The Runner's Prayer

My sister Ginette sent me this on my 55th birthday last Friday and I was moved to share it.  A prayer for runners and a mention in the Bible!

O Lord, may I never just look as if I’m in the race – the race you have set before me.Instead, let me be running with all my heart. And may I never allow myself to be detoured by the difficulties of life. Amen 

“Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”   Hebrews 12:1

The photo above features me with Larry Savitch on the left and Dan Cumming on the right.  It was taken after we completed our various Reggae Marathon events last December in Jamaica.  Runners...Friends...Uncomplicated.  I pray for more friends like that.

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

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I'm raising funds for the Heart & Stroke Foundation in 2013.  My goal is to raise $2,000 by December 31.  My planned races in 2013 include:

1. The Sporting Life 10K, May 12
2. The Toronto Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 20
3. The Reggae Marathon, December 7.  

Please join me on Facebook at Run for Heart.

Reggae Marathon 2012 was Special!

I almost cracked open a bottle of champagne last Sunday.  The occasion?  Four consecutive days of running since breaking my foot last September.  And in really bad running conditions as well:  super cold one day, sloppy conditions the next;  clear sidewalk one morning, watch out for the black ice the next!  One thing that has kept me motivated are the memories from last December's Reggae Marathon:

Don't let the gray hair fool you...I am still a 12 year old at heart.  Just ask Sally!  I still love running straight into the Caribbean fully dressed right after finishing.  This year I remembered to take off my running shoes.

If there was ever a shot of a master at work this would be it.  Sully, no one has ever consumed a fresh cut coconut with as much skill as you demonstrated in this photo from Reggae Marathon last December.  

I have seen sunsets from Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles, Biarritz in the South of France and in Sydney, Australia.  They are all fantastic in their own way and I know I have missed a number of others but the sunset from the Cliffs in Negril's West End is my favourite!

The 'After' shot.  We're only missing Mark in this shot.  He was still working on finishing his first half marathon.  Brave sole...I hear he is training hard for the Mississauga Marathon this spring.  Oh, and did you notice Andrew's shoes?  He had a special 'Jamaica Colours' made just for Reggae Marathon.  This year I'll get him to try Pumas.

Yes I'm back running.  Taking it slowly for the rest of the winter with the goal of the Sporting Life 10K on May 12 as my first event.  If all goes well, planning on the ending the year back at Reggae Marathon December 7 for my 5th consecutive race event!  Where did those 5 years go?

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

++++++++++

I'm raising funds for the Heart & Stroke Foundation in 2013.  My goal is to raise $2,000 by December 31.  My planned races in 2013 include:

1. The Sporting Life 10K, May 12
2. The Toronto Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 20
3. The Reggae Marathon, December 7.  

Please join me on Facebook at Run for Heart.

Too cold for running outside?

Some days it's really too cold for running!

A funny thing happened during my journey through injury and recovery these past 4 months:  I don't like running in the cold any more!  How did that happen?

Once upon a time I enjoyed even looked forward to running in ultra cold temperatures.  Base layer, tights, windpants, toque and facemask made running not only tolerable but actually enjoyable.  And I had some great cold weather runs including two favourites:  Anchorage, Alaska and Regina, Saskatchewan.

I was in Anchorage 25 years ago shooting an advertisement for for my client, Isuzu Trucks.  We hit upon the idea that if we showed how tough Isuzu Trucks were in a foreign environment then they would be more than good enough in Canada.  It was a pretty good idea and it worked.  It also meant a 10 day trip to Alaska in January to shoot the photography.

Now Alaska in January is cold!  The temperatures weren't significantly below what we experience here in Toronto but the wind off the Bering Sea or North Pacific (take your pick) made the temperatures seem a lot colder.  I didn't go out for a long run that morning in January but it sure was fun to run along the snow covered streets of downtown Anchorage at 9 am in the morning ... in the pitch black!  In Alaska in January they only get 5 - 6 hours of sunlight each day with sunrise around 9:30 am and sunset at 3:30 pm.  I learned about sunlight deprivation that trip.

