Olympic memories

I was just reminded that the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics were a year ago tonight. It seems impossible somehow. It feels like only yesterday I was glued to my TV and laptop watching coverage of the ceremonies and chatting with friends on-line.  It was such a magical time - the end of weeks of breath-taking competition and intense comradery amongst we Olympics-obsessed.  It makes me sad to realize I'll likely never experience anything quite like it again.

A long run home

 

This weekend, I decided to make my long run a point-to-point trek from my favourite beach (Risser's) to our house near Bridgewater along a road that skirts the shores of LaHave River - according to Google maps, almost exactly 24kms. (In fact, my Garmin measured 25.5kms.) 

It's a route I've driven hundreds - no, thousands - of times before but I knew it would be a very different experience running it.  I intended to get pictures at various favourite spots along the way but, unfortunately, managed to take only two before the battery on my smart phone gave out.  Perhaps it's just as well since it means I'll be motivated to run the route again soon.

It was in fact a terrific run - despite some challenging weather. Though not especially cold, the wind blew light wet snow down river and directly into my face for the entire 25.5 kms. On the upside, the damp, grey day kept people inside so there was very little traffic to contend with for the first couple of hours.  And it was great experiencing familiar communities in a whole new way.  My route took me from Risser's Beach, past Crescent Beach, then through West Dublin, Dublin Shore, LaHave, Pentz, West LaHave, Pleasantville and finally Conquerall Bank, As I ran, I had plenty of time to take in the architecture of the beautiful, older homes that line the river, and to think about the people that settled those communities centuries ago.  

Running: Good for whatever ails you!

An article in the Ottawa Citizen this week discussed a study of mice that seems to prove running not only contributes to keeping you healthier and stronger as you age, but may even slow or reverse the effects of aging. That's good news for those of us who enjoy running.  

A poster I brought home from the Chicago Marathon.
It hangs in my office now for inspiration when I need it.

In the years since I took up running, concerned family and friends have often told me it wasn't good for me - that I was going to wreck my knees and/or back, ruin my skin, wear myself down, etc. - so it was great to read more evidence to the contrary.

Daily Commutes

The best part of my day is my commute to work. How great is that? Millions of people around the planet spend hours every day miserably stuck in traffic or squashed into buses and subway cars, while I have the good fortune to enjoy a leisurely walk, followed by a ferry ride to my office.

Even when it's windy and grey, the views of Halifax and the water from high atop the Dartmouth Commons are sure to lift my spirits. And being on the water every day let's me savour the beauty of the ever-shifting skies overhead.

In the 5 months since I began commuting this way again, I've taken dozens of pictures from the ferry's upper deck like the ones posted here. Truly, as commutes go, it doesn't get much better than this.

P.S. Correction. The best part of most days is my commute. Today, it was a 5km run around Lake Banook in almost complete solitude because of the cold. With city lights glistening on the lake's smooth, newly frozen surface, it was stunningly beautiful!

Yogic blogging

Recently, a friend asked me why I blog.  It's a good question. I blog because I've always enjoyed writing and blogging is a good outlet for it. Knowing others may read what I write forces me to be more thoughtful about the messages I communicate and more disciplined in the way I express them.

The other reason I blog is the same reason I practice yoga - because it often helps me make sense of what I'm thinking and feeling.

In the 15 years I've done yoga, I've come to realize how much emotion is stored in my body. For example, fear typically lodges itself in my left shoulder and neck, grief and sadness in my chest - somewhere between my breast bone and the hollow at the base of my throat - and worry in my belly. As I move into yoga postures that open up those parts of my body, the trapped emotions are exposed and become more difficult to ignore - making it more likely I'll acknowledge and address them.

Blogging does the same thing for me. Even if a post begins with a single thought or idea, exploring it often involves uncovering layers of meaning or connections I've not made before, and acknowledging their emotional and psychological content so that I'm better able to deal with it.

In the course of both practices, feelings can get intense pretty quickly and, when that happens, I'm sometimes tempted to "roll up the mat" and go looking for something else - anything else - to distract me.  Fortunately, experience has taught me that it's when emotions become that intense that I most need to get back on the mat - physically and metaphorically - so that I can figure out what's causing them and decide whether I can do anything to fix the problem or simply need to "let it go".

In short, blogging - like running - is a form of yoga for me - and it's one I highly recommend to anyone else trying to figure it out.