A few of my Favourite things…

My road to Boston is going well.  So far.  I can’t say that it is because of one major thing or another.  It is because of a huge assortment of ‘favourite things’ that make for a perfect Boston training recipe.  I know, I know, it is so early in my training to be talking about how great everything is, (those super looonnngg runs haven’t taken over my optimism yet) but I have decided that I need to be grateful (in print) for all of those favourite things, in an attempt to make the universe feel like it should keep all of these things going for me.

First, I have to be grateful for the littlest of my children.  If I didn’t have this maternity leave, my training would suffer, as would the time I could spend with my family.  I have decided that when I do go back to work, (timely, right before Boston) we are just going to become one of those families with a messy house, and piles of laundry.  Running can’t take a back-burner, the kids can’t take a back-burner, dinner certainly can’t, so vacuuming and tidying will take the brunt of it, I suppose.  So what.  I think my children prefer a messy house.  That must be the reason they get so many toys out all at once, right?!

I also am grateful for my bestest running buddy, Michelle.  We can’t make it out together every day, but on the days we do, it is like a running vacation.  Lots of chatting, no boredom.  Even the cruelest, ugliest running weather is more bearable with her.  She really deserves a shout out here, as she has been joining me for interval/tempo workouts that Nicole Stevenson has created for me–it is so nice to suffer this pain with a partner.  There.  It is now in print, so hopefully she will continue to join me!

Of course, the hubs is one of my favourites also.  Although we don’t really get to run together, he is in this with me.  He is Superman.  Really.

I love all of my friends and family that tell me they are excited for me.  Friends that ask me how my training is going, etc.  Being able to feel good about a training run when someone asks makes the next training run that much easier to handle.  I guess people call this concept, “support”.  It is so nice!

I would be lying if I said there weren’t tangible, actual “things” that I am grateful for too.  For starters, I love my new Gore-tex jacket from Adidas.  With the rainy/snowy/windy weather this month has thrown at us, I have felt so lucky to have a nice shell to hide behind.  I am sure everyone in my neighbourhood will be sick of seeing me in it by spring.  Other things I love…

– The new cup sizes at Tim Horton’s.  Super-human-sized XL?! oh, yes!  Not recommended for the small-bladdered, this cup makes the old XL look like a kiddy cup.  I have mine full of green tea, and I LOVE it!

– Seat Warmers, and Keyless entry to my car.  Meeting up for a group run is so easy to drive to when I don’t have to carry my keys, and easy to drive home from with a toasty seat!

– Chap Stick and Kleenex–and pockets to put them in!

I know there will be hard times ahead in this training.  There will be days when I want to cry find the runs a bit challenging, there will be days when my family wishes I had a different hobby, like, say, floor-washing, lego-building, or gourmet-cooking.  I am looking forward to all of the days that lay ahead, knowing I have my ‘favourite things’ with me.