The 121,000m Dash

Follies, 2010

Last Saturday, I attempted something no one I know has done before. The mission? To run cross country Nationals and perform the final Saturday matinee of a musical all in one afternoon. My tools? Everything I needed for the race packed in one small bag, a pillow for the long drive, a hair/make-up kit packed in a travel bag, half my costume and a lunch prepared the night before. The problem? I was scheduled to race 5km at noon in Guelph, and had to make it back to London in time for a 2:00pm show. Luckily my dad drives fast!

I agreed to run Nationals the year before, and I had also accepted the role at around the same time. I had no idea the two would clash, and even though I sniffed out a conflict I tried to ignore it. But as we all know, pretending something isn’t there doesn’t make it go away. I had to face this monster, and with the help of a flexible coach and an obliging director I had worked out a tight schedule – which consisted of me running through the finish line straight into the open car door and then bolting into the theatre five or ten minutes before curtain.

10:30am, Guelph, I arrived at the university with enough time to properly prepare for the race. It had begun to snow harder than we had anticipated, but my dad figured he could make up for the possible lost minutes on the highway. I was not happy about having to race in the snow, but as a year-round runner I should be used to it by now. I met up with my other team mates and we went on a warm up jog together, cursing the snow and the ice we had to face. One member was especially upset after she stepped on a frozen puddle, breaking through the thin layer of ice and allowing her running shoe to become soaked in the muddy water below.

The four of us had plans to run in pairs for at least the first half of the race, as working together proves to have its benefits. It was more challenging than we had anticipated. It was difficult to locate your partner in the hundreds of women streaming past you, and once you did find each other it as hard to stick together. But no one could argue that we hadn’t stuck to the plan, because we all finished within several spots of each other – most of us finishing in the top 100 women.

I can not speak for the other girls, but I know personally I could have placed higher than I did. I could feel myself burning out by the very end of the season, but of course being in multiple shows during the cross country season may have been a factor.

Following the race, my dad and I located each other as quickly as we could before racing back to London. We had the GPS running so we had an accurate estimate as to our arrival time, and I used this to continuously update my stage manager. As my dad sped down the highway, I put on as much of my costume as I was allowed to bring out of the theatre doors. I used the tiny mirror on the visor in front of the passenger seat to apply my stage makeup, as well as fixing my curls into their usual springs and ringlets. I knew I certainly wasn’t going to be the prettiest chorus girl that day, but as long as I was there in time for my cue, I was happy.

One hour and seventeen minutes later, we pulled up to the stage door. Thanking my dad, I bolted inside the theatre – with ten minutes to spare.

That weekend, both my cross country season and the musical came to a close. I feel very fortunate that I was allowed to complete both, and that I had people to help me along the way, from every direction. Thank you to those individuals!

Nationals, 2010



            Conflicts can be a pain, and sometimes can lead to hard decisions. I was fortunate enough not to have to make any. But my best advice is to not put them off, deal with them before things get out of control. It not only puts a lot of stress on yourself, but also on your family. Racing and performing in one day is difficult enough

Born Natural?

One generally has a lot of catching up to do after running into a friend who’s been away for a while. So it is with anyone who reads this blog - I need to fill you in on my life at present.

            When I was little and I went to the theatre, I thought they were naturals. I was under the impression that the actors were born with this amazing talent that they dazzled audiences with effortlessly. Turns out I was wrong. Whether it’s preparing for a race, or rehearsing for a show, a lot of work is put into it behind the scenes.

            During rehearsals, the actors obviously have a substantial amount of work to do. Memorizing lines, blocking scenes, learning choreography, developing a character, etcetera.  The production crew also dedicates themselves and spends hours on designing and creating things like costumes, set, lighting, sound, program, advertisement, etcetera. All the work that either cast or crew member put into a show are not just done during rehearsals, each and every member of the team spends umpteen hours at home every week towards the production on their own time.

            A lot of time and effort is also required when preparing for a race. A runner and their coach carefully plan for races in advance in order to create an appropriate schedule to train properly. A schedule is a bit of a challenge for me, since I generally don’t have a lot of spare time on my hands. However, thanks to the support of my coach and teammates conflicts are worked around- which I am extremely grateful for. An athlete must keep in shape and stay healthy when in training. That means proper, healthy meals, regular sleep, taking care of all injuries and taking your daily dose of vitamin C. Same goes for performers- they must be rested and be eating properly in order to have enough energy on stage, as well as stocking up on vitamins to avoid colds and sickness.

