Why do I run? I thought I started running because my brain convinced me it would be a great way to keep my body in good soccer shape. But now I’m thinking there’s another reason I waited until I was at the half-century mark to start a running regime...maybe it’s my body’s way of dealing with the hormonal milieu that’s been stuck in the on position for the past few months. Maybe hormones are kicking my butt down the road each morning.
Take yesterday, for example, I was just about to head out of the door for my run, having got up early and had my coffee, when my daughter came up the stairs with her 2-year old son bundled in her arms. I babysit my grandson 3 days a week while my daughter Jenny, a single mom, works. As long as I am up early enough to fit in my run before Jenny leaves for work around 8 a.m., everything runs smoothly. But yesterday, my grandson Odin woke early which isn’t usually a problem, but he didn’t want to stay in his bed, he was upset and not feeling too great, possibly a nightmare? Jenny didn’t have time to comfort him, she was in the middle of getting ready for work, so the task was turned over to me and as a consequence, my precious run would be sacrificed. To say I exploded in a rage would be an understatement. My tantrum easily rivaled any performance given by a pubescent teen girl. Jenny just rolled her eyes skyward and said she needed to get ready for work, after all, she’d seen this performance before. My grandson, on the other hand, watched wide-eyed as his grandmother threw a temper tantrum because she couldn’t go for a run. He was calmly sat in the armchair by this point with his blankie, monkey, little piggy, and bunny watching Toopy and Binoo on the television wondering what the mad lady in the neon-yellow running jacket was going to do next.
I’m embarrassed to tell this story, but this is exactly the type of things that happens when peri-menopausal hormones are in full rage. In a nutshell, it’s PMS times ten and I’m smack bang in the middle of it.
So why do I run? One of the major reasons is to let go of all this stuff that I have accumulated lately thanks to those raging hormones. I run to shake it off, to reboot, and re-balance. When I hit the road in the morning feeling tight and heavy with the weight of the world on my shoulders, somewhere along the way everything loosens up and I return feeling light and clean. It’s the one place in life I can set my own pace. It’s the difference between a good day and a bad day.
Here are some of the stuff I run off:
My bad mood
A lousy night’s sleep
Night sweats (see above)
Sad news
Germs
Relationship ups and downs
A messy kitchen made that way by "someone else"
Sore muscles from workout
Hot flashes
Last nights fabulous dinner and 2 glasses of wine
An argument
Cravings
Misbehaving cats
Brain fog
Defective judgment
Restrictions, mostly self imposed
Fatigue
Poor soccer game
Poor golf game (this is a newbie)
I’m sure you get the point. Running is soul cleansing and mind clearing and by taking care of this benign self-interest it allows me to be what I need to be for everyone else in my life without resentment. So as I continue to negotiate the rapids of my midlife transition, I will, in all probability, continue to blame it all on hormones...while I still can. And as I plan tomorrow morning's freedom run, I can take comfort in the fact I still haven’t peaked as a runner!
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Sensory Overload.
I set off on my run early this morning (or so it seemed after we put the clocks forward this past weekend), it was barely light outside and following suit, it was raining and windy. I was definitely struggling with wakefulness, but fortunately my legs were on auto-pilot and did their thing, getting me through the first trail and onto the first stretch of road which makes up the particular route I was on. You could say my mind was in a fog. It seemed quieter outside than usual; I did not encounter a single vehicle during the first part of my run and no dog walkers could be seen anywhere.
As I hit the second trail, I was suddenly jolted awake by the faint smell of skunk. I am quite familiar with skunks as we have many that reside in our City, and we even have a small one that lives in our neighborhood, so this pungent “hit” on my sluggish senses put me on full alert as I didn’t want to surprise the skunk and become a target for its most notorious feature. Although skunks have excellent senses of smell and hearing, they have poor vision, so I made a little noise and was able to happily make it through to the other side of the trail without a smelly encounter and I settled comfortably back in to my “foggy” run.
After about 5 minutes of this, I noticed my legs were beginning to hit their stride, finally coming off auto-pilot, and I was feeling a lot more with it. Things were beginning to shape up. It was at this point, at the bottom of a steep hill as I rounded a sharp bend, that I was hit in the senses once again and rousted from my fog-induced state. This time it was the sweet, almost-lemony fragrance emanating from a cluster of mature spurge laurel (Daphne laureola) that had my full attention. The spurge laurel was growing in a dense stand on the edge of a wooded property. The sweet fragrance was heady and saturated the air around me. I slowed my pace and leaned in for a closer look, fooled for a moment by the similarity in appearance to the Rhododendron species and the encompassing smell. But I didn’t let that sweet smell fool me! I saw the plant for what it really is and it’s fragrance is its only endearing feature. Spurge laurel is extremely toxic and is on the list of invasive species in the Pacific Northwest. The pale yellow flowers that bloom February to April grow in clusters among the leaves near the top of the stem, and are inconspicuous. These flowers then develop into black single-seeded berries which are poisonous. Its ability to grow in deep shade, its tolerance of a range of growing conditions and its ability to rapidly colonize an area has contributed to its invasion of natural spaces. Its growth as a monoculture in the forest understory means that it competes with and displaces our wonderful native plants, resulting in altered native plant communities and natural succession, reduced biodiversity, and in some cases, potentially changes soil chemistry. This plant also poses a health risk to the public, it is highly noxious.
