Running lessons: Wishing don't make it so

Week 2 of my "Return to Running" hasn't gone well. As I hoped when I wrote my last post, I made it out for a longish 7k run last Sunday evening after Husband arrived home - when the rain finally stopped and the sun came out in time for trick-or-treating.  I enjoyed crossing paths with costumed kids wandering the streets - obviously happy the rain had let up in time for Halloween. It was warm enough that they didn't even need a layer of warm clothes under their outfits. 

Unfortunately, running opportunities were few and far between the rest of the week. Monday morning, we loaded the camper for one last adventure and headed up the coast towards Halifax, following the old #3 Highway much of the way, with short detours around the Aspotagan Peninsula and out to Peggy's Cove and back. The weather couldn't have been better for November so we dawdled longer than planned at Peggy's Cove before heading into the city to spend the evening with friends. (The photo above was taken at Peggy's. There will be more images from that outing in a future post.)

After a late breakfast Tuesday morning, we spent a few hours tackling some long overdue shopping before heading home again. In theory, I should have run that evening but it was raining by the time we got back and I was tired from shopping so didn't have the energy.

The next two days were consumed by a visit with old friends, who travelled from Cape Breton to spend some time with us. I should have run Thursday afternoon or Friday, but wimped out again when temperatures dropped and the wind came up.

Finally, I got my butt out the door this afternoon. Then, because I'd run 7k last week, I decided to try running 8-9k - which is when I was reminded that "wishing don't make it so". I wish I was fit enough to run 8k with ease, but the truth is I haven't trained enough. In the end, I covered the distance but it wasn't pretty and I had to take more walk breaks than usual. Discouraging. 

But never mind. The forecast for the week ahead looks perfect for running so I'll have no excuses. I just need to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and trust the process. Before I know it, 8k will feel easy as pie. 

On my run today, I was thinking about how some of my oldest friendships have faded over the years, and how I sometimes wish I was able to revive them. Sadly, wishing don't make that so either. When long friendships end, it's mostly for reasons that can't be wished away. 

In a few cases, the friend and I simply grew in different directions until we were no longer comfortable with one another. In others, stuff happened that was difficult to understand or forgive. In still others, I came to understand we were never really friends in the first place - that my "friend" saw me as little more than a means to an end. 

The last was the hardest. No one likes feeling used. But the truth is there are people in the world who are so deeply narcissistic they only value others for what they can do for them. And, if I'm honest, my own tendency towards co-dependence has too often meant I'm attracted to such people.

I like to think I've finally reached a point in my life where I have the wisdom and self-awareness to mostly avoid such unhealthy relationships. But the truth is, they're not always easy to spot in the beginning, and, once in them, it can be hard to disengage.  

I hasten to add that I'm not saying friendships shouldn't involve work. They nearly always do - especially the ones that last longest. And I'm certainly not saying friends can't have differences. Very often, it's differences that make friendships most worthwhile. I'm only saying that, when a friendship becomes toxic for some reason, wishing it weren't is seldom enough to fix things. Whether it's fixable depends on whether the friends in question are truly interested in working together to put things right. 

In any case, as the philosopher Seneca said, "The comfort of having a friend may be taken away, but not that of having had one." As much as I may wish I hadn't lost some friends over the years, there's comfort in reminding myself that the sadness and loss I feel thinking about them is directly related to the special place they once held in my heart. 

Happy running!

Running lessons: Practicing patience

Week one of my "Return to Running" went reasonably well - at least, until this morning, when I awoke to torrential rain and couldn't quite persuade myself to suck it up and go running anyway, though I knew I'd probably enjoy it if I did. 

The forecast says the rain should let up around suppertime so I'm hoping to hit the road later, but it may not happen. Husband's been away visiting family in Ontario for the better part of two weeks and is due to arrive home any minute now. I won't want to head out for a run too soon after he gets in, but may be able to squeeze in 5 or 6 kms before supper. If not, I'll do it tomorrow morning instead.

