Here in Halifax, we had a big snowstorm on Wednesday. And so yesterday I donned my toque and mitts and went for my first “winter” run of the season.

I loved it! The cold air, the freshness in the air that freshly fallen snow leaves behind, even the dark clouds. It made me feel all cozy inside.

It’s been about four winters now, that I’ve consistently run outside (as opposed to just hibernating and eating my way through winter) and every year, I love it more. Heat and sunscreen and humidity? No thanks! But some cold air, a damp toque at the end of a run and a hot bath? Yes please!!!

I’ve signed up for the Hypothermic Half and while I’ve been itching for a long-ish run, I didn’t have time this week. I’m planning on getting in some 15-20k runs through December.

(I’ve also been flirting with the idea of another marathon. Which is ridiculous since I am actually too busy to train for PEI or the Marathon by the Sea – even though I kind of want to. What about training but not aiming for a PB? to be honest, I don’t even know if I have that kind of relaxed attitude in me.)

Anyway, what about you? Is it cold and snowy where you are or still crazy mild? How are you keeping yourself on track this winter? Tell me all about it!

Jan Ditchfield(l) Shelley Ann Morris(m) and Robin Hardage(r) (Shelley Ann’s Guide)

By: Shelley Ann Morris

In July 2010, I wrote down a goal: in 2011 I would complete my first Sprint distance triathlon.

Getting involved with Won With One, Canada’s first Blind/Visually-impaired triathlon team, was the first step.  Previously, I’d done 5 and 10K runs and 17 CN Tower Stair Climbs.  My sister had just completed her first marathon—it was time for me to take on a new challenge, too.  Triathlon’s variety of swimming, biking and running appealed to me as it could help me to develop all-round fitness.  Through friends, I was introduced to Jan Ditchfield, the team’s Executive Director.  Before I knew it, I was part of this national family of triathletes.  Acceptance onto this team is not solely based on prior athleticism–a positive, can-do attitude is as mandatory as our tethers and bike helmets.  Our team is comprised of people with various degrees of vision and different athletic goals—some aspire to paralympic gold while others, like me, aspired to completing my first sprint distance.  We are united by a drive to compete in triathlon and to show the sighted world that a lack of vision need not mean a lack of participation.

In order to prepare well, I joined the Ottawa Triathlon Club’s Triathlon Training Program (TTP), which runs from January until August.  During the winter months we train on spinning bikes and then finish with some muscular strength and core exercises.  When the nicer weather comes, our sessions on the bike are followed by a ‘brick’ run outdoors with a strength and stretch component afterward.  We are also encouraged to join in the additional track workouts and open-water swims.  I also do some of my workouts at the Dovercourt Recreation Centre and some classes for blind/visually-impaired participants at the Jack Purcell Community Centre here in Ottawa.

Throughout the year, I prepare for the annual CN Tower Stair Climb in April and then a number of runs and triathlons from May until October. This year, I did my first Try-a-tri, 3 sprint distance triathlons and a number of 5 and 10K runs.

I have been very fortunate to always have wonderful guides without whom I could not participate.  Robyn Hardage is an experienced triathlete who completed her first half-iron distance this year.  She shared her passion for triathlon with me during our training sessions, the Try-a-tri, our first Sprint Distance in Peterborough and another at Sand Lake Ontario.  Guide and triathlete must work as one brain, two bodies.  Amber Lee Ficociello did a fantastic job guiding me in Kelowna B.C. –we worked really well in sync—quite an amazing feat as we live four provinces apart and had never met until one day before race day!  Our guides share their enthusiasm for the sport—without them, we would be forced to stay on the sidelines.  Thankfully my guides were experienced triathletes who taught me a lot–everything from riding a tandem bike to getting me out of my wet suit.  They were dealing with a real ‘newbie’ and did it so well.

My sister Colleen Bird was my first guide.  A runner, she encouraged me to take up the sport even when I complained “I can’t run!” She never let me say “Can’t!”  We ran our first 5K three years ago.  Our parents are so proud of us!  Our father ran marathons and is pleased to see that both his daughters are following quite literally in his footsteps.  George Hajecek is a volunteer in the blind/Visually-impaired fitness class—I introduced him to Won With One and he guided his first triathlete to a first-place victory in July 2011.  As sanctioned races disqualify mixed teams, George and I stick to running.  We have successfully completed three 10K runs this year.

