Regular Walkers

There's the woman who walks back and forth in front of my house while talking on her cell phone. I can't tell if she walks when she gets a phone call, or whether she makes phone calls while she walks.

The gentleman who lives further down the street who seems to walk for hours just went by, too. No matter where I am within a couple miles of our neighborhood, I see him walking.

A fairly new guy walked by at 7:30 on the nose. He looks to be pretty young, maybe in his early 30s. He always walks by at the same time wearing gray shorts, a t-shirt and a baseball hat. He's pretty quick. Looks like he might follow the same route every day.

A couple who live down the street walk together every single day about 5:30, regardless of the weather. They make two laps around the "big" block and seem to really enjoy talking while the walk. They are just a little bit older than I am, and I can tell they have both lost weight since they started walking over a year ago.

And I have the other neighbor who is very environmentally aware. If he isn't carpooling to work, he is walking when he goes out to dinner or to run errands.

I won't even begin to discuss the "dog" people. There are tons of them!

As I watch my neighborhood walkers - the regular walkers - I wonder about them. Why does that gentleman walk for hours? Who is the woman talking to on the phone? How long has that couple been married?

At the same time, I'm sure people wonder about me, too. "There's that woman who's always carrying a bag of books on tape. Doesn't she read?" "Boy, she sure seems to get a lot of mail." "Those are obnoxious yellow tennis shoes!" "She's always walking to the store. I wonder if her car is broken."

Though I only know these people by how and when they walk, it's nice. I feel as if I know these "regular walkers," and maybe they feel they know me a little, too.

Just to the PO

Post office, that is. It is beautiful, but I just don't have the time today. I have a lot I want to get done on the Summer issue and a key baseball game tomorrow. I'll definitely get some miles in on Wednesday and I might enter a Memorial Day race.

Sunday Morning

I woke up much later than I had planned this morning. Part of the problem was, I really got on a roll with what I was writing last night, and had to finish before I went to bed.

Anyway, I had originally planned to do a serious training walk long before anyone got up. Because I got up late, I decided to wait to drive my son to Sunday School first. The more I waited, the less enthusiastic I became. When I finally woke him, he said he didn't have Sunday School today! By then, most of my motivation to be fast was gone. Instead, I did a double-duty walk. I went to the library 1 mile away, returned some books, did a partial loop in the park, and came back home. I did walk faster than a casual walker, and I worked up a sweat, but it definitely was not a "training" walk. Shoot, I was carrying a cup of coffee with me!

Sometimes it is hard to keep up the motivation to do speed work or even walk hard this far ahead of an event. The training schedules for our Walking Team events don't start until June and our first event is in August. Still, some speed work would be good for me. Despite the loss of motivation, I was still out for over 30 min. and I feel pretty good.

A Short Walk

Today could not decide what it wanted to be. Some of the day was cold, windy and chilly. The rest of the day was sunny and pleasant.

Around 8 this evening, it was sunny and pleasant. So my husband and I took a walk around the neighborhood. Because we are planning to do some landscaping it was also nice to see what we liked in our neighbors' yards.

Though we walk just a little faster than most people in the neighborhood, we weren't out there for the workout. It was just a nice evening for a walk.

Customer Satisfaction

Earlier this week, I went to Panera - twice. Though both times the food tasted great, I was very disappointed in the fat and calorie content of the steak salad I had during the first visit. (I know, "steak salad" should have been a clue. I checked the nutritional info after I ate it.)

As many of you know, I'm not shy about complaining to restaurants. I sent an e-mail to Panera through the online customer comment form. The next day I had a response from Alice at Panera. She agreed that the steak salad was high in fat and calories the way it is usually served, and explained that a lot of the fat came from the recommended salad dressing. She then gave me detailed information about all of their low-fat, low-calorie dressings. That was nice! From that info I found their salmon salad, which I tried a couple of days later.

I know I rant quite a bit about restaurants, (David, quit laughing), so I like to point it out when a restaurant does something good, too. Panera knows how to treat their customers and I like their fresh salads and their many choices. I will still check out the nutritional info before I order, but I can do that online.
____________________________________________

Sidebar about why I complain to restaurants.
I feel the best way for me to make an impact on any business is to either give them my money, or NOT give them my money. It's good that I boycott McDonald's, but I think it is more effective if I tell them why. How will McDonald's know that I object to the lack of nutritional value in their foods unless I tell them? Other people must be doing the same thing - why else would they have pushed those salads so hard a couple of years ago? (I bought the salads for a while thinking I was encouraging them. Well, they just aren't good, so I quit, and they know why.) The only way we can make a differnece is to let these places know what we will and will not buy.

BTW: McDonald's does offer grilled chicken on their salads. They also have better dressings, now. They are a little bit smaller (according to the info on their web site) than other comparly priced salads. Regardless, the last time I checked, they were still mostly iceberg.

Great Salad at Panera!

One of my biggest pet peeves is restaurant salads covered with crap, that have no nutritional value and/or are high in fat and calories. One example would be McDonald's. Do you remember their huge advertising campaign a few years ago promoting the then-new salads sold with a pedometer and bottled water? The salads were just iceberg lettuce with a grape tomato or two, cheese, a high-calorie dressing and breaded, deep-fried chicken.

Well, today I discovered Panera's new Grilled Salmon Salad! It features a nice combination of greens in a variety of deep colors, roasted red peppers, uncut green beans, red onions and more. It is topped by a nice-sized piece of salmon that was moist and tasty. The dressing is a lemon vinaigrette.

The salad weighs 13.5 oz. and has, get this, only 340 calories! Calories from fat - 120 with no trans fats. (A little higher than I would like.) Check out all of the nutritional info at the Panera web site www.panerabread.com.

The salad gets a couple of minor dings. 1) I'm not sure the salmon was really "grilled." It had black marks, but it had the texture of poached salmon. I really don't care. 2) The dressing was slightly bland until I got to the end and then there was just too much. There are several low-fat dressing options if you want to try something other than the lemon vinaigrette.

Pair it with a whole grain baguette or an apple (skip the chips, though they have great chips) and it's perfect for lunch.

Compare it to the Arby's Santa Fe Salad, one of my previous favorite fast-food choices, until I found out how many calories it had. With the regular dressing and fried chicken it is 796 calories! (602 calories with grilled chicken, but even when I requested grilled, I usually ended up with fried.)

I've had much more expensive salads that were not as good. Though I've seen higher quality salmon on a salad, this one costs less than $7, has great greens and a very reasonable calorie count!

It is really nice that someone is actually preparing an affordable salad that is not a nutritional nightmare. I will definitely be back for this one. I'll also check the Panera web site to find other salads to try.

Training Schedules are Here!

Thanks to Dave McGovern, we now have half marathon, 10 mile and 10K training schedules for the WALK! Magazine Walking Team!

Dave went above and beyond the call of duty by preparing beginner, intermediate and advanced training schedules for all three distances. So, no matter what your walking ability, we have a training schedule for you!

Because we were not able to include the schedules in the Walking Team packages as they were mailed, I will post them in our Yahoo Discussion Group. That also gives the members of the team the ability to access any schedules they want.

I'm so excited! This is MUCH more than I had expected.

Little Bit Sore

I decided to walk up to the store to exchange some things this evening. I felt great all day yesterday and felt fine all day today. As soon as I tried to pick up some speed I could feel my legs - a little bit sore and kind of heavy. It's a good thing I had planned on a light walk today. There is no way I could have done anything more strenuous.

