big bird!

Bonnie and I have walked nearly every Tuesday and Thursday this term. I have both mornings off, and she is out with her hand injury. When you walk that much you need to be creative or the routine becomes boring.

Last night I saw on Channel 69 that a life-size Big Bird was brought to our local PBS Station. He's made of Peeps. Peeps are made in my town. It only makes sense. Walking down to visit Big Bird. The perfect walk.

We left my house and headed up to St. Luke's. We went out Ostrum and Brighton, down the bridge ramp and out 2nd/Columbia. Then it was down Webster to First, and out to the Steel. The PBS station is on some of the redeveloped property.

We arrived at PBS and the door was locked. Oh well, they aren't open. Then we heard a click. Apparently they keep it locked all the time. Bird was right there in the lobby. His feathers are Peeps, with the heads cut off, and smashed a little. His legs are Bunnies, and the pink rings are Peeps. His snout is also Bunnies. Oscar is also made of Peep bodies, but they were dyed  dark green.

It was terrific. I can see why Just Born, the makers of Peeps, wanted it here for PeepFest.

We came home the Greenway and found the new Crepe store on New Street, and stopped for groceries. Total, it was about 4.25 miles.

These walks always end with a late big breakfast, since I eat dinner at 3:30 pm before class.

we survived the hill and more

The Biggest Loser Off-Road Challenge was similar to the Dirty Girl and yet very different. Less caked on mud, more rustic terrain. And did I mention that it rained last night.

We arrived the hour early, and it started an hour late. It was part of a larger Spartan Race that was going off in waves. Clearly the Loser wave was changed. It was hard to wait, but wait we did.

It was a small group. Less than 100 people. One participant lost over 400 pounds.

And yes, that is flip flops in my pants. There was no way I was losing my shoes this time. My sneakers were taped on!

We lined up at the bottom of a large hill. During the prep talk, they said the worse was 1/2 mile up hill. It wasn't a horrible hill from what we could see at the start line. We reached a summit, walked across the top, turned a corner, and there it was. The hill from hell. It made Frederick Street look flat. Some people went up monkey style. That was probably better than walking. Bonnie and Dawn still beat Lydia and I to the top. Some lady was crying walking up it. Wailing even. Lydia was happy she brought her inhaler.

Apparently the hill was not the first obstacle. No that was called Over, Under, Thru. I needed help on two of the three portions. (Bonnie took pixs. No obstacles for her. Still recovering from that broken wrist.)

Over. That nice man helped me. (OMG I look like Sharon!)

 Under. Get that big butt down Gayle.

 Thru.

Then we headed toward the next event. Rolling mud pits. Five hills, five holes filled with water.

 Then off to the slip and slide which sent you into the lake. Lyd hit a rock. See the pix of her brush burn and black and blue mark on line. The lake was supposed to be 4 feet deep. I was on my tip toes and still had trouble keeping my face out. I had my hand on my shoulder trying to save my pedometer, which was on the shoulder strap of my bra.

 Coming out of the lake. Fat escaping everywhere!

This obstacle you climbed up the back side, went over and came down the front. There were several tall walls that we skipped. And the balance exercise. That was tree trunks that you hopped from one to another. I think it was doable, but the logs were so far apart. I would have broke an ankle. Then there was a rope climb, and a barbed wire crawl that was a football field long. After you finished you climbed yet another wall.

 This one was near the finish. I bet it took me 10 minutes to go thru it. It led to a short wall that you climbed with a rope.

Bonnie did not get the pix of me falling off. I didn't try it again.

The final obstacle was hopping over fire. I tried three times and couldn't do it. Dawn and Lydia were successful. The man said it was a mental task rather than physical.

We finished. We survived. And because Bonnie came along, we have the pixs to prove it.

walking, the television show

This came up in my FB feed this morning. I've "liked" the US Freedom Festival in DC. Three full days of walking in October. Be still my heart.

I must watch this online. I will add it to my Summer to do list which gets longer, not shorter. I don't think our local PBS station is running City Walk. “City Walk is a unique six-part series that reveals the way walking is transforming cities across America, and in the process, re-connecting us to our bodies, our civic values and public space. Season one of City Walk features 30-minute episodes exploring various aspects of pedestrian life in cities including: Los Angeles, Portland, Boston, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and New York. As the show explores the "walkability" of these communities, viewers will learn about American history by exploring culturally rich neighborhoods, stunning architecture, monuments and beautiful parks that have helped define the character of each city."

I'll let you know how it is.

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5/31 -- Removed the video. It started playing everytime I opened the blog. Annoying. Now you'll have to click the link.

personal best

Actually it was about 5-7 seconds less than the picture. It took awhile to get the camera out and on. Bonnie finished in about 42:44, and Lyd at 44:55, I think. Sharon came in with the sweep van at 58 plus. Sadly, even on a flat course she only has one speed. I don't think you get an any flatter course in Pennsylvania.