In 2012, I look forward to competing in two compulsory competitions—K-town in Kingston, Ontario in July and the Sand Lake Triathlon at the end of August.  I will also do my share of runs, and an 18^th trip up the CN Tower stairs.

Jan Ditchfield and our other supporters work tirelessly to make sure that we can compete in triathlons all over North America—a challenge as there are numerous hurdles, creating athlete-guide pairs and having to constantly search for funding sources and sponsorships.  Jan is a true miracle worker–her passion and belief in our team is strongly evidenced by the many barriers she has broken down.  Our coach, Cathy Rober provides us with all kinds of practical tips and suggestions both on a team and an individual level.

Our participation calls for logistical expertise as moving large numbers of tandems, getting wetsuits and tethers, matching guides with athletes and informing race directors of our needs takes time, effort, patience, diplomacy, assertiveness and the ability to educate others. Triathlon can be an expensive sport, and the costs skyrocket when the accommodation needs of blind athletes are included. Jan and the team work with dogged determination to find funding and sponsorship sources, for which we are very grateful.

No triathlete is complete without the right gear.  I knew nothing about what to bring or what I should wear. Thankfully, more seasoned triathletes helped me with checklists and lots of phone calls and emails. Won With One helped me to get all that I needed, right down to my shoes.  We are thankful that Mizuno Canada supports us where athlete meets the ground—I know that the shoes make a big difference to our performance.

All athletes have said that being part of the Won with One Triathlon team has been ‘life-changing.’  Along with being a fitter, faster 49-year-old, I am doing things that one year ago were out of my realm of possibilities. I can now run hands-free while tethered on a treadmill.  Thanks to some coaching from a teammate, I am now using Facebook!

Along with running in on that home stretch, it’s a proud moment when the team–guides and athletes alike–ride in on our big tandem bikes en masse.  Everyone is looking at us as our trusty steeds are rather noticeable.  We are smiling proudly, saying “This is how WE roll!”

On December 31, 2010, iRun Award honouree Martin Parnell celebrated the year end by running a marathon – his 250^th of the year, the grand finale of his Marathon Quest 250 benefitting Right to Play.

This December 31, if you are in the neighbourhood of Cochrane, Alberta, you can join him once again on the Marathon Quest 250 Annual Run/Walk at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre for a marathon, half marathon, 10k, 5k or 2.5k – all consisting of 2.5-kilometre loops along the stunning Bow River.  Registration is simply a donation to Right to Play and anyone can join in the fun.  There’s only one aid station, but it’s the Guy’s Bakery Super Aid Station, and if you run the marathon, you will get to enjoy it 17 times.

If you can’t make it out, keep an eye on the Marathon Quest 250 website – Parnell is keeping it up to date with all of the details of his Quests for Kids – an undertaking involving 10 quests in five years, raising $1-million for Right to Play.  Quest 1 was, of course, Marathon Quest 250; Quest 2 was Netball Quest 61, a 61-hour game of netball, designed to break the Guinness Book of World Records time for longest continuous game of netball.  Each quest will be specifically designed to encourage kids to be active and to work towards that $1-million goal.

Rick Hellard is the head coach of Zone3sports in Ottawa, is a lifelong running addict and Mizuno fan. He’s also made or seen just about every mistake under the sun, making him a world-class expert in oops-prevention!

Check out Rick’s helpful Dynamic Stretching video:

I’m four weeks in to coaching the spring season of the Halifax chapter of Team in Training. It’s been…. amazing.

The first week was all excitement and buzz in the room before the run. There were nervous exclamations and tentative goals announced and breath huffed out into steamy puffs in the cold November air.

There have been some minor injuries, some discouraging runs, some heartfelt conversations about affirming goals. But most of all? There has been so much inspiration.

I watch them struggle and succeed. I read their Facebook statuses and I am constantly awed by these people. To say nothing of the reason they’re running, to say nothing of the insane amounts of money this group has pledged to raise, but to watch them start from scratch and promise to run a half-marathon, to run a full marathon. That is something I never, ever had the courage to do.

I’m cautious, terrified of failure, and so I step tentatively and quietly until I am sure that I am ready, sure that I will reach my goal. But these courageous people, who decide to train for very, very long distances without having run more than 5k or 10k or something even 2k. And they don’t do it quietly! They post it on Facebook and tell their friends and family. They do it loudly and for a reason.

