Slacker

So it's been an interesting couple of weeks.

Training for Week 13 went pretty well. The weather was decent for the most part, and I even tackled one more mile than anticipated. Go me!

Suggested Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Easy Walk
Wednesday - 30 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 45 Minutes Easy Cross-Training
Saturday - 11 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 24

Actual Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Moderate Walk
Wednesday - 30 Minutes Strength Training
Thursday - Rest
Friday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Saturday - 11 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 6 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 25

Things went a little downhill for Training Week 12, mostly because we were attending a wedding, as well as a 90th birthday in Illinois. Knowing that festivities would win out over walking, I tried to jam-pack all of my miles into Tuesday through Friday.

It was a valiant attempt, but a failed one.

Suggested Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 4 Miles Easy Walk
Wednesday - 15 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 30 Minutes Easy Cross-Training
Saturday - 12 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 7 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 28

Actual Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Wednesday - 7 Miles Moderate Walk
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk followed by rehearsal dinner
Saturday - Much Merriment (consistently mainly of drinking, eating, and dancing)
Sunday - Brunch, lots of driving, and yet more wine
Total Mileage - 22

I do give myself some credit for going for a 5-mile walk on the Constitution Trail in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois shortly after we arrived in the state. It was a lovely route.

And although I did not walk on Saturday, something must be said about my willingness to embrace both the Electric Slide and the Cha Cha Slide, as well as do a shot of whiskey with the boys. I can totally still hang, you guys.

In a stunning fall from training glory, this past week - Training Week 11 - was a dismal failure.

This is what I was supposed to do:

Suggested Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 4 Miles Easy Walk
Wednesday - 30 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 30 Minutes Easy Cross-Training
Saturday - 13 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 9 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 31

Aaanddd, this is what I did!

Actual Training
Monday - Recuperate from weekend spent with wine glass permanently attached to lips
Tuesday - Worked late to prepare for board meeting. Plus more recuperating.
Wednesday - Clearly more recuperation necessary. Am getting a cold, to boot.
Thursday - Dinner over at aunt's and uncle's and visiting grandparents. No walking, but there is more wine! Score!
Friday - Long week. Exhausted. Feeling crappy. Rest.
Saturday - Head out with intention of walking 13 miles. Head home after 2 miles. Still not feeling great, but am still up for a night of terrific food, more wine, and art.
Sunday - Hungover and sleep deprived. Really congested. Couch - 1; New Balance shoes - 0.
Total Mileage - 2

Do you see that people? Two. I walked two miles this week. T-w-o.

This is not ideal.

Luckily for me, I believe in cutting myself some slack. An off-week was not planned, but if my body felt like it needed it, I am not going to argue.

There are just 10 weeks left of training until the walk, however. No more slacking allowed!

It's raining; It's pouring; But I ain't complaining; 'Cause I love the rain

So, you're supposed to train in all kinds of weather to make sure you're ready for the 3-Day.

With this thought in mind, I walked in the rain yesterday and it wasn't so bad. I only had a 3-miler to tackle and it was just gray and chilly for the first two miles. I was thinking I might escape getting wet, but it started to drizzle during my last two laps. Grateful it didn't get too heavy, I finished my walk with a spring in my step, and not too much water in my socks.

Anyway, I'm continuing to train over at the outdoor shopping plaza behind our apartment during the week, as well as for some of my longer walks. Although I'd prefer something more interesting, I'm comfortable with knowing exactly how far I've walked in the event my Garmin dies. Plus - and those of you who know me well will really get this - the ability to dash into the bathroom if necessary just cannot be undervalued. Also, it's pretty much impossible for me to get lost. That being said, I'm ready to suck it up and drive 20 or 30 miles to find a group to walk with because 19 laps is about my maximum, I think, in terms of my tedium threshold.

I did have to laugh, though. Last Saturday during my 10-miler, a woman stopped me outside of the Apple store and said, "I have to ask... how far do you walk? I had everyone in the store watching you the other day. You're here all the time and we're all so curious!"

