Sharing is Caring

The day after the steak night in Regina was Myles's first day of preschool. As we were on our way out the door Owen says, "Mom, how are you going to spend your first two hours by yourself this morning?" I laughed at him and said I wasn't too sure what I would do...I assured him that I'd probably just be lonely here without them!

He shocked me in his response, "Mom, I think you should use your time to write your blogs. I was the only kid that listened to you when you spoke at the supper last night. I didn't realize that we had cancer in our family. I think your blogs are important." I took a minute to give him a hug and say thank you before we got him off to school.

I realized that we had underestimated his ability to understand what I've been working towards this year. Obviously the boys know that I've been running quite a bit, but we hadn't thought that they would (or maybe at this age should) understand my motivation for doing so. As I had shared in a post back in January, Owen's reaction to Heather's passing was more profound than we had anticipated too. The way that he accepts that cancer and the consequences of the disease are terrible, and yet he seems able to take solace in the fact that we are doing our best to help, reassures me.

In the couple of weeks since then, he has enjoyed learning about Terry Fox at school. They watched a movie, had an assembly and learned all about Terry Fox and his attempt to run across Canada.

Last weekend we had a garage sale. I thought setting up an iced tea stand would be a good way to keep the boys occupied and out of trouble while my parents and I tried to keep the place organized and running smoothly. They were EXCITED! Grandma helped them make their sign, mix the first batch of juice and organize their table. They were open for business!

You should have seen the cute little faces they had as they waited to make a sale (I am so angry with myself for totally dropping the ball and not getting a picture of them!). It didn't take long until someone took pity on them. After their first couple of 'customers', Owen came over to me and said, "Mom, Myles and I have decided that we are going to give all of the money we earn to the Canadian Cancer Society and we'll take it to the school for the Terry Fox walk." That was one of my greater PROUD MOM moments to date!

We put a little sticker on their table that said they were donating their earnings and suddenly business was BOOMING! What started out as an innocent attempt to keep my boys busy, ended up keeping my mom hopping for the afternoon! She mixed pitcher after pitcher of iced tea, she ran to the store for more cups and just when she thought she'd caught up Myles would holler, "we need another fill up Gramma!" When it was all said and done, the boys had made $26.15!!! At 25 cents a cup....you do the math....WAY TO GO boys!....WAY TO GO Grandma!

My mom was so proud of their efforts that she pledged Owen an additional $20 for his walk. He was thrilled when he took his donation to school on Monday.

Yesterday, the kids and I went to the school to join the walk. Again, Owen caught me by surprise. I had to fight back tears when he came out with his classmates. They each had a big sticker on their fronts that said, "Terry Fox 2012. Today I'm running for..." Most of the kids had filled it in with "Terry Fox" a couple had "For Grandpa" or "For Grandma". Owen had filled his in "For Heather".

He was happy to have us there and we were happy to join him. It was a BEAUTIFUL Fall day to walk around town.

Owen has always been a deep thinker and he's wise beyond his years. Teaching him to share when he was younger, was one of my very hard fought battles! I can see now, that it was well worth the effort. I am so proud of the thoughtful & compassionate little man that he is becoming.

The Mogathon

I lack the technical savy to add music to the blog. So, if you don't mind humouring me, please sing the chorus to the Bon Jovi song "Living on a Prayer" as you read this post:

"(Wo-oo)

We're halfway there

(Wo-oo)

Livin' on a prayer

take my hand and we'll make it, 

I swear" 

Yay! I'm happy to have ran my sixth half marathon of the year on Saturday. I'm officially at the halfway point!

The Scenario

Saturday, June 23rd was the Mogathon. There were many people who were important in Heather's life who participated in this event. Right before she passed away, I promised Heather that I would make sure that her mom got back into walking and taking care of herself. Barb had been so busy tending to Heather and caring for her that her own well-being had gone by the wayside. At the beginning of the month, Barb went to Calgary to walk 10 km with her nieces and other family members as they participated in the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada Spring Sprint. Their team, Heather's Hustlers, raised a whopping $15,145.00!!! Barb registered for the 5 km event at the Mogathon.

Kristen Vanderkooy (who had also ran the 10 km in the Brainfreeze and the Saskatoon Police Service events) had planned to run her first half marathon at the Mogathon......but her plans changed when she was able to get pregnant!!! No wonder she found the 10 km in April a bit sluggish! So, Kristen and her friend Caroline Hilbig (who also ran the 10 km in March) joined Barb in the 5 km.

Lori Barth was also a good friend of Heather's. Kristen had introduced them. Together, Lori & Heather went each year to a Flames hockey game (Heather was a bit of a fanatic....not to mention her infatuation with Robyn Regehr!). Last month Lori ran a full marathon. While she trained for the Calgary Marathon, she raised $16,971 for the Alberta Cancer Foundation in honour of Heather. Last weekend, she came to Saskatoon to run the 10 km.

