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On Friday I was casually speaking with friend Greg when he told me that he was doing an Ultra Run on Sat, Oct 24 in Crowsnest Pass.

I asked a little about it, he didn’t know much. He thought it was about 65km in the mountains.

I’ll try to register.

A quick google, and I was talking to the race organizer, who happened to be a past client from years ago. Within 20 minutes, I was registered for the S3 Ultra, a 66km run with three loops and 2700m of elevation gain.

On Saturday I did a long run in Kananaskis with Greg, in freezing cold weather and shin deep snow. We were out about 4 hours and covered about 24km, and 900m of elevation.

While on that run Greg told me about the audio book he was listening to, The Rise of The Ultra Runners: A Journey to the Edge of Human Endurance, by Adharanand Finn,  I’m 5 hours into the 10 hour book, and beginning to understand who signs up for these runs.

We like to suffer.

We suffer, so we can enjoy our comforts.

I haven’t been sleeping well this past few days. Waking at 1:30 or 2:30am, and seemingly rolling in bed until I rise at 5, 6 or 7am. I’m not sure why. Likely my list of ‘unfinished things’, that have not been ‘outputted’, as David Allen, in Getting Things Done, would suggest.

Perhaps it is the fear, the uncertainty, of my upcoming Romp in the Mountains. The weather Forecast is to range between minus 12 and minus 16 Celsius, with periods of snow. How deep will the snow be?

On deeper reflection, it’s not fear. It’s the question, “Why me”?

Why do I need to place this suffering upon myself, to feel comfort?

This is part of a series of pieces, written in about twelve minutes, proof read once with tiny edits and then posted online. Someday, probably not, I may publish a book entitled: Bryon Wrote This Book in 12 Minutes. 

You can learn more about me and my real estate business at www.TheHowardTeam.net.

Yesterday at the park I met Christy and was telling her a little about Roo.   On September 5 I dropped my wife at the airport to go to Prince Edward Island to visit her Dad. She was in quarantine for 2 weeks, and is visiting for three. I asked her to take Roo with her. “I don’t understand why you don’t travel with him. He is part of your family. Take him”.

She does not like putting him on the plane. She offered to get him daily walks. I asked, “How much does that cost”.  $20 dollars per walk.   “You can pay me. I’ll walk him.”

You see, 4 and half years ago, Max died. That doggie lived to be 14 years, and died about the time we became empty nesters. I was very excited explaining to Shirley, we have no kids, we have no pets, we can travel, go to restaurants anytime we want. It is going to be great!

With 4 weeks, Shirley took Roo home. I was pretty adamant that Roo was her dog and not mine. She has gotten much joy walking him long at least twice per day, and doing all the work and care that one must do by having a dog.  While I enjoyed Roo, I have not ‘cared’ for him. (I have never purchased the dog food, taken him for shots, and only on occasion do I pick up after him.)

Roo has been pretty much by my side since Shirley left a month ago. I have hardly gone into my RE/MAX office, instead doing my admin and prospecting work from home. Roo comes on most appointments.

It’s been an amazing gift this past month. Roo has been there for me 24/7.

Christy said, “It’s nice falling in love”.  It is.

This is part of a series of pieces, written in about twelve minutes, proof read once with tiny edits and then posted online. Someday, probably not, I may publish a book entitled: Bryon Wrote This Book in 12 Minutes. 

You can learn more about me and my real estate business at www.TheHowardTeam.net.