I continued my run, bounding up the third trail along the route which resembles a mini Grouse Grind in places. The steep and narrow stone steps set into the hillside among the tangled mass of ferns and salal were slippery and forced me to slow my pace. The slower pace afforded me the opportunity to take in my surroundings and I marvelled at the view of Passage Island in the distance and the Grebe Islets just below me in the Strait of Georgia. Every time I run this route, the view takes my breath away, no matter what the weather. Finally I was at the top, I was half way through the run and it was time to pick up the pace.
Whenever I run near my home, I am running through a Coastal Douglas-fir dominated forest. Although it is one of the smallest of BC’s 14 ecological zones, the Coastal Douglas-fir Zone is home to some of the province’s most interesting and diverse ecosystems. Here the majestic Douglas-fir reigns supreme. In my neighborhood, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, big leaf maple, western flowering dogwood and arbutus flourish together with understory plants such as sword fern, salal, Oregon grape, salmonberry, trillium and star flower. Unfortunately, travelers to a new land often bring something to remind them of home. But when the reminder is a living plant or animal, it can create havoc with the local flora or fauna. The spurge laurel is one of the many exotic species introduced into the Coastal Douglas-fir Zone that have had this effect.
As I hit the sixth and final trail on my route, I was really flying. I was on the last leg and homeward bound. The trail is not too steep or narrow, so I can hold this quick pace most of the way. The view from here, another treat, is of Burrard Inlet and unobstructed clear across to UBC. As I glanced around at the understory plants growing along the trail, I noticed several clusters of spurge laurel had cropped up and were already in various stages of bloom. The thought strikes me that there is something so very sinister about the way it mysteriously appears, unbidden, in random areas of heavy shade. But it mostly saddens me, the fact that this invasive intruder (and others) are so close to home, and the fact that without the pests and pathogens that keeps this species under control in its native lands, it will continue its growth as a monoculture and pose a serious threat to our own native species.
As I approached the end of the trail my driveway sprung into view, and beyond it I could see my own garden heavy with the promise of spring. It is then I make a silent vow: to go on a spurge laurel “pull” along the trails that border my property at some point this spring. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to eradicate all the invasive species growing in my neighborhood, but any effort I can put in is the least I can do to protect our own wonderful native species which grow in my garden, in my neighborhood and along my running routes.
“The earth laughs in flowers” E. E. Cummings
As I hit the second trail, I was suddenly jolted awake by the faint smell of skunk. I am quite familiar with skunks as we have many that reside in our City, and we even have a small one that lives in our neighborhood, so this pungent “hit” on my sluggish senses put me on full alert as I didn’t want to surprise the skunk and become a target for its most notorious feature. Although skunks have excellent senses of smell and hearing, they have poor vision, so I made a little noise and was able to happily make it through to the other side of the trail without a smelly encounter and I settled comfortably back in to my “foggy” run.
After about 5 minutes of this, I noticed my legs were beginning to hit their stride, finally coming off auto-pilot, and I was feeling a lot more with it. Things were beginning to shape up. It was at this point, at the bottom of a steep hill as I rounded a sharp bend, that I was hit in the senses once again and rousted from my fog-induced state. This time it was the sweet, almost-lemony fragrance emanating from a cluster of mature spurge laurel (Daphne laureola) that had my full attention. The spurge laurel was growing in a dense stand on the edge of a wooded property. The sweet fragrance was heady and saturated the air around me. I slowed my pace and leaned in for a closer look, fooled for a moment by the similarity in appearance to the Rhododendron species and the encompassing smell. But I didn’t let that sweet smell fool me! I saw the plant for what it really is and it’s fragrance is its only endearing feature. Spurge laurel is extremely toxic and is on the list of invasive species in the Pacific Northwest. The pale yellow flowers that bloom February to April grow in clusters among the leaves near the top of the stem, and are inconspicuous. These flowers then develop into black single-seeded berries which are poisonous. Its ability to grow in deep shade, its tolerance of a range of growing conditions and its ability to rapidly colonize an area has contributed to its invasion of natural spaces. Its growth as a monoculture in the forest understory means that it competes with and displaces our wonderful native plants, resulting in altered native plant communities and natural succession, reduced biodiversity, and in some cases, potentially changes soil chemistry. This plant also poses a health risk to the public, it is highly noxious.
