Chunky Legs in Motion - Part Neun (That's Deutsch for 9...)

We reached another milestone today. Our last training walk. Our last jaunt around the lake for a 5 miler. It felt good...and a little melancholy. Oh sure, the lake will be there for future walks, lazy afternoon strolls with the dogs, leisurely wandering...but it won't be the same. We won't face it with the same intensity of the training walks. No longer will we worry about keeping our pace under our 20 minute mile mark (we completed our 5 mile walk in exactly 93 minutes, which was a whole 7 minutes under our goal, thank you very much) or worry, as we walk, about the longer training walks ahead of us. The next 2 days will be rest days (which means go about your regular daily tasks, but don't add any long mileage) and then at approximately 7:00am on Friday the 21st, our real challenge begins. I am ready. I can do this. (I know if I keep telling myself that, it will help...) I did it 2 years ago with a bad foot, and this is just going to be a repeat performance, hopefully minus the blisters.

We finally got our team shirts tonight, just a few minutes ago they were dropped off. They came out pretty cute. I think our "crew" of husbands and friends are going to look great in them - cheering us along the route, giving us fresh supplies of smiles and encouragement. The 3 Day production is very well organized and every couple of miles they have food, drinks, medical supplies,restrooms, etc., but none of that makes up for the encouragement from a familiar face.

The next couple of days I will be busy with the dogs and my regular household stuff, but my mind will be thinking of the adventure that lies ahead of me....the one that started way back in February with a single step as I registered for the walk...and will end this Sunday evening with a million memories.