I'm sure I'll be ready to walk a little bit harder tomorrow.

On a different note, I was given a pair of Crocs for Mother's Day. I've wanted them for a while and I'm pretty excited. They are pretty comfortable for walking around the house and the yard, but I doubt if I would go very far in them. I wonder, how did those people in Charleston, SC walk a 10K in these things?

Serious Ad Help Needed

As many of you know, WALK! Magazine has a small staff. I have been trying to increase the staff by adding an advertising sales person and have not been successful. Because we are still "growing," it is not a full-time staff position, which makes it difficult to fill. And, I know this is hard to hear, but we need advertisers to succeed and grow. (Catch-22?)

Job Description
- You can work from anywhere! (Well, anywhere except the WALK! Magazine offices, we don't have the room.)
- There are no set hours, so basically, you could have a full-time job and still be effective. We estimate 10 hours a week would get someone started. The number of hours will vary depending on your schedule and the response.
- This position is commission-based, however, we could negotiate.
- This is a contract position, so someone who already sells advertising for other publications would be perfect for this job!

It won't be easy to get started, but the growth potential is unlimited! We are confident that WALK! Magazine will be taking off very soon, and this position is key to our growth.

So, if you know someone who would be interested in selling advertising for us, please let me know. Feel free to send a personal e-mail to me at admin@walk-magazine.com for more information.

Painful Toes

This is weird. Around mile 4 of today's 10K, the three smallest toes on my right foot started aching. I'm not sure why, but with every step as I pushed off they hurt pretty bad. At first I thought that maybe my shoes were too tight and the toes were falling asleep, but it was pain, not numbness. My socks are the same brand of sock I always wear, so they are not at fault.

After the race, I examined my toes and they feel fine. So, could it be my new bright yellow shoes? I don't know. I'll have to walk a little more and see what happens.

Great Race!

The Hoover Dam 10K is simply a great race! This was my first year entering it, and I cannot believe I've missed out on this gem the last couple of years.

Put on by Run Wild Racing, it is well marked with plenty of water stops and lots of goodies afterward, like all of Doug's races. It even had an 8 a.m. starting time, which works better for me. The big difference from most races in our area was the course. It was beautiful! I've lived in Central Ohio for over 30 years and I had no idea these beautiful parks were near the dam. The course is on roads, but was very scenic. In the first half you walk along the reservoir, then cross the dam. Then you are on tree-lined streets with beautiful houses. Eventually you are back by the water and we watched kayakers while we tried to pick up speed.

Around mile 4 and 5 the course is "challenging," as Doug puts it. Actually, it is hilly. (Not Cincinnati hilly, but more Nashville hilly.) Then you cross the water again and you are back!

I finished around 1:32 and I was very pleased.

The only ding this event gets is, though chip timed, there is no mat at the start. Traffic is allowed on the street until our exact start. It is best to get as close to the front as you can so you are crossing the starting line as close to 8:00 as possible. For people like me, who will not win an award, it is no big deal. The fast walkers were up in the front.

What I would like to do, since this is such a great course, is figure out how we can get a lot more people to enter next year. I will probably pick it as a Walking Team event, but I have no idea whether that will make a difference. If any of you have ideas how we can get this great race to grow, please let me know! It is definitely worth entering!

What was I Thinking?

I'm entered in a 10K race in the morning. It's the Hoover Dam 10K, and is right here in central Ohio. There are a couple of reasons why I entered: a bunch of Buckeye Striders members are entered, Doug Grout is a very walker-friendly race director, if I don't enter this race I probably won't walk because I'm swamped!

I'm a little bit nervous because I have not walked much since the Country Music Half Marathon. Again, I've been swamped!

I know I will be fine - I walked 13.1 miles two weeks ago, and a measly 6.2 miles should be a piece of cake!

Congrats Al!

Al Alberts, a WALK! Magazine subscriber, sent an e-mail to me with Indy Mini Marathon photographs from Brightroom. That is pretty cool in itself, but the best part is he is wearing a WALK! Magazine shirt.

Al finished the half marathon in 2:19:16, his best Mini Marathon finish! I have to believe it is because of the shirt (or maybe the tips he gets from reading WALK! Magazine).

Congratulations, Al! And thanks for sharing the photographs.

Summer Issue

The summer issue of WALK! Magazine is shaping up. We have a great 8-page insert from the New Albany 10K Walk. Not only does it increase the number of pages in this issue, but it also includes good information about walking in general and the New Albany 10K Walk specifically.

In addition, we will have an interesting feature about Matt Hoover. I hope his name sounds familiar - he was the winner of The Biggest Loser 2. He married Suzy Preston, who was also on the show, and they both use walking as their main exercise. I'm looking forward to talking to him later this week.

We also are updating our list of walker friendly fall events!

And don't miss our regular columnists: Roger Burrows, Dave McGovern, Tim Seaman and Bonnie Stein. (Alphabetical order.)

It is looking like it will be another great issue! Don't miss it!

Things I Learned at Indy

Here are the things I learned at Indy:

1) Take a hand cart! I was halfway to Indy when I realized mine was in the foyer at home. (Nice people helped me unload and load.)
2) Many women think Dave McGovern is a god. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me he is handsome, well, I'd be about $10 richer.
3) No matter what size shirts I have in stock, they won't fit the people standing in front of me.
4) If I leave my booth for even a minute, a crowd will form. (OK, I already knew this.)
5) Indy has great art in the city! One of the art pieces was an animated full-size walk signal - a man on one corner, a woman on the other. When it was time to walk, the person started walking in place. When the light was red they both stood there, shifting their feet waiting. Very cool! (I forget the artist's name.)
6) Bonnie Stein's students will go anywhere for good race.
7) Be wary of I-70. I was able to exit 70 to get to my hotel by the outer belt. But between the outer belt and downtown you can't get back on!
8) When there are a lot of people, I need to make eye contact with the ones in the middle of the crowd. Because most walkers assume everything is for runners, they don't get as close to the booths. I meet their eyes, hold up a magazine, and they reach between the people. It was perfect.
9) Walkers tend to travel in groups. I'm surprised I never noticed this before. If I get the attention of one walker, three or more others will come over, too. If one is buying a shirt, others will, too.
10) I don't have a 10. I just felt funny leaving it at 9.

Regardless, Indy was great! I hope I get to go back next year!

Indy was Fantastic!

The Indy Mini Marathon Expo was great! The hours were a little bit shorter, my booth space was primo and the participants were very friendly! Shorter hours is better for two reasons: 1) there is less dead time when no one is coming through and 2) I don't have to stand as long so my feet feel better. I usually go to expos alone, so I don't have the opportunity to take a break.

For the 4 hours on Thursday and 11 hours on Friday traffic was steady and often very heavy. I was hopping the entire time! A big thanks to Judy Jackson, a reader from Flint, MI, who volunteered to give me a break on Friday. I hate to leave when there are potential subscribers around and I desperately needed a break.

I handed out 1,200 back issues of the magazine! That is a new record! The last time we were in Indy, we gave away only 900 magazines.

This is the first expo I brought "gifts" for subscribers. I really enjoy it when readers come by to say Hi and tell me they like the magazine! Anyway, I took a case of Propel with me, and subscribers received a bottle as a gift. It was gone by early afternoon Friday. (I'm sorry I ran out so early!) It's great when subscribers say how much they enjoy the magazine while others are deciding if they want it! I made several sales because of this. Thanks! You guys are the best! (I wonder if Runner's World has such loyal readers?)

