The season usually starts in April, somewhere near Easter, definitely after most or all of the snow has melted.  It lasts through the spring, and you sometimes get stragglers here and there throughout the summer.  If you run in town, or otherwise cover a lot of suburban sidewalk, you might have guessed it:  hopscotch.

I’ve seen my fair share of hopscotch courts on my runs.  There are the traditional, 10-square schoolyard courts, not-so-traditional 10-square designs, and then there are the creative ones.  Usually decorated with chalk hearts, stars, initials, faces, and names, these courts vary in length and design.  One of my favourites was from last spring; it just went on and on, about 30 squares in total, each row progressively smaller and more crooked.  I’ve been known to hop through a court on a run from time to time, but I couldn’t have hopped through that one if I’d wanted to, given that whole rule about not touching the lines with your feet.

Last week, I saw my most challenging (and oddly hilarious) hopscotch court yet.  Each box (or set of two side by side boxes) was one panel of the sidewalk.  While this court gets an “A” for its perfectly straight lines and uniformity of box sizes, it could probably only be properly played by basketball players and circus performers.

Apparently hopscotch is serious stuff.  According to Internet rumour, it started out as a military exercise by the Romans in ancient Britain, with courts 100 yards long.  Soldiers would do the courses loaded with packs to improve their footwork.  It became a children’s game when kids, emulating the soldiers, made their own courts, and eventually, their own rules, and the game spread across Europe.   In more modern times, there is even a category in the Guinness World Records for fastest game of hopscotch.

That got me thinking: maybe there are some benefits to runners.  I mean, maybe runners don’t really need to focus on accuracy, per se – mercifully, the “in bounds” area is pretty large.  But it could be pretty good plyometrics,  don’t you think?  Maybe I should go for a run before it rains and washes away the last few courts!

I finally got to read Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr.

It originally came out in 1978, self-published and sold out of the trunk of the author’s car at running events.  It went out of print for years.  I scoured second-hand stores and used book sales thinking I might just get lucky and stumble across a copy that no one but a book dealer would realize was worth a lot.  And I do mean a lot.  I read that they were going on Ebay for over $300!

Described as a cult-classic for runners, I was feeling left out.  I started to think I would never get to read it!

Thankfully, a sequel called Again to Carthage was published, so the original was re-released in April of 2009.  I got Again to Carthage for my birthday last year, but patiently wanted to read the first one first.  After all, I didn’t want to miss any important character development and risk not “getting it.”

I won’t give a synopsis or link to the Wikipedia page because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet.  I will just say that it is worth a read.  The characters that stay with you through the whole story are very intense, yet very real.  I’ll admit, it kind of cracked me up that real-life runner Frank Shorter makes a brief appearance in the book; apparently he was friends with the author.

Interestingly, my experience reading it was much like a training cycle.  I picked up the book, hard cover and brand new, and it felt fresh and good in my hands.  It started off light, building to some more intense moments and some agonizing lows.   Just like race day, the climax came as nearly the last thing, only a few pages from the end, but it wasn’t over quickly.  Then it dropped off with just a short wrap up; not enough to leave you feeling let down by the ending.  And just like the days following a race, I felt spent, yet satisfied, with no intense need to pick up the sequel right away.  I rode out the high, just like in real-life.

Now that it’s over, and I have had time to process, I am just about ready to start the next one.  I’ll try to take it easy and not overtrain – er…read it too fast.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Yes, they’re ads for Brooks.

Yes, they’re downright silly.

But they made me smile, and really, who couldn’t use a smile?

Check out the Running Superfans channel on YouTube.

I’m runnin’ in the rain,
Just runnin’ in the rain!
What a glorious feeling, and I’m happy again!
I don’t know what it is about running in the rain.

