50:20!

Today we went to Reading for Fitzy's Halloween 5K. Yeah, there was one in Bethlehem, but it was for runners only. We had our best time ever 50:20 (or 50:15 by Bonnie's watch).

Pat came along, she needed to go to Vanity Fair. So she waited in the car.

We got to Reading quickly, and were looking for a parking space by 9:10. I saw some stairs where google maps wanted us to turn left. I made a mental note I should climb them. When we arrived at the park the streets were narrow and it was parked tight like sardines.  Bonnie needed the ptrt-o-potties so I dropped her off by a set of stair. Hmmm, wonder if those are the turn left stairs? We planned a meeting spot, and I went in search of parking. I ended up looping around and found those stairs again. I said to Pat I was going to park and see where they went.  When I got out of the car I could hear the 5K—a man making announcements and bad rock and roll.

I returned to the car and told Pat we were a block away. Straight down. Bonnie doesn't mind the stairs, so I'm staying put. There was about 70. We forgot to count.

I went down the stairs and was on the opposite side of the park. It's called Happy Hollow, because it's in a hollow. There were stairs all around it. I grabbed Bonnie and we checked in, and hiked our "bags" up to the car.

We went back down to the park and Bonnie took pixs of the costumes while I had a massage. We didn't do costumes. The boys in the picture were the most interesting. The little girl as a washer was the best and it was homemade. This race had a costume contest.

It was 10:30 before the race began. We had to hike out of the park and up a hill to get to the start. Walkers started in the back. We heard none of the announcements. I think the guy forgot to plug in his megaphone.

Only about 1/3 of the race was on the streets. The rest was in a huge park/. Think Lehigh Parkway but not as pretty. It also had a lot of gravel paths. Not great for quick walking.We ended up doing maybe 5 power walk spurts.

We kept playing leap frog with two women, and an older couple. We'd pass them, they'd pass us. The two women really wanted to beat us and ran into the finish. That's just wrong.

I know the walking portion of most of these events are not competitive, but cheating is cheating. If you want to run, sign up as a runner.

friday and saturday walks

Friday, over lunch Betsy and I walked. We changed our route. She needed to get candy for trick or treat, so we walked the indirect route to the Crest Plaza Shopping Center to Target.

I had mentioned seeing a sign on Calvary Temple that they were having a health fair and giving free flu shots. I need one, prefer it to be free. So we decided we would see how long the line was, then I was going to go there, and Betsy to Target. But we couldn't find which door to use. That's because I had no idea what day it was. The sign clearly said October 30. Saturday, not Friday. Duh.

When we left her house it was bright and sunny. When we came out of Target is was cloudy and lightly raining. It stopped quickly but rained at least one more time before we got back to her house.

Saturday Lydia came over for lunch and to walk. We got her dad into the house and then we headed out. I had one route planned with three lengths. She chose a modified middle route. Out Itaska, Broadway, Back Delaware, down Fourth, back Wyndotte and Broadway. I decided weaving up the hill would be better for her, but as it turns out that was wrong. Broadway is flat and the hill two blocks. The way I went the hill was about four blocks. Oops. We did about 2.5 miles. Pretty good for her first training walk.

so far this week

Sharon and I walked Monday morning and I went to T'ai Chi last night. When I arrived, I found out it was the last class in the session. To continue I need to buy another session ($25). If I do I would also l sign up for the nutritionist (5 weeks, $125).

So far my roomies haven't a clue what I'm doing Tuesday night. I make up lame excuses to leave the house. Not sure if they even realize it's every Tuesday since my schedule is so erratic. Can I fool them for another six weeks?

I really like the class. Still can't do any of it, but I like it. It relaxes me, at least for a hour. The six o'clock time frame is a bear with the rush hour traffic. Is it worth it? I relax while there, and two seconds after I walk in the house the stress is back. If I check my phone then any good is wiped out by a screaming message "where the f*ck are you?" Yes, I'm 50 something and they are not my mother. Besdies, she wouldn't use that language.

Gotta decide by the time class is over. The community center is a mile away. It's now or never.

sunday in the park

I posted a beginner walk today for every three feet. Several people and a dog came. It was quite exciting. Of course it was all family. Even the dog.

We were at Bicentennial park in East Allen Township. We did two loops that totaled about 1.5-1.75 miles. Lydia's pedometer read 2500 steps which would be 2.5 miles. It wasn't that far. Part of the course was one of the fitness walk things and we played on all the equipment. Lyd took pixs with her moms camera of us being silly.

