It has been a rough week at work. I struggle with change and the changes required to function safely at work are getting to me. I am not sleeping well and find I am exhausted when I get home from work so I haven't been running this week. Fortunately, I have this weekend off and am focussing on taking some much needed time for myself and my family.
After a lovely soak with my husband in the hot tub while we had our morning coffee, I went online to peruse these forums and a few other favourite sites. Inspired by Hidden 's yellow brick road post and Granspeed 's happiness post about her new socks and after listening to a new song by a local group of very talented brothers, youtu.be/RIeUNSoS2Ok I found a Spotify playlist one of them made called Music to Help Get you By. It was just what I needed.
I found my trail running toe socks, my Salomon hydration vest, grabbed some Tailwind and headed out to my local city pathways. The last time I tried to run here, it was under water, but the ice on the creek has melted and none of the pathways were flooded. I was able to finally cross over to the south side park and enjoy a longer run. I stopped whenever I came across something I wanted to take a picture of. I enjoyed seeing the mallards and the geese and liked the distraction of a new playlist of music that I didn't really know. It gave me the lift I needed. My legs were tired by the end given it has been a while since I've ran more than 10k but it was a lovely 7 mile run. I should find out today if my Banff HM in June is cancelled (most likely). I am planning on continuing with my HM plan and run it anyways, just at home, by myself. Or maybe I'll be able to go out to the lake and run it out there in June with the friend I was supposed to go to Banff with, depending on the Public Health Orders at the time. It won't be as pretty as Banff, but we won't have to worry about bears. Ticks ✅ snakes ✅, but no bears ❌😅
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SaskAlliecat
Graduate10
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Just a great post Sask, but but but surely a HM being pursued by a bear makes for a quicker time 😁🐻🐻🐻
I know right! I can't wait until it is released so I can get it on a playlist but for now, will play it on YouTube when I need it. It does make me cry right now but that isn't hard to do given my current mental state. Unfortunately we are in a busy time at work just made that much harder by Covid. We should have 3 more veterinarians coming to join us in the next few months which will help so there is light at the end of the tunnel...it is just a long tunnel right now. I need to get back to focussing on my self care so I can stay strong. It looks like the weather may finally be improving so it might make it easier to get off the couch and out after work 🤞. Time to hunker down with another cup of coffee and my book now. Maybe I can stay awake long enough to read more than one chapter 😆
This post will actually inspire lots of others that have had difficulties and make them go out and run. This was so lovely to read. The natural beauty you are surrounded by only enhances such runs. A great distance covered as well. Tough times never last but tough people do. Well done on getting out there and achieving something like this. Have a fabulous family weekend!
Thanks GTFC. It was nice to get out and smell the fresh air, hear the birds and get good and sweaty. I am looking forward to Sunday's run now. I'm going to try and convince my husband to come with me. It is a short run and I know he could use the stress relief too.
I've been wondering how you were doing Sask. Great post and so happy you were able to get out for a bit with the ducks - I've been seeing a lot of ducks lately. Ducks make me happy. Hope you are able to get out for that HM with your friend minus the bears! Enjoy your well-earned weekend with your family.
Ducks are great, aren't they! The pair in my picture were so cute with their little tail feathers in the air as they dipped their heads down to feed. It brought a huge smile to my face. I got distracted by a text from work midway through my run and walked right by a goose on the pathway though. I'm glad it didn't feel too threatened and charge me. After that I decided I better leave the texts alone until after my run 😆.
I have found it tougher this year to keep going with the HM plan, especially with everything being cancelled, and our weather being so unpredictable. I made the mistake of washing my winter gear to pack away a couple of weeks ago. What was I thinking?!? I cursed it. Well, that and my husband took my winter tires off my car. We've had snow every week since. At least it doesn't stick around for long. I am definitely ready for Spring to be here for good. Next week is looking promising 🙏
Geese crack me up too. They seem to work in teams. One eats without any cares while the other is on guard and totally manic. My wife has two that sit on the roof of her building and honk all day at the skylights so they echo through the office! You’ve been thrown alot of curve balls for sure. Your weather is never simple. We’ve had a few snow periods but it never stays. I am planning my long run tomorrow through a patch of woods. The runs have been moving further and further north to reach quieter spots. That week of Spring will be lovely before the scorching heat of Summer hits! 😂 Hope you can get out as it warms up.
