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...