            At the moment, I am in production for Musical Theatre Production (MTP)’s Follies as well as training for cross country nationals (Canadian Championships) a week tomorrow. I zoned out during a conversation with my parents yesterday. When they asked why they had to repeat what they had just said, I explained it was because I’ve haven’t had enough sleep to be fully charged, and that I was running on low battery. But no matter how tired I am, or how little time I have to stand still, I always seem to snap out of it when I’m doing what I love best.

            So are all talented athletes or performers born with impressive talent? Perhaps. But even if this is true, no one is perfect. Behind all greatness is preparation and dedication.

            A week tomorrow I put my juggling skills to the test as I attempt to run nationals and perform a matinee performance of Follies in the same afternoon. It’ll be quite the adventure, and one I’ll be sure to blog about. Stay tuned!

Jock Supporters

            Everybody needs their own cheerleader. Someone there to acknowledge your hard work with a pat on the back or a well deserved round of applause. Through the years I have learned that you gain your own fans by becoming fans of others, and I’ve had my fair share of supporting my friends and family in whatever it is they do.

            Three of the best cheerleaders I’ve had were a few post-secondary athletes who came to a 3000m race in which a few friends and I were competing in this past summer. Imagine three people head-to-toe in blue and yellow, our running clubs colours, and proudly waving a giant flag with our club logo on it. It gets better - at one point they ran through the stands in an attempt to get the small, early morning crowd to join them in their cheering. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen someone with more team spirit than those three!

            There’s nothing better than feeling your voice disappear after a day of cheering on your teammates. Nothing brings a team closer together than encouraging one another… and the occasional social event! Our running club has really grown and evolved over the years, and so have the friendships within it. The current junior girls are a really close knit group, and never cease to amaze me with their fabulous personalities. This past August we organized the first “LRDC Girls Night Out”. It was a bit of a celebration of our friendship, as well as a goodbye party to the older girls who were heading off to University in the following days. No ‘Girls Night’ is complete without a water gun fight (only begun because no one wanted their hair wet), dropping cake on a porch deck, or decorating sports bras with blue and yellow to display our LRDC pride!

            We girls of LRDC have also become quite creative with our Halloween workout costumes. Every year, generally on the Saturday before Halloween, our club has a Halloween themed workout- which is really an intense workout run in ridiculous costumes. I can recall one member dressed as an elderly man going so far as running with the cane he had brought. Last year the girls were beauty pageant queens with a twist. Instead of “Miss America”, or “Miss Canada”, we were words out of a dictionary (“Miss Matched, Miss Fit, Miss Calculated, ect.). Some of the costumes were quite creative! This year was a little more difficult. Every year we try to think of a theme that we can all pull off as a group. This year it was recommended by one of the girls that we should be elements of the periodic table, and I suggested we use the elements to try and spell something. So we came up with the phrase “CaTcH US IF Uuu CaN”- ten glorious elements of the periodic table.

           

            The casts I’ve worked with during shows have been as enthusiastic and supportive as my fellow club members. In the theatrical world, being in a close and friendly cast produces more chemistry on stage - as well as an overall better experience! There are certain traditions that travel from cast to cast, such as warm fuzzies. Warm fuzzies begin with empty envelopes - one for each cast mate - and blank paper. The empty pieces of paper are then filled by members of the cast with kind and flattering thoughts towards other cast mates - giving everyone a warm and fuzzy feeling. I’ve also been in theatre companies before where the tradition is to give each cast and crew member either an opening or closing night gift. I recall writing a funny poem and printing it onto bookmarks for a cast a couple of years ago.

            Whether it’s in a club, a cast, your neighbourhood, or simply your friends and family, supporting one another is one of the most important things you can do. This past summer, my coach mentioned to me how important it is to root for one another - or to simply be present during the time of their performance. Having someone who is knowledgeable about what you’re doing in your midst may in fact boost your performance level. It’s comparable to the determination I have to succeed if a critic came to see a show of mine, or a university coach was there to watch a race - and it can be applied to almost anything you do in life. Through my own experiences, I’ve learned that every actor needs their fan club, and every athlete needs their jock supporters.

