Next Event:

4th MQ250 Annual Run / Walk

•     Date: Tuesday, December 31st 2013

•     Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane.

•     Start Times: 9.00am Marathon, 12.00noon Half Marathon, 1.30pm 10k, 2.40pm 5k, 2.40pm 2.5k, 3.00pm Finish.

•     Registration: On the day (8.00am to 2.30pm) with a donation to Right To Play.

•     Route: 2.5k loops along the stunning Bow River.

Next Quest:

Rotary Coastal Quest 630 (Quest #9)   

• Run 630 miles (1014 kms) around the SW coast on England

• March 4th to April 1st 2014, averaging a marathon a day.

• Attemping to raise 100,000 pounds for Right To Play

• Check out: Rotary Coastal Quest 630

New Years Resolutions are a pain in the butt. On January 1^st you get all enthusiastic about the changes you're going to make. Maybe quit smoking, drop a few of pounds or eat more fish. The classic is joining the gym. In fact people are very good at joining the gym, they have no problem signing up, they just don't keep going for very long.

But let's stop beating ourselves up. The fact of the matter is you have a full year to complete the resolution. As long as you do it within the 12 month period, no one can call you a slacker or laggard. To help those of you who've left it until the last minute, you'll be delighted to know that I am offering a "Last Chance Resolution Day (LCRD)" and that day is December 31^st.

Here's your chance to fulfil that New Years Resolution you set on January 1^st 2013, just 364 days ago. Many people resolve to complete their first 5 km, 10 km or maybe it was a half marathon or even the big one, the marathon, so I have the perfect event for you

The 4^th Annual Marathon Quest 250 Run / Walk will be held at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane and is scheduled for the last day of the year. The first running of this event was on December 31^st 2010 and it was the last marathon of the 250 marathons I completed that year.

Last year we held the 3^rd Annual event and families and friends used it as a way of getting a little exercise before the New Year festivities. This year we are hoping to get more people out to enjoy the 2.5km loop along the majestic Bow River. I've put a call in for good weather. The last year it was -10C so I'm hoping for more of the same.

The format is a little different to most Run / Walk events. The marathon runners start off at 9.00am and are joined by the half marathoners at 12 noon. At 1.30pm the 10 km runners join up and they are followed by the 5 km runners at 2.15pm. Finally the "One Loopers" (2.5 km) come out at 2.40pm and everyone finishes at 3.00pm.

The aid station is provided by Pat's Palette Pleasers, so runners can expect coffee, hot chocolate and cookies, to keep them going. For the young and young at heart there are bouncy castles. Registration is on the day, from 8.00am to 2.30pm, with a donation to the children's charity Right To Play, at the table in the foyer.

Just think, you will feel amazing having completed your 2013 New Year's resolution and then 24 hours later you can start all over again, with a new one.

Quote of the Day

"Experience is not what happens to you. Experience is what you do with what happens to you"

Aldous Huxley

A cold and snowy day on December 31st 2010 during the final marathon of Marathon Quest 250.

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Next Event:

4th MQ250 Annual Run / Walk

•     Date: Tuesday, December 31st 2013

•     Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane.

•     Start Times: 9.00am Marathon, 12.00noon Half Marathon, 1.30pm 10k, 2.40pm 5k, 2.40pm 2.5k, 3.00pm Finish.

•     Registration: On the day (8.00am to 2.30pm) with a donation to Right To Play.

•     Route: 2.5k loops along the stunning Bow River.

Next Quest:

Rotary Coastal Quest 630 (Quest #9)   

• Run 630 miles (1014 kms) around the SW coast on England

• March 4th to April 1st 2014, averaging a marathon a day.

• Attemping to raise 100,000 pounds for Right To Play

• Check out: Rotary Coastal Quest 630

In late July, Amanda Powell, my contact at Right To Play in Toronto, told me about a crazy Brit who was crossing Canada, unsupported, in aid of children hospitals in England and Canada. He had given a presentation at the Running Room to which Amanda belongs, about his hope to get to Vancouver by Christmas.

