simple walk

Today we did what I call the Wegman's Walk. It's a simple walk that can be anywhere from 2-9 miles. It's relatively flat with just a few rolling hills. I used it a lot training for the 3-Day. It has 3 bathrooms,  a parking lot, and a grocery store to stock up on supplies when you run out. Since we are doing the difficult Bear Creek Volkssport walk tomorrow, today we wanted to keep it simple.

The basic route is a big square. We left Wegman's lot and headed down to Stokes Park Road. Headed out Stokes Park to Jacksonville. There were only 3 cows at Koehlers. Where have all the animals gone?

Then we headed out Jacksonville toward Advent church. At some point, my hand hit Lydia's and soon she said, "I'm bleeding!" My nail must have scraped her. It was my first, first aid stop in a long time. Thank goodness the hospitals give out purse size samples at race events. I had one in my backpack. After cleaning her boo-boo, we continued on.

Across from Advent is Hanover Elementary School. The lawn was lined with pinwheels. For the entire length of the property. They participated in Pinwheels for Peace on the 21st. I think every grade must have participated.  A few fell over, or came undone. Bonnie started fixing them. Lydia and I helped. We fixed all but two. The paper was laminated, so the rain right now should not destroy them.

The rest of the walk was uneventful. We turned right onto Crawford Drive and headed toward Wegman's. Then we decidedto add another mile, and took the loop thru the subdivision.

Afterwards, we took Adonis for his walk. Total mileage 4.5.

Yesterday, we walked with Betsy in her neighborhood. We went about 3 miles.

Tomorrow is the 10K at Bear Creek.

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my worse 5k time in 3 years, but for a good cause

Today was the Kridersville Covered Bridge Challenge. As I write this it is 87 and humid.

We've done this race twice before (2011, 2012). It's always hot. And the course never changes significantly.  It starts with a small hill up from the covered bridge, and you turn a corner, go down a bit. Then you go up. And up. And up. For 3/4 of a mile, turn a corner and go up another 1/4 of a mile. Everything that comes after that is a walk in the park. They don't call this a challenge for nothing. You choose 5 or 10K if you run. No choice for walkers.

As always, the parking was great, the potty lines short and there was a massage area. The massage area had no line so we all got a free massage. I thought, dang, this is going to be a great race.

Traditionally, I stay with Lyd until we get up that monster of a hill. Then I can sprint ahead, and finish with a decent time. That was not meant to be this year.

As we went up the hill, Lyds head began to pound. She was sweating way more than necessary for the conditions. We were going slower than normal. Then about halfway up the hill, she stopped briefly to drink water. Two minutes later, projectile vomiting. She continued to try to walk, but looked worse and worse, with more vomit.

When I trained for the three-day they always were worried about heat stroke. We had to watch a video about it. It wasn't pretty. Today, it looked like that was unfolding in front of my eyes.

Lyd stopped under a tree and I went for help. Where the hell was the sweep girl on the bike? It probably took me 10 minutes to arrive at the water stop. The water girl had a phone, and called someone at base. I felt a little better and headed up the second hill.

In the distance I saw bike girl coming toward me. When she saw me she turned around and went back. WTF? I finally found her, she was chatting with the crossing person at the church. I told them both that they had a walker down, 1/3 of the way down the big hill.

When I reached the cemetery a fire truck was pulling out. I was guessing he was headed to Lyd, but didn't take chances. I stopped again and told the traffic guy. He told me everything was under control and help was on the way.

Feeling better, I picked up my speed a bit and continued on. But my head was no longer in the game. At about the 2.5 mile mark there was another water station, and a little past that, two people with hoses set on sprinkler. Gee did that feel mighty good.

When I finished, I found Bonnie and told her the story. We were trying to figure out what to do next when the ambulance dropped off Lyd.

They wanted to take her to the hospital but she said no way. (By the time the posse arrived—bike girl, ambulance, fire truck, a couple in a van, and someone else—she was feeling better.) They checked her for heat stroke. They checked her BP. Everything was getting better because she knew what to do as she waited. And she had done everything right—poured water over herself, soaked her bandana in water and put it around her neck, and cooled down her face. She also managed to get some water to stay in. She moved to a more densely shaded area. She sat down.