            I’d like to thank everyone who helped me out these past few weeks in both the production of Dracula, which opened and closed this Halloween weekend, as well as qualifying for 2010 cross country OFSAA - which I’ll be racing this Saturday - and to those team mates who made adjustments this week to attend the “special” Tuesday/Thursday workouts. Thank you to all my cheerleaders!

Cloudy With a Chance of Rainbows

The weather man had called for rain, but as I stretched on the start line, I found myself shedding clothing. The sun was now peaking through the clouds, and I didn’t want to overheat during the race. I suppose I forgot about the dark, gray rain clouds looming overhead, threatening to dump at anytime. Just what I had wished for on the day of TVRAA, the first qualifying round in the high school cross country season. That was written with sarcasm.

             As soon as the race began, I knew I should have stretched more. My legs felt a little stiff, and it created a resistance very similar to when one runs through water. But I picked up my pace, and I eventually warmed up. I caught up to the first pack, which is excluding the leader prancing hundreds of meters ahead of everyone else. The pack consisted of a few girls whom I’ve met and competed against over the years- but we’re all friends regardless of the competition. I’m not quite sure when or how it happened, but I was suddenly running alone in second place.

            I find a race becomes very lonely when running alone. Don’t get me wrong, I was both happy and grateful that I was in second place. But I found myself worrying about a girl catching me and running me down, so I subconsciously picked up the pace. I wasn’t the happiest camper, because I was soaked, and I was freezing. I swear, at one point I even felt little chunks of ice falling from the sky.

            As I was heading for the final loop, I thought for sure that the girl in third place was right on my heels. I know that I don’t really have a kick at the end of a race, so I prepared myself to see her fly by me. Then I thought about it. It’s not who has the better kick at the end- it’s who wants it more. Those are familiar words of wisdom that my father has shared with me before races on many occasions. I silently thanked him as I sped through the finish line and claimed my blue ribbon.

            And of course, my day is never really complete without bolting to a rehearsal of some sort. I jumped in the warm car and raced to beat traffic so I could make it to my school’s gala rehearsal on time. I shivered as I learned that it not only rained during the race, but I heard that there was also hail, sleet and snow. I changed into warm clothes as soon as I reached the school, and my teachers kindly gave me some time to catch my breath. However, I very shortly found myself in the midst of a hectic and stressful dress rehearsal. A gala is simply a name for a show with many numbers of song and dance showcasing talent. My high school has a highly developed performing arts program, and we never shy away from an opportunity to show the city what we’ve got. As excited as I was for the gala however, I wanted to be anywhere but a gala dress rehearsal. There are usually technical issues that have to be ironed out, costume and prop pieces that are suddenly introduced, and generally a lot of waiting around for your cue to enter the stage. I could feel my energy draining as time dragged on. And as exhausted as I was after rehearsal had finished, what did I do of course? I went to another rehearsal.

            In the end, the gala turned out really well, and I had a tremendous amount of fun. As soon as the audience is there, I find I feed off of their energy and my own performance level increases. Here is a clip of a song performed that night, featuring myself and a couple of my friends. It’s a song from Shrek the Musical, sung by Princess Fiona as she grows up dreaming of her knight in shining armor.

            When I’m feeling stiff during a race, drained during a dress rehearsal, or just overall miserable, I need to learn to remind myself of what I’m working hard for. I need to promise myself that a new day is just around the corner, and that everything will be okay in the end. Because no matter if it’s raining outside, when the sun comes out there’s always the chance of a rainbow colouring your sky.

The Mosquito and the Bee

            There are days when I’m only home to eat and sleep. Literally. My schedule can become too hectic, so demanding, that I find there’s hardly anytime for me to breathe. You may be reading this thinking, why doesn’t she just back off and take a break; cut down her amount of activities? Here’s the thing: I thrive on being busy.

            In the first post, I described the numerous activities I’ve tried. Baseball, ballet, you name it. Over the years, I’ve narrowed it down to two activities: acting and running, running and acting. It just so happens that I love two of the most active hobbies. I never stop learning when it comes to juggling the two.

