My Calves are Mooing

Got up late this morning...well, later than I wanted to. I wanted to get up at 5 and go for a walk. I hit snooze till 8:15. Ugh.

Went to class and then work. After work, I headed to my parents' house for my walk. It was supposed to rain (and boy did it!), so I hit their treadmill and got a good, fast 4-mile walk in. My calves are killing me now, though, so I'm taking tomorrow off to rest my body.

Miles walked = 4
Time = 1 hour

I have walked 42.88 miles -- 4.29% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

Insert Witty Title Here

Good walk today. Windy and cool (not cold, cool) but overcast with a few drops of rain at the halfway mark. Saw someone throwing up on the side of the track, poor guy. Ick.

Not much to say today. I've been really tired the last couple of days. I need to do some laundry, clean, and read.

Miles walked = 3
Time = 1 hr.
I have walked 38.88 miles -- 3.89% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

And the Daffodils Look Lovely Today

Yep, I was listening to the Cranberries today on my walk. Very nice.

It's windy today...coming from the south, which made each 1/2 lap facing south a workout. It was a nice walk, but I only did 2 miles. I have a dentist appointment in an hour.

I'm now feeling like something is missing if I don't get a daily walk in. I've come to cherish that hour of "me" time.

Today's stats:
Miles walked: 2
Time: 40 minutes
Weight: ???? New scale not looking like it's balanced

I have walked 35.88 miles -- 3.59% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night....

OK...it was dark because it was night, but it wasn't stormy. In fact, it was pretty clear, beautiful stars, and a nice breeze. I was mad busy today and despite wearing my walking clothes just in case I got the chance to get a walk in, I found myself rushing to get the kids before I even knew it. We went up to my parents' house, as always, and while watching the kids play, and talking to my Mom, it dawned on me that they have a treadmill. My parents always go out to eat on Friday nights, so I arranged to meet back at their house when they got back from dinner so they could watch the kids while I walked. What a really nice way to end the day. I'm a little wired now, though. Oh well.

I got a lot done today...and finished a project that's been hanging over my head for a while now. What a relief. I am so glad to be DONE with it! Now, on to the next project..the paper I'm writing for the Professional Communication Society conference in Hawaii this summer. The proposal was accepted for a panel discussion, and the rough draft is due on the 31st, so it's time to get my ass in gear, as Dad would say.

Next week promises to be hectic, as well. I broke a tooth this past Monday and it started hurting today. My dentist wasn't in when I stopped by the office, but the staff called him and he called in some antibiotics for me. I will see him Monday at 1:30. I'm sure I'll need a root canal and it's probably abscessed. Fun stuff. I also need to see about scheduling my interview for Teach Louisiana, a program that quickly certifies teachers to teach in high needs schools in Caddo Parish. I submitted an application a couple of weeks ago and got notification this week that they wanted to interview me. I'm not completely sure it's something I want to do right now, but I'd hate to burn any bridges...so I'll do the interview.

I also registered for a sponsored walk today. The walk is being held by Alpha Tau Omega fraternity at Tech and is for the Pamela H. Watson Ovarian Cancer memorial walk. It is being held on April 25th from 10:00 - 5:00. Look forward to me asking for donations for this worthy cause!

So, today's stats!
Miles walked: 2.25
Time: 50 minutes
I have walked 33.88 miles -- 3.39% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

Thank God I'm not Nadya Suleman

I can't imagine how I would EVER walk off my "Mommy pooch" if I were her. Seriously. I think most HOM Mamas have to have a tummy tuck. I just hope mine will go down a little with my exercise.

Another beautiful day here...already in the low 70's and just the slightest breeze. It felt so peaceful walking today and, once again, listening to MY music with no little hands grabbing at me or interruptions. Ahhhh.

I was going to write more today, but now I can't remember what I was going to say!

Miles Walked = 3.25
Time = 1 hour

I have walked 31.63 miles -- 3.16% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

Yeah, whatever...

I don't want to hear the "You haven't been updating" spiel, ok?

Well, ok. If you must.

Last week I strained my back. My house became a mess (not that difficult, actually) and I had problems getting around. I FINALLY got a walk in TODAY! Wooh. It feel so good...I really missed it.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, despite everything being covered in the yellow-green haze of pine pollen. Here's a fact for you. Did you know it's not the pine pollen that bothers allergies? The pine pollen molecule is too big to promote a histamine reaction. It's usually the oaks that'll getcha...their pollen comes at the same time and the molecule is much smaller.

So, enough of Dr. Nikki.

I took a new route for half the time today. I walked Hideaway Park and did 2 laps around it. The course around the park is ~3/4mi, so I did 1 1/3 mile there. The hills were killer, though, so I switched and did 1 more mile on the track.

I went to the Dr. last week for my back and weighed in at 212!

Miles walked = 2.25
Time: 1 hr.

Weight: 212

I have walked 28.38 miles -- 2.84% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

What a Cold and a Rainy Day...

Where on earth is the sun, anyway?

When I got up this morning it was 61*. By the time I got dressed, got the kids dressed, and headed out the door it was 46*....and raining. It didn't matter, though because I had blown out my back picking Jamie up this morning. I hoped that after class it would feel better and I could go walking. No such luck.

Maybe tomorrow.