None of my runs this week felt great but that's to be expected. Each time I started to feel discouraged, I reminded myself to "practice my patience", as my nephew used to say. Experience has taught me that even a few weeks of regular training make running feel more natural. I just need to be patient and trust the process.

In other news, the wind and rain over the past week brought down most of the remaining leaves, though there are still occasional splashes of colour to be savoured along the way. And I love the dry swish and scent of fallen leaves almost as much. Autumn really is the best time of year for running.

Here's another image from our visit to Keji a couple of weeks ago. Next October, I'd like to spend a week there exploring the park's wonderful network of trails. It's a spectacular spot. 

Running lessons: Hold on to hope

In the face of the ugly spectacle unfolding south of the border, not to mention news that climate change is happening faster than anyone predicted and species are going extinct at unprecedented rates, I find it hard to be optimistic these days. I hope I'm wrong but my gut tells me we'll be facing some pretty grim realities in as little as a decade or two. The track we're currently on leads leads more or less directly to an Atwood-esque dystopia.

On the days I feel most pessimistic, I remind myself that - as my dear father-in-law often said - "despair is a sin". Positive change can only happen when people have enough optimism to take action. Put another way, people need to believe positive change is possible to make it happen.

But too much optimism can be a problem too - at least when it becomes an excuse for inaction. Maybe humankind will find solutions for the serious environmental challenges facing us but that doesn't mean we shouldn't each be doing what we can now to walk more lightly on the planet. 

I get why some people don't see it that way. After all, many of us are at a point in our lives where we only expect to live 15-20 years anyway so we don't see ourselves at significant personal risk. But what about younger people? You know, our kids and grand-kids? How will we justify our actions to them in a few years. "Yes, I know I didn't need to drive a series of ridiculous gas-guzzling vehicles, or fly halfway round the world for a vacations, or buy the newest versions of everything, but I worked hard to have those things and I deserve them."

"Deserve". How I hate that word. It appears in my Facebook newsfeed regularly as friends encourage one another to be self-indulgent. "Glad you're having such a great vacation, honey. You deserve it. Of course you should have that snazzy new car. You deserve it." Really? Last time I checked, "deserve" meant you'd done something to earn what you have. The reality is that most of what we Canadians enjoy we got just by being lucky enough to be born in the right place and time. If we'd been born in India or Nigeria or Papua New Guinea instead, chances are our lives would be very different.

No, I don't think the next generation is going to be too impressed with our assertions that we "deserved" to ignore the health of the environment and future generations to satisfy our horrifying addiction to over-consumption.

I know I sound angry. I am angry. And discouraged. There's a big part of me that sometimes wishes we humans wipe ourselves out sooner rather than later so that other creatures on this planet have a fighting chance to survive whatever awaits. In my darkest moments, I wonder why I don't just belly up to the trough myself and take what I can before all is lost.

I don't because I know that, if and when the worst happens, I want to be able to look into my nieces and nephews' eyes and tell them I did what I could to prevent it - that I valued their lives and futures as much as my own. Call me naive, but I think it's the least I can do. 

How does that relate to running and hope, you ask? Well, as dark and depressing as my thoughts are some days, I know the only way through is to hold on to hope - the kind of hope that energizes me to pay attention, believe better is possible, and work for change. Running helps with that by getting me out of my head and into the natural world, where I'm regularly reminded of the wondrous beauty and diversity of this little blue planet and the critters - including we humans - that inhabit it. They (we) truly are worth fighting for. 

The photos I've included in this post are from a recent outing to Kejimkujik Park - a good place to be reminded of just how beautiful our planet still is - particularly in autumn.

Still here and blogging...

...in my head, at least. Unfortunately, I rarely have time to write these days and, when I do, I usually spend it catching up on email. 