            Take this week for example. MONDAY was a holiday, but I spent a large portion of it at a rehearsal for Dracula, a show going up on Halloween weekend. TUESDAY I went to school, went to cross country practice, and then jetted over to another Dracula rehearsal. WEDNESDAY I went to school, went to cross country practice, and then attended a London Running Distance Club workout. THURSDAY I went to my first couple classes, I was then excused early from school for a cross country meet, and then I attended another Dracula rehearsal until late than night. FRIDAY I had a Follies rehearsal for the majority of the night, after school that day. SATURDAY was spent at a morning LRDC running workout, prepping for an audition that afternoon, went to the audition and then at a Dracula rehearsal that night. And today I go to a Follies rehearsal this afternoon. On top of all this I run everyday but Friday, I do core strengthening exercises daily (or should be!), I have to study for an upcoming calculus test, complete all homework assignments, and filling out applications/writing essays for scholarships. Oh yeah, I also have a blog!

            But I loved this week. I feel bad always asking my parents to chauffeur me around, but running from one place to the next across town is almost thrilling; never knowing if you’ll make it on time. It’s like completing a homework assignment, but not handing it in until the last possible moment just for kicks. It’s my form of living life on the edge.

            Juggling my crazy schedule is hard. My calendar is absolutely crammed with scribbles of activities, and places I have to be. But I can’t imagine a life without it; I think it’d be kind of boring! I couldn’t possibly choose between acting and running. Running is a lifestyle; a way for me to be in the best shape of my life, as well as taking an hour or so for myself as I go for a relaxing run around the city. Being on stage has always been a passion of mine, and one I’ll never stop loving. Diving into a role and becoming someone else is like shedding all the worries and stress you may have accumulated that day and filing them away, momentarily of course. And I often have fun doing so, too!

            As long as I ensure my health is 100%, and I’m involved with things that only help me be the best person I can be and excel at what I love, I really don’t mind being busy- I just have to find the time to blog. 

            "It's not so much how busy you are, but why you are busy. The bee is praised. The mosquito is swatted." - Mary O’Conner   

          

Mr. Optimistic

My jaw hit the floor. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was just a coincidence that those particular words came out of his mouth in that particular order.

            “I’m joining cross country.” My brother announced. I was shocked- happy and thrilled that he’d be running on his school’s team- but shocked none the less.

            He was the happy-go-lucky kind of kid running with the back if the pack in every race. He’s athletic- he’s on sports teams such as baseball and soccer- however running had never been a keen interest for him. He’d run and walk, enjoying the view as he leisurely made his way to the finish.

            I can remember a specific incident back in elementary school involving my brother and cross country that still cracks me up. We had both finished our races, which were both around 1.5-2.0 km, and I was with my parents as he made his way over to us.

            “I was trampled.” He whined. My brother (no offense) has the tendency to exaggerate sometimes, so the three of us told him just that. He made a comment about no one listening to him as he quickly turned and began to walk away. Then we noticed the dusty footprints lining the back of his shirt, and quickly called him over to apologize.

            In fifth grade, he decided to discontinue his running career and focus on other sports he adored. So we threw him a “retirement” party to congratulate him on his efforts over the past three years. We wrote him congratulatory thoughts and wishes on the windows with window markers and taped balloons in our school’s colours to the window frames. Our family said “goodbye” to his running career as we enjoyed a lovely dinner, but little did we know his interest in the sport would be sparked several years down the road.

            He said he was joining his high school’s team to stay fit and in shape for his upcoming soccer and ball hockey seasons this year. No matter what the reason, we’re all happy he’s decided to run again. We’re a little worried about the combination of his klutziness and the roots/rocks/trees that he could injure himself with, but we’re all used to keeping band-aids on hand at this point.

            He’s been doing pretty well, and has even made some friends along the way. For those who know him, they know he can be very chatty, friendly and outgoing. In fact, I was cheering him on this past Thursday and had to yell at him for trying to talk to me. “You’re in a race! Don’t talk to me! Just RUN!” I cried as he and his new buddy picked up their pace.

He had an amazing finish I must say. I’m pretty sure he has a bigger kick at the end of a race than I do!

I’ve learned a lot from my brother. He walks around with a giant, black cloud hanging over his head and he wears a smile regardless. He’s “Mr. Optimistic”- a glass half full kind of guy. He always remains positive and determined as he works hard towards his goals.

