May Walking Update

I’m going to try to forget about trying to explain whatever has happened since my last update. Anyone that wants to know what has transpired in between can ask and I’ll be happy to elaborate. I get so stuck in composing some explanation of why I haven’t updated that I end up not knowing how to bridge the gap.

I’m bound and determined to post this tonight (otherwise, I’ll have missed May altogether). My focus for this update is the last week and a half.

Last week: Both days I walked on the Silver Comet Trail. Monday I started Coopers Lake Road area and walked west. Tuesday, I started at Concord Road and headed West (last time I started here I went East). My intent was to take it easy and do about 2 miles each day. But due to location of mile markers, I ended up walking at least 2.5 miles both days.

I think having the SCT is good training in that it is paved walking (as the 3-day will mostly be). It is also pre-measured, making it fairly brainless for picking any distance and then Doing It. Two lessons learned (or maybe just Things Know but Now Reinforced.) The first is related directly to the SCT--it is unnaturally level for typical Atlanta terrain so any hill walking—no matter how moderate is exaggerated. The second is my own mental observation. The first mile or maybe 1.5 miles is a mental torture. I have to play the “I think I can” or “just one more milestone and then I’ll abandon the walk” way of thinking. Once I pass some point (<2 miles) then the walking is just routine. Some may be mental; some may be inadequate stretching; I don’t know. I do know that the beginning of a walk seems to be miserable and that by the end of the walk, I have a few achy spots, but overall the walking experience has been enjoyable.

Saturday I joined my first Official training walk in Kennesaw. It was a 5 mile walk promoted to be easy and to include all walking levels. I take responsibility for not proclaiming that I was finding that my best pace is Very Slow. Less than a mile into the walk my outer calves started hurting (honest! They’re not shin splints; but they’re similar but a different set of muscles.). Two members of the walking group asked how I was and I told them “I’m sure I’ll be okay, but something is hurting” and then I slowed down. Before long I was torn between trying to shout to yell Mayday! and just turning around and going home. But dammit! I’d driven an hour to get here and it was my first official walk and I wanted to Do It. My biggest fear was that I didn’t have a map and I didn’t know at what point I would just be limping aimlessly through Kennesaw vs. walking as a stragger on an intended route. Fortunately, after I’d lost my chance to holler for help, a convenient jogger happened by and I asked him to tell the cluster of 3-day walkers that they had a straggler without a map. Our Training Walk leader quickly joined me and I think I did approx 4.5 miles of the walk (I walked slowly through the pain and ended up okay—we just turned back when met by the others and missed one final loop of the intended walk).

Sunday I spent focused more on finding local walking routes that fit the distance goals. I’m still aimed at about 5 miles even though the training plan is moving on. I spent more than an hour but mapped out two 5-miles-ish paths—one is just over 5 miles and the other is just under. Distance is based on driving distance so there is some variation for walking. I don’t have a pedometer so this is close enough for now. After I mapped out the two paths, I walked the 5.2 one. I arrived home, rested for an hour or so; bandaged my baby blister, then went with my daughter to the Street of Dreams tour of homes. While not a significant distance in street distance, the tour was of 9 homes—each had at least 2 levels and some 3 or 4 so it was a lot of walking. We spent close to 3 hours walking through the houses, taking one quick break to down a $2 bottle of water. I’ll count it as “cross training” since I really haven’t figured out what that’s going to mean for me. We thoroughly enjoyed the show; this is one step beyond what has been a “riding around and pulling info sheets” hobby of ours for a couple of years. Needless to say…I was one pooped pup by the time we got home so it was hot dogs on the George and chips for dinner. Monday (Memorial Day) I didn’t walk at all.

Tuesday I showed up at SCT for the 3 mile training walk walk. Once again I was the “turtle” and one of the walkers hung back with me. Again, we turned around when we met the others—just shy of the 1.5 mark. I’d walked about 1.4 miles before we started as a warm up so I was okay on cutting the distance. My question to the coaches is “what is the slowest time tolerated by the sweepers?” My 24 minute miles are sure to improve, but I don’t see me being a long distance sprinter! This is all a big surprise for me since my natural gait is faster than normal.

Tonight after work, I swung by home, picked Jennie up and she walked my 4.7 Douglasville walk with me. She was nervous about the non-sidewalk streets, even though they were either low traffic or (what I considered) good shoulders. I’ll have to consider that if I hope to have others walk with me. The Sunday walk was more pleasant as far as streets and views; tonight’s probably has more potential for adding on for longer distance walks.

I think I’m taking tomorrow off from walking, but I might find myself at my son’s high school while he does band-march-practice. If so, I might do track-walking. Then again, I might read my current novel because my walking butt feels Worn Out. . I think I have a 3-Day Focus meeting on Saturday but will still work a walk in and will walk on Sunday before celebrating Father’s Day at home. Monday I’m headed to Salt Lake City and should have some time while there to walk. We’re in the downtown area so it shouldn’t be hard to get the hotel to help me map out a safe, long distance walk—it might even be good for some sight seeing.

Until next update….

Now I’m REALLY walking….
Becky