KillerKailey's Adventure Racing Blog: Winter... Ottawa Style...

So, as I got on the airplane to move back to Ottawa, many people were shocked to hear that I was moving East. And I quote ' who the hell moves East? Are you mental?' And I very much agree after this a nice long run of weeks of frigid weather - this past tuesday was -40 with the windchill (seriously) - I am very much missing the temperate winters of the Kootenays. (On top of missing Red, Rossland, skiing, my friends, etc....) ;-)

BUT - life in Ottawa is going great - busy as always - which for those of you who know me well - would expect nothing less. I am training hard - getting excited to actually be able to train outside. I DO NOT run when it is colder than -15 degrees... sorry... I am a wimp. I am surviving swimming with Technosport at Ottawa University - it is a wickd Master's swim club that kicks my ass two night a week. I am spinning lots and trying to build in a couple of 2-3 hour rides a week, and I am trying hard to get outside and run as much as I can, as I truly hate the treadmill.

I started a new job this week - working for Sustainable Development Technology Canada - an amazing private sector company that works to fun and development sustainable technology. (www.sdtc.ca) I think I am starting to figure out the direction I want to go in career-wise, which is comforting... I want to help create policy for environmental sustainability - whether that is through climate change, e-waste management, carbon trading, etc... we shall see... but this job is a great foot in the door into this industry! And hopefully this fall I will be at Ottawa University doing my masters - looking at the effects of climate change on international relations and security. (but who knows!)

Between work, applying for school and training hard, there is not much time for much else. BUT last week I managed to go see David Suzuki as he wrapped up his "If You Were Prime Minister Tour" - It was in the grand hall of the Museum of Civilization and it was AMAZING to see him speak and to be 8 feet away from Bruce Coburn as he was the surprise musical guest and played MY FAVORITE song - Lover's in a Dangerous Time (although the Barenaked Ladies version is on my ipod!)... it was wicked - the whole night was pretty cool!

I've been going to lots of seminars looking at environmental and international intelligence issues - there is so much free stuff to go to in Ottawa (e-waste management, the ethics of intelligence collection, sustainable development, food sovereignty...). AND for any of you who have not seen this - the documentary film Manufactured Landscapes is incredible - and for those Ottawa folk, is playing again at the bytowne on march 20th I think. Really makes you re-think every aspect of our consumption.

Hmm... no pictures to post right now.... it is too cold to use a camera ;-)

I just thought I'd drop the world a note to say hi and to let you all know that as much as I dearly miss my Rossland life and the people there, life in Ottawa is starting to move in a positive direction!

Killerk.

ok: picture update - for my Dad's birthday - Jan 13th - we went up to Mike Caldwell's place in Low Qc and did a hilarious and fun (yet kind of freezing) snowshoe race. It was a 10k, there was no snow - so we didn't actually have snowshoes - just icers on our trail runners! It was great to see the whole Adventure Racing crew again - I missed them all so much - it was a big reunion for me! AND a party for dad as we had a wicked lunch after the race - and a surprise BDAY cake for Jim - it was a Dinosaur Cake - excellent choice Mike!

I ran hard - first time really 'running' since NYC - and I sure felt it the next day - but I did well - I think I came second female in the race... not bad for my re-introduction to the OTtawa race scene!