Tuesday, May 26, 2009

{run happy...}


I should pre-empt this blog post by saying that I don’t have any pictures to show you!!! I know, I know…strange given that it is indeed a photo blog but even photographers need a break from their craft every now and then! I’ve actually taken the last few days off from shooting and editing to partake in my other addiction of choice; running!

I try to run as often as possible but regardless of how much running I’ve managed to fit into my schedule, I always mark the calendar for Ottawa’s National Capital Race Weekend so that I can immerse myself in all the adrenaline, excitement and of course, all of the stories that come along with it. The race weekend never fails to make me cry and I always come out of it with a renewed sense of commitment to my sport and a better appreciation for how much the human spirit can actually prevail in the end.

Aside from actually running, one of my favourite parts of the entire weekend is gathering along the canal to watch the 10km race on the Saturday evening. The weather is always extraordinary and watching 9,000 runners stretched out over five kilometers as the sun sets over the water always takes my breath away…but I never take my camera! For some reason it’s just one of those things that I need to experience and taken in rather than have record of it because frankly, very few pictures are going to do justice to the man running with a banner overhead that says “I beat brain cancer” or the visually impaired runner that was corralled through the race by other runners surrounding him at every angle. Pictures don’t always explain what’s it’s like to watch a man finish the marathon for the 35th year in a row or to see the excitement of little kids holding signs that say “Go Mommy Go!” You simply have to be there.

So that being said, my running weekend has come and gone once again…and it was fantastic! I have my medal around my neck, my belly full of post-race indulgences, my feet recovering nicely and my soul filled with inspiration for the running season ahead. I couldn’t have asked for a better two days!

But speaking of marathons…I have a marathon of my own starting very shortly and it’s called wedding season!!!! I have four consecutive weekends coming up of shoots (two being weddings) and three shoots waiting to be scheduled. I will do my best to include blogging in the rotation but bear with me if you can…it’s a long way from here to there! But as I told many runners this past weekend “keep at it…you’re almost there!”

In honour of the 36,000 runners that went the distance this weekend and the $850,000.00 that was raised for our local hospitals, I leave you with you with some inspiring pictures taken by those who did actually bring their cameras!!

Thank you Anne for this great shot of the 10km start line and please check out these amazing pictures of the half and full marathon taken by Ottawa Citizen photographers (I’m in there somewhere!!). So long National Capital Race Weekend...see you next year!!


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