Pennies AND Twenties From Heaven!

If you haven't read my post "Pennies From Heaven" you can read it HERE. This one won't make much sense if you haven't read that one.

I am currently training for the Ragnar Relay Race in June and so I have been trying to squeeze in my running when I can. Today I had a nail appointment and so I decided to run to it and home. As I was walking out of the salon onto the sidewalks of our town's Main Street to continue my run home, I was doing my usual looking for pennies that I always do. I thought I had a pretty good chance of finding at least one coin in that area. The last couple of weeks, I thought I would find a lot more than normal mainly because I have been getting in some long runs (10 milers) and thought my odds would go up covering so much more ground. But it didn't seem to be. I found a few, but not what I had hoped. I just figured Tyson must be pretty busy with much more important things to do right now.

As I started walking down the sidewalk, I hadn't taken more than 20 steps when I looked down and saw THIS ↓

Yep, a TWENTY DOLLAR BILL!!! I immediately picked it up and started to look around for someone who may have dropped it. There wasn't a soul in sight. I stood there waiting for a while in case someone came back to look for it, but no one did and so I put it in my pocket with a huge smile on my face as I uttered the words, "Thanks Tyson. Guess this is your way of making up for the drought the last couple of weeks. Good move buddy!"

Pennies AND TWENTIES from heaven now?

Oh dear, I am afraid my expectations have just gone way up!

SIDENOTE: My brother-in-law called a few hours after I posted this. He said HE just found a 20 dollar bill in Albertson's by the Chinese food section laying on the floor. Chinese just happened to be Tyson's favorite food. I totally did NOT believe him at first....what are the odds? But it's true! How crazy is that? Heaven is obviously not having a recession right now!!! ☺

Lips, Hips, and Asphalt

10 miles. Today. Running. Now barely walking. Seriously feeling it.
9 toes hurting. One was numb.
8 muscles (at least) asking me WHY I'm torturing them.
7 thoughts of "Why do I enjoy inflicting pain on myself?"
6 thoughts of "Buck up! It's ONLY 10 miles!"
5 thoughts of "Do I really want to a run a marathon? That's 16 MORE miles!"
4 hours to re-coop.
3 Ibuprofen immediately administered upon arriving home.
2 hip flexors screaming.
1 IPOD dead battery. (Definitely a blessing in disguise or I might have kept going,)


I am in training for the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay that is in June. I also ran 10 miles last Saturday. And 9 miles the previous Monday. Those are my long runs. I try to run 4 to 6 miles three times a week as well. I haven't been running more than 8 miles at a time since my injury last year. And, my body is letting me know. I have run two half marathons (13.1 miles -emphasis on the point 1 - that little point 1 is huge!) but once you stop the training, you lose it. Use it or lose it kind of thing.

Last Saturday when I got back from my run, I felt just like I did the very first time I ran 10 miles three years ago. I remember I came home and laid down to just rest for a bit and woke up three hours later. I just wanted to sleep. I was also hurting so bad that I wasn't walking too well. After a while I got used to it and was fine after a long run. I thought I had passed that point of total exhaustion for good with my running, but then I quit running long distances last year due to an injury and so now I guess my body is letting me know that I have to get used to it all over again.

Last Saturday, I ran early and felt like I was worthless the rest of the day. I didn't sleep for three hours, but wasn't super productive either. Today I went out later hoping to get stuff done BEFORE in case it had the same effect on me. Good thing, because I am worthless today as well. Maybe next week I'll go at night so I will be worthless when it's time for bed instead! That would also help my training since the Ragnar requires runs at night in the dark.

The Ragnar Relay is a 188 mile course that is ran in about 24 hours non-stop by a team of 12. Each member has three legs to run. Everyone's legs are different as far as mileage and elevation. They are rated from Easy to Very Hard. The longest total distance for one runner is 20 miles and the shortest is 12. My total running distance is 13.1 miles (yes a half marathon in distance!) The legs are split up over the course and so you may be running at midnight or 3 a.m. depending on your legs. I haven't found out my times yet, but I know I have at least one in the dark. I most excited for that one!

It may sound crazy, but it is a PARTY! I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I was registered with the team ENERGIZER RUNNIES last year, but had to drop out because of my injury. I was so bummed. I heard they have over 1000 teams this year. WOW! Major party! That's 1000 x 12 people! It is SOLD OUT! It's going to be one serious party. There is no sleep involved for at least 24 hours unless you are lucky to catch a cat nap here and there when you aren't running your legs. Each team has two vehicles that the non runners travel in and follow their runner. For more info go
HERE.
















