Oh Canada

With the Olympics now in full swing, my Canadian pride levels are reaching dangerous heights. It takes all my self-control not to wander around Leeds wearing my toque and Olympic mitts, the ones that literally label me as a Canadian whenever I wave at anyone. With the maple leaf shaped hole in my heart getting larger with each day, I decided to do it up big and rep Canada in the best way I could think of: Canadian Otley Run!

Thanks to the unwavering Canadian spirit and the power of Facebook, the event brought out tons of Leeds' finest Canucks and even some who wished they were from the Great White North. We met at the first pub around 4pm and by the third pub our group included Alex Trebek, a beaver, Captain Canada and his sidekick "The Canadian Kid", Bob and Doug McKenzie, lumberjacks, and a whole lot of red and white. As we left each pub, we would remove our hats and sing the Canadian national anthem (as the night went on, this tradition was increasingly unsynchronized and off key). We just looked like a continuous stream of red, white, and liquored up comradery.

It was like getting together with the family you never knew you had. We didn't all know each other but we were brought together by our mother nation. Like any extended family reunion there was drinking, laughing, crying, drama, and even a little incest.

Once again, I didn't make it to the end but this Otley Run will forever hold a special place in my memory, despite all the pints. Though everyone bleeds red, I have a hankering feeling that I may just bleed Red and White.

New Personal Record: 11/17 pubs