Thursday, December 29, 2011

A quick jaunt - Afton

Hey everyone, I trust you all had a great holiday full of love and festivities, I was able to make it to my fathers house for Christmas day to see my family, and it was so fun and colorful. There isn't very much to report tonight, Janelle and I went down to the Tech shop to meet the running group to find that we were apparently the only ones running! So we decided to head back to our own neighborhood and enjoy our own backyard, we didnt go above and beyond or anything, but we got a run in. In total we traveled a whopping 4.5 kilometres in a cool 35 minutes. It was comfortable outside, not too cold not too warm, perfect weather to head out for a longer run, I think we are both just getting tired due to the holidays and school for Janelle, and work for myself has been so busy. As of right now, not much to talk about for fundraising, I'm looking to bake my next cookies by the 8th which I'm pretty sure will be ginger snaps, and I have a bottle drive going on till the 9th. but we will let you know what the next thing on the list will be as soon as we know as well!! See you back here in the new year! :)

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Happy Holidays - Janelle

It sure is tough to keep up with a training schedule during the holidays. Today, I hit the slopes at Lake Louise with a couple of very good friends instead of hitting the icy pavement. What a perfect day to ski (or snowboard)! Fresh powder throughout the day, and just a little bit of wind, made for a wonderful day free of the city's hustle and bustle.
Be sure to check out the Ice Magic Festival at Lake Louise starting January 20th!
As I have often written about before, I am a self-proclaimed starving student. I wrote my last exam last week, and I am tentatively waiting to hear my exam results. Due to my empty wallet, my dear friend Cindy offered to take me out for the Ski Day! Thank You Cindy! 
Cindy chilling on a Green run with me...I wasn't at my peak today!
It was a great way to celebrate the end of the year and school. Congratulations to every student who completed this semester with some trace of sanity! If University was easy...everyone would be doing it ;)
Live life to the fullest, enjoy every minute; even when you get knocked down and bruised.
Poor Kaley fell onto her boyfriend's snowboard - right in the shin!
My own bruise from falling on the ice Friday night! 
To leave on a nice high note - here's my favourite feel-good song!


Friday, December 23, 2011

All Dogs go to Heaven - Janelle

Running Mates at the Christmas Memory Tree

Tonight was our last run as a group before christmas. This time of year, we all get the chance to spend time with family and friends. It's a time to remember what and who are important to us, and our dear friend Ally sure reminded us to value our loved ones. She lost her best friend this weekend, her four-legged partner Sydney of 15 years. In loving memory of Sydney, we went to the memory tree by Sandy Beach and Ally placed a photo in memorial of her dearest companion. 

 I was very touched by the compassion our running friends shared. It was very saddening to see photos of other lost pets on the tree. My best friend Patches passed away last september after being with us for 15 years. At 23, every memory I had was with my little mister. Through every bump in life, he licked my tears away. Seeing a friend experience the same loss I and so many friends have experienced is heart wrenching. Ally, We love you and take comfort in knowing Sydney is up in doggy Heaven with my little mister and every other beloved dog. They live on in us everyday, for everything I know about friendship, I learned from my dog. 

My last day with Patches: September 1st 2010
"I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands.  When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat.  For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that."  ~W. Dayton Wedgefarth


Merry Christmas Everyone! We'll be back to the grind soon, so take advantage of this very mild weather to enjoy time with family and friends. And take lots of pictures! They always help keep memories alive. 

