Spring is finally here after a very long winter that seemed like it would never end, and here I am, writing up a storm while sipping on a sugar-free Redbull, music blaring in my headphones, thinking about how my life sure is good right now and only going to get better from here on out.
Hello and welcome back to Tyson’s Thoughts, the most eloquent and profound column there is around these parts of the true North Island.
I’ve always wanted to be able to confidently say that I’m eloquent and profound, and I feel that after nearly 10 years of working here at the North Island Gazette, I’ve finally earned the right to say that about myself.
To be frank, which is better than being Tyson, if you can’t humbly brag about your own hard work and dedication to getting better at your craft, then you should probably try harder until you feel like you’ve really earned the right to do so.
With that little introduction out of the way, what will I be writing about this week?
Well, I’ve been hibernating and resting up ever since high school wrestling season ended back in March.
It was another epic season full of big wins and tough losses, many ups and downs, but I’m happy to say that I survived all the training this year without racking up any serious injuries.
I think the worst thing that happened to me was when I sprained my lower back going for a takedown on Sheldon while we were training for the Alberni Invitational tournament.
I have to admit it definitely hindered my wrestling skills for the rest of the season, but I was strong enough mentally that I managed to push through the pain and still helped him train as much as I could for his last two tournaments.
Injuries are sadly inevitable as I continue to get older.
I’m turning 40 in June and I sometimes wonder how much longer I can keep training for. I can’t predict the future; all I know for sure is that I’m going to keep wrestling until the wheels fall off and I can’t physically do it anymore.
I was actually planning to come out of retirement back in March and compete in the adult division at a wrestling tournament in Duncan.
Unfortunately, Sheldon ended up getting injured in PE class and Anthony couldn’t make it due to another commitment, so I didn’t bother going after all.
It’s a bit of a shame.
I was in really good shape, my back injury had pretty much completely healed up, and I was ready to lay it all on the line and have some fun.
I was debating signing up for the half marathon, but I’ve been dealing with a weird and painful hip issue that’s been stopping me from running as much as I’d like to. I know I can run a 10k in under an hour, so I’ll be ready and aiming to finish the race in around 50 to 55 minutes flat.
I’m hoping that Port McNeill will be holding their 5k race again during Orcafest in August. If so, I’ll be signing up for that as well. And then there’s the Terry Fox Run coming up in September, which I’ll be running in again like I did last year.
All told, I’m pretty excited for the upcoming summer months.
I love running, and races are a great way to test yourself mentally and physically.
Tyson Whitney is an award-winning journalist who was born and raised in Port Hardy. His family has lived in Port Hardy for more than 40 years. He graduated with a degree in writing from Vancouver Island University in 2008. Email: editor@northislandgazette.com