I laughed and told her I was training for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure and then explained that my training was ramping up every week so it's different every day. I could have kicked myself for not making those little pink business cards SGK suggests to hand out to strangers. Everyone is a potential donor! Oh well. It's on my to-do list, but in the meantime the fact that she asked why I was walking put a smile on my face and made me feel sort of like I should wave at all of the people selling iPads every time I walked by.

As always, last week was a success in the walking department, but not so much in the cross-training department. Just 10-minutes of push-ups and crunches.

Suggested Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Easy Walk
Wednesday - 15 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 30 Minutes Easy Cross-Training
Saturday - 10 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 6 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 24

Actual Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Wednesday - 10 minutes push-ups and crunches
Thursday - 3 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 10 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 6 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 24

I Got to Move It, Move It

These past two weeks, my motivation level to both walk - and blog - has been pretty low.

But not so low that I didn't get in my miles!

If I'm honest, though, sometimes I have to be a bit of a... (now, how can I say this nicely?)... hardass task master with myself. I have found that if I sit down after work, it's much harder to convince myself that my feet were meant to do anything other than get propped up on the coffee table. So I simply don't allow myself to get comfy. Immediately after I come in the door after work, I feed the cats and change into my workout clothes. And once I have those shoes on, there is no doubt in my mind. I am going to walk.

It helps to have company. Last weekend, I had the chance to meet up with some fellow 3-Dayers out in Hudson for a 7-mile walk along the Assabet River Rail Trail. It was great to meet some people who have also committed to raise money and walk 60 miles in 3 days in support of breast cancer research and programming.

Although it was only 28 degrees when we started out, it was still a beautiful day and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk. It was, however, a bit of a drive to get there and it made me wish that we had a rail trail closer to where we live. (Yeeahhh, the shopping-plaza walking is getting a bit old.) Thus I was inspired to pick out some of the places I'd like to walk this spring. Cape Cod is at the top of a fairly long list. Although also not super close, something tells me the view would be worth it.

So, motivation issues aside, the week before last went pretty well.

TRAINING WEEK 18

Suggested Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Easy Walk
Wednesday - 15 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 30 Minutes Easy Cross-Training
Saturday - 7 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 6 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 21

Actual Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Moderate Walk
Wednesday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 7 Miles Moderate Walk on the Assabet Trail
Sunday - 6 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 21

You will note that I still am not bringing my cross-training game. These past two weeks have featured sleet and snow. (Yup. Mother Nature is still on my sh*t list). Since I've had to move my walks around a bit to avoid nasty weather conditions, I haven't felt inspired to do anything beyond meet my mileage goals. That will change this week! (I think!)

This past week went fairly well, but this morning I woke up with a bad headache and wound up missing the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Training Kickoff. Initially kind of a bummer. But I'm ultimately glad I missed it because it meant that Ryan and I had a lovely mid-afternoon 3-mile jaunt through one of the neighborhoods in our community. My husband is definitely my favorite walking partner. As the walks get longer, I have a feeling he'll be less enthusiastic about joining me, so I was thrilled I was able to entice him into coming along.

Low mileage and sunshine, people. It inspires us all.

TRAINING WEEK 17

Suggested Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Easy Walk
Wednesday - 15 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 30 Minutes Easy Cross-Training
Saturday - 4 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 3 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 15

Actual Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Moderate Walk
Wednesday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 4 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 3.25 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 15.25

In the Immortal Words of Cee-Lo Green...

Forget YOU, Mother Nature!

There will be no interpretive dance for you. At least not this week.


I was supposed to do a 3-miler tonight, and 5 miles on Thursday. But apparently we haven't seen the last of Old Man Winter and we will be getting some snow on Wednesday and Thursday.

WTF, Mother Nature? WTF?

