From Ziplining to the Races!

Me, Verene, Rob and Ry at the Bread and Honey race 🙂

To say that I’m a bit tired is an understatement. I had a fantastic weekend filled with adventure, personal achievements, and quality family time. It began Saturday morning with Extreme Ziplining through One Axe Pursuits. I joined friends Dan and Jasper for a full day of ziplining at the gorge in Elora followed by rappelling down to the river. So much fun, and best described through photos and video. (Great video Jasper! It really captures the event :D)
Dan, Jasper and I before our ziplining adventure 🙂
This is how you rappel
Dan probably deserved this
Jasper ziplining!
Ziplining over the river
And as if ziplining wasn’t enough, I then headed to Burlington Saturday evening to run the 10k Moon in June Road Race with my brother Ry and his friend Kelly. This was particularly special for me, since all three of us began running around the same time when we ran our first 10k race 4 years ago in Mississauga. Ry and Kelly are machines and continue to inspire me to push myself that much more, so it was really awesome to run with them again.

Pre-race photo with my bro
Moon in June runners at the starting line
Um… I think I got this!

The course was flat and quite scenic, passing through downtown Burlington, along the lakeshore, and then through some residential neighbourhoods. At about 2k into the race, I decided I would try for a personal best. Thanks so much to Ry for pacing me, encouraging me when I was clearly running out of steam, and yelling at me to give it everything I had left! The sprint at the end was crazy, but it resulted in a very strong finish and a 10k personal best time of 50:14. Whoohoo! I may have been on the verge of throwing up at the finish line, but it was definitely worth it!

I still think I got this 🙂
After the race with Kelly and Ry
Celebrating my 50:14 10k PB with pizza 🙂

Then Sunday morning was the 5k Bread and Honey race in Streetsville. I was going to be running it with family and I had been looking forward to this race for quite some time. A while back, my brother Rob, my sister Verena, and her boyfriend Bruce decided they wanted to run a 5k race at some point in their life. There’s no time like the present, so Ry made sure we all made an event of it and signed us up for the Break and Honey run. Even my mum was to participate, but couldn’t unfortunately due to an injury. She was there in spirit though :). I am so proud of my siblings for completing their first race and having a strong finish. I’ve never seen Verene sprint like that at the end! It was an amazing milestone to witness (yes, I’m a proud brother :D). Now there’s talk of future races and more training. Could we become a family of runners? *Gasp*, who’d have thought…

Rob and Verene destroyed their first 5k! Congratulations 🙂
We did it! Such a proud moment… 

All in all, even though I may be super exhausted, there were so many amazing and cherished moments this weekend. I wouldn’t trade them for anything :).

To The Moon in June!

Waterfront in Burlington. From http://www.discoverburlingtonontario.blogspot.ca

So I’m pumped. The BMO Vancouver Half-marathon is just around the corner (eek!) and I think I’m fairly prepared for a good run. My plan: Rather than trying for a PB (personal best), I’m just going to enjoy the run, which will take runners through some of the amazing neighbourhoods and beautiful areas of Vancouver. I look forward to it 🙂

Moon in June race

But characteristic of many runners, I’ve also been thinking about subsequent races. Yes, there’s the Calgary half marathon at the end of May, but then what? So on the recommendation of my brother, I’ve now signed up for another 10 k race- The Moon in June Road Race in Burlington, Ontario on June 2nd. The course passes through down town Burlington and the pretty waterfront during the sunset hours before ending in the Civic Square at City Hall. My brother Ry and his friend Kelly are avid runners and will also be running that night. We all had our first race 4 years ago at the Mississauga 10 k, so it will be great to run with them again 🙂

Waterfront in Burlington. From http://www.discoverburlingtonontario.blogspot.ca 
Moon in June Course map

When I think about it, that trip home is turning out to be quite busy! I fly home Friday night, then I’m booked for a full-day zip-lining adventure during the day, followed by the 10k Moon in June run that night… followed by the 5k Bread and Honey Race Sunday morning. It’s going to be awesome!…. assuming my body survives the weekend.

Burlington. From http://www.discoverburlingtonontario.blogspot.ca