All is well that ends well. But we need to develop an emergency plan. Bonnie and I were helpless at the finish line. That is not happening again.

Almost forgot, my time—60:03. My worse time in years. But being a Good Samaritan takes time.

Lyd has plans for tomorrow so Bonnie and I will do two of the Passport to Fitness walks.  Lower Mount Bethel Twsp. Trail, and the Jacobsburg State Park, Henry Woods Trail or the D&L at Hugh Moore (a two-fer). Hopefully the trail markers are easier to find than the one at Lehigh Gap. Lydia went back there yesterday and still didn't find it. Then when she was posting on FB, she saw it. She was there, read the signs and missed it. Can you find it?

yep, this is me

My siblings posted this for me on Facebook. It's so me. However, I haven't fallen in at least 9 months. Hopefully posting this doesn't kill the karma.

a rock in my head

remember my fall three weeks ago walking the dog? This rock fell out of my head today. Now I really look like I have a bullet hole!

the perils and pitalls of dog walking

All of my walks this week have been with Lyd's dog Adonis. We are dog-sitting while she is in Florida.

Pretty much four times a day, for about 20 minutes. He'd go further and so would I if I knew a safe route. One without other dogs. Adonis hates other dogs. He picks fights with them.

Because of this, day two didn't go so well. Actually, it went horrible.

We walked first thing in the morning, and then came home. No issues. Then again, about 10:30-11:00. I needed to leave for work after lunch. Since I have a very safe and secure, or so I thought, route I decided to do it backwards. We headed down the hill to Broadway. We stopped to wait for traffic. I had him on a short leash and he was on my left. It's finally time to go, and we cross. I guess I walked ahead of him because somehow he went behind me and started walking on my right, quickly, and pulled me over face first into Broadway.  A very busy street. Thank goodness I left plenty of room so the cars could stop. I almost lost the leash. He comes back and waits for me.

Got up, dusted myself off, and we proceeded onward.

We're back at Broadway and Clewell, and cross the street again, going past the shopping center parking lot. We cross Itaska. I'm walking to go up the hill, and he sees a pitbull (and owner) coming out Itaska and pulls me over, face first into a pile of gravel near the factories the factories. My glasses are a twisted ruin. My face is dripping blood, and he is still pulling trying to get to the damn pit. I finally pull myself up, grab his choke collar and pull with the strength I have left. He doesn't care a rats butt about me. So much for loyality.

Pit is finally gone, I get up, glasses in hand and start walking again. Up Clewell to Sioux, and then down Bishopthorpe. We can't walk the short route out Itaska. Too many dogs.

I clean up, change, and head to work. First stop. The optician.

I gave them the pieces of my glasses and they were able to put them back together. I ordered a new lens. One has a huge gash it in. I can only imagine how my glasses saved my eyes during the fall.

Meet some former students in the hall who tell me my head is still bleeding. They take me to the health center, where she cleans me up again. Puts on Steri Stipes. Tells me I probably should have had stitches. Lack of insurance, means all first aid must be done at CVS. They don't have stitches there. I'll have a scar.

Today, I have an ugly forehead and raccoon eyes.  Yesterday one was swollen shut. The kids in my class tell me I broke my nose.

a long and winding story about my dumb back

But first some joyous news. My sister is out of ICU and on the mend! She's been in ICU for more than 3 weeks. Get better now Barb!

This back injury is, well, a pain in the ass. There is no other way to describe it. I only feel good when moving.

I'm beginning to feel like mama and Sharon and that I don't like. I hold on to furniture, I don't put things on the floor unnecessarily, I don't bend unless I have to.

If you are a new reader, I hurt my back 10, 11 days ago getting out of the car. I went to the doctor the next day and the meds seemed to be working. Each day the pain was less. I could get out of bed easier, and off of chairs.

But as soon as it gets better I swear I re-injure it. Monday I tried picking up a heavy box. Not a good idea. Then late Tuesday I got out of the car, and walked around the back. The car pulled away and I headed towards home. I stepped in some leaves that happened to be in a pot hole. Did that whole loose your balance and stay upright dance, and continued on my way. By that night I was in serious pain again.

