Walking 2009, Keep Moving Forward

[deekaypee]

'Ohana Monday Mixer

Wendy posted this on the Lean Meaner thread and her words resonated with me, so I thought I'd pass it along as it serves as the inspiration for this week's mixer.

It feels like Spring in my head-- a time for cleaning out the junk, renewing my resolve, and enjoying all that is beautiful around me. It's a renewed hope thing -- Do you feel that way, too?

So, WISHers, springtime is in the air as well as on the calendar. And even if your neighborhood isn't enjoying springlike weather quite yet, it's fun to plan for that day that's just around the corner. So this week's set of related prompts are...

What outdoor activity (or activities) do you most look forward to in the spring, and why? What is an annual spring tradition for you? How do you enjoy that first, perfect spring day?

Feel free to talk about prepping the bike for the season's first ride or the first run in shorts. But we're also interested in hearing about other activities: gardening, kite-flying, spring cleaning, picnics, roller blading, hiking, and so on.

So tell us your stories. The 'Ohana Monday Mixer starts here.

 

[jeanneg]

YAY!!!! The walker's thread is back!!!!! Now we just gotta get the word out....since it only took me 3 weeks to find it! Actually, I have some friends from NJ that are planning to sign up for the Donald as their first walking event ever. As soon as they register I'm going to hook them up with this thread so they can become official WISHers.

Tracy: What an awesome time.......you rock, girl!

Dave: sorry about missing your chicken biscuit......that would have me bummed out too!

So glad to be back among the walking crowd!

 

[getnthinr]

Hey, Jeanne, let me know when you get ready to take on the American Tobacco Trail again. We'll have our own little mini-WISH meet.

 

[jeanneg]

Hi Wendy,

I'm going to attempt 10 miles tomorrow at Wakefield (remember that place?)

It will be the most I have done since the Princess half. I've got new shoes and will try the topical NSAID the doctor prescribed. Not really looking for speed.......just want to go the distance. Hopefully I can get in another 10 or, ideally 12, next weekend and that will be it for the Nashville CM&M. You are more than welcome to join me tomorrow if you like. I will NOT be getting up at the crack of dawn since it's only 10 miles and I don't have much of anything else to do. (Would consider Shelley Lake also) Just let me know if you're interested. I'll do ATT whenever you like......it should be pretty this time of year.

 

[deekaypee]

'Ohana Monday Mixer

The mixer starts here...

Variety is the spice of life, so they say. (But don't ask me who they are, although I suspect they work for McCormick. ) With that in mind, this week's mixer question is:

What types of XT do you like to do, and why? What are your old favorites and new discoveries? What kind of XT would you like to try?

Anecdotes and pictures are welcomed. I think we'd really like to hear about the benefits of your XT--physical, mental, social. Does it create a stronger core or more flexibility? Does it help you de-stress? Is it something you enjoy with your kids, partner, friends? It might also be helpful to know how you work XT within your walking/running schedule.

Extra points for XT activities that are unusual or have funny names or rituals. As determined by popular vote. And in case you're wondering, those points have no monetary value whatsoever. (I'll make up other disclaimers as I think of them.)

 

[getnthinr]

Hi Wendy,

I'm going to attempt 10 miles tomorrow at Wakefield (remember that place?)

It will be the most I have done since the Princess half. I've got new shoes and will try the topical NSAID the doctor prescribed. Not really looking for speed.......just want to go the distance. Hopefully I can get in another 10 or, ideally 12, next weekend and that will be it for the Nashville CM&M. You are more than welcome to join me tomorrow if you like. I will NOT be getting up at the crack of dawn since it's only 10 miles and I don't have much of anything else to do. (Would consider Shelley Lake also) Just let me know if you're interested. I'll do ATT whenever you like......it should be pretty this time of year.

Oh no! I missed a chance to walk with Jeanne! Saturday I was working at the Umstead 100 (mile) Endurance Run. (Click here to read about it in another post.) I'd have rather been at Wakefield with you -- or Shelley Lake. I love Shelley Lake. Or the ATT. I'd love to try that one again. I have a lot of catch-up reading to do -- I want to see how your walk went. And I'm not so much into speed as survival these days.

 

[windwalker]

Who all is doing the Country Music?

I have my plan down firm now, I'm meeting Liz and Patrick and Lisa and family at the Expo at around 2pm on friday then dinner after. One race day A walking buddy's wife will drop us off at the start and pick us up at the finish. Can't argue with that since driving in Nashville is icky.

I will be walking with Liz and anyone else that wan'ts to do a 14 mpm pace. I can't wait to get some pretty walking princess hugs.

Walking Panda

 

[dsnyfan21]

Have a good time Panda Dave and give Liz a big hug from me also!!!

Tracy

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Hey Walkers...

I just did the 7th Annual Run Like a Bunny 5k race walk this morning. It was held over on Pompano Beach.
I did my best time for a 5K racewalk with 38min 19sec!

Wanted to show you some of the other times and also the top 3 men.

Tracy

Great job Tracy!

You were the youngest and only one other person under 50 years old. Interesting stats. 3rd place women "race walked" the race at 18+ min pace?

 

[jeanneg]

Oh no! I missed a chance to walk with Jeanne! Saturday I was working at the Umstead 100 (mile) Endurance Run. (Click here to read about it in another post.) I'd have rather been at Wakefield with you -- or Shelley Lake. I love Shelley Lake. Or the ATT. I'd love to try that one again. I have a lot of catch-up reading to do -- I want to see how your walk went. And I'm not so much into speed as survival these days.