There are times when I don’t achieve a certain goal in a race, when I’m not cast as the role I was hoping for (or at all) in a show, or when I don’t score a high mark on a test or assignment at school. Those are the times when I have to think like him, and learn from my mistakes so I can better myself in the future.

He may not be perfect, but he’s my biggest cheerleader- Mr. Optimistic.

Laryngitis

It was a normal run. It was the Thursday before March Break of 2010, and I was training for the upcoming track season of my grade eleven year. It was no run out of the ordinary, and I thought nothing of it. Of course, I had that night’s semi-formal dance on my mind; I had just finished setting it up with fellow committee members in our high school’s cafeteria. And I don’t know if it was the high heels I wore that night, or a step I had missed in a run, or if it was an overnight thing. All I know is the following evening I set out for a relaxing Friday run, and barely made it around the block.

            I had injured my IT band. And it resulted in a few months of seeing a physiotherapist one or two times a week.

"ITBS is one of the leading causes of lateral knee pain in runners. The iliotibial band is a superficial thickening of tissue on the outside of the thigh, extending from the outside of the pelvis, over the hip and knee, and inserting just below the knee. The band is crucial to stabilizing the knee during   running, moving from behind the femur to the front while walking. The continual rubbing of the band over the lateral femoral epicondyle, combined with the repeated flexion and extension of the knee during running may cause the area to become inflamed." (Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliotibial_band_syndrome)



I never stopped running, however. I continued to go for easy runs, and complete physiotherapy exercises a couple times each day. It was a lot of work, but thanks to some generous friends who lent me a foam roller, a wise coaching and the nagging of my parents I got through it. I took the advice of a team mate, and continued to go through the exercises even after my injury had healed.

            There were times during my injured months when I had to tape my leg. It was utterly embarrassing to have ugly tape wrapped around your thigh and knee, but I had to grin and bare it if I wished for a smooth recovery.

            I can recall a time in the previous cross country season of that year that now reminds me to take vitamins daily. It’s crucial to stay healthy during both a running season as well as during a theatrical performance. It was September, and that month I was performing in a local musical as well as competing in my high school track season. My schedule was so crazy during that time that I’m not surprised my immune system gave out.

            I’ll describe what that particular Thursday was like. I woke up in the morning to perform in a matinee of the show I was currently in, and I had already felt my voice grow weaker with each approaching day. I took my bow during the curtain call, and exchanged my costume with racing shorts and my team singlet as quickly as I could. I remember my mom pulling into the parking lot of the meet as I was in the passengers seat; I was trying to wipe off as much pink glittery stage make-up with a moist toilette as I possible could. My team mates still made fun of me however, as I arrived with my cheeks sparkling pink. I could feel my face turning a deep scarlet colour as I walked the course; everyone seemed to be staring.

            If that wasn’t bad enough, I didn’t have a voice by that time. I had laryngitis, and some people questioned if I would even run. But I did, and it didn’t go too badly. I was a top ten runner that day, and almost immediately after my race, I bolted back to the theatre in order to prepare for that evening’s show.

            If I’ve learned anything from these experiences, it’s to take care of your body- especially during the crazy times. Whether it’s taking throat lozenges, Immune FX, completing physiotherapy exercises, or just sticking with daily vitamin C, it’s important to do what you need to do to make sure you’re 100% healthy.

            Keep your fingers crossed that the pain I felt in my right hip today heals before my race tomorrow!

Milk

I called my brother back as soon as I saw my missed calls and unanswered texts. I was told my agent had called about an audition I had the next day. About a half hour later at home, I was brought up to speed and spent the remainder of the night scrambling for clothes to wear to the audition. Luckily for me, the requirements listed that you to wear athletic clothing, so finding the correct wardrobe wasn’t that difficult. My agent mentioned it was for a milk commercial, and that the audition would be improvisational.

I actually had butterflies on the drive down to Toronto, and being that nervous before an audition was unusual for me. However, as soon as I stepped into the waiting room my professionalism took over and I signed in at the front desk.

            The waiting room looked like a subway station- I’m not kidding. Complete with different coloured arrows, metal poles and sectioned seating. I noticed a bulletin board on one of the walls, and like dozens of other kids I stood up and headed over to read what it said. It was basically what my agent had told me; it listed what each audition would be like for different age groups as well as a description of the commercial. I always like to be well prepared for any audition, so I quickly memorized what it had to say. I saw some lines, so I learned them as fast as I could. Here’s what they were:

VO:  Fact. Milk contains protein, which helps build and repair body tissue, like muscles.

