Twelfth Night after walking and running...

Jen and I went to see Twelfth Night last evening at the Shakespeare Tavern here in Atlanta. I wish I had taken my camera with me so you could see the outside of the building. Take a run over to the link and check the place out - it is modeled after the Globe, but on a much smaller scale. The ambience, the actors, the stage direction, the music interwoven seamlessly all combined for a terrific evening and one where I found myself constantly smiling. It was a faithful performance even to the point where you felt you were a part of a production that was probably put on much as envisioned in Shakespeare's day. And the food was good, too!

Earlier that same day, much earlier, Jen ran a 10k here in Atlanta in order to have a qualifying time for next year's Peachtree. I'm proud to say she broke 54 minutes!! Woo Hoo, Jen!

For our part, Karyn and I did 15 miles in 5 hours. We stopped more often for stretching, and sat for breakfast, and a fruit purchase at Kroger's. We were most happy with our time and though we could feel our legs and the last three miles felt more like ten, we did well. We are ready.

Today, Tink and I did ten miles with a few stretch breaks, and a stop at home after the 5.5 mile point. I definitely had pain in my left arch, but I am planning on getting the better orthotics ( I will post a link after I pick them up at REI, can not remember the name of them right now) for my second set of sneakers this week.

I have raised the $2200 I needed to walk - thank you to all my supporters and to those who are helping to clothe and sneaker me for the 3Day - you all rock!

Trout

Nick and Teresa came over Tuesday night with Jameson so we could all watch the premiere of Heroes together which I had dvr'd from the previous evening. Nick made us a delicious dinner of mushroom risotto and grilled chicken breast. Teres and I were only allowed to watch. Thanks, Nick!

Anyhow, Nick told me that they are calling Jameson "Trout" as a nickname because he can not pass up a worm outside - alive, dead, crusty, squished - you get the idea. Nick says, "If Jameson had been a fish he would have been caught immediately because he can't pass up a worm!" I think that is so funny - I guess I'm just that kind of doggie Grandma.

Karyn and I did 15 miles today - we were definitely feeling our legs at the end. Achy, but in a good way. Hoping to do 10 tomorrow. Jen and I are going out on the town tonight - next blog will tell the details...

Daddy's HOME! (Plus 3Day Musings)

Daddy is back home from the hospital - yay. He sounds good on the phone, wish I could be there in person. Thanks to everyone who said a prayer - prayer works!

Tonight I got the front yard cut then Tink and I headed out for our long neighborhood route - we had a beautiful sunset to walk by and I don't think the temperature is above 77.

The Atlanta 3Day is five weeks away - I can hardly believe it. Now's the time to start making up my list and making sure I have a headlamp for night time trips to the potty from the tent, and I still am not sure about my pillow situation. I may hit REI this weekend to look for a travel/camp pillow that will fit better in my duffel. If anyone has a suggestion either email me or leave me an idea here, ok?

My kids and Gene were very generous in buying all my sneakers. I am still doing well with my feet - thank goodness. My fanny pack (which I've had since Arizona) is on its last legs -I'm praying it lasts through the walk, the water bottle stretchy material is really starting to give. I need a few more pair of socks, and I have to get my shirts made up. I will be contacting my supporters to see who they want me to walk in honor or in memory of so I can get all the names on my shirts. I was thinking of fuschia shirts with gold writing - if I can get something that looks just right.

What else? Well, I have my shorts, sleeping bag, sweats/hoody for pjs and campwear, and I know I am missing something - oh, I have a hat this year - I wore it last weekend for the 15 miles and I really liked it. It's one made by UnderArmor so it has very breathable material on the cap and the brim will be perfect. And it feels ok on for me - which is good since I am so not a hat person.

Thank you all for reading and keeping up with me and my training - I really appreciate it.

15 Miles Today

Maureen and I met at 0645 and did 13 miles by 11 a.m. with a McDonald's stop for coffee/biscuit and a potty stop on the way back. We saw a few other 3Day folk training and ran into two people from our parish. Very fun. I picked up Tink and did 2 more so I have got 15 under my belt today - finished by noontime so that was good with the stops. We also stretched more than we have been doing. I have to tell you I can feel my feet big time right now, but still BLISTERLESS!!!! HOORAY!!! Keep those good vibes and prayers coming - they are working. Tomorrow I am going to do 10 but will have to break it into 2 five milers with Mass in the middle.