Anyway, I'm a bit grumpy about this, but I'm not going to let it stop me from getting in my training. So when I got home from work, I put on some gloves. Two pairs of pants. A long-sleeved tech-T. Also a windbreaker. Oh, and some ear warmers. (Am still a Florida girl at heart.)

Once I got out there and started moving, I hit my groove pretty quickly and wound up doing 5 miles tonight instead. I'm not sure yet if on Thursday I will brave the snow, sleet, and other weather-related miseries and tackle the 3 miles outside, or if I'll have to revisit the treadmill. I'm playing this one by ear. We'll see if Mother Nature gives the Old Man the boot.

3-Day for the Cure: Training Week Nineteen

Have I mentioned how much I love spring?

'Cause I do. I really, really do. Every single mile I walked this week was outside. Also, because it's been so nice, I've been going in the evening instead of the morning. Alone, either one of these things is cause for celebration, but together? I feel the urge to compose a poem... or maybe a song and interpretive dance dedicated to Mother Nature. She rocks my socks.

As hard as it is to drag myself out of bed in the morning to walk, I am also the sort of woman who really enjoys coming home from work to spend some quality time on the couch with my husband and our cats. (And maybe a glass of wine. Or two.) I really thought it would be harder to convince myself to get home, change into comfy walking clothes, and head right back out the door. But I'm finding that I really look forward to it.

I think it helps that we have an upscale outdoor shopping plaza right behind our apartment. It's a half-mile loop all the way around and makes for great window shopping and people watching. Plus it's well-lit, and - bonus! - they pipe awesomely bad 80s music throughout so I can leave the headphones behind (which, - PSA guys! - is admittedly boring, but also safer). On the downside, there are no hills so I'm unable to get that side of training in and on busier days I have to do a bit of dodging and weaving so as not to run into anyone. (People do not have any better walking skills than they do driving skills when they have a cell phone glued to their ear. And don't get me started on those SUV sized strollers. Sometimes I feel like Frogger, yo.)

I'll definitely continue to use the plaza in the middle of the week for my shorter walks, but as the weekend walks get longer, I'm planning on joining up with other training groups to keep things interesting and make some new friends.

In other news, my New Balance shoes are awesome. I had a small issue with a blister earlier this week, but this was entirely the fault of my socks. The New Balance socks I bought with the shoes are equally fantastic, but I made the mistake of only buying two pairs. On Thursday, I decided they were a little too ripe to wear again, so I donned a pair of my older socks to see how they fared. About four miles in I could feel a hot spot forming on my baby toe. I finished the walk with minimal pain, but they definitely aren't going to be foot friendly for anything over three miles. A little bit of lancing, some Neosporin, and a bandaid, and I'm good as new and have plans to buy more New Balance socks this week. They're cuter, anyway.

On the whole, this week went very well. I do think I'm going to go ahead and pick up some additional cross-training. This past week I did a bit of P90X Kenpo X, but found that it bugged my knees with all the twisting and punching and kicking, so I'm probably going to stick to strength training exercises on my cross-training days.

I so want to be a kickboxing bad-ass, but it might have to wait until after the 3-Day.

Suggested Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Easy Walk
Wednesday - 15 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 30 Minutes Easy Cross-Training
Saturday - 6 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 19

Actual Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Moderate Walk
Wednesday - 30 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training (P90X Kenpo X)
Thursday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 6.5 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 5 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 19.5

Just 124 days!

3-Day for the Cure: Training Week Twenty

Spring (if not yet completely sprung) is showing some weak but promising signs of defeating winter sometime soon. Ever the optimist, I have ditched the treadmill in favor of doing some walking in the fresh, albeit brisk, air.

So on Saturday, Ryan and I drove over to the Jamaica Pond. A 1.5 mile loop, it made for a beautiful morning jaunt.

I'm still lacking in the cross-training department, but since I was a bit behind on mileage in previous weeks, I didn't want to ramp up too quickly on other aspects of my training. (At least that's the excuse I'm using tonight.) I plan to add one day of cross-training this week, and then add a second day around Week 16 or so.

