It's sad that I haven't written anything in over a month as I always have running excitement in my life. But today, it is worth it for me to take the time and update my blog on the latest... if not for my readers (mom...) but more so for the utter respect that this particular day should be granted. It's March 18th, which means the Boston countdown is officially at 1 month. It's so close, I can pretty much taste the Boston cream victory donut in my mouth. After 28 years and 2 months of dreaming of this day, I have only 30 days left to anticipate the moment that increases my bragging rights 100 fold. It's nearly as good as the real day. I chose to celebrate this milestone day with a long run (fitting), 28 km of beautiful sunny blue sky through Fish Creek Park. Unfortunately the remainder of my month long countdown will probably be busy studing and working as I finish up my last 6 weeks of intern shifts (too soon to start a countdown for that) and I write a big final exam for my Respiratory Therapy program on April 12. This only leaves me with just enough time for the bare necessities of life, like running and sleeping. But it will all be over SO soon.
Just to make this milestone day even greater, I was called today and offered my ideal job, starting a week after I finish my practicum. Of course, I accepted, and was thrilled (and will be thrilled to celebrate it tonight, friday night, by doing a 12 hour night shift). Starting May 9th, I will a Respiratory Therapist at the Rockyview General Hospital in Calgary, I couldn't have asked for a better location (in my opinion). I'm also thrilled to be getting a job, as RT jobs are challenging to come across, it's a small and specialized health discipline that tends to retain it's staff for many years. However, I am honored to be apart of it, as RT's are very well respected in the hospital, the scope of practice is very expanded, and unlike RN's I do not have to clean the bums of large overweight men and women (or underweight for that matter). I'd like to thank Calgary's ever-growing boom and health care crisis for my job, but I'd also like to mention that I worked my ass off this year trying to prove myself to this hospital that they wanted me... so I suppose all the hard work and long days/weeks/months paid off. Of the 10 students they had this year, only 4 were hired at the Rockyview, so I'll take that as a compliment. I had always anticipated that the day I was offered an RT job, I would march in to my current employers office (at the other hospital) and slam my security ID on to her desk and quit. However, I'm torn between that and crawling in to her office and grovelling at her feet and thanking her for being the best employer one could dream of for the last 5 years, for accommodating my school schedule, for spending the better part of one of my shifts last month going over interview questions so I could get an RT job, and for teaching me how much I love working in the hospital... then letting her decide when my last shift should be. So no official countdown for that job either (I do love my countdowns...).
Other than all of todays excitement - this past month, my blog has missed out of me writing about the most horrific February weather of all time (still holding on to hope that spring MUST come), lots of long runs, lots of peeing in the frozen bushes (They shut down the bathrooms in Fish Creek for the winter, it always pisses me off), a big final research paper and presentation for RT school (boring...), my neice turning 5 and making me feel like life is slipping away from us (wasn't she just born yesterday?) and me doing a 6 week rotation through the Special Care Nursery and Neonatal ICU (last shift tonight) - I've seen more babies born in the last 6 weeks than any man, women or child should ever see, that's a lot of body parts that non-baby RT's (like me) don't usually have to see. If I've learned anything from this experience (aside from neonatal ventilation, etc etc etc) - Men, when your partner is having a baby, saying things like "it's worth it", "push harder" and "it will all be over soon" actually makes me want to take my bloody glove and gown off and smother you in to a coma. Also, common sense (to me anyways) would suggest that most women will not look back fondly at the pictures you snapped of her doing spread eagle with baby crowning. Just my 2 cents.
I still have no confirmed race day attire (starting to stress about that), but I need new running shoes, so I'll have to make a very serious trip to the Running Room for a clothing game plan. And on another very important Boston note - they have changed the registration process for the 2012 race, making it more challenging for runners to enter. For the first 3 days of registration, only people who are 20 minutes or more ahead of their qualifying time can register, then the next 3 days are entrants 10 minutes or more ahead of their qualifying time. It isn't until 1 week after registration opens that all qualifying athletes can apply, this is to allow the elite feild first dibs on the elite race after this years record breaking 8 hour sell-out. Then as of 2013 Boston qualifying times will all be changed to being 5 minutes faster for each division, again to reserve this race for the best of the best. At the risk of sounding liking I'm bragging (however, I am bragging), I would like to point out to all of my readers that I did, in fact, qualify for the Boston marathon at the NEW qualifying times (5 minutes faster than my division qualifying time now), making me a legitimate "best of the best" runner. So in years to come, as Boston continues to reserve its field for the elite, I will hold my head high to say that I ran it in 2011. This does make my heart go out to all of the age groupers, like myself, who dream of running Boston, and work their tight little asses (and more so, hamstrings) off trying to get there, now that it's just that much harder... Must have just been meant to be for me this year.
Today is the one year anniversary of my condo burning down. Somehow, March 18, 2011 has turned out to be much brighter than March 18, 2010. However, if I take a moment to reflect on the past year - I clearly have nothing to complain about. Things always seem to work out for the best in my life. This also means that Craig and I are fast approaching the one year anniversary of living in our house - which despite the responsibilities of home ownership, was hands down, the best thing we ever purchased together! I still love it just as much as the first time we set foot in it.
In honor of my favorite organ...
