A Pound For Shonda Pauling

"Go head girl, (go head be gone wit it) , come to the back (go head be gone wit it), VIP (go head be gone wit it) drinks on me..."
-Justin Timberlake - Sexyback


Yesterday's goal met?: Yes. According to my brand spankin' new structured schedule, I rest every other day. Yesterday was rest and reflection. I needed it.


This blog was a damn good idea. I'm so happy I stole it!

With that said, I need to thank a few people.

First, PF Esso for stopping through ("your...unce...tice...fee times a maday " (as Buckwheat once sang.) OK one more, because we don't know when to quit... "Ya gotta dema diba..emeina bye she got..bette dabee eye...) PF Demps for giving some tough Yoda love (Do or do not. There is no try.) And finally, PF Sonya "Backcracka Chiropraka" for the INCREDIBLY inspiring and moving story she just sent me. (Not to mention your text pages. Did you ever know that you're my heeeeroooo?)

I shaved it down but please read this. Please.

"When I read about you running in the race, I thought about some of my patients who are wonderful Survivors, I was also reminded of my friend who did not survive and I wanted to talk to you about her and what life has been like since her death. Shonda Pauling (dear God I haven't written her entire name in years) and I met in a summer program back in 1981.

I was living in St. Louis in 1997 when Shonda called to talk to me about her diagnosis of Breast Cancer. Don't matter what the textbooks say, she wasn't in the correct age range and didn't have a family history of CANCER but Damnit, she had it at 28 years of age. She went through chemo & radiation and had a full mastectomy in a matter of months. Shonda's conversation with me was like girl this thing isn't going to get me, I'm going to do what I have to because I am going to live (we had a saying back then....." ain't nothin' to it but to do it!!!").

2000 was the year that a lot of BS went down. Shonda & I met at Applebee's for drinks during the summer and she told me that she had gone to the doctor and they found a hot spot on her spine at L5 (I think it was). Again my damn schooling kicked in and said to myself, that's TERMINAL!!! Cancer of the spine= 0% survival rate. Shonda said it just like, "girl it's raining outside!!!" and sipped her drink.

She started with her Chemotherapy which was kicking her ass this time but she was fighting hard. She wanted to go out with me and one of the boy's one night and we planned to go to the movies and have a few drinks. She let me know that for her to drink, she wasn't going to take her medicine that day because she would get sicker. We went out saw some movie, had a few drinks, laughed it up and went home for the night.

A few weeks went by and I picked up the phone to check on Shonda since I hadn't heard from her. Her mom answered and I heard her mom asking her if she could come to the phone, I didn't hear her respond but her mom just said she will call you back... a few hours later, as Shonda got dressed to go to the hospital, she dropped dead. At 31 years of age, she was GONE.

It is still hard for us to talk about Shonda without....... but you Nyree, made me think about her this month A LOT!!!!! So when you are thinking of all the things in the world better that you could be doing instead of training for this run, or running this race think of SHONDA Pauling cause she would tell you "Ain't Nothin' To It But To Do It" and ball her fist up to tap the top and bottom of your balled up fist."


...So I had no choice but wipe the tears, give Shonda a pound...

...and run 3 miles.

I didn't tell Myke I needed help, I just told him about the race. He came over to me, checked my treadmill stats...nodded, and walk away.

Then I kicked out 16 push-ups and 80 crunches.

This thing is getting so much bigger than me.
I'm learning a lot about myself and all of you and I thank you for sharing...

Shonda ... this one was for you.

-Nye




Hot Beat For Tonight's Training Montage: Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake

A big ass shout out to Justin Timberlake. (Who is lookin kinda OLD these days, huh?)
Anyway...right around mile 2.3, I started running out of steam. BIG TIME. Then...he kicked in.
Or rather...my ego, in conjunction with the lyrics..."I'm bringin sexyback..."

Ya damn right I am.