On a related note, Ryan and I received P90-X as a Christmas gift and I'll be incorporating these DVDs a few times a week to supplement my workouts.

We've already done a few of these and they're... uh... intense!

Although I find him highly entertaining, I'm pretty sure if I tried to fully incorporate Tony Horton along with Susan G. Komen into my training schedule I would make it forty minutes into Plyometrics and promptly collapse into a puddle of spandex, sweat and, most likely, drool.

Thus, as intrigued as I am by the Beach Body concept, I'm going to be judicious about this for now since the 3-Day is my priority.

Anyway, this is what I was supposed to do this week:

Suggested Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Easy Walk
Wednesday - 15 Minutes Moderate Cross-Training
Thursday - 4 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - 30 Minutes Easy Cross-Training
Saturday - 6 Miles Easy Walk
Sunday - 4 Miles Easy Walk
Total Mileage - 17

And this is what I did:

Actual Training
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3 Miles Moderate Walk
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 4 Miles Moderate Walk
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 6 Miles Moderate Walk
Sunday - 4 Miles Moderate Walk
Total Mileage - 17

I'm proud to have hit my mileage for the week, even if the cross-training was a giant fail. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next week holds.

These Shoes Are Made For Walking

A few years ago, my good friend Laura and I ran the Disney marathon. Being both more fleet of foot and athletically inclined than I, she finished in under four hours and had to wait around for another hour and a half for me to cross the finish line. As I said, she's a good friend. (At least Disney takes care of its runners and she got to wait where the bagels, fruit, and Gatorade are plentiful. I, on the other hand, was fighting the urge to crawl my way through my last 7 miles and seriously contemplated kissing the girl handing out little Dixie cups of beer at mile 19.)

But I digress.

The following weekend, in the spirit of female fellowship, she asked, "Do you want to get a pedicure with me?"

Now, ordinarily to a recovering marathoner these are magical words. Wouldn't you want to treat your feet after they carried you through 26.2 blister-filled miles in one morning?

To this marathoner, however, it was a horrifying prospect. And not a particularly financially wise one either.

"Laura," I pointed out. "I have four toenails."

I don't always have four toenails. Most of the time I have the regular amount. (Except right now. Right now I have eight.) But usually there are ten.

See, my toes are unique. They generally appear quite unassuming. Sort of cute in an ugly sort of way? But when I start training for any sort of athletic endeavor they swell up like miniature puffer fish which in turn causes the dreaded black toenail. After I pop the blister underneath the nail, eventually the toenail falls off. Or, if I get impatient, I pull them off.

This, while not exactly comfortable, is not as painful as it sounds. And they grow back, I swear! But obviously it's not a desirable situation, and so it's been an ongoing mission of mine to find shoes that do not cause this to a happen.

Nike wasn't the one to win my heart. I really thought Asics and I would sail off into the sunset together, but I was wrong. For awhile Brooks and I had a steady thing going. But even their promise of a wide toe box and fitted heel could not conquer the inevitable toe swelling.

I've been a little bit of a sneaker slut over the years, and today I surrendered the latest in a string of footwear fails. Sauconys, just so you know, are also not "the one," and are the current reason for two of my toes sporting the naked look.

So, with hope in my heart, I headed over to the New Balance store behind our apartment complex to find the shoes in which I will walk the 3-Day. Their method of sizing was all very high tech and involved a computer that evaluated my stockinged feet and confirmed what I already knew.

I have fat toes, guys.

Fortunately, I have a medium arch, which means I don't suffer from over- or under-pronation. After trying on several pairs of unsatisfactory shoes, I developed a crush on both the 760s and the 860s. I decided to get a pair of each and will trade them off during training, as well as during the walk.

They're incredibly comfortable, and have good cushioning and a relatively wide toe box. And the 760s are the official shoe for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure which is cool. But also?

They're sort of hot.

I don't want to jump the gun, but me (and my toes) just might be in love.