True Sport Running Team

To start 2013, I decided that one of my 2013 Running Goals would be to fundraise for a cause at a race.

When I heard the organization True Sport (a group I am very familiar with and supportive of) was putting together a running team for a large, upcoming local race to fundraise and generate awareness for their cause, I was immediately interested in being a part of it.

For those who don’t know, True Sport is a social movement that believes in transforming lives and communities through sport. The True Sport Foundation strives to instill character in our youth and strengthen Canadian communities by fostering a quality experience for those involved in ALL sport. They set out to accomplish this through a variety of sport and education programs that focus on values such as fairness, excellence, access, inclusion and fun!

For the first time, they have created a running team to take part in the 2013 Ottawa Race Weekend on May 25-26, 2013.

Race Weekend is the biggest running weekend of the year here in Ottawa. Members of the running team can take part in any of the races being held that weekend (races range from 2km to marathon). I will be running the 10km.

As part of this running team I have set a fundraising role and have been included on the True Sport Running Team Website along with other members of the team.

I began my fundraising efforts a few weeks ago by sending an email out to friends and family members looking for their support and donations.

For an added incentive to get more donations, I decided to hold a contest. For every $10 donated, the donor receive 1 entry into this contest. The contest is “Guess Mary’s 10km Finish Time” and the closest guess to my official (chip) finish time will receive a $50 Bon Appetit gift card (good for Kelsey’s, Milestones, Montana’s, Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s restaurants in Canada).

To date, I haven’t received many entries into my contest, but I still have 6 weeks to go, so am hoping the donations/contest entries pick up.

If anyone is interested in donating, you can follow the following steps:

1. Donate as much or as little as you would like on my Giving Page
2. Email me at marycolleenmacdonald@hotmail.com to indicate you have donated and for every $10, you have one guess at what my 10km finish time will be (ensure you make your guess down to the second, for example 50:51 or 50 minutes, 51 seconds)
3. On May 25th stay tuned for my official finish (chip) time to see if you guessed the closest
4. In the event of a tie, whichever individual has made the largest donation will win
5. The $50 Bon Appetit gift card winning prize will then be sent to the winner (this card is only valid in Canada)

I am looking forward to being a part of a team for this event (with team t-shirts and all!) and most importantly raising awareness and funds for a cause and organization that I support.

As we are just over a quarter of the way through the year, I am happy to have this particular 2013 Running Goal well underway.

Stay tuned for additional updates as I work towards completing this goal, and all of my other 2013 Running Goals.

M.

Running in Paris – Jardin du Luxembourg

On my third and final morning in Paris, I was certain I would wake up to more rain and although I was tired from a busy week, I was set on getting in that third run in Paris – this time at the Jardin du Luxembourg.

To my surprise, when I woke up, the rain hadn’t started, so I hustled to get myself up and out the door.

The Jardin du Luxembourg was about 400m from my hotel and I had saved it for my last few hours in Paris. I knew I could see and enjoy more of it if I did it on the run, and my last morning there was the perfect opportunity.

I had to leave for the airport around 10am, so didn’t have a chance to venture too far from my hotel for any more Paris sightseeing, so visiting the Jardin du Luxembourg then was perfect for me.

Once I got into the Jardin, I realized that this is where all the runners were – the place was fairly busy with early morning walkers and runners and I felt right at home.

The Jardin du Luxembourg was large; it had many sculptures and fountains like many of the other parks and gardens in Paris.

A former palace, now the French Senate, was also located within the Jardin and it was a beautiful, old building like most others in Paris.

I ran around the Jardin for probably about 5km with the rain holding off the entire time. It was shorter than my runs the previous two days, and my legs were happy about that (considering I had also walked for almost the entire last 2 days!)

I could just tell how beautiful this park would look in the spring or summer. Not everything had bloomed when I was there, yet it still had lush greenery and a sense of beauty.

I’d highly recommend a run through the Jardin du Luxembourg to anyone traveling to Paris.

I only wish I could have stayed longer – there was so much to see and do (and so many places to run!)

These 3 runs in Paris (Seine River Run, Jardins des Tuileries/Champs Elysees Run) also now allow me to cross off one of my 2013 running goals: Complete a destination run and expand my Running in Transit series of running in different cities around the world.

Stay tuned for an update on some of my other 2013 running goals to come within the next few days!

M.

Running in Paris – Jardins des Tuileries/Champs Elysees

One my second day in Paris, I woke up to some rain but was determined not to miss out on any opportunity to run while in this great city. My plan was to run from my hotel, past the Louvre, through the Jardins des Tuileries and up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe.

