another saturday, another 5k

Today Bonnie and I did "Joan's 5K Run/Walk". It was at the Hanover Township Community Center.

It was raining at the start, I had on my raincoat, but it got so hot I took it off. The rain felt good. This photo was taken after the race. (more) I'm the one in pink that looks mad at the world. I look that way in every picture. I have no idea why.

Bonnie is in much better shape than I am. All that time at a gym really does pay off. She can walk circles around me.

So the race begins and we are going a a pretty decent clip. I was wondering if I could sustain it, and then Bonnie says Lets powerwalk from here to here. I think we did it 6 times. I started saying "yes, Jillian". She laughed. Jillian is the personal trainer from the Biggest Loser. Bonnie has a PT, so it's how he pushes her. (Sadly I got sucked into the Biggest Loser and I'm hooked. However it doesn't inspire me, it makes me eat. So does Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. But yet I watch anyway.)

I finished in 51:38. Bonnie came in at 51:35. My best time, in Birks, is 51:04. Today I had those hot sneakers on.

Our next 5K is Memorial Day in Wind Gap. If that doesn't have a few hills I'll be shocked. Then there is a 4-miler on the 4th of July that we're signing up for. "Jillian" want to improve our time each time. I'm in deep doo-doo. But 4MP is recommended to do the Philly Marathon in November and Bonnie said she'd do it with me.

I also posted the inaugural Every Two Feet walk for next Saturday. Rt 512 Wegman's. Meet at the pharmacy window lot. 9 am. Easy three miles.


My friend Betsy, whom I walk with on Fridays, walks fast. I can keep up with her. She is now power walking with her husband during the week. I guess we are going to have to add some powerwalking into our mix if I'm ever going to keep up with Bonnie.

Sunday off?

I've been training for the walks since about April. neither went exactly according to plan. Such is life. Today I was going to train for the marathon with my GS friend Betsy, but she's ill. So I decided to take the day off; at least for now.

The sun is out and it's warm. I did the laundry and hung it outside to dry. I cleaned out some of the garden and picked the volunteer pumpkins and cleaned up the vines. I had extended pumpkin picking invites to all my friends and family in town with wee ones. Nobody came. So now I have 5 beautiful pumpkins to process with the Kitchen Aid.  If you need pumpkin for your Thanksgiving pies, let me know. The puree gets so beautiful in the Kitchen Aid that all you need to do is add cream, spices and call it soup. If only I liked pumpkin.

So now I'm getting caught up on paperwork, getting Sharon's address book updated, and her Christmas labels printed out for her client Christmas cards. It almost sounds like a average day.

Today on the CBS Morning show, yep I watched tv too, it was all about obesity.  It did not inspire me. Usually that kind of stuff does. Maybe taking a little time off is good. But not too much. I have to go back to the "doctor" for my blood pressure by Thanksgiving. If I slack-off too much it will skyrocket back up, he'll get angry, and give me more drug. I don't want more drugs. I want less. Actually I want none.

I don't think I'm even going to try the marathon. I can't walk fast enough and I'm not that motivated to train. Back to back breast cancer walks have burnt me out. I haven't had my pedometer on in about a month!

Maybe I'll go walking later today. It's only 10:30 am and already I'm feeling guilty for not get my lard-butt moving. I really do want to break in my new sneakers.

It's official, I have the tee shirt

I signed up with Team Prevention (tinyurl.com/3mytoh) to walk the Philly Half-Marathon. (http://www.philadelphiamarathon.com/page/half-marathon) My Girl Scout friend Betsy was thinking about joining me. But I just saw on the website that it's sold out. So that won't be possible.

I'm not sure if I can do it at the minimum 16- minute mile, but I will complete the course. My best time is about 17.3 with other people talking and walking with me. Alone it's more like a 30-minute mile. As you know, I get easily distracted.

The breast cancer walks are more like a walking party. For the half-marathon you need to concentrate and move fast. Those that are really successful must power walk. You have to finish all 13 miles in 3.5 hours. I've got my mothers joints, power walking is out of the question.

But there's no turning back now, today my Team Prevention tee shirt came. It's pink and mostly sleeveless, which is kind-of funny for a November event. More than likely it's going to be cold! I assumed it was going to be performance fabric and it is so I'm glad I ordered the 2x. It just fits.

But first things first. The Avon next weekend. The 3-Day the following. After that's over I'll go to a track and try to walk fast. IF I could finish the 1/2 in 3.29.9 I'd be excited. But I'll be happy if I finish in 4 hours.

Finally bought walking shoes

My quandary is this. No shoe ever seems to fit. They feel too loose, or too tight, or too something. I think it's because I'm just not used to wearing "real" shoes. I wear Birks 80% of the time. If I put on a closed shoe, I wear it to the office and 9 out of 10 times I kick them off. Bottom line is I don't know how to tell if my shoes fit.

It happened again Friday when I went to try on the Finn Casuals. Again. They felt too loose at the heel. They put in pads, they felt better, but still my heel was lifting. The clerk said your heel should give a little. I was still unsure about the fit and even left the store. Ultimately I came back and bought them. At some point I had to stop trying on shoes and buy a pair. It was decision time. You can tell nothing walking back and forth at a store.

So I decided to buy the most expensive walking shoe on the market. German, hand sewed, repairable, with cork inter soles like my Birks. They are an investment. As I plunked down my debit card I knew this was going to be great, or a really expensive mistake. Wouldn't be the first one.

I was going to wear them that night on my 1-hour faster walk with Betsy. It rained. Then, I was going to wear them the first loop on Saturday. It rained more. So finally on Sunday I cheated on my Birks and wore the Finn Casuals. I have the heel blisters to prove it. I walked 4 miles. Maybe that was too far. Maybe those pads were a bad idea. I'm calling the shoe store today.

I will try them at least two more times before I give up on them for distance walking. I'll give them some time before I give up on the forever. They fit Bonnie well, so she might get some hand-me-downs. I won't be wearing them for either the three-day or the Avon. It's too risky.

I really think I need sneakers for the Philly Marathon. I can't walk a 16 minute miles in sandals. The New Balance 8550 were my second choice. If I go to the New Balance store and try them I'll get a discount. Bonnie found some Nike's that are wide in the front and narrow in the back. Maybe I should try them on too.

Or maybe I should stop distance walking. Life was simpler as a couch potato. I'm disappointed. I had high hopes. I will take some time to wallow and then move forward.

But then I received this email. One of those moments when you think fate is stepping in...
"Ah, the blisters of a new pair of shoes.....it's good luck. Like when you get hit with bird shit. My dad always said it was a special blessing and to thank the bird. So thanks new sneakers!"