4:08:45 Tres Bon!

  I don’t think it was quite this sunny or this dry when my foot crossed the starting line of the Montreal Marathon.  This is – however – exactly where everything started.  The race began at the very top of the Pont Jacque-Cartier Bridge which crosses the Fleuve Saint Laurent.  It was very rainy and windy Sunday morning.  I usually don’t mind running in the rain so that wasn’t much of an issue. But the wind was very strong for what seemed like at least the first half of the race.   

Montreal was a different sort of city… or perhaps it’s just that my expectations were too high.  You see, I knew going up there that most of the people would be speaking French.  But what I didn’t know is that most of those same people would be so unwilling to speak English.  It made me wish I would have paid more attention during my two years of French in high school.   

Most of my time was spent sight seeing in Old Montreal or window shopping in the downtown area.  The children there were delightful.  I always think its amusing to watch a very small child speak a foreign language – especially when they are animated and use their arms, hands, or facial expressions to get their point across.

The coffee and pastries were fantastic.  My trip wasn’t very long so I’m quite sure there was a great deal that I missed.  The marathon was my main reason for visiting the city so most of my attention was focused in that areana.

The best part of the race was the last 1/2 mile when we were directed to run into the Olympic Stadium and make a sort of victory lap inside.  If you saw the finish of the Woman’s Marathon at the Olympics this summer – it was amazingly similar to that.

It was a very quick trip and a pretty good race.  My time was a little slower than I would have liked but I had no injuries and still feel great…and in the end, that’s what really matters.

a place in my heart

   Scotland has to be one of my favorite places in the world.  The picture on the front of my blog is a shot of the William Wallace monument.  The monument is located just outside of Sterling.  In fact, if you are touring Sterling Castle – you can stand along some of the castle’s outer fortifications and look directly across – although a bit of a squint even on a cloudy day - and see the monument with the naked eye.

   It was about this time last year that I went to Scotland to run the Loch Ness Marathon.  The marathon was actually in early October.  I usually run a couple of marathons throughout the year but a few years ago I started a little tradition for myself… run one international marathon a year.  Just pick a place, and go.

   And I have.

   My first international marathon was in Tromso, Norway. 

tromso norway

   It was called The Midnight Sun Run… and to make a long story short, it was amazing!  The Norwegians were delightful – the town was quite small and very remote - in the extreme northern part of the country… in fact, just inside the arctic circle.

   Last year I did the Loch Ness.  This Sunday I will be doing the Montreal International Marathon.  Visiting a foreign country and running a marathon on their soil is a very humbling experience.   Humbling – but yet quite thrilling at the same time.

   I am excited to discover what my Canadian experience will bring…