Wednesday I felt better. I could get out of bed in about 5 minutes. I went for my walk, did my stretches and even got down on the floor. I headed to class. I stopped at Panera for food. While I was waiting, I sneezed. I sneezed with a force unknown to man. I crumbled under my ample weight, and since then I'm in so much pain. Couldn't sleep.

The back injury seems minor now. My hole butt hurts from my tailbone, down thru my upper legs and the hip socket. The hip sockets are the worse. The meds I took this morning seen to be doing nothing.

But I walked across campus anyway, and the more I walked the better I felt. I was nearly back to the office and saw a nickel on the ground. I carefully bent over to pick it up and all hell broke loose. Pain seared thru my upper tush and down my legs. At the same time it course up my body from my hip sockets. I literally held on to a car for more than a minute before I could walk back to the office. The three flights of stairs nearly killed me. I went up them like a baby, stopping every three or four steps.

I was nearly in tears when I called for an doctors appointment. (9:45 am tomorrow)

We had a staff meeting at 11:45. I brought my food with me to nuke when it was over. Then I just had to go down one more flight. Needless to say she saw me struggling and offered me Motrin. I probably should not have taken it with what the doctor gave me, but I took that at 6:15 am. I didn't care at that point.

Everything seems to have calmed down 1000%. My upper thighs still feel like I've done 2000 leg lifts, but the rest of my body is behaving.

Maybe I should call the doctor back? No. I won't do that.

I have a walking coaching session tomorrow that I don't want to miss. I am going to try my best to hide any pain I'm in. I don't want to drop being a walking program tester. Walking feels good. If I lose some of this weight, maybe it will help heal me. This bloody injury has motivated me to lose weight. Something I thought I'd never say.

Maybe I need a chiropractor?

there was no art on the art trail

Today Bonnie and I checked out the art trail in Easton. It's a lovely trail, needs signage and ART!

The official opening was yesterday. But they forgot to take down the construction signs. About half way in is a new dog park—complete with fire hydrant.

There's a few parking spaces on 13th Street.

We immediately noticed these white tubes everywhere. At first I thought they might be some art installation but it appears that they are very young seedlings. Of what I don't know.

The trail begins on 13th street near the old silk mill and follows the creek to Easton Cemetery. Then it appears to end. But alas, we discovered if you cross the bright blue bridge the trail continues. But then it seems to end again at the oil company.

It took us awhile to notice that Bushkill Drive now has sidewalks. So we crossed the street and headed down the sidewalk toward the bridge and recycling center. Then we picked up Bushkill Street (an alley) and headed to the Williams Center.

Bushkill Street looked like Armageddon from last weeks storms.

The best part of this walk was I had someone to do my program intervals with. Of course, by the end, Bonnie was winning. Maybe one day I'll finish first.

My back feels pretty good as long as I keep moving.

the sidewalks are done!

The sidewalks at the five-points intersection were horrific. I use them frequently. I hated them.

That corner once housed a Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips (yum!), then an excellent mini-market, then a horrific mini-market. The buildings been empty for nearly a decade. It was an eyesore—graffiti, crumbling sidewalks and parking lot, junk cars and probably drug deals.

Earlier this summer a sign appeared that they were building a TD bank. I was excited. The corner would get fixed up. They tore down what was left of the mini-market, dug up the lot and sidewalks and started with a clean slate. Yesterday I noticed the sidewalks were open—smooth, even, corner cuts—I was happy.

I do question the wisdom of a bank in that area. It might get robbed on a regular basis! I also wonder if they'll get business. I would think people who work in the neighborhood already have banks (or a credit union like me) or they have no need for banks because they have no money. I guess we'll see.

On another note—my back.

If you remember from an earlier post, I could barely get out of bed on Monday because of my back.  I didn't walk Monday but I went to work. As the day progressed I felt better. Then I went to bed. And I could barely get up again. But this time the recovery was quicker. I walked a mile and a quarter at lunch time and was exhausted. But recovered quickly.

Wednesday I did a slower version of my brisk walk. I finished it and didn't feel horrible. When I woke up Thursday I could get out of bed in about 5 minutes. Thursday we did the brisk pace at lunch, plus a trip across campus. Friday, getting out of bed was better. Then I made the mistake of lifting heavy boxes to deliver to a client. It set me back a little, but in the afternoon I did four miles at a brisk pace with Betsy.