My misprinted cotton T-shirts sold like crazy! I think I just have XL and XXL left. (I don't want to rehash the whole story, but the underline on the back of the shirt shifted at the printer. Most people didn't care, I just couldn't sell them at a profit.) Anyway, I don't plan to carry cotton anymore. We have a new online store that will print them as they are purchased. That way, I don't have to guess what sizes people will buy, and I don't have to maintain an inventory. I'm not good at that and lots of people had to wait too long for their shirts. The technical shirts will still be sold through our regular online store and at expos. Confusing, I know, but it's the only way I can offer both fabrics. And now we can offer new designs at very little cost!

A friend of mine said he thought WALK! Magazine was starting to really take off. I think he is right! The response I had at this expo was so positive - the best of any place we have visited! I feel very inspired and encouraged. Thanks everybody! Walkers are the best!

New Shirts and Stuff

We have just opened a second online store to offer a wider variety of walking products! Long-sleeved shirts, which many of you have asked for, are now available. We have many different styles and colors of cotton T-shirts, sweatshirts and tanks. Right now we also have mugs, and I expect to have more items available soon! Check it out at: http://www.cafepress.com/walk_magazine.

(By the way, technical shirts, Walking Team sign-ups and subscriptions are still available at the other online store: http://store.walk-magazine.com/index.html.)

Please be patient with the site. I'm still figuring out how to use the software to set it up and it is still under construction.

On the Way to Indy

I'm leaving for the Indy Mini Marathon tomorrow morning and I'm excited. I think I have a better idea how to "do" an expo now. I have a Jeff Salvage DVD to show (and I even have the remote this time!), I have fewer brands of shirts to make the selection and display less complicated, I have Walking Team stuff to give out, and I have a small gift for subscribers who stop by to say "hi".

So if you are at the Indy Mini Expo, look for us!

Walking Team Chat Group

Thanks to all of you who signed up for the WALK! Magazine Walking Team!

Unfortunately, because of a glitch in the software, the chat group is not yet set up. I'll continue trying over the next few days and will let you know when it works.

Thanks for your patience!

Celebrity Photo Shoot

I'm not sure I can handle much more "celebrity" treatment. I'm going to be spoiled!

Columbus Monthly Magazine is running a story about walking, and I was interviewed a couple weeks ago. Apparently they have talked to several people associated with walking and walking groups in Columbus. Today I met with a photographer from the magazine for a photo shoot. All weekend I had stressed about what I would wear since my new shirts without a typo are not here yet. (They are ready, I couldn't pick them up on Friday.) Believe it or not, I don't have very many different things that I wear walking and nothing I would call an "outfit." I have one pair of non-spandex shorts, a couple pairs of spandex shorts (one seriously faded) and a couple pairs of pants in various cold-weather weights. As you can imagine, I have TONS of race shirts, and a couple WALK! Magazine shirts. Deciding which shirt looked best with which shorts was hard - I've been photographed in races before, but not like this. Oh, and I have brand new bright yellow Brooks shoes. They go with nothing!

Anyway, the photographer and I met in a nice park and he had me walk toward him a few times. Finally he told me I should smile because I was supposed to be "happy" while walking. I was just being a serious walker trying to look like I knew how to racewalk. I wonder if I am the first person he has had to tell to be "happy."

He also took several shots of just my feet and legs. I find this funny because I don't wear capri pants just so that I don't emphasize the least attractive part of my body - my shins and ankles. (In high school, I worked at a restaurant where I stood for 8-hour shifts and this left me with huge blue veins on my pale white shins.) After the "action" shots he took a few posed ones - me stretching, leaning against a park sign, standing in the grass... My head was tilted this way and that. It was difficult to imagine how tilting my head to the left and lifting my chin would look when it felt so odd.

I don't know how models do it. It is very hard to put a genuine smile on your face when you are worried about veins in your legs, planting your heel, keeping your knee straight and hoping your arms are not moving out too far from your body. Though I am not a real racewalker yet, I hope it looks like I was trying to racewalk.

Oh yeah, I also hope I look "happy."

Yea Nashville

The Country Music (Half) Marathon was great! I'm not going to write a complete review because there will be one in the Summer issue of WALK Magazine.

The 'wave' start is VERY annoying when the race starts. We got to the starting line about 55 min. after the race started. They started each corral individually which took a couple of minutes. I was in corral 29, so I guess 55 mins was good. Once we got started, and there was room enough to move around and not be wall-to-wall people, I decided I like the wave. I also liked every single band and singer, all of the water stops and the route. Though hilly, some of us thought it was not as tough as the Cincinnati Flying Pig. The difference is, Cincinnati has fewer hills, but they are so much more steep. At the top of some of them I was in severe pain and almost needed to rest.

In Nashville there were more hills, but they were rolling. They didn't bother me much at all.

My finish time was not embarrassing, but I have been much faster. 3:26+ is not horrible - with hills. (Maybe I should change my story and say the hills were HUGE!) My feet were killing me near the end of the race, and I'm not sure if it was because of the new shoes or because of all of the walking we did on Friday.

The Expo was very busy and well planned out. I didn't like that I had to pay for a poster, but this one was very nice and the artist autographed it. I bought it my second time through.

We got free entry to a Sara Evans concert. It was great!

Here is what I did wrong: Not only did I go through the Expo - twice - we walked up and down the main drag a LOT! I wore boots with heels for a lot of the walking, and my feet were hurting Friday night.

I stayed in a room with two other women and three in a room with two beds is too much if one is not your sister. I did not sleep particularly well.

I drank too much water and needed to stop once. Of course, if I had not had to wait 55 min to get to the start, I could have made it all the way through the race without stopping.

I wore my new shoes without really breaking them in. No blisters or anything, but my feet were sore.

Thanks Deb, Catherine, Elaine and Vonnie! It was a lot of fun!
_____________________

Don't miss the complete race review, written by Deb, in the Summer issue of WALK!

Nashville, Here we Come!

I'm leaving in the morning to go to Nashville. I'm VERY excited about going to the Country Music Half Marathon. I go to a lot of races to promote the magazine, so it is exciting to be just a visitor.

I'm also very lucky. Because I'm a member of the Buckeye Striders walking club I have a great group of friends to walk with. There are 5 of us heading to Nashville. It's more fun to go to a race with friends. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind going to races and meeting people along the way. I've met some really interesting people doing just that. But the last two races I entered, I didn't meet anyone.
Anyway, I still prefer to walk with people.

By the way, I've decided to wear the new Brooks shoes.

Baseball Season has Started

I really enjoy baseball. I think the main reason is that the weather is rarely bad for a baseball game. If it rains, they don't play. If it snows, they take a break to blow the snow off the field. (Cleveland Indians fans will know what I'm talking about.) And I get to eat hot dogs! The best hot dogs are baseball hot dogs. (During football season they play during any weather! Yuck!)

For today's game, the weather was beautiful. The sun was shining, there was a soft breeze, it was a great day. (My son played well, which made it even better.)The biggest problem with baseball is it cuts into my walking. I end up with the most time to walk when games are called due to bad weather! LOL I am hoping I can figure out a way to walk a little during games. Some fields work better for that than others.

After today's game, I walked to the post office to wear my new shoes a little bit more and mail off some subscriptions. I'm still trying to figure out if I can wear these shoes at the half marathon this weekend.

