Furry Inspiration . . .

The cast is gone, the crutches thrown away and the fracture boot is history! It’s been a couple of months since the incident and its time to consider running again. I have to admit, I’m anxious about it. I don’t know how long it takes a bone to heal. So I’m starting small. For the past week I’ve been going power pole to power pole; I started at three power poles and increased the distance one pole at a time until I got to seven last night.  Tonight I thought I’d be smart and go longer, this time down hill since I was increasing the length.

Just me and the dogs – it felt good – thirteen power poles! My ankle is a little tweaked though so I think it may have been too much. I’ll keep at it but I may cut it back to ten (maybe).

The short distances are so nice. You don’t get that ‘oh no, I’ve got to run 10km tonight’ feeling a few hours before hand. You look forward to it, knowing it will be over very quickly which makes it easy to do.

My motivation is my dogs, the way their little eyes shine and they get that spark in their step. They can tell from my actions when I’m going to break from a walk to a run without me saying a word. Its true its easier to run without them and I won’t take them out on hot days, or for long runs but I can’t deny them that half hour of pleasure. And the look of eager expectation they give me when we are done as I praise them for the good run we had is priceless.

Its good for us both. They are my furry inspiration . . . my little buddies, Pete & Zoe.

This ones for you!

Wanted . . . one good leg (or foot)!

The past twelve months have been a roller coaster ride where my running is concerned; so why should it change now.

I’m sidelined again, this time with a fractured ankle! I should have stopped when I tripped on the first pothole, but no, no, I had to shake it off, keep going until I hit the RIGHT pothole! That one sent me into a spin and a tumble, and 4 hours at the Cobequid Centre. Now here I am – a pair of crutches and a cast later -  wishing I had stopped at the first one.

Back on the Sidewalks!!

It’s been a full month since I started running again and I feel great. It’s a slow start but a start never-the-less.  I could really use some inspirational stories to keep me going!

I started with a plan that takes me to the Blue Nose 1/2 Marathon. It’s nice, it’s easy and it’s fun because I’ve thrown my dogs into the mix. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed running with them. If they could smile, I know they would, but the excitement in their quivering bodies when we’re done tells the tale. They love it as much as I do! Now I  just have to figure out how to keep the male (Pete) from getting all licentious afterwards (doesn’t he know he’s only 1/2 a male now)!

I’m not out of the game, I was just benched for awhile . . .

I trained 4 1/2 months for my first full marathon. It was daunting but exhilarating.

It had always been a goal of mine to run 42.2 km; a secret goal I suppose, you know . . . a goal you’re afraid to say out loud because you don’t really think you can do it. But now here I was . . . doing it, or at least training for it! I was impressed with myself. I wasn’t just talking about it anymore, I was no longer a procrastinator . . . I was a ‘doer’, an achiever . . . a success. I was going to run the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I imagined the race kit was going to be awesome with all kinds of wonderful goodies in it.  I was going to sit in a restaurant with my running buddies after the race and share our tales of the marathon.

They were the beautiful, happy, shiny people who resembled graceful gazelles in the wild!

I was never one of those children who were athletic or who were picked for teams in gym class. I was clumsy and considered myself to be athletically challenged.  I was overweight as a child, teen and remain so as an adult. Running was never on my agenda. I had the stereotypical impression that running was a thin or fit person activity, and I would never be part of that elite sorority. Those people were out of my league. They were the beautiful, happy shiny people who resembled graceful gazelles in the wild. Me? I could barely get up the stairs or off the couch without being short of breath.

Her body was screaming at her to end it . . .

Nancy McNeil has completed distances of up to 21 kilometres but she’ll tell you her proudest moment was crossing the finish line in her first 5k run.  Why? Because it was personal, because it was something she thought she couldn’t do.

Ten years ago Nancy McNeil was on the otherside of middle age, 45 pounds overweight and tired all the time. She decided she’d done enough complaining, it was time to do something about it. Nancy hired a personal trainer. Her trainer told her ‘Do it for yourself, not your husband, not your family . . . do it for you’.

It is part of who I am, and who I want to be . . .

For three of the years that I ran in the Enfield Penguins Road Race (the 5k) I chased an older woman with white hair. She beat me the first year and I vowed revenge; after all, everybody has a bad race – obviously this was the case here. She was about twenty or so years older than me, there was no way she would beat me on a good day.