My second memorable cold weather run happened in Regina, Saskatchewan about 15 years when I was on a business trip with Dairy Queen.  This one was not as enjoyable. In fact it was downright scary.

I always ran early mornings on business trips.  That's where 'That Running Guy' has it's roots:  my colleagues would shout that out if they saw me heading out for a run.  At 5 am that morning after donning all my running gear, I headed out from the downtown hotel for a short 6 K run. It was -40 Degrees Celsius! And to use the Prairie cliche, 'It was a dry cold'.  I thought I was prepared.  For the first 3 K things were OK.  I didn't notice that the slight wind was at my back.  It was only when I turned for the run back to my hotel that things started to go awry.

The wind in my face combined with the sweat started me shivering.  "This is cold, really, really cold" I remember saying to myself.  I started to slow down.  For the first time in my running life, I felt scared.  I knew that if I stopped running, things would get really bad. I kept shuffling along and managed to make it back to the hotel.

After I had recovered from that run and while watching the early morning TV news a bit later I learned that with the wind chill, the effective temperature was around -60 degrees C.  Yikes! It's no fun freezing to death running!  

I've never run again in Regina conditions.  And recently I've found that even -10 degrees Celsius is uncomfortable.  Age, stage...some days it really is too cold for running!

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

++++++++++

I'm raising funds for the Heart & Stroke Foundation in 2013.  My goal is to raise $2,000 by December 31.  My planned races in 2013 include:

1. The Sporting Life 10K, May 12
2. The Toronto Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 20
3. The Reggae Marathon, December 7.  

Please join me on Facebook at Run for Heart.

My Top 10 Life Lessons Learned from Running

I love reading lists.  Especially the ones I create. :)

Like just about everyone I know, reading the 'Top 10' or 'Top 7' lists is appealing.  Since last September when I injured my foot and I've been walking not running, I've had some time to think about the things I've learned about life from running.  In this case, not running.  Enjoy:


#10.  Life is life!  What I'm doing today is important.  I'm not practicing for the future. Today is all I have.  I've got to live it completely and thoroughly.

#9.  Sometime it rains.  And I am going to get wet.  So what?  Clothes and skin dries so I might as well get out there and enjoy it.  It will be sunny again.

#8.  You will loose your way.  Unlike Sisyphus who did the same thing over and over again, I hate repeating myself.  I've learned that I never learn anything new without trying something new.  And sometimes I get lost...dammed if I don't experience some fun things though.

#7.  People will help you...if you ask.  If you have some idea of where you want to go, stop and ask for help in getting there.  Good people are eager to help.

#6.  Breathe.  As a runner that's why I'm outside in the first place:  to get a breath of fresh air.

#5.  'ABL'...'Always Be Learning'.  Ask a lot of questions especially when I don't know the answer.  I've found that until I fully understand something I don't sleep well at night.

#4.  Get up early!  Forget the 'early bird gets the worm...I hate worms...and fishing.  I get up early to get a head start on the day...and on life.

#3.  Listen.  Then listen some more.  I find it easy to give unsolicited advice.  Especially when I've made up my mind before I've heard the entire situation.  Life is so much better when I take the time to listen completely (I wouldn't have endured this silly foot injury if I'd truly listened to my body).

#2.  Give Thanks Every Day!  If you go to church each week that's great.  Spend a few minutes every day giving thanks that you woke up!

#1.  Go Running!  I'm a runner.  Have been for over 30 years.  If you don't run, go for a walk, a bike ride or a swim.  It doesn't matter, just get out there.

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

++++++++++

I'm raising funds for the Heart & Stroke Foundation in 2013.  My goal is to raise $2,000 by December 31.  My planned races in 2013 include:

1. The Sporting Life 10K, May 12
2. The Toronto Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 20
3. The Reggae Marathon, December 7.  

Please join me on Facebook at Run for Heart.