What’s got me so busy? A good question. I wonder sometimes why life feels so hectic when I don’t seem to do much besides work and hang out with Husband and the critters. I never watch TV, rarely go out, and train only sporadically. The trouble is I’m so tired that, even when I do have a little time, I’m not inclined to spend on my laptop. I’m more likely to pour a glass of wine and play tug with Jackie Blue. 

Life is especially tiring at the moment because we sold our city house a few weeks ago and I’m commuting 200k a day to work and back. I only drive about 150k of that since I catch a bus at Tantallon but the round trip eats up 3 hours of each day. I’ve been using the time on the bus to read novels, which makes it feel a little less like work, but all that travel still makes for a longass work day. Fortunately, I’ll only be commuting for a few more weeks. I've lined up an apartment to rent in the city starting the beginning of September.

The decision to sell the house was a bit spur of the moment. At the time, I thought I might be giving up my job and the housing market was hot so we decided to take the plunge and sell the house while we could get a good price for it. However, things at work have improved to the point that it now makes sense to stay in my job awhile longer and see how it goes. It would be nice to end my government career on a high note instead of leaving earlier than planned out of frustration. 

Moving's not the only thing that's been consuming time and energy. Husband and I went on a wonderful trip to Newfoundland and Ireland in late May/early June, which I hope to blog about in detail eventually. In the meantime, here are a few photos to wet your appetite.

In addition, we've had a regular stream of visitors since early July. Most booked their time with us before we decided to sell the house so we didn't feel we could postpone, and anyway we've enjoyed having them. It just made July that much more hectic.

The other issue for me has been the heatwave we've had over the past few weeks. Normally, I enjoy hot weather but not this year. Coupled with regular hot flashes, the very warm temperatures have kept me from getting enough sleep.

Fortunately, I've booked two more weeks of vacation in late August so it won't be long until I get some proper rest. In the meantime, I'm doing my best to pace myself, eat right, drink plenty of (non-alcoholic) fluids, and cut myself a bit of slack on the training front. 

At the moment, the most I can manage is a couple of short runs per week and I often end up having to walk parts of them on account of the (internal and external) heat. It's frustrating but I remind myself that it's better to do some training than none at all. Once I've moved into an apartment in the city, I should have more time for running (and blogging) since Husband plans to stay in the country with the critters most weeks.

So that's the news from here. Hope you're having a good summer, wherever you are. If you're a female runner of a certain age, I'd love to hear how you manage hot flashes when you run (and the rest of the time, for that matter). If you're a long distance commuter, how do you spend so much time on the road without feeling totally exhausted at the end of the day? Love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

Lots of reading and a little running

It's taking awhile to get back to training regularly but, now that my face is healing nicely, I'm determined keep at it. Last week, I only ran twice but both runs were a reasonable length (7k and 8.5k) and felt good throughout so I seem to be making some progress at least.

This week, I'd been hoping to run at least 3 times but Mother Nature had other ideas. We had another nor'easter mid-week that kept me from running on Thursday as planned. I may still manage three runs if I take puppy for a short run this afternoon before my longish 9k run tomorrow.

I didn't used to be such a wimp about running in bad weather but these days I struggle to head out in less-than-ideal conditions - and there seem to have been a lot of them lately. We haven't had as much snow as we usually do this winter but the winds have been fierce and bitter.  The massive tree limbs littering the yard at our country place are testament to how nasty it's been.

On a more positive note, now that the time has changed, evenings are longer so I should be able to make a habit of taking Jackie for short runs at Shubie Park after work. We've made it out a couple of times recently, and have used the time to practice things we're learning in trail training classes at Oceanmark K9 Resort. It's amazing to see how quickly Jackie picks stuff up when her people to a better job of communicating what they want. And, so far as we can tell, she loves the chance to show us what she can do.

Of course, the best thing about trail training is how tired Jackie is afterwards. There's not much cuter than a tired puppy and I get lots more snuggles after we've spent an hour or two on the trails together.

In addition to working, running and hanging out with the critters last week, I managed to do a fair bit of reading. On the weekend, I finished Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman, which was by turns hilarious and moving, along with Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.