I didn’t quite make it all that way as I got started a little late and had lots I wanted to see on my last full day in Paris and was also sufficiently wet from the rain before even my half way point.

From my hotel, I first crossed the lovely Ponts des arts pictured above. This bridge is unique because it is covered with thousands of padlocks, named love-locks. Couples traveling to this romantic city attach their love-lock to the bridge, and throw the key into the river below, displayed their everlasting love.

I hope to return to Paris (with my husband in tow) and attach our own lovelock one day. For now, I settled with having my photo taken on the bridge.

The rain showers were on and off throughout my run, but all I could think of was how a little rain couldn’t stop me being out enjoying this city. I passed the Louvre next, which I had visited the day before.

Taking a left hand turn into the Jardins des Tuileries, I had to dodge some puddles along most of the way. The good thing about the showers and the fact that it was early in the morning was that I did not have to deal with too many people. If I had waited until later in the day, the streets and gardens would have been packed with tourists moving around.

The Jardins des Tuileries was a beautiful park/garden located between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde. It is filled it sculptures, fontains and museums. There was no shortage of things to look at as I ran.

My photos certainly do not do it, or any other part of Paris, justice.

As I approached the end of the Jardins des Tuileries, I could see the tall Obelisk in the center of Place do la Concorde….surrounded by one of the biggest roundabouts I had ever seen, and consequently, completely filled with cars.

Crossing it took some time, and so I remained in the center for a little bit. Later that day, on my bus tour, I learned that Place de la Concorde used to be used as the location for beheadings. Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were both beheaded there!

Finally crossing the roundabout, and getting to the other side, I had entered the Champs Elysees. I had planned to run the entire length but decided to only run a portion and visit the rest later on in the day.

It was a beautifully tree lined road with the Arc de Triomphe at the end.

And after that wonderful sight, I turned around and ran back to my hotel, ready to start my second day of Paris sightseeing!

In case, you were wondering from my photos – yes, I am wearing the same running outfit I was wearing the previous day (and will have the same one on for my third run in Paris as well). I tried to pack really light (one carry on for a 10 day trip) and figured if I was going to sweat in it anyway, what was the difference!

Packing the right running gear for the corresponding weather more than a week in advance was difficult, but I lucked out and was perfectly dressed for the weather.

The black hat I am wearing is one I received for free while I was on a work trip in Russia just before coming to Paris. It certainly doesn’t fit me properly but as I didn’t bring any other hats with me on this trip, I threw it on to keep the rain out of my face.

Stay tuned for my third and final Running in Transit – Paris run recap!

M.

Running in Paris – Seine River

I  am here in Paris, France for a short vacation on my own following a recent business trip to Russia.

When I first decided to go to Paris, I immediately tried to determine if there was any opportunity to run a race while here, but as my flights from Russia only had me arriving on a Sunday evening there was no chance of that.

As it turns out the Paris Marathon was actually yesterday morning, and I arrived too late in the day to take part or spectate.

But that’s ok because I woke up this morning prepared for a run of my own.

Running in Paris was on my bucket list of runs to do. I previously wrote about how I would love to run along the Seine River, and today, I got to do just that!

The weather was perfect for a spring run and the roads were clean and dry. I headed out from my lovely little hotel, and through the Saint Germain des Pres neighbourhood until I reached the sidewalk and paths that run along the Seine.

I turned left and ran towards the Eiffel Tower, I had yet to see it, so was excited to get there. There was lots to see along the way, as Paris is not short on beautiful, old buildings, bridges and views.

The river view was amazing and I couldn’t help but stop to take lots of pictures along the way.

They were doing some construction on this side of the Seine, but the sidewalks were wide and eventually a nice, big sandy pathway opened up that I really enjoyed.

I tried to get myself in some pictures along the way, but had to take this one below myself.

Finally after probably 5km, I had reached the Eiffel Tower and it was as amazing as they say. This time, I was able to stop some tourists walking by and convinced them to take my picture for me.

I, then, returned back to my hotel after running a few kilometres on the other side of the Seine for a change.

My first Paris run was everything I had hoped. It was also the longest run I had done in a while so after a full day also spent on my feet, walking around the city, I am exhausted, but thrilled to be in Paris and can’t seem to get rid of that smile on my face.

My night finished at this restaurant for dinner:

I think it’s a sign that I need to return to Paris to run the marathon here one day, what do you think?

M.