Rain running = a love shower

I love to go running in the rain. As far as I'm concerned April showers can stay. I think this is because I belong out on the coast.

Rain running is exhilarating. When I get out there I feel so renewed and alive, it doesn't matter how tired I am or how I start out grumbling about a quick run and then home, I always want more. I love the feeling of water pouring down my face and feel of the cool wet meeting the warmth of body half way between my jacket and long sleeve shirt.

My friend Chandra passed away on Sunday April 8, 2006. She was only 35 and fought a lengthy battle with cancer. Although I only had the privilege of knowing her for four years we developed a close bond. She was the type of woman who inspires pretty much everyone. She was a talented artist. On the occasion of my wedding shower she gave me a special painting of an angel. On the back she wrote "may you always be showered with love". Tonight when I ran in the rain I could see her, feel her there with me, pushing me to go farther and faster. I ran and ran. I ran my first sub 9 minute mile since high school. The entire time the rain came down. It mixed with my tears. I came home feeling completely cleansed and peaceful. I have a new running partner & guardian angel.

what's on jenzzie's mind

Wow! I havent' been here forever!! The time has really sped by lately. Who can believe the semester is almost over. YAY! Work & school are both sucking right now, I need some time away.

Which I'm going to get!

I'm heading to Salt Spring Island at the end of April for a yoga getaway weekend with my cousin. Just me & here. No kids with diapers, toys & zip loc bag snacks. No whining husband asking for another pepsi or to entertain him! Just us girls.

You know what this means? I need some stylish new yoga clothes!

Okay now how do I spend & smuggle them into the house without being noticed??

35 days & counting! For now I just need to get my banana bread out of the oven & go to the gym.

Sumo squats are brutal!

mad about the game

I play in a women's tier III soccer league. I am not a superstar player but I still am competitive. Our game last night totally pissed me off.

We were up a really good team. They were young, fast and incredibly good at handling the ball. I usually play defense and that's where I started out the game last night. My co-defense was a girl who is quite heavy set and out of shape. In fact I think she has just recently had gastric bypass surgery and this is her first foray into fitness ever. I know we're supposed to be supportive etc. but she totally dogs it on the field. I'm not talking just a little bit. I'm talking a lot. In fact she doesn't even try. So last night while we were getting brutalized by this team she was lagging behind. I was a little ticked, I'm not a super skilled player but I try hard. I'm fast, I get on the ball and I'm not afraid to get in an opponent's face to get ball control for our team. So I was monumentally pissed when our coach pulled me at half time to play forward and replaced me with one of our strongest players. Why did I get pulled and put on the less important position for the evening. Why not the player who gets winded walking to the bench??

Maybe I'm being a poor sport but I think that call really stunk.

I just felt like running.....

Okay so just because of my name I get teased about the Forrest Gump "run Forrest, run" and yes my husband I are just like peas and carrots. The jokes get even worse when people discover that I am a runner. Or at least trying to be.

I love to run. Once I get going and I'm in my zone there's nothing else like it. Some of the best runs I've had have been on misty moonlit nights with my dogs, through the woods near my grandmother's house in her tiny Manitoba town, and along the beach in Kelowna.

Last night I had a great run on the treadmill. I did 10km for the first time in a long time. It felt great. I was tired by the end but also felt like I could have gone longer. I now feel confident that I can run a 10km to start out the road race year instead of just 5km.

My big fat mouth

I'm going to open my mouth and say something this week at my daughter's kindergarten class. I plan to do it diplomatic and cordially but I'm sure that some people will take offense to it. I know I already get some pretty scornful looks from parents because I look so young. Hey it's not my fault that I get asked for id when I'm trying to order a drink at Earls.

Here's my beef:
I am fed up with parents bringing crap food for snack to the class. No I'm judging their cooking skills I'm talk about piss poor nutrition. Tim bits, cup cakes, chips etc. make regular appearances on snack days. I was out shopping with my daughter before Christmas and we were in the chip & cracker aisle (a section we don't visit very often) and she pointed to a great big bag of Doritos and said "oh mikey brought those for snack." I'm sorry but WTF??

Like a bunch of five year olds need to be eating foods loaded with trans fats, salt and sugar. Good eating habits are a lifestyle that needs to begin in the cradle. I know that it is hard to feed your kids and I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I never stoop to bringing chips to snack day.

Anyway I've decided to be proactive instead of just bitching about it (except to bitch here of course). I am going to ask the teacher if I can start a healthy snack recipe index for the class and send home an informative newsletter maybe people will catch on. Is this okay? Am I being overbearing?

Only time will tell I guess!

Sleep..........

What is it about a good night's sleep that makes it so invaluable?

You could ask the experts and they can give you infinite reasons.

I think it is the ultimate chicken soup for the soul. Problems are solved, dreams lived, fences mended and bodies revived.

I had a great sleep last night. Curled up next to my rescue hero after an invigorating run with my dogs in the rain. We made up from our argument the day before without doing anything but sleeping.

As time goes by.....

Been throwing myself into anything and everything. Trying to not think about losing C. Her husband was here on boxing day. I wanted to be strong for him. Instead I cried in front of him.

I am 28 and this is the first time I've had to face losing someone I care about. I've led a sheltered life. I can't picture life without her in it. I think about visiting with B and going to their house. But if she were reading this she would tell me to think about visiting her because she has to believe in the possibility of life. I want to believe in the possibility of life too but I don't want to deny things either.

I'm just a friend and yet I can start to understand the fine line that she and her family have been walking for years now. I admire their courage. All of them. This must be incredibly hard.

Chin up for all of us. For now I'm here for her, for them in any way I can be.