I talked to Lyd about setting a 5K for a goal and she said yes, hesitantly. I think she can do it. If I can, and Sharon can, she can.

This morning, for the first time in months I went to Planet Fitness with Sharon. 15 minutes on the bike at 10 and I didn't break a sweat. Guess I need to figure out how to change the settings. Then we did the dreaded machines. ALmost had a fight with Sharon. She is using them wrong. I'm not 100% sure what she should be doing, but it certainly didn't look like the pictures! For Christmas I'll have to get her personal training sessions again. I think she's forgotten everything.

catching up

Monday was tough. I was a bit sore, but I got up at 6:30 and went walking with Mary Liz. getting out of bed was the hard part.

Tuesday the stairs at work were tough, at least in the morning. I was looking forward to t'ai chi. but I didn't get there. We were setting up the faculty art show and ran over time.

Wednesday I went out with Mary Liz in the morning, and again on Friday. also on Friday I did an hour at a quick pace with Betsy.

Today I did two sessions of T'ai chi.

Tomorrow I'll bedding a beginner walk with Lydia. she's starting to walk around the trailorhood. Maybe we can set a 5k as a new goal for her. perhaps the Jingle Bell in December or the new years eve 5k in Bethlehem.

Bonnie and I will doing one in Reading on Halloween, and another in downtown Bethlehem Thanksgiving weekend. Then the Jingle Bell on December 5 and the ten mile peace pilgrimage from Nazareth to Bethlehem on December 11.

sunday

Sunday we were up at five packing and getting ready for the walk. The wind had calmed down a bit, and it was supposed to get warmer. Bonnie called the front desk to see if we could get the bags to the car or if there was a holding area. They told us the bellman would take care of it. We came off the elevator and found the bellmen. He said "follow the pink people"! There was a large group of people waiting to check their bags.

We didn't get a really big bus this time. We got the mini bus with a lovely driver who didn't drive like a crazy person. And actually didn't hang on the phone. I {heart} responsible drivers.

We had breakfast and hit the line for the port-o-potties. By the time Bonnie came out,  the walk started, so we didn't go to the start line we went straight out and saved ourselves fifty whole feet! The section in Randall's Island is about three miles of park ending with a pedestrian bridge. One layer of clothes was off before we even reached the first rest stop.

We came out of the park at about 90th street and headed back uptown to about 120th. We went around central park and down Columbus Avenue again. While circling the park we got the call from Beth that she and Alan had arrived. They walked up to Columbus circle and the west side of the park and waited for us at 70th. We met them after our lunch stop (10:45ish) and they walked with us back to 45th. While they headed to lunch and the pier, we continued down 5th past Hearld Square and all the way down to about 15th. We walked thru Madison Square park and headed east to Riverside Drive. I took off my sneakers at the final rest stop. Again, it was wonderful. But I should not have sat down. It totally took the wind out of my sails. That last half mile was tough. I hit a wall. the lady in the wheelchair past me! (She rolled the entire walk, self-propelled!)

Bonnie had quite a cheering section at the end. Sharon, Beth, Alan and her neice Emily and her husband Christian who came in via subway from Brooklyn. Bonnie finished about two blocks ahead of me. While she talked to her family, Beth and I searched for beer and coca cola. It never tasted so good.

We decided not to stay for closing and meet at the Clinton dinner for Dinner.

For more photos see: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/578827986UUDAHj

saturday, walking in the wind

Saturday we were up at about 4:30 and downstairs for the bus before 5:15. There was so many people headed to opening ceremonies. The buses were stacked up like we we're at the port authority. Most everyone with sleeping bags and luggage. We stayed at the hotel because Bonnie flat out refused to camp. Glad we did. It was so windy.

We arrived at opening ceremonies and lost each other. Pretty much as soon as we got off the bus. I called Bonnie's cell and it was not on. She finally called mine and we met up. Then got in line for breakfast. Ultimately they walked down the aisles of people and passed out power bars, and awful yogurt. There was not tea when we arrived at the head of the line. Nor was there OJ. We decided to get fruit at the first pit stop and keep moving. The theme was Broadway and the Phantom of the Opera was very popular. I told Bonnie we would see him again.

The walk started at pier 84 and headed uptown to about 125th Street. it was cold and windy. Vey windy. we keep a quick pace, but not our 5k pace, throughout the day. The we looped around and headed back downtown. Ultimately, if you were doing the 26.3 miles you would go down to city Hall over the Brooklyn Bridge, loop thru Brooklyn and come back the Manhatten bridge and then head uptown to Randall's Island. Bonnie and I planned to only do the half-marathon.

