Well, today was the Vancouver Sun Run.  I ran.  I did not plan to run.

I had previous plans to be out of town for the weekend, but they fell through, so I never registered for the run. So, last night, I was chatting with my family, and everyone in my family except me had registered.  So, I thought, I wish I was running it!!  So, I joined them.  With about 53,000 people in the run, catching someone who wasn’t registered was not going to happen, so the only thing was that I won’t have my name in the paper tomorrow morning.

The Sun Run is Canada’s Largest Run, and it quite something to run with that many people.  Not the ideal race if you want to get a good time, simply because there are too many people.  But never the less, its a fun race.

Well, I learned two things today:  1: I am not in shape!! and 2: I need new runners.  The first one, will be hard…the second I think I can probably manage.  So!!  The challenge???  To get in shape!!  I’ll try and post regular updates on how this quest for fitness goes, and would encourage anyone to join me in the quest for fitness.  I encourage you to do this, because I have been quite fit at times, and know that life in general is that much better when you are in shape.

Team Hoyt is a father (Dick Hoyt) and son (Rick Hoyt, b. 1962) in Massachusetts who compete together in marathons, triathlons, and other athletic endeavors. Rick was disabled at birth by a loss of oxygen to his brain because his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, and he also suffers from cerebral palsy. Dick carries him in a special seat up front as they bike, pulls him in a special boat as they swim, and pushes him in a special wheelchair as they run.

Thanks to his parents, who ignored the advice of doctors that he would live life in a persistent vegetative state, and Tufts University engineers, who recognized that his sense of humor indicated intelligence, at the age of 12, Rick was able to learn how to use a special computer to communicate, using movements from his head. The first words he typed were, “Go Bruins!”, and the family learned he was a sports fan. They entered their first race in 1977, a 5 mile benefit run for an injured lacrosse player who was a schoolmate of Rick’s.

Dick is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard. Rick earned a college degree from Boston University in special education, and now works at Boston College. They continue to compete in races, and are also motivational speakers.

As of June 2005, Team Hoyt had participated in a total of 911 events, including 206 Triathlons (6 of which were Ironman competitions), 20 Duathlons, and 64 Marathons, including 24 consecutive Boston Marathons. They also biked and ran across the USA in 1992 — a 3,735 mile journey that took them 45 days.

When asked what one thing Rick wished he could give his father, his reply was “The thing I’d most like is that my dad would sit in the chair and I would push him once.”

This is a truly touching story!!

About 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and have been taking insulin shots ever since.  I have always had a positive outlook on this, and have never minded it too much.  And have always been keen on educating myself on current control methods, etc.  of Diabetes.

Recently, I decided that I would try out the pump!!  For those of you who are not familiar with an insulin pump, it is what it sounds like.  A pump that pumps insulin.  It is connect to you by a small tube and it usually is on your waste, how many people carry their cell phones, or mp3 players.

When this box arrive the other day, I was super excited!!!

It had been delayed for a few weeks, because of Canada Post losing something, and then some miscommunication, and I wasn’t quite expecting it the day it arrived, which made it even more exciting.

There is the box of the actual pump!

And the pump itself.  It is quite small, and very easy to use.  Almost fool-proof, which you would like, considering that pressing the wrong button could put you in hospital, or even kill you.

To compare size, I decided to take a picture with it beside my cell phone.  I figured that phones are pretty much a standard size, and if not, you may recognize my phone, and know what size it is.

I am getting it “installed” and my official training soon!!  I’ll be sure to update you all on this, and tell you how it goes!!