it's a running thing!

Last Sunday, my friend Angi and I ran the 5km at the Spring Fling Running Thing in Smiths Falls.  It has been years - and I mean a lot of years - since I last ran in a race.   1998 may have been the last one.   Oh, and let's qualify "race" - I mean I jogged.  Certainly not competitive - I'm more like the Penguin (at least I think that was his/her pseudonym) who wrote columns for Runner's World magazine; slow and steady, watching the world go by.   I loved those columns.

But I digress.  I had so much fun!  I was reminded of the hospitality, the support, the encouragement and the FUN that lives within the running community.   As far as organized athletic events go, I don't recall ever experiencing that kind of camaraderie or sense of community in any other sport.  Most others I have always found to be uber-competitive.  But running?  Nope, never running.  

Being a runner (ok, jogger) is kind of like being a Jeep owner or motorcycle rider.  I'm always seeing motorcycle riders acknowledge each other (Dad, I'm sure you can tell me what that's all about) and it's happened to me ever since I bought my Jeep - a wave as we pass each other (took me a while to figure out it was not my eyesight betraying me and that no, I really did not know those people).  And out running, well it's just about anything - a "good morning", "have a great run" or even commentary about the route up ahead. 

It's like within each of those communities there is a little secret; a treasured secret that only Jeep owners, motorcycle riders and runners know about what they get to experience.  And the wave from the Jeep,  acknowledgement on the bike, or "good morning" on your run is like saying "CAN YOU BELIEVE WE GET TO DO THIS?!?!"

All to say, I certainly won't be letting another 15 years (sidebar: holy s*@t I'm old!) go by before my next race.   

See you at the finish line.

yeah, about that plan from earlier this year...

You might remember the plan I had - weekly goals around 3 key commitments I had - family, health and yoga.  

Perhaps I was a little overzealous with the idea of weekly goals - a tad too much to manage I have come to realize.   

BUT, and here's the but. I have been finding success nonetheless.  What I have realized is that the key is really keeping those commitments top of mind, checking in and asking myself how aligned I am in my actions to those commitments.   Not all that dis-similar from how I approach my yoga practice and teaching and it's feeling good! 

Example about family time - a couple of weeks ago, between work, volunteering and teaching, every weeknight was going to be taken up with time out of the house or in front of my computer.  The key difference was that I was fully aware I was not aligned with my commitment around family time.  Knowing it was going to be a crazy week, I made sure to carve out time.  I got into work early and left earlier so B and I had some time before I headed out to teach; I spent some time in the morning before heading to work hanging with the dogs, kicking the ball around with them.

It wasn't as much time as we would normally spend doing these things, but it was quality time and that is what really matters. 

So, as much as I thought the "plan" was the solution, I now realize it was really only a tool to get me keeping those commitments top of mind.  The plan was the equivalent of training wheels and it's now smooth sailing for this girl!  Doesn't mean I won't take a spill from time to time, but that will just be a reminder that I've lost sight of my commitments to myself, that they for some reason fell out of being top of mind. And that will be an opportunity for me to refocus.  

Kissing the training wheels goodbye and I'm off to the races! 

namaste 

spring!

What was it I was saying about long weekends?  Wow, what an awesome 4 days last weekend to relax and recharge!  The weekend mostly involved sleeping in, watching movies, dinner with friends, lunch with friends, and a jog on the trails in warmer weather with that gorgeous warm sun beating down!  

Nice way to relax after what feels like a ridiculously long winter might be a bit of an understatement.  I also realized, this is my favourite time of year - the sun comes up earlier and is getting warmer, we have longer daylight hours, I can ditch the winter boots, my tulips and crocus' are starting to poke their heads out of the dirt and the birds are out in full force.  Soon, my yard will be awash with colour and butterflies and dragonflies will be floating through.  And maybe, just maybe the odd hummingbird.   Encouraging, no?

This year, we've also had some trumpeter swans show up in Smiths Falls - I had never, ever seen swans in flight and wow are they something to see.  And something to hear... that part is less nice, but I can live with it.  They are more than clear in their trumpeting that spring has arrived.

And that's kind of where I'm at right now - spring is here and everything is starting to come back to life, including me!   So off I go to enjoy what is proving to be a gorgeous day here in our lovely little Smiths Falls!

The sun is beaming and so am I.

Namaste