Best Day Ever!

I have long awaited for this day. I knew there was a good chance it was going to happen this year, but I've been disappointed before. I didn't want to get my hopes up too high! So I'm sure that's why I was feeling nervous. Was this really happening?!?

You may think I'm talking about falling in love or a marriage proposal or maybe even getting pregnant? Nope.

MY CHIEFS ARE IN THE SUPER BOWL!!!!

For longtime fans of the Chiefs Kingdom, Sunday, January 19 was the best day ever! The last time the Chiefs were in the Super Bowl was Super Bowl IV. It's taken 50 years, my entire lifetime and then some, to get to this moment. So yeah, I'm very excited!

I remember in 1986 the Chiefs had their first playoff berth since 1971, and my dad was getting excited. I learned right then that if I wanted to hang out with my dad, I better start watching the games with him. But it wasn't until 1989 when I became a real Chiefs fan. Marty Schottenheimer became the head coach that year. Steve DeBerg was quarterback. Neil Smith and Derrick Thomas were tearing it up on defense. Tim Grunhard, Dave Szott, and Christian Okoye were names I heard often. It was a fun team and hopes were high. But we fell short time and time again. We came close in 1993 with Joe Montana as our quarterback, but lost to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game.

From 2003 - 2017, we made the playoffs 7 times and only won 1 post-season game. Fans were convinced our team was cursed in the playoffs and with good reason! But I remained faithful as a fan and watched them every Sunday. My son, who was born in 2001, watched with me. He learned early how hard it is to be a Chiefs fan. But still we watched, sometimes to the bitter end. 2013 was exceptionally bitter. The Colts were trailing 38–10 after half. Indianapolis scored 35 second half points to overcome a 28-point deficit to win, 45–44, in one of the biggest comeback victories in NFL postseason history. Yes, it has been VERY hard to be a Chiefs fan.

But we all felt the momentum start to shift when Patrick Mahomes became our quarterback. We were one play away, just 4 inches even, from winning the AFC championship game last year. Heart-breaker!! The campaign to go all the way started at that very moment - with the team and the fans.

Everything started to line-up perfectly this year. We won the AFC West for the fourth year in a row. We got a first-round bye as the two-seed for the second year in a row. We launched our own comeback victory by scoring 28 points in the 2nd quarter to beat the Texans 51-31. And since the 6th seed Titans eliminated the 1st seed Ravens, we played the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead. And we won. WE WON!!! We finally slayed our playoff dragons. The Lamar Hunt Trophy now resides at Arrowhead.

Super Bowl 54 is going to be exciting! Chiefs vs. 49ers. My son and I will be watching with my dad. He's the reason that I am, and always will be, a Chiefs fan. I can't think of anywhere else that I'd rather be to watch the game.

So tell me.... How 'bout those CHIEFS!?!?!?!?!

#ThanksGP

It's the end of an era.

Coach Gary Pinkel resigned as head football coach of the Mizzou Tigers a few weeks ago due to health reasons. The team played inspired for their coach on November 14 at Arrowhead against BYU. But the last two games were very typical of this lackluster season ending with a loss to rival Arkansas on November 27. Final record of 5-7. We were invited to a bowl game (yes, even with a losing record) but declined because we're in the middle of a coaching search. Season done.

This is definitely not how I thought the season would go. And I'm sure it's definitely NOT how Coach Pinkel thought his last season would go. But I'm not going to remember him for this season. Not at all. Do you know why?

I remember when the Tigers always had a losing season. Bob Stull was the head coach when I was a student at Mizzou. We were lucky if we had one win. Larry Smith was the next coach. He wasn't much better, but we did have two winning seasons. We went to the Holiday Bowl in 1997 and the Insight.com Bowl in 1998 under his watch. That was pretty exciting and new. Bowl games were not a regular thing. They were a gift.

Gary Pinkel was hired in 2000. His first few seasons were really rough. It probably wasn't until 2005 when we won the Independence Bowl against South Carolina that Mizzou football became exciting.

Winning seasons became a regular thing and bowl games were expected....which is why this season is so bittersweet.

But I remember...