Isn't that the truth 😂. Enjoy your run through the woods. I can't wait until I can get back out to the lake. Tough to say when that will be but we have some work to do on the houseboat before it can be launched. We ripped the back deck off in the fall so it has to be rebuilt but our supplies are stuck in Winnipeg. Hubby needs to try and find a courier company that runs from Winnipeg west. If they head to Calgary they'll go right through town. A slight complication we hadn't planned for. Worst case scenario our back deck becomes treated plywood this summer. Right now if you step out the back door from our bedroom you would go sploosh and there is no place to store the garden box that holds our bank of house batteries 🤣🌊
Ah such a wonderful post SaskieAlliecat!! 🤩🤩 Adjusting does take a lot out of you. It’s challenging to settle into behaviours so different to what we do and recalibrate happily to a new norm, even if that’s only temporary.
It sounds as though that run admiring the beauty that is still out there was a good way of getting there.
Sending you a big hug and wishes for wellness many more great runs!! ❤️
Thanks Fab 😊. I am looking forward to being able to practice "normally" again. There is talk by our Premier that we may start easing the restrictions in the next few weeks given our numbers of new cases is low and our recoveries are far exceeding our active cases now, but we are still a ways off of normal. In the meantime I need to make the time to get out there for a run. It makes such a difference in how I feel.
Good to hear from you! Although things are tough and the weather hasn't been kind, you still got out there and found your mojo! Love the song & the positivity that jumps out of your post. Keep well and running! x
Thanks slinky. As I sit on the couch this morning staring out the window, the snow is falling again. I know it won't stuck around but I am so thankful I got out yesterday in the sun for that much needed run. The forecast for next week is temperatures in the teens. I can't wait!
A great post Sask and that song really does capture the mood perfectly. Sorry to hear you are having a tough time, but it will pass and we will be stronger. At least we do have better weather and all the signs of the world coming alive again. Enjoy your run with hubby x
Sorry you’ve been struggling a bit Saska. These are scary times.
Lovely photos though and that run sounds just what was needed. I think TLC is what we need more of atm and a soak in the tub while drinking coffee sounds bliss!
I came back to bed after breakfast today to finish my book and to drink more coffee (I never do this) and my husband has brought me toasted crumpets 😋 so I’m very lazy but content.
Sometimes we just have to do what our bodies want us to do.
We are all stressed and tired at work and it is starting to show. I check my temperature every day before going to work to make sure there is no low grade fever and last week I may have wished for a fever because that really is the only way I can justify staying home. Unfortunately if that happens, we will be shut down while awaiting testing because we have to work so closely to each other. That would be a disaster. So I'm hoping this weekend off will allow me to clear my mind so I can go back to work strong again for another couple weeks before I get another weekend off. A lazy day curled up with a book and coffee sounds like a lovely plan! I just may need to do that today myself.
Oh well done, you. 🎉👍🎉🏃🏼♀️. So glad those toe socks got into action. 😄🎉And a bit jealous of your lovely run! But it’s ok; main thing is that you got out there, enjoyed it and lost some of that over-stressed feeling that can so easily build up these days. Happy running, love from the 🐢. 😄💕
I forgot how comfortable to socks are once you get used to them. There was no hot spot or ridge on my big toe where it crosses my second toe despite this being a longer run like what has been happening after every longer run. They actually fit ok in my road runners but I will definitely order some lighter weight ones. Thanks for reminding me I had them! Time to get shopping 😁
Thanks Jan. Work also forwarded an email to me late yesterday from a new client that I saw a couple weeks ago for a difficult appointment thanking me for everything. It was nice to read and to know I was able to give him some necessary closure. Those thanks are often few and far between but are so appreciated and seem to come just when you need them.
