Go Cleveland!

The amazing walkers and crew in Cleveland have finished their 3Day journey!
Great job everyone!

Support

We all need it.

And bras are good, well kind of... okay, not really they are annoying and uncomfortable. But the kind of support I'm talking about is mental and emotional rather than physical.

In the past 6 months since I decided to participate in the 3-Day for the Cure I've seen and received such an amazing amount of support. Some from friends, some from strangers and some from strangers who have become friends =) I've seen support given selflessly to other walkers, by people who have no other connection other than our cause.

While some of the support has been monetary, much of it has been in the form of encouraging words, advice or a good laugh =) It comes in an email, a text, a phone call, a re-post of your donation plea, and even in person (gasp! I know, right??).

This morning as I dragged myself out for a 3 mile training walk, I was remembering the encouraging words of some of the other 3dayers, none of whom I've met. As I walked I thought about this wonderful group and smiled. I recounted a supportive email I received from a friend who knows a thing or two about endurance training (he recently completed the Paris 1/2 Marathon!), and I knew I would get through this slump that I am in.

As these happy thoughts ran through my mind I started feeling better and stronger. I ended up walking 4.5 miles rather than the 3 I had set out to slog through... AND I did it in my best time yet!

Support is an amazing thing, and I am so thankful to be surrounded with such wonderful people. Thank you.

so...tired..... no...... moti...vation....

Man am I tired. Not just today. Not the past two days. For at least the past week.
I'm so tired that I'm having trouble finishing this post.

I did manage to do my walk on Tuesday, but I did it in the afternoon since I could not get up in the morning. It was the suckiest walk ever. I felt better on my 7 mile walk. On the training schedule for today is a 4 mile walk. Hubby and son were up and out early this morning (off to Magic Mountain... How can it be that my baby will become a teen tomorrow??), so I'm going to TRY to motivate myself to drag my 8 y/o out with me this evening. Blech.

I'm hoping this tremendously-tired thing is just a culmination of weeks of staying up too late and getting up too early. Every once in a while it all catches up with me. It's what I get for forcing my body to submit to MY sleep schedule rather than it's own. It's either that or those vitamins I had been taking really were doing me a whole lotta good...

Out with 18, in with 17

Alrighty, so.. Yesterday I finised my 7th week of official training. It was a bit of an anti-climactic end - I was tired. SUPER tired. And didn't get up to do my 6 mile walk on Sunday :(
It's always a gamble whether or not I'll be able to do an evening walk. Life just seems to get in the way, ya know? I did manage to get 3.5 miles in, however. Blech.

Week 18 Update:

Training:
Monday - 30 minutes weights
Tuesday - 3 mile walk
Wednesday - 90 minutes of walking and tossing during an 18 hole game of frisbee golf
Thursday - 3 mile walk
Friday - off
Saturday - 7 mile walk - YAY!
Sunday - 3.5 mile walk

My 7 mile walk was great. I felt really good, and got to check out a trail I'd been coveting for the past few weeks. A non-3Day walkin' friend went with me, and it was wonderful having the company. Near the very end of the walk (the second half was all downhill) my right knee started hurting. That's not the one that usually hurts with downhill walking. Sigh. I'm hoping it's just because I forgot to stretch at the halway point. FORGOT TO STRETCH! =( Oooops! On a positive note, our walk inspired my friend to take longer, faster walks without her doggies - good for her!

Fundraising:

Total to date - $1,610 .......... look familiar? sigh..

Did a Walmart "canning" event on Sunday. Sitting outside the store from 10-3 brought in $356.. slightly less than the $426 we made last month. This is being kept until closer to the end, and distributed as needed.

I'm starting to get nervous about the $2,300. Hoping to get a newsletter out this week. "Change for a cure" starting August 1st along with a FB challenge. I'm trying to work out another fundraising event to be done at our local AYSO picture day in September. We have been involved with our Region for about 9 years,and know some of the board members. Plus hubby's been a coach for about 6 of those years. I'm hoping to get some cool stuff we can raffle off... Galaxy game tickets, a cool soccer ball, some free training... we'll see!