On our way down Columbus Avenue we found the uptown location of Magnolias Bakery. I was sure we wouldn't stop, considering Bonnie's gluten intolerance since the cancer drugs. Then she says, I wonder if they have anything gluten free? We went in and they did. a flourless brownie. The counter girl put hers in a bag, and mine in a box. I thought why? we're going to eat them in a minute. Wrong! we carried them to the finish line, where they stayed perfect and we ate them.

We grabbed the shuttle bus back to the wellness village (where Sharon was working) from the half marathon finish line. The Asian bus driver was worse than any NYC taxi driver I've rode with. I took off my sneakers and put on my Birks, and my feet were happy. I crossed the finish line wearing my Birks.

Who was waiting for us at wellness village? Sharon of course. But also the Phantom of the Opera. we got our picture then headed off for the chiropractor and massage tents.

dinner was pasta, meatballs, green beans, and salad. The veggie entree was an enchilada filled will beans and veggies, topped with cheese and sauce. I always sign up for these things as a vegetarian, so I checked if it was a flour or corn tortilla. The volunteer didn't know the answer but the supervisor checked with the catering service and she yelled back "gluten free". Bonnie ate my entree, I ate hers. we headed back to the hotel to watch tv and to do my class via phone with Angel.

another early morning faced us. last bus to Randalls Island was at 6:15.

More pixs go to: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/578827986UUDAHj

avon walk wrap up.

Yes, I know you've been waiting to hear all about it. It is embarrassing that it has taken me a whole week to write about a great weekend. Yet alone everything that has happened since. But it has been crazy. Too much work and not enough time. Plus catching up on home stuff. I have about an hour to write and a iPad on probation. The time is now.

I am in the laundromat, drying towels. My dryer broke about a month ago, maybe more and the expense to repair it is greater than the cost of a new one. I will get a new one, but am waiting till at least November when I can not hang anything out. So I grabbed the iPad and here I am. Typing and eating fried rice from the Chinese restaurant next door. (not recommended activity.)

Where to start? I guess at the beginning.

Friday, Sharon and I met Bonnie at her office about 12:30. She had to work in the morning. I packed at eleven. Why? My online class monopolized my morning. I posted that I was doing the walk and I would check in as I could. That I had not abandoned them. I did it Tuesday. Wednesday they started posting like it w the end of the world. The work was piling up. it was crazy.

We piled all the stuff in Bonnie's car, and headed to Saladworks for lunch. Then we hit the road. I read out loud the "Let's walk" eight page instructions for the weekend. I was the only one to download it.

it was the first time Bonnie has driven into the city and it went remarkable smooth. Ring around the Lincoln Tunnel hadn't even started yet!

The host hotel was the Sheraton Times Square. Upon arrival we asked where to park and were directed to the deck with the tightest corner to maneuver. The man took Bonnie's keys and the car and directed to the hotel. We checked in and found our tiny room. It was the size of a NYC apartment There was just enough room for the dresser, two full size beds and a desk. if anyone remembers my bedroom on Seneca Street it gives you a sense of the type of space we had.

The room was on the 22nd floor. I wanted to walk the steps, but never did.

We changed and went to register and go to the expo. When we arrived at the conference suite,  we met Bonnie's walker buddy Tara, and grabbed a flyer for a lecture on nutrition and cancer. The speak was Leslie Bonci, the dietician from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The expo room was long and skinny and packed with people. Last year it was spacious. You registered in the middle, and shopped along the sides and the two ends. Avon had a store on one end, Reebok on the other. We walked, shopped and talked and met lots of nice people. Sharon had a crew meeting at five, so Bonnie and I took our purchases up to our room and then went down to the lecture. Appetizers at 5:30, lecture at 6. The crew meeting was supposed to end at six, so we got food, and put our stuff down at three seats and I went up to get Sharon. She wasn't ready—she had a meeting after the meeting. I told her where to come and there would be Starbucks coffee and good cheese waiting. She never found us. She waited in the hotel lobby for us.

The nutritionist from the Steelers was great. Lots of good practical advice, and funny as heck. Then of course came the oncologist sponsor, and a happy patient. Boring. But we got a cookbook and some great food. Not a bad way to spend the evening.

