If there was a time for a theme song or a personal jingle – this would be it.  My first year of college is five weeks from completion, exams are creeping near, my husband is triathlon training, my toddler has nearly weaned, and Ottawa’s race is drawing closer.  When my older children were younger and I was lost in the midst of obtaining a degree – people would ask me how I managed. 
        “That’s easy,” I’d reply. “I’m supermom.”  You know; Faster than the loaded dishwasher, smarter than the average teddy bear, diaper pins up my sleeve and nary a runny nose in sight!

        This was repeated so often in fact that the standard joke was my university graduation gown was suppose to be the supermom costume.  Fate twisted that likelihood and I found myself rather obviously pregnant for my ceremony and try as I might, the tights wouldn’t fit.

        Upon my return to school I searched the back of my metaphorical closet looking once again for my trusty supermom cape.  It amazes me how much stubborn determination you can sap from a simple mindset.  Running added fuel to that fire and still carries me through the chaos and clutter.  Now when I feel the pre-test jitters, I hit the pavement; answering its call and seeking comfort in its grace. 

        Recently however, I seem to have lost my cape.  The extra push that used to permit my all night studying or immaculately spotless house has dissipated into acceptance.  I loved having my cake and eating it too.  And although the cake is still in my possession, now instead of devouring it whole, I only take the occasional nibble.  I have to say licking icing off my fingers is much more entertaining than suffering indigestion from eating the entire cake, candles and all.

        Running has empowered me with the strength to let go, to realise that not all factors are intrinsic, or controllable.  In a runners mind there is no perfect – there is only better, there is only next.  Constant improvement as a goal buffers you against change; it carries you through ignorance.  After all even a step taken towards your goal in which you tripped (on say a speed bump, lamppost, garbage bin, child’s forgotten toy, or EMPTY TIM HORTONS cup!) is still a step in the right direction.  I remember reading once that it is important to be passionately aware that you could be completely wrong.  This doesn’t make me feel like a failure, it just allows me the chance to appreciate my opportunity to try again – to be better. 

        For a few weeks before all of the above made sense in my mind, I went around my classes asking friends if they had seen my cape.  After a number of contemplative runs, just me and my shoes and the banter of guides around me; I realised this too was part of growing up.  I was seeking determination and strength from stubbornness – now my sources of inspiration stem from quiet moments lacing my shoes, from looks of pride in my children’s eyes and of course, from the love and support of my husband.

        In my final stage of this superhero envy equation there was a moment the other day when I was asked if I’d located my cape yet.  I explained that in my opinion, superheroes tended to be too destructive to their clothes (particularly those worn on top of their costumes, which always seem to be buttoned shirts).  So in my efforts to save the button industry, I’ve halted all rescue attempts for my cape and tights; and instead I’m rescuing myself.  As the cheesy saying goes, in order to make a dream come true, you must first have a dream.  I’m living my dream one step at a time.

I’ve talked about a couple people who really make a difference in our lives.  Some people really do believe in putting their money where their mouth is.

Introducing Esther Pauls.  I first met Esther a few years ago when I first decided to give this running thing a try.  She is a tiny tornado.  A whirlwind of activity.

She will tell you that she has been running for a number of years.  And that the running is the reason why she can eat pasta by the bowlful.  She is passionate about running.  And passionate about Hamilton.

She has been orgazinzing races for several years.  But she really had a chance to shine when she and Gord dreamed up the Road2Hope.  It is a marathon that takes place here in Hamilton in November.  It is a warm up to Around the Bay.

The first year I was fortunate enough to run the race, I signed on to do the 10 km race.  It was fascinating to watch Esther move from running group to running group, spreading the passion she has for running.

She did really well that first year.  But isn’t one to sit on her laurels and set out to make the next Road2Hope even better.  She tried to get a record set for the fastest marathon.  Her runners were well on their way, but Hamilton fought back and slowed the runners down with a really strong headwind at the end of the race. 

She didn’t get the record.  This time.  She did get her race voted as the most beautiful marathon.  With Hamilton  playing a starring role. 

So she is trying again this year.  And her optimism will be enough to get that record set. 

There will be a Road2Hope booth set up in the running expo for Around the Bay.  Come and check out Hamilton’s fastest marathon.  I’m excited to be able to meet people who are reading my bog.  The Gazelle says tell them you’ll sign autographs.  But it isn’t about me.  It’s about putting Hamilton in the forefront.  Come and see me on Friday at 3.

