Running for the Fun of it

Who would have thought that this was possible. I still consider myself a newbie to running. I logged my first run in May of 2011. I had tried running a number of times before but was never really very successful at staying at it. I just didn't like it and it was to much like work. Now here I am looking forward to some of the running events out there like the Perth Kilt Run or the Running Goat's Spring Goat Run. To all those would-be runners out there who think that running isn't anything more than a way punish yourself, your wrong!

I was exactly the same way. I would see people out there running and as I drove by them, I would think "that just can't be anything else but awful". I am here to tell you that this is not the case. Yes it is a lot of work, yes it can be hard, but yes it is rewarding, it is good for you and it can even be FUN!

Last year at the Perth Kilt Run I took this fun part of running to a new level. I got involved with the Running Goat Club and helped out with a few small things for the race. I was the guy dressed in full Scottish garb, swinging a sword helping fellow runners find their way through the lines to pick up their running kits. It was quite a bit of fun. I had also signed up for the warrior class. This was GREAT!!! I had so much fun running in the warrior class. The race was a whole different experience for me. How often do you get a chance to wear a kilt, jump up on a bench in the middle of a golf course swinging a sword and encouraging runner to keep going. What an experience!

Now I see the Perth Spring Goat Run is not far off. Now this looks like it is going to be a great deal of fun. Climbing hay bail walls, crawling through a 10 foot long culvert and who know what else they have planned for this.

So what I have learned is this; running is a challenge, it's suppose to be. But it does not have to just slapping your feet down on the pavement or treadmill for those long hours. It can also be a great experience. You meet some amazing people out there. I can't get over how encouraging every runner I have met, bar none have been toward new runners. You are doing something good for yourself and they have all experienced it and at some point, no matter how experienced and skilled the runner is, they to were new to the sport. The other thing is that is can just be so much fun to get out there and do something different like the Perth Kilt Run or the Spring Goat Run.

Also, you don't have to be the best to win. Crossing the finish line for the first time in your first race is an experience that is like non you will ever have. There you are completing your first race. You put you mind and body to the test and did it! And yes, you did it while wearing a dress

 ;-)

The Spring Goat run is a prediction race. This means when you sign up, you guess at how long it is going to take you to complete the 5K long course. No timing or pacing devises of any kind are allowed. This means that no matter what your experience level is, no matter how fast or slow or good or new you are, you have just as much of a chance at winning as anyone else. The whole thing is up for grabs.

Checkout these links to these 2 races on Facebook and get registered.

Spring Goat Run

http://www.onestoprace.com/search/event.aspx?id=18976

Perth Kilt Run

http://www.onestoprace.com/search/event.aspx?id=17418

So what are you waiting for? Never done anything like this before? You don't have to be fast to be a winner. Every time you put on those runners and get out, whether you are in a race or just out there by yourself logging kilometers, your a WINNER. So here's your chance to meet some amazing people and have an incredible experience. Lets get out there, have some fun and do something really good for yourself. You won't regret it.  As for me, I'm doing both of them. Just look for the guy in the dress wearing the funny hat.

And by the way, since that first logged run in May of 2011, I have logged just over 3,000 kilometers and lost 100 pounds on the way. Not bad for an old guy.

SEE YOU OUT THERE!!

Vacation!

It has been a while since my last blog posting. I had let thing catch up with me and ended up dropping a few things that I like doing because I just couldn't find the extra time for thing that I told myself were just extras. Well, I like doing some of these things and miss them so I will try to get back on line.

I had actually written the following post just after our vacation. So I hope you find it interesting. 

It has been quite a year so far this year (2012) but vacation time is finally here. As the time came closer, things just seemed to keep piling up.  The week before I was about to go on vacation, it seemed to me that the whole place had gone crazy! Nothing was going quite right and there was a big production run planed for some of the new equipment I have been working on.

To top it off, the engineer I have been working with was also going on vacation. This would not normally be any kind of issue, but this time he was leaving 3 day before I was. This meant I had to be sure all of his plans we put in place executed as he had laid out. My last day before vacation was Wednesday so by Monday afternoon I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and mine alone. Not the case of course but it was just how I felt. This new equipment needs to run and if it didn't run, that would impact our plant and the company in a very negative way.

The run started Tuesday morning and for the most part, everything went as planed. I gathered the information the engineer asked me to gather and worked with the other engineer through the run to be sure everything ran. Later on in the day my Supervisor came to me and thanked me for all my efforts. I admitted to him that I sweat blood over this and was very pleased at the progress we have made so far.

Through these last few day, I have been trying to bring one of the other mechanics up to speed on the project. Fortunately, I am a real note keeper and a great believer in sketches and photos. It was a lot for him to cram in but it is just for 2 weeks and he is a very capable man. He will do just fine. The end of the day Wednesday finally arrived and I felt a huge weight being lifted off of my shoulders as I walked out of the plant. It was time to relax and slow down.

I have to admit to being of two minds about this. It is a good feeling being needed and appreciated and I am. I know it is wrong but I felt a twinge of concern turning all of this over to someone else, even though it is for just 2 weeks. The engineer working on the job at the time and I had a couple of laughs about it. He asked me if I was going to have my cell phone with me. I told him I promised to take it and he could call me any time he wanted but it probably wasn't going to him much good. When he asked me why, I told him that I was going to take the phone but I have no planes on taking the battery with me. Very funny he told me. " You really don't care do you" he said jokingly to me.

I responded by saying " that is so unfair! You cut me to the quick! And what was your name again??" Just before the end of the day, I went to him and told him that I would have my cell phone with me and if he got stuck, he could call me any time. He did just fine as did the mechanic who was covering for me.

It is a good thing to be part of something like this and to know that what you do maters. I was once told by one of the supervisors that I was very passionate about my work. I know that was not a total compliment but he added that he appreciated my level of interest in my job. On the other hand, I was once told that I take my work to seriously. I should just let it go as soon as I walk out the door. I just can't do that. My favorite mantra in just about everything I do is "never, never let go". And I don't I like things to work the way they are suppose to so that is what I strive for. Not perfection, you could drive yourself mad with that. Just to work and work properly. What more could you ask for.

So, after working some very long hours, sweating blood, training the person who is covering for me with far to little time to do it, I am now on vacation.

There I sat on the jet as other people boarded, including two very young babies who are probably on their first flight and not dealing well the pressure changes and noises, some woman behind me who hasn't stopped coughing from the time the wheels left the ground, some guy in front of me who wants to recline his seat back into my lap and some other guy beside me who I am sure has never used deodorant in his life. Ah yes. Thank goodness for vacation. A chance to get away from it all and enjoy a bit of a break.

WHAT HAVE I DONE!!