Penny Bourassa used to play soccer with Heather and she works with Kristen. Penny has ran a couple full marathons and this was her first half marathon since having her baby. It was really nice to meet Penny, her husband Wade and their little boy Ryder.

Three of my soccer teammates were also registered to run the half marathon. Staci Heinbigner, Terra Dyky & Alicia Turner completed their first 10 km together last month at the Saskatchewan Marathon and decided to keep going and check the half marathon off of their bucket lists.

So, together we met up with the other runners Saturday morning at River Landing. Mother Nature finally decided that we'd had enough rain (thank goodness!) and she sent us blue skies and sunshine....maybe a little too much sunshine to comfortably run a half marathon.  When we arrived at the race site around 7:30 a.m. the temperature was already up close to 20 degrees Celsius! I applied my sunscreen and donned a headband to try to keep the sweat out of my eyes. I chose to wear my shorts and the lightweight tech shirt I had received in my race package.

The Event

This was the 4th annual Mogathon. It is an event that offers a distance for everyone! It is sponsored by Mogamobile and organized by a team of volunteers. Proceeds from each registration go towards prostate cancer diagnosis at St. Paul's Hospital. As well, proceeds go towards the Children's Wish Foundation and the SPCA.

The Mogathon is one of my favourite events because of it's atmosphere. It is a larger event with 48 results for the 30 km event (26 individual runners, 11 mixed teams, 8 female teams & 3 male teams), 112 registrants in the 21.1 km half marathon, 367 runners completing the 10 km, 220 in the 5 km and 184 in the 2.1 km family run. I think what sets this event apart from other fundraising events for me, is that somehow they manage to make the day fun and family-friendly without compromising the credibility of the event within the running community. I feel like it has aspects which make it appealing to almost everyone.

If you're not a runner, there's the No-K beer run where you can purchase a couple drinks and relax by the river and still contribute to the charities. If you have a family, they have all kinds of fun activities for the kids. There is everything that River Landing already has to offer, including the beautiful spray park, plus they had a bouncy castle, face painting & the 2.1 km family run. On top of that, there was the option of enjoying the post race BBQ that is sponsored by Mano's (all registered participants receive it as part of their entry).

As a runner, I really appreciated that the Mogathon was well organized. The route was really well marked and the volunteers and road marshals were enthusiastic and supportive! I also really liked the funny and encouraging posters that were spread out along the way. I knew that I wouldn't be able to remember them when it came time to write this (I have a horrible memory for jokes too!); but, the one I can think of said,

"Steps to running a marathon 

Step 1: start running 

Step 2: there is no step 2"

It's probably a 'had to be there', but I thought it was funny!

There was a drink station almost every 2 km and the groups that were sponsoring them were dressed up and having fun!

The half marathon course gave me a chance to run a portion of trail along the East side of the river between Circle Drive and University Drive that I haven't run in a couple years. I enjoyed the route for the most part with the exception of one little turnaround that took us up into a residential area near the end of the course. Similar to the last little loop at the Sask Marathon, this one had a negative impact on me mentally at that late point in the run. 

As I had said prior to the race, the swag bags were brimming with goodies. I'm really pleased with the shirt. I probably won't get much use out of the other stuff (my sensitive little piggies won't allow me to wear flip flops, lol!) but I do appreciate the effort. I have to say though, after crossing the finish line I was disappointed to receive a flashlight on a necklace rather than a medal. Don't get me wrong, I think they are totally cute for the family run and even the 5 km and 10 km events. But after running the 21.1 km of the half marathon or (GASP!) the 30 km for the participants completing that event, I felt like the flashlight was a bit cheesy.

The Mogathon is a great event and I will definitely be back in years to come with my family!

The Excuses

My only excuse for this run was the beautiful weather! It was HOT! Taking the temperature into consideration, I didn't aim for a specific time for this race. Even in cooler temperatures I struggle to stay adequately hydrated, so I was more focused on finishing safely than getting too wrapped up with speed.

However, the Mogathon team did a fantastic job of providing Gatorade, water and ice water sponges at every aid station along the route. I was SO grateful for those sponges! I allowed myself to slow at every station where I took a cup of each Gatorade & water and then accepted the water filled sponge and squeezed it down my back. It was so refreshing and kept me from overheating. I still ended up dehydrated (have I mentioned that I sweat profusely!), but I was able to finish my run strong and feeling good in 2:08. While that is two minutes slower than last month, I'm still very pleased with that time (if I hadn't taken the time to stop at each aid station, I have no doubt that my run would have been way less enjoyable).

The Best Part

I've spent the last few days mulling this over. Last Saturday was a really great day and I'm finding it tricky to identify what set it apart for me. But, I think this is the first event that I was really able to approach with a sense of calm.

