Start slow.....End strong!

On Wednesday I made a wonderful discovery in the heart of NE Philly... Pennypack Park. A coworker recommended it and I am glad he did! Acres of forest, miles of paths (both paved and natural terrain), flats and hills. A training utopia!!! The path that I took, which ran along a stream, was very scenic and relaxing. I have no doubt that I will become a frequent visitor here, especially in the hot summer months (plenty of shade).

I had 2 goals this week. The first was to integrate some cross training into my routine, which basically means participating in a variety of activities besides walking. Not only does this break up the monotony of doing the same thing over and over, but it also helps to broaden the range of muscles which I work. This is a benefit because it will help increase my strength and stamina for the 3 Day as well as reduce the risk of injury due to overuse of the same muscle groups. I was successful in this goal because I made it to the gym twice this week to do some strength training and use the elliptical machine. It wasn't easy for me to do this. For one, I have not set foot in the gym in at least 6 months (probably longer). I also had to wake up at 5:30 in the morning in order to get my workout in before work. I am NOT a morning person....at.....all. Given the choice, I would sleep until 10am every single day. But I also know myself well enough to realize that waiting until the afternoon to go to the gym would result in many skipped sessions ( I cannot tolerate being there when it is crowded). So I consider waking up way before any normal person should the lesser of 2 evils. It's only 2x/week....I'll survive.

My second goal was to increase my my walking. I wanted to try for a total of 12 miles total. On Wednesday I did 2 miles on my lunch break and another 2 miles at the park after work. And that is ALL that I did. I had taken an unplanned day off Monday to recover from Saturday's walk. And as tired (and sore) as I was this morning, I cancelled my plans to walk today. I was beating myself up for "wimping out" but then I realized that was silly. Even though I walked less than I wanted, it wasn't because I was slacking off. I had added 2 days of weight lifting into the mix. It's better for me to listen to my body telling me it needs a bit of a rest rather than to force myself to stick to a possibly unrealistic schedule and then "burn out". I also have to remember that a) I only started training 2 weeks ago and b) the 3Day is 6 months away. I have time to gradually build up the intensity of my workouts...I don't need to be at 10 miles/day in the next week or 2. I have to be patient....be consistent....be smart.

To quote activist Marian Wright Edelman: "You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day"

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My Aching Legs!

I've had a productive few days. My original plan was to skip any walking over the weekend and focus instead on other aspects of preparing for the 3DayWalk. I went to the 3Day website to register (to make a donation, click HERE). I sent out emails requesting donations to several friends and family members. I went to the store and bought some additional workout clothes.

Friday night I drove to my parents' house in upstate PA. Saturday morning I woke up and on a whim, decided to take the dog for a walk. For those of you who don't know the family, that may seem like a simple enough statement, so please allow me to explain something about the dog. Jack is a beautiful black lab, full grown in size but a puppy mentally (not sure of exact age but I think it's slightly less than a year old). If anyone has ever read the book, Marley and Me, that explains Jack perfectly. Boundless energy. Chews, jumps on, & chases EVERYTHING. And although I'm not sure that it's officially recognized in animals, he is has all the symptoms of ADHD! Don't get me wrong, he's a wonderful dog. Great temperment, and very affectionate. But he needs to walk 3-5 miles a day (maybe even twice a day) in order not to drive the family insane. The walk was 2 1/2 - 3 miles long. It felt like 10. It was a toss up if I spent more time dragging Jack away from something of interest (such as, every other corn stalk in the field through which we walked.) or struggling to keep him from dragging ME towards the next item that caught his attention. And I mustn't forget some tense moments where he attempted to pull my arm off in order to go over to the dogs at a house across the street. The dogs were standing guard at the edge of their property, fur raised and growling.....Jack somehow interpreted that as "oh look, they want to play!". Sure, if your definition of play is "chew you up and spit out the pieces"!!! When it was all said and done, I considered it a successful walk. Not only did I log in unplanned miles but by doing so with Jack, my arms got a bit of a workout too. And the walk tired Jack out enough that he actually slept for a little bit.

My legs are still feeling it this morning!!! I am definitely waiting until tomorrow to do any more training!

Spring Has Sprung!!!

