Monday, 8 October 2012

This Whole Running Thing

This whole running thing started out pretty simple.  Over the past few years, a few "extra" pounds

found themselves quite comfortable around my mid-section and they didn't want to leave.  I tried

dieting. I tried drinking less wine.  Neither was effective. Or more to the point, they didn't suit me. I

didn't have the will power.

So, I needed to be more active. Plain and simple.


January in Nova Scotia is cold and snowy and wet.  Not the ideal time to decide to get physical.

But, I was about to turn 50 and getting physically active was the only way to go.  Secretly I had been

messaging my brother-in-law on Facebook - quizzing him on how his running was going. How was

his breathing?  How were his knees?  What struggles?  Motivation?   He had started running about 6

months ago and was looking and feeling great. 




I grew up in a culture of running. My Dad had been a Track official for years.

He had been a Race Director for the Johnny Miles Marathon in New Glasgow, and even officiated at

the Canada Summer Games and at the Marathon Race at the Montreal Olympics.





 
I felt sure this "whole running thing" would work.


 Darrell, aka Best Brother-in-Law Ever!

Very graciously, Darrell agree to take me on as a running partner. We set a goal of running 10K in

the Bluenose Marathon the Victoria Day Weekend in May.  At my 50th birthday party, the

announcement was made.  I figured if I made it public to family and friends, it would be impossible

to go back. Not sure if I needed that motivation but it sure didn't hurt.



 Me - on my 50th birthday.

There's something about turning 50 that makes you look back and look ahead at the same time. Not

sure I'll get another 50 years of living in, so I should probably make a few of those years count for

something.  As running was going to directly benefit me, maybe I should do something to directly

benefit someone else.  I'm a strong believer in supporting local charities, so I approached a Wildlife

Rehabilitation Centre a few miles up the road to ask if I could raise funds for them while doing the

Bluenose Marathon for me. 










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