I felt prepared and ready for a great run. I wasn't worried about how many layers of clothes I needed to wear....easy, it's going to be HOT choose the thinnest layer possible! I was feeling healthy and fairly well rested. I was confident that I would complete the run and my new energy chews would help me finish with gas in my tank. I wasn't worried about finishing in a certain time. When I planned these events, each one has a different goal or meaning for me. The Mogathon was never about achieving a fantastic time, but rather having a fantastic time. Everything just came together seamlessly and I was relaxed and able to just enjoy the energy of the Mogathon.

Another reason that I enjoyed myself so much, was that I had great people to share the experience with! I know I've said it before, but nothing tops the camaraderie and sense of accomplishment that comes from setting a physical goal & achieving it. I LOVE the mutual support and being able to share in my friends' successes.

The start times of the different distances were staggered throughout the morning. This meant that when we lined up to start the half marathon, most 10 km & 5 km runners hadn't arrived yet. However, my cousin Becky and her husband Barry didn't realize this; and as a result, arrived at the race site extremely early for their 5 km run! I am thankful for their mistake, because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to bump into them! It was nice to have a few minutes to catch up.

Staci, Terra & Alicia started running and trained together all winter. They came up with a plan, scheduled a weekly run and together they increased their distance. Because it took them some coordinating to organize a day to run that suited all of their busy calendars, they ended up training in all sorts of weather conditions.

I was happy to be able to join them two weeks ago as they tackled their longest long run of 12 miles. I was a bit disheartened when I woke up that Saturday morning and the sky was overcast and grey, but I had committed to meeting them and I needed to log my miles. Rain had threatened my events in April & May and I had thought it would make for a miserable run. However, shortly after the four of us started on our way, the rain started and continued the whole time we were out.....and it was FUN! By the time I met up with my family at the rodeo parade (we cut it close and there was no time to stop at the house to freshen up) I looked like a drowned rat....a very happy drowned rat!

So the girls had put in the time & effort, fought a couple injuries and they arrived at River Landing nervous, but ready to tackle their first 13.1.

I made sure to take the time to stretch my legs & warm up a bit. After a pre-race visit to the porta-potty the four of us exchanged one last nervous high five and then we lined up for the half marathon start.

I popped my earbuds in and it didn't take long until I found my groove. As, I've said, the spectators and volunteers were all full of energy and that combined with the quirky signs and the frequent aid stations, made this run go by relatively fast. I struggled a bit around the halfway point of the run when I hit the stretch of trail that goes by the University campus and the hospital. This is the same area of the path that I haven't been on in quite some time. I had forgotten that there were quite a few inclines and it was also very exposed to the heat. I was SO happy when I looked up and saw my friend Jadah and her daughter Lauren! They had come out to cheer and they were right where I needed the encouragement the most!

After heading back across the river over the Broadway bridge, the course turned back near the start/finish line. I had familiarized myself well enough with the route prior to the race, so I knew I wasn't done yet....but still, having the finish line right there was a bit of a tease. It just so happens that there is a commemorative tree planted for my husband's Grandma Cowan planted right where I could see it from this point. You may remember that I mentioned Grandma Cowan earlier in the year, when Uncle Bob and I ran the Hypothermic Half together. We lost Grandma in the Spring of 2006 to Leukemia. It's funny sometimes how little things can make such a big difference, but seeing that tree gave me the push I needed to tackle the last 5 km of my run.

As I looped back around and up the hill past Grandma's tree again, I kicked it into high gear and headed for the finish line. I felt great as I crossed it and right away I saw Kristen, Barb, Caroline, Lori and Jodie.

They had all successfully completed their runs/walks and were enjoying the post-race candies and fruit. Barb walked a couple loops with me as I brought my heart rate down. I wear the necklace I gave Heather when she was my maid of honour as I complete each of these runs. Barb also has a special necklace that she wears that holds a charm of Heather's fingerprint. It's just our way of keeping her close.

We visited a bit and took some pictures and then they were on their way home to relax. It was perfect timing, just as I made my way back to the finish line Terra & Alicia were on their way in. After they crossed the mat, we ran back and joined Staci to encourage her as she pushed through the pain of a sore IT band to finish less than four minutes later. They did it!

Staci and I took some time to cool down and stretch out our legs and then we joined the girls and their families at the Mano's post-race BBQ. It was nice to be able to sit and talk about the run and share in their happiness and relief of finishing a half marathon. All three of them say it was a bucket list item that is nice to have ticked off....but we'll see, I bet they'll be back for more!

I felt great as I headed home with the radio cranked. Saturday was also Owen's soccer tournament. I had missed his 10 am match, but was able to make it back and get showered up in time to get to the second and third games. Again, I am thankful for the support of my husband and boys. Myles was thrilled to have my flashlight medal, especially once Owen received his fancy soccer one!

Kristen had invited us to join up back at her place for an evening BBQ. It was a really nice to get together with everyone including Hugh & Barb and Heather's brother David and sister-in-law Trina. The evening gave us a chance to celebrate everyone's day of running, the halfway point of my project and mostly we are so excited that Kristen is pregnant!!! She and her husband Matt are expecting their little one toward the end of December. Cheers, to new life and to everything that parenthood has to offer! Heather would have been THRILLED!

