Week 9, Day 2

I made a mistake. I ate yummy black bean and cheese nachos right before I went walking. Dumb, right? So I didn't walk all that much. After 2 miles I felt pretty awful. Pablo walked the whole 2 miles with me, so that was good, but I was not. Have to do better tomorrow.

Week 9, Day 1

My 3 Day training plan that they send me shows Mondays as a rest day. I couldn't do that. I was fairly sore this morning, and rather stiff. I walked just over 2 miles at the track by work today. I felt much better after! 2 miles is so much less than my usual these days that I think I can just about count this as a rest day anyway!

I forgot to mention yesterday, but I bought a pedometer yesterday. I love it. Makes my life, well, maybe not easier exactly... But it makes me happy to know things.

Week 10, Day 7

12.2 miles! I walked in the neighborhood today and got in 12.2 miles! I'm quite proud. My feet are killing me and my legs are pretty sore, but I still feel good. I've figured out that with stopping for the bathroom and to refill my water I go about 3 miles per hour. And I have to have a bathroom break about every hour or so. My Camelbak lasts me about 2-2 1/2 hours.

I'm wondering though, how much is too much water? Maybe I need to not over do it? I'm not sure. Have to check on that.

And, I have blisters on the soles of my feet. Nothing horrible, mostly just weird. Never had blisters there!

Week 10, Day 6

11 miles baby! I rock! I walked at Town Lake today, in my new shoes, for 11 miles and I have no blisters. My feet hurt like hell when I tried to walk barefoot on a hard floor, but no blisters! And it was great. I could have kept waking, but it was getting dark. I'm going to go again tomorrow and see how I do on a back to back that's long like that.

So, the details, I had my Camelbak. It holds 70oz. I drank all of it, and then about 1/2 of another. I also had a 20oz Gatorade and a 12 oz Vitamin Water. I ate some kind of protein bar thingy too. I had to stop to use the bathroom about 4 or 5 times, which sucked. At least I know I wasn't dehydrated! I think it took me 4 hours, including the potty stops, stopping to back track and help some people find the right trail, and a break to rest and eat my bar. I think the last one was about 20 or 30 minutes.

Quite proud of myself, I tell you!

Week 10, Day 5

Hannah and I walked today, her in the jogger, in the neighborhood. I think it was about 2 - 2 1/2 miles. I wore my ankle weights, pushed the stroller, and wore the Camelbak. Good stuff. I guess I drank about 1/2 the Camlebak, which would be 35oz, and a 20oz Gatorade when I got home.

Week 10, Day 4

Hannah was with her dad today so I had a chance to take Pablo walking with me. He made it about 2 miles and I had to bring the poor pup home. I'm guessing I did about 4-5 miles. I wore my 1lb ankle weights that I got yesterday. It was the longest I'd worn the new shoes and they were great. Love them! I drank 30oz or so from the Camelbak and had half of a Gatorade when I was done.

Week 10, Day 3

I walked today on the road behind my house with Hannah in the jogging stroller. I picked up about 30 beer cans while I walked, plus 1 Big Red can, 1 Diet Pepsi can, and one Monster can. I also noticed that the people who throw out cans on the road behind my house have a preference for cheap beers like Busch, Natural Light, and Icehouse. There was also one I didn't know called a Hurricane. Interesting stuff.

I drank about 20oz of Gatorade while I walked. Hannah had a little Gatorade mixed with water. I got new shoes, New Balance, on Monday and wore them today for the first time. They were great. Really, really great. No blisters! It felt good to finally be walking again.

Week 14, Day 1

I know, it's getting old. But I was busy today in other ways!

Seriously though, I'll get back in gear tomorrow, I hope.

Week 15, Day 7

I drove like 200+ miles today. Does that count for anything?

Week 15, Day 6

Um, yeah, no, I didn't. Again. Vacation! It's vacation!

Week 15, Day 5

I'm on vacation. Give me a break!

Week 15, Day 4

Again, nada. Total bum, that's me.

Week 15, Day 3

Lazy, as predicted.

Week 15, Day 2

This morning Hannah and I got in something like 1 1/2 - 2 miles at a track near Nicole's house. My feet were seriously blistered. I think I will have to get new shoes. And it was wicked humid. Not nice.

This afternoon Hannah and I got in another 4 miles in Beaumont with Taryn. I wore my flip flops. Not the greatest, but it worked. I think I drank a liter of water, sweated 2 liters, and my feet were quite sore in the end. Still, glad I got some miles in because the rest of the week is looking lazy.

Week 15, Day 1

Nothing. Nothing for today. I'm on vacation. I'm a bum.

Week 16, Day 7

Taryn and I took the girls with us to Terrell Park today and walked something like 6 miles. It was hot, hot, hot. I drank a liter of water, then we went and got Powerade, walked some more, then I drank another liter for the last little bit and on the drive home. I had to change into my flip flop for the last 1/2 mile because I was getting blisters on both heels. I am so tired after not sleeping a whole lot last night, not walking in a few days then walking 6 miles, and from the HEAT. I forget how different Beaumont heat is from Austin heat, with all the humidity.  But I feel good. 

Week 16, Day 6

No walking today, just driving. Lots of driving. Wait, I take that back. I walked maybe a mile. Hannah and I stopped at Katy Mills mall and walked around the place a few times to stretch. That counts for something, right?

week 16, Day 5

I had good intentions today, but I worked late and then had a hellacious evening. No walking today.

Week 16, Day 4

It poured today. Really poured. So I took the day off, more or less. I actually did a fair amount of walking today, but not "training walking", just walking from here to there. I'm hoping to do better tomorrow, and hoping that I can keep up the momentum while I'm on vacation this coming week.

Week 16, Day 3

Man, what a walk I had today! Altogether I walked 5 1/2 miles, but in two sections. I started out at something like 4:30 from Brian's house. I was going to walk to Zilker Elem to meet Mom and Dad with Hannah. But they didn't make it. About the time I got to the park they called and said to meet them at the restaurant, the other direction. So I turned around and went back. At Brian's I hesitated. It was drizzling a little, but I would have to pay for parking if I drove down. I decided that I could make the 3/4 mile in time and ride back with Mom and Dad. Just incase I grabbed the umbrella. A few minutes later the bottom dropped out. Or maybe the side. The rain was coming hard and sideways, so much that I held the umbrella directly in front of me instead of over me. I was beyond drenched. (I ended up being "forced" to buy new clothes). It turns out I walked just over 4 miles, 1/2 of it in a hard downpour. Squish, squish.

Then, after Hannah went to bed, Mom and I noticed how wonderfully cool it felt outside and walked 1 1/2 mi in the neighborhood. So 5 1/2! Go me! I feel fabulous! (And no blisters!)

I didn't drink a lot of water while walking either time, but I did drink quite a bit after.

I have 9 coffee cans to decorate and distribute to collect money. I also put a box out in both buildings at the day care asking people to give me their cans. I got quite a few - probably 12 or 15, from the day care today. Then I picked up cans along the road as I walked on Robert E Lee and Bluebonnet. I ended up with a kitchen size garbage bag of uncrushed cans! Great start!