laying across the bed with the roommate creating amazing possibilities and taking action on big goals. high 5s and low 5s all around. #vancouver #lululemon 

This is so far my favourite discovery about running.

It’s the nod, smile or wave you receive from the runner coming your way. No matter the kilometre into the run, or your location on the canal, everyone says hello. 

This smile from a complete stranger, keeps me going. It is a silent reminder that I’m not alone, and that there are a lot of people cheering for me. It’s fun too, to predict what type of nod you’ll receive from the oncoming stranger, because it’s inevitable the runner is going to acknowledge you in some sort of way. It must be an unwritten code.

This silent communication is such a cool discovery. Maybe it’s because Ottawa is full of us, active people who love a sweaty challenge, who take full advantage of our canal routes and the bridges to and from Quebec, or maybe this happens in every city. 

All I know is that when it’s pouring rain and I’m half way through my run, a quiet hello from a stranger feels so damn good. Toronto, Ottawa, or Vancouver, I’ll nod your way. 

Life lesson. A big learning. 

When you’re running for something big, hairy and audacious, running isn’t so hard. 

A 5K run is not fun for me. It never has been. Even last summer as I trained for my first race ever, starting at 3s and 1s, it never got easy. I got better at it for sure, but I still didn’t love it. I don’t even think I liked it. 

But this week, as I created a really big, hairy, audacious goal, running became just a little bit easier. As we saw the bridge in the distance, our halfway mark of our second run, soaked by an April snow storm, I felt as though I could keep going. I knew I could keep going for quite a while still. I began to think that even though these 21 kilometres might not be easy, perhaps they might be fun. 

I have always prided myself on being a goal-oriented person. I get to where I want to be by setting an intention and really giving it my all until completion. Goals can change and you can adapt your vision, but no matter what you’re working for something.

Training for the half marathon, even only a week in, I have quickly realized how big you really can think, how much your really can challenge yourself and how powerful goal setting is.