The first six miles
I can add more stickers to my credentials: first training walk and first five miles. I have been trying to make an official 3-Day training walk for ages and it hasn't worked out. I was so excited about the walk on Saturday that I couldn't sleep Friday night. When Ellie woke me up at 5.30am on Saturday morning, I got up happily and tried to do some writing before getting ready.
It didn't work.
The writing gods have not been kind to me this week. I think it's a test. Since I began this writing journey, I've been fairly productive at each sitting. I'm working on a super-secret writing project (super cool, too!) that will be public soon, but I can't write the dang introduction! It's killing me! I sound like I am a big, fat faker. I hear this brassy voice in my head croon, "Ah, honey. Throw the towel in. You ain't go no business writing anyway." I mostly just ignore it, but lately it has been annoyingly loud. I'm thinking it needs a good, stiff drink to shut it up.
So. The walk. It was a beautiful day--the kind that makes me remember why on earth I live in this part of the country. After a grey winter, our sunny spring days are unmatched, let me tell you. It inspires all of the senses. Add to that skyscraper clouds with fifty shades of white float in stark contrast to the unforgettable blue, blue, blue. It all makes me blink, take a deep breath and praise whomever thought of making such a wonderous sight.
We walked at a park I love, one that has a paved trail five miles long. Douglas Fir and Ceder tree stands remain undistrubed as the park trails are overrun with walkers and joggers. There are various lookout points along the trail that reveal the signature majesttic jutting peninsulas of the Puget Sound. I was happy to just breath in the thick, cool air and let my feet carry me along the path.
Thank goodness I was used to the trail because it is deceptively challenging. It's speckled with hills and low-grade inclines and just when you think you are a rockstar walker, you realize you are out of breath and your legs are starting to hurt. Then it will mercifully level out again, giving you enough time to recover for the next corner.
One of the things I looked forward to most about the walk was meeting new people. As we stood in the circle and stretched, I scoped the small crowd for potential walking-mates. There were many beautiful older women, women who could outwalk me any day of the week--blindfolded and on crutches, to boot. I checked out their credential tags and most of them have done the 3-Day at least three times before. I wasn't the only first-timer, but I felt like the new kid. I got thirsty at the last minute and went back to my van for a last chug on my water bottle. I didn't want to carry it with me and I don't have a hip-pack holder yet. When I finished, I realized everyone had left. I nearly cried at the thought of having to walk alone, so I ran to catch up.
I was the only one who didn't know anyone, it seemed. I walked by myself for about a half mile when I decided that I wasn't going to make any friends if I didn't try harder than my self-pitying self was trying. So I increased my pace and gracefully butted in to a conversation between two sisters. These women were FIT and were walking quite fast.
I have never been good at first impressions. I always make stupid jokes or let my inner monologue out just a little too much---but I don't think I scared them off too badly.
Around mile four and a half my hips started to really hurt. I asked the training walk leader if she knew of any stretches I could do to get rid of the pain. She took one look at my shoes and said, "Well, I'll tell you right now, you're shoes suck." Or something similar. I looked down at my tennis shoes, the shoes that I wear every single day of the week, all day long, and have for the past year...and knew she was right. She said the kind of shoes I was wearing have about three hundred miles in them. Total. Then they break down and don't provide good support.
I'm going to need new shoes.
She told me of a running store nearby that will videotape my stride and recommend the right kind of shoe. It's going to cost a least a hundo--that's $100. She said more like $125 including these special inserts that will aid my poor arch. I can't really do another walk until I get new shoes because my legs are thrashed and I don't want to risk injury. I'll stick to the gym and my cardio/weights routine.
So, stay tuned for what I will be calling, "Mama Needs a New Pair of Shoes." It will be a special something just for fundraising for my shoes. If you have any ideas, please email me at jessestar at net-venture dot com. She also said that I will need at least three pairs--two to do the walk in and one to train in. Guess what I will be asking for for my birthday (which is April 25 by the way. I'll be 30. Isn't that neat?!)
