the agony and the ecstasy

The RM thread post is called “A Thank You Letter to RM”. The Blog version of this account is called “the agony and the ecstasy”. And in reality it is both.

In a few days I depart for A-Stan, and I wanted to leave a last post from homeside; as I do intend to send home frequent updates once over yonder.

I have been with RM, almost since it began, first vicariously through my wife, and then finally courageous enough to hop in. Though my post count would betray my dedication to the site, I have always at least surfed RM whenever I had the chance. It is through RM that I found enjoyment in a previously horrifying endeavour, and it has become an addicti- er, truly enjoyable hobby. Running -not websurfing-. As a result I feel more confident, much healthier, and have experienced that tremendous rush of minor and major running events. And though I would not consider myself comfortable around new people I have made a whole boatload of new friends (those I have met in person and those I have yet to have the honour of meeting in person). So anyway to avoid any semblance of sentimentality let me just say two things;

1) Good luck to everyone on every single run that you do, try to stay healthy, and stay active. Let every event that has a maniac at it be a M&G, among those who are currently members and those who are waiting for us to recruit them.

2) Second, and personally a bit more importantly, a sincere thanks to all of you who have in someway contacted Kara or myself in the last while to offer your encouragement and support on my/ our deployment. I will have a pretty good network of support over there and thanks to you folk she will too.

The ecstasy, the prospect of a tour, especially one to a war zone, is by all accounts highly sought after by those people in my line of work.Sound crazy? Getting chosen, or volun-told, is the equivalent of a young talented junior player being called up to the NHL to play in a high stress play-off game. It is what the majority of my friends and I have joined to do. It is our choice, our duty, and our honour to do so.

And it is not because we are wild Rambo-set-the-world-on-fire-types either, it is just that we revel in being able to do what few others can, or would do The tour itself lasts for six months, but in the past eight months I have spent the equivalent of six months away from home.

Sometimes I was two hours away, others three time zones. Therefore, we must also look to the families and friends we are leaving behind, the Agony. I have yet to step off Canadian soil but my team and I, as aforementioned, have spent a great deal of time away from home preparing. In a way we are also preparing our loved ones for that long separation too.

Remember, and this is the important line; Jaimer, Scadian, and I are three of nearly 2000 people who will head over. And they will all come home, but some will be covered in a Maple Flag.

To conclude simply, thanks to you lot on RM, I am a fitter soldier than I was. Guilt will do that. Just kidding. And for the rest of my family and friends reading this; thanks for the support, I’ll keep in touch, six months isn’t that long. And get your helmets on, ‘war stories’ to follow.

Yours in running, and web-based debauchery,

Scotty