I was going to post yesterday ..."Until this sun goes away...Blogging cancelled due to weather" but then Results for the Resolution Run were posted today and I am happy to say I shaved almost 2minutes and 30 seconds off my time.   Last years run was very wet, but it was freezing this year (-2) so let's just say I am very happy with my time of 41.25.  I was the 15th woman finished overall.  My sister was the 7th woman finished overall in an awesome time of 38.34.  Pretty good start to the year for the two of us.  The race report on the Peninsula Runners website makes a neat observation, "A couple of performances of note were the fine run by Lenore Montgomery at age 80 in 52:38 and Abbotsford's Callum Pilgrim running 38:28 at age 13. " A good start to the year for a lot of runners.

I did manage to get in two runs yesterday.  The first in the morning was a recovery run around Burnaby Lake.  Burnaby Lake is probably my favourite place to run.  It is relatively flat and excellent terrain making for a scenic recovery run. It was an absolutely gorgeous morning for a run. Perfectly chilled.  Beautiful scenery. 
When I arrived at the lake an elderly gentleman in a track suit came bounding down the road headed for the trail.  He slowed down as he saw me unravelling from the car, just setting up my ipod, putting my water belt on ; gearing up I like to call it.  I said , "Good morning" and smiled and he surprised me by not just saying good morning. ( I have to tell you that I often find when I am out for a long run I have moments of clarity. Ideas come to me (like the name of this blog) or I solve problems (like scheduling issues). ) The gentleman must have met with the same moments of clarity as he looked like he had been waiting for just the right runner to share with...He said with a strong accent , "It is a beautiful morning.  And we are out here enjoying it.  Just think of those poor people at home on the couch drinking more than 3 glasses of wine, eating too much food, watching  tv, everything to excess.  Instead you and I we choose to get out and exercise.  I am 74 years old..I run 14km three times a week, I go to the gym twice a week. I eat healthy.  Then I can drink the wine." I am sure I will see him again, and I am surprised I haven't seen him before. 
So keeping the track suit mans thoughts in my head when I returned home...I was happy to oblige the girls when they wanted to take their play date out on rollerblades.   After a respectable amount of time we headed out for another roller blade with the added company of their friend Delaney.  We went all the way to Queens Park and they played a bit there before roller blading back home to watch the gorgeous sunset.

While I agree with the track suit man's statement about excess, I also see the benefits in indulging, whether it be with what I call a "fluff" novel (my son recently treated me to the latest Maeve Binchy - definitely fun fluff) or "fluff"television (any reality tv show - leaning towards Housewives of New Jersey here).

I indulged big time last night in a splurge with all four kids to La Casa Gelato ( the last few times I have been disappointed with the actual product, probably because we recently tried Bella Gellateria and were won over by the freshness of the gelato there - but I love the picking, and the sampling, and watching as the kids decide what flavour they want, and the resigned looks on their faces when they see me always ordering the same "death by Mango on the bottom, licorice on the top" ).   Ice cream on a cold day.  Perfect way to end this Christmas vacation.

Today was all about packing up Christmas for another year.  Tree stripped.  Mantles dismantled.  Stockings stored.  Boxes packed.
As we begin the long haul from January to Easter and all of our schedules begin with earnest make sure you schedule your "me" time and don't forget to add some all important "fluff" - you choose the flavour.
Blaze a trail