The Rhythm of the Feet

I have discovered that walking has given me back one of my favorite things: music. It's been so long since I've had the chance to listen to my own music and now I get an entire hour to listen to whatever *I* want to listen to. Natalie Merchant follows Elvis follows the Kingston Trio. It's so nice.

No weigh-in this week. I can't find the scale.

3 miles today in an hour.

I have walked 26.05 miles -- 2.61% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

MIA

So, yes, I've been MIA for a few days. I chose to do yard work on Thursday and Friday...you know, the kind of yard work that takes ALLLLL day to do? Yeah...and that took care of the side yard. I completely took Saturday off to rest my body. Sunday, I did a little more yard work. Today was just a mass of busy work.

I will be back to walking tomorrow!

Double UGH

I didn't want to walk today. I had a very hard time waking up after an anxiety-filled night, so I was tired. But, I got the kids off to school and headed to the track. It took me over a mile to get into it. I wanted so badly to quit. I rounded the corner at 1.5 miles and sped up as I usually do, turning my .mp3 to Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" because it has the perfect rhythm for a really fast walk. I made my lap into 1.75...the song ended. I started it over. I lapped 2 miles. Then 2.25. Then 2.5, 2.75, 3. Then, Pachelbel came on and I slowed down through 3.25, 3.5. Harry Belafonte brought me home through 3.75 and Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" played me into 4. I sat down and did some stretches and as I finished up, Ray and Willie finished me up with "Seven Spanish Angels." I lay on the ground trying to stretch myself taller, my eyes closed, my mind clear for the first time in 24 hours. I didn't walk that last mile because I needed to physically--I walked that last mile because I needed to mentally and emotionally. It was a release.

I'm home now, literally and figuratively. I hope it takes me through the end of the day.

Miles walked: 4
Time: 3 miles in an hour...another half-hour to finish the 4th.

I have walked 23.05 miles -- 2.31% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

So, So Tired

The only post-menopausal symptom I seem to be having is sleeping problems. This symptom meant that I got 10-15 minute increments of sleep last night. What a PITA. I'm supposed to go get my blood test at some point this week. Tomorrow is Katy's interview with A.E. Phillips, so probably not tomorrow. Maybe Thursday? I really need to get some writing done, too, but it's slow going.

It's another beautiful day here...blue skies and winds ESE up to 10mph. Made for easy walking despite the 48* when I started. I really didn't want to go this morning, but once I got about a half-mile into my walk, I was digging it. I was walking faster than some of the "runners" there by 2.25 miles. Wimps.

The kids were crazy this morning. Katy was all over the place, shrieking and screaming to get Jamie to laugh. Jamie was happy as usual. I wish I could get up before them...that way I could get my 2 cups of coffee in BEFORE having to deal with their antics.

Well, all for today. Stats below:

Miles: 3.5
Time: 1:05

I have walked 19.05 miles -- 1.91% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

Gorgeous

What a beautiful day for a walk...besides the fact that it was 34* in N. Louisiana. The north wind is blowing 10-15mph, so every north side track walk was a little rough on my ears. There were a couple other people out this morning, but they were gone as I finished up my 3.25 miles. The sun is shining, though, so by the time my walk was over, I was nice and toasty and feeling good.

Mondays will be weigh-in days. Had to go by my doc's office to do some blood-work (but the phlebotomist wasn't there anyway), but weighed in at 214. Nice to see some progress in losing weight!

Got home and put some Malt O'Meal in the microwave. Who knew it would blow up if you cooked it too long???? Made a lovely mess, but I discovered that if you get it while hot, it cleans up easily.

I have a little bit of a stomach ache today and am hoping I'm not getting the virus that's going around. I'm hitting the Pepto and hoping to just stay bland with food. I've got to figure out what to make for dinner tonight.

All until tomorrow. Stay warm, people!

I have walked 15.55 miles -- 1.56% of my goal of 1000 miles!!

The Decision

I've been wanting to work out for a year now, but with adhesion pain following my last c-section it was proving to be impossible. I had a hysterectomy on December 30th and at my 6 week follow-up, found out I had lost 15 pounds -- without even trying. My doctor and I figured my "horror"-mones were so messed up before that it was keeping me from losing any weight. PCOS is a real witch.

So, the next day (after my appointment), I got the kids off to school and hit the road. I walked 2 miles the first day--a Tuesday. On Wednesday, I walked 2.5 miles. Same on Thursday. On Friday, though, I walked 3 miles. I skipped Saturday, but got a 2 mile walk in on Sunday.

And, then, I decided I'd blog about my journey...because each mile I walk is dedicated to a family--the matriarch of whom is a dear friend of mine. Her husband died in early February from pancreatic cancer and, after doing some research, I realized what a silent killer pancreatic cancer is. It is almost undetectable until symptoms set in--and when that happens, it's usually too late to do anything. The husband died 8 weeks after diagnosis, leaving his wife and 2 children.

I was recently made aware of a neighbor that has pancreatic cancer. At this point, he is not doing well and his health is failing quickly. I will walk in his honor, too.

So, I'm walking for Tom. And I will walk 1,000 miles for him this year.

My equipment:
New Balance cross-trainers 608
Centec .mp3 player
Gatorade G2

Starting weight= 217 lbs.