VO: Fiction. This benefit is exponentially greater in cats.

I figured I’d be required to say these lines in the audition. When my name was finally called, I remember thinking that the crowd behind the table could probably smell my fear. It’s stressful to have several critical people watching you- your audition begins the moments you step into the room.

I listened closely as they explained how I was to mime the situation. I was to mime that I had just returned from a tennis match, and was pouring myself a glass of milk. My cat (which was a stuffed monkey placed at my feet) then rubs my legs, so I pour him a bowl of milk. I then watch as my “cat” grows Hulk-like and destroys my kitchen.

When they were finished explaining, they asked me if I had any questions. I really only had one: when do I say my lines? This was their reaction:

Them: You… have no lines.

Me: I thought I read some in the scene description.

Them: I see. “VO” means voice over.

Me: Oh…

            I thought then and there that I had blown my chance. I had basically told them that I knew nothing about the business. But as both actors and runners understand, it really isn’t over until it’s over (thanks, Yogi B!).

            So they filmed me going through the motions, and afterwards a lady asked me to reshoot the scene. I looked to “ballet” in my movements. So I shot the scene all over again and this time tried to look as natural as possible. I thought I’d get nothing out of the audition besides a learning experience.

Turns out I was wrong. The following Wednesday I was called back (and of course it was for the next day- again). The call back was almost identical to the audition, except this time we auditioned two at a time as “friends” returning from a tennis match.

After the scene, we were both given one more task. We faced the camera and were told that our “friend” was behind it. We were to sing him happy birthday, and then watch in horror as he melted away. Weird, eh? But we filmed it and were sent on our way. It was strange, but hey- it was a milk commercial!

Once again, I left thinking I would hear nothing from them. But I was presented to the Prairie Milk board that weekend and landed the commercial! I filmed it the next Saturday; the whole audition/call back/filming process took only three weeks!

PART THREE: Racing Smart for Dummies

…I could see the finish line ahead of me as I rounded the last corner. It wasn’t until the final 100m that I realized I was going to have that OFSAA sweater. I distinctly remember thinking “I made it!” as I rolled through the finish line. I placed 8^th at OFSAA that June.

I’ve loved the spotlight since I was a little girl. So I was surprised at how I hid my face with my hands every time my school’s announcements would describe how I had finished at the previous day’s race. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks every time my class clapped and congratulated me. I have a difficult last name to pronounce. So naturally I don’t expect perfect pronunciation of my name every week of a cross country or track season. However, my high school butchers my name. I’ve probably heard a good dozen different pronunciations, some even beginning with the wrong letter! Regardless, I’ve gotten used to it. Grade nine may have been a jump in my training and racing performance, but in grade ten I heard my name on my school’s announcements more and more. That year I qualified for both cross country and track OFSAA. Now I had to change my strategy. Coach Steve began to explain what running a “smart race” was. I had watched a fellow team member compete in the Senior Women 3000m race at OFSAA in 2008, and he had told me to watch how she raced very closely. I cheered her on as she pulled up from back of the pack to second place; all within the last few laps!

 I learned that I might be able to have a kick at the end of my races too if I conserved my energy towards the beginning. I struggled with the transformation, however. I would be reminded of running a “smart race”, but would resume my bad habits of sprinting ahead at the sound of the gun. It seemed to be working, but I knew when grade eleven rolled around I would have to break my bad habits.

I can remember my Junior Women (grade 10) cross country race of fall 2008. I was neck and neck with a friend of mine (who attends a different high school), and she knows as well as every other girl in my races that I don’t have the best sense of direction. She had to yell and remind me of where to turn and how the route went if I ever took the wrong turn (what a good friend!). As the race was coming to a close however, I congratulated her on winning; we hadn’t crossed the finish line yet. 300m to go, and I knew she would out kick me. She did, and even thought I was quite happy with a blue ribbon for second I didn’t like how I could predict the outcome. So as I became a senior and began racing with older girls I decided I had to change because reality was they could all out kick me. It was hard to hold back at the start of a race when I wanted to jump ahead of other girls more than anything. But I trusted my coach, and I gradually increased in speed of the course of the race. I didn’t do as well I normally did, but it would take some getting used to. It got easier, and even though my races still weren’t perfect I was happier with my performances.