Our team name this year is LIPS, HIPS, and ASPHALT. Each team decorates their vehicles and wears crazy costumes. They give away prizes for the best in each category.

















The part I am most excited about is my awesome friends Jen, Heather, Mel, and Jen D. are on my team. I love each one of them so much and I know it will be SO MUCH FUN!!! It will also be fun making new friends with the others that are on the team as well. We have nine women and three men. The men are being good sports about the name and what we are planning for costumes.

One thing for sure is I need to get back to the gym to my strength training classes to help me be a stronger runner as well. Those 5:45 a.m. classes are killers, but I can tell a huge difference in my running when I'm not faithful at attending. I am just grateful Mother Nature has decided to give us at least a few days each week of sunshine. I have put away my winter running clothes FOUR times already this spring, only to get them back out when the temps drop again. We will have a few days in the 60's and then the next day it is back in the 30's. Here's hoping her mood swings have finally stabilized!


I'll end on a quote that made me chuckle this week...

"Life is short. Running makes it seem longer." ~ Baron Hansen

♥Pennies From Heaven♥

Ever since Tyson passed away, I have had some very amazing experiences that has confirmed in my heart that he lives and watches over us.

One day, just a little while after he passed away, I was really missing him and expressed in my heart that I wished he could find a way to let me know he was around and still thinking of us. Immediately after, I looked down and found a shiny copper penny laying right before me. I wondered to myself if maybe, just maybe, this was a little gift from heaven via Tyson. I felt that it was, but once I read the date on the penny and saw it was 1988, I KNEW it was from him.

He was born in 1988.

I was sure he was smiling above with that sweet grin of his that won everyone's heart while saying, "There ya go Mom. Of course I am thinking about ya. Love ya Mom."

Since that day, I have had some of the most incredible experiences in finding pennies and other coins that I know are from him. Each day when I go out and run, I now look for coins. And nearly each day I find at least one. Not really significant on it's own I know, but what makes it so, is the fact that I usually run the same route each day and yet, I will find a coin in the most remote place that wasn't there the day before and no one could have possibly just dropped it, because not many people go where I run.

There have been many times when I am having a bad day and I will just say in my heart, "Tys buddy, if you are around today, can you just say hi." Within seconds (literally seconds), I will find a coin or in some cases, several coins along the way until I am home. I will find them when we go to some event after having just said, "Tyson sure would have loved this." I find them on family vacations in the most remotest of places. Other times, I will find them right in front of me.

One of the most amazing experiences I've had was when one day I was out running and really struggling with missing him. It had been a rough week. A really rough week. The entire route of my run I was hoping to find just one coin to comfort me and make me feel him near. Nothing. I kept searching. Nothing. I kept an eagle eye out for a coin, any coin. Nothing. Finally, I was nearing my home and feeling even worse that I hadn't found one on the day I most needed to. Just a few steps from my house, I saw something shiny in front of me. I was so hoping it was a shiny dime or quarter. As I got closer I could tell it was not a coin. My hopes dashed once again. As I approached it, I still wasn't sure what it was. I reached down to get a closer look and discovered it was a mini Snickers bar.

My heart skipped a beat.

Now that doesn't sound like anything miraculous to anyone else, but mini Snickers were Tyson's most favorite candy in the whole world.

Coincidence?

Maybe....

But to this mom, I knew it was my sweet angel boy in heaven sending his struggling mom a gift, a tender mercy, to comfort me and let me KNOW that he loves me dearly and is there.

I could go on and on with the stories and experiences I've had, but suffice it to say, I believe the coins I find nearly each day, are his way of letting me know he loves me and is still very close to our family.

Pennies From Heaven

When an Angel misses you,

they toss a penny down to let you know they care.

Never enough time to spend on earth,

but in our hearts they will always be there.

Love is never lost,

smiles never forgotten,

the memories are burned so deep.

We wish we could have kept you here forever.

but your soul is God's to keep.

So when you're sad,

tears falling to the ground,

you see a shimmer by your shoe,

Pick up that penny,

look to heaven and know

an Angel is watching over you!

By: Kirby Tracy

I collect them in this seashell box ↓ I got in Hawaii. Tyson LOVED Hawaii.

My collection has grown much larger than this now.

Sometimes they are worn and weathered...

and sometimes they are shiny and bright.

But just the same, they are from a dear angel in heaven.♥