Eleven miles you say?

Well this past Saturday was our big training walk before we leave for Alaska. I walked eleven miles. Eleven miles. E-L-E-V-E-N M-I-L-E-S.

I know that the theme of many posts in this blog has been “I’ve never done that before” but truly this was a milestone. That is longest distance that I have ever gone in my ‘walking career’.

We started at the Hyatt, and at Brick Street Café I peeled off and went on my own. I had plotted eleven miles on mapmyrun.com that week and I had my route. I knew it was me against the pavement…but I also knew who was going to win. I was.

Most of our training has been together as a team…but for me this was more of a mental block that I needed to overcome. I had been concerned all week about the eleven….but not in a fatal way. It was just on my mind.

The week before I walked 8.5…and eleven really isn’t a big stretch from 8.5. I truly knew in my self that the worst that could happen was that I would have to take a few breaks…I wasn’t overconfident but I knew I could do the eleven.

I wound up Crescent and Capers and Jones and McDaniel (a killer street if ever there was one) and East Tallulah and Rock Creek. Then I was at 5.5 miles. I knew I could make it. It’s like Everest…getting to the top (or half-way point as may be the case here) is only half the battle. You gotta get back too.

At the half-way point…I took a full five minute break…shoes off. Those toes (see previous entry) have their funny ways.

And then I started back. And really, after one more bathroom break and one more toe break…it really didn’t seem like eleven miles. It really didn’t.

Maggie called somewhere in mile nine. She had done her ten the day before. I talked to her a few minutes then we parted. That last little bit is up Main Street…and although it’s not bad…it is uphill.

And I did the eleven in 3 hours. That is with one bathroom break and three toe breaks. I don’t think that is bad at all. And I had some left. And I wasn’t sore the next day. Soooo…I think I am ready.

We leave in three weeks. Holy cow…WE LEAVE IN THREE WEEKS.

Alaska Dawg

About The Toes

It’s only 4 weeks. A measly 28 days. 28 D-A-Y-S. I’ll be on my way to Alaska. Well…after we get 'Terrifying Saturday' out of the way this weekend.

May 26th, 2007 is our big mileage day. We are walking eleven miles. Yes…all at the same time. Starting at 7 a.m. On the same day. Continuous. Well…except for bathroom breaks.

I’m a little apprehensive.

Sure, a bunch of us went 8.5 miles with no problem this past weekend in Virginia. I don’t want to say it was easy, but I had more left when we were done. And yes…I have walked seven miles pretty regularly.

But I am nervous. I have toe issues that I hope I can keep at bay.

My regular training (look Dad…I am talking like an athlete) problem is toe issues.

Everyone on the marathon team knows about the toes. Mostly it is on the left foot…although the right foot takes its fair share of equal opportunity at times. But the left leg is far and above a problem child. And what is this problem you ask? NUMBNESS.

Ok, I know that sounds like something that shouldn’t be a problem. It goes numb…you don’t feel anything…no problem. I WISH.

My problem goes something like this. Walking along. All is well. Cross the 4.5 to 5 mile mark…WHAMMO. Numbness. And the numbness comes in the form of burning. My toes…but not the big toe…just burn. It’s sort of like when your leg goes numb and then the feeling is coming back. Instead of the pins and needles feeling…mine feels like someone is pumping lava in into my veins.

But Sheila at Fleet Feet and I have worked and worked on the problem. I bought a bigger pair of shoes. In the wide-width. We re-laced the shoe (who knew there were so many ways to lace a shoe). I was doing better. No problems on Saturday on gravel. And then I changed shoelaces on someone’s suggestion this week. And last night I was in literal tears. But it wasn’t anyone’s fault. We thought it would work. And it wasn’t Sheila…who is well-versed in my toes issues.

But trust me…these toes are extremely sensitive. They don’t like anything you do to them. So today…the old laces are back. And I am hoping for the best on Saturday. If all else fails…I have to stop and massage them every 2-3 miles. I can live with that. And plenty of Advil. And a sane pace…last night we were kind of pounding it out at 14.45-15 minute miles.

