A flood of good

What a week it has been. Seven days ago Calgary faced a wall of water it had never before seen. Seven days later we hold our breath as that same water is about to be contaminated with rail cars hanging precariously off a bridge. Who says things always happen in three's?

With all our distractions we have lost temporarily our home base of the Tech Shop and the Mission paths. We will use the Glenmore Landing McDonalds as our home base for the weekday and weekend trots until we can gauge the safety of the paths through the rest of the city. Many are lost so we will be somewhat limited for the next couple of years!

We will meet Tuesday and Thursday at 630 pm while Saturday will be 8 am. Let me know if you are coming to join us. We did have a good 'get lost' trot on Tuesday with Peter and Blaine. Peter was trapped in Canmore for a few days last week but is happy to be home. Blaine had just finished a Cannonball run from Calgary to Saskatoon and back in the span of 24 hours. I am guessing his new car had a great trip!

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Thank you. That is all you can say to our fellow citizens. Joy and I were inconvenienced last week when a midnight knock at the door left us wondering if we would be losing our home. In hindsight all we lost was fridge food (dad was distraught at the loss of the pepperoni) and a few good nights sleep. the hard work of volunteers, civic employees, and the like did well to keep our pocket of paradise just that.

I can't help but think of my friends that have been affected by the floods. Brenda and her husband John in Bowness have a number of properties along the river that they have been renovating and Brenda has been selling through her brokerage.

Evelyn and Bill along Rideau road who have been great friends to many of us over the years have once again faced an enormous task to fix what mother nature has broke.

Our friends in business with Lauren and the Tech Shop, Wai at the alteration shop, Dom with Mercato and Wurst, Randi and the team at OJ's, and all the rest on 4th street and around that area that will be closed for a while if not forever. I don't even know what is up with the Payne's and Robinson's Camera. At least the silver bullet is safe!

I want to shout out to Ally and her leadership in getting down and dirty helping to clean the town.

 

That is our trooper!

I have lots more to be thankful for but I just hope our friends like Krista, Courtney, and the rest can get back to their homes and back to their lives.

See you on the stable pathways.

180,000 reasons to run

Volunteers are a wonderful creature. They are silent in the corners of your event making sure that everything is 'tickety-boo'. Last weekend I had the pleasure of hosting a dozen marshals who supervised the route for the annual "Walk to Fight Arthritis". This was the fourth annual event and I am pretty sure we have yet to have a warm and sunny spring day.

We put our marshals out to pasture (literally as the route was along the Bow Valley Ranch old pasture land) and into what would be a thirty minute downpour of rain, hail, wind, and lightning! The troopers stayed there while soaked and escorted the 600 or so walkers through a five km route. Well done!
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I feel the need to go fishing this Saturday so off to Fish Creek we go! Let's meet at Glennfield Meadows for an 8 am trot in the woods.

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My buddy Angus is back at it. Not only does he host the Amble with Angus in the deep of winter, he now has a summer trot called the Angus Cattle Run. What will he think of next. This good buddy has raised $180,000 for the Food Bank with his trots. A great number but sad when you think we have to raise so much to feed so many...

Who is in????

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Not too tired from the Angus 5 km on a Saturday of Stampede? Head up to Airdrie and join the Spaghetti Western 15km relay.

A Comrades controversy with Mickey Mouse

Welcome to Thursday. A great day for doing things outside. What to do, what to do??? Trot for sure at 630 pm. Then??? Well go inside for fatty foods and brown pop. See you tonight?

As for Saturday, I may or may not be able to join the group for 8 am at the McDonald's Glenmore Landing. This location is perfect for a leaderless crew so plan for 8 and if I show great!
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Today at work we had what is called SAITday. A day to celebrate all that is our workplace. We invited speakers in to share knowledge in a vast array of topics, from gardening to wine and cheese pairing, and tours of the 'backlots' of our campus. We also celebrated a number of exceptional employees. Did you know that SAIT is a leading edge research school in water conservation and use? We also celebrated our best SAIT Volunteers, which brings me to...
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One of these kids is not like the other!

The Stampede Road Race on July 7th has a special spot in my heart. This was the race that I ran on my 40th birthday, which seems like four years ago! Dan kept me occupied to my right as a couple dozen friends stayed quiet with signs and noisemakers to my left. A tricky bugger he is!

“Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer”
   -Anonymous

They are in dire need of volunteers race day. I know many of you will be hung over from the biggest pub crawl in the world, but if you can spare a few hours I know Jay will shake your hands and possibly kiss your feet. Okay, a big smile is more likely but he will be most grateful!
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Weather is a wonder...we had some big rains over the last two weeks and today we are being pelted with sunshine. Weather is a wonder as you see Oklahoma, Germany, and other weather phenomenon change our history. Hopefully your weather only bathes you in vitamin D.
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When we ran the marathon in Lisbon back in 2004 I was victim of a terrible crime. While trotting along with our group and in full view of all, I was mugged. Yes, a bystander of the marathon dashed out on the course and stole...my chips. They were pinned safely on my back for others to  have their nutritional support. He grabbed these needed chips and was off into the underground of Lisbon. At least he didn't get my passport.

I recalled this event when our pal Greg forwarded a story from the Comrades Marathon in Durban. I hear this is the happiest race on earth...enjoy the read and give Arman a call when you are finished.
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The following story was featured in the Calgary Herald and involved our friends Lauren and Lindsay. 

Lindsay completed her first marathon  last week!
AND she finished top three in her age category!

Running a marathon is arguably one of the greatest feats of athleticism a person can achieve.

The only thing more tremendous than being able to keep moving forward for more than 42 kilometres, is having the mental strength to not call it quits before the finish line is in sight.

Running season is officially in full swing. And with the 49th annual Calgary Marathon taking place this Sunday , a lot of Calgarians are about to push themselves to their limits for the very first time.

I caught up with Lauren Milburn, Tech Shop store manager and running enthusiast (she has the Chicago Marathon under her belt), for a few pointers on racing like a champ.

Preparation is Key

If you did the training, you have nothing to worry about on race day.

"Most people will have been training for 13 to 16 weeks for marathon-length runs and will have overcome most of the common obstacles just during their long prep runs," says Milburn.

Everything that worked with your training: do on race day. Don't go changing anything, from your socks and shoes to your nutrition or pace and go the extra mile to get prepared the day before the run.

Gearing Up

Anyone who has completed a marathon will agree that the importance of moisture-wicking apparel (including your socks) cannot be emphasized enough.

"Moisture-wicking material will keep you cooler and drier and decrease the risk of blistering and chafing," says Milburn.

Letting go of your vanity and getting proper-fitting shoes at a running store also top most runners' lists of tips.

"Getting properly fitted for shoes insures that you are in the best model for your foot type," Milburn says.

Bottoms Up

Timing your pre-race hydration properly is possibly the key to endurance-running success. Just ask anyone who has been shut down by dehydration cramping during a race.

Making sure you have adequate hydration the day before the race is the biggest factor. Guzzling a bunch of water the hour before the race won't get you to the optimal hydration levels you need and will most certainly have you needing to use the washroom during your run.

She also advises bringing your own hydration belts or packs with you.

"Water stations are never where you want them to be," she says with a laugh.

It's All in Your Head

Just like golf, marathon running is a mental game. According to Milburn, most training plans will take runners on 32 and 36-km runs. Completing 42.2 km after that is purely a mental challenge, and not an easy one at that.

Having friends and family members come out to run the last 10 kilometres is a common strategy runners employ to distract themselves from what is going on in their head.

When the Going Gets Tough ...

"Join a run group!" says Milburn, who leads many out of the Tech Shop's 4th Street location.

This, of course, should be done during your training phase, but having your regular running buddies there with you as you are pushing your way through is guaranteed to make the experience a lot more enjoyable.

Mito Can

Well howdy folks. I wonder who has adjusted to the thought of an 8 am trot tomorrow? Certainly not me and my updating of my blog. With all the wet conditions let's aim for a dirt free trail and trot again from Eau Claire and the usual maybe routes. Perhaps a hill and then a view-check and then some high fives...sounds like a normal day for us! good morning!!!

Congrats to all that did the marathon, half, and ten km last weekend in Calgary. You all rock! It was a perfect day for a perfect trot in our perfect city. Okay, the pace car driver had to pull over and talk to a man about a horse...but my co-pilot guided me to a successful finish. Take that how you wish :-)

If you look really hard you can see Joy and me in the background. Okay - REALLY hard.

My co-pilot and bride Joy has finally found a foot without stitches. Her recovery is progressing and we look forward to seeing her trotting the trails with the rest of you soon. We also had a visit from Marj last week who had a terrible fall and concussion. She too is on the slow road of recovery and these two hope to share in the left right repeat success of the past. Let's pass our good vibes to them and hope they will high five you soon.

I always love to peek at the fun of Runner's World. I got to witness number three first hand. go ahead, take a look. I dare you. Okay, a hint...ten under three.

well done my friends.

So this was my first time using my new computer. Progress does slow us down...

See you on the trails.

John

A happy life

Long time no type. A happy wife is one that has had her husband call her 'Miss Daisy' as I drive her around after her foot surgery. I am sure there is also some driving up the wall too...She is slowly healing from her foot fix so hopefully a happy wife will be trotting with us all once again.