I also added something onto my acting résumé that October that sparked how I truly felt about acting. I am an academic student, so even though I had dreamed as a kid of being an actress I also took an interest in English and biology and had planned to attend a university such as Guelph to become a veterinarian or a writer or a marine biologist- I didn’t have it perfectly figured out yet. I usually take my cell phone to a workout in case of emergencies. After a Wednesday night workout (I want to say it was the 23^rd?) I noticed I had many missed calls from home and several texts from my brother asking me to call asap. I assumed the worst- fire, car troubles, ect. However, I calmed down when I found out what exactly was going on. Stay tuned!

PART TWO: The Blonde Bullet

Things started to get a little crazy. By eighth grade, both running and my acting were dominating my time outside of school. My days consisted of running at lunches in preparation for the next school meet, jumping in the car after school and completing homework on the way to rehearsal, sometimes even while I was at rehearsal. It was exhausting, stressful, and time consuming, but I did pick up some new skills such as time management.

            I graduated elementary school with top marks, voted best actress by my classmates, and a letter from Steve Weiler inviting me to some trial workouts for London Runner Distance Club. The August of 2007 before grade nine, I went to my first track workout with the group. I want to say that I loved the hard work and rose to the challenge. Truth was, I was finishing last every lap and felt sick to my stomach. I left the workout feeling blue, but also determined that if I stuck with it I would improve. I signed up and became a member the following month.

            The next several months were filled with crazy rehearsal schedules, fatiguing workouts as well as the ups and downs of freshman year. I continued to audition and rehearse for community theatre shows, and was growing as an actor with each experience.

I also noticed an improvement in my running over the winter months. Suddenly I was able to run more repeats of the same loop or hill. Suddenly I was able to run faster without paying the price with nausea afterwards. Suddenly I wasn’t at the back of the pack.

            I joined my high school’s track and field team and was by heads and tails the smallest member. I think my coaches saw potential, but I admit I wasn’t as dedicated or determined at school practices then I was at club workouts. I was again, a mid-pack racer in cross country, so not even I expected much from my first track and field race. I was signed up for the 3000m race, and I was more nervous than ever. I’ve never had stage fright before, but I couldn’t quite shake the pre-race butterflies. Plus, they were combining the grade nine and ten girls. I decided to try a new strategy. I had always been told that I was like the Energy Bunny that you see in battery commercials- I can hold a strong pace for a large amount of time. So why not begin at a really fast pace? My coaches confessed after that race how shocked they were when I bolted ahead of the other girls at the sound of the gun. They thought I was crazy, and wondered if I could hold it. Strangely enough, I did. I wasn’t first overall, a grade ten girl had caught up at some point in the race, but I did bring home a midget girls gold medal.

            After that race, my team and coaches began to take a real interest in my running. “You going to make it to OFSAA?” They’d ask. I didn’t know what to say. OFSAA, high school provincials, was something no runners from my high school had qualified for in a long time. To be honest, I really didn’t think I could make it. But I had noticed that during the chillier months some fellow LRDC members sported OFSAA sweaters, and I hoped to have one too at some point in my high school career. But grade nine?

            I continued to win 3000m races that season, including TVRAA and WOSSAA. The butterflies seemed to be less and less with each passing race. I even gained a nickname from other high schools as they too noticed my quick starts. I was deemed “The Blonde Bullet”, and it seemed to spread. My twin brother, who attends a different high school, had even heard of it floating around his school.

            I raced the 1500m as well that season, but was knocked out after WOSSAA, the second qualifying round. I did however; qualify for OFSAA West Regionals for the 3000m race. The butterflies returned. This was the last qualifying race before provincials- OFSAA. I had to place top three, and I had already noticed in other race results that I’d be racing against some tough competition. I began the race with the same strategy, although this time a couple other girls ran me down. I knew I’ve never had a sprint or kick of any sort at the end of races, so I was nervous heading into my last lap that a third girl would knock me out of third- the last remaining spot to qualify for OFSAA. I could no longer tell what was blood pounding in my ears, or what may be the heavy footsteps of a runner behind me...

PART ONE: Once Upon A Time...