New Shoes

I received my news shoes in the mail today! (I don't buy shoes through the mail unless they're exact same as a pair I already own.) This pair of Brooks were recommended by Curtis at Complete Runner in Flint, MI last week. They are nice and flexible with just the right amount of support for the foot that pronates.

I find it funny that the pair I tried on was white with red trim - the perfect pair for a Buckeye fan! The pair that arrived in the mail is a bright Maize - the perfect color for a Michigan Wolverines fan. Are you trying to tell me something Curtis?

I wore the shoes for a short 2-mile walk today. They are great! I'm not sure if I should wear them in Nashville this weekend for the Country Music Half Marathon. I've been assured that they have a very short break-in period, but it still makes me nervous. At the same time, I waited WAY too late to replace my shoes. I might not have a choice.

Computer Problems

I truly hate PCs - I've been a Mac person since day one of my publishing career. For a variety of sound reasons, I bought PCs for the WALK! Magazine offices. What I'm not used to is the additional viruses and weird corruptions that happen on PCs that never happen to Macs. And it is more difficult for me to locate the relevant files and fixes. So, for the past week, I've been battling some weird error message after another, but today everything is fixed!

The point of telling you this is, though I've had access to e-mail and Word, I have not been able to process orders or update my web site. Orders are being processed at a record rate, and tons of mail will go out later today!

I'm also planning to update a few things on our web site later today. Thank you everyone who have passed along links that don't work and other fixes. I really appreciate it!

Saturday Walk

Yesterday I finally had the chance to walk with the Buckeye Striders again. A few of us met early at 7:30 a.m. so we could fit in 6 miles. We are heading to Nashville next weekend for the Country Music Marathon. (We're doing the half.)

The weather was beautiful, the sun was shining, the company was great. I'm glad I went.

OK, here's a weird little problem. In all of my training for this half marathon, I've been feeling pretty good. Yesterday and the week before I had severe leg pain in the first two miles. Muscle tightness, shins killing me, it was hard to keep my left foot up. We weren't even walking that fast! I used to get this all of the time when I was training incorrectly, but I've been much better about training and stretching. It takes about two miles for it to go away, and then I feel as if I could go forever. In fact, yesterday I noticed that when the pain went away, I felt a warmth spread through both of my legs.

I'm a little worried about next Saturday's half marathon, I'm not quite sure how to deal with this.

Technical Shirts are on Their Way!

OK, I have FINALLY resolved things with the shirt screener! They have promised we will have the corrected technical shirts before May 2!

We do not intend to carry cotton shirts any longer. You cotton lovers - don't panic! We are going to work with a group that will print the shirts as they are ordered rather than having to maintain inventory. It will make everyone's lives easier (especially mine). We will even be able to offer other items like coffee mugs and training logs. We will continue to carry the technical shirts through our current online store and will have them available at race expos.

Thanks for being patient while we worked this out.

Catching Up

I had planned to walk while in Flint, but they had me on such a tight schedule I couldn't fit it in. So today, I got in 3 miles. I didn't really need to go to the library, but it is an easy route and it was sunny and beautiful today. So I walked up to the library, took one lap around the park, and came back home. It was a great way to work off some stress and enjoy a really beautiful day!

We Love the City of Flint

Today the city of Flint, MI treated me like a queen! When we first came up with the idea for the Best City for Walkers and the Walker Friendly Event awards I had hoped we might get a little publicity and that winners might be excited. The city of Flint went above and beyond all of my expectations!

They held a very nice news conference for me to present the award to the Mayor of Flint and the Crim Festival of Races Race Director. There were maybe 50 people at the news conference with three TV stations. (Each station interviewed me individually.) There were many, many local dignitaries from the city as well as several local walkers. Even Judy Jackson, a well-known local walker and WALK! Magazine contributor, took the day off to attend the news conference. It was nice to see her again.

Everyone I met today was extremely friendly and excited about the city's recognition. Unfortunately, I met so many people their names have started to run together. Many people hung around after the news conference just to chat. They truly were a great group of people!

After the news conference I made a stop at both of the local "running" stores. I had not heard of The Complete Runner before, but they were wonderful and will now be carrying WALK! Magazine. I also stopped by Bauman's, one of the first stores to carry the magazine. (Both stores had representatives at the news conference.)Mark Bauman was on his way back from the Boston Marathon, so I didn't get the chance to say hi. I had not been there before and it's also a very nice store.

I'm not used to being the center of attention. Luckily no one noticed that I was extremely nervous. (At least they said they didn't notice.) But with people this nice, it was easy to get over it.

Thank you Flint for treating me so well! Thank you also to Dorie Barkey and Deb Kiertzner for planning the news conference, reserving a hotel room and taking me to breakfast. It was great meeting you. Thank you Judy and all of the local walkers who nominated the city. Your city definitely is well deserving.

I hope someone in the area will tape the local news coverage for me and send me some clippings! I can't remember the last time I was on TV - it would be nice to see how I did.
______________

Things I learned while in Flint:
- Several hundred people meet every Tuesday to run and walk together in Flint. One number I heard was 800 people! I'm not sure if this is part of the Crim Training program or the year-round Crim Fit program. Regardless, it is impressive.
- Always number the pages of your speaking notes. Not only did I drop my notes on the floor, the Mayor knocked my notes on the floor.
- No matter how much of a hurry you are in, take a moment to find a map of Michigan and a map of Flint before you leave the house. I've been to Flint before, I know it can be confusing. It took much longer to get there than it should have.
- It is fun stopping at local running stores. I'll have to do that more often.
- Though it was easy to eat healthy on the way to Flint (I packed fresh veggies, low fat cheese and some crackers) it was way too difficult to avoid French fries on the way home. I caved.

Loveland Report

I was in Loveland Saturday for the Loveland Challenge. I was asked to speak about walking and had the opportunity to have a table in the picnic pavillion. The weather was miserable! It was raining pretty steady and was very chilly. The others in the pavillion were freezing! (I don't know why I wasn't.) A few people came by my table and asked questions about the magazine and picked up subscription information.

Unfortunately, because it was so cold, the people in the race did not spend much time hanging around! I ended up not having the chance to give my speech. Still, I met some really nice people from Ohio on the Move, Mercedes Benz, New Balance and Clif Bar, In fact, both New Balance and Clif Bar gave us items for the members of the Walking Team! Now walking team members will get New Balance water bottles and sample Clif Bars.

Despite not being able to give my speech, it was a fun day. Thanks to Rich for all of the publicity!

10 miles

I woke up bright and early today and immediately checked the Weather Channel to see what would be the best time to fit in my 10-mile walk. Though chilly this morning, in the low 30s, it looked like it was going rain this afternoon when it warmed up to the 40s. I decided to go early before the rain.

Again I overdressed with layers, my gator, gloves and more. I went to one of my favorite parks for the 10 miles. This is one of the few places in Columbus that has hills and since Nashville is hilly, it seemed like a good choice. It took quite a while for me to warm up today. Some sections were very windy, then I would hit a turn and suddenly be burning up. I'd work up a sweat, and then hit another windy section. There really was just no winning. It even drizzled on and off.

I finished nice and early and had the rest of the day to get things done. I was confident I had picked the best time of day to walk.

Later, the sun came out, the temps rose and no rain! In fact, the most unpleasant weather of the day was when I was walking. Oh, well, I got it in and I feel great!

