Marvelous March

How marvelous life can be when you fill your days with that which brings joy to your heart, when you surround yourself with people who make you laugh and when you can find it within yourself to smile even at the least little things.

March came in like a lamb and is going out like a gentle lion! From the beginning to the end and the whole in-between, my March leaves me with a wealth of wonderful memories!

Thankful It Was Only 12km Today

Today's Easy Taper Run

An Out & Back

12km

-8 Degrees Celcius

Snowy, Cold, Cloudy

No easy taper run, it was a trudge in the snow!

Slip Sliding Away

I’m sitting at the far end in the back sideways seat on the bus and he’s (that passenger) sitting at the opposite end on the same side leaving space between us for two people. I see that passenger each day when he boards my bus. We just smile and then go about our business of reading and listening to music.

Today wasn’t any different except for an added touch! Me touching him! Not purposely and I had no control over it. You see, today wasn’t any different except that a triple threat was present....break pedal happy driver, polished bus seats, my shiny black coat! Oh what a trio!

With the bus three quarters full, still the space between me and that passenger, I put on a show! It was not my choice to do so! With a quick heavy foot to the break pedal by the driver, in one swosh and a blink of the eye, I slid from where I was sitting all the way along the sideways seat, feet in the air, still holding onto my book with one hand and trying to stop myself with the other, landing tight up against that passenger and leaning over into his lap. As I straighten back up and begin to slide back to where I was seated, I look at him, we smile and say "hi" to each other! He chuckled! I believe he got his jollies out of my show! I look around only to see that my "slip sliding away" brought jolly to pretty well everyone sitting at the back of the bus! I sensed my face matched the color of the red piping on my shiny black coat!

I have not seen that passenger since but I will be curious to see if he chooses a seat where there is jolly possibilities!

Hop-A-long! Run-A-long!

Today's Easter Run

Senior's Home and Return

16 km

-5 Degrees Celcius (No Way)

Cloudy, Cold

Let the bunnies do the hopping-a-long!

Today's View

Today, standing on top of Nose Hill in the middle of Calgary, I look to the west and this is my view!

Clear blue sky

Snow covered mountain peaks

Canada Olympic Park

Wind blown grass

Living in the Now !

That’s what today was all about! Not yesterday or last year, not tomorrow or next year....but today, the present, the now!

This Good Friday, late in the season snowshoe was about opening our senses to allow them to be stimulated by exactly what was surrounding us at today’s moments in time. There can be so much more then just getting to the planned destination. We always knew this, but because today an extra effort was made to be aware, the journey along the way fulfilled an even inner sixth sense!

The snow covered mountains surrounding us never cease to amaze me and leave me speechless. Pictures and verbal or written descriptions never do the Rockies justice. One actually has to be there where you can even hear the mountains. Listen closely and you know spring has sprung as the birds chirp their happy tunes for you. We hear the sound of planes in the far distant sky taking everyday people to far off places where they can feel a tropical sun on their faces instead of our warm winter sun that reflects off the snow.

Breathe in the fresh air! The winter-fresh scent fills the air exuding from the bright green trees that line the trail and from the young treelings that are now peeking above the sparkly snow in the alpine meadows. You know it’s spring too, a drift of smoke passes by as it is brought in by the warm dry gentle breeze.

The touch on the bottom of our feet as we trek along tells us that soon it will be time for hiking boots instead of snowshoe boots. The feel of the crystalized compacted snow is firm, not allowing that walking on clouds feeling and adding a sound that can distract from peacefulness.

Around noon, it’s time for a well deserved sit down break, feeling a cool breeze on our back and the warm hot sun on our face. Hot chocolate, sea salt malt vinegar chips, bright orange carrots, nuts raisins smarties mixture, turkey and ham on buns that appeal, crackers, cookies, and don’t forget Easter eggs and jellybeans. So many textures and flavours to tantalize the taste buds and the tongue. As we relax with an awesome view to the front, tall trees to protect from the back, we savour our lunch, we feel the sun turn our white to pink and share our stories, thoughts and feelings.

Today was an accomplishment. By living in the now, you have the opportunity to see, hear, touch, taste and smell, so much so, that it removes you from yesterday and tomorrow. Your senses take you away from cares and worries and stresses! Today left me with the feeling that I just want to shout out loud "Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Happy Everything!"

New Day New Race New Training

With my first race (10km) of the year now history, it’s time to....BAM, kick it up a notch!

My next race is looming! It’s the Police Half-Marathon on Sunday April 27th. Now the training gets serious with longer long runs, include some pyramid hill repeats and adding a touch (just a touch) of speed work. The timing is right with warmer weekend mornings, clearer pathways and lighter later in the evenings. No excuses!

This will be my fourth Police Half-Marathon but my first where I will receive a medal. This is my redemption for the previous three I ran when it was believed that everything that was put into training to be able to cross the finishing line of a half-marathon race was not worthy of a medal.