I’m running for my grand-mother.
I’m running for my father.
I’m running for my wife.
For my child.
For my neighbour’s child.
I’m running for thanks, because we are healthy.

And they thank me, every week, for encouragement and support and advice. But what they don’t see, what I’m not really sure that they understand, is that I’m the one who should thank them.

For showing me how brave and beautiful people can be. For welcoming me into the place that makes tears spring to my eyes every Saturday – tears of thanks and of empathy. These wonderful, welcoming, people who are so willing to learn and train and make a difference in the world – they are amazing. And I am so, so lucky to know them.

The following is a guest post by Jeff Cooper who decided to commemorate Remembrance Day by running from 11:00 am until 11:00 pm.

______________________________

The number 11 has always had significant meaning in my life. When it was brought to my attention that 11/11/11 was also Remembrance Day, I just knew I had to do something special to commemorate this once in a lifetime opportunity.

The plan revolved around running because that’s our passion. So the idea for a 12 hour run was just a natural thing to do. With the support of my wife and friends, I planned the day. I would begin at 11:00 am and run until 11:00 pm doing a 10.5 mile loop into Sunnybrook Park. I would return back to the starting point at the Second Cup at Bayview and York Mills every 2 hours to make it easy for anyone who wanted to participate. Since we were planning to do 6 loops (100km), there was lots of time for people to come out and join in the fun.

There were 14 of us to begin the day at 11:00 plus 2 dogs that had a blast. The second loop at 1:00 had 7 of us and 1 dog and the third loop began at 3:00 and had eight runners and a new dog. At 5:00 it was dark so this changed things up a bit. Headlights and flashlights came out but that didn’t scare anyone away. In fact, we had 7 runners out for both 5:00 and 7:00. The final loop at 9:00, began with just 2 of us and another joined in along the way. This was very special because they had both already run earlier in the day and came back out just to help me get it done!!

When finished, I realized …hey, it’s not about me; it’s really about all the others!

In summary, the run went great! No major issues from anyone. Over 30 runners and 3 dogs participated and considering the forecast, the weather was better than expected. I felt pretty good for most of the run but definitely realized that I could not have done as well without all the fantastic help and support from the group.

SIMPLY AMAZING!

So, why running to Remember What’s Important…

I began adding this phrase to the end of my weekly emails to our group, The Ultimate Warriors, over a year ago and I’m still constantly being asked to explain what this means. However, it’s really for each person to decide for themselves.

For me, running just became a way to acknowledge so many things that I was fortunate enough to have in my life. After 6 surgeries in the last 6 years, I have become very appreciative of the fact that I can still be out there doing something that I love to do. My level of awareness, through running, has carried over into the rest of my life and most importantly, the people that are in it.

When I started running many years ago, I used to run to forget all the bad things… negative thoughts and feelings, stress, lousy days, failed relationships, etc… I know my focus changed after one of my many races, the Sunmart 50 miler in Texas, as I was already booked to have my spine fused 3 days later. I finished the race then cried my eyes out as I didn’t know if I would ever be able to run again.

Then it really hit me and I started to think about what was important to me.

My second revelation happened after my wife Iris started running. At Seaton Trail 52K, I was struggling and Iris caught up to me. She could have easily gone on to pass me but chose to stay with me. She has since done this a couple more times in races like Haliburton 100M where she could have won outright but chose to stay with someone struggling. Knowing how talented and competitive she is and seeing this from her had a profound effect on me. I found it very inspiring to once again be reminded, through her, to remember what’s important.

Hugs and kisses, deep conversations, holding hands, friendship, sharing intimate thoughts and feelings, love and affection, children, family celebrations, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, politics, employment, schools, hospitals, commercial activity, religious events, races, sporting events, returning phone calls, replying to emails. So what do all these very important things in our lives have in common?

They all touch, reach out to and involve other people!!

Yes, we all get caught up in the daily grind of our own personal lives. However we do not live in a vacuum. In some way, shape or form, we always need other people in our lives. We cannot survive without them. They should never be taken for granted. Never forget to appreciate, always take and make time for others, never forget to say thanks, always treat people with respect. There are always those who have less than we do, who are less fortunate than we are!

In summary, I ask …”when you look in the mirror, do you like who you see?”

Remember …

Whats …

Important …