I'm not sure what to make of Manson's book. Clearly, he's no intellectual heavyweight and, at just 34 years old, he's not old enough to be credited with much wisdom. On the other hand, he does a reasonably good job of repackaging insights and wisdom from other sources and the book's an easy and entertaining read.

In particular, I liked his critique of self-help approaches that insist people should try to be positive all the time. To his mind (and mine), that's just dumb. Bad stuff happens and it's completely normal and healthy to feel crappy about it. The important thing is to be thoughtful about how you respond and to do so in ways that are consistent with your values.

Speaking of values, I like that Manson talks about them. It's not something a lot of people do these days but he encourages readers to identify their values, and consider whether they will lead to "a good life" in the long run. By his definition, a good life isn't a life without struggles but rather a life with struggles of your own choosing - a notion that certainly resonates with me.

Okay, okay. Enough about the book. It really isn't that good - though it did offer some interesting questions to noodle over while I work out when and how I want to move on from my current day job.

My other big accomplishment over the past couple of weeks was capturing a few more decent photos of Nemmie. She such a beautiful kitty, it's a shame it's so hard to get good photos of her.

I plan to spend much of this weekend following what's happening at the Barkley Marathon. There are at least two Canadians running - one of whom is an accomplished distance runner, well known in the local trail running community.  Of course, the whole world is cheering for Gary Robbins after his heartbreaking finish at last year's Barkley - me included. But I'll be cheering just as loudly for Jodi Isenor, who completed the 3 loop "Fun Run" at Barkley in 2014 in 36:36 - an incredible accomplishment for a first timer. Here's his account of that run.

Speaking of which, it's time to sign off and get on with my day. Hope the weather's cooperating with whatever you have planned this weekend. Are you following Barkley too? What's your take on adventure races and the people who attempt them?

Spring is here...we hope

The weather's been weird lately - far too warm  for February and early March. Mind you, I'm not complaining. It's tough enough to get back to regular training without the frigid temperatures we usually have at this time of year.

A couple of weeks ago, we had snow but it was so warm it didn't hang around long - though it sure was pretty while it lasted. It was so wet it clung to everything, creating a gorgeous winter wonderland. Husband and I took Jackie to Peace Park early enough to savour the effect before it melted off the trees.

It's a good thing Jackie's got brown ears and a pink tongue, or we'd have lost her in all that white stuff.

It was easier to keep track of her when we headed out for a short run up river the following weekend when the snow was mostly gone.

I finally signed up for the Bluenose 15k a few weeks ago, so it's time to get busy training. I'm hoping Jackie will accompany me on shorter runs and she's done pretty well the few times I've taken her - trotting along steadily, with only occasional stops for pees, water, and stick-chewing. Last week, we started a trail training class, which should help. She loved running and playing with the other dogs but we were all pretty tired by the time we got home. It turns out paying attention is almost as tiring for Husband and me as it is for her.

It will be interesting to see how my Bluenose training goes now that I've dropped a few pounds and had a long break. I've lost a lot of fitness and flexibility in recent months so it'll take a fair bit of patience I expect.  Most years, I maintain a solid enough base throughout the year that it's relatively easy to transition to longer distances when spring arrives but, after running so little these past few months, my base has eroded to the point that even 5k feels like a workout.

I'd be lying if I said I was okay with that, but I refuse to let myself be discouraged. After all, when I started running regularly at 40, I was 20 pounds overweight, desperately out of shape, with very little running experience, and I still managed to do things I never thought I would - like complete 9 marathons, a 50k ultra, and a slew other shorter races.  I may be older now (56 in a few weeks) but I've succeeded in keeping my weight down and still enjoy running enough to want to do it regularly, so there's every reason to believe I can find my way back to a comfy training groove soon. Here's hoping anyway.