Auditions, races, school, workouts, and rehearsals- does it ever end? Juggling both and acting and running careers is not as easy as it looks. To say my plate is usually full is an understatement.

            Beginning a blog about running and training was suggested the coach of a running group I’ve been a member of since fall 2007, London Runner Distance Club (LRDC). I’ve tried to think of how I can make my running career sound interesting, and what exactly I can write about it. Before I let you in on my current life at the moment, I thought I’d first catch you up. It’s too much to summarize in one post (plus I tend to be fairly wordy and descriptive when I write), so I’ve decided to describe it one section at a time.

PART ONE: Once Upon A Time…

           

            I’ve done it all- from ballet to basketball to sewing lessons. My parents signed my siblings and me up for all kinds of various activities throughout our grade school years. Sometimes it was because we showed an interest in the activity, other times it was just to gain a learning experience. Over the years, I have discovered two very different passions that get me out of bed every morning.

            I first discovered acting. I had been shy as a kid, although I never gave up an opportunity to put on a show for family or friends. At the age of four, I was signed up for my first year of acting classes at The Theatre School, and I became a different kid entirely on stage. Even though I was still flying from soccer to swimming lessons to art classes throughout the week, I always looked forward to my Saturday morning acting sessions.

            I was then was introduced to running; I ran my first cross country race in third grade. My dad was a fairly good runner in his youth, so I decided to give it a shot. I suppose I didn’t quite gather the whole “competitive aspect” of the running scene. I was content with running towards the middle of the pack, quite often grasping a friends hand as we ran together. I loved prancing up and down a long hill in a zig-zag fashion- it was more fun than running straight across it, how boring! Little did I realize that I added a few minutes onto my overall time, but not that I was all that interested in personal best times at that point in my running career.

When I mentioned I wasn’t very competitive, I mean I really wasn’t all that competitive. Growing up, I had always been taught to be on my best behaviour and was well versed in all my manners. So instead of shoving my way to the front of the other kids where the yellow tape bottle-necked into the finish line, I would kindly step aside and allow each kid directly around me to go first until there was a big enough gap for me to finally cross the finish line. I suppose I figured they had already figured out where I had placed at that point, but I wasn’t that concerned about placing then. I was generally about 60^th in my regional cross country meets, and only the top 20 make it on to the finals.

            In fifth grade I was in my second year at Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts for drama, and continued to complete in both cross country and track. I was still a mid-pack runner, and continued to jog with friends rather than join the dog-eat-dog pack at the front of the race. In the fall of grade five however, I placed 19^th in my school’s regionals. I didn’t realize that I had even made it to the finals until my coach had to call me down for the meeting he was holding for all cross country finalists in regards to the upcoming race. I was excited and proud; however it was really just another race to me. It went well, and that same year I competed in track and field finals for the 1500m race, missing qualifying for the 800m race by only one place. I had developed an interest in the sport, but I still lacked the competitive edge.

Me, summer 2005

            The following cross country season, I was lined up to race a meet held at my own school. I raced ahead at the gunshot. I don’t recall what made me do it, all I remember is thinking how proud my parents will be when I tell them I was first for the start of my race, because I figured the usual pack of kids would pull ahead of me at any minute. However, no one did. I remained in first place for the majority of the race. It wasn’t until the last kilometre and a half that a girl with fairy blonde hair pulled back into a French braid (don’t ask me how I remember that) jogged past me. Finally, a little spark of competitiveness kicked in. I sprinted ahead of her, and kept at that pace until I was confident she couldn’t catch up. One of my teacher’s was rabbiting the race on his bike, and boy wasn’t he surprised to see me prancing beside him! I pulled into the finish line with a huge grin as I realized I had even finished before some of the last boys from the race before mine. This race, this first win in sixth grade, was the beginning of my running career.

            My acting took off right around the same time. I was in grade seven when I was casted in my first community theatre production. I preformed as Lucy in Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (VPP)’s production of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I thought I was famous. I remember standing in line at a Tim Horton’s and signing an autograph for a young boy on a napkin. I was so elated afterwards that as I sat down with my family to enjoy my muffin, I saw a flash in the window and cried out that the paparazzi had taken my picture! It was only a flash of lightning. Seems like both my running and my acting were taking off!

My friend and I (right) in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (spring 2006)