• beating Nebraska in 2003 for the first time in 24 years.
• being the number 1 team in the nation!
• playing back to back Big 12 Championships (and I went to both games).
• our team becoming the "Beast from the East" of the SEC.
• remember earning that title again!

Coach Pinkel put Mizzou football on the map. He has the most wins as a coach of all time earning that with the Cotton Bowl victory in 2014. When I watch Monday Night Football, I look forward to hearing NFL players say they went to the University of Missouri. You make me proud as a football fan and fellow tiger.

Thank you, Coach, for all of the memories you have provided for me and my family. You're the only coach my kids have ever known. You are Mizzou football to them. Your many accomplishments will remain in our hearts forever.

With every ending there is a new beginning! Thank you for bringing Barry Odom back to Mizzou! You know, you kinda hand-picked your successor. How cool is that? Now that the new coach has been named, I'm looking forward to the future. Go Tigers!

"And a bully for ol' Mizzou!"

Twas The Night Before Kickoff 2014

A couple of years ago, I wrote this poem to commemorate Mizzou's inaugural season in the SEC. I made a little update for 2014.

Twas the night before kickoff and in every house
not a fan was sleeping, just ask their spouse.

The coolers were packed full of bratwurst and beer.
It's almost September and football is here.

We're choosing our outfits, our black and our gold,
I swear this excitement will never get old.

The buses will stop, the team will unload.
They'll be fired up, ready to explode.

On Sasser! On Murphy! On Ray and Mauk!
On Golden! On Boehm! We're ready to rock!

The cannon will fire, the band starts to play,
the stands will be full, it's finally game day!

Every True Son exclaims all through The Zou
Fight Tigers, Fight for ol' Mizzou! 

College Colors Day!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! It's the day before the first football game. Campus is full of excited students. Everyone is wearing black and gold for College Colors Day. Mizzou is full of team spirit, and I love it! Football season is finally HERE!

To celebrate, I'm in black and gold from my head to my toes. Literally!

And my office mates and I entered a door decorating contest sponsored by the MU Staff Advisory Council. I had college flashbacks of pomping floats. I think it turned out great! Now if we can just preserve it for the rest of the year. And hopefully we'll win the prize! Voting will start on Monday on Facebook!

Mizzou-RAH!

Rivalry Run 2014

It's that time of year again! The fifth annual Rivalry Run was held in downtown Kansas City on August 16. Missouri and Kansas has had a long rivalry that has existed since the Civil War. I will always love to hate Kansas. So whenever there is a chance to beat up on them, I'm there.

For this run, each registration earns a point for your state. The top three finishers in each age group earns points. The overall finishers will earn points. And fundraising dollars for the Domestic Violence Protection Services Agency earns points as well. The first two years, Missouri was the winner. The last two years, Kansas has taken the cup. Will Missouri win it back and break the tie?

Even though Missouri had more participants, there sure was a lot of blue.

This year I also registered my son. It would be his first competition 5K. He ran last year without a bib and did very well, so this year he ran as a participant. And he did awesome! Look at that time!

He was disappointed with coming in 4th in his age group. So close to a medal! But that only fueled his desire to try harder next time. We're considering doing the Komen Race for the Cure in Columbia on October 4th. Plenty of time to train between now and then. 

And I'm happy to report that Missouri WON the cup. We smoked them 556 - 487. 

Until next time! Mizzou-RAH!

July 100 Miles Challenge #July100miles

Am I crazy or what?

I joined this challenge on Facebook sponsored by ilovetorun.org. The challenge was to run (or walk) 100 miles during the month of July. When you average that out over 31 days (thank you extra day in July), it is a little over 3.2 miles per day. That's doable. I joined knowing I probably wouldn't be able to run all of the 100 miles. I do love to run, but my knees don't love to run as much as my mind does. I told myself I'd run as much as I could and walk on the days I just felt like I couldn't.

I needed a fitness refresh, and this challenge was a great motivator. Plus, it taught me a few things along the way.

