for a "state meet" at ETSU in February.
I looked into it, asked around, and decided to sign up.

The first meet I went to was so exciting!  The atmosphere at Vanderbilt is intense.  The indoor track facility is top-notch, and of course the city is sooo great.  I really had no idea how things would go because I hadn't been training.  I hadn't even run near as much as I thought I might because we had so much snow.  This actually encouraged me a lot to see what I could do on a random, quasi-training schedule during these snow days

I love travel!  It is just so much fun to mix things up.  On the way there the night before, we stopped at a couple of my favorite places:  Salsarita's for dinner and Sweet Frog for dessert.  I gotta have some great fuel the night before a race!  I also did some verse searching in the car, and got so into some that I found that I created a special post about them right there from my phone.

The Holiday Inn we stayed at in Nashville had the best continental breakfast that I have had!  I loaded up!  Fresh fruit--and not the cheap stuff!  Oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, waffles, boiled eggs, soo many toppings--even chocolate chips and cool whip!  Those sweet things and more (like muffins) were great to see, but I stuck with eggs, fruit, oatmeal, and can't forget the coffee!  The mustache cups were my favorite part. Mom and dad had a little more wiggle room since they didn't have to worry about it coming back up later.

 

After the race was over, I had several snapchats from some of my friends who were there and had taken pictures and videos of me!  It made me laugh to see myself, but I love my friends' support.  I was also snapchat famous for 24 hours on their stories.

Vanderbilt's indoor facility is brand new and upscale.  There is a special section for the 100m length and field events off to the side, but the best part is the huge video screen.  I love to watch myself during races so I know where I stand.

I was totally shocked at how this went!  I felt fantastic!  I was worried because I hadn't done any real training and thought it would be so tough to go race pace.  After almost missing the start of the mile (I didn't know where to go to start, and I forgot my number; luckily I was in the 2nd heat), I felt like God had given me wings during that race!  Heck, in both of them I felt like I was flying!  It's a feeling that is hard to explain unless you have had it and you just know.  I ran my fastest mile time (5:10) which is almost as fast as my 1600 PR (5:04) even though the mile is a bit longer.  Between events I tried to stay loose, but I could feel the soreness coming on already.  My body wasn't used to this!  The 2 mile was the same story.  The gun went off and I broke free!  I felt like I was flying again!  My shoe came untied before I made it even halfway, but I kept on keeping on, finishing in another 2 mile PR (10:56), almost to my 3200 PR (10:50).  I even had a kick in these races!  If you don't know me, I do not sprint.  Days when I have a kick are seriously God-given.  I was excited; the day had gone better than I ever had imagined, and I felt great!  I also got to talk with the Vandy coach and talk/run with some friends that I hadn't seen in a long time from several different states including, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida!  This day was one of the best blessings.

After leaving campus, we went to Chili's for dinner and drove through downtown to find a Sweet CeCe's for dessert!  Sweet ending to a sweeter day! 

The times I ran in the Vanderbilt Invitational qualified me for the (unofficial) state meet in February.  As this picture shows, I loved the mustache cups with the interchangable cardboard sleeves so much, I saved a bunch to use for travel.  Race day coffee just tastes different!

 

These races were kind of like the ones at Vanderbilt.  I hadn't had any real training, just running here and there when I could and working with what God gave me.  I actually had fun flying by the seat of my pants for once.  This meet was kind of backwards.  The 2 mile was before the 1 mile, but that turned out to be a blessing.  I went into the 2 mile with the 2nd fastest time, but I actually kind of like that; it gives me a little stronger push from inside.  The girl who was my biggest competition is Taylor Cuneo, who was only a freshman this year, but made HUGE steps (pun intended) toward being a national-scale elite runner this year, running some really fast times at some huge races, including Nike Cross Regionals and Nationals.  I knew she was fast and would be with me the whole time.

It was a great race, and I am so thankful to have had her there with to push me so much!  I'm even more thankful, though, that God gave me the adrenaline to keep me going, not only the same pace through the race, but to get even faster the farther into it I got.  It helps to know that there is someone really fast behind you and a state title on the line, but to have that feeling is something only God can fill you with.  Only a couple strides separated us for about 3/4 of the race, but the last half mile I really kicked it in and pulled away.  Again, I don't have a kick, but those last few (indoor tracks are shorter distances--this one was 283 meters) laps were faster than I think I have ever run a half mile.  And it felt amazing. 