I am excited that this half has put my 2012 total distance to date over the 480 mile point! I'm looking forward to the second half of my runs. Now I've got 4 weeks to get ready for The Moose is Loose Trail Half Marathon on July 22nd in Edmonton.

The Saskatchewan Marathon

The Scenario

Sunday, May 27th was the annual Saskatchewan Marathon. As I mentioned prior to the event, there were quite a few people in my life that were training for this event. For most of them, this was their first time entering a running event or running their specific distance.

I met Jadah Mensch in the Fall when we began indoor soccer. Her warm and genuine personality drew me to her. This winter when I started this project, Jadah was really supportive and readily agreed to join me in at least one of the twelve runs. She has the natural stature of a runner, so although the furthest she had previously run was 10 km, I had no doubt that she could do a half marathon (but remember, I think anyone can....runner's stature or not!). She put the Sask Marathon in her sights and went for it! Jadah doesn't have a treadmill, but she bundled up and she started training when it was still cold out. More recently, she's been coming out to Warman to join us for our weekly "Mom on the Run" group runs (did I mention that she has FOUR kiddos!!). It was really fun to log the miles of a couple long runs together and get to know each other better.

Heather's friend Andrea Schick also joined us for the half marathon distance. Since she had come up to Saskatoon in March and ran the 10 km at the Brainfreeze, she had been training and increasing her distance. Despite fighting a lung infection a couple weeks before the race, she was ready to tackle the 13.1 miles!

My friend Angela Yule started running a month and a half ago. In the middle of April when we started our running group, she started by alternating running 5 minutes & walking 2 minutes. It didn't take long before she could do the 5 km loop with only a couple short walking breaks. A couple weeks before the event I mentioned to Ang that our friend Nicole Tatchell was looking for a partner to run the 10 km with. Ang wasn't confident that she would be able to run that far, so the next time we went out we did her furthest distance yet of about 8km...that gave her confidence the boost it needed and she signed up!

I met MJ Smith last summer when she moved out to Warman shortly after having her first baby. This winter, she started running. First she found a couch to 5 km app and then progressed to the couch to 10 km app. MJ is the techie in our group, so when our running gadgets aren't doing what they're supposed to, she's the one we turn to.

I've known my good friend Anna Friesen for almost 5 years and we've run together off and on during that time. She has completed at least a handful of 10 km races and has done the Sask Marathon the last few years in a row. It was really fun to train together the last couple months!

Another "Mom on the Run" Kim trained and registered for the 10 km event as well. My friends Terra Dyky, Staci Heinbigner & Alicia Turner have trained together all winter. Terra & Staci ran the 5 km at the Warman Run, Walk & Wiggle last Fall. Alicia was brand new to running. This would be their first time doing a 10 km event!

The 10 km Crew

So, together we met up with the 3000 other runners Sunday morning in the Soccer Centre parking lot. As was the case for my run in April, the weather had been wet and overcast the week leading up to the event; but, the morning of the race was beautiful! The sky was clear, but it was still crisp enough that we wouldn't be hot. I was perfectly dressed in my shorts and running tank top with an (albeit a bit geeky) running mesh vest. Although the vest is not my idea of stylish, it provided me with pockets for my 'stuff' without causing me to overheat. I was able to avoid running with my jacket tied around my waist. Again, I was extremely thankful that the rain held off until later that evening.

The Event

This was the 34th annual Saskatchewan Marathon. It is a BIG event that offers 10 km, half marathon & full marathon distances. It is organized by the Saskatoon Road Runners Association and presented by Potash Corp and has many sponsors. The Saskatchewan Marathon is one of the longest running marathons in Canada.

Saturday, I took my boys and went in to the race expo to get my race package and my tickets to that evening's pasta supper. It was a nice display of what the local running community and businesses have to offer. I was excited when the President of the Saskatoon Road Runners Association, Lorrie Dobni offered to introduce me to the evening's keynote speaker Bart Yasso. He was encouraging and nice to talk to. Bart was very pleasant with my boys and he was happy to oblige when Owen asked him to autograph my race bib (he saw the lady ahead of us do the same).

That evening my mom and I met Ang at the pasta dinner. It was really nice to spend the evening with my mom because we don't often get the chance to get out together. The meal was good and listening to Bart's tales of his running adventures was inspiring. He is one of the few people to have completed races on all seven continents from the Antartica Marathon to the Mt. Kilimanjaro Marathon. The message he imparted on us was:

"Never limit where running can take you."

I like that.

This year the event was able to present their charity, the Meewasin Valley Authority, with a cheque for $100,000.00.

Despite it's large size, the Sask Marathon is really well organized. This year there were 267 people who completed the full marathon, 1311 registrants in the half marathon, 1403 runners completing the 10 km and 908 kids who participated in the Marafun!