You didn't miss much, Wendy.
I tried so hard, but it just didn't happen. I wore the new shoes and used the topical medication the doc gave me, but it didn't help much. I really wanted to go the full 10 miles, but had to give up after one 5-mile loop. I was doing all my walking with one leg.....limped as fast as I could and even managed a slightly below 15-minute pace, but I was compensating too much with the good parts of my body and ended up with really bad back and knee issues, in addition to the foot pain. That night and the next day I ached ALL OVER, which is very unusual for me. I truly hope my marathoning days are not coming to an end. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but this is lunacy.

Dave: looking forward to seeing you at the CMM, but I'm gonna be way, way back this time. (Thank goodness we have a 4-hour time limit)

 

[dsnyfan21]

Jean, sorry to hear your having aches and pains!!! Sending some pixie dust your way!

Trace

 

[deekaypee]

You didn't miss much, Wendy.
I tried so hard, but it just didn't happen. I wore the new shoes and used the topical medication the doc gave me, but it didn't help much. I really wanted to go the full 10 miles, but had to give up after one 5-mile loop. I was doing all my walking with one leg.....limped as fast as I could and even managed a slightly below 15-minute pace, but I was compensating too much with the good parts of my body and ended up with really bad back and knee issues, in addition to the foot pain. That night and the next day I ached ALL OVER, which is very unusual for me. I truly hope my marathoning days are not coming to an end. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but this is lunacy.

Dave: looking forward to seeing you at the CMM, but I'm gonna be way, way back this time. (Thank goodness we have a 4-hour time limit)

I'm dropping by this thread specifically to give my love to the Big Kahuna. I'm so sorry you're in pain and having back and knee issues. I'm sending PD for CMM and ALL your training.

 

[windwalker]

Jeanne I can't wait for my Jeanne hug.

Happy Panda

 

[deekaypee]

'OHANA MONDAY MIXER

The mixer starts HERE on the thread.

A spring chick told me that many of us gave up goodies for Lent. Now that Lent has ended, Monday is a good time for this mixer question:

What is one healthy food you always have in your kitchen? What is one less-than-healthy food you always have in your kitchen?

Feel free to post pictures, talk about how the foods help you in your training (either as nutrition or reward), and confess to guilty pleasures and happy indulgences!

 

[windwalker]

Jeanne how are you feeling now? What exactly did you do to your pretty self?

Concerned Panda

 

[jeanneg]

Thanks for asking, Dave. To sum it up, I've been having pain in my right foot since a little after the marathon in January. I ended up not training for the Princess because I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do it. The morning of the race, adrenalin must have kicked in because the pain in my foot was not really an issue. However, I found that the lack of training really hurt my stamina and I had my slowest half-marathon ever. (3:20)
That was a month ago and I still have not been able to do any long walks. I attempted a 10-miler a week ago and it ended up being 5 very ugly miles. My foot hurt very badly but i was determined to not give in so i adjusted my gait which was a very bad move. I ended up with back and knee issues that lasted several days. The orthopedist says I have significant arthritis and several bones spurs on the top of my foot over the arch. He did not feel that any sort of surgery was a viable alternative but gave me a prescription for a 12-hour pain patch that I haven't tried yet. He also said that the racing was actually helping the arthritis and I should try to NOT give it up. Which is kinda like a catch-22 because I will have to hurt to keep from hurting.
So basically, I've been in a little bit of a slump because it addition to all the foot issues, it's been tax crunch time and that's enough to make anyone go insane.
I'm hoping that when I get to Nashville all the excitement of seeing everyone again will be sufficient to take my mind off the pain and I'll be fine. Plus the 4-hour time limit means that I expect to get my medal even if I have to crawl over the line. I'm trying to get at least one 10-miler in before the race, but I am so backlogged with everything else, I'm not sure it will happen. In any event, it is going to be an awesome weekend and I can't wait to see everyone again.

 

[windwalker]

Jeanne I have some that same thing and I'll tell you how I deal with it. Mine is the top of my right foot a little ways behind my toes. To start with wear shoes that are loose inn the toe box, a snug shoe will agrivate it. Then self massage regularly. Firm thumb pressure up and down and around the bones to keep it loose and keep it from tightening up. I hurt for a while afer a training walk or race but once again massage and loose fitting shoes helps. I take a couple of Advil after a race or a hard training walk to take the edge off it till I can massage it out.

Hope that helps.

Walking Panda.

 

[SideStitchWalker]

Hi Walkers,
Great to see a new walkers thread. Been away way too long.

Tracy congrats on another great race. I've signed up for racewalking classes so I hope some day to be able to enter races as an "official racewalker".

Jeanne, sorry to hear about your foot problems. Had to have two steroid shots in the last couple months to straighten mine out, so I wish you luck!!

Lynn

 

[windwalker]

Hi Walkers,
Great to see a new walkers thread. Been away way too long.

Tracy congrats on another great race. I've signed up for racewalking classes so I hope some day to be able to enter races as an "official racewalker".

Jeanne, sorry to hear about your foot problems. Had to have two steroid shots in the last couple months to straighten mine out, so I wish you luck!!

Lynn

Cool Lynn we need more racewalkers.

Walking Panda

 

[deekaypee]

'Ohana Monday Mixer

And now for a bit of silliness, just because... The mixer starts here.

This week's mixer theme is "Superpowers That Would Be More Trouble Than They're Worth," and your question:

What would be the superpower you would end up being granted?


Some examples:

• The ability to tell the future, but only one minute ahead of time.
• Super-strength, but only in your thumbs.
• The ability to read the minds of people whose language you don't understand.
• The ability to see through one layer of clothes.
• Super breath, strong enough to knock down your opponents. Unfortunately, it's because you're smells like garlic and you always have that power.

Of course, your superpower is unique to you. So feel free to tell us what you would do with your power or why you got so lucky as to be given it. Bonus points--again, they're worth nothing--for telling us what superpowers you think other WISHers might get. (Keep it DIS-friendly, though, folks!)