Headed to the tv to check out Ike's damage to the Galveston and Houston areas now, but you could not believe all the people at the gas stations this morning. It reminded me of the Jimmy Carter gas rationing days. When will we learn?

Lung Cancer Vaccine

I saw a headline about this but finally had the chance to check it out. Turns out Fidel Castro has pioneered biotechnology since the 1980's. This vaccine will not cure lung cancer but will ease symptoms, and also will extend life from four months to a longer period. It is a start. It is on trial here in the U.S., but will not be available for two years. If only we could have had it for Rita.


3Day: Did my first official training walk with Karyn, a teammate, as well as other 3Day folk. All the others are newbies so it was quite fun to see their excitement. I did well, my left arch let me know it was there, but after the 7 miles I went home, got Tink, and did 1.5 more so she could get her exercise.

How is your meditation going? Oh, and got the cutest pic from Kauai - check out Mana's shoe!

6 Miles Today!

Whew! Tink is a little bit tired after her six mile jaunt - she had to pull me up the hills. Just kidding - but it was wicked at the end. Can definitely feel the left arch. : ( Have you donated to the 3Day cause yet? You will spur me on when you do - I want to walk with you, too!

Headed out to get a little something to eat with Jenny, then shopping. Ally, my niece, has graduated from eighth grade! Where did the time go? Anyway, heading out to get her a little something I have in mind for her High School years. Also have other shopping to do - yuck. Then home to King Arthur, Gawain, and the rest of the gang. And I have to unlock that last level on Link's Crossbow Training! I love my Wii!

3Day2006 ~ Day Two Memories

I hear voices from the other tents but it still seems really early to me, so I don't get up. I figure Penny (my tentmate) isn't up yet, then I think, well, maybe I better check the cell phone and see what time it is. Well, there's no Penny, I turn on the cell, it's 7 am, and there's a message from Penny saying they're all eating breakfast! I slept 11 hours! The rest of my team was upset because it got down to 30 degrees overnight (I learned later); they were cold. I'm a true northerner!

Today we start walking from our home base(camp). I forgot to tell you that each day you are scanned out to start walking and scanned back into home base. The credential you wear around your neck is your ID, etc. The ladies sing you out and dance you in that volunteer at check in. The music is incredible.

Our lunch stop today has all the crew dressed like Pirates of the Caribbean: we have Jack Sparrow welcoming us into the stop, and we eat our lunches of chicken wrap, pasta salad, fruit cup, and cookies. They were peanut butter so I turned down the cookies! And the route markers have written Johnny Depp Loves 3Day Walkers in chalk over by the potties. They are so good to us.

The first day the lunch crew was dressed as the 4077th MASH complete with a Colonel Klinger! The same crew dresses up each day of the walk in different costumes. It's incredible.

By lunch, my left foot is pretty bad, so I go get some self-med stuff and tape up my left heel with moleskin. It feels good for the first few miles after lunch, but because of where the spur is, the moleskin starts moving, and after awhile I'm in agony. I stop, tell my team to go ahead, and pull off the moleskin, wind up reversing it (the moleskin), walk slowly, and my team is waiting for me at the next pit stop. I'm afraid to stop walking at the pit stop so I just keep putting one foot in front of the other - I just keep on walking. And I made it. Not easily, but I made it. We walk back into camp, and I manage to smile and even to dance my way home - but only with my arms!

Off to the medical tent, the triage nurse looks at it, but says the blister may reabsorb, wait until morning. Then we hear about the weather - 60% chance of rain. A group of walkers start heading to their homes in the area, and will head back in the morning.

We head off to a dinner of chicken marsala, wild rice, salad, broccoli, and cheesecake. Yum. Inspiring stories of people among us, and then a disco band of four guys and lots of walkers are up dancing. Not me, but I'm happy to be there, and know that I've walked. The guys in the band wear huge 70's afro wigs. It's a riot. We stay up late tonight. We didn't go to bed until 8:35!

