There are people in your life that probably mean more to you that they know. This is one of those people. I met Kelley in our small town fitness community. Let’s run a marathon someone said. I joined my first run group. The accountability for the end result of 26.2 was the people in which got you there. In this group were 2 men whom I believed to be the experts on the philosophy of running. Bob Lee and Kelley Pears were going to make sure everyone toed that line in New Orleans at the Mardi Gras Marathon.
If you have never been a part of a run group, let me tell you that no conversation is left unturned. Everything is fair game. Well almost, I learned very quickly that you were not to talk about religion, politics and Fox News. Bob’s rules. I totally respected that.
These two men became my backbone for the love of running. They taught me everything I know. They guided me, pushed me, and stood at many finish lines awaiting my entrance. What joy to see their faces.
As time progressed, we kind of went our separate ways. Bob got sick. Kelley was dealing with life and education. As for me, I just kept running, but without them.
Our paths crossed again with the passing of Bob “RUNBABYRUN” Lee. That was a tough day for me. He was like a dad, just always there. I would look forward to our meetings in Kroger, we would catch up for hours.
Kelley came to see me when I began full time personal training at LAC. He was one of my first clients when I started. Little did I know, he believed in me as I did in him.
I transitioned to a Bootcamp class and Kelley was the first to sign up. This is where he belonged, in a group… The Energizer… He is constantly motivating and spreading his wealth of energy and good vibe. Throw on some 70s music and you can’t stop him from singing and dancing. He is one of a kind.
He has been truly blessed in his life and he is a man with no ego but much humbleness. I am so fortunate to call him my friend. Here’s to you Kelley Pears… You are not invisible but a pure ray of sunshine.
Lots of love and respect…. Mitzi
I was raised with the notion that “you can do anything you put your mind to”. My parents were raised during the Great Depression and World War II. They were tough, hardworking people. The general belief was if you work hard enough, you can accomplish anything. I recall my father telling me the “two A’s of success are attitude and aptitude”. I found that I could outperform smarter, stronger and faster people if I just worked hard and kept a positive attitude. This philosophy paid off in many areas of my life, academics, athletics and business. This method emphasized the “I” or “me”. However, there were times when this philosophy failed me and may have been the biggest lie I was ever taught. There were times and situations in which no matter how hard I tried, I could not get through the storm. So, if the notion was success = hard work, and I was failing at something, the problem was ME.
Looking back, the things I am most proud of were accomplishments that took a great deal of time and effort, such as earning a doctorate, getting sober and running marathons.
But if I really look at how I accomplished those things, I was NEVER alone. It was NEVER just ME. I always had help and support. When training for marathons, we had a “run group”. We had specified times to meet and train. We helped each other during training runs, we called and supported one another between runs, and we pushed one another to get better. I can remember my first marathon, the Blue Angel Marathon, in Pensacola. I was at mile 17, and thought I was not going to make it. I was tired and was running into a strong head wind. I could hear Bob Seger singing “Against the Wind”, LOL. I distinctly remember PRAYING, asking GOD to help me through this…. to get me to the end. HE DID. Along the race route, there are people cheering and encouraging. There are other runners supporting and praising one another. And then I realized, GOD works through people, even broken people like me. The idea that God’s grace is “freely given”, and not earned, was hard for me to understand, because WORK was always a part of my formula for success. The constant through all my successes and failures was God, even if I was too arrogant to admit it at the time.
I’ve also learned that Mother Nature can be a ……. tough old bird. In the past, if I wanted to lose weight, I just ran a bit more or went to the gym an extra day a week. BALANCE has become more important. Like Melissa Hartwig said, “IT STARTS WITH FOOD”. I have to find a balance between what I eat, how much rest I get and varying my exercise routine. Moderation is not a “bad word”. (I used to think moderation meant you were weak and could not keep up).
Having an event to train for helps me establish goals. This helps build a community of success. The power is in the GROUP, not in me. The group builds in accountability, responsibility and a sense of belonging. For me, it creates a community for me to serve others. It is wonderful to see people grow and thrive. That’s what I love about running with a group or doing Bootcamp, we are a bunch of individuals who are stronger together than we are apart. The group is a “power greater than me”.
YANA, You Are Never Alone.
“Not that I have become perfect yet: I have not yet won, but I am still running to capture the prize for which Christ Jesus captured me” Philippians 3:12
Kelley P
