And Still I Rise

We're now in February and this year is starting out in turmoil and chaos, which unfortunately, many expected. And as a black woman, this has been especially challenging. We have a long history of resilience, overcoming obstacles, climbing uphill battles and while loving, nurturing and being that beacon of light for many. As the famous Maya Angelou wrote, "...does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? Cause I walk like I've got oil wells pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, with the uncertainty of the tides, just like hope springing high, still I rise."  As black women, we will continue to rise to the occasion, with self-confidence, self-determination and self-respect and we will continue with self-love and love for others. Even though this can be a heavy burden, we were made to not only survive but thrive. These were the thoughts on my last long run. 

I run with some amazing women throughout the week. We run at zero dark thirty, four times a week. It can be a struggle but it's what we do and I'm grateful for my running community. This week, we ran in two different groups due to scheduling conflicts. A few of us ran at 6am, and the other members ran at 7am. 

6am, Miles 1-7......My inner coach speaking words of encouragement and instruction:

"It's dark and 30 degrees but you know what you have to do"

....Yelling at the car coming towards me...."You see me, get over!"

"Lord thank you for your protection"

"Stop thinking about what you can't control, plan for what you can control"

"Mantra to self: Let Them and Let Me (Mel Robbins)"

"Breathe"

"Always have a plan B....have faith"

"Lord guide my steps"

"It's cold AF, why am I out here?!? "

"Make sure the cars can see you, stay close to the sidewalk"

"Why do you keep signing up for marathons?"

"This will be my last marathon, I'm tired..."

"Why can't I be happy just sitting on the couch??"

"God did not bring me this far....keep going"

"I'm warning up now"

"You got this...good pace...keep it up"

"Stay ready, so you don't have to get ready"

"Limit your news intake but stay informed"

"Slow your breathing"

"Cut back on social media, focus on your own goals"

"How many meetings do I have this week?"

"There's so much can you learn from the women you know in leadership?"

"Stay strong on this hill...dig!"

"Schedule a one on one....ask the questions"

"Breathe"

"You made it to the top, good job!"

"The London Marathon in 2.5 months, something to look forward to"

" 2 miles to go for loop one"

...as I'm passing our 7am crew...."hey yall!"

"You are blessed to know some strong, beautiful, resilient women"

"Whew, loop one finished! Refuel and head out for the second loop"

As a runner, the beauty of running is it allows us to escape and focus within. As I always say, running is a metaphor for life. And as life keeps "lifing", we must balance with self-care and self-love. Running is a form of therapy and as a runner, I am able to release the coat of stress as I run, discovering nature, observing the beauty around me and with each run appreciating this opportunity. The ability to run and even run for hours on end, is truly a blessing. Not everyone can do this and some have no desire to do it, LOL. But as for me, I am grateful that I can and that I find joy in it....well, most of the time, LOL. It's not only something that I enjoy but it allows me to escape reality for a few hours. I can dream, I can talk to God, I can let off steam and I can plan and set new goals during this time. 

Looking at my Garmin, 7:09am, miles 8-14:

"Finally, it's daylight, I can see!"

"One loop down, one more to go...you got this!"

"Oh look, horses!!"...that made me smile

.....Thinking about my upcoming conference presentation...."Get out of your comfort zone."

"Be comfortable with your own presentation style, make it work for you"

"It's a cold, gloomy morning but still see the beauty"

"These hills are really kicking my butt!"

"God, we trust you but can you like hurry up and do something about all of this chaos?!?"

" I know, I know....I have faith"

"Lawwdd, I made it to the top!!"

"You're almost done, 4 miles to go!"

"Prayer: God please guide my steps"

...my pace is slower now...."this hurts!"

"Just get through it, it's part of the process"

"Why are my knees hurting...do I have an injury???"

"I am grateful to be able to run"

"My body is strong"

"Almost there, keep going"

Stay strong"

"What am I going to eat after this run?!?"

"I deserve a treat and pancakes sound good, yummy!!"

"1 mile to go!"

"What am I going to eat when I get to Paris?"...the thought brings me joy!

....thoughts of the upcoming years...."love, happiness and prosperity is in my future"

....mentally making plans....

"Almost there, get to the light"

"14 miles DONE!!!!!"

Not all runs are fun, some actually hurt just to get through it, but the accomplishment and determination to finish what I started is extremely fulfilling.