The Sask Marathon route is a challenging one. The course starts up near the Soccer Centre on Pinehouse Drive and proceeds down to the river. After following the many ridges and gradual inclines along the river trails, the last kilometer of the course is straight back up hill to the finish line. One aspect of the course that I was sad to see return, is a second turnaround loop just beyond the base of the hill. This means that right around the 18 km point you run past the bottom of THE HILL and run a 2 km loop further and back (I'm sure that this makes no sense, but if you ran it or look at the map, you'll know what I mean). For some reason, this plays a giant mental trick on me. I much preferred the course last year when you just got to the base of THE HILL and then faced it head on! Either way, even though you know it's coming, it's a killer hill.

The drink stations were great and well-spaced, there was lots of entertainment along the route and because there are so many people running, there are tonnes of encouraging spectators along the way.

I thought the fact that the bibs were customized with the runner's name was pretty cool. The shirt is a nice fit and although it's colour is bright, I'm sad to say it's actually not the brightest event shirt I've received. I am more cheap than I am stylish, so I will no doubt make good use of it despite the colour. The Saskatchewan Marathon medal is nice. I REALLY like getting a medal. It's like the cherry on top of the sundae for me.

The Excuses

NONE!! This run and everything that led up to it, went perfectly!

After mom and I got home from the pasta dinner and I snuggled my boys into bed, I laid out all of my gear for the race and went through my checklist (running seems like such a natural sport, but man, it requires a lot of 'stuff'!). I had one last drink of gatorade and then hit the hay.

When my alarm went off at 5:30 I was ready and feeling good. I ate my oatmeal, made last minute wardrobe changes and pinned my number on. As I drove to the city with my music cranked, I couldn't help but smile. I could just feel it, things had fallen into place and this was going to be a great run!

The Best Part

I LOVED seeing my friends meet their goals! Each of the girls who trained for this event put in the time necessary to be ready for it. Most of them are moms, most have multiple children. Beyond the demands that their children and families place on their time, most of these girls have jobs and some of them even work full-time. So, for them to have committed to running and spending the time on themselves and their physical well-being was not necessarily easy; BUT, I think when something is important enough we always manage to make time for it. It felt great to see them succeed and feel good about their accomplishment!

As I was waiting in line at the porta-potty before the race began, I was excited to bump into most of the '10 km crew'. They were excited and nervous and I was happy to be able to wish them good luck! Then I found the 2:00 pace bunny (whom I know and was looking forward to trying to keep up with) and met up with Andrea & Jadah as we had planned. Before we knew it, they were singing the national anthem and the gunshot rang out and we were off!

I won't go through this run in extreme detail, but this was a really great day!

The three of us ran really well together. We weren't always side by side, but rather allowed each other to ebb and flow as our energy fluctuated and we just always seemed to be within eyesight. Between the 13 km and 15 km points Jadah and I encouraged and pushed each other as we seemed to take turns being tuckered. Once we were past the "Hudson's" drink station at the 15 km point we knew the end was within sight and we were able to push through without stopping.

After the draining second turnaround (which I've already expressed my distaste for), we tackled THE HILL. Andrea was a bit ahead of us and finished in 2:06:13. Jadah and I put our heads down and dug deep for that last kilometer. We finished in 2:06:39!! And let me tell you it felt great to cross that line together! 

My husband's annual golfing weekend always falls on the same weekend as the Sask Marathon. We're lucky though, because same as they did last year, my parents were able to come up to help us out with the boys. I was SO happy to have them right there waiting at the finish line holding a little poster they had made for us. I've said it before, but I draw my strength from them and to be able to have them there means so much to me.

I was also thrilled to have Ang & MJ there at the finish line! Their support and friendship over the last couple months has meant a lot to me and to be able to have them there to share in each other's accomplishments was fun! I can't wait to run a half marathon with them in November!!

Everyone was successful in their 10 km runs. It's safe to say that Nicki is hooked on running and she will join us in the half marathon in November as well! Terra, Staci & Alicia are going to run the half at the mogathon in a couple weeks. 

The next day, I stopped at the gas station to grab a copy of the paper so I could look at the results (I know they're online, but I find them hard to look at....call me an old fuddy duddy if you want to). I could not believe my eyes when I opened it only to find a seemingly giant picture of Jadah and I hugging after crossing the finish line!! Really, it was just the back of my head. The main focus of the picture was Jadah's face (and the happiness she was feeling). 

An hour later I received an email from a friend with a photo attached that she found on the StarPhoenix website....after forwarding the additional photos to Jadah, we decided that instead of feeling embarrassed about the picture that was published we should be extremely thankful that they chose the one they did! We look ridiculous....but I'm going to share them with you anyway. 

While the photos we took ourselves just less than five minutes after crossing the line are much 'prettier', I think the StarPhoenix pics capture the sense of relief, accomplishment and the smidge of delirium we felt as we crested THE HILL and finished our run together.

I am excited that this half has put my 2012 total distance to date over the 400 mile point! Now, I've got a little less than 3 weeks to get ready for the very fun Mogathon on June 23rd.