Blaine, Christine, Zoong, and yours truly following some muddy buddy training.
Picture by Carroll

If you have forgotten what the group looks like, we will be on full display Saturday at Eau Claire. I am thinking 9 am. Next week being the first week of June we will revert to 8 am and freak out some of the late risers! Sorry Susan and Sharon and Jodi and Char. Shar will be so happy!
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There are so many good opportunities to trot that our friend Greg shared some with us. I thought I would spread the love...

* Sunday, June 2 -- Camp Chief Hector YMCA 10K-5K trail races in K-Country. Incredible scenery, totally doable route (no mountain climbs), amazing post-race food. You can find a link on Camp Chief Hector YMCA Facebook page in a post for April 10

* Saturday, July 13 -- Spaghetti Western 15K relay or solo in Airdrie. New race, put on by Scott and Margaret of Quicksilver Running, who do the top-notch Back 9 in the fall. Takes place on paved bike paths. Info at 

* Friday, July 19 -- Sole Survivor 10-mile, 10K, 5K in Crowsnest Pass. Starts at 7:30 p.m. Gorgeous setting, fun atmosphere, terrific post-race food, and even beer and soda. Streets and bike paths around Blairmore.

* Sunday July 21 -- Bragg Creek Days 10K-3K. Awesome setting, nice small town race, lotsa draw prizes, 10K is probably half and half trail and road.  

   

* Saturday, Aug. 17 -- Brian Mazza 20K-10K-3K trail run in Crimson Lake near Rocky Mountain House. Beautiful setting, run on nice and wide trails around Crimson Lake, pretty shady. Course is not terribly difficult. link for Brian Mazza Trail Run is on main page. 

Now really, can any of these be boring? I think not!!!
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Our friend Gerardo has an art show this weekend. If you want to avoid the wet please take a look at his fabulous wood carvings!

Gerardo's work is all wood carvings. Bob, are you in???

The show will feature the work of different artists from the State of the Art Society, of which I am a member.

I will be at the Strathcona Community Centre this Friday, May 24th from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Saturday May 25th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

I am looking forward to showing my new pieces that I have been working on.
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This weekend I will be joining Joy, Ally, Tamara, Dan, and Lorianne as we guide all the quick runners around the three distances of the Calgary Marathon, half, and 10 km. Look for us in our Subaru vehicles but watch out as we are all looking behind. We wouldn't want to create another speed bump in the road of trotting.

Spaghetti Westerns and age old mistakes

They were good, they were bad, and for sure some were ugly. For those of you that don't know a good spaghetti western from a sci-fi flick (May the forth be with you, always and especially tomorrow) the genre was always there to offer suspense, action, gunfights, and bad overdubbing of the italian actors. I am considering my own spaghetti western, but may need your help. Click on the photo above for a link to my kind of spaghetti western fun.
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I am late on the draw (I kill me!) but I know many will be ready for a trot to the wild side. Tomorrow I promised a few of us a trot through the trees of Fish Creek. I would love to see you there at 9 am.

The map above is small but the link is attached. We are meeting at Shannon Terrace, the western most lot in the park. Take Anderson westbound to 130 Avenue, turn left (east), and then your first right into the park. We will park at the last lot along the road.
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April has more info for you on the TEDx event next week. Here it is:

Hi Friends,

TEDxCalgary’s May 11^th Event is officially sold out, but…there is another chance to participate!

You can hold an “IDEAS PARTY” and watch the event live streamed in the comfort of your own home.  All free, and you won’t miss a thing.

And, after it’s done come on over and join us for the AFTER PARTY!  Just follow this link to get yourself set up.  We have a party package eagerly awaiting your download here:

http://watch.tedxcalgary.ca

And it even includes your very own ‘x’ for premium photo opps!  Please let me know if you have any questions, and pass this along to anyone you think may be interested in the event.

Cheers

April L Clay, R. Psych.

Bodymindmotion

Mental skills for sport and life

www.bodymindmotion.com

www.ridingoutofyourmind.com

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If you don't feel like being stuck in a room watching video you can always make friends at the Friendship run out High River way. Same bat time, different bat station. 

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Our walking buddy Teresa shared an article on exercise mistakes that prematurely age you. I personally think that I age myself every time I get out of bed, but that only happens once a day.

We all have the ability to keep our bodies young, but for a 'Fistful of Dollars' you can certainly look younf forever.

Volunteering can be hazardous to your health

And I see Willie and Jodi and Carroll and Carol and Liz and Neil and Peter
Did I mention Coco Chanel and Merlin were the short ones?

Hello and happy Friday. Gloriously bright sunny day in Calgary with a hint of spring in the air. It must be spring as the street sweepers are dusting up a storm on the main roads. Perhaps by May we might see the start of April showers as I think we haven't seen any yet. What do May showers bring?