1. Morning workouts ROCK!  If you know me, you know I'm not really a morning person. I'm more of a mid-morning person. My favorite time to exercise is around 7:30 a.m. after I'm fully awake. During the work week I try my best to get my butt out the door by 6:30 a.m. Doesn't always happen, but when it does, I feel so much better. My metabolism is off to a great start, and I'm full of energy. Getting started is the hardest part. 

2. I love my Fitbit!  I should say I've been tracking my miles via my Fitbit. This may seem like "cheating" to some because I wear my Fitbit all day. If you don't know what a Fitbit is, it's a tracking device that records every step I take and adds those steps into a mile total for the day. I say... it's not cheating; I'm being smart. I'm tracking my activity (or inactivity), and everything should count. And I'm really close to reaching 500,000 steps. If I could complete 100 miles this month, I'll have met that milestone. Midway through the month, I hit 50 miles total. YES! Right on schedule.

3. It's all about attitude. But towards the end of the month, work was a lot busier and my activity level started to decline. After July 28th, I had completed 85 miles. That's only 5 miles per day, but more than my usual daily average of 3.2. My daily average the week of July 21 - 27 was only 2.55 miles. Ugh! Where was my momentum? Where was my drive? I was struggling with my knees, busy with family obligations, and making too many excuses and not enough time for me. I started to get a little nervous and wondered if I was going to make it to 100 miles by July 31.

And then I saw this....

Yes. This is MY challenge. I will not fail. This is MY journey, and no one else's. I will do this. I WILL reach 100 miles by the end of July! I found my positive attitude and kept going.

4. Self-discipline will get you there! I logged over 15 miles in the last three days. I met my goal of 500,000 steps and... I completed 101.47 miles this month! Set you goal. Don't lose hope. You will get there.

Proud? You bet I am.  Now beer me.

'Tis the Night Before The Championship

On the eve of the SEC Championship game, I felt inspired to write about it. It's been an incredible ride this year! I couldn't be more proud of my team. Mizzou-rah!

'Tis the night before the championship and all through Mizzou Nation.
The fans are not sleeping, we're full of elation!

Our black and our gold is ready to wear;
And our hearts are in Atlanta (man, I wish I was there).

All through the media there has been such a clatter!
I flipped on the TV to see what was the matter.

We've had quite a season and shocked quite a few
Last year was depressing, conference winnings just two.

But we've won the SEC East and oh, so much more.
We've earned their respect, our team can't be ignored.

"Now Franklin, Now Josey, Now Sam and Bonner!
On Wilson, On Copeland, On Washington, and Ponder!

Go DGB, Sasser, Sam and Gaines!
And don't forget Pinkel!" the fans all exclaim.

We're in this together, everyone is with you.
So go and fight Tigers, fight for ol' Mizzou!

Rivalry Run 5K 2013

The rivalry between kansas and Missouri has existed since before the Civil War. Even though the landscape has changed with kU and Mizzou in different NCAA conferences, the rivalry has not. I was raised to hate the kansas jayhawks (not a typo, I never capitalize kansas), and I'm raising my kids that way too. It's a competition kind of hate, mind you. So any time there is a mechanism in which I can participate in this competition, I am sooooo there.

August 17th was The Rivalry Run in downtown Kansas City. This was the fourth year for the race and the second year for me. This year I brought my twelve year-old son along as a last minute decision. He's been wanting to try a race, and so I asked him if he wanted to join me this year. He did GREAT! Based on his time, he would have placed third in his age group. I'm definitely registering him for the next one. This was the longest distance he's ever run, so we weren't sure how he would do. He just blew me away... He told me he liked running with a group of people and looks forward to the next one. A runner in the making!

I did fairly well. I must admit that I've been pretty lazy with my running lately, so I knew I would be slow. My goal was to run under 40 minutes, and I did that. I crossed the finish at 39:00. My son was there at the finish line cheering me on. That was the best part.

The next race will be the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on October 12 in Columbia. My daughter would like to run this one. We're going to start training together this week. Soon we'll be a family of runners!

I'm very proud of my kids wanting to participate in these races. Not only is it great exercise, but it's building their self-esteem. It's a great feeling of accomplishment when you cross the finish line.

06.01.13 B is for...

BLUE!!!