From a young age, we’re somehow conditioned not to be out in the rain.  I mean, to a degree, I get it – when a teacher has 25 soaking wet 8 year-olds in a classroom with no dry clothes to change into, that’s a quick argument for indoor recess.  When I would stomp in the puddles then track into the house, I am sure I made a heck of a mess, but I really don’t remember because I wasn’t the one who had to clean it up!

But you can tell the conditioning is deep when you come in from running in the sprinkler because it is starting to rain.  Do you remember those occasions where you were encouraged to go out and play in the rain?  I do – first I wouldn’t quite believe it, but then I’d be giddy and want it to rain harder because I wasn’t getting soaked fast enough.

So maybe that’s why it is so liberating to run in the rain now.  When people drive by and look out their windows at me like I’ve lost my mind, I feel ever-so-slightly like I am doing something naughty, but also maybe just a little self-righteous.

“That’s right!  Serious athlete coming through!”

Of course, there are limits.  About an hour and a half into my long run in the rain a couple of weeks ago, I was starting to feel a little tired of being wet.  But we stuck it out – after all, it “builds character,” or so I’m told.

Here’s the thing:  coming home from a run soaking wet, where you can’t even step off the mat without dripping everywhere makes you appreciate the simple things.  When else are you so grateful for a dry towel, and a fresh, steaming cup coffee?

Having said that, I still love running in the rain – at least at this time of year.  It is invigorating, refreshing, and yes, liberating.

Quick tip:  if you take the insoles out of your wet shoes, and pack balled-up newspaper inside, they dry out pretty quick!

A few years ago, I was chatting with a friend who did some graduate studies somewhere in Eastern Europe.  She told me that one day she was out running on a trail when she heard gunshots and lots of shouting, and saw military personnel.  Everyone on the trail either hit the ground, or ducked and ran out of the area.  She never found out what happened but apparently it wasn’t all that uncommon.

Just one of the many reasons why I am fortunate to be able to say that I run in Canada.

• Where I can freely run out doors at any time of the day or night without curfew.
• Where as long as I follow the rules of common sense, I can run virtually without fear.
• Where there is an abundance of beautiful places in which to run, and no shortage of really nice people with whom to share the distance.
• Where the grossest water I’ve ever been handed to drink was from a fire hydrant, and while it was disgusting, I was safe in the knowledge that it wouldn’t kill me.
• Where if, touch wood, I ever wake up in hospital recovering from an accident or heatstroke, I won’t go into debt to get out.
• Where, despite not being equal in my ability to kick serious @$$, I am equal in my right to be at running events, wear what I like, and express my opinions.
• Where I run because I like it, not because I need to get away from anything.
• Where I am free to complain about the weather, even though it really is nothing to complain about most of the time.
• Where after a long run, I can pop open a cold one and it is damn good stuff.

Yes, it’s true.  I am proud to be Canadian, I am grateful to be Canadian, and I truly do live in the greatest country in the world.

Wow.  I am still in shock, oscillating between the nonchalance of disbelief and a crazy flutter of butterflies.

I had some positively stellar competition from Round 2’s Vicky & Grant, Terry McGillivray, Dana Menard and Tyler Chase, plus Dennis Crawford, Laura Hood, Jo Harding, Rhonda-Marie Avery and Laurie Sorensen from Round 1.  I am grateful that you shared your unique style and perspective with the iRun Nation, and my hat is off to all of you – I understand how much time, effort and creativity you’ve put in!   I could relate to each of you, and would love to kick back with you over a bagel after a long run!

Many thanks, of course, to iRun for offering this opportunity!  I was very excited to read about this contest; I was even more excited to have been selected to participate.  I was ecstatic when I made it to Round 2, and now, well, I am beside myself!

To all of you out there reading, a million thanks!  Without you I quite literally would not have made it.  Your support, encouragement and mouse clicks over the last 3 months are greatly appreciated.  I have come a long way, but I will tell you more about that some other time.

For now I will just say, to everyone, for everything, thanks.  I am not sure yet where I am going, but I am so truly grateful that you’ve chosen to join me on this journey!