Farewell 2009 and Hello 2010!

Saturday, 2 January, 2010: the Toronto Go Girls log their first run of the New Year...in -27C weather. Yes, today we proved how tough the Go Girls really are by braving frigid weather conditions to run around this fair city. We layered up, wore balaclavas, put Vaseline on all exposed skin, and proved we are truly Canadian runners. As Joanne said last week as we prepared to run in a cold rain: "In this country, you cannot be deterred by bad weather because you will never run if you wait for a good day. So suck it up, buttercup, and let's get going." Okay, that last part may have been implied.

It seems that the members of the Go Girls Toronto Running Club enjoyed their Christmas break. A number of runners took trips. Nana, for example, visited family in Atlanta. She managed to log some runs while visiting Atlanta. For example, one day, Nana ran down Peach Street over to Peach Avenue, down the Peach Ravine, over to Peach Park and then along Peach Boulevard before crossing Peach Lane and returning to her parents' home on Peach Street.

Carol also took a trip. She crossed the pond to investigate running shoe stores in London, England. Carol reports that although she did not run, she did walk a great deal. She saw historic sites (i.e., pretty much all of London), waved to Her Majesty, had tea with crumpets, and will soon prepare a detailed report on the state of running shoe stores in the UK.

Joanne journeyed to Quebec City with her son and daughter-in-law to ski at Mount Ste. Anne. Joanne reports that the Quebecois living in Ville de Quebec sure do know how to dress for winter. I'm guessing this means that the Quebecois generally do not wear their children's hand-me-ups whilst out and about in town. But I cannot confirm my suspicion. Joanne apparently had a great time on the slopes, but did have a minor fall--on the flats, of course. (The cool skiers never fall on the steep hills, Joanne. We wait for those moments on the flats where we can wipe out with maximum embarrassment. Only amateurs wipe out on the big hills or around trees.)

Mariana apparently caught the traffic bug over the holidays. Not to be outdone by Nana and Carol, Mariana took a trip en route to one of our Saturday morning runs. Rather than take the TTC Bloor Line east to Sherbourne Station, she played the rebel and boarded a southbound train on the Yonge-University Line. Perhaps she believed that if she took a southbound train, she would eventually wind up somewhere warm. Once she realized that all trains on the Yonge-University Line eventually wind up in the north part of the city, she immediately aborted her plan and returned to the TTC Bloor Line. Of course, Mariana's story is that taking the southbound train was a mistake stemming from a sleep-deprived state. But we all suspect that she either had travel envy or she wanted to escape to somewhere warm. Like Museum station.

The rest of us stayed in or around Toronto. Olga enjoyed having her children visit while I enjoyed have a break from school and teaching. I also took a few moments to prepare the following year-end information and new year's resolutions.

2009: The Year in Review
Number of Go Girls Toronto Running Clubs formed: One
Number of members: somewhere between six and eight
Number of guests who have joined the Go Girls Toronto Running Club on a run: Four
Countries represented by a member or guest of the Go Girls: Canada, U.S., Brazil, and France
Number of Go Girls Toronto Running Club members who are not actually "girls": one (the "DH", or Designated Husband, Alain)
Number of operas attended by the Go Girls: one
Number of naps taken during said opera: three
Number of Go Girls Social Events held in 2009: Three official events, many post-run coffees
Number of races in which the Go Girls Toronto Running Club participated: One
Average age of Go Girls Toronto Running Club Members: we have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy
Number of BIG financial planning exams passed by Go Girls members: at least two
Number of draft dissertations completed by Go Girls: one
Number of blackberries owned by Go Girls: at least three
Number of miles run by the Go Girls in 2009: countless miles!
Number of kilometres run by the Go Girls in 2009: countless miles x 1.6!

2010: Resolutions for the Year Ahead
I cannot speak for the rest of the Go Girls, but here are a select few of my New Year's Resolutions for 2010.

(A) Wash running shorts before the summer starts.
(B) Enter a variety of races, including a half-marathon.
(C) Show up and actually run all races for which I have registered.
(D) Get faster.
(E) Get stronger.
(F) Run enough that I have to replace my running shoes...at least twice.
(G) Ensure that I know how to use all functions on my fancy running watch.
(H) Actually do hill work-outs, speed work, and tempo runs.
(I) Need to drink more water during my runs than coffee after my runs.

It's 2010. Get on your shoes and get out the door. It's time to run.