i finished before bonnie!

Just barely, but I beat "Jillian" at the CF Climb for Life in Philly—53 floors, 1019 steps.

We arrived in Philly at 8, and found a place to park on the street. Philly meters are no longer individual, so we had to locate the meter box, pay, get a ticket, and then place it on Aretha's windshield. But the graffiti artists had covered up the instructions with their "art". Bonnie finally figured out how to make it work.

Upon arriving at the Mellon Bank building, we waited in a long sign-in line, and waited some more in the lobby. It was schedules to start at 9, and by the time they were done BS-ing, we started at 9:20.

We decided ahead of time to do what I did last year and stop every five floors for a little break. At the 25th floor, Bonnie started checking her pulse. I didn't check my pulse. If I passed out and fell over it meant that I was working too hard! I drank a lot of water.

I handed the volunteer my camera and she snapped our picture on the last flight of stairs. (See, I'm in front!) Then again at the 53rd floor sign.

Gosh do I look fat in the 53rd floor picture. I need to blow that pix up and hang it on the fridge and cupboards!

it's a lovely day for a walk

Got out much later than usual because I had a shift shuttling homeless people from a church to downtown. That is a subject for another blog. By the time I got home and ate breakfast it was about 9 before I hit the streets.

Sharon and I did about 2 miles and it was fairly level and I made her go fast....for her. If I can build up her speed on the flats, maybe she'll get better on the hills. We'll see.

I haven't exercised much this week. March 1 is the start of my spring training. I have a 5K on the 19th and a stair climb.  Another 5K April 9, and then the big 5K season starts. I'd also like to do my first 10K Volkksport walk.

Tomorrow is the 53 story/101stair climb in Philly. Bonnie and I are going to do it. My goal last year was 25 flight, and I did them all. This year, the camera will be in my pocket. I want evidence! I will not wear those pink pants. Or if I do, my shirt will be long enough to cover my fat gut. Last year's pix was awful. When I pick up Bonnie I need to weigh myself. I was 230 at her house on Christmas Day. I bet I've gained.  I'll let you know tomorrow. Thinking about buying a scale. Scary.

I have a doctors appointment the March 22 which I just realized is a Tuesday. I'm going to have to change it. I have a class at 1 pm. This is what happens when your schedule is set for 3 months at a time, and you schedule six months ahead of time.

She wants a basic metabolic panel done (BMP). Lab Tests Online defines it as "a frequently ordered panel of tests that gives your doctor important information about the current status of your kidneys, blood sugar, and electrolyte and acid/base balance." Huh?

"The BMP includes: Glucose and Calcium, both increased and decreased levels can be significant. Electrolytes: Sodium, Potassium, CO2 (carbon dioxide, bicarbonate) and Chloride. The concentrations of sodium and potassium are tightly regulated by the body as is the balance between the four molecules. Electrolyte (and acid-base) imbalances can be present with a wide variety of acute and chronic illnesses. Chloride and CO2 tests are rarely ordered by themselves. And Kidney Tests BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and Creatinine. BUN and creatinine are waste products filtered out of the blood by the kidneys. Increased concentrations in the blood may indicate a temporary or chronic decrease in kidney function. When not ordered as part of the BMP, they are still usually ordered together. "

Now, I'm never comfortable with blood work and this all makes me even more uncomfortable. So starting March 1 I have to watch carefully what I eat. Kick those GS cookies to the curb. No sugar, salt, low fat, low carb, low everything. I think that means spinach, bananas, plain baked potatoes and broccoli. Okay, maybe not that strict. I don't want her to yell at me so I need to find a way to trick those numbers!

She has also given me a prescription for an EKG. The thought of it terrifies me. Not to mention it probably costs $500 which terrifies me more. So I looked online and it seems to be about $200. I don't like doctors, I certainly don't like tests, and my heart rate is going to look like one of my doodles. A bunch of colored lines with high skinny peaks.

what a difference a week makes!

It's bright, sunny, and a little cold. Most of the snow has melted and we saw crocuses budding. What a difference a week makes!

Bonnie and I walked up to the hospital and did all the stairs in the parking deck and the lot. My estimate is 20 flights. Then we went in the hospital and walked up to the 9th floor, back down to 4 and went and visited my sisters husband who is a patient. Lydia was there, we tried to convince her to come along, but she said NO. So we headed back out and I went to go down the stairs and "Jillian" though it would be a good idea to go back up to nine again! We did. It was really tough because we rested.

All in all we probably did about 40 flights. Good thing because the stair climb is next week.

Friday, I did 15 minutes of step-ups and then walked about three quick miles with Betsy.

Saturday I ate. And Ate. And ate some more.

I had teacher training and they said breakfast and lunch would be served. I though b'fast would be muffins and bagels and donuts. Nope. Bacon, eggs, sausage, potatoes, creamy something, french toast! I had some eggs, bacon, fruit and orange juice. Lunch was another big meal, not party trays. I had some veggie lasagna, salad and a bread stick. And a coke. (oops.) Now, on a normal day I would eat a really light supper. But yesterday I was celebrating the Chinese New Year  with my "daughters" at Asia. Another big meal to finish out the day.

Tomorrow is another day.

three days in a row!

Sunday was the third day in a row for serious exercise. It felt good. Doesn't happen much in winter.

I posted the walk on the every two feet page. Only family came.

Bonnie, Lyd and I left Payrow Plaza, headed east on Church and Market to Stefko Blvd, then came back Broad and Market.

With her father's illness, Lyd hasn't walked in a while so she was feeling it. Bonnie was doing better after her surgery, but she told me she went home an took a nap. It was kind of fun being the physically fit one!