Jamie calls himself a “fundraising adventurer” and started his cross-Canada trek in St. John’s, Newfoundland on March 9^th. The next I heard about Jamie was from my running mentor Vince Perdue in Sudbury, Ontario. He had arrived in the city in the second week of August and received a huge welcome from the community. Vince emailed to keep an eye out for the runner in a “Super hero outfit” pushing a baby carriage.

The months ticked by and Jamie kept going. Fall turned to winter and Jamie battled his way across the wind swept barren prairies towards Calgary. He’s well set up on social media and I followed him on Facebook and Twitter. On December 18^th he had reached Chestermere just 12kms outside of Calgary and the following day I headed out, with my step-son Calum, to find him. We didn’t locate him on our first pass of the town but as we swung out to get back onto the TransCanada #1 highway we spotted him coming up the ramp.

He had quite the entourage with him, including two fire trucks and three members of the Chestermere Fire Department. After introductions and a big hug I pushed Caesar, Jamie’s running chariot, for a while to give him a break. A crowd had gathered at the “Welcome to Calgary” sign and a huge cheer went up as he entered the city. I stayed with him for a while longer and as we ran along the #1 highway we chatted about the biggest challenge he would face on the entire trip, the Rocky mountains. He said that he would take it a day at a time and somehow he would get through. After three more kms I wished him all the best and headed home.

Over the previous two weeks I had been in touch with Maryn Edwards, Jamie’s PR person. Concerns had been raised about his attempt to cross the Rockies, on foot, in the middle of winter. Maryn wanted to discuss the options with Jamie and I agreed to meet with them on a conference call with Brenda DeMone, Acting Field Unit Superintendent Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks. The discussion focused on the Glacier National Park. This 54 km section of the TransCanada contains numerous snow sheds and avalanche paths. Brenda had major concerns for the safety of Jamie, motorists and snow plough operators. The alternative route would be south along #2 highway and then west on the #3. However, this route would add another 320 kms to Jamie’s cross Canada trip. By the end of the conference call, nothing had been resolved

On Sunday, Parks Canada sent Jamie an application form for a special one day permit to complete, if he wanted to run through the Glacier National Park.

 Conditions included:

• The Special Event must include a support vehicle with flashing lights travelling immediately behind the participant.
• The participant must travel in the support vehicle through the five snow sheds in Glacier National Park.
• The participant must travel in the support vehicle when crossing the signed Avalanche Area – No Stopping zones on the highway.
• The support vehicle must not stop within the signed Avalanche Area – No Stopping zones on the highway.

Jamie spent the weekend in Calgary and headed out on Christmas Day, spending the night at the Western Heritage Centre on #1 highway.  I headed out at 2.30pm on Boxing Day to find him. I figured he would have passed the #1 and #22 junction so I headed towards Morley. No sign of Jamie. I turned around at Morley and headed back to towards the centre. I finally found him between the intersection and the Centre. He had only travelled about 14 kms.

I took a turn pushing Caesar, and as we ran, I asked him if he had done anything with the permit for the Glacier National Park. He said not yet.

We stopped two kms up the road at a Petro Canada gas station and Jamie asked the attendant if he could stay the night.  I had offered, several times for Jamie to stay with Sue and I, but he wanted to keep to his rule of not venturing more than 1km off his planned route.

The attendant couldn’t help him, so he phoned a friend to bring a car for him to sleep in. Noel Eddy from the Cochrane Times dropped by and we had a great chat. It was time for me to head home. It is definitely going to be an interesting month for Jamie as he traverses the Rockies and heads for Vancouver. All the best mate.

Support Jamie as he raises funds for children’s hospitals in England and Canada: www.jamiemcdonald.org

Quote of the Day

"It's not what you do, it's what you do with what you do"

Anon

Running with Jamie on the #1 highway from Chestermere to Calgary on December 19th 2013.

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