ME kindly brought these niceties home for me a month or so ago (before the Las Vegas trip) and there hasn’t been an opportunity to test drive them.  shhh… don’t jinx it. I’m certainly not complaining. I’ll gladly test them out next season :o)
hurray! spring is here! happy spring everyone!

I haven’t run since monday night soccer since I got sick with a nasty virus on tuesday. getting a bit itchy to get back out there. M-day (marathon day) is 36 days away. Around The Bay is 9 days away. those are some looming deadlines and I want to get the mileage in! hope to either spin or run tonight. if you’re lucky I might post a video of me coughing up a lung on the bike.

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the Great Tim Horton’s Roll Up The Rim Tally –  hoodie 5 : Tim Horton’s 13
(not many coffees as of late, been too sick!)
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Hello and i do believe that spring is in the air…

You know as runners we can often get a bad rap for hogging the sidewalks, running on the roads, taking over the trails…. and probably because often… we do just that…

We need to let the walkers, bikers and other runners know that although sometimes we are in a ZONE, and see nothing outside of our blinders, we are good, kind caring people and we can share the road, the trails and the sidewalks… so lets start spreading the good side of runners by doing just that… BE COURTEOUS to the people that use the same space that we use for our running excursions…

ALSO… as i was doing # 7 of 10 x 1km tempo runs, i thought to myself how lucky i am to be able to do this; i wasn’t having the time of my life, it was early, it was hard, and i was tired… but i WAS doing it and i COULD do it and it brought a smile to my face… When we meet other runners we often are met with narry a little nod, and i tell ya, nothing is more refreshing than a smile, a small hello, a gesture of the hand or even a little nod… WE are out there for the same reason, on the same day on the same turf and as we pass each other we really do need to smile and say hello… 

Even in a race, i can’t help but smile along the way, so many fellow runners, and volunteers and spectators… make the journey worth the destination and crack a smile as you go…

TOTB: Create a mantra, a slogan, a secret thought that keeps you going through the tough parts of training or especially in the race. It gets you focused, centred and mentally inspired to keep on pushing… it might even bring a smile to your face…

BOTB: I am the worst with names and most especially when i see a fellow runner pass by in a race or on a training route… so if i say hi Buddy, hey there, hello, Hey how are ya…. or even call out the wrong name… please forgive my sudden loss of memory or my jostled brain… i still really want to send you a smile and a hello even if your name is lost in the space between my ears…

Keep running and stay dry!!

I remember when I first decided to run Around the Bay, TFM sat me down and gave me several important words of wisdom

I was relieved that none of them had anything to do with clean underwear, that would have been just a bit awkward.  But what he did tell me still has meaning now, two years later.  So I thought I would share them with you.

The first Around the Bay road race that I did came a month after arthroscopic knee surgery.  If I look carefully now, I can still find two or three of the scars my surgeon was so good.  But I was still dealing with a knee that would talk back on occasion, so running a straight 5 km was out of the question.

I was going to do a run walk to get me from start to finish.  TFM said to me, when you run keep to the right side of the road.  And when you are going to stop, make sure you are as far over to the right as you can be.  It didn’t make sense at the time, but when I ran the race, people were passing all over the place. 

The other thing he said to me was it didn’t matter how many times I walked in the race, I needed to make sure that I ran across the finish line.  When I turned onto York Blvd. I knew the end was in sight, so I kept running past the time on my stop watch.  And when the camera guy caught me in his sights, I made sure I had the biggest smile my laboured breathing could muster.  Everyone in Copps Coliseum saw my silly grin,  which got even bigger when I crossed the line.

But the best thing he said to me was run my own race.  I still use that piece of advice to this day.  While others are fretting about their time, I figure any day I can put my runnings shoes on and lace them up, put one foot in front of the other is a good day.  It doesn’t matter what anyone else does, what does matter is what I do. 

So next Sunday I will keep to the right,  run across the finish line and will remember to smile the biggest smile I can when I see camera guy.  And keep true to myself.