I went to The Color Run in Kansas City today. It was a total BLAST!

Perfect weather and such a fun atmosphere. It's not timed, so everyone is relaxed and just has fun!

It really IS the happiest 5K on the planet!

I will be doing this one again.

05.11.13 A Smile

I'm smiling because I made my goal!

I ran a 5K this morning for Girls on the Run. My goal was to run it under 35. I've been steadily increasing my pace and getting a little faster. Well, today was the day. I made my goal! 34'38"!!! I placed third in my age group!  (Edit: that was the time on my iPod. My "official" time was 35'09" which was the same as the gun time... so, I'm going with my time.)

That's reason to smile, don't you think?

Perfect morning for a run. Just under 60 degrees and sunny. Plenty of people smiling!

04.13.13 View From Your Bed

We've had several versions of this prompt before, but I don't choose the daily theme. So here's another view of my bedroom...

Yep that's a mirror. Where am I you ask? See that little black sliver above the pillow? That's the top edge of my phone... and my camera. I'm hidden under the blankets. I love sleeping in on Saturdays. 

I had to motivate myself eventually. Krista had a soccer game today. They played hard but didn't win. Lost 7-0. She was fine with it though. And I got some great shots of her playing.

03.23.13 What I Do For Fun

Watch sports! I especially enjoy watching my kids play.

Brandon's basketball season came to a close last night with the Show-Me State tournament. They won 2 of their 3 games. They canceled the games for Sunday due to the weather report (snow!). We'll find out soon where they placed and if he'll receive a medal.

I am so proud of his team. They went 8-2 in their last three tournaments. They improved so much over the season! He really improved his skills and is quite the little ball handler! They were very fun to watch.

Krista's soccer season starts in April so we'll switch our focus on her. She's very excited to get started. I hope the weather warms up soon!!!

03.16.13 9 O'clock

I ran a 5K race today for St. Patrick's Day. Start time 8:00 this morning. It was 45 degrees, which is actually perfect running weather, but the wind... brrrr. Waiting for the starting gun was kinda brutal! Still, I had a fantastic run. My knee has been bothering me a little and didn't do much training the past couple of weeks. So I set a goal to run it under 40 minutes.

I shattered my goal.

My chip time was 37:50!  I am so proud of myself.  25th in my age group out of 40 runners.

322

Cheri Marks

Columbia MO

40

25 F 40-44

37:50.4

38:06.9

12:17/M

The next goal will be to run under 35. I am planning to sign up for a 5K in May. 

So at 9 o'clock this morning, I was riding home, eating a banana, and smiling.

Out and About

My son has been playing in a basketball tournament in Linn, Missouri this month (three weekends of games). Today was the second weekend, so that's where we were out and about today.

They have lost the first game and won the second game both weekends. The first team has been bigger, stronger, and better coached. It's been a really good experience for them. For some of the boys, including my son, this is the first time they've played on a basketball team. And my son is playing with 7th and 8th graders. He's only in the 6th grade.

Next weekend is the last weekend for the tournament. My hope it that he walks away with his head held high knowing he played his best. 

Big

Around Columbia, there are tigers everywhere. Especially on campus. This is the Mizzou Athletic Training Complex on Stadium.

I'd like my windows to look like that.

I also want to say what a BIG disappointment the football season was this year. Our 7 year bowl eligibility streak snapped! We were slammed with injuries and a new tough conference in the SEC. Hopefully we have learned something this year and can move forward to 2013. 

We still have basketball season to look forward to. So far, they've looked pretty good. Still have a lot of team building to do - working together on the court. We have time for that.

But through it all... I will still remain a BIG fan.  Go Tigers!

Happened This Weekend

That's the word (or phrase) of the day. It was a good weekend for the most part as most weekends are. The weather was perfect. The kids behaved. I got to relax and have a little fun. There were definitely some good parts, but there were also some not so good parts. First the good part.

This, my friends, was the highlight....The final movie of the Twilight Saga was released this weekend, and I went to see it today. I have one word to describe it... 

AMAZING! I loved it! Great way to end the series. I don't want to spoil it for any of the fans, so I'll just say go see it before you hear anything about it! Seriously.

