A Passion for Running

Today’s post will be in audio format. It is about 2.5mb so please be warned that it may take a while to load especially for you bloggers with dial-up internet connections!

Take care everyone.

Here’s the audio file in MP3 format

Changes
On January 30th we completed an overhaul of the directory (among other things, it is now database driven for easier maintenance). Unfortunately, this meant we had to change the directory’s URL. If you use the old URL, you will be redirected to the new one but we’d still appreciate if you’d update your link. If you don’t currently have a link to the directory, we’d really love it if you’d add one. In either case, linking to the new RBF directory helps us keep or improve our search engine ranking so other running bloggers can find the page.

A Cool New Feature!
Along with the changes we’ve made, I’m particularly excited about one new feature. The RBF directory can now tell you which blogs have recently posted and even what time they posted! Look for blogs with asterisks around their links. Asterisks mean a blog has posted within the last 24 hours. Mouse over blog links with asterisks and you’ll see a date and time for the blogger’s last post. Note: For this to work with YOUR blog, you must ensure it is ?pinging? weblogs.com or another blog feed service that pings weblogs.com.

Thanks for your help everyone! Speaking of help, there is one way you can help us even more – spread the word by putting a post on your blog with the new RBF directory link!

Here is the link to the new Running Blog Family Directory.

ignore this post

Please read THIS first (you don’t have to read all of it) and then return for the rest of this evening’s post…Done? Good. Let’s continue shall we?

I’m currently experiencing a strange but wonderful synchronicity related to (surprise surprise) running. This particular sync (I don’t feel like typing the whole word again) involves someone I almost married. It was long ago (1992) and her name was Bev. Like I said, we almost married. Close but no cigar.

Like most break-ups ours was painful and I hurt for a long time. Also like most break-ups, I eventually got over it, learned from the experience and became a better person.

But guess what else happened after the break up? Yup. You got it. I started running.

This all happened shortly after becoming freshly unemployed so not only was I heartbroken, I was broke! Inside, I knew I had to get active. I needed a cheap, physical outlet. I also wanted to be alone with my grief and running fit the bill for all those things so I started. Over time, running became my salvation and, as you know, a true source of joy and passion in my life.

And it all began because I broke up with Bev.

Recently, Bev found my blog. Apparently she was searching for “complete running information” and found it from there. She then nervously sent me an email and, if you peruse the comments in my art post, you’ll see she’s now left me a comment. You see…

…Bev’s taken up running.

Synchronicity.

Welcome Bev. Welcome to running. I truly hope it brings you the joy it’s brought me.

Aaron and I got in another short 2 mile run today after work. It was beautiful warm day for a run and I loved every minute of it.

We are kind of funny right now with our tentativeness…

Aaron: “How’s the ankle?”
Mark: “It’s ok but still kind of awkward. How are the knees?
Aaron: “Same as your ankle”.

So, here we are once again beginning to run – slowly becoming more confident with our ankles and knees. We are like a couple of war weary soldiers healing our wounds and getting back onto the battlefield. I think we’re leaning on each other a bit. I stole your “leaning” word Jeff. It just seems to fit. I hope that’s ok witcha!

It all seems more than appropriate.

I wish I could remember where I found this or who the artist is but it’s been sitting on my hard drive for quite a while and today just seemed like the right moment to share it.

I’d love to use it in a blog template but it seems like the proper thing to do would be to at least get the artist’s permission and credit him or her right?

Anyway, isn’t it swell?

Now you have an excuse!

It took me an HOUR to scrape and shovel the snow and ice off my driveway today and it was bloody hard work!

I usually don’t complain too much about keeping our sidewalk and driveway clear of snow but this week was a weird week. It rained on Thursday – a very unusual thing for Edmonton in January. Then, almost immediately after, the temperature plummeted and we got a whack of snow.

And all that made for a really awful time clearing off the walk and driveway.

Let me tell ya, I worked up a really good sweat!

If you like to tinker with the look of your blog or would like to learn a bit (or a LOT) about CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), you owe it to yourself to install the Web Developer Toolbar for Firefox. It is freakin’ AMAZING!

So, what does it do? What’s so great about it?

Well, it does a LOT of stuff but, in my opinion, the COOLEST thing it has in it is a CSS editor. What’s THAT you say? The CSS editor gives you a little window inside your Firefox browser that allows you to make changes to your blogs CSS file (the one that gives your blog its looks) and SEE the results of your changes INSTANTLY! For example, have you ever wanted to see what changing your links to red would look like? Make the change in the CSS Editor and viola – you will see the change the moment you finish typing the word “red”.

It is a WAY cool tool and the best way to teach yourself how to sytle your blog and learn CSS.

But take note: The toolbar only works with Firefox which, if you don’t have it yet, can be freely downloaded from here. By the way, Firefox kicks the ever-lovin’ crap outta any other web browser you may be currently using so if you don’t have it yet, please give it a try (you can thank me later).

While I’m on the subject, check out the Colorzilla extension which is also a great tool for managing COLOR in blog pages.

Enjoy!

PS As you can see, I’ve already sold Marie on these tools! Yay Marie!

I wouldn’t go that far – not even close but I did do WAY more swimming today than I’ve ever done previously in this lifetime anyway!

10 laps x 50 meters. That’s 500 meters or a half a kilometer!

Wahoo!!

Okay, okay, I did have to take breaks in between laps (it was HARD!) but I still did the distance right? What am I saying? Of course I’m right because this is pretty much exactly what I’ve told beginning runners who are building up their distances or who take walk breaks within runs. In other words, I’m cutting myself some slack and giving myself a pat on the back. Yay me!

Thanks goes out to my bud Aaron for getting me out there today. Thanks bud.

Speaking of Aaron, he thinks swimming “half a kilometer” sounds like more than swimming “500 meters”. I think the latter sounds like more.

What do you think?

(PS. I am DAMN tired!)