It’s time! I feel good! I feel strong! I feel ready!

Pot of Gold at End of My Rainbow

It’s all relative what your rainbow is and what you consider a pot of gold! The luck of the Irish shone upon me a day early.

My rainbow was the 10km race route for today’s St. Patrick’s Day Run. It was my first race of the year and was everything I had hoped for except for the south side pathway conditions! Ice skates would be the order of the day for that section.

The morning was shared with my three close friends plus my large extended family of runners. It all started with the 10 second countdown being announced from the Hawks Helicopter which was hoovering overhead. With the early on footing conditions, I had to come to peace with myself that this would be a very slow race. Somewhere, though, along the way, I must have attracted a leprechaun, grew a four leaf clover, and kissed the blarney stone because my finishing time was 9 minutes less than my original goal. I had nothing left to give as I crossed the finish line with my arms in the air, in my victory!

Myself, along with my three close friends had our own goals to accomplish today and we all came away victorious. The glow on the cheeks and the big smiles told me that. We each had different stories to tell. That luck that comes with St. Patrick’s Day sat at our table, two of us were draw prize winners.

I am not Irish, but I sure felt their luck today!

Embarrassing Episode

Mortified! Embarrassed! I was! He was!

A planned personal product purchase part way through the PM.

In other words, I wanted to go to the Bay to buy some new intimate apparel. Because this is such a private personal thing, my preference is to go mid afternoon when the rest of the downtown folk are not shopping there. So today, I carried out that plan. Part of it anyway. At least I got there but came back empty handed.

I’m standing there checking out a certain item by holding it up to me for size. I look down to see how it would fit and as I look back up, there beside me holding a similar item, is a male co-worker. I look at him shocked, he looks at me shocked, I say "OH SH__ I am so embarrassed I am out of here!" I drop the item and hi-tail it out of there so quick I can’t get away fast enough! As I am scurrying away, he yells out "but it’s my wife’s birthday!" He yelled it as if from the look on my face maybe he needed to justify why he was holding that specific item.

Mortified and embarrassed we both were!

The Run Fun

For me, that’s what it’s all about! The fun! Well, mostly that is what it is about. I can be competitive within myself, so a very small percent is not for the fun of it. The "run fun" comes this Sunday. I have missed it. My last "run fun" was at the Hallowe’en Howl. It’s like an addiction, and I am craving "run fun"!

The "run fun" all starts with race pack pick-up. The feeling of anticipation of what may be in the pack and what the shirt will look like this year and praying you ordered the right size this time. After 10 years of running, I still don’t have that down to a science yet. Then comes the need to set a time to meet at somebody’s house and deciding who will drive. Pinning on the race bib and taking pre-race photos is all part of the routine.

At the start of the race, you may not know a single soul, but you feel you are amongst your large extended family members. There’s lots of chitter chatter and nervous energy surrounds you. It’s exciting! Finally, the gun goes off or the horn blows and away we go. Eventually getting into your groove and going with it. Before you know it, the race is over. Well, the 5km or 10km races have that feeling! Crossing the finish line with a sense of accomplishment and a pat on the back, even if it was not the fastest time, it’s all about the "run fun" anyway.

Time for race review, treats and coffee. Everyone is on a "runners’ high" all talking at once. Another part of the "run fun" routine is post-race photos showing all with glowing cheeks and big smiles. Once again, anticipation.....this time though, will I be the winner of a draw prize?

After the celebrating is over and we are parting ways, the conversation revolves around the next opportunity for "run fun"! It can’t come soon enough for us!

Tremendous Training Today

Today's Run

Beyond Edworthy

16 km

+3 Degrees Celcius

Sunshine, No Wind

My stars were aligned this morning!

Slowly but Surely

Today's Run

Edworthy You Look Familiar

14km

-3 Degrees Celcius

Cloud, Some Wind

ordered sunshine, it came 10 minutes too late

Leisurely Lunch with Ladies

Making meaningful memories is how I want my March to be measured!

For the kick off, I had my two good friends over to my place for a leisurely ladies lunch. These two friends met ten years ago, although events of the occasion remain sketchy. We were able to pin down the date, the consensus was that it took place on Good Friday. Today was an opportune time to renew the acquaintance.

Make mention of memories, musings, mayhem and you end up with diversified conversations about reunions, wines and politics. (Oh, the politics, what will happen Monday?) Seven hours later, how could you not find yourself in a happy place after an abundance of laughs from celebrating and sharing with good friends.

My vote is that March came in like a lamb!

PS Permission passed to post picture!

Many Moments Matter in March

March 1 My friend M turns 50
March 1 It comes in like a lamb???
March 3 Provincial Election
March 9 Daylight Savings Time
March 15 Beware the Ides of March
March 16 St. Patrick’s Day Race
March 17 St. Patrick’s Day
March 17 Palm Sunday
March 20 First Day of Spring
March 21 Good Friday
March 23 Easter Sunday
March 27 My friend L turns 70