One More Time

I had decided I would stop writing about Ohio weather, but for another day this week, it was cold and rainy. Luckily the bright sun from one day earlier this week helped my mood enough I was still able to get out today. I was bundled and over dressed, but I was out walking. Weather reports say we might even snow again tomorrow. (Yuck!) I hope it is nice this weekend so I can get my 10 miles in.

On a non-weather related topic, my arms are pretty weak. In fact, I had a rotator cuff injury last year, so my right arm is even more weak than my left! (I won't explain how I injured my rotator cuff. Just too embarrasing.)

I decided it is time I finally do something about the situation and recently started lifting light weights. It's been a little over a week, and I can already feel a difference.

Most people don't realize that upper body strength and flexibility are important to walking. I'm hoping that as I work on my racewalking form, having a little more flexibility in my shoulders will help my speed.

In the Mail

OK, the Spring issue is in the mail! Woo hoo!

In the News

A story about WALK! Magazine presenting Flint, Mi with the Walker Friendly City Award appears in the Flint Journal today. Check it out!
http://www.mlive.com/sports/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1176213096111380.xml&coll=5

By the way, we will be presenting the award at a news conference in Flint next Tuesday.

A Little Sunshine...

It is amazing what a little sunshine and mild temperatures can do to improve a mood! Though not too sunny earlier today, by early evening the sun was really shining and it was beautiful. I was able to walk for over an hour and I feel great. The lethargy has reduced and my mood is MUCH better! I hope the weather holds for the 10 miler I'll need over the weekend.

Not Sure

I'm not sure why I was so worn out yesterday during and after walking. For some reason I was in a LOT of pain last evening. My lower back hurt and my legs felt VERY heavy. I wouldn't be surprised if I had just started walking. I wouldn't be surprised if I suddenly added a lot of distance, but I walked only 4 miles or so. I'm wondering if part of the problem is from cleaning and re-arranging my office. (I tried to get help with the heavy boxes, but I did lift and move some I probably should not have lifted.) I started a medication that has a few side effects, but none of them sound like this. It can cause depression, though. hmmm

I felt better today, but my legs still feel a little tired and heavy. After everyone left this evening, I went out for a short walk of maybe 15 min. and it helped.

I'll try walking a couple of miles tomorrow and see how I feel.

I'm a Wimp

OK, I'm officially a wimp! I will never again make fun of warm-weather walkers who cannot handle temps in the 40s.

Today I needed to get in 8 miles. It was pretty chilly this morning, so I decided to do some cleaning and organizing first. As the day went on, it got colder and snowed more. The snow was even sticking to the ground! Finally, it was late enough in the day that if I didn't go, I wouldn't go. I was bundled up in a winter coat, with heavy gloves and went out. I decided to walk the mile to the library, do a couple of laps at the park and head back.

It was cold and the wind was blowing pretty hard. By the time I got to the main intersection down the street, the snow was pelting my face pretty hard! I almost turned around.

I decided to go all the way to the library to decide how far I would walk. (It's a little bit better than the 5-min rule.) With the houses and buildings on that street, the wind was not much of a factor. When I got to the park, I had to turn straight into the wind. Geez it was cold! I tried one more lap before I finally gave up. When the wind is blowing so hard I have to hold my hood on, it's time to head home!

So, after only a little more than 4 miles, I gave up. Yes, I am officially a weather wimp!

Update on Spring Issue

As I reported earlier, our printer forgot to mail the Spring issue to our subscribers. Every copy was delivered on our doorstep Tuesday morning. ARGH!

The printer furiously tried to find a local mailing house to pick up the magazines and mail them. By the time they found a mailing house Wednesday, it was too late in the day for them to be picked up. The magazines were picked up today. The mailing house has the mailing list. Unfortunately, it takes 2-3 days to sort and process mail. The last message I received said the labeling will happen Friday, and the magazines will be in the mail on Monday, April 9.

April 9 is a long way away from March 22 - our first mail date!

Highs and Lows

Tuesday of this week, the temps were in the 80s. Wednesday and Thursday we are in the 30s. I've probably said this a hundred times - I'm OK walking in the cold if I'm acclimated. However, the severe temperature shifts make it very difficult for me to walk.

Yesterday I felt so cold, I didn't walk. It was sleeting! Yes, I wimped out. To make up for it, I did go out for an hour today, but I WAY overdressed! Winter coat, blue jeans, heavy gloves... Though it was snowing, I did work up a sweat and I even took off my hood.

It is supposed to be cold for a few more days, but we might be up to the 50s by Easter. Woo hoo! I will continue to follow my training schedule the best I can.

You Won't Believe This ...

because I don't. I got a phone call from my printing rep today. Apparently they had neglected to mail the magazines to the subscribers. The entire print order was delivered to my house today!

He has a solution. He has assured me he will find a mailing house, have the magazines picked up and mailed tomorrow.

I'll let you know if that actually happens.

One More Thing

This is the last post about Charleston - I promise!

My husband dropped me off about a half mile from the starting line. Weaving in and out among the other people added at least half a mile to my total distance. And, even though my feet hurt, we walked around the party and through some shops on our way to the car. I figure I walked over 8 miles. Not the number of miles I needed in my training schedule, but I was also standing for two days beforehand.

Printer Problems - Same Story Different Printer

I don't know what it is about WALK! Magazine and printers. I have been in the publishing industry since the early 80s. Yes, I have occasionally had a problem with a printer. However, over the last two years, I have had more problems with printers producing WALK! Magazine than I would expect! I am beginning to wonder if it is because we are a small publication. Maybe they feel they can push us around.

I don't understand giving a delivery date and not coming close to meeting it! What is worse is missing a deadline and not even telling the customer! Well, that is what happened with the Spring issue.

Getting the Spring issue to the printer in time to mail in April was more difficult than usual because of a death in the family earlier in the year.(It takes a few months to get an issue together.) When I submitted the files, I was assured the magazine would mail on March 22. I won't go into the gory details, but I will tell you the magazine mailed on March 30!

I'm not quite sure what is going to happen. I can't continue working with a printer that cannot meet a deadline and will not keep me informed. (I just dropped one who had that problem.) However, I know I'll never get consistency if I switch printers with every issue.

In the meantime, I will do the best I can to make these companies at least TRY to keep the deadlines they set.

Lots to Say

Being away from unlimited computer usage for a week can be rough! And though I enjoy posting regularly, I'm not going to pay 73 cents a minute (hotel rates) just to jot down a few ideas. That said, following are some of the things I had wanted to say last week.
_________

Orlando was beautiful! Though not there for a race, I was able to get some good walking in. I took one 40-min. walk up International Drive between meetings, took a shower and went back for more meetings. That evening we walked up International Drive again looking for a restaurant with a less than 90-min. wait, were unsuccessful and ended up dining at the hotel. So technically, I got in more like 80-minutes of walking.
_________

The evening before the Cooper River Bridge Run, we were invited to a sponsors' cruise on the river. It was a fantastic event! The food included jambalaya, crawfish, oysters, crab cakes and tons of other items. The free beverages were unlimited. The awards given to the largest sponsors were beautiful! They were cut crystal bowls on wooden bases with engraved plaques. We met some locals who showed us points of interest on the shore, gave some history of the city and were just plain fun. We also got to see the bridge from underneath. It was just a wonderful evening! The staff of this race are extremely generous to the race sponsors.
__________

At the CRBR Expo, I stood for nearly 10 hours both Thursday and Friday. Our booth was set up for 12 hours each day (we snuck out early on Friday). I tried switching shoes to see if it helped my feet, but it didn't. My thin-soled long-distance shoes were horrible for standing on a hard floor all day, so I didn't keep them on for very long. My feet have never hurt so bad in my life. My knees were also starting to swell. Saturday partway into the race, my left knee was hurting and I had to stop and wiggled the knee cap a little to see if I could get it to stop. (I did.) After the race, my feet were so sore I was worried I might have a stress fracture and had difficulty walking to the car. Some Ibuprofen and rest made a huge difference. By the time we hit the second rest stop on the drive back to Ohio I could walk normally again.