Anytime I think of my man, this song comes to mind.
Also of note; The Hervis Half Marathon is in 100 days! Afton and I will be increasing our training time in the New Year! Wish us luck :)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Stuck at home... -Afton


Hi everyone, hope all of you are ready for christmas, only five more days to go!! I know I sure am, I was able to get all my christmas shopping and wrapping done yesterday. As for our training update, neither Janelle or I made it out running tonight, Janelle has a big exam tomorrow so she is studying, and I am feeling a bit under the wether so I am being a couch potato and just relaxing. It's amazing how easy it is to overload your plate and wear yourself out this time of year without even knowing it. On that note I should tell you I was able to raise $140.00 from shortbread cookie sales, I spent from 4pm till midnight baking and packaging cookies on Sunday only to find I was 6 cookies short of what I needed, so needless to say the next day I went out grabbed a few more ingredients and I now have 5 more bags to sell. I'm sure it won't take long.Well all, Janelle should be updating all of you on Thursday so I suppose I shall wish you all a Merry Christmas now, and I will see you all back here on Tuesday the 27th. Here's a picture from my baking extravaganza, keep in mind that was only about half!

Friday, December 16, 2011

I park like a WHAT???? - Janelle

Christmas is fast approaching, which means school is almost done and shopping malls are nearly impossible to navigate through. Especially during the hectic holidays, I try to be extra cheerful, however today a stranger tested my good favour! 
In a rush to make it to my 8am Geography exam....yes, I said EIGHT IN THE MORNING... I squeezed in between two very improperly parked cars. I figured they were the idiots who didn't know how to park between the lines, so I would just park tightly WITHIN the lines. After the exam, I rushed to the parking lot and drove off to get downtown for another meeting. Low and behold, I notice a ticket on my windshield. I thought "Where in the world could I have got a ticket, and on my passenger window to boot?" Thankfully, no ticket. Instead I got an iparklikeanass warning. This 'Hey Donkey' warning was because that jerk didn't park properly in the first place! I will concede that it was a tight fit - but do not point fingers when you yourself are at fault sir! I was fuming, and I regret not taking a picture to prove my case. Thanks lowly stranger for passing on the christmas spirit. I think we all know who the real donkey is here...




Rant aside, and on a much lighter note, 
here are some photos from Calgary Zoolights! Enjoy!
 

 Ice sculptures made right in front of our eyes!
 Here are some GREAT christmas light displays on youtube - enjoy! And remember, SMILE and you may end up making a strangers day... Frown and you may turn their day upside down :(
I would also like to thank the Arthritis Society - Alberta and Northwest Territories. I received a wonderful 2012 calendar for being a volunteer. Without volunteers, organizations like the Arthritis Society wouldn't be able to reach as many people as they do now, so thank you to all Volunteers! You make our world a better place. Click here to find out how you can become a volunteer with The Arthritis Society.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Lost puppy dog - Afton

Good evening everyone, I hope you are all doing well, especially because the holiday season is coming up on our heals and I'm sure everyone has wonderful plans to visit the people they love, I know I wouldn't want to be sick for christmas! As for the run tonight, we clocked another 6.25 kilometres in 46 minutes, I'm sure the results could have been better but on our way we came across a young black labrador that wanted to join us on our run. Luckily we found the pups owner and back to our route we went, I ended up having to do the run tonight without my favorite running buddy Janelle by my side. I have noticed as well that the groups seem to be getting smaller as the winter gets colder, hhmmm coincidence?? I think not! At least John made it out tonight, he hasn't run with us for I think a week. Also this week, I am collecting orders for shortbread cookies, I am selling them for 8 dollars per dozen, I will be making them on sunday so if anyone is interested please feel free to either leave a comment on the blog or you can email myself at bulzebub@hotmail.com I wont be taking any other cookie orders after saturday night. I will then distrubute them through out the week but I am hoping to do the bulk of it on monday. All the proceeds will be going towards my fundraising goal! Well I shall see you all back here on tuesday, have a great weekend! I shall leave you with a photo Janelle and I took on our tuesday run.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Fundraising Progress

Good Morning Ladies and Gents,
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Anytime Fitness Calgary Beltline. Their two-year anniversary celebration, along with help from the great staff, raised $500 for Joints in Motion.
Check out their facility, it's easy to get to and it's open 24 hours!
Local businesses like Anytime Fitness have the power to make a difference, and we are very grateful for their contribution to finding a cure for Arthritis.

