I've been wanting to write this post for a while.
I've kept quiet about it though, because I didn't want to jinx myself.
Today, I did something I've never done and I'm darn proud of myself. But more on that later.
I always thought I'd be writing this post about the thing I did and about how great I felt because I did it, but as I drove home from Saskatoon last week I heard this song. (turn on your sound if you're not sure what I'm talking about).
I realized that I am more proud of my own climb than I am of reaching the top of my mountain.
My story started in Grade 5. I was never good at sports. The only track and field event I can remember being chosen for was ball throw, and I only got a Participation badge for the Canada Fitness testing, when everyone else in the class got at least bronze or better. There were only two of us that got participation badges. Me and Michelle who was a much larger girl than me in grade 5, and we both couldn't do the required amount of pushups. My teacher made us go up in front of the class for one last try to see if we could do them. We couldn't. And so, just the two us got our participation badges.
That feeling never left me. That feeling that I was not athletic. That feeling that I couldn't play sports. As a grade five kid, I probably should have let it go, but for some reason, I've never been able to.
Today, I'm free.
Today, I proved to myself that I am athletic. I proved to myself that I will like this sport.
Today
I
ran
10K.
A year ago, I would have told myself I could have never done this. But, I started in January, and I didn't give up. That is what I am most proud of myself for.
It wasn't easy, and I had lots of ups and downs, but I stuck with it for 5 months, and I did it.
If you're reading this and you run regularly, 10k probably doesn't seem like a big deal. I couldn't run all the way around the 200m track when I started. I could barely run for 1 minute without having to stop.
But today I did it!!!!
0km I'm nervous, I'm excited, I hope I get through this.
2km I'm already feeling a little tired, but I'm still in aerobic mode, I think.
3km Keep going....
4km At this point, I seriously want to just cut in with the people already headed back, think they'll notice?
5km Ok, you're halfway there, and this is how much you can run well. You can do the rest!
6km Listen to your music, listen to your music
7km Sponges! Gatorade! Energy Gel!
8km Ooh, a burst of energy.. you can do it
9km Walking and running in smaller spurts. I'm tired, but I can do it
9.5km A hill?? You've got to be kidding! I'm walking this
9.8km I see the end! No stopping now.. you can do it, you can do it!
10km I really can't believe I just did this :O)
*******************
Update:
1576 936/1165 F 174/209 Female 30-34 6171 1:16:39 1:15:25 7:33 Erin James Calgary AB
And I didn't even finish last!!!! There were 500 people behind me ;o)
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
You Would Think We Would Change
I'm at home in Saskatoon right now visiting family. Last Saturday, I attended a mini "reunion" with my elementary school friends. Yes, that's right, I said my elementary school friends. I bet not very many of you have had a reunion with your elementary school friends, now have you?
First off, I have to say for all the times I don't like Facebook, our little reunion wouldn't have been possible without Facebook. I am quite certain that the majority of us who did show up would not have known where each other were if it weren't for Facebook, so I guess the program does have a few good things about it, doesn't it?
Now, again, I say "reunion" very loosely. It ended up being about 10 of us and 1 teacher from our grade 8 class getting together. The group of them toured our old school in the morning, but we were just travelling to Saskatoon on Saturday, so I didn't attend that part. I caught up with them for drinks at a local pub in the evening.
I have to admit, throughout the afternoon, I was contemplating not going at all. You see, back in elementary school, I wasn't one of the cool kids. You'd think I would have gotten over that after almost 20 years, but I don't think it really ever leaves you completely.
But, I told myself that I was successful and I did well for myself and I should go and catch up with everyone else!
I had butterflies in my stomach as I walked up to the pub. Can you believe it? I mean these were kids that I met almost 30 years ago! It took only a few minutes of stepping inside and I felt like I went back 18 years, in good and bad ways.
Of course we have all somewhat grown up and everyone seemed genuinely happy to see each other. A reunion, in the 2 that I've been to, seems to bring out two groups of people: the really popular ones and the really nerdy ones. The ones in between usually don't show up. Me? I don't want to think I fell into the really nerdy category, but I sure wasn't really popular either! I guess I'm one of the few inbetweens who showed up.
We ended up having some great chats and gossiping about everyone in our class and where they were today and what they were doing. We talked about the things that used to go on in elementary school, some of which I never remember actually hearing about!
The first observation that I thought I made was that nobody ever really changes. The popular girl still showed up looking all popular, the funny guys were still cracking stupid jokes like they were still 13, the weird, quiet kid who always used to stare at me still stared at me and still gave me the creepies and the nerdy one still lives at home, and the good student, good girl image that I used to protray couldn't leave me either, no matter how hard I tried.
But I was wrong: After 20 years, the popular girl was chatting with everyone, the funny guys were chatting with everyone, the weird, quiet kid even talked with eveyrone and the nerdy kid chatted with everyone. Even though at first glance it seemed as though we were all the same, we've all grown up and I think we've realized how silly all of those labels once were.
We all had fun and I left with hugs and email addresses and a feeling of being one in the same.... finally.
First off, I have to say for all the times I don't like Facebook, our little reunion wouldn't have been possible without Facebook. I am quite certain that the majority of us who did show up would not have known where each other were if it weren't for Facebook, so I guess the program does have a few good things about it, doesn't it?
Now, again, I say "reunion" very loosely. It ended up being about 10 of us and 1 teacher from our grade 8 class getting together. The group of them toured our old school in the morning, but we were just travelling to Saskatoon on Saturday, so I didn't attend that part. I caught up with them for drinks at a local pub in the evening.
