Running In Colour

                                         

I'm totally stoked about this Colour Run coming up in Ottawa on Sept 22nd, 2012. It's at the Rideau Carleton Racetrack, and a TON of my friends are running at various times. Since the venue is a racetrack, and there's a sort of "party" at the end, the venue will be smaller than say, city streets, and the chance that you'll see and be running with your buds, no matter what their "start time"  will be pretty likely. The start times are only 10 minutes apart, so obviously it won't be that impossible to imagine everyone will be caught up or surpass other runners with ease.

I'm doing the run with my family-and we're all really excited to be sharing this activity. We did a trial "family trail run" just to see how a 5k might feel for the kiddos. It was a crazy hot day, but they did great! The teen angst was even in full throttle, and yet, we still made it to the finish! We definitely won't be running the whole thing, but I've already said that skipping, walking, dancing...it's all good. This is a fun, silly run to do as a fam, not a serious timed PR.

Of course, the fact that we have lots of friends that are going to be there doing the same should make it all that more entertaining!

I've been trying to get back on the running schedule since the summer has eaten away at it somewhat. Treadmill running is NOT anything remotely the same as outdoors! I'm reminded of this fact every time I zoom out the door hoping to kill my run with the same pace and timing as I do on the treadmill. Umm. No.

My first run in over a month was with a group of women I joined with to meet once a week and put shoes to pavement! We're all at different levels in our running, from newbies to marathoners! The goal was to start at 5k and to increase our distance and endurance each week.

Let me repeat, I hadn't run in over a month. It was hot and humid out. Ew and ew.

I'm one of the speedier runners, my pace is quite quick. That being said, my endurance to maintain said speed and not crap out needs some work. I guess I need to slow down a bit and just try to hang in longer. I walked more intervals than I'd have liked, but I got some great encouragement and tips from one of the ladies that does marathons. I have a month (ish) to get my run on...so I am hoping to do 3 runs a week-whether that's indoors or out (weather dependant) it's going to happen. I'd prefer out because...well, see paragraph #4.


My focus for the day is my family and my friends-all people out for fun and all people that are inspiring and encouraging. Nothing will stop our mojo that day!

The Countdown Is ON!

It's the last week of summer holidays before the frenzy of the school year kicks into high gear once more. I actually pretty much live my life by the school calendar, still, so I get kind of excited for the new year to begin!

After my whirlwind last few weeks, this week seems tame in comparison. I need to take the kids school shopping, so that will require some extra strength Tylenol and a bank loan! Seriously, how is it possible that school hasn't even begun for the year and yet I have notes come in the mail with expectations of dropping almost 200 bucks? No joke. There's bus passes and "voluntary fees" (with the caveat that you don't HAVE to pay them, only if you're child wants to participate in ANY extra-curricular activities. Oh, well, then! Geeze) I usually love getting everything together and labelling it and all of that good stuff, but with a 13 year old, those days are sort of fading. Her needs seem to involve more money and less parental involvement. She also made me buy brown paper lunch bags as anything less is "nerdy."  I learn something new every day!

After the Labour Day weekend, school starts in earnest and everyone is usually tired and grumpy and a little stressed out. "I" won't be because I have BIG PLANS coming up once that pesky week is over. Namely, it's my BIRTHDAY and I'm also going to see Celtic Thunder and Madonna in concert!!! YA BABY! I've wanted to see Celtic Thunder for YEARS and my friend Claire jumped right in with taking me! I can't even believe it, really. She makes me cry-in the best way possible. Then for Madonna, there's NO WAY I'd be going, but my other awesome friend Karen scored tickets for my other besties and I, so the four of us are doing dinner and the concert! I'm so so so stoked for these events!

BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

I have some big ideas for this last year before I turn 40. Things I'd like to do and how I want to spend the year counting down. I'm not positive what my path will look like this year, but I'm taking a hold of my own reins and hoping to steer my own course a little more than I have.

Stay tuned because I'm hoping to revamp the blog as I revamp my life.

                               

ZZZZZZZZZZ

It's a terrifically busy week and I've been struck by a case of insomnia. Really, universe? RIGHT NOW?

I'm not a great sleeper to begin with, but not being able to shut down my mind until 3am and then waking up again at 4, 5, 6 and finally at 730am? Not. Cool.

Luckily, this is a busy FUN week around the homestead.

Tonight I have my Book Club, which is always a fun gabfest about a hundred different topics, including the book. Last meeting was for "50 Shades of Grey", but I think tonight's "In Defense of Food" might be a little more tame. You never know, though. People get really heated about nutrition and diet and what to eat and what not to eat!  I usually get pretty jazzed up and energized by social gatherings, so that should perk me up a little. If I can make it to 8pm tonight!

Tomorrow night I'm headed out for dinner with three of my best friends. We've got some celebrating to do, so much good stuff going on, and we're trying out a new, funky pizza place downtown.

Thursday I'm taking my first Stand Up Paddling course. It may also be my last depending on how bad I am at staying on my board! I've been deliberating what to wear (or not wear!) and worrying about being the most awful person they've ever had to teach...but go I shall! It's all about trying things that look awesome to me! If I love it, GREAT. But if I don't, no biggie, I gave it a shot.

Friday is my 16 year anniversary! We've been together for 19 years now, since I was a young woman of 19 myself.  That seems crazy to me. We've weathered some pretty challenging things and we've both hurt and loved each other fiercely. It's been a roller coaster of sorts, but when you have two passionate, competitive, strong willed people...well, it's bound to not be ho hum, hum drum.  At the end of the day, we've grown up together and continue to grow.

Saturday my daughter is having her friend sleep over that is moving away to BC. She's so sad to see her friend go, they really bonded quickly over the fact that they both lived in Halifax, both have goldendoodles, both share Celtic names.

Sunday morning, when the sleepover is all said and done...it's my daughter's 9th birthday. How I have a 9 and 13 year old, I do not know. The time has flown by, and every new year with them is a blessing to me. My daughters have been my #1 priority since their birth and I'm sure will continue to be as long as I'm living.

All of the "busy" this week is absolutely 100% enjoyable, fun, silly, romantic stuff. Not a bad thing in the mix. You can't really complain about one moment of it....so I'll just go back to how I opened this whole thing and natter on about my one complaint right now....

I NEED SLEEP!!! :)

What The Heck Am I Talking 'Bout?

                                                   
                                                             I'm just SO mysterious.


When I started this 'lil 'ol blog, it was a private, closed sort of journal that encapsulated the many challenges, joys, triumphs and falls that were going on in my life at the time. I love writing, always have, so I wanted an outlet to be able to put thoughts to words but also to try and make sense of the jumble of things I was feeling back when.

I knew at the time my blog would contain a little bit of this, and a little bit of that-which is basically what my brain looks like daily. It would contain rants on politics and celebrity, it would have my oh so many varied opinions, it would talk about my home and family life, and it would be a work in progress on the biggest work in progress-ME.

These days, the blog seems to cover a lot about me being up in the gym just a workin' on my fitness. That IS a big part of what my life looks like currently, but that isn't the whole picture, and is really only a shred of the woven tapestry that makes me who I am.

My blog is never going to be a health and fitness blog. It's never going to be a weight loss blog. It's never going to be a lifestyle blog. It's just a blog about the crazy ramblings that go on in the head of a complicated girl trying to uncomplicate her life a little. (is that really even possible?)

I will be writing about all of the above, of course. It's just not the sum of my parts if you know what I mean. There will always be bits and pieces and snippets and stories and kids and family and love and hope and frustration.

All of it.

Hopefully, more frequently as well, once school is back.