Here's an update of Afton and Janelle's fundraising deadlines:

Afton is running the Hervis Half Marathon in Prague March 31, and her fundraising deadline is February 15th, 2012. Her Joints in Motion goal is $6,500. Currently she is sitting at 31% of this goal. 

Janelle is also running the Hervis Half Marathon, however she is doing this race on her own. With Joints in Motion, she is doing a trek in Iceland July 2012, and her fundraising deadline is June 1st, 2012. Her Joints in Motion goal is $8,500. Currently she is sitting at 57% of this goal.

Christmas is just around the corner, so if you are in the giving mood please visit their fundraising pages and read through their motivation for participating in the Joints in Motion Program. Maybe you will be inspired to join them!

For our dedicated followers, here are a few photographs from Janelle's singles auction November 19th. The event raised $4,000 and helped bring awareness of Arthritis to a younger demographic.








Thursday, December 8, 2011

Slippin 'n' slidin - Afton


Well well, we are a full week in to December now, and it seems as though Calgarys communities heard our crys for more christmas lights!! Tonight there was so many lights that the street lights might as well have been out, those christmas displays would have lit our way, it was a bit slippery out there tonight but the ice didn't get the best of our small crew. Usually on thursday there is quite few people running, but not tonight, I think there was a total of ten people, even John decided to bail on us. Perhaps this is how it gets around christmas, people get tired, maybe a few are hiding from the cold, and maybe, just maybe there is a few out there sipping cocoa snacking on shortbread cookies in front of a warm fire enjoying the night with loved ones. Hmmm, well if I had that option I might bail out as well! So this evening we hit a few hills but it was nothing we couldn't handle, that doesn't mean we didn't moan and groan about it all the way up, we stayed out for a cool 45 minutes and we were able to clock 6 kilometres. I cant wait for January when we start going out for longer, I would love to see the stamina we have. Well I suppose that about wraps it up tonight, see you all back here on tuesday!! Stay warm, where ever you are :)

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

It's beginning to look a lot like..... - Janelle

That's right, I said it - CHRISTMAS! With the onset of the holidays comes snow, and more often slush, in the streets (which feels more like running in sand). To counterbalance the strenuous running conditions, neighbourhoods are decking their halls and front paths with spectacular light displays. However, trainer John may argue with the verb spectacular; he had to change our direction numerous times to find a street with any christmas lights. Come on people! It is December 6th and it is all white outside! What more do you need to be motivated to throw up a string of bulbs for the poor runners in the city. The lights are a great distraction, so please do us runners a solid :)
A very enthusiastic home in Hillhurst
Frosty
I would like to wish our good friend Jenbacca GOOD LUCK! She, along with the rest of joints in motion team Canada, are flying to Honolulu Hawaii on Friday. I know it's a bit early, but we won't see her before she goes, so knock 'em dead Jen! 

In the spirit of the season, I am sharing my absolute favourite light display video of all time!
Too much Christmas?

Well, I would also like to share a great Russian band I came across the other day. They are called "Uma2rman." If you read that out loud...that's right, it's a band called Uma Thurman! And the lead singer happens to be a complete stud muffin ;)

Happy Tuesday Everyone, in Canada and Abroad! Surprisingly, our blog has had views all over the globe - Russia included, but also a few unexpected in The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Malaysia and all over Europe. Thank you to all our followers for supporting us on this journey in search of a cure for Arthritis. With your help - we can make a difference.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Massive Shoe - Janelle

We ran 10 and 1s again, and both felt great! It is nearly midnight, and I just want to go to sleep. So enjoy this photo of Afton with a massive shoe!
You know what they say about guys with big feet.....they have big hands ;)
HAPPY THURSDAY!
Also notice Afton's new Jacket! Snazzy!
In case any of you didn't know - I am doing a home stay in Russia before the Hervis Half Marathon. Here is one of the songs I've been listening to in an effort to pick up the language. Enjoy!!