The rain starts around 2 a.m. Karyn has her alarm set in the next tent, and she's going to wake me at 6 so I can get right to the medical tent as it opens. Penny and I hear her alarm go off before she even says anything. Penny says she'll pack her duffel, then as soon as I get back from medical, I can pack mine, and she'll take down the tent so we can both get breakfast. I hobble over to medical after changing to my clothes for the day and putting my jammies back on over top for warmth from the drizzly rain. The medical tent is dark. Hmmmm...head back to our tent, Penny is waiting for me, I tell her something's wrong - medical isn't open. She says no, nothing's wrong, after I packed I turned on my cell, it's only 5:20 a.m.! Ay Yi Yi! I say let's lay down anyhow. She doesn't want to unpack so she goes to breakfast. But we all know how much I love to sleep, so I lay back down.

Flyers Up 2-1 in the Series & Walking !

<--Tink is wondering how many hours until the Flyers take to the ice again!

Last night's win, 6-3, over the Caps was so exciting to watch! The team has coalesced - you can watch it in their discipline, and even when they have a few shenanigans going on! : ) Mike Richards' penalty shot was flawless and fun. Instead of going for the flamboyant trick shot he made Huet feel foolish with the flick that trickled through the five hole - brilliant!

Today was a perfect day weather-wise here in northern Georgia. Sunny and seventy-two. Tink and I did our three mile stretch. We go through a part of our local streets and Tink was so excited she was running and dragging me along in a demented looking jog - and I'm being kind to myself calling it demented! Tink was exasperated at my lame attempts to keep up with her bunny-hopping, ears-flopping trot. Anyone who has ever had a doxie knows what I am talking about - they have the cutest way of running. It's a cross between a dog and a rabbit. I can not explain it better than that.

Maureen (one of my 3Day teammates) asked me when we were going to start training. I sadly told her they have already started without us! We have to get moving! The April walks are usually three miles. We then move into the road alongside Kennesaw Mountain which is a three mile round trip that just happens to include a mountain. Hopefully that will not start until May. I am planning on getting my second set of sneaks the beginning of May. I am also planning on training (and possibly doing some of the 3Day) in my Chaco's. They are fabulous.

Ok, y'all. Did you meditate today??? You didn't??? Open up your heart by opening up your mind to meditation.

3Day Readiness

Here's how Tink and I normally look when we take our daily walks which were not so daily this past week. With 5pm classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the middle of winter, we are lucky to get 5 walks a week. We are both pretty happy with that right now. This photo is from yesterday - we did 3.6 miles each yesterday and today. Weather perfect for walking - sunny and in the 50's to low 60's.

In 2006 when I did the 3Day I learned something about my left foot 4 weeks before the walk - I have a heel spur! At the time we were doing between 10-15 miles on one weekend day, and 7 miles on the second weekend day. I'd do great on Saturdays, but Sundays I'd be aching on my left foot. I tried a heel guard and was rewarded with a blister the size of Ohio on my heel! So, I headed to a podiatrist to drain my giant blister and he did xrays and surprise - heel spur. I had problems walking the 3Day, visited the fantastic medical tent at our camp and along the way, and I am proud to say I finished thanks to terrific nurses and doctors.

This time I signed up for the six month training schedule which means early April will find my schedule appearing in my email, and my team and I will start walking. I started early because of my heel. What I am doing is using some natural herbs which work well for my pitta dosha. I started before Christmas and so far I've been averaging almost twelve miles per week walking without any pain in that foot. Additionally, I am stretching daily.

I did research on ayurvedic healing on the internet, and talked to my daughter who teaches yoga and lives the ayurvedic lifestyle. One of my meanderings links is to Banyan Botanicals. I was already taking their triphala regularly for my digestion so it was a matter of seeing if Banyan had what I needed.

And they do - I am currently taking two guggulus - yogaraj and kaishore. Both are anti-inflammatories. If you click on the word guggulu above, you will go to the order page; you can click on the two types and read more about them, if you are interested.

Speaking of my meanderings links - my web page for the 3Day is up - very rough but it is there. Take a look, join up, or make a donation!