Birthdays

Spring is always an exciting time in our household. We finally get to tuck away the winter equipment and get out the summer stuff, we shed a layer or two of clothing and head outside for the majority of the day, school is starting to wind down for the year, we start our outdoor activities (which is busier than ever with each of us participating in at least one sport this year) and we always have LOTS of birthdays to celebrate!

My hubby's birthday is today, my niece's is tomorrow, we have a couple birthdays in our extended family and the boys have been excited to go to a handful of birthday parties for their buddies in the last two months. My friend Heather's 32nd birthday would have been last Tuesday, May 8th.

To say that Heather LOVED her birthday would be a bit of an understatement! Having a whole day dedicated to celebrating and focusing on her, was Heather's ideal. She really was a princess.

Heather celebrating her birthday as a little girl....

Heather celebrating her 30th....Not much changed, lol!

I was lucky on my birthday this year. Because we went down to Regina for a New Years' Eve event, I got to stop in and visit with Heather two days in a row. While she was excited to hear about what I was going to wear and what our plans were for the evening, Heather's tumour was causing her to be a bit confused on the 31st. So, when we stopped in the next day I was surprised when she didn't skip a beat and wished me a happy birthday! 

I sighed and said I felt old....and I immediately felt like a putz. What a ridiculous thing to say to someone who was being robbed of the luxury of growing old! But, Heather just smiled and said, "I think any birthday is a good birthday." 

This is one of those moments that shifted my perspective permanently.

We had a really good visit that day. Heather passed away one week later on January 8th.

I was so happy when Kristen suggested a steak night fundraiser for my "Twelve in 2012" event with the Canadian Cancer Society that would coincide with Heather's birthday. She did a fantastic job planning and organizing the evening! She sold out the event and we were able to gather 100 of Heather's friends and family last Sunday, May 6th at Haywood's Grill. I think she would have been thrilled to have us all together because of her! 

Kristen had collected and received a preponderance of great raffle prizes, some roughrider tickets to auction off and a lotto board. Together with the proceeds from the tickets sold to the supper, we raised $2205!!!! Thank you so much to everyone who came out and supported the evening SO generously. This contribution nearly doubled the donations to date to the Canadian Cancer Society!! 

It was really nice to have my husband and boys there as well as my mom & dad who are back from their winter away. It was also a great chance to see some of Heather's friends and family that I hadn't seen since her funeral in January.

Mostly though, I hope that in a little way, having everyone come together helped Heather's parents Hugh & Barb during a week when they were surely missing a birthday party.

A much smaller group of us met together with Barb at Moxie's on May 8th. I had a mini white chocolate brownie.....I haven't had one in years, but Heather and I had shared many of them. It used to be our fail-safe during exams (or any other time really!). It was bitter-sweet.

The Saskatoon Police Service Half Marathon

The Scenario

Sunday, April 29th was the Saskatoon Police Service Half Marathon. My friend Sarah Keith and her husband Kevin came down from Prince Albert to run the half marathon with me. I met Sarah a year ago when I first started playing soccer. It didn't take long for us to realize that we both really liked running! She does most of her running on the treadmill dreadfully early in the morning while her boys are sleeping before she needs to be ready to start her workday. Sarah ran the Nike Plus Virtual Half Marathon with me in January (she was in P.A. and I was in Warman, so we sweat together at a distance!). She is a super speed-demon! We were both looking forward to completing a non-virtual run together.

Heather's good friend Kristen Vanderkooy (who had also ran in the Brainfreeze) was registered to run the 10km. That morning, Kristen introduced me to Angela Bloor who ran the 5km in Heather's honour.

Finally, my friend Erica (who had taken our family pictures and the running photos of me back in March) was there to complete the 10km.

So, together we met up with the other runners Sunday morning outside the city police station. Of course, the weather of the Spring season in Saskatchewan is predictably unpredictable. On Saturday it rained and poured off and on all day, but it cleared a bit overnight and the showers held off until the afternoon the day of the race. The temperature was crisp, but perfect for running, when we started across the timing mat at 8 a.m.  By the time I was returning back South along the route, it seemed that the temperature had dropped a bit lower. I could see my breath as I huffed and puffed my way along. I was thankful that I had brought my thick headband and a pair of mini mitts. My temperature was perfect wearing a pair of crop pants, a long sleeve tech shirt and my trusty running jacket.  I am SO thankful that it didn't rain....that would have made for a soggy 13.1 miles!

The Event

This was the 3rd annual SPS Half Marathon. It is an event that offers 5km, 10km & half marathon distances. It is sponsored by Asics and organized by the Saskatoon Police as a way to bring the police service together with the community to keep active and raise money for charity. This year the proceeds are being donated to the local Recess Guardians program.

This event was really well organized and I really liked the half marathon route! It is a smaller race with 45 people completing the 5km, 129 registrants in the 10km and 104 runners completing the 21.1km this year.