Speaking of weight, Husband and I are continuing to track what we eat and avoid foods that don't agree with us and it seems to be paying off. We're no longer losing weight - which is fine since we're  happy where we are - but we're eating heaps more veggies, feeling better and no longer gaining, which is terrific. We're also expanding our repertoire in the kitchen. A couple of weeks ago, I cooked five spice duck breast with balsamic jus for the first time and it was pretty fantastic, if I do say so myself.

In other news, I've been busy making my way through a few more books on photography. I find them inspiring - but only theoretically, since I don't have a lot of time or energy for taking photos at the moment. I'm hoping that will change when the weather warms up and there's more daylight. In the meantime, I try to spend time each day "seeing photographically" and capturing images like these with my iPhone.

Finally, just because I so seldom mention her, here are two photos of Her Highness. She really is a beautiful girl - especially for an old lady of 15.

I hope spring has arrived where you are! Are you training for a spring race? How's it going so far? What tricks to you have for getting back to regular training after an extended break? When and how do you feel inspired to take photographs?

Creative November Challenge Day #13: Running woes

It was an odd weekend. Since I had an extra day off (today being a holiday for us government workers), I thought there's be plenty of time to do all the things I wanted to do - cooking, running, yoga, reading, painting, writing, and photography. Instead, most of the weekend got eaten up walking and playing with Jackie, discussing renovation ideas with Husband and tackling various chores. As we prepared to return to the city tonight, I was feeling more than a little frustrated that the time had gone so quickly and I had so little to show for it.

It wasn't a total loss. I managed to do some reading yesterday - finishing Hillbilly Elegy and making my way about halfway through Fifteen Dogs - and this morning I did some baking so we had fresh cheese biscuits for breakfast, then spent most of the afternoon practicing yoga, writing and painting.

My frustration mostly stemmed from the fact that I didn't run all weekend. I headed out first thing Saturday morning intending to run 5k but only got about a hundred metres from the house before the cold, windy conditions prompted me to turn back. Since I hadn't remembered to bring warm gear with me, I thought I'd try again Sunday or today when I hoped the weather would be better. As it turned out, the weather was better but still not warm enough to run without the headband and gloves I'd left in the city.  

After skipping my run today, I have to say I felt pretty discouraged and disappointed with myself - until it occurred to me that maybe it's time to stop beating myself up just because my running's not going as well as I'd like it to. The reality is I've trained consistently most of this year, despite health and other issues - so not running for a week or two isn't really such a bit deal. In fact, it might even be a good thing if I use the break to rest and make plans for the winter season.

The trouble is I don't feel like a "real" runner if I'm not running 3-4 times a week, including a long weekend run - which is ridiculous when I stop to think about it. After all, I've run regularly for more than 15 years now and completed dozens of races - including 8 full marathons and a 50k ultra. Not a real runner? Clearly, I need a more sensible definition.

Given my age and how little time and energy I have for training these days, it's no surprise running feels harder than it used to but that doesn't mean my running days are over. It just means I may need to change things up a bit, set more realistic goals and be patient as I work towards getting back into shape this winter - hopefully, with Jackie along for company on at least some of my runs. We've only tackled short distances together so far but she really seems to enjoy it so I'm hopeful she'll be inspiring me to get out the door a lot more often when she's older. Until then, I'll try being a little more gentle and patient with myself and trust that my inner runner will feel more like hitting the road after a few weeks of rest.

Here's a video of Jackie on the beach last weekend. As you can tell, she loves to run. I hope I can teach her to run slowly enough to let me keep up!

Creative November Challenge Day #9: Still life

As we get older, we define happiness less in terms of excitement and more in terms of peacefulness.
- Sheryl Sandberg, Plan B

I bought this small succulent a few days ago and set it on the table in my office to create a tiny oasis of stillness in the midst of work chaos. I enjoy pausing from to time to breathe deeply and admire it. The practice helps keep me calm and grounded, whatever's going on around me.

