Every year, near the end of July, there’s a seven-mile road race held in a town down and across the river. It’s not the longest race in the country, but a lot of the winding course is more vertical than one might expect. It attracts a lot of distance runners, including a few who go on to win or place in bigger races.
My parents often come up to walk the entire course while the rest of the family does the two-mile family fun course.*
I’ve done the full seven miles only twice—once when I was three-months pregnant with Janie and once when I was unknowingly pregnant with Sunny and tried to run it, which was the beginning of the end for my knees. Between my balking joints, my general aversion to the outdoors during high summer, and a residual superstition concerning reproduction . . . I haven’t considered tackling it.
This year, I think I’ll try again. I’ve three months to get myself from a sitting start to a respectable amble.** I started small this morning—a fifteen minute walk around the mezzanine at work before I clocked in.
In retrospect, Skillet, 3Oh!3, and Metallica might have been a bit of an ambitious playlist for my first power walk in (cough, cough). I wish my feet weren’t talking to me right now . . . But my knees have remained silent,*** so we’ll see how it goes.
I’m hoping it will go at least seven miles. But if not, at least I’ll be moving forward, right?
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* Or drops them off and writes for a couple hours until it’s time to pick them up . . .
** I’m not running it, so all of you wonderful people who just pulled up another tab to find the Couch-2-5K schedules for me, I truly appreciate your enthusiasm and help, but no.
***Or I haven’t been able to hear them over my kvetching tootsies. Tomato-tomahto
Earful of Cider 
Oh, I love walking. Love it so much. My husband and I are trying to plan a “walking day” where we walk at least 15-18+ miles to a few key locations. I’m so busy and stressed to the max right now that I can’t fully imagine taking the time to do this….on the other hand, walking is a perfect solution to stress.
I’d forgotten that walking is a solution to stress—it seemed like just one more thing until I started it up again. But it’s remarkably mind-clearing and that’s never a waste of time . . . right?
Right. Just do it for the pleasure of the fresh air and the meditative rhythms of walking. That’s reason enough, really, and much less stressful than worrying about what we should or must do.
That’s my philosophy about ordering chili cheese fries for lunch. Except for the fresh air and meditation part . . .
You’ve inspired me Sarah. I’ve been thinking sometime about how I need to turn around this physical spiral I’m on. This post reminded me…I ran my first marathon in 2003 in somewhere around 6 hours. It was awful and if anything only proved that I have my father’s stubborn streak. The following year though we volunteered at the 21 mile mark. I was a few months pregnant, just showing, and as our friends ran by they’d rub my belly for luck. I’m surprised I didn’t shine like Lincoln’s nose. Normally, I hated people touching my belly, but to watch these people in so much pain take what was a joke and somehow start to believe it….it was something. Now…details. How are you squeezing it into your day? What time have you carved out?
At this point, I have half an hour between dropping off Janie and clocking in. I realized that all I do is fool around online during that time, so I won’t be losing anything by using the time to go around the block or the mezzanine of the library before it opens—literate mall walking!
I think I might also start walking after dinner, with whichever family members are available. I don’t want to walk in the early mornings—I get up early enough as it is and I actually do get some writing done then, or at least outlining for the day.
** – bless their little hearts.
It’s that time of year and it’s stopped raining, so…
So it’s time to open a window and turn on the telly? Me, too. 😀
I’m always up for a walk, as is Big Doofie. Granted, after this killer cold (or whatever it is) leaves my system.
Just don’t tell me to “make sure I do this.” Last time you did that, you ended up with a tattoo 🙂
Don’t call your brother a big doofie. That’s my job. 😉
And I love my tattoo.
Goals are good, Sarah W. so is moving forward. I think I’ll join you.
Join me in walking? Or join me in July? 🙂
It makes it easier to hold yourself to it when you make a blog post about it. 😉 I hope that you do it for sure. Maybe you’ll give me courage to do something similar. Or rather, drive.
Tell you what, Lisa—you start walking west and I’ll start walking east, and we’ll meet in . . . Louisville?
Some have argued that my grandmother lived to be over 100 because evil has a way of never dying. I, however, am convinced it’s because she walked mile upon mile, day after day. At the very end, her legs gave out and she was wheelchair bound. Really I think the inability to walk is what finally did her in.
Good for you for getting movin’. It’s gonna do your heart well.
That first paragraph needs to be in something, MSB.
And I’m sure it will be good for me . . If only it would stop raining so I can have more options!