It was the Tempo In Depth Fitness Challenge. A fitness program that PBS started in January and climaxed today. We did three loops of first and second streets around the PBS studio and ArtsQuest. It could get boring if you did a lot of loops, but for this we knew exactly where we were and sped into the finish.

At the 1 mile mark we were at 13+. At the 2 mile mark, it was 28+. Clearly we were losing speed, but our goal became finishing in 45. Unknown to us Lydia's goal became the same when she saw the clock was a 30+.

As the Task Master I was very proud of her. She decided on her own that she could crank it up a notch and do it.  It might be a good place to start intervals with her.

There was also a health fair. Bonnie dared to have her BP taken after the 5k. Lydia took advantage of the chair massage.

Then it was the hike back to the car and a trip to Kohler's farm for meat. They'll be selling eggs soon. We saw the little chicks. People who buy their meat, I guess, are asking for fresh eggs. So they are raising chickens after 250 years of selling beef.

When we got home reality set in and we took Adonis for a walk.

my niece is on a roll

Meet Adonis, a St .Bernard/Pit Bull mix. About 5.

My niece has had a tough two years. Both parents died, took care of her dad for a year, bariatric surgery a year ago June 8, and the final straw, losing her job.

I've been trying to get her to go walking and it's always next week. Posted 5Ks for her. Maybe next time. Nothing. She was unhappy that she stuck at -108 but really didn't do anything about it. She was in a super-sized funk.

That all changed when she adopted a dog. Adonis needs to be walked everyday. Suddenly, she rediscovered she likes walking. She's back on her program and has turned into another Jillian. (I guess I'll have to call her Jilly.)

When's the next 5K?

When do you want to go walking?

Want to go on a ghost walk?

She's posting walking jokes and walking slogans on my FB page. One of my favorites is from yesterday.  "Unless you faint, puke or die KEEP WALKING." Turns out it's on a tee shirt. From Jillian. Figures. I like the slogan, might contemplate buying it. But really I don't think puking is a reason to stop walking. Do you?

In a way, it's motivating me too. Maybe I'll get out of my blue funk. I'm also getting emails finally from the Volkksport people. Maybe I can try one of their walks.

End of week update:

I didn't walk Thursday or Friday. I was at a conference in Jersey City. Sat all day and ate high calorie food.

This morning I got up, grabbed Sharon, and we hit the streets for the Lehigh University loop. It's just over three miles. It's barely 12:30 and I already have my 10,000 steps in for the day.

Lydia is coming shortly with the dog and will take him for a walk.

Tomorrow, I'll drag Sharon out for a morning walk but Lyd and I are also going on the Ghosts of the Revolution Walking Tours. Weird, it's at 3 pm. In daylight. Do ghost come out during the daytime?

Monday is the Tortoise and the Hare 5K in Wind Gap. It's supposed to be hot and humid. Just like last year. There isn't a lick of shade on the route.

Weigh in is tomorrow.

more television

I love television, but from my last couple posts you'd guess I'd watch it constantly. I have three jobs, I don't.

So while I was doing the last post, Extra was on. It's a entertainment "news" show.  So I hear "obesity in America" and it sounds a whole lot like "Sammi Brady" (Allison Sweeny). Because of the post I was doing, I thought Biggest Loser , glanced over and they were talking about a new program Walking With Walgreens.

It's another corporate program to track how much you walk and give diet tips ect.  You track your walks and post walks in your neighborhood. If you do, they give you coupons. Tiny reward. For everybody who registers they give a buck to a wellness charity.

They want you to set goals that are SMART: —Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound.

• Specific means you know what exactly you’re going to do: Walk in the park with my friend Lisa every Saturday morning at 9.
• Measureable means able to measure. In order to know if you’re succeeding, you have to be able to track it. Did I go on Saturday? How many Saturdays in a month did I hit it?
• Achievable means you can do it. Don’t promise to get up at 5a.m. every day rain or shine to begin with. That’s probably not realistic.
• Relevant means the goal has got to matter to you so you’ll stick to it. The Walk with Walgreens site is great for that because it can help you remember why you want to walk.
• Time bound means you create a time frame when you’ll check in on how you’re doing. For instance, I will do this for a month. A time limit gives you a chance to tweak and recommit.

I signed up. We'll see. I've signed up for others and haven't followed thru.

cross country 5K

I saw this last night on the Biggest Loser.

They flew the contestants to New Zealand and they did a Kiwi 5K. (Watch starting about 6:55.) They started on grass, went over a muddy trail, thru a creek bed, climbed a huge sand dune and finished on the beach. Now that looks like FUN.

The concept excites me.

I'm going to do an internet search to see if I can find something. Maybe they have one at the Jersey Shore. I could make a weekend of it.

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.