Meet Me At The Crossroad

 At some point, we all come to a crossroad or better yet a fork in the road. Do we go left or right, the long route or the short cut. The known or unknown path. 

Today, while on my trail run, I came to a fork. I've ran this trail before and have always went right at the fork, so I knew the terrain. It was a flat, straight path and seemed to be a short cut to the main trail. I was comfortable with the short cut, it was familiar, it was predictable, it was easy. But today, I was curious about the left route. What is the terrain? What's the distance, is it the same or longer? Is it flat? How difficult would it be?  Is the trail clear of debris? 

I had to ask myself, do I want to take the known or unknown path? A sense of adventure came over me. I thought to myself, "let's go explore!" So I decided to take the unknown path. 

I soon realized that this was a longer path with several hills. It was more challenging, but I liked it! I  was starting to climb and my inner coaching kicked in....

"Pick up your knees"

"Swing your arms"

"Lean into the hill"

"Slow your breathing"

"Dig"

"Dig"

"Keep going"

"Don't stop"

.... My breath is now more labored...

"Slow your breathing...inhale...exhale"

"Focus"

"Watch out for the trees...duck!"

"Look out for the debris....jump!"

"You're almost there, keep climbing".... My heart rate is now pounding.

"Whew, you did it, you made it to the top!" 

I felt euphoric, productive and excited." I was glad that I ventured from the familiar and pushed myself.  I thought, "ooh, let's do that again!

As I always say, I see running as a metaphor for life. As in life, when we come to a fork in the road, which route would you take? The path less traveled? Are you willing to take the path unknown in order to explore, seek new experiences and see what challenges may come? Or will you take the known path, the safe bet?

With the known, you know what to expect, there are no surprises, it's routine. But, there is no growth with the known. The path unknown,  expands our minds, it can be challenging. And with new challenges, we are tried and tested. We can be stretched to our limits when challenged. And as a result, we learn that we're capable of so much more than we thought. We discover new found strength, courage and new possibilities. Without challenges, we miss out on the opportunity to rediscover ourselves, to learn, to build confidence and grow. 

So the next time you come to a fork in the road, or even a crossroad, take the path unknown. Explore and discover your greatest potential.

The Body May Be Weak But Is The Mind Willing

As a runner, I believe running is a metaphor for life. It's not a sprint but a marathon. A marathon is an endurance race that will test and push your body to the limit. To complete a marathon, which is 26.2 miles, takes proper training, perseverance, and determination. Training is physical as well as mental. Your body will get tried and tired, that is a fact. Many experience what we call "hitting a wall". This is when your body runs out of energy and you feel like you can't continue because your body has depleted all of it's carbohydrate reserves. You are literally running on empty. This is where you rely on your training, tap into your spirit, and mental fortitude to cross the finish line.

If you have ever watched a marathon, you will see runners toward the end of the race, struggling to maintain proper form, slowing in pace, experiencing muscle fatigue but grinding mentally with continuous movement to push to the finish line. Unfortunately, many who start marathons do not finish. This could be due to injuries, fatigue or not meeting the course cut off time. So how do you complete a marathon? One mile at a time. This is probably the most valuable lesson I have learned.

In life we have many responsibilities and obligations. We all have a to do list that seems like it is never ending and too daunting just thinking about it. The idea to give up, procrastinate or ignore it is tempting. The key is to work on one tasks at a time. Stay focused on the present, avoid thinking about the next task on the list. This is where our mental ability and discipline to stay committed kicks in. We may be physically weary and tired but our spirit and mind is strong enough to carry us. Talent, goals and even strength will get us to the starting line, aid in progressing along the course, the path, the journey. But discipline, consistency and perseverance will carry us across the finish line. There's a saying, the body may be weak but the mind is willing. The Bible scripture states, "the spirit is willing but the body is weak", Matthew 26:41. This is one of many scriptures that carry me in life. 

My hope is that whatever comes your way, when the body is tired, do not be tempted to give in. Tap into your spirit, your mental fortitude to overcome and reach your goals. Keep going, run YOUR race, and cross the finish line.

                  

My body was weak but my mental fortitude carried me across the Ironman Maryland finish line.

Do You See What I See

What do I see? I see yesterday. I see the streets of Chicago. Life wasn't easy but when is life ever easy? 

What do I see? I see love, even when I didn't love myself. 

What do I see? I see home. My senses stimulated with the aroma of herbs and spices. The sound of improvisation, complex rythms, soulful, melodic riffs. The warmth of laughter, ancestry, hospitality. 

