It's coming back together...

Last post I made I was a little flustered with everything. School was piling up, SO many things due, and work commitments and the way my boss goes about it was frustrating me. To make things worse, the one thing that typically keeps me sane and gives me an outlet for frustration (my running) I couldn't do, and it became ONE more stress, instead of something to look forward to.

I didn't work Friday or Saturday and only 4 hours yesterday. THAT was HUGE. It gave me the time to put into school work and things slowly got checked off. I just have a presentation tomorrow to do and then this round will be DONE. Then we have a few more things due in the next few weeks and we'll be back in prac before I know it!

Secondly, I was able to run Fri, Sat and Sun. I had great runs those days too. Sunday was a beautiful run, one of those runs that reminds me why I love running. I was up and out at 8:30. I wanted to get out earlier but it was raining, so I was going to wait for it to die down a little before heading out and hopefully get in SOME sort of mileage. I was supposed to run 30k but wasn't sure if it would happen. So I started out and it didn't rain at all again! It stayed mostly overcast which kept me cool, and there was a nice breeze down by the ocean. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I love it. I run down to the harbour, then turn right and go up to South beach and WIN stadium, turn around and run all the way back up, through the lighthouses RIGHT on the water. I run the cycleway all the way up to Bulli and then come home. It's an amazing run. Away from the water, then back, past suburb after suburb, seeing them all, dreaming of what it must be like to own a home with an ocean view... I see cricket and soccer fields, lots of surf clubs and lifeguard towers and more than a couple outdoor, ocean side pools. I love it. I can't BEGIN to describe how amazing it is (I guess I just did though). It's my absolute passion.

It's funny. For our Aboriginal Education class, we have to give a 3-5 minute "Icon Presentation". It's basically adult show and tell, but it's supposed to be something that describes your "culture", who you are. Culture in this sense is not Canadian, white, English speaking. It's ME, Brian, what's MY culture. WHO am I? People have brought in all sorts of stuff, things that represent their family, their Nationality, their personality etc... I'm bringing in my running shoes. Running gives me SO much. I can relate COUNTLESS positive things that it has given me. It gives me a healthy outlet for my energy, to releive stress and frustration. It gives me a sense of empowerment, when I realize what I'm capable of, both physically AND mentally. It teaches me perseverance, determination, discipline. It allows me to have an internal dialogue with myself that at any other point of the day is impossible because my brain is so many places at once. It lets me focus 110% on what I'm doing, ritalin free. It gives me the opportunity to set goals that are achievable in the not too distant future and that are attainable through my own hard work. It allows me to take 100% responsibility for the outcome of a goal, or a race. It teaches me WHO I am. It gives me a sense of identity. It gives me a sense of pride. It makes me different, and not like everyone else. It lets me see and experience things that I would have never otherwise had the opportunity to. Running brings my family together, whether it's at a race or at the dinner table. I hope it gives them a sense of pride in my accomplishments, because after all, WHO I am has a lot to do with WHO THEY ARE. I love running.

On Sunday, my friend Marco, who I've never actually met ran the Mississauga 1/2 marathon. See Marco and I BOTH raced Muskoka AND Peterborough last year. We're about the same age. He's a better swimmer by far, I'm a better cyclist (significantly) and he's a SLIGHTLY better runner. He beat me at Muskoka and I beat him at Peterborough though there was like 5 mins or less between us in both races. Anyways, he ran the 1/2 in 1:25:23, about 2 minutes faster than my one and only half marathon of two years ago. This Sunday he'll be looking out for my result, hopefully I don't embarass myself! I THINK I can go fast... NEAR that 1:27:47 from two years ago, but how close we'll hafta see. You better believe I'll be running HARD though. A half marathon is fun because when the pain actually sets in, you know you can handle it because the end isn't THAT far away.

On mother's day, mom and dad calle dus on skype and told us they wanted to help us out. They are FARRRRRR too generous, and the help is truly appreciated. More than that was the email I got from dad. It made me emotional and truly happy to know that they are happy with what I'm doing and are proud of who I am, and who I'm trying to become. The email is printed and up on the wall, just as a reminder to myself to never stop working hard, because I have THE hardest working man in the world as a role model, how could I ever let him down?!?!