I just found this poem and couldn't wait to pass it on to the team.
Cancer is so limited…
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit
- Author Unknown
Woot! Our team is well within reach of our challenging fundraising goal. Way to go, ladies (and Bob)!
I am so proud to work and walk with such dedicated and caring individuals.
You know it sounds like a good idea to train with the team and walk 7.5 miles until you have to get up on the weekend like it is a weekday. The weatherman was calling for temperatures in the mid 50s AND raining. What was I thinking? Oh, well you got to do what you got to do. It was time for positive thinking and a few prayers for only a light rain or sunshine.
It must have been a training walk that was meant to be. It stopped raining as I left the house and it actually got up to the mid 60s. The overcast skies made for a great walking day. Our fearless leader mapped out a fantastic route winding through nice neighborhoods. She made sure there were plenty of rolling hills to match the potential routes through Washington DC. We all paired up and took off. One group did a 14 mile route while the other two did the 7.5 one. I had a great walking buddy to chat with and keep up a decent pace. We kept a good pace and did our 7.5 miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
I had hoped to do another 6-7 miles on Sunday but the weather did me in. I am such a wimp. The stalled weather front brought rain and cooler temperatures. I stuck an arm out the front door and quickly retreated to the warm dry house. I’ll have to try to do another walk a little longer next Saturday. I have 25 days more to get ready to walk 33 miles in one weekend. I just have to keep repeating “I can do it”.
The good news is I'm feeling good. A few stiff muscles but they are all working. The gardening I did in the afternoon might have been just the right amount to keep things from cramping up.
I have divided and sent in all the checks we received for the Friday Walking Shoes effort. These checks will take about two weeks before they are posted to your individual fundraising page. I have also equally divided all cash received and donated it to each of you.
Our team rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!
Although I can tell from my waistline my training hasn't been fantastic either I do have a couple games I play while pounding the pavement. Now these are a bit corny so don't make fun of me but it's whatever it takes!
Did you know there is some kind of bird that sings the first song of the day - every day between 5:30 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. It's still pitch dark and that all inspiring bird greats me when I run to Starbucks. It's a 'thing' now. I HAVE to be outside when she sings to me. I just KNOW she's some kind of a guardian angel. I swear - EVERY MORNING she's somewhere in the trees singing to me and what's REALLY cool is there is normally no one outside at that time except me and her! This is only a mile a day but every mile counts!
I also do quite a bit of pretending while I'm walking. Raven, my best dog friend and fierce protector, is always with me and we are usually on an undercover mission of some type. (stop laughing at me) We are almost always chasing bad guys. Raven pretends she is a super trained K-9 and I, of course, am a secret international CIA agent. Warning - this mission only works when it's dark outside because Raven tends to get distracted and hunts squirrels if it's daytime.
I also have a self inflicted point system. Did my team realize just how neurotic I am? The goal is to get 10 points a run/walk but you can make your own rules :). I start with 0 points. If I skip two blocks without stopping I earn 3 points. If I speed walk for a mile, there's another 3. Just make up your own rules as you go. However, I lose points for stuff like not jumping over a curb or not walking backwards for 10 seconds every time I see a yellow car.
I know this is all insane but it keeps me going and relieves some of the boredom of long training walks!
THE MAIN IDEA HERE IS GETTING THE MILES UNDER YOUR BELT AND REMEMBERING JUST WHY WE ARE DOING THIS. ONE IN EIGHT.