It was much colder than anticipated. Those forties never materialized. Oh well. It was great to walk anyway.

signs of spring

I'm taking advantage of the beautiful weather and went walking this morning. I waited until aboout 7:30 so it was fully light and I could see the black ice. I went about three miles. Left my house headed towards, then thru Lehigh, down Taylor, back Packer and Broadway.

In front of Ahart's I saw a robin on the snow. By the time I got my gloves off and and the camera on, s/he was gone. But I looked up to see if s/he was in the tree, and maybe s/he was. Couldn't tell. There was at least eight! Then I looked at the next tree and there was more. And more in the following tree. Couldn't really count because they were flying back and forth. At least twenty. Probably more.

It feels so good to be back outside.

20 flights, 1 mile

Today I did walk up to St. Luke's and did all the stairs in the parking deck. Both up and down.

How many there was was open to debate. Most of the floors had two sets of stairs. However, the first floor to the second floor was four sets. Hense, I counted them as two. Then there was a flight outside, and the flight from the parking lot to the main entrance. I returned up the hill that runs by the PPH entrance. It's steep. Almost lost mama in her wheel chair on it once.

I was happy. I wasn't exhausted and gasping for air when I was done. Water would have been nice at the hospital. Guess I could have gone inside, but didn't.

But it got me thinking. Gotta do something when your walking that many steps.

I always think about having a stroke. I guess it goes with high blood pressure. A friends 104-7/8-year-old father just had a mini one, so stroke is back in the front of my thoughts.  Some people can't walk one or two flights of stairs without getting in trouble. And there are lots of inherent dangers in parking decks...I watch television. So how do you get help?

So as I came out of the stairwell I looked at what was attached to the wall. At this point there was a fire alarm and an extinguisher. Well, I thought to myself, I guess you could pull the alarm, but the fire department would be really pissed when they got there.

When I came out of another stairwell they had an emergency phone. That might be good but it looked like a PIA to enter it.

Can't they invent an emergency button kind of like the fire pull? Simple. Easy. Efficient.

a beautiful day.

The weather channel website says it's 35. They must need a new thermometer. It's is beautiful out. And should remain that way for at least 10 days. I heard rumors of 60.

I posted a walk on every two feet for Sunday. It should be in the forties by then. Wish the hike in the woods would have been this Saturday. Oh well. I'll have to settle for walks in Fountain Hill and South Bethlehem.

I've got a new batch of brush burns today. I fell on the ice coming out of my garage. The snow had fallen off the roof and froze solid before I could move it. The one on my right arm hurts a lot. Pull a chunk of skin off. My roommate keeps asking when I'm going to the compost bin. My new answer....when the ice melts!

So after the dryer stops I'm headed off for a walk. Maybe I'll head up the hill by the hospital and up graham. Nice hills up and down. About 2.5 to 3 miles. Or maybe walk up to the hospital and doing the steps of the parking deck, up and down. That's 12 flights. The first stair climb is about three weeks away! I'm up to 15 minutes stepping in my stairway. If the warm weather keeps up I'll be able to do steps at Lehigh. Right now I think they are still snow covered.

I also tried to put a facebook badge on this blog. So people could go right to the every two feet page and sign up to walk. Hoping to attract more people. It came in all distorted. I tried to fix it but it still looked like crap. So I removed it. So much for marketing. Still trying to decide about postcards or business cards. Since they no longer allow me to post pictures under the every two feet name, it goes on my personal page, I took all the photos off. I also cleaned out the 2010 posts. All that's there is 2011. That's actually more in preparation for taking down the page, if I'm unsuccessful getting new walkers.

The Kutztown Fools Run turns out to be just a run, not a run/walk. Bummer.

no walk in the woods

Disappointed. I doubt very strongly I'll do the walk in the woods today in Emmaus. We're having freezing rain. It's icy. It took me 20 minutes to walk 1.5 blocks and home. The salt truck hasn't come. It's only 10 am, so things might change dramatically by 12:30. But I doubt it.

Screenshot from the Weather Channel website.

temptation ...

This is the commercial that is pushing all my buttons. It's to sign up for the 3-Day. I've done it twice. I've done the Avon twice. I cannot do it again. It's not the walking. I'd walk from here to California for Breast Cancer research. It's the fund-raising. For this event you need 3 grand. I hate fund-raising. I stink at fund-raising. I stink worse at asking people money or stores for contributions. I can't, I won't do it again.

Last year I planned a fund-raising dinner and had the chefs and some volunteers lined up. I forgot to reserve the space. I'm a scatterbrain. I live it the moment and let each day revel itself. I am not a planner. That was my sister Elin.


All I Can Do from Komen 3-Day for the Cure on Vimeo.

Komen, please stop running the ad. I'm powerless over it. I have to run out of the room or turn down the volume when it comes on.

going for a real walk

the bird house covered in ice.

Well, hike. But let's not split hairs.

It's been another week of shoveling, chopping, step-ups and walking tape. It's getting old. I really just want to be outside. But with over a foot of snow, ice, and sleet I didn't see how that was possible. Then I read today's paper.

Emmaus is having a Snowblast winter festival. All looks fun, especially the ice bar, but what really piqued my interest is the Winter Hike on Saturday. We meet near Rodale and I guess head up to south mountain. I hope my hiking boots still fit. Or maybe I should wear my Wellies and my rain pants that I bought for the 3-day. Hope they still fit.

My head is spinning with excitement. No tapes, not stairs, and no snow or ice to relocate. Weeeeeee.

Another piece of good news. Bonnie is going to try Volkssport with me. She likes the idea of 10ks too.