BTW: I do not condone exhibitors leaving early. This bothers me even more when the race staff is as great as the staff at the CRBR. That said, between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. we had maybe one person come by the booth, and we were supposed to be there until 10 p.m. I even started aggressively approaching people and handing out magazines. It was not until I went to the upstairs part of the Expo and saw how many people were pouring in to get their race numbers, but none coming downstairs, that I realized we made the right decision. As an exhibitor, it is frustrating to prepare for several thousand people, and not have those people even enter the Expo Hall. Walking the event, I saw there were thousands who entered the race, but never saw the exhibitors.

I know I'm a little different at times, but I LOVE Expos! (In a previous job I had to go to the Linen and Laundry Show, and loved every minute of it!) I especially love sport and fitness Expos. I love to see the new products, I like to see the creative displays, I enjoy learning about new races. I rarely take samples of products I don't want, I talk to exhibitors and I thank them for being at the race. I know that most people who enter races are not like this. Still, it would be nice to at least make an appearance at the Expo.
__________

I know there were several more things I wanted to say, but I just can't remember what they were. I guess that is my cue to quit for now.

Back from South Carolina

We just got back from the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC. The city is very nice and the people were fantastic!

The race is different from what I expected. When I figured out that about 40% of the participants were walkers we were VERY excited about being part of the Expo. We were expecting to see anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 walkers. My husband went with me to be sure we could handle the crowds.

Though we had a fantastic booth location, the number of people who came to the booth was pretty small. In fact, we handed out fewer than 600 magazines during the Expo and several people took more than one sample issue. All of the exhibitors in the lower level, where we were, closed up at least two hours early on the last night, Friday evening. After packing up the car, I went upstairs to locate a woman with the local MS organization. I could not believe how many people were moving through! It was VERY crowded! So, how come there were tons of people upstairs, and none in the Expo downstairs? Well, they were descending the stairs and walking straight out the building.

Many of the people we met over those two days asked if I was entered in "the walk." That confused me and I said I was entered in "the race." I don't recall so many people all calling the "walking division" of a race "the walk" before. I thought it was just a "localism."

The day of the race, it all made sense. I was in the middle of the corral with the walkers and soon realized that I was one of just a few who intended to go fast. There were so many people I could not get up closer to the runners if I had tried, so there may have been many walkers who were very fast that I never saw.

After the start, I did my best to pass people and pick up speed. (More details will be in the Summer issue of WALK.) I came across a few people who were also trying to be fast, but not many. There were people with strollers, couples holding hands, groups holding huge banners, tons of people in blue jeans.... This was anything BUT a race! The majority of these walkers were just enjoying an opportunity to walk across the bridge with their friends and the community!

Even after 6.2 miles, I NEVER got in front of the people who were out for a nice stroll because there were so many walkers. In fact, I crossed the finish line alongside people pushing strollers. (Not running with strollers, walking with strollers.)

After a while, I realized this event was like one other event I enter regularly - the Race for the Cure. Now, I love the Race for the Cure, but not once have I been able to "race." I do it for the camaraderie and walking for a cause. I realized that this event was just like that - people do it for the camaraderie and because it is their race and their bridge. It is very cool how they love their bridge.

A few people who missed the tables with the medals asked where I got my "medallion." I found the choice of word interesting. It must be another "localism."

So, this was a good and bad two days. The people we met were fantastic. The race was interesting. The race staff were great and the sponsor cruise was fabulous! The city was very nice. (Our hotel was horrible.) And the expo was not so good for us. We'll see in a couple of days how well we did based on the number of subscriptions we get.

OK, here is my final point, and I have got to get to bed. I was walking with thousands and thousands of walkers. Why weren't these people at the Expo?

Traveling

I'll be traveling from tomorrow through the next Sunday. If I get the chance, I'll post about my training while traveling. Considering how expensive e-mail access is from a hotel computer, you might not hear from me for a while. (I don't have a laptop yet.)

I will do my best to keep walking amidst all of my meetings in the beginning of the week and the 26 hours at the Cooper River Bridge Run Expo.

Feeling Great

I did my 45-min. "easy" walk today and I feel fantastic! I had no tightness and felt good the entire time. The warm-up felt good and didn't take too long. My knees were not swollen earlier today and that's a good sign. To help make sure they did not swell up again, I started icing as soon as I finished stretching. Oh, I did ALL of my stretches and they felt great, too. (I still need to find a better IT stretch. I feel it is not being stretched effectively.)

I'm confident I have finally turned the corner. I think I'll start building more muscle and have less swelling and muscle pain.

Getting Excited

I am very excited about going to the Cooper River Bridge Run at the end of the month! We're getting flyers and shirts ready for our booth. We even picked up a racewalking DVD to share with walkers.

I've been walking regularly getting ready for the Country Music Half Marathon, and will use the CRBR 10K as a training walk. Because I've done the Indy Mini Marathon with 29,999 other people, I have a little bit of an idea what a race with 50,000 people will be like. It will be VERY cool to be with 20,000 or so walkers!

In the meantime, I've been taking anti-inflammatories and icing my knees. They are feeling better already!

Swollen Knees

I guess I spoke too soon. My knees are pretty puffy. From looking at old training logs I know this is typical for me. I've seen a doctor a few times and I know all I have to do is ice them and exercise, and they will be fine. I've been icing them all day, I hope it starts making a difference.

7 Miles

I was afraid to walk with my walking club this weekend because of last week's race. I was so tight and had such a hard time moving my legs, I didn't want to hold anyone else back for 6-8 miles. So, I walked alone at Antrim Park this morning.

My original plan was to do 5 laps around the lake for 6 miles, see how I felt and decide if I would add more. After one lap, I was freezing! I ended up going back to my car to get my fleece gator to wear around my neck. It helped quite a bit, but the huge sections of shade around the lake and the slight breeze across the water made me cold. I decided to head up the bike path to stay in as much sun as possible.

I walked out 2.5 miles, turned around and came back for a total of about 7.3 miles. Totally uneventful. Lots of sun, little wind and I even broke a sweat. My legs felt less tight the entire distance and I felt as if I could have pushed quite a bit harder. The few times my stop watch did not get caught on my sleeve and turn off, I was able to see I was walking about a 15:20 mile. That's about what I did last week when I was struggling, pushing as hard as possible and in pain! In fact, I had no pain at all today!

I focused a LOT of attention on stretching. Because I've been so tight and my legs have felt so heavy, I've been trying to stretch more than usual anyway.

So, I feel pretty good! I walked farther than I had anticipated I would and I had no pain. I'll be traveling in a week or so. I hope I can fit in some walking so I keep feeling this good!

Slow and Steady

My legs have been tight and heavy for over a week. Stretching helps a little bit and I am trying to schedule a massage appointment. Fitting it in is the problem.

Last night I was scheduled to do 45 min. I decided to take it easy. I did not (attempt) to racewalk. I kept my arms bent and tried to push through the step, but that was it. When I got home I felt better! I did some light stretches, iced my knees and felt tremendously better!