Yesterday was the first day of spring. I celebrated by heading down to South Street and treating myself to a Rita's Water Ice (tried the raspberry...pretty good!). I walked in a big square...from South Street to Market Street, over several blocks, and back to South(1 1/2 hrs total). I came across 2 very interesting sites. The first was the Pennsylvania Hospital (800 Spruce Street)....the very first hospital in the US according to the sign out front. The second was The Magic Garden...a mosaic taking up an entire city lot and the adjoining buildings, created by the artist Isaiah Zagar. It isn't open to tourists until the weekend but it certainly looks interesting. After I completed my "square", I headed into the Italian Market to do some shopping. There's a great little spice store that I love to check out whenever I'm nearby!

Also, to commemorate the first day of spring, Dunkin Donuts was giving away free iced coffee. So I got one. And then went to another store and got another. And then went to a third store and got another. I love my iced coffee! Brought one back to work and put the other 2 in the fridge. Now I've got my caffeine fix for the next few days!!!

Today I parked along the same spot off of South Street, but instead walked into the heart of the Historic District. I saw the Liberty Bell...something I haven't done in the entire time I've lived here! Another 1 1/2 hrs for today. I am a bit worn out. I think I need to address the issue of nutrition. With all of the walking I have been doing (and all that I need to do to get ready for the 3Day), I have to start doing some research on what I should be eating to optimize my strength and energy!

TGTF (Thank Goodness Tomorrow's Friday!). No walking planned for the weekend b/c I have family functions to attend. I will be hitting a dance club with my friend, which always gives a good cardio workout!

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All's Well That Ends Well

It's been quite hectic since my last post. My brother had surgery. My car window got stuck...in the down position....the day before a ice/sleet/snow storm was about to come through. In the mad dash to leave town to visit my brother and get my window fixed, my cell phone disappeared at the Wawa where I stopped to get gas and my carrier was most UNHELPFUL despite the fact that I have insurance (well, to be more specific...the service people in the store were unhelpful. I actually got some results when I was on the phone).

I reached a point where I just sat in my car and screamed, at the top of my lungs, for a full minute (my voice is still paying the price). Thankfully all is well now. My brother is home and recovering. My father was able to get the window fixed (thanks dad!). My new cell phone arrived on Monday.

Now that I've vented, let me get back to the purpose of posting. On Thursday, I was able to leave work a bit early and head back to the Art Museum area. I walked for about 2 1/2 miles (round trip) down Kelly Drive. The path runs along the Schuylkill River, which makes for a peaceful excursion (water always seems to calm me). I discovered that there are many statues and monuments along this path. As I came back to the Art Museum, I had the same issue as the previous day.....full bladder w/ no place to go (it's times like this that I wish I was a guy). So II snuck into the Art Museum! Before you yell at me, let me clarify. I went in to use the bathroom and came right back out. I did not take advantage of the fact that I got in for free to look around. On Sundays you can "pay what you want" all day long (even if it's just a dollar), so there was no need for me to "steal" a peek.

After my pit stop, I headed back to my truck so that I could move it to another parking spot (2 hrs limit....no desire to fund the parking authority with a fine). Once I did that, I walked another 1/2 mile to the Trader Joe's (2121 Market Street). What a great store. Many health and environmentally friendly foods at reasonable prices. I picked up some protein bars, samosas (Indian snack), and enchiladas for dinner. On the way back to my truck, stepped into the Whole Foods Market (2001 Pennsylvania Ave) to grab some falafel (for me) and oat grass (for my cats).

All told, I spent 4 hours on foot. Granted, not all of that was at a brisk pace, but my legs sure felt it the next day! Between the weather, visiting family, and meetings, I have not been out for walk since. I plan on correcting that today.

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Allow Me To Introduce Myself....And My Brother

I never really introduced myself. My name is Heather. I am in my mid 30s. I was born on another planet (actually it was Neptune...New Jersey. Close enough!). My parents moved to rural PA when I was a wee lassie (getting my Irish on w/ St Patty's day around the corner). I spent the first half of my life in the country and the second half around Philadelphia. As a result, I am kind of a hybrid.

The country girl loves the outdoors. Hiking, camping, horseback riding. I prefer a Monster Truck Rally or NASCAR race over the opera. Backyard BBQ over a 5 star restaurant. When I feel my batteries dying, all it takes is a trip to the mountains (what Philadelphians call anything more than an hour north of the city) to rejuvenate my soul.