We found Sharon and headed off into the streets looking for food. We found an Irish Pub and looking at the menu Bonnie found some gluten free items. The staff was wearing Avon breast cancer ribbons and the special of the night was the breast cancer awareness cosmo. Five bucks for a mixed drink in NYC. And the glass was full. Bonnie and I got one, Sharon had ice tea and we toasted the walk. Everyone came by and wished us well. It was pretty obvious what were doing. The owner of the bar had a thick accent.

Food was delicious and Bonnie even found food she could eat.

We finished the night by walking in Times Square and shopping at a tacky tourist store. It had been so long since I did either. I was surprised that it is actually fun. We went to bed about 10. We needed to be on the bus at 5:15 am.

So the iPad is down to 26% battery. I guess I need to wrap this up and continue it later. I have to run ML and Bob to Newark in an hour, so it might not be until tonight.

nyc here we come!

Tomorrow is the big day. Our Avon Breast Cancer Walk adventure begins. We'll be leaving Bonnie's office at 12:30. (She has to work in the morning.)

I've taken a few short walks this week, and went to Tai Chi, but other than that, I've been getting ready for the big walk weekend. I'll walk with Sharon in the morning, then get packed.

She's driving. Her first time driving in NYC. Maybe I'll end up driving her car. We'll see.

We're staying in the host hotel in Times Square. Big money, but we're splitting it in three, so it will be better. The Expo will be in the hotel. Saturday and Sunday we walk. Then we cross the finish line and come home.


Then it's over. But I'll still be walking and climbing stairs. The Wilkes Barre stair climb is March 19!

Before I have about $250 to put in my fund-raising account, and then I'll self donate the other $250. Not bad considering I didn't have a fundraiser. Just too much crap this year. I'd walk accross the country if I didn't have to raise money. I love to walk.

I'll try to blog from the event. I have my iPad. All I need is wifi.  If nothing else, I can do the write ups in notepad and copy/paste them when I get home.

--------

Good luck to all my friends walking tomorrow in the Philly 3-Day. There really will be a pink army out there this weekend.

Nor-bath trail

Yesterday Bonnie and I did five miles in her neigh-borhood.

Today, we did the Nor-Bath Rail Trail. About 10 miles. We started in Northampton and walked to Bath and back. It was a fairly flat walk, pretty uninteresting. Except for a cute little cottage with a fence made from bicycles. It was gravel the whole way and I got to tell you that's hard on the feet.

Today I carried my backpack and my iPad. I tried to bring everything that I carry at the Avon. I needed to make sure I could still carry it all. I could.

In the process we did some research for my niece who had WLS.  She lives in "North-
ampton". Yeah, right. So this trail is fairly close to her. As well as the walking path in Bicentennial park.

It was a beautiful day and we didn't meet many other people until late in the morning. I found that odd. The D&L is a traffic jam by 7:30 am. Guess they like to sleep in on Sunday's.

I'll be doing short walks this week. We leave for the Avon Friday, about noon. Bonnie is driving into NYC for the first time.

terrible food day

I struggle with food. It's no longer a pleasure but a series of options, hopefully choosing ones that won't kill me in the long run. Sugar is my nemeses. Carbs follow close behind. If I'm not careful I could become pre-diabetic. I don't want that to happen.

I was doing well eating, and then fell off the wagon, so to speak. I've been struggling the last three weeks to get back on, but I can never get my footing.

Friday, I crashed. It was the worse food day in months.

In my area we have a convenience store called Wawa. They, like every other store have breakfast options. I ignore them. They are near the checkout, under a heat lamp and totally unappealing. Right now they are having a sale, 2/$3. It's everywhere—radio, tv, billboards, newspaper....  So Friday I went to Wawa. I didn't have breakfast. I had just finished walking with ML the 2.25 miles. I was waiting at the register and they brought trays of fresh, hot-from-the-oven sandwiches out. I was seduced by the smell and one appeared in my hand. Sausage, eggs, cheese on a CROISSANT! I think I grabbed the most toxic one on the shelf.

I got to the car, opened it and bit.. OMG was it delicious. Normally after I eat out I go home and look on the website to see how I did. But I knew that I didn't do well. Everything was fat. I finished the sandwich and went to throw away the box and the nutrition facts were on the bottom—500 calories. 320 from fat alone, and the real choker, over 900 mg of salt (40%).

That was bad but I could have recovered from it if I ate the rest of the day at home and had plenty of veggies and fruit. No, it was a travel day.