OK, now for the not so good part. It was the black out game and Senior Night at The Zou against Syracuse on Saturday. Sounds like a perfect way to end the home football schedule with a non-conference win, right? 

Oh, I wish that's how the story ends. We started out looking really good. DGB had a big return for a touchdown, and Jimmie Hunt also scored in the first quarter. Our defense was looking pretty strong too. We were ahead at half-time 17-10. I wasn't completely comfortable with their performance, but I thought we could pull out a win. The second half though was a lot of punts, lackluster defense, and ended with a heartbreaking loss. Syracuse scored the winning touchdown with 20 seconds remaining. Final score was 31-27. We watched our bowl hopes slip through our fingers. Black Out now had a new meaning... mourning the end of the football season. 

But here's another good part to the weekend. Half-time was probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen. It was "Salute to Veterans" night, and we were in for a real treat. The United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team made their first appearance at Faurot Field. A spark of golden fire lit the sky as they descended onto the field one by one. The cheers grew as each one tip-toed to a stop. Very cool.

It's been a tough first year in the SEC. We did win two conference games. I'll hold on to those shining moments, but I wish the season could have ended differently. I know we have one more game, but it's away at Texas A&M. We've seen what the Aggies have done so far this year. I really don't see us marching into College Station and pulling out an upset. It could happen but highly unlikely. 

So, those are some of the highlights and low lights of my weekend.  Not bad, overall, and it's still not over. How was your weekend?

Photo a Day 27. Morning

Today was an EARLY morning.

It's Mizzou Homecoming day, and the game kickoff was at 11:00 am. Yikes! Morning tailgates are tough... and cold... but I still enjoyed a Bloody Mary (or two).

But the sun was shining, and it was warm inside the stadium. The Tigers played well, and we came away with our first SEC victory against Kentucky 33-10!

Photo a Day 22. In Your Town

In my life, I have lived in only two places... my hometown of Orrick and my current home of Columbia, Missouri. I left Orrick to attend college at the University of Missouri and stayed here after graduation.

And I don't regret that decision at all.

Columbia, Missouri is where I work, where I met my husband, where I am raising my family, and where I call home. It's a great place to live. It's the fifth largest city in Missouri, so not too big and not too small. We are well educated, over half of the population has a bachelor's degree. It's a college town, so there is always something do. And it's in the mid-west. The people are friendly, you can watch the seasons change, and it's fairly inexpensive. I love it here.

Autumn on the Quad - University of Missouri

And it's the home of my Missouri Tigers!!! This week is Homecoming. I hope to see a lot of our alumni COME HOME and cheer on the Tigers this week. Go MIZZOU!!!

Photo a Day 13. Landscape & Black and Gold Run!

This morning I participated in the first Black and Gold Run in Columbia. It was a fun way to start the day. This was the landscape of Peace Park on Mizzou's campus before the run....

The course was two miles long that took us through downtown Columbia and parts of campus. There were two color stations along the way where they would toss gold powder on us. There was plenty of color tossing before the run also!

I ran with a co-worker of mine, her sister and her friend. We had a total blast! Here's our before and after...

Definitely doing this again next year!!!

Mizzou Madness

Basketball fan day! Let the madness begin!

I am so excited for this basketball team. The talent gives me goosebumps. First, let me say the slam dunk contest was pretty cool... but Keion Bell.... Wow. He did a power leap over six, that's right, SIX people to  win it!

Check out this pic from Steve Goldberg @SG_Mizzou15 that I found on Twitter....

Here's a video of the dunk I found on Telly. You gotta watch it.

The women's team was fun to watch. I will definitely catch some of their games. It's a very young team but very fast paced.

The men's team, of course, was phenomenal. Led by a couple of familiar faces... Michael Dixon and Phil Pressey. And Laurence Bowers is back. He had a warm reception. Then a few new faces appeared.

There are some new names to learn.... like Bell, Brown, Ross, Oriakhi, Criswell... 

....but we'll know them, and the whole country will know them, soon enough!  

Faith in Haith!

MIZ!!!