Sometimes you think you can’t accomplish something but you try nevertheless and then surprise yourself with the fact that you can. Well so it was for me. Yesterday I reached the point in my marathon training where we were supposed to do 21K. The truth be told…I thought I couldn’t do it.

The day before the walk I thought about doing the 21K and  it seemed very daunting. I wondered to myself if I really could walk so the distance. I decided I wouldn't think about it too much but to just go out and give it my best.

Also, one as someone say to me, just trust the program but even though I have been training and walking longer distances, I still had my doubts. Well I no longer need to doubt that I can walk the 21K because I did. What was even more amazing was that I had a great walk and after I had the energy to go help a friend and fellow walker in her garden raking leaves and planting flowers.

We did it in about 3 hours too, which for me is good, since it was the first time and to top if off I enjoyed it. I didn’t beginning to feel tired until I had done about 18K and just when I thought I couldn’t do anymore I heard that we had done 20.5K.

What also surprised me was that into 14K I heard I was doing about 8:04 min / K. Of course I can’t sustain that speed over the entire distance, but if I can continue do the first 14K at 8:04/K, then I am very happy indeed.

So now I am feeling more confident that I will be ok for the ½ marathon I am doing in June. I just hope that I have as good a day as I did yesterday. Now my only doubt is the marathon and I said as much. Again my fellow walker said to me just trust the program.

The one thing I like about the group I walk with is the way they support each other, always very encouraging and helpful. For example, when I was almost at the end of my walk yesterday I was almost out of water and she insisted on giving me some of hers even though I told her it was ok. This is how we are as a team. We share what we have and we encourage each other. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to walk with.

Not sure what my distance is next week since I haven’t looked at my schedule. However, I do have a 10K race May 3 and that I am looking forward to. So just remember when you think you can't do something, just try and give it your best. It's all you can do and who knows, you may surprise yourself. As my mom use to remind me, it's better to try and fail than do nothing at all.

So with that thought and attitude, when the time comes for me to do my marathon, I will simple give it my best shot. If I fail it won't be the end of the world. I can always try again. Until next time….have a good Spring and walk good.

They say a smile can brighten your day and it’s very true. Earlier today as I walked to the cafeteria to get some lunch, I saw a security guard walking towards me. 

He smiled at me and said, “Hello”. I responded with a smile of my own and he gave me an even bigger smile and said, “Have a good weekend.” I smiled back at him and wished him the same.

As I passed him, he made eye contact and still had his beautiful smile on his face. I couldn’t help smiling too. As I continued on my way to the elevators to go to the cafe, I thought about this person whom I had never met before, but was able to make my day so much brighter with something as simple as smile.

I couldn’t help but think to myself how wonderful a smile can be and that I must remember that I too could make someone’s day better just by offering them something as simple as smile.

As I write this, the lyrics to a song I really like popped into my head. The song is Smile by Nat King Cole and here are the lyrics:

Smile though your heart is aching

Smile even though it’s breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by

If you smile through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That’s the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what’s the use of crying?

You’ll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile

That’s the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what’s the use of crying?

You’ll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile 

So until next time, remember to smile at those you meet. Your smile just may bring cheer to another.

This morning I had my first official race of the year since I started training. It was the Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8K. It was a good distance to start my first race of the year, even though this particular course was a bit rough given that it was at High Park. For those of you who wouldn’t know High Park, it has 2 steep hills that we have to go up and down. 

The second hill is right at the end of the race so can you imagine trying to go as fast as you can, up a hill at the end of your race. For me it was tough, because just as I approached the hill, my chest literally closed up. I couldn’t breath and believe me when I say, having never experienced that, it was a bit frightening. 

At first I wondered if I was getting some kind of heart attack, then I wondered about asthma which I don’t suffer from. Eventually I just told myself to take shallow breaths and breath out and it worked, but of course it slowed me down. 

To top it off, we have been having some serious winds today and walking in a head wind doesn’t help your speed. Nevertheless I had a fantastic time. I was particularly happy when I realized that I was passing some of the runners and keeping pace with some. 

My next race, Sporting Life’s 10K, which is in May and I am very much looking forward to it. If all goes well, it should be a very good race, given that it’s a fast course, down Yonge Street. Some of it will be downhill with no hills to climb which I quite like. 

After that race I have 2 races back to back in June, the first a 5K on the Saturday and the second a ½ Marathon. Then after those four, if all goes well, I plan to sign up for four more races, one of which will be a marathon.  Will see how it all plays out. 

In the meantime, have yourself a blessed and happy Easter Holidays and remember to walk good!

I was reading an article today about Hungary and the fact that they are having a serious financial crisis, just like much of the world but appears to be worse. First it seems that Iceland's economy was on the brink of collapse, now it appears that Hungary is too.

I can’t help but wonder when will this all be over and things start getting better. A part of me thinks the worse is yet to come, and then there is the optimistic part of me that believes that things will turn around soon. The problem is that soon is very relative, depending on whom you are speaking with.

For those who are retiring soon (as in this year or next) or had hope to retire last year...well soon isn’t really going to help them when they have already lost a great portion of their retirement funds. Of course unless the stock market recovers in such away that there is a huge jump…which we all know isn’t going to happen overnight.

It's painful to see the world's economy in such a shambles, especially since much of it had to do with greed and just plain stupidity. On the other hand, I am happy that Canada seems to be handling the crisis some what better than their neighbour down south and many European countries as well. This does not mean we are not affected because we are. Just not to the level of some of these other countries, especially those that are on the brink of collapsing.

This is also not to say things couldn’t change for the worse, but I take some comfort in knowing that we have a fairly stable banking system and a fairly decent economy so far. Much of this is as a result of our strong regulatory bodies, something I personally believe the USA could learn from. 

Financial Institutions need to have strong regulatory bodies enforcing the rules to reduce corruption and greedy, and ensuring that those who break said rules are properly penalized. For example, I still cannot understand how companies that are begging their governments to help them can make big payouts to themselves. Contrast that with Canada, where our Top Five Banking Executives have declared that they would take a pay cut due to shrinking profit.

The amazing thing is that the Top Five Banks here have not lost money as a result of the greed and stupidity like those in the USA. In fact they are still making a very good profit, but with the economy down obviously they are not making as much as  years gone by.

The one thing though we Canadians should take note of is that despite our relative strength, we shouldn’t get cocky. I say this because I still see many spending away like there is no tomorrow. They purchase items on credit that I think are of little importance to daily living…luxury items that in my opinion are unnecessary. Of course if you have the money to do so then I say by all means go for it since spending helps to keep the economy going.