Saturday, I tried the intervals. I am also able to sit on the couch again, with only minor trouble getting up. Earlier in the day is worse than later in the day.

This morning I was feeling good when  woke up at 4:30. I could actually roll over in my bed. And then I sneezed the mother of all sneezes. I thought it was another earthquake. The force of it made me yell, the pain was horrific. I had more trouble getting out of bed, but I still recovered quickly.

I think my body was telling me not to push it. I got the message.

Today, Bonnie and I are going to check out the new art trail. I'll let you know how it is.

2 5Ks, a back injury, a snowstorm and a blackout

Who says this fat girl has no fun? Two 5Ks, a back injury, a snowstorm and an ongoing blackout all in one weekend.

All last week they were talking about a snow storm—in October. I didn't take them seriously. I didn't scramble to get the porch furniture away, or cover the ancient A/C. Nothing. I figured the Poconos might get some, but we'd get rain. How many times is the weather people correct?

Saturday was the Lasko 5K in Easton. When we left the house it was drizzling. Kathy didn't come because it was snowing in Mauch Chunk. We we are prepared for rain. While we were waiting for the race to start it deluged. The rivers were running fast and the rain was coming down heavier.

The Free bridge was slippery, then we headed up the Main Street hill to the triangle, turned around and returned. Bonnie and I chose the sidewalk coming back. Then we headed up to Centre Square, thru some alleys, out Spring Garden, and eventually came down the hill by McDonalds and back to Scott Park.

There was tons of hills. Sharon didn't last long. She went back.

Bonnie came in first at 51:10, I think. I came in at 53:28, and Lydia 58:55. She finished the race with her new friend Karen. Karen Lasko. The widow/mother of the walk title.

We didn't stay for snack and chat. Sharon hopped in Lyds car and they went to the 248 Diner to get us seats. We went to target to buy dry clothes. We ate, ran to Wegmans and got home to huge trees down on Itaska street. I didn't take a pix. I should have. These photos were taken on Saturday around 2.

When we came in the house Pat said the power was out. I had turned on the heat, but it's an energy saver model that it ignites electronically instead burning constant. Of course, it hasn't come back one. They say the blackout will last till Thursday! Or longer.

Sunday the storm was over. Bonnie called said she wasn't going to Fitzy's 5K. It's one we both enjoyed last year. Sharon and I decided to try. Step one. Get some breakfast. Nothing was open. Every light in the south side wasn't functioning. We stopped back at the house to tell Pat, no food, and were off. Susquehanna Street was an obstacle course of fallen trees. Near Bonnie's there was a crashed snow plow. A tree fell on it.

As we headed down 222 the snow became less and less. By the time we reached Reading there was only two or three inches. We stopped for a quick bite at McD's and I felt fine. We were about 10 minutes away, and then had a lot of trouble finding the park, and arrived with about 2 minutes to spare. I drop Sharon off to sign me in and went to look for parking. I missed the costume contest.

I parked, went to get out of the car. And suddenly my back hurt. The part where it connect to your tush. I did the 5K, it was a street course and they cleared it fairly well. Time: 51 minutes. It was hilly, but more rolling hills.  My back hurt no more, no less. We stopped at the VF outlets, and came home. I took at bath, my back felt better and we decided to go for supper at 4 so we could be back by dark.

At home, I laid on the couch in the dark. Couldn't read or knit by candlelight. Laptop was dead. Phone dead. Nothing to do, I dozed. Later I tried to get up. I could barely move. I did get up, got moving and went to bed. At 4 am, it was even worse. At 7 when I got up. I was in so much pain when Bonnie called. I called the doctor. Yes, mark this day on your calendar.

She thinks it's a disk. She gave me a relaxer, and a RX strength of Aleve. She told me the relaxer would make me loopy. I can take up to three. One seem to do the trick. Tonight to sleep I'm opting for loopy.

I did forget to send my Bethlehem to Bethlehem numbers in  for the "virtual" walk to Bethlehem, Israel.

I was able today to access my program forms so I sent those in. With the weather, I really didn't follow the program over the weekend. There are still trees in the street. The one on Itaska is still there! I'll try walking tomorrow at lunch time. And then Wednesday. But no speed walks. Not yet.