Until I am past this, I think I will keep my workouts on the less strenuous side and try to increase stretching.

Good First Race!

It was a little bit chilly and there was the time change. Other than that the Spring Fling 5 Miler put on by Run Wild Racing was fantastic.

I'm still a little bit tight, and though I did attempt to warm up, I didn't try hard enough. The first two miles my shins were killing me! After that I was fine. I was way in the back, as I had expected, but it was still fun.

I had not been able to time myself on a known distance this year, but I was not totally surprised to find out I finished 5 miles in 1 hr 15 min. (Official time might be closer to 1:16.) I had the desire to go faster, I just was not able. It was frustrating, but I had not worked on speed yet this year.

I actually needed to get in 7 miles this weekend, so when I got home I walked an additional 30 min. Though I'm still tight and sore I feel I'll be ready.

First Race Tomorrow

I'm entering my first race of the season tomorrow. If I had realized that the time change was this weekend, I might not have signed up. Time changes always kill me. Anyway, it is a Run Wild Racing event, which are always well run races, and it is 5 miles. I'll have to add a couple of miles once I get home.

During this week's training walks, when I tried to be fast and push my shins were VERY sore and stiff, and I just could not get moving. Even after a few minute warm up, the muscles did not relax. I'll try warming up VERY well tomorrow and see if that helps. If not, I just might be walking alone as all of my friends will be way ahead of me.

We've been very fortunate in Ohio that the weather has been fantastic. No excuses for not getting in the miles. In fact, yesterday my lunch buddies bailed on me, so I went to a park and walked for 20 min. The sun was shining and there were a lot of people there doing the same thing. Maybe I should thank them!

Too Cool for Fleece

I think it is just in the 40s today - maybe not even 40. Because of the bright sun, it felt VERY warm. And because of the sun, I wore just a short sleeved technical shirt and a fleece jacket with heavy walking pants. I only needed to fit in 45 min., so I kept going even though I could feel the breeze through the fleece as I walked out the door. I thought I would warm up and be fine.

I did warm up, but I wasn't fine. The breeze through the fleece kept my arms chilled. My legs felt really stiff and tight, so I slowed down to give them a chance to warm up, and that made me even more cold. A simple wind jacket would have been perfect.

Regardless, it was great being outside in the sun and walking. (Though I do plan to do extra stretches tonight.)

Contingency Plan

It was 24 degrees with a light dusting of snow this morning. I was not sure where to go to get in 6 miles - we had so much rain earlier this week many trails are probably still flooded. After deciding to head to the trail around a small lake, my car wouldn't start. Though irritating, I probably had a better walk heading from the house.

I have not tried to walk this many miles in my neighborhood since I did my first marathon in 2000. Rather than be exact in distance, I decided to walk for 90 min. It would be close enough. (I still have not had the opportunity to walk a known distance to determine my current pace. A 15-min. mile is probably not too far off.)

So, I walked every cul-de-sac, every tiny side street, every bit of sidewalk I could find. The wind had picked up and I was glad I was not at the lake where there would have been nothing to stop it. In the neighborhood I had houses and trees to slow it down. Even when I walked straight into the wind, it wasn't long before I turned up a side street and out of it for a short while. It helped to keep me going.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that one of the benefits of walking is you just need a good pair of shoes and to head out the door. And though I was looking forward to going back to the lake, it helps to have a contingency.
__________________

I like to keep track of what I wear in cold weather so I can remember the next winter. Today I had on double layer walking pants, a long-sleeved technical shirt, fleece jacket, windproof jacket, gator, headband and thin mittens. I worked up a slight sweat and felt comfortable. If there had been more wind, I might have been a little cold.
__________________

When I got home, my husband had started my car and was off to the garage to have the battery checked!

I'm Not the Only One!

I love being in my home office right in the front window. It gives my eyes a break from staring at the monitor, I like watching the weather, and it gives me a feel for the neighborhood with the kids, joggers and walkers going by.

Though we have a few grocery stores fairly close to the house, I was pretty sure that other than the kids who can't drive, I'm the only one who actually walks to any of them.

I just saw a neighbor walk by with three plastic grocery bags! And they were from the store that's the farthest away. I have to admit, my first thought was that his car was not working, then I realized he is like me!

30 Minutes

My schedule says 30 minutes. It's 31 degrees and the only places I saw ice were the front porches of "north facing" houses. Tiny sharp snowflakes started falling and were stinging my face as I finished.

Winter Rain

I hurried home today to get out walking while it was still light outside. That would be a nice change! I encountered the typical delays but was still out the door by 6. (OK, it was an hour later than I had intended, but I don't care - it was light outside!)

It was raining, but that is OK. The thermometer on my car said it was 49 degrees. I wore a technical shirt, fleece jacket and a waterproof shell, baseball hat and double layer walking pants. I also wore the shoes with the least amount of mesh.

Because of the temps I was optimistic that the paved loop around the library would be clear, so I drove over there. About 10-min. into my walk, I hit a huge patch of wet ice and slid quite a ways. Further down the trail, it was totally flooded. What was I thinking! After a few more encounters with ice and flooding, I ended up going to the street that surrounds the park and walking in the street. Yes, I could have done that from home, but I'm tired of walking in my neighborhood.

The original plan was to walk a known distance and start timing myself again to determine my pace and start tracking improvement. I chose this park because I know one loop is 1.2 miles and I needed to walk at least 3 miles.

Though it was an adventure, it is all good! It was 49 degrees today! Woo hoo! I got in 45 min. of walking, did not wear one piece of winter clothing, worked up a sweat, no rain went down my neck and I didn't wipe out!

PS: It wasn't a February rain. You all know how much I HATE rain in February!

Blister

I had not planned to write every single time I walk out the door, but here I go anyway.

Today, additional errands made getting home before 7:30 p.m. impossible. I didn't get outside until after 8, so I had to cut it a little short. Actually, it's a good thing I cut it short. I felt a small pain on the back of my foot, but kept walking through it. I must have had something in my sock, because when I got home I found a small popped blister.

Regardless, the snow is melting, the sidewalks were pretty clear and there was almost no ice. It was great!

Back on Track

Realizing I'm fewer than 10 weeks away from the Country Music Marathon caused me to take things a little more seriously this week.

Sunday was a long walk, yesterday was a day of rest and today I needed to get in either 3 miles or 45 min. I had errands to run in the early evening and did not get home until after 7 p.m. By the time I ate a quick salad and put on my favorite shoes, it was 8:15. ARGH! It's too dark to really go anywhere, so I opted for 45 min. in the neighborhood.

I have not tried anything close to racewalking form since before winter. Today, with my favorite light, flexible walking shoes, I walked with my heel hitting the ground and rolling my feet. It felt great! I tried to bring my arms back all the way, but I was a little too bundled to be effective.

Though it was in the 40s earlier today, it is below freezing now and a lot of the water puddles have started to freeze over. I had a flashlight so I could tell what was ice. A lot of the sidewalks still had huge patches of snow and ice, so I spent a lot of time in the streets, which were pretty clear. I'm proud to say I had no wipe outs!

After today I realized I will have to start strengthening my ankles and shins. They have not been worked like this in a long time. I also have to work on my upper body strength to get over the shoulder injury I had last year. (I'm still not recovered.)

Considering the obstacles, I'm proud of what I was able to accomplish today! And I'm glad to be out walking without needing boots.

What Freezing Rain?