I think Sheryl Sandberg’s right when she says that, with age, peacefulness becomes more important than excitement. I still enjoy life's whirlwinds from time to time, but what I yearn for most these days is peace and quiet. I never seem able to get enough of them.

Which may be why I enjoy participating in running events much less than I used to. I register for a few races a year to motivate myself to train regularly but the truth is - except that it would mean missing out on the bling - I'd usually prefer to skip the events themselves. It's the training I enjoy most.

Given that, I've been wondering lately if it's time I gave up racing altogether and instead focused on treating running as a form of meditation - an opportunity to quiet my thoughts, listen to my body, notice the world around me, and find more of that peace and quiet I yearn for.  It's something to think about for sure.  

Why ain’t it always summer?

It’s been a good few weeks at our house. I took several long weekends and we did our best to make the most of them – heading for the beach whenever the weather cooperated. Unfortunately, it seems fall has decided to arrive early so we had to dress warmly whenever we ventured out this weekend. I’m still hoping for one last warm day on the beach but I’m not counting on it. The upside is that the cooler temperatures are better for running, walking and hiking – and we’ve done lots of all three in the past two weeks.

There were our usual outings to Risser’s Beach to take Jackie for walks and swims...

...but we also spent a very pleasant afternoon hiking along Hirtle's Beach and around Gaff Point...

...and another at the Kejimkujik Seaside Park.

 

Kejimkujik was particularly lovely because we took a yummy picnic lunch and had the whole beach to ourselves for a couple of hours. I could have stayed there forever.

My running’s been going reasonably well too – well enough that I've signed up for a second race this fall – a half marathon at 9RunRun in Stittsville, Ontario, near Ottawa. It should be a fun event, and I’m looking forward to the trip since it will be a chance to spend quality time with close friends who live nearby. Between now and then, I'll tackle a 15k event at Maritime Race Weekend along with my usual training runs. I don’t have firm time goals for either event – though I'd like to run the half marathon in 2:15 or less. To this point, I've completed a couple of 17k training runs, as well as a strong 8k at race pace, so 2:15 should be do-able if my training continues to go well.

As summer draws to a close, I’m reading the Anne of Green Gables series again – which is why I'm humming “Why Ain’t it Always Summer” (from the musical) as I write this. I loved the books the first time I read them as a child in PEI and am enjoying them even more the second time around. In challenging and uncertain times - which these most certainly are - Anne’s joyful optimism is good for the soul.

Assuming Trump doesn’t get us all blown up, I’ll write again soon. Until then, happy running and writing!

P.S. I've resisted the urge to include umpteen photos of Jackie in this post, but you can see plenty of recent photos of her on my Instagram account if you're interested.  

Vacation again!

I haven't posted much lately because life's simply been too busy. However, I recently got an iPhone and, not only does it take great pictures, but it enables me to dictate messages and comments - so, I thought, why not dictate a post as well?

I'm nearing the end of a week's vacation. It's been good to have a few days to hang out on local beaches (including Cherry Hill pictured above) and read a fair bit. I'm just over halfway through Annie Proulx's "Barkskins" -- an awesome read. However, it would have been nice to have another week off since I'm not sure I'll make it through all 700 pages before I head back to the office on Monday.

As I dictate this, I'm admiring the beautiful day lilies overhanging our back deck. Nature really is extraordinary.

It's a shame she did such a poor job creating human beings. The news coming out of the US at the moment makes me to despair for our species. What on earth are we doing leaving men like Trump in charge?

Actually, given the grim news, maybe "Barkskins" is the perfect book to be reading since it brilliantly chronicles the way humans have misused the forests of North America and elsewhere -- not to mention one another. It's a sobering reflection on our history and it doesn't bode especially well for our future.

