Gals race weekend

My weekend away;

As many of you know this weekend I was at the Rocky Mountain Soap 10k race in Canmore. (the race was in Canmore, we stayed in Banff)
I have a massive fear of bears which makes me apprehensive to sign up for anything near the mountains. Mandie was doing it and the race was sold out but one of her peeps was selling a bib. "ITS A SIGN", I said. And just like that a weekend in Banff was arranged!

Ready for a weekend filled with F>U>N!

I found a really cool pepper spray that's small enough to carry in my hands. I know, I know, I am crazy! I also wore a whistle. I hooked Mandie up with spray and a whistle too. Cause, you know, you can never be too careful ;) Whatever makes you feel more secure right? FYI- it was so busy on the course that my bear fear was immediately eased. Any seasoned bear phobia chick knows there has never been a case of a bear attack in a group of 4 or more.

We left Friday after work and arrived in Banff late. Our room was cozy and clean and when I woke the next morning I had a gorgeous view while drinking my coffee. I really doubt you could find a room in Banff with a ugly view. I love it there! 

The run was GORGEOUS! It was a lot warmer then I am used to running as the warm season is just getting here and it was 26 degrees Celsius. It was a beautiful day with beautiful people in a beautiful place. The hills were wicked for a fun challenge!

run selfies of course. Mandie, Jacki and I :)

A perk to this run is at the end you get a swag bag with product from the Rocky Mountain Soap Co, If you know me at all you know I am all about the bath products!!! 

After the run we went back to the hotel and freshened up for shopping and dinner. We went to Saltlic. I think that's how it is spelled. It was very pricey but I highly recommend the steak cobb salad. It was to die for. I also had sweet potato fries because I was told they were amazing. They were. They were definitely not done in an actifry tho. Oops lol. 
This morning we went for brunch at the hotel and then went back to Canmore to shop at Tin Box. It was a really cute store. I found a journal for my teen with positive quotes written throughout. From there we took the scenic route home. A few hours later and real life kicked back in haha. I mopped and tidied and grocery shopped for the upcoming week. I went to my dads to get the kiddos and have a family dinner. Now I am home with the kiddos tucked in bed chatting with you :) I don't usually go many places for girls weekends etc but I had so much fun that I know I will want to sign up again next year! :) I love being a mom and a wife but just being Di is fun every now and again too!

Side notes;
Thank you Mandie and Jacki for being such great roomies.
Thank you to my aunt Karen and my dad for keeping the kids entertained while I was away.
Thank you to the bears for staying far from me.

You will get there!

You can do it!

That seems a lil bit cliché, I know! Its the truth though.

I was talking with a client about starting to walk earlier today. I cannot believe where I have come from. I remember thinking, "Oh my God, am I in over my head here? Maybe I have just let myself go too far and this is my destiny. Is this even possible?"

Maybe that's where you are today. Wondering if its even a possibility for you to be fit and healthy. I will tell you it absolutely is. It isn't going to be fast or easy (there are shortcuts but you don't want to take those because they are traps that usually lead to you being further away from healthy) but you can totally do this.

When I started walking I was already down about 35lbs or so. I tried walking alone but I got heckled on a fairly regular basis (every damn time- pardon the passion). My friend Kathy walked regularly and invited me to go with her. When we started my lower back and calf muscles were BRUTAL> we probably walked maybe 30 mins and I would go home completely exhausted. I kept walking and even though it hurt at first persistence paid. It always does. We eventually stopped walking together because I joined a gym. I started jogging. It was brutal at first but I also quit smoking around this time so that helped me too. When I say I was unhealthy I totally mean unhealthy.

Jogging was a huge feat. I pretty much had to fight to do it. My breathing sucked. My calves hurt. I got shin splints. Nothing felt easy.

I have worked through injuries too, that slow process of two steps forward one step back. I kept at it!

Fast forward two years...

I am running my first half marathon. 21.1km. I did it. Didn't set any records but I did it and I felt good about myself. After my run that day my old walking partner and I were gabbing and it turned to tears when we talked about where I started from. At the beginning of my walking days I would go home completely exhausted but Kathy would then go for her regular hard-core walk. We laughed and then we cried. I was blessed to have her at that fragile first stage. She never told me I was her warm up friend haha, and to be honest I am not sure I was strong enough to know it at the time.

 That was a few years ago now, I have ran many runs, I am still running. I am a runner. I am not a competitive runner whatsoever but I love it. I love that my body is able to run. I also lift weights, flip tires, ride bike, seek stairs instead of avoiding them like the plague, etc etc etc. If I can do it, so can you. Just don't expect it to be easy. Peeps are always disappointed by my reality check lol. You can do anything but you will have to work for it!

If you feel alone in your fitness journey, don't! I assure you that you already have at least one fit peep, ME!

XO,
Di