What do I see? I see family. I see generations of pride, struggles, traditions, love. 

What do I see? I see a soul. A soul that experienced loss and love. 

I am full, life was lived. 

What do I see? I see the love of God.

My mother didn't realize that I snapped a photo of her looking out the window at dinner. 

"Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood" 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson 

What Is Your Why?

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently completed my first Ironman triathlon. Even now, I marvel at this incredible accomplishment. Before the race, I constantly asked myself, "How will I ever complete such a monumental task?" But as my training progressed, the answer, became clear: one swim, stroke at a time, one step at a time, and one mile at a time. The journey required me to focus on each day as it came, and it was the culmination of countless daily runs, swim sessions, and bike rides that led me to the finish line. There's a well-known saying: "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." This phrase echoed in my mind throughout my training, especially during the moments when I asked myself, "Why am I doing this?" I had to remind myself of my passion. I had dreamed of completing an Ironman for years, visualizing that finish line and the victory that awaited me. My "why" was clear: to prove to myself that I am strong, determined and disciplined, that I can tackle hard things and overcome any obstacle.

But my "why" didn't end with me. It extended beyond personal achievement. I wanted to be an example, particularly for other African American women, showing that living an active lifestyle is possible and empowering. Statistics show that less than 10% of people have ever completed a marthon, and of that group, fewer than 3% are African American. Even more astonishing, less than 0.01% of the population has completed an Ironman, an among them, fewer than 1% are African American. There is so much room for more of us to embrace this challenge and shatter these barriers.

Crossing that Ironman finish line taught me lessons that I will carry forward into other areas of my life. It reminded me of the power of perseverance, the strength of believing in myself, and the value of showing others what's possible.

So, I ask you: "What is your WHY?" How can your why not only fuel your journey but also inspire others to dream big, push past their limits, and rewrite what's possible? Your journey matters, and your story has the pwoer to light the way for others.

"Keep flying higher, so others are inspired to flly with you."~Oh Great!

"Find your why, and you'll find your way."~John C. Maxwell

Walking Into 2025

Welcome to Soleful Steps, where I strive to uplift, encourage and inform readers. This is my first blog post, yay!

As 2024 comes to an end, I reflect on the highs and lows of the year. They year began with several professional conferences, where I not only learned valuable information to as a registrant to implement in my career but also as a presenter gaining experience and confidence in public speaking. 

By spring, triathlon training was in full effect. I completed a few Olympic distance triathlons early spring and 70.3 Eagleman half ironman in June, in prepation for my 140.6 Ironman Maryland in September. Spring and summer flew by with my ironman training. This summer was brutally hot and training for the running portion of the triathlong was a struggle to say the least. With cycling, I get a slight breezes, so it's a bit more bearable in the heat. Even with my training, I was able to squeeze in a few fun events. I spent my birthday weekend in the mountains of West Virginia (see pictures). I continued my training while catching beautiful sunset and sunrise views. A few weeks later, I drove to Rocky Mount, NC to do the Black Farm Tour century bike ride. A century bike ride is a 100 mile cycling event. On one of the hotest days of the year, we rode through rural farm lands of Rocky Mount. Many of the farms in the area are black owned farms. They provided our hydration and fueling along the course. The homemade pickle juic was a lifesaver! This was followed by a weekend trip to Philadelphia for our regional convention for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Because I was still training for my race, we packed our bikes and was able to get in a bike ride along the scenic Schuylkill River and Schuylkill Trail. I love sight seeing while running or cycling, it's a great way to see the sights!  

In the final weeks up to my race, I had some firsts and adventurous open water swim sessions. Twice this summer, I swam in the dark before sunrise! Now, I've ran and cycled in the dark but I've never swam in the dark! It was excited but scary, but I survived! 

September 21st, I completed my first Ironman distance race. An Ironman is a total of 140.6 miles, that consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 run. The thought of this was daunting but it has been a goal of mine for a few years now. This was a major accomplishment and has changed me. If I can complete an Ironman at the spry age of 55, what else can I accomplish!

After watchingThe Six Tripple Eight movie, Wicked several times, I am inspired, proud and motivated as an African American woman! So I'm going into 2025 with a new sense of "badassness", defying gravity! I'm looking forward to what the year will bring. What was your milestones for 2024 and what are you looking forward to for 2025? 

Merry Christimas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!