I continued my run, bounding up the third trail along the route which resembles a mini Grouse Grind in places. The steep and narrow stone steps set into the hillside among the tangled mass of ferns and salal were slippery and forced me to slow my pace. The slower pace afforded me the opportunity to take in my surroundings and I marvelled at the view of Passage Island in the distance and the Grebe Islets just below me in the Strait of Georgia. Every time I run this route, the view takes my breath away, no matter what the weather. Finally I was at the top, I was half way through the run and it was time to pick up the pace.
Whenever I run near my home, I am running through a Coastal Douglas-fir dominated forest. Although it is one of the smallest of BC’s 14 ecological zones, the Coastal Douglas-fir Zone is home to some of the province’s most interesting and diverse ecosystems. Here the majestic Douglas-fir reigns supreme. In my neighborhood, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, big leaf maple, western flowering dogwood and arbutus flourish together with understory plants such as sword fern, salal, Oregon grape, salmonberry, trillium and star flower. Unfortunately, travelers to a new land often bring something to remind them of home. But when the reminder is a living plant or animal, it can create havoc with the local flora or fauna. The spurge laurel is one of the many exotic species introduced into the Coastal Douglas-fir Zone that have had this effect.
As I hit the sixth and final trail on my route, I was really flying. I was on the last leg and homeward bound. The trail is not too steep or narrow, so I can hold this quick pace most of the way. The view from here, another treat, is of Burrard Inlet and unobstructed clear across to UBC. As I glanced around at the understory plants growing along the trail, I noticed several clusters of spurge laurel had cropped up and were already in various stages of bloom. The thought strikes me that there is something so very sinister about the way it mysteriously appears, unbidden, in random areas of heavy shade. But it mostly saddens me, the fact that this invasive intruder (and others) are so close to home, and the fact that without the pests and pathogens that keeps this species under control in its native lands, it will continue its growth as a monoculture and pose a serious threat to our own native species.
As I approached the end of the trail my driveway sprung into view, and beyond it I could see my own garden heavy with the promise of spring. It is then I make a silent vow: to go on a spurge laurel “pull” along the trails that border my property at some point this spring. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to eradicate all the invasive species growing in my neighborhood, but any effort I can put in is the least I can do to protect our own wonderful native species which grow in my garden, in my neighborhood and along my running routes.
“The earth laughs in flowers” E. E. Cummings
Sunday, 13 March 2011
Trying to Reason...
There were large, frothy whitecaps on the water today. It was windy and rainy, which makes for a stormy run. I find this exhilarating; especially the sound the wind makes as it whips the trees into a mad, rushing frenzy. It sounds somewhat like a large freight train bearing down on you. As I ran in the wind and watched the whitecaps, I couldn't help but hum some lines of a song written by Jimmy Buffet..."Well the wind is blowing harder now, fifty knots or thereabouts. There's whitecaps on the ocean and I'm watching for water spouts. I certainly didn't see any water spouts today, but it is Sunday and it is a most peculiar gray...which are also lines from the song.
Why do I like running in the wind and the rain? I can't think of one good reason, other than the fact there are less people out and about on stormy days, but I enjoy it nonetheless. And maybe, if I keep on running, the elusive reason will come to me. In the meantime, I will continue to be uplifted by the marvels of nature, and I will keep on singing..."It's time to close the shutters, it's time to go inside. In a week I'll be in gay Paris and that's a mighty long airplane ride."
(Words from "Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season" by Jimmy Buffet)
Why do I like running in the wind and the rain? I can't think of one good reason, other than the fact there are less people out and about on stormy days, but I enjoy it nonetheless. And maybe, if I keep on running, the elusive reason will come to me. In the meantime, I will continue to be uplifted by the marvels of nature, and I will keep on singing..."It's time to close the shutters, it's time to go inside. In a week I'll be in gay Paris and that's a mighty long airplane ride."
(Words from "Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season" by Jimmy Buffet)
Friday, 11 March 2011
The Early Worm
I was distracted during my run this morning by an unmistakable sign of spring...earthy, squishy, mushy worms decorated the sidewalks and roads along my damp and misty route. There was also that unmistakable smell that comes with spring...misty and muddy with just a hint of flowers. Just being surrounded by all this "springness" is a natural energy boost along with the thought that with the worms coming out, the sun will hopefully begin to stay out longer too. The increased sun time for sure makes everything and everyone just that little bit brighter. Bring on the worms!
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