On a more positive note, husband and I ate fabulously well this week -- lots of barbecue, fresh greens from our garden, and homemade breads and pastries. There's been some running too, which is a good thing since I've signed up to run a 15k race in September. I'm still hoping to tackle a half marathon in the fall as well, but haven't settled on which yet.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I've been rather discouraged about my running lately. However, when I was out for 5k around the lake last week, I was hailed by a woman who told me that she follow my blog and wanted to say hello. Apparently, she's enjoyed reading about my running exploits over the years - in part because she's just a few years younger than me. Suzanne, thanks so much for taking the time to say hi. Knowing there are people like you reading has inspired me to try a little harder to recover my running mojo. Yesterday, I had my first really good run in a long time and it was largely because of your kind and encouraging words. Hope to see you on the road again one day soon!

The other thing I'm hoping will inspire me to train more regularly is our puppy, Jackie. I've started taking her for short runs. She too young to go far but she's already catching on and seems to enjoy our outings. This week Husband and I have taken her for plenty of long walks on the beach, and naturally I've taken dozens of pictures of her. My friends and family are getting tired of seeing her face pop up so often in their newsfeeds but, seriously, how can I resist this face?

Fortunately, she seems to love the beach as much as her mama does.

As I mentioned, I'm headed back to work on Monday and I have to confess I'm not looking forward to it. I've had a fantastic week off, but I still feel quite tired and the autumn promises to be busy. However, I remind myself that I have much to be grateful for -- including my health and a good job -- so there's no reason to complain. I just have to pull up my big girl pants and get at it.

I hope summer's going well wherever you are. With luck, I'll have more runs to write about in the coming months, as well as more photos from my adventures. Until then, happy running and writing!

PS Here are a few more snapshots of Jackie on the beach, taken with a better camera.

On vacation and in love

It's a bit embarrassing but the truth is both Husband and I are completely in love with Jackie, which means our days are a good deal less productive than they used to be. Training and caring for her eats up huge chunks of the time we used to spend reading, writing, doing chores, etc. On the upside, taking her for walks, playing with her, snuggling her, and laughing at her antics give us heaps of joy.

The proof is in the grin on my face in the photo at the top of this post, which Husband took when we visited Cherry Hill Beach a couple of days ago. Also in the fact that I don't mind being woken by her at 6:30 am - even when I'm on vacation, which I am this week. Her excitement and happiness upon rediscovering her people each morning makes it totally worth it.

Of course, it helps that she's stupidly photogenic.

It's been a good vacation so far - with plenty of glorious weather, running, time at the beach and delicious food. Since Monday, we've spent time at Broad Cove, Risser's Beach and Cherry Hill Beach. I'm headed back to Risser's on my own this afternoon because Jackie and Husband need a break from the sun but we plan to go walking at Hirtle's Beach tomorrow to round out the week.

Here are a few pics from our meanderings this week. I haven't gotten as many shots as I hoped - you know, because puppy - but hopefully they'll give you some sense of how beautiful it is in our little corner of the world.

Fortunately, I have managed to do a fair bit of running this week - not to mention heaps of walking with Jackie. On Sunday, I ran an easy 12k up the river and back, which felt mostly fine, despite warm temperatures and plenty of humidity. Tuesday and today, I ran a shorter 8.5k route to the pedestrian bridge and back, stopping occasionally to take phone pics and chat with folks I met en route. Both outings felt comfy, despite the warm weather - which should mean my fitness level's improving.

My current plan is to increase the length of my weekend runs by no more than a km or two a week and gradually add hills to my Thursday runs in preparation for tackling a half marathon at the end of August. However, much depends on how busy things are at work and at home as the summer progresses, and whether training feels like a chore rather than something I want to do. If all goes well, perhaps I'll go for the gusto and register for a full marathon later in the fall as well.

This week, a couple of things made me feel more positive about training. The first was this article about four things neuroscience suggests have a tendency to make us happy. It was a great reminder of the importance of gratitude and the ability to make choices.

