Get Lost…

For those that follow this site here is a personal story for you.  It has revelance to my adventure I had today in Ottawa. 

Back when I was a wee lad (5 years old) I got lost in Toronto.  I was down on the boardwalk with my folks and some of their friends.  My brother and I had our bikes and were blasting way out ahead.  At some point in time I was by myself; my brother had turned back to join my parents.  When I realized it had been awhile since I saw anyone I knew, I decided to turn back.  As I pedaled back I didn’t see my parents or their friends.  I remember not being worried because it was a nice day, I had a bike and Toronto couldn’t possibly that big….

So I pedaled.  All over the boardwalk, around some nearby streets without a care in the world.  Little did I know the police were beginning a search for me.  My parents were scouring every place they thought a 5 year old kid would go.  I remember passing a police officer and not even thinking of telling him I was lost.  Eventually I came to a stop light and found one of my parents friends. She nearly ripped me off my bike in hysterics about finding me (to this day I still say I found her even though the story goes that she found me).

Fast forward to today, as a 24 year old.  You’d think I’d be a little smarter, especially with all the technologies like google maps and GPS but sadly no, I did not learn.  I left my girlfriends apartment in Ottawa to check out some of the trails that run along the Rideau Canal.  The goal was a 15K run which I wrote on a piece of paper (ok, I got a little smarter) and a toonie in case for whatever reason I needed to get something.  The day was gorgeous with bright sun!

My girlfriend’s place was about 4K run to the trails.  So as I plodded along the Canal I reached down for my directions to see where my next turn was and…. it wasn’t there.  No problem I thought.  There are lots of streets to take me back.  Again my sense of adventure outweighed the realization that I was lost.  I continue to run.  At this point I was reaching about 9-10K mark which is about where I thought I should be.  So I headed on a road which I thought would head back towards the apartment.

I continue to run, passing over the 15K distance that I thought would have brought me back.  So I stopped and spent my toonie on some water.  Found a map.  Thought I was really close which perked up my spirits.  So I continue to run. 

One wrong turn though and I am back to being lost.  I stopped at a garage to get some directions.  The words kinda sounded like "blah blah blah 10K, blah blah the other way".  So I begin my run back where I came from. 

At this point it’s just before midday (hotttt) and I have now completed my goal of 15K.  I’ve got 65 cents left and the worst part?  I don’t even know my girlfriends number to tell her I’m lost.  So I continue to run.

The last 11K home conisisted of alot of direction asking, 2 timbits (best 34 cents I’ve ever spent in my life), some running mixed with walking and finding a bicycle (which was 200ms from the apartment). 

I started the day hoping for a relaxed 15 and I got an adventure of 26K.  If I can give any advice on this experience besides some of the obvious stupidity on my part is: when you train to race, you tend to miss out on some of the excitement that goes on about testing your endurance limits.  If the plan says 10, you do 10 because you know what 10 will give you.  Sometimes though you need to break free of those restraints and just go.  See how far you can make it.  I truly got a better feel for Ottawa by struggling through this run than my shorter jaunt would have been.

Until next time, keep fit and have fun!  Happy trainingggg!

Cliff