That's my update. Hopefully the site will be up this week. I know folks are working hard on it!
Walkingly yours,
~J
It didn't work.
The writing gods have not been kind to me this week. I think it's a test. Since I began this writing journey, I've been fairly productive at each sitting. I'm working on a super-secret writing project (super cool, too!) that will be public soon, but I can't write the dang introduction! It's killing me! I sound like I am a big, fat faker. I hear this brassy voice in my head croon, "Ah, honey. Throw the towel in. You ain't go no business writing anyway." I mostly just ignore it, but lately it has been annoyingly loud. I'm thinking it needs a good, stiff drink to shut it up.
So. The walk. It was a beautiful day--the kind that makes me remember why on earth I live in this part of the country. After a grey winter, our sunny spring days are unmatched, let me tell you. It inspires all of the senses. Add to that skyscraper clouds with fifty shades of white float in stark contrast to the unforgettable blue, blue, blue. It all makes me blink, take a deep breath and praise whomever thought of making such a wonderous sight.
We walked at a park I love, one that has a paved trail five miles long. Douglas Fir and Ceder tree stands remain undistrubed as the park trails are overrun with walkers and joggers. There are various lookout points along the trail that reveal the signature majesttic jutting peninsulas of the Puget Sound. I was happy to just breath in the thick, cool air and let my feet carry me along the path.
Thank goodness I was used to the trail because it is deceptively challenging. It's speckled with hills and low-grade inclines and just when you think you are a rockstar walker, you realize you are out of breath and your legs are starting to hurt. Then it will mercifully level out again, giving you enough time to recover for the next corner.
One of the things I looked forward to most about the walk was meeting new people. As we stood in the circle and stretched, I scoped the small crowd for potential walking-mates. There were many beautiful older women, women who could outwalk me any day of the week--blindfolded and on crutches, to boot. I checked out their credential tags and most of them have done the 3-Day at least three times before. I wasn't the only first-timer, but I felt like the new kid. I got thirsty at the last minute and went back to my van for a last chug on my water bottle. I didn't want to carry it with me and I don't have a hip-pack holder yet. When I finished, I realized everyone had left. I nearly cried at the thought of having to walk alone, so I ran to catch up.
I was the only one who didn't know anyone, it seemed. I walked by myself for about a half mile when I decided that I wasn't going to make any friends if I didn't try harder than my self-pitying self was trying. So I increased my pace and gracefully butted in to a conversation between two sisters. These women were FIT and were walking quite fast.
I have never been good at first impressions. I always make stupid jokes or let my inner monologue out just a little too much---but I don't think I scared them off too badly.
Around mile four and a half my hips started to really hurt. I asked the training walk leader if she knew of any stretches I could do to get rid of the pain. She took one look at my shoes and said, "Well, I'll tell you right now, you're shoes suck." Or something similar. I looked down at my tennis shoes, the shoes that I wear every single day of the week, all day long, and have for the past year...and knew she was right. She said the kind of shoes I was wearing have about three hundred miles in them. Total. Then they break down and don't provide good support.
I'm going to need new shoes.
She told me of a running store nearby that will videotape my stride and recommend the right kind of shoe. It's going to cost a least a hundo--that's $100. She said more like $125 including these special inserts that will aid my poor arch. I can't really do another walk until I get new shoes because my legs are thrashed and I don't want to risk injury. I'll stick to the gym and my cardio/weights routine.
So, stay tuned for what I will be calling, "Mama Needs a New Pair of Shoes." It will be a special something just for fundraising for my shoes. If you have any ideas, please email me at jessestar at net-venture dot com. She also said that I will need at least three pairs--two to do the walk in and one to train in. Guess what I will be asking for for my birthday (which is April 25 by the way. I'll be 30. Isn't that neat?!)
That's my update. Hopefully the site will be up this week. I know folks are working hard on it!
Walkingly yours,
~J
posted by thefreelancemama at 9:12 PM
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