I have to admit, throughout the afternoon, I was contemplating not going at all. You see, back in elementary school, I wasn't one of the cool kids. You'd think I would have gotten over that after almost 20 years, but I don't think it really ever leaves you completely.
But, I told myself that I was successful and I did well for myself and I should go and catch up with everyone else!
I had butterflies in my stomach as I walked up to the pub. Can you believe it? I mean these were kids that I met almost 30 years ago! It took only a few minutes of stepping inside and I felt like I went back 18 years, in good and bad ways.
Of course we have all somewhat grown up and everyone seemed genuinely happy to see each other. A reunion, in the 2 that I've been to, seems to bring out two groups of people: the really popular ones and the really nerdy ones. The ones in between usually don't show up. Me? I don't want to think I fell into the really nerdy category, but I sure wasn't really popular either! I guess I'm one of the few inbetweens who showed up.
We ended up having some great chats and gossiping about everyone in our class and where they were today and what they were doing. We talked about the things that used to go on in elementary school, some of which I never remember actually hearing about!
The first observation that I thought I made was that nobody ever really changes. The popular girl still showed up looking all popular, the funny guys were still cracking stupid jokes like they were still 13, the weird, quiet kid who always used to stare at me still stared at me and still gave me the creepies and the nerdy one still lives at home, and the good student, good girl image that I used to protray couldn't leave me either, no matter how hard I tried.
But I was wrong: After 20 years, the popular girl was chatting with everyone, the funny guys were chatting with everyone, the weird, quiet kid even talked with eveyrone and the nerdy kid chatted with everyone. Even though at first glance it seemed as though we were all the same, we've all grown up and I think we've realized how silly all of those labels once were.
We all had fun and I left with hugs and email addresses and a feeling of being one in the same.... finally.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
G.O.N.E. 2009
I have been getting together with a great group of girls that I used to work with in Vancouver for the last 4 years. We've known each other for almost 10 years now and since I've moved to Calgary, we've managed to keep in touch through emails and phone calls and a yearly get together we call G.O.N.E.
G.O.N.E.? Girls Only, No Exceptions! We held our first GONE event in the spring of 2005 in Whistler BC. We decided if the event was going to continue, it needed a name and after a few drinks and a beaver tale in the town of Whistler at 2am, GONE was born and has stuck ever since.
GONE 2005 part deux was in Victoria.
GONE 2006 was enjoyed at the newly built chez James in Calgary while we enjoyed the Stampede and in particular the Bucking Breakfast (I not need to say more..)
GONE 2007 was in Gibsons, BC, although I had to miss this one because I had a brand new baby boy to look after!
GONE 2008 was in Vegas Baby and celebrated 2 out of the 6 of us getting married!
and GONE 2009 was celebrated this past weekend at a very relaxing resort in Kelowna, BC.
Unfortunately, one of the six GONE girls couldn't make it, but we knew she was there in spirit!
Where, in the past, our weekends have been filled with fun events, we truly had a great time just relaxing and catching up on gossip in our rented villa at the Manteo resort. I would highly recommend this resort if you are ever looking to go to Kelowna.
Dinner. It is important to still eat healthy to "balance" all the chocolate, wine (or near beer), cake, chips, m&m's and more we consumed! (I forgot to mention that 3/5 of us, present company excluded, were expecting!)
Julie - my cooking companion. We felt sorry for all those pregnant girls and cooked dinner while they put their feet up :op
Sunday morning brunch at Summerhill Winery. Great food, great view and great conversation!
I usually get to stay out of pictures, being the photographer, but my camera was hijacked!
More conversation, more laughs....
Here's to hoping we have many more great GONE weekends in the years to come girls! Miss you all already :o(
G.O.N.E.? Girls Only, No Exceptions! We held our first GONE event in the spring of 2005 in Whistler BC. We decided if the event was going to continue, it needed a name and after a few drinks and a beaver tale in the town of Whistler at 2am, GONE was born and has stuck ever since.
GONE 2005 part deux was in Victoria.
GONE 2006 was enjoyed at the newly built chez James in Calgary while we enjoyed the Stampede and in particular the Bucking Breakfast (I not need to say more..)
GONE 2007 was in Gibsons, BC, although I had to miss this one because I had a brand new baby boy to look after!
GONE 2008 was in Vegas Baby and celebrated 2 out of the 6 of us getting married!
and GONE 2009 was celebrated this past weekend at a very relaxing resort in Kelowna, BC.
Unfortunately, one of the six GONE girls couldn't make it, but we knew she was there in spirit!
Where, in the past, our weekends have been filled with fun events, we truly had a great time just relaxing and catching up on gossip in our rented villa at the Manteo resort. I would highly recommend this resort if you are ever looking to go to Kelowna.
Dinner. It is important to still eat healthy to "balance" all the chocolate, wine (or near beer), cake, chips, m&m's and more we consumed! (I forgot to mention that 3/5 of us, present company excluded, were expecting!)
Julie - my cooking companion. We felt sorry for all those pregnant girls and cooked dinner while they put their feet up :op
Sunday morning brunch at Summerhill Winery. Great food, great view and great conversation!
I usually get to stay out of pictures, being the photographer, but my camera was hijacked!
More conversation, more laughs....
Here's to hoping we have many more great GONE weekends in the years to come girls! Miss you all already :o(
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