So the toes get two days off. And with that reward of vacation time they better behave on Saturday. This is our last big walk before we leave. After this we start to taper off for the weeks before the race.

And after Alaska…my goal is Kiawah in December and the Cooper River Bridge Run in March.

The toes just groaned.

Alaska Dawg

Five Weeks From Today…

I will be touching down in Alaska. We arrive that Thursday night late. And I hope to see my first moose by Friday at 9:00 a.m. …which will actually be 3 in the afternoon East Coast time.

I am actually quite concerned about the time change thing. We leave here at noon, but we don’t to Alaska until 11:28 p.m. Which if you think about that in terms of East Coast time is five in the morning. Huh? I don’t think you can sleep enough on the plane to overcome that. So…I’ll just have to make the best of it. Friday is a free day…so I want to go and do some stuff…but will have to acclimate a bit.

On the way home…we leave at 3:40 in the afternoon and get to Greenville the next day at 8:53 in the morning. Someone please just point me to my bed and let me fall.

It’s all going to be quite challenging. But I think the beauty of Alaska and excitement of the race and fun of the trip will make it all worthwhile.

But the thing that will make it most enjoyable is just being with my teammates and us doing it together.

Nothing can beat that.

Walking with and Without

Several of us on the team are meeting up tonight to do a longish walk.

Longish for our marathon team is about five miles. I use the word longish because to a half-marathoner…that is kind of a normal everyday distance. Right on the edge of being a long walk…which a long walk is something after 6 or 6 ½ miles to a marathoner.

A debate that I have with myself is walking with others. I love walking with the team, but I love walking alone too. Both have their advantages.

Team: You are more likely to keep up a nice fast pace.
Alone: You don’t feel guilty if you want to stop for a moment.

Team: Friendship
Alone: Time alone to think and gather thoughts

Team: Hear about friend’s life and catch up
Alone: Mentally plan and prepare for upcoming events

Team: Stare at guy’s butts. You know who you are.
Alone: Stare at guy’s butts. Guilty as charged your honor.

I am looking forward to June. Kid is leaving for a few weeks, and then I can get in some good longish walks in downtown that are my favorites. And I can hopefully work off that last ten pounds I want to purposely get rid of before we leave for Alaska.

It’s exactly seven weeks from today. Alaska. Seven weeks from today we leave. I am going to have to keep repeating this to believe it. But it really is going to happen.

I have received email from Maggie noting that she is working on the moose. Maybe a moose eating Carrot Cake.

Anything is possible. Seven weeks.

Dawg

And then I found the Carrot Cake

Well yesterday was my 42nd birthday. And it was a jammed packed day.

Got up feeling good, but still having some anxiety from some events from the night before. Let’s just say that last Thursday’s post lingered over the weekend, with a heartache on Sunday. But that’s ok. I can’t control someone else. And I will not be dragged back to meanness.

We all went to lunch at work and I got a card signed by everyone. Planned to leave work at five to get home and walk for thirty minutes before kid’s concert. Drove home. Check mail. Go up the walk. Hello to Tigger.

And then I found the carrot cake.

Someone left me a carrot cake on my doorstep. It’s like something out of a movie. You see it, and a million things run through your mind. You really do freeze for a moment trying to make sense of it.

There is a carrot cake on my front doorstep. And you look around to see if there is someone in the bushes that left the carrot cake. It was still cold on the bottom from being refrigerated. Will it explode when I pick it up? Did Rosielee leave this? But how could she?

I knew immediately who left it, but I couldn’t get my mind around it. There is only one person that knows about this. It can’t be anyone else. But I can’t get my mind around this. It’s still cold. But I can’t quite grasp this. There is a carrot cake on my doorstep.

I had a discussion a while back with Mr. Thursday Post about Free Will. What is the role of Free Will in religion? In the universe?

Sometimes when you need it most…the universe reaches out and touches you. You don’t know when it is coming. You don’t know before it happens that you need it to happen. It just happens. And then life goes on.

Sometimes you find a carrot cake…on your doorstep.