The route was well marked and the road marshals & pylons were well spaced and I was never worried that I was going the wrong way. I appreciated that, after the halfway turnaround point, the half marathon route took a detour up into a residential trail area away from the river. I was able to run in an area that I had never been in before where the view of the river and the city was great!

The drink stations were pretty well spaced except toward the very end of the run it felt like a long time between the last cup of water and the finish line! I was disappointed at the lack of gatorade....on this morning especially I really could have used the extra electrolytes! The Asics running hat that came in the race packages is pretty spiffy; but to date, I haven't been much of a hat wearer. We'll see if I make use of it in the next couple months.

The Excuses

I am FULL of excuses for this one!

Again, we had a jam packed weekend that I had organized and coordinated so that everyone was able to be and do what they needed to when they needed to. As with everything in life it seems, there are always a couple things that pop up unexpectedly....so, when my husband got called out for work Wednesday afternoon, I wasn't shocked. In fact, I was kind of expecting it. What I wasn't expecting was a phone call from my brother saying that my niece was major sick and being transported from Regina to Saskatoon to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

All that I was able to do was be here for them, make them lunches, do their laundry and hold my breath and wait for news....everything else we had planned would have gone out the window if need be, but Alivia started to slowly improve as the week went on. My husband got back from work and Friday my parents arrived to help us out for the weekend.

I had originally planned to run the Regina Police Service Half Marathon. Then, we realized that it was the same weekend as my husband was to be involved in a co-worker's wedding. So, I was lucky that the SPS event was an option and that way we would be able to be at the wedding and I would still be able to complete my April run. We were treated to a nice rehearsal dinner Friday night.

Saturday morning, in the rain, I met the group of "Moms on the Run" that have started getting together for a weekly run. They were such troopers to come out in the rain! It gave Sarah and I a chance to decide how we should dress the next day in the less than optimum weather. It was obvious that I wouldn't be able to wear my shorts as I had planned, but my capris were slipping around and would have driven me bonkers if I had had to wear them for the half! I'm very thankful that my friend Ang offered to lend me a great pair of crops that worked wonderfully. I didn't have any time left to shop before the next morning!

I got home and got organized, packed everything we needed for the next 24 hours, had lunch with my family, got spiffed up and headed to the city for a beautiful wedding. I hadn't realized how long it had been since we had been to a wedding, but it would seem that I'm still as much of a suck as I used to be!

Between the ceremony and the reception we got checked in to the hotel, zipped over to Brainsport to get my race package, we went up to the hospital to visit Alivia and then I still had time to do a quick blog post! When we got back for cocktails, it was clear that this was going to be a fun evening!

Because my parents were able to come and stay with Owen and Myles, we had decided that we would just get a room at the hotel and that would simplify everything. I had planned to behave myself, have a couple of drinks and dance a couple songs and then sneak off to the room to get a good night sleep while still making it possible for my hubby to have fun with his friends....well, those good intentions quickly went out the window!

We were having so much fun that I didn't want to leave and before I knew it it was 1:00! While my husband was sound asleep within seconds, I lay awake too excited to sleep. I didn't actually sleep much before the alarm went off at 5:30. I got up and made coffee and using the second cup I whipped up some instant oatmeal. I lay back down for another hour before it was time to get my duds on. Of all the things for me to forget at home, I had left my gatorade! I drank as much water as I could and then headed down to meet Sarah & Kevin in the lobby. To say I wasn't feeling 100% would be a bit of an understatement, but I was committed to running and ready to give it my all.

The Best Part

Only a city block or so into the run, Heather's mom Barb was standing at the corner cheering for us as we started on our way. It was so early on a cold Sunday morning; and yet, there she was giving me the encouragement I so needed.

Sarah and I ran the first half mile or so together and then she wished me well and took off like a gazelle! She finished the half marathon in 1:41:55 shaving over ten minutes off of her time from the Las Vegas Half Marathon she ran in December!

I popped my earphones in and found my pace. I was doing fine until around the 5k point when the route went right past the hotel. I had a room key in my pocket and it took all of my willpower not to just sneak off and snuggle back in to the warm bed. BUT, again a block later, there was Barb on the curb ready with a hug and a cheer and that reaffirmed what I already knew. I had to stay the course.

Kristen beat her previous 10k time by a minute and a half. Although she is pleased to have bettered her time, she said that she found the run tough. She is training to complete the half marathon at the Mogathon in June and I'm sure that she is going to ace it!

If this run had been half the distance, I would have completed my best 10k time. The second half of the run, however, was when my body started to retaliate for my antics the previous night. There were some of the regular culprits like sore hips and quads; but, I also had a smattering of new aches and pains such as sore calves and a tight chest which were more likely due to dancing in my beautiful wedge sandals until all hours and the over-consumption of Great Western Light.

