dreaming over the ocean

Beautiful beaches, dives, caves, drives, and open water swims. (loving loving LOVING the open water swims. it is like a pool, but with sand on the bottoms, and waves to carry my non-wetsuited body along... sigh. siiiiigh.) back to the snow tomorrow.

other things i like about Grand Bahama Island: open water swimming. sweating while going out for a run. fish fries. diving with sharks. the bahamian accent. black guys. left hand side road driving. just generally, being away.

so, with this whole team in training business, I have spent quite a bit of time just thinking about what I am doing, and why. For instance, this whole thing is a little bit of a stretch for me to say "My life is affected by blood cancer." I don't know anyone who has lymphoma, or leukemia, or hodgkins. I don't even know people who have died due to it. I know people who know people, but that is not super close to home. But, that is okay. Beth's dad is living with leukemia. Leanna's aunt died from it. We all carry eachother. in every aspect of life. but, in reality, what is the point!? I guess the point is that swimming, biking, running, traveling, etc. those are all things that i love. I love doing them, and I do them frequently, and i get all the pleasure out of doing them. So, why should I do those things, only to benefit myself. I mean, we can do things in our life, that we love to do AND use those things to benefit others. I can travel to see th...

Hello Friends! It was so nice to hear from so many of you, following my christmas newsletter! As you read this next little letter, you might not be surprised that I am about to tell you something that involves raising money. I am very excited about it, and I would like to tell you about it. As my mum would say (and, as you may know) I love participating in "ridiculously long races." This spring, I have decided to take that passion, and do something where other people than I can be benefitted by my participation in these races. Some people think that my doing endurance races are inspirational. Families living with members who have blood cancer, make my participating look like a walk in the park. I recently signed up for "Team in Training." You might have heard of it... It is an organization that has people participate in an endurance to raise awareness and money for research for leukemia and lymphoma. Did you know, that this spring, I am going to be running a ...

As you probably know already :) since i am very much single, this day is a normal day in my life. I have had, in the past, a tradition with one of my good teammates (both rowing, an d now triathlon!) to do a fun little gift exchange. but, she lives in georgia. so, no gift exchange. but, i thought that i would just write a list of names of people that i really love. these people are the best people in the world, and i don't get to see them a lot. my family : mum dad rebecca leigh makayla. My best friends. the best people in the world: zach christina kevin sam celine my teammates. donna. meg. cait. risha. LC. kirst. segue stud's: stephen. jessie. melissa. sharon. bethany. robert lee. those crazy brits and the welshman. and random others: terry L. terry P. Audrey. bri. kristin. my "non-family families." Even though i don't get to see you or talk to you as often as I would like, doesn't mean that I don't still love you. thank you postsecret.com for t...

So sad to hear about the death of the olympic luger. Anyone who makes "fun" of "tobogganing" being an olympic sport needs to be quiet just about now. and remember that this was a life. and a life from a country that probably does not do a lot for high class athletes. a life of a son, a citizen and a world class athlete. May light perpetual shine upon him, and may he rest in peace . other news: sooooo busy this week. pathology exam, presentation on Tuberculosis, clinicals . Bahamas with my mum in one week! woooOOOOoooo got my splish grab bag suits today. 2 for 40$ I was worried that they might be ugly, but I got these beautiful hawaii themed suits!!! :D started my fundraising for TEAM IN TRAINING! and, also training with the group. it is so nice to go running with other people! check out our McGill Nurses Run a Race blog. I am trying to raise 7000$ by april 1st. Do you, or anyone you know, what to help out? what about the company you work for? do they ...

I slept in till 9am this morning :D my body originally woke me up at 7, but I don't have to be anywhere until 11. And, I can workout this afternoon. oh sleep ins and french press coffee and egg scrambles during a leisurely breakfast. bliss! last week was a funny week for me in terms of training, and all things tri. I had a day early in the week where i was having "a fat day" and i weighed myself, and I was up 4 pounds. or something shocking like that. but, less than a week prior, i had weighed myself at normal. and, it wasn't like I have been mcdonald's or something all weekend long. it made no sense to me, and I wonder how that happens. i have no idea what causes your weight to flutuate like that. i entered two races. yessss! so excited about mooseman. since then, it seems like i am meeting someone every second day who has competed in it. I did my first training run with team in training and, ran with the "marathon" group, rather than the 1/...

Hey all... So, here is my link to the blog that I am setting up for my TEAM IN TRAINING efforts. please please please take the time to go over there. It is going to be updated frequently, and you will be able to track where we are all at in terms of our fundraising. currently, I am at 1%. woooo! ;) i Dare you. Click here.

so, not only did I sign up for Mooseman yesterday, today I decided "okay. take this whole ridiculously long races hobby to a reasonable cause." Today I signed up for "Team in Training." I am going to spend the next 5 months raising money for the leukemia and lymphoma society. I am going to be running a 1/2 Marathon in the end of june (as long as i reach my goal of 7000$). I am running, because a classmate and friend (the one i went skiing with recently!) brought it up, as her dad has Leukemia. she thought it might be a good idea, and it just got rolling. so... here is my pitch, and I will make it lots of times! don't hesitate. I need you to donate 5$. or 100$. or 500$. whatever you can. click here to donate to Team in Training!

so, four months and 3 days. that is when I will be racing: registered today. kinda on accident. but, was planning on it, so it just took me a bit as a surprise, due to the suddenness of it. wooooOOOOOooooo. excited! i am having a few dilemmas in my life right now. and, it is frustrating. i am also longing for africa. my heart ached this morning. and, i find it interesting that it goes in 4-year rotations. had a mid-term tonight. i think it went well. i can't believe it is that season already. yikes. i am thankful for friends who let me vent and let me be totally myself.