I'm glad you enjoyed the song. They are a Christian country band and I don't tend to listen to a lot of country but that song just resonated through me. There was a few of their songs on the playlist I listened to on the run and I quite enjoyed them. It was a nice change.
Well done for getting out, sounds like an amazing run. These are tough times aren’t they, and it’s so important to look after yourself. Not having to worry about bears sounds good... but ticks? 😱😱😱
The friend I was supposed to run it with has a huge fear of bears so I was quite surprised when she suggested it. I don't think she read the fine print before signing up that the course may need to be adjusted on race day if there are bears. Although we are also talking of doing a 55km guided back country backpacking trip next year in the same region where they provide us with bear spray. We thought going on a guided trip is smarter so we can learn how to do it safely. i grew up in bear country but it has been 12 years since I've had to think or worry about it. I didn't have to deal with ticks until I moved here 12 years ago and I hate them. But I really enjoy my trails so have gotten over it.....and use insect repellant liberally. Plus do many tick checks mid run. My trail running partner is used to me swearing like a sailor when I find one! It always brings a laugh.... and a quicker pace through the grass 😅
🙈🙈🙈 I found one when we were on holiday in Scotland a couple of years ago, and I think husband would understand your comment about swearing like a sailor! 🤣
Yes in truth the bear thing is a bigger concern. Guided trip sounds safer!
So true! It is hard to say how long before we can get back to normal, if we ever truly get back to the way we were. But for now, it is about taking some time for ourselves and trying to find a spark of happiness whenever we can.
Hi Sask, your job seems to be very hard and stressful fullstop. Managing that can be a difficult balance but hot tub and a run sounds like a pretty good way to go though. I know about sleepless nights, they make life in general feel like a slog, so much harder, don't they. Sounds like you had a nice, restorative run. Take good care of yourself x
Thanks Fishy. Every night is like Groundhog Day....I wake up between 4 and 4:30 and can't fall back to sleep. This morning was a little different though - it was 3 am and I eventually fell back asleep and forced myself to stay in bed until after 7. I often wake up hot so I've been checking for a fever but so far so good. I'm beginning to think it might be hot flashes 😩 but who knows.
4am is classified anxiety hour.... I know it well. I take Ashwagandha which is meant to help with stress and anxiety and night sweats, amongst other things. Could be placebo effect, but seems to help me. Raised Cortisol levels can make night sweats worse apparently. x
That's very helpful. Thanks. If things don't settle down soon, I may need to look into it. I took an 8week course on mindful meditation and it was helping, but I have let my practice lapse the last 2 weeks. I must get back into it. There is a weekly online group meditation with the same group I took the course from. I should probably join in to keep me engaged and continuing my practice.
Good for you getting going & getting out SaskieAlliecat!😄
Banff! You have stirred up so many memories – we were there last October, although we didn’t have to worry about ticks in the early snow! - Sitings of elk & bighorn sheep were good, first time we had seen them. 😄
It has been a while since I've been there and was really looking forward to it. It is such a pretty place and I had booked a few days off for after the race to stretch the legs out with some hikes. Oh well. We officially found out last night that the race will not be going ahead as planned. We'll find out this week if it is postponed, cancelled or how they plan to handle it. I'm not sure what I'm hoping for but will just keep running. If the park is open we will still have our campsite. Maybe we'll be able to go and have a girl's weekend hiking trip. Time will tell.
Lovely song - isn't it great the way musicians are making these days memorable by using technology to perform music while separated from each other in their homes? It makes me hopeful that this virus will not defeat the human spirit.
So glad you enjoyed your run and enjoyed nature. I did mine too, apart from nearly slipping on a pile of dog poo that someone had failed to scoop up!
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