The second was news that an old friend is to undergo a bone marrow transplant next week to treat the blood cancer he's been fighting for several years. He wouldn't like me saying he's "fighting" cancer. You see, he's a scientist and, in his view, it's the treatments that fight the cancer, not him, but I can't say I agree. Yes, the treatments are necessary to deal with the cancer - courage and determination on their aren't enough - but without his ongoing efforts to remain positive and persevere, the treatments wouldn't possible. Though he rarely complains, it's clear the many rounds of chemo he's had since his diagnosis have taken a heavy physical and emotional toll, and next week's treatments will be just as tough.  I admire him tremendously for dealing with it all as he has and, knowing what he's up against, makes me even more grateful I can run.

With that, it's time to get moving. I want to squeeze in a little time by the ocean this afternoon before we head out for dinner and jazz by the river this evening. Happy running! I'll try to be back with further running updates and more beach and puppy photos soon.

Life with Jackie Blue: So far, so good

There are lots of things didn't know about living with a puppy. For instance, I had no idea they could sleep in positions like these:

I also didn't know they produced so much poop. Seriously. How does one small body produce so much poop every day? I might be exaggerating somewhat but Jackie's poop production is truly impressive.

Mostly, I didn't know that hanging out with a puppy could be so relaxing. A few weeks ago, Jackie and I spent several hours on the back deck together - me reading, her chewing on this and that, and the two of us playing occasional games together. When we finally got tired of being outside, we wandered into the house, flopped on the couch, and settled in for a long nap. Talk about restful.

Don't get me wrong. Jackie's a Jack Russell Terrier so she's smart as a whip with heaps of energy, but most days it seems a good walk, a few training exercises, yummy treats and regular interaction with her humans is enough to keep her contented. Since Husband and I enjoy those same things, it works out well for all of us. She gets what she needs, and we spend a lot more time relaxing.

Of course, it helps that Jackie's so cute. Who wouldn't want to spend time with this wee face?

I was going to go on about all the other great things about having a dog until I found this article in the Huffington Post, which covers the topic far better than I could. You might want to check it out if you're wondering why people are so smitten with their fur-babies.

In running news...well, truthfully, there isn't much. In May, I ran a local 4-miler in a mediocre time. Since then, life's been too full of other stuff to do much training. My folks' house finally sold after being on the market for three years so Husband and I spent a good chunk of the last 5 or 6 weeks helping them move. In addition, work's been busy and I attended a conference in Toronto the week before last. Added to which, of course, there's Jackie. As much as I enjoy having a puppy, hanging out with her chews up a lot of free time.

Despite everything, I'm still running 3 times a week (more or less) - including a longish run on weekends - but, since I haven't got a particular race in mind, my training's been lackadaisical to say the least. Now that summer's here and the folks are moved into new digs, I'm hoping to set a new goal for fall and get more serious about training. Ideally, I'd like to complete a half in late summer and a full marathon later in late October or November but much will depend on how my body reacts when I start ramping things up again. I certainly don't want to end up where I was a few months ago when I overdid it preparing for Cabot Trail Relay.

Though it's been frustrating to be sidelined this long, I have to admit the break's been good for me. By the time I gave up on training for CTR, my back, hips and legs had been uncomfortably tight and sore for months. Running less and putting my body to work in other ways (packing, moving, gardening) have reminded me that they don't have to feel that way. When I stretch regularly, train properly, and eat and sleep well, my body wants to run and feels awesome when it does. When I push myself too far too fast, running just feels like hard work.

Whatever races I decide to run, my real goal will be to run joyfully - comfortable in my skin, attentive to the journey, grateful for the beauty surrounding me. In a few months, Jackie will be old enough to join me for short runs, which should ramp up the joy factor considerably. In the meantime, I'll do my best to savour the freedom of running solo with no agenda other than enjoying myself.

Happy running! And happy summer!

P.S. The pics above were all take in late April when Jackie weighed just 8.5 pounds. She's more like 14 pounds now. Here's a photo I took while we lounged in the sun together last weekend. She looks like a runner, doesn't she? I can hardly wait until she's old enough to hit the trails with me!