With about 1.5 km remaining, I was happy to see Sarah. After completing her run, she had walked back to find me and was ready to help me get to the finish line. Together we ran across the Broadway bridge back to the police station where I was so happy to have Barb, Kristen, Angela, Kevin and my husband (who was a smidge groggy and a bit put off by the exuberant person cheering with a cow bell!) waiting for me.

Usually I have a little bit of gas left in my tank to give an extra surge for the last bit of the course, but this is the first time that I've been completely out of energy when I finished. I am very pleased to have completed my fourth run of the year in 2:11:40 (only a minute and a half more than my event last month). Although I do not regret staying out late and having fun, I definitely learned my lesson and will NEVER run a half marathon after a night out again!

My niece is still in the hospital, but she's improving each day. Her hospitalization has served as another reminder for us to focus on the important things in life. Family, friends, love & fun. We only have one life to live, so lets make the most of it!

I am excited that this half has put my 2012 total distance to date over the 330 mile point! I'm already one third of the way done for the year! Now I've got 4 weeks to prep before the Saskatchewan Marathon on May 27th.

A Little Hiccup, A Couple Bumps In the Road....Such is Life

I realize that it has been over a month since I've posted on here. Actually, it's something I've been stewing over.

During the eight weeks between the Brainsport Brainfreeze and the SPS Half Marathon, I had big plans. I was going to crosstrain & run intervals & run hills to build some strength and lose the rest of my weight and then I was going to run my best half marathon time yet!.....things just haven't really worked out that way.

There are a lot of things that have factored into this failure. But, I think the main thing was that after jumping into this project so close to Heather's passing, this was the first chance that I had to stop and take a breath and reflect without an event in the near future.

Since January, I have had the chance to hear from many people about how cancer has affected them and their family or loved ones. This has reinforced for me, the choice to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. However, it has also left me feeling overwhelmed and sad because cancer is so prevalent and just plain brutal.

I've done my best to deal with these feelings and I know that I'm just one person and I'm doing all that I can to try and help. So, I'm going to try to see my inability to achieve my mini-goals for what it is and focus on the good things that have happened during this time. Going into my run tomorrow, I'm no longer hoping to break any speed barriers! I've relaxed my expectations (which were probably set a bit too high to start with, lol!). It is forecasted to be a rainy, chilly day, but the route looks like a nice one.

Thanks for all of the continued support.

Overwhelmed by Your Support

When I started this project in January, I never imagined that I would be sitting here three months later announcing that we have fundraised over TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Yet, here I am!!!!

At the end of February when I did a fundraising update, the donations totaled $370.

In the middle of March, a very generous donation of $250 was made by Dave Stark. He is a long time member of the Saskatoon Roadrunners Association and he had read the member profile of me that was included in the SRRA weekly newsletter (in fact, he is the Vice President of the club and the Editor of the newsletter). Dave is coming off of surgery and radiation for prostate cancer in the last few months, so my cause hits close to home for him. Now that he is feeling better, he has started training for the half marathon at the Saskatchewan Marathon at the end of May. Way to go Dave! I am really hoping that we will cross paths at the event so that I have a chance to thank him in person for his generosity.

Last Monday, was the steak night fundraiser at Mulberry's Bakery & Cafe that a couple of the girls from my soccer team organized. Nicki & Terra did a fantastic job planning the night and coordinating the ticket sales and raffle donations. Thank you so much for all of your hard work!

The supper was delicious and Mulberry's did a great job taking care of us. There were many FANTASTIC raffle prizes that were donated. I'm thankful to each of the companies and individuals that were so generous. Thank you.

We sold close to one hundred tickets for the evening. Yeah, I know, 100 tickets!! Wow! So, to say that I was a bit overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people would be a bit of an understatement. The only other time that I've had that many people in one place to support me was at my wedding!

The girls had asked me to be ready to say a few words, so I had written out what I wanted to say. The trouble was, I couldn't get my hand to quit shaking so my papers were all a flutter! I think I managed to get my point across despite my nerves. It's silly really, I knew almost everyone there and could have spoken to each of them individually without batting an eye; but, when you put everyone together in one place and stand up in front of them to speak.....it's a whole different ballpark!

I am so thankful for the support of each person that was able to take the time to be at the supper. Most of the girls from my soccer team and their husbands and friends, many of my friends from Warman and some of my husband's co-workers were able to be there. There were two large tables of Heather's friends and family that came and that means SO much to me. As always, I am extremely thankful for the support of my family. My mother and father-in-law drove 3.5 hours to come to the supper! My brother-in-law Bill and Uncle-in-law Bob were there; and as always, my husband. Thank you.

Together, we raised $1318 that night ($745 of which came from the raffle prizes!!)!!!!! It felt so wonderful to drop off the donation at the Canadian Cancer Society the next day. There was also $215 in additional donations made online by five people who weren't able to make it to the supper. So, our grand total for the Mulberry's steak night was $1533. Yowzers!

The total donations made to my 12 in 2012 Fundraise for Life Event is $2153. Thank you so much for your generosity and support. It means so much to me.