Dear Red Wing Blackbirds

Yes, I know spring is upon, and you have all migrated back north from the tropical abodes.

But please curb the desire to peck at my head as I'm doing my lunchtime runs.

I can hear you fluttering from tree to tree on the other side of the big fence the separates those big Richmond Hill homes from the street. And I know you're tracking me as I make my way up the incline of Leslie Street to the top. But don't think for even a minute I'm going to be changing my route on YOUR account. This route is nice and undulating, with no flat areas, and I can push a hill, or elect to glide quickly down if I want to work on my turnover. It's large enough that I can substitute for a hill workout if I miss my Wednesday morning ravine appointment.

Yes, they've returned. Usually I spot them first in the Leslie spit, which they seem to enjoy perching on for a while until the snow moves out. This year, we've seen almost no snow at all. If all the snow we had this year fell in one day, it would have been a fairly decent shovelling day, but not enough to shut er all down. So the birds have moved in early. Robins have been here all winter, I've seen them gathered in the hundreds in the trees even when it was 15 below. They've separated now, or maybe the migratory ones have moved back in, but they're also now in the neighbourhoods, singing away at the morning sunrise.

Speaking of morning sunrise, it's been so nice to run in the sunshine in the mornings. All of that will take a temporary haitus when DST kicks in this weekend, and I'll have to start out in the dark again. It's the price us runners pay for a brighter evening.

Anyway. I did sign up for all 5 of the 5 Peaks trail series here in south ont. First race is April 24 and I'm trying my best to be in shape when the first one goes off in Dundas. We'll see how I fair in my shiny new 50+ age category.