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It took awhile for her to come out, but the city girl is here too. I love going to the Art Museum or a play. I love trying out new foods from one of the many ethnic restaurants in the city. I can now brag that I am able to drive in and around Center City or find parking around South Street without breaking out in hives (a fact that was not true until a little over a year ago.....after I had been here for 13 years!!!!).

As a result, I thought that I would spend my first week of 3Day Training in the City of Brotherly Love. I'll introduce you to this city that used to scare me to death, but have now come to love.

Philadelphia is a city of historical significance and symbolism. It is also a city that has only relatively recently started to LOOK like a city. Until 1987, no buildings were allowed to be taller than the Ben Franklin monument atop City Hall.

I can identify with Philly for this reason. I am not exactly resistant to change. After all, I drive a car to work, not a horse and buggy. My primary means of communication are text messages, emails, and IMs. But change can be intimidating as well. There are many people who believe that the reason Philadelphia has not had a professional sports championship since the 1980s is b/c building taller buildings piss Billy Penn off enough that he has cursed us. Silly? Sure. Just as silly as the fact that I know I am fat, know how to lose weight, but am still fat. Am I really that powerless over my own body? Or am I just using my weight as an excuse for the other things going wrong in my life (example...complete inability to meet a sane, faithful, non-psychotic man).

Yesterday, I began the physical and mental journey towards the 3Day and a thinner/healthier body. I thought it fitting to start at one of the city's more symbolic sites. The Philadelphia Museum of Art ( http://www.philamuseum.org/ ). I parked my car along the Ben Franklin Parkway, walked past Boathouse Row ( http://www.boathouserow.org/ ), then came back to finish my walk at the top of the Art Museum's steps......just like Rocky did! Rocky, even though a fictional character, is a symbolism of the underdog overcoming the odds. And at 200+ lbs, I figure I am an underdog of sorts when it comes to successfully completing a 20mile/day challenge.

One inspirational thing I saw as I was walking was an elderly man, setting up shop from his mini van. He was selling bottled water, fruit, granola, soda, and candy bars for a buck each, right outside of the museum. And he was busy!! Many of the joggers or bikers greeted him by name and he knew them as well. It might not seem that inspiring at first, but seeing him made me think of my grandmother. She is 77, retired, and sits around all day imagining all of the horrific things that could possibly happen to her. Seeing this man taking such a simple concept and making a success out of it was very motivational for me.

My walk was a bit shorter than planned for 2 reasons. One, the sky darkened considerably. While I am not opposed to getting wet, I cannot say the same for my cell phone. Two, my bladder was protesting due to the overly zealous amount of water I had been drinking (note to self: find out where public restrooms are along chosen walking paths!). I still got in an hour and was happy. In addition to finding good potty break sites, I learned that I need to: invest in a pedometer (no idea how to convert city blocks into miles), put my cell phone in a Ziploc bag for weatherproofing, and purchase some workout pants that have pockets!!

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Welcome One, Welcome All!

Hello everyone and thanks for checking in. This is my first time ever doing a blog, so bear with me. The purpose of this blog is to log my endeavors on the road to doing the 3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer in Philadelphia this year (2007). At the moment, I have no idea when the walk is scheduled b/c I cannot access the 3day website at work (damn firewalls). I'll get that info tonight at the library.

Website for those of you who might be interested is: www.The3Day.org

My road to this 60 mile walk should be an interesting one. For starters, I am not exactly in the best shape of my life. I am currently at 230 lbs! It was my own issue with weight that got me thinking about breast cancer. Being overweight puts you at increased risk for breast cancer (among many other health issues). It also makes it more difficult to detect lumps. So as much as I enjoy the fact that I actually HAVE breasts now that I'm fat, I have made a decision that they need to go (not them exactly, but the fat that fills out my bustline!).

I stumbled across information about this 3 Day Walk while web-surfing and thought "what a wonderful idea". I dislike pretty much all forms of exercise except for walking. Most weekends, I will head into Center City, park my car along South Street, and then walk for hours. Granted, most of it is a leisurely pace. Obviously I will have to step it up a bit in order to survive the 3Day. I will use this blog as a way to document my progress and challenges in meeting my goal of completing my first ever 3 Day Walk.

I hope you will take this journey with me.

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