Ok, so do what do you think happened to my legs after going out and running too fast for my own good last night???  Sure it helped my mind and cleared my head but and what cost!!  Let’s just say the old tree trunks are a little sore today!  Nothing major but I sure am glad I am not walking up a lot of stairs today!
I guess what I can take away from this is something I have known for a long time…..I am not running enough!  I am seriously hoping that this is going to improve next week.  I know what you are thinking, ‘here he goes again, making excuses and putting it off.’ It’s not true….honestly.  Yes I am going to list a few excuses here, but really they are not excuses they are reality.  I really have to be out of my house in a week.  I really have a lot of phone calls and packing to do before that time and I really can’t imagine getting up before 6:00am to run before the kids wake up. (That last one may make me seem lazy but I’m ok with that 🙂 )

Everything will be way more manageable next week as I am losing the main strain on my time, my family.  (That probably didn’t come out right and I will surely hear about it after my wife reads this…sorry Andrea 🙂 )  Anyway, we are homeless for a while after next Tuesday, my wife and kids are going away until our new home is completed and I am bunking in with a couple of very giving friends. (Thanks Jay and Tory 🙂 )

Let’s list some of the pro’s and con’s of this situation:

Con: I won’t get to see my family everyday

Con: I won’t get to read books to my son before bed

Con: No rough housing with my son

Con: There’s a chance my daughter will start crawling while they are away

Pro:  I am banking valuable sleep time

Pro:  No more kicks to the groin

Pro:  I can go for a beer with my friends whenever I want

Pro:  More time to get out and run  

I could probably go on and make a larger list but I would probably put my foot in my mouth a few times and then I may be homeless even when our house is done!

Seriously though if I am going to have to be without my family for a few weeks I am really going to make that extra effort to get out and run way more often.  That way when I need to go for a ‘speed run’ to clear my head and get out some frustrations the only thing that may be sore the next day is my back from being able to lay in bed as long as I want J  (sorry Andrea, I’ll miss you guys!)

My favourite running season is finally here!  Ice cream season.

I have run past my favourite Dairy Queen store for months now.  In the winter, they close it down.  Someone out there figured people didn’t want to eat ice cream in winter.

They obviously don’t run.  Otherwise they would know that sometimes after a particularly good run, you need to treat yourself.  Or sometimes after a bad run you need to treat yourself.  Or sometimes, you just need the motivation to get off the couch and out the door into the freezing cold.

Some of my other running friends use other methods to entice themselves out into the cold.  My friend Jim uses a nice glass of beer. 

Until I discovered ice cream, I would entice myself out into the warm and cold by telling myself, “OK, if you run for the next couple weeks in the (fill in the appropriate weather here) weather, you can go and buy yourself that really nice Brooks running jacket you have been eyeing.”

That worked until I ended up with a closet full of running stuff.  At least it wasn’t shoes I was bribing myself with.  I could be the Imelda Marcos of running shoes.

Some people might argue I already am.  My mother threatened to throw me and my shoes out if I brought anymore into the house.  I was left with sneaking them in.

I didn’t run tonight, but I figured since I was there anyway I might as well pick up an ice cream.  Make sure that the ice cream is still up to exacting standards.  I am happy to say that they are.

Besides that, I’m going running tomorrow.  Not that with Around the Bay so close, I needed the bribe.  That’s what I’m telling myself anyway.

The last run we did was at around -6 and the wet snow was slopping out from under our feet, some of it splashing up our legs and eventually our shoes sinking in an inch or two.  Today we ran at around 7am, the temperature already soaring to about 25 degrees.  As we ran the only thing was dust coming up from our footsteps.  The odd lizard scurried out of the way or stared at us lazily from a nearby wall.  My feet were small furnaces inside my socks and sneakers and the sweat was running freely everywhere!  My face was on fire.  The locals who passed us on the dusty road looked at us with pure disbelief, you could see their thoughts ‘crazy tourists!”  We ran past a beautiful cenote (water cave) which beconed us to jump in, we kept on going somehow.  The sides of the roads only offered us crispy mangroves to look at.  Finally as we reached ‘home’ we stripped of the running clothes, we were already organized with swimsuits underneath, and we ran into the sea which was pure bliss……..on this note I will store this run to one of those dreamy, hazy, memories, to spur me on when on my next run it is likely to be -6, wet sloppy snow, wet sneakers…………..this will be in my thoughts as I drink a cold corona with lime on the beach later today….