It had always been my dream to win a state championship as an individual (my xc team has won it back-to-back), and I finally got it.  And a new PR of 10:46!  This time also qualified me for New Balance Indoor Nationals, but I didn't get to go.  Downtown New York makes for a much too pricey trip.  I'll take a national #4 time for sure, though!

 

I also ran the mile, but it wasn't as good as my time from Vanderbilt.  I was totally okay with it, though, since the 2 mile was such a success!  I prayed during my run in between races to stay loose, first of all to thank God for how amazing that race was and to pray that whatever happened in the next one was what He wanted.  If I was to have another race like that first one, great, but if not, that's okay, because the 2 mile was more than I had imagined!  I stayed in front with the top girls for the first half mile, but after that, most of them sped up, but I was already going as fast as I could!  Those girls have more quickness than I do, but I love getting out there with them to push me and make me better.

These are your 2015 indoor state champions in the 2 mile!

Luke ran a blazing time, too, and went on to Indoor Nationals a few weeks later.

I was really excited to get to run my cool down around the ETSU campus with the Rizor twins, Jessica and Julia.  Somehow twins in TN running always seem to be fast!  They will be freshmen running for UT next fall.  I had gotten to talk to them a few times during cross country, but didn't know them too well until this day.  We decided to run together after the race, and had a blast!  We talked about running, school, college, snow, friends, food, funny stories, and more, passing the miles quickly and painlessly.  The only thing that took us inside was the lack of time left in the day.

Running is just one of those things that leads you to all kinds of situtaions and relationships that can't be found anywhere else.  I am so thankful to have met all the amazing people that I have through this sport.  We all support each other and stay in touch.  Even on the start line of a huge race (which you have no idea how intense it can be unless you've been there), we can crack jokes and love each other.  It's not like other sports where you have opponents against you; you have competitors with you.  We're all out there for the same goal:  make it across the finish line as fast as you can.

 

Another thing we talked about was how they had always wanted to be in one of those RunnerSpace contests, so I suggested we take a #RaceDaySelfie picture, and lookie there!  There we are!

Thanks to my proud Dad, this picture was on Facebook, and I was getting text messages before I could even get to my bag to change my shoes.

Another thanks to Coach Owens who just-so-happened to be at ETSU and took a few minutes to come by and watch me race!

This was one of the main verses I did a Bible study with on the ride to the race.

I've fallen prey to "desires of the flesh (Ephesians 2:3)" and been discouraged and had a "downcast soul (Psalm 43:5)," but there is one thing that keeps me going--God.  No matter how hopeless I feel, this is the only thing that can keep me from giving up.  There is always reason to "praise Him, my Savior and my God (Psalm 43:5)."

These great times of success are wonderful times to praise Him, too of course!  Whether on the mountaintop or the valley, nothing can compare to the fullness that God can put in your life.

 

OH but things got better!

After grabbing a bite to eat, we rushed home and I cleaned up and threw together an overnight bag to go to Manley Baptist to meet up with my small group for the last worship service of Motown Madness!

After leaving the worship service, we all headed back to Patty's for some snacks and small group!   I was sad that I only got to spend one night with these girls, but we enjoyed it!

A good group picture and a goofy group picture!

Jenna and Julia developed a special bond over the weekend.  They crack me up.

The Sunday morning afterwards, we were all dead.  As Julia said, "The struggle to smile."  Roxanna pulled one off!

No more apathy!  No more not caring about our friends who are lost.  That is something that is truly important!  If a person doesn't have a true relationship with Christ, they are going to hell.  That's a fact.  Forever in flames.  Stop and think about how you would feel if your mom, sister, neighbor, teammate, classmate, best friend, etc will have that eternity.  Does that make you sad?  Then do something!

The Wednesday night after every special weekend, we have a share night.  These are some awesome guys who got up and spoke what God had placed on their hearts to share with us.

 

I was exhausted after this weekend.  A day of racing and a late night of barely sleeping (and on the floor), I was dead.  It was all worth it!  I enjoyed all that Christ filled me with.  Getting to end the weekend with some of my favorite people in the presence of the Lord is such a blessing!