The 31K and other assorted tales

Where do I begin this update? First of all, I realize I haven’t written about my training since I ran my 5K at the end of August – and it’s already almost mid-September. I knew September, with all its changes, was going to be hectic. What I didn’t realize was just how hectic it would be.

Even exercise has taken a bit of a backseat these past few weeks as our family struggles to adjust to a whole new world. Andrew, who’s 4 ½, is starting Junior Kindergarten. Chris, who is almost 2, is starting pre-school. They have started three days a week at a new daycare. I’m lucky that the daycare is run by two fantastic moms from our pre-school, so at least the boys have friends and know their caregivers. But it’s been hard on two boys who have been home with mom practically forever. (Including a trip to the doctor on Andrew’s first day for what appeared to be a panic attack.) And even harder on their mom, who’s used to caring for them herself.

What else about mom? Well, mom finds she may have bitten off more than she can chew at the moment. Going back to editing a bi-monthly magazine. A newsletter contract for a new industry she’s never written about. Taking over as president of the pre-school. Finishing up a few other writing assignments. Wrangling with clients over late payments. Trying to get the house organized. Trying to stay sane.

But this blog is supposed to be about running, not me whining about being busy! Let’s face it: everyone is busy these days. I don’t know too many people who aren’t juggling a thousand things. The real question is, how’s the running going?

The honest answer is, it’s going, but not as much as before. Since I’m not specifically training, I haven’t been getting out as much as I’d like (or to the gym as much as I’d like). Right now I’m looking on any training as a victory. I managed to get out for a short 3K jaunt this morning after dropping the kids off in various places, and I might actually get to the gym in time for spinning tomorrow! I think in a few weeks, I’ll have it all figured out.

I also decided to stick with my existing gym for a little while longer. While we debated joining the Y as a family, I feel like it’s just too many changes and too much to pile on to an already overloaded schedule. We may decide to join in January, or even later, but for now, why mess with something that’s working?

The good news is that I signed up for the 10K clinic at the Running Room! It starts on October 10th (my little niece’s first birthday!), and goes until December. This way, I can figure out what works with the new schedule, and get my trip to Houston (for work – my first time traveling on business in five years!) out of the way before that starts. It’s also after Thanksgiving weekend, which will be busy at it happens to include my sixth wedding anniversary and Chris’ second birthday. I’m really looking forward to the clinic, and I know it’s just my next step of running a marathon.

Which brings me to one more thing… the 31K Walk for Grace. Last Sunday, I embarked on a 31K walk through Bronte Creek to raise money for pediatric brain tumour research at Sick Kids. The event was in honour of Grace Stanley, a little girl who passed away last year from this dreadful disease. (I know I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating.) The 31 kilometers represented each month of Grace’s all-too brief life on earth.

My heart aches constantly for Grace’s mother and father, having to live the rest of their lives without their little girl. I don’t know how they feel – I can’t even begin to fathom the depths of their grief. I’m wracked with a sympathy for them that I can’t possibly express. All I can do is try to help them honour their daughter and raise funds for this cause – and hope that no other family has to go through what they have gone through.

So I walked. With two other people I had just met that morning, I walked for a total of six hours in the pouring rain. And those of us who participated in the event (which also had a 5K and 1K walk) raised more than $20,000 for Grace’s fund! It was physically demanding, but, as one of my walking partners put it, walking 31 kilometers is nothing compared to the 31 months that Grace lived. (She fought the cancer for almost half of her life, being diagnosed with a brain tumour at 15 months.)

When I got home (after a hot bath), I stumbled down the stairs to the couch. I then hugged my babies so tight, and told them a little about what I had done at the walk. I told them I walked not only for Grace and all the other kids at the hospital, but I walked for them too. I walked to ensure the phenomenal doctors at Sick Kids have the funds they need to continue their life-saving research.

And for now, that’s about it. I’m still piled with work, and I’m in the process of trying to re-organize my office and deal with the mounds of paper that’s collected over the summer. I’m surrounded by piles as I write this, so I guess it’s time to get back to work. Tomorrow, I’m off to the gym for a spinning class, and then will run on both Friday and Saturday. What will next week’s training bring? Well, that’s another story…

Happy trails…