The photo above is from a trot two weeks ago that I advertised as one of the best city and mountain views in Calgary. As you can see I was foggingly wrong! All was happy in the state of Denmark and the dust on Carol's knee luckily did not leave a mark - after washing.

Who says I don't know the shortcuts?

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My volunteering at the Calgary Stampede has allowed me to be a part of the biggest outdoor show on earth for over 20 years. My dad got me started in 1989 after the Olympics. Standing on a street corner in the east village (then it was just deserted buildings) I watched the crowds watch the parade as it started up the strip for the 2.5 mile meander through downtown.

I also got to watch families grow up, as year after year the same families would line the streets with kids in tow. I recall Sue and Carol Corkey, as St. Francis High School fellow alumni and parents, they would faithfully plop their lawn chairs every year until the kids became too old and 'cool' to watch the annual event. Am I uncool for still enjoying it on this 44th birthday year?

Why do I ramble about the parade and volunteering? Well if you must ask:

Jamie is a fellow SAIT employee who last year only ate free Stampede food for the entire ten days.

The Midway department seeks volunteer food judges (or the very best fair foodie opportunity you never knew existed)

Title: Volunteer Food Judge

Position Summary: Seeking adventurous, experienced-in-food-eating individuals to journey deep into the gastronomic landscape of Stampede Park during this year’s 10-day Stampede, July 5-14. Like culinary Lewis and Clark, these individuals should be willing to venture into the unknown, try anything (yes anything ) and then report back to the world faithfully on what they have seen, smelled and tasted—from the classics to the brand new, the dangerous to the irresistible. When you hear the words double-deep-fried-bacon-wrapped-corn-dog , do you think calories ? Or at long last! The food gods have answered my prayers! ? If you answered the latter, this job is for you!

Responsibilities in this role include, but are not limited to:

• Tour and taste the food vendors of Stampede Park.
• Rate and judge these foods in the following categories: Best Food On a Stick, Best Value, Best Healthy Choice, International Favourites, Best Deep Fried Food, Best Sweet Treat, Best Food Between Buns, Best Food Under $2, Best Classic Fair Food and Best Beverage.
• Live blog, Tweet (#omnomnom) and Instagram your thoughts and discoveries.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have/be:

• A discerning palate.
• A knack for describing food (‘delicious’ and ‘tasty’ ain’t gonna cut it folks.)
• A proven Social Media junkie, addicted to shares, hashtags, filters and likes.
• An adventurous spirit.
• A long, storied history with food.
• An omnivore. You will be consuming meat, lactose, gluten and all else.
• The ability and desire to expose the good, the bad and the criminal-but-delicious.
• And, most importantly, will love to eat, (like, in a spiritual way.)

To apply: submit your food resume by Friday, May 3. Your food resume can be anything—the more creative, the better! All media will be accepted: audio, video, power point, performance art, etc. Four Stampede employees and four Stampede volunteers will be selected. You can e-mail or snail-mail your application to James Radke in the Midway department. Please call James at 403.261.0251 (local 3251) if you have any questions.
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The Golden Arches are where the runs always start!

Oh hey, if you need to burn off those calories before you do the ten days of gluttony, join us at McDonald's in Glenmore Landing for our Saturday trot around the reservoir, or just a nice walk! Joy will be doing the latter, I will be dancing with dirt and the former. See you at 9 am!

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Another good April Clay in May event. This sounds quite interesting and I wonder who will take that Saturday as a wonderful learning experience? April is volunteering at the event - don't we have great volunteers? - her words:

I will be volunteering so I will look forward to seeing some of you there.  If you don’t know about TED, please check out www.ted.com and see the world’s best ideas being shared…for free.  This TEDxCalgary event is a not to be missed inspiring event.  Please spread the word and start your registration process today! (see link below)  Any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Cheers, April
Bodymindmotion
Mental skills for sport and life
www.bodymindmotion.com

TEDxCalgary's Energy: Full Spectrum event will be an exploration across disciplines and frontiers, bringing together speakers and participants to jointly explore how we as humans have understood and harnessed the energy systems of our natural world, our societies, our bodies, and our minds. From technology that changes possibilities, through entertainment that stimulates our thinking, to design that sets a pattern for future generations, we'll cover the full spectrum.

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Sadie is watching for your arrival at base camp!

Last year you might recall that Joy, Sadie and I ventured up the Banff to Jasper highway and did the Mount Robson Marathon. It was a very memorable trot up the highest peak in the provinces. I would strongly support anyone who thinks this would be on their to-do list and encourage you to sign up starting May 1 at 10 am PDT. 

It is also the 100th anniversary of the park so there should be some great happenings there this year. Let me know if you need more info.

Have a great week and play safe.