Boston!

Tonight ends day one of the first of 15 3Day Walks that will be happening over the next 4 months. I have been following various walkers on their first day of the Boston 3Day and already I am filled with excitement! The support is pouring in from other Boston walkers/crew, walkers/crew from other cities, and amazing people who just believe in the cause. It has been so heartwarming to read. It's making me sooooooo anxious for my own 3Day experience!

Best of luck to the Boston walkers and crew - keep up the great job! Wishing you clear skies tomorrow =)

Start of a new week

The weeks just keep flying by! This is the beginning of week 18 of the 24 week training schedule. By the end of this week I'll be 1/4 of the way through. Scary!

Here's what happened last week...

Training:
Monday: rest
Tues: 3 mile AM walk
Wed: 30 min Zumba with my daughter
Thurs: 3 mile AM walk, 2 mile PM walk with my son
Fri: rest (should have been 15 mins cross training)
Sat: 5 mile AM walk
Sun: 6 mile AM walk around Balboa Island with Becky =)
TOTAL = 19 miles

Fundraising:
Nothing new to report. Nothing, nothing, nothing. Of course, I did nothing to remedy that either. Feeling stuck.
TOTAL = $1,610

Table outside of WalMart again this Sunday. Cash will be kept until just before the event and divided according to need, so this won't change my current personal total.



Looking ahead... This week marks the introduction of the 7 mile walk. This will be my longest yet. Not sure I even have a route mapped out for that... hmmmmmmm. I think I'll have to do that quickly and see if I can get anyone to come with me, or multiple someones, or anyone anywhere to do any part of the mileage with me =)

Not so fab photos

Someday, when I grow up, I will own only things that work as they should. Until then, I have days like today where I bring my 8 year old daughter's cheapy little digital camera on my 6 mile walk. Apparently there's no software to get the pictures downloaded from my phone onto the computer(what??) or something like that. Currently I am waiting for my 13 year old son's phone to receive all of the pictures I sent him from my phone... pictures from my AZ walks. His phone has software.

Onward!!



This morning my friend, Becky, and I met in Newport Beach at 6:30am for our 6 mile training walk - to and around Balboa Island. I had never been there before, despite living in this area for almost 12 years, so I was excited to see something new and share my fabulous photo collage. Unfortunately, a bunch of my pictures didn't come out well. Nor did these that I chose to share with you anyway...



'Kayso, there's boats and homes. These are actually in Newport just before we crossed the bridge to the island. Can you see the tiny crab on the rocks? No? You'll just have to trust me on that.

Then we have a few failed attempts to take pictures of the streets lined with cute little cottage houses and/or piers. The beachfront houses have piers and decks along the beach. Some decks are simple, and some have stuff... like the Statue of Liberty..

Some have wooden (??leaf??) llamas, and some just have pretty statues.
In that bottom left picture you can see Balboa Fun Zone in the background (or you could if the image was even 50% better). Can you spot the Ferris Wheel? Just FYI, we did not take the ferry over and go to the arcade.

For better pictures go here (if that link really works I'll be thrilled, Thanks LeAnne!)

snippets

Thoughts from this morning's 3 mile walk (miles 4&5 to be done this evening due to time constraints)...

* What's wrong with my legs? Why are they toning up differently? Why can't anything about me be symmetrical??

* When people see me walking, do they run through a mental CPR checklist?

* At seeing two in-shape women, walking slowly, dressed in their cute little outfits... Look at them just sauntering along. How nice for them, in their cute clothes. Here I am puffing along wearing my too-big, men's green tshirt with the sleeves stuck up into my bra straps. Blech.

* Ooooh another doughnut shop...

* At seeing a heavy balding man jogging with his 5/6 year old son.. Awwwwwwwwww how cute! What a wonderful thing for them both.

* Arf! What a cute little puppy. Awwwwwww look how one ear stands up and the other flops down. So cuuuuuuuuute. Hey, he keeps looking back at me. Maybe he thinks I'm cute too =) Or maybe he's doing his mental CPR checklist...

