Last weekend was probably one of the best I've had for a while. It started on Saturday morning when I headed to Edmonton with the three pups and Andy, to collect my swag for and take part in my second running event in just a week. This time it was the Turkeys on the Trail (TOTT) 10k and I was excited to have Wilson, Tillie and April joining me for the entire run.
Due to Covid, it was hit and miss as to whether the TOTT would go ahead, but thanks to the amazing organisers Jess and Jay Kinsella, things went virtual which meant it was a definite go.
There are a couple of reasons as to why I was keen to do this particular event. Firstly, it is a charity event, and whilst in previous years a non-perishable food item or a turkey has been the entry fee, this year it was a monetary entry fee, with all proceeds going to the Edmonton food bank.
Secondly, when I first did TOTT back in 2018, we still had our big pup Brandy, who was recovering from knee surgery at the time. That particular day I ran the 5km with Wilson and Tillie, whilst Andy waited at the finish line with Brandy. Whilst we were running, Brandy's legs gave way and she was unable to stand up. Although nothing else appeared to be wrong with her, we immediately made an appointment with the vets as soon as possible, the earliest appointment being Monday morning. We headed home, but that night, Brandy passed away and our little family was absolutely devastated at the sudden, unexplained loss.
From then onwards, I made a vow that I would run TOTT every year whilst I could, and I would do it with the pups in memory of Brandy. This year was no exception, and I admit to getting somewhat emotional when collecting my swag bag and when heading out on the trails.
The run on Saturday really couldn't have been much better. All three pups came with me, and even Tillie's little tail was held high in the air despite the chilly morning. I headed over in to Gold Bar with the pups as I knew there was an off-leash trail that we could use, and as soon as we'd crossed the bridge and approached the off-leash sign, off came the leashes and all three pups went wild!
It was a gorgeous morning for running, and even the trails weren't icy which made things much more enjoyable. Despite the dogs being off-leash, I was still running, and it was such a fantastic feeling having them running ahead of me in excitement, then running back towards me with huge smiles on their faces. I could tell they were happy, and they weaved in and out of the trees and down to the river bank, listening for squirrels and looking for birds.
We ran 4 miles out and back in the off-leash area and as we crossed the bridge that would take us back to Rundle Park, I could tell that the girls were getting tired from all the extra running they had done. Wilson meanwhile was still going strong despite being almost 10 years old, and I had no doubt that he would be able to complete the full distance. Andy was waiting for us on the other side of the river, so after a couple of quick "Team Pointy Snouts" photos, I left Tillie and April at the car to recover, whilst Wilson and I continued on alongside the river.
Much as I love running with all of my dogs, with Wilson for some reason it really is extra special. We've had this boy since he was just 7 weeks old, and he came to Canada with us as a young pup back in 2012. He has been through so much in his lifetime and as a result, the bond we have is so strong and unexplainable. He reads our moods like a book, and he is always by my side no matter where I go or what I do.
That last couple of miles with Wilson was simply amazing, and I felt so much love when he kept looking up at me and making eye contact as we ran along. We stopped for a few photos and before we knew it, we had completed our 10k which had taken us far longer than normal with 1 hour 15 minutes or thereabouts.
It was such a wonderful morning and all three pups had clearly had as much fun as I had, snoozing contentedly on the back seat of the car as we headed south towards Calgary.
Andy had some business to do in Calgary, so we had decided to spend the night there and then head out to the mountains on Sunday for a bit of much needed mountain therapy. We stayed at the usual Holiday Inn close to Fish Creek Park but other than that, we limited our contact with anybody else, ordering a pizza for tea and taking our own beers to drink that evening. We paid a visit to the Southland Dog Park for old time's sake, and it was fascinating watching how the girls reacted to being surrounded by so many different dogs in a location they weren't too familiar with. This dog park had always been Wilson's favourite when we had lived in Calgary, and I'm sure he remembered it from his puppy days.
I was meant to have been doing a 10 mile run on the Sunday morning but I'd only taken trails shoes to run in, and unlike back home, there wasn't as much snow here and the pavements were pretty clear. 10 miles on concrete in trail shoes was a recipe for disaster and I really didn't fancy giving my feet a battering. I decided to forego the run and instead, we would have a nice relaxing day just walking the dogs at the dog parks in Canmore and Banff, before doing a short walk along the river.
The mountains of course looked amazing, the dogs had tons of fun charging around an icy dog park at Quarry Lake, and then again running circles amongst the trees at the off-leash dog park in Banff. We grabbed a spot of lunch before heading to Bow Falls, and from there we would walk along the river and snap a few family photos. The weekend wasn't about mountain summits and impressive views - it was about spending time with each other as a family, doing simple things whilst we still can, and enjoying every moment being together.
We spent 3 or 4 hours there before we decided it was time to head home. All day we had been commenting on how unusual the clouds were that appeared to be hovering in the east, and as we drove home at the setting of the sun, the sky took on some stunningly beautiful colours which added such an amazing contrast to the surrounding snow capped peaks. It truly was breathtaking.
It was such a fantastic but simple weekend, and both Andy and I, and the three pups, all seemed to feel much more relaxed having had a break from home. I've mentioned previously how difficult it is somedays with not having a job to go to, and with Covid numbers increasing rapidly here in Alberta, we really don't know what restrictions will be imposed over the coming weeks. We needed that little break, we needed that time together, and we know for sure that it really has done us the world of good.
I awoke this morning in a much more positive frame of mind again, business ideas bouncing around in my head and me feeling eager to start putting things into action. I also did my 10 mile run that I missed yesterday. It felt good, I felt good, and I definitely felt happy :)
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