I took Pat shopping and it got to be lunch time and I asked where she wanted to go. Don Pablos. A Tex-Mex place. Apparently w/o a single vegetarian option or vegetable other than corn. We ended up slitting a two cheese enchilada platter. It came with rice and a corn cake. Pat asked for guacamole.  More carbs, more fat. More bad choices.

But then I went for an hour walk with Betsy at a quick pace.

I decided not to eat dinner. Didn't get anything out. Sharon, however, didn't eat all day and was hungry. We ended up getting Chinese food. Sharon paid. I resisted for 2 minutes.

Horrible, horrible day. I knew all the choices I was making were wrong and did it anyway.

rain delay

Mary Liz and I planned to walk this morning at 6:30, but it was pouring. So we had a rain delay. Maybe when I get out to the college it will be nice enough to walk the walking trail. Although part of it is grass. I might have to swim that section.

kidney walk cancelled

Eryn, the kids, a couple of her friends were all supposed to do the Kidney Walk today. For me it's a walk in the park, literally. It's maybe a mile ... and a half.

I wasn't sure what time it started so I went online last night to see and found this message:

“IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!

 DUE TO THE POUNDING RAINS THE LAST FEW DAYS; THE LEHIGH VALLEY KIDNEY WALK HAS BEEN CANCELLED.’’

Say what? Why didn't I get an email? The only thing I can think of is that  I used a work address instead of my walking one. But why. I would have show up there this morning for no reason what so ever. I wonder how many people did.

training walk in allentown

Bonnie on the Susquehanna Street bridge.

Today we started at Bonnie's and did 5.25 miles. We started at her place and walked all the way out Lexington till we got to Kmart. That's where we left Sharon. We proceeded thru the shopping center, and the apartment complex and up Dixon to Mack Blvd. Then back thru Trout Creek Park, over the Susquehanna Street bridge, and back Chapel and ultimately Lexington.

Neither of us could remember the park name, but we found the sign and it's Trout Creek park. And as always happens in A'town, the bathrooms were closed. I checked. I wanted to make sure that their track record was intact. But in their defense there was one port-o-potty. We didn't open the door. I can't imagine it's condition that park is used very heavily. The sign on the comfort station said restrooms closed due to vandalism. It doesn't surprise me, but it does make me a bit sick. Soon public parks will have no amenities.

Bonnie was on-call and we had to stop and take a call as we were coming out of the park. As we crossed the Susquehanna Street bridge, we both realized we had never walked it before. Photo op—a new bridge!

Walking back to her place I found this tree with a great gnome house. It even has a window on the other side. Someone/something is certainly living in there, but I doubt if it was a gnome.  What earthly treasures are there to guard in south Allentown?

Bonnie was on vacation last week, but walked all over Disney. I did some walking without her. We were surprised how effortless today was. It felt really good. The Avon is in two weeks and we are ready.

walkin in the rain?

We really need rain. My garden is a huge hard brick.

SO it's rained and rained and rained this week. Soft rain. Hard rain, flooding rain.

This morning I got up to walk and it was pouring. It was dark. ML called and said it was raining. Are we going? I said no and went back to bed.

About 8:30 Betsy called. What do you want to do. I had heard that the rains would stop by afternoon. SO I said lets wait till lunch time. About 11 I checked the radar map and it looked like the rain was moving out. I called Betsy and we decided to go 1-1:30. And we did.

It was dark for 1 pm and cold and moist. But as we walked it got warmer. Or maybe we just got warmer. But the sun came out and it was all good. We walked at a quick pace for about an hour.

Betsy's alternate suggestion was to do her power walking tape. "Walk At Home" by Leslie Sansone. You do three miles and a warm up in about 45 minutes. Holey Moley! After our walk we watched some of the tape. I was tired and sweaty viewing it! She has a one-mile walk on the web if you want to try it out. Next cold raining day I will try it. I'll let you know.

This week I also did T'ai Chi on Tuesday. Got there 10 minutes late. I haven't told Pat yet that I'm doing it, so my excuse was grocery shopping. We really needed groceries. However, before I went she wanted an ice cream sundae from The Cup at Lehigh.  I wanted to tell her f-off I was busy, but couldn't without giving my "secret" away. So I did it. And I was late.

Tomorrow we're going to the Philly Zoo.

Sunday is the Kidney Walk. It's only about a mile and a half. Eryn is not going. That's the reason I signed up. I don't know if I'll do it now. I should do a training walk instead. The Avon is 2-weeks away!

We'll see.