Walk on with your bad self!

Update

I'm into the teens! Week 19 of the training countdown has begun. As per the schedule I began this new week yesterday with a day of rest =) Well deserved after the back-to-back walks on the weekends. Trying to figure out how to fit the two 5 mile and one 6 mile in this week...

From last week:

Training: 17 miles total walked, 30 mins cross-training

I've already posted about my 6 mile walk so I won't go over it all again. Happily, my hot spots were not an issue during the next day's 4 mile walk. Didn't feel a thing =) I did go out yesterday to purchase some Body Glide - yay!

Fundraising: $1,610 total

..sigh.. Just not sure what to do about this. I'm not sure my newsletters generate enough donations to make it worth the time to put out an extra one. I'll have to think about something a little more simple, maybe. Getting frustrated. Walmart canning date coming up at the end of the month, and I'll do the change jar challenge next month... Grrrrrr....

Aaaaaaaaah...

Love these post-workout. Feels so refreshing on my red hot face!
(towelettes with Vit B5, green leaf extract and Vit E - CVS brand)

Did *I* do that?

Wow. Did my first 6 mile training walk and it felt fantastic! Don't get me wrong, it was hot, there was sweat dripping down the small of my back and my feet got a little hot... especially that darned left foot. But, I DID IT! I'm pretty dang proud of myself. Not only did I complete it, but I could have gone on longer. It helped that a friend walked with me!

We left at 10:40 after dropping our daughter's off at a birthday party. From there we walked 3 mile out, and 3 miles back. At the turn around point there were tons of places to stop. I chose McD's, emptied the bladder and filled the water bottle. I snacked on my nuts and dried cranberries. Happiness. My friend did nothing, and hadn't even finished her water. Two miles later she was hungry and thirsty. We popped into an AM/PM where I got a Gatorade fountain drink (with lots of crushed ice .... ooooooooooh crushed ice!).

Now that I'm home and I've eaten, I am trying to remember to keep stretching. All i really want to do is sit :) I have a few hot spots on the bottom of my feet, but feel good otherwise. Mentally? I feel GREAT!

Friday already??

...sigh...

I can't believe the week is gone. Between our trip and two sickies in the house, I feel as if I've done nothing at all. Still want to post about my AZ walks - I have pictures =) Didn't do the 15 mins cross training on Wed, and as of 11am still haven't done today's 30 mins. Keeping up with the walks, though.

Found a friend to walk my first 6 mile with me. Hopefully this nice cool weather will last until tomorrow around 12:30.... when we should be finishing up our walk! Bummed I'm missing the early morning 6mile training walk in HB. It would have been nice to meet other 3Day walkers in the area.

Enough whining for me. Time to get the kids moving...

So. Un. Motivated.

20

On to week 20 I go. Actually I've already gone, today is Tuesday. Busy weekend =)This weeks brings with it the first 6 mile training walk. A training walk leader has set up a walk for that day, and I reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally want to go. Anyone wanna come over at 6am to watch my kid for me while I go??

Not much to report, but here goes. From week 21..

Training: walked 15 miles, 30 mins cross training

** I finished out the week in AZ visiting hubby's family for the holiday weekend. I am proud to say that I did, indeed, get up and do both my 5 mile and my 4 mile training walks while there =) More on that in another post. **

Fundraising: $1,610 still, I'm stuck =(

** Nothing planned, nothing happening. Sigh. Oh we do have another Walmart date at the end of this month. I should have done my change jar challenge this month. Dangit.
Frustration is setting in and it's not time for another newsletter yet. Blech. **

rough

This morning was rough. Didn't want to get up and walk. Guilt got me out of bed before 6am and out to do my 4 miles. It was tough going... no motivation other than knowing if I didn't do it this morning, I would not get it done today. Too much on my mind, too tired...blech.

So now I'm done. I should feel good that I actually did it, but I don't. Oh well. No pride, no sense of accomplishment. But at least there's no guilt. It will be interesting to see what happens on our trip this weekend. I have the 4 and 5 mile routes mapped out...