Well, if we had any freezing rain last night, I didn't see it. When I got up the streets were wet, but not slick. The temps were higher than 32 for sure!

So, I worked on the magazine for a while and waited for the library to open at noon. The streets and sidewalks around my house still are not clear enough to do real training, but I desperately needed to get in some miles.

Around 2 p.m. the sun came out so I decided to head out. It was about 40 degrees and felt like a heat wave! As long as no cars were coming, I walked in my streets and was making pretty good time. I went to the grocery store first to pick up a couple of really light items. Those sidewalks were just as bad as the ones in the neighborhood, so I cut through some parking lots and did a good job of staying on pavement.

Getting to the library was a little more tricky. The street I walk is pretty busy, but has sidewalks on both sides. Unfortunately, they were covered with snow, black snow, ice and a couple of inches of water. Where possible I stayed on top of the snow. Otherwise, I tried walking in the grass until I hit spots that were too muddy. I turned the corner to the road the library is on, and there is a bike lane that was very clear! I again was making good time and starting to sweat.

I got my books and went back, but used the sidewalks on the other side of the road. There are a few more houses on this side, and some of the residents actually shoveled their sidewalks! I love these people. It was much easier going.

Regardless, I walked about 3 miles. Later this evening I'll take a quick walk through the neighborhood and see if I can tack on at least 2 more. With less traffic, I should be able to walk a little faster and stay in the roads. Though I'll be a little bit short, I was worried about doing 6 miles today. My training mileage is a little off, I don't want to increase too quickly and possibly get injured, like last year. The couple hour break today should help.

(NOTE: I was "testing" a pair of shoes for our annual shoe review issue. I won't give anything away, but I got home and my feet were perfectly dry! If I had worn my regular walking shoes with mesh everywhere, my feet would have been soaked very early on.)

Decisions, Decisions

My training for the Country Music Half Marathon is a little bit off. Though I enjoy walking outside in Ohio winters, I have to admit it is more of the casual walking I like this time of year. It is amazing that my 5K PR is from a February race where the temps were in the single digits because I have trouble doing actual training walks in walking shoes outside in snow. (My boots are so much warmer!) I don't belong to a gym, don't own a treadmill and hate walking in malls.

I had planned my weekend around working on the magazine today and walking tomorrow. Today is beautiful. The sun is shining, the streets are thawed and there is no wind. It would be a pretty good day for a long training walk.

The forecasters say we are in for an ice storm tonight and there are more winter advisories for tomorrow already. Argh!

We are expecting visitors this afternoon and I think it is too late to squeeze in a couple of miles.

I really need to get out, I need to finish this issue and I need to be here for our visitors. It's hard to decide what to do!

I'll let you know how walking on ice goes tomorrow.

Congratulations WALK! Magazine

Today the Ohio USATF presented an award to me to acknowledge WALK! Magazine's "Service to Race Walking." Before the start of today's 3000m racewalk at Ohio Northern University, Vince Peters, USA Track & Field National Race Walk Committee Chairman, presented the award to me.

Because the weather was a little iffy this morning, there were fewer participants at the race, but it was still very exciting. Thank you so much to Ohio USATF and Vince for this acknowledgment!

Also today, Matt Boyles was presented the "Ohio Race Walker of the Year." Congratulations Matt!

Thanks to my friend David who took pictures for me!

Sometimes I'm Crazy

Central Ohio was under a snow emergency for over 24 hours. I'm not sure how much snow fell, but the "snow shoveler" in the family says it was under a foot.

It was sunny earlier today, so I decided to walk to the post office, bank and greeting card store (it's Valentine's Day). The neighborhood street has two tire ruts down the middle and very few sidewalks were cleared. Well, our street NEVER gets plowed, so I was not phased. I walked in a tire rut until I came to the busy street I knew would be clear. It was.

What I had not thought through was how I would cross the big patch of grass at the side of the road I normally walk through or how I would get near the corner to cross the streets. The snow had drifted to several inches higher than a foot. At the intersection, the snow was even higher because of the plowing. I really wanted to get some mail out, and I really needed to deposit some money. I trudged on, trying to cut through parking lots where possible, but unable to jaywalk anywhere to avoid the intersections. A couple of times I got caught at a dead end and had to come up with a new route -- the snow was too high to walk through and there was no way around. In some places the top of the snow was thick and crusty enough it held my weight. Unfortunately, I fell through once or twice in the really deep stuff.

I got to my destinations exhausted. I'm not used to working so hard just to walk.

Though the drivers looked at me with pity, I had fun, even when I fell through the deep snow. My socks and pants were wet when I got home, but it was just nice to be outside walking.

Flint, MI and Crim Festival of Races Win!

The votes have been tallied, and the winner of the first ever WALK! Magazine Walker Friendly City is Flint, MI!

We received an overwhelming number of nominations for Flint. One of the judges was surprised we even asked for a committee to review the nominations. It was a landslide!

In addition, the Crim Festival of Races won the Walker Friendly Event award! We had quite a bit fewer races and events nominated, but by far the winner was the Flint, MI event. Other events which received nominations include: New Albany Walking Classic 10K, New Albany, OH; Portland Marathon, Portland, OR; and Community First Fox Cities Marathon/Appleton Papers Power Walk, Appleton, WI.

We are currently trying to select a date to present Flint and the Crim Festival of Races with their awards. In addition, we hope to be in Flint for the race in August.

Second place city goes to Holland, MI! I'm pretty sure it was a one-man campaign that caused so many people and government officials to write on behalf of Holland. And it was tough to keep from being swayed by the wonderful gifts we received.

It is very obvious from this competition that the ENTIRE state of Michigan is walker friendly! Thank you everyone who participated and made nominations! The individual prize winners will be announced later today.

Embarrassing

I have been a dog owner most of my life. Since being married we've had 4 dogs -- two golden retrievers (deceased) and now a yellow lab and a mutt from the pound. All of our dogs have weighed over 60 lbs. -- "fragile" and "frail" are not words I would use to describe any of them.

Right now Columbus is being buried in snow. Ozzie the mutt and Rylee the lab LOVE snow! It's fun watching them chase each other around the yard and tackle each other in the white stuff! If it was Ozzie's choice, he would be in the snow all day.

We recently acquired my mom's 10-year-old, 10 lb. toy poodle named Nay Nay. (I didn't name the dog, but that is not the embarrassing part.) Today, TWICE, I was seen shoveling snow from my grass so the little dog can walk out in the yard.

Now THAT is embarrassing!
__________________________

Seriously, Nay Nay is a very sweet dog. It's quite a bit different having a "lap" dog who is actually small enough to fit in my lap. The other two are extremely jealous. I would do almost anything for her right now -- even shovel snow from my yard.

Restaurant Making Things Right

Last week I had lunch at a restaurant and the food was bad. I filled out their online complaint form and received a personal phone call from the manager! He was very professional, very understanding and disappointed I had a bad experience at his restaurant. He asked me to give them another chance and said he will send me a gift card to cover it.

I will definitely give this restaurant another chance for two reasons:
- I've eaten there before and enjoyed the food;
- the manager listened, offered a solution and did not make excuses.

Based on this manager's handling of the situation, I probably would go back even if he had not offered to buy my lunch.

Healthy Eating

I usually dine out for lunch. Today I went to a restaurant where I had tilapia, rice pilaf and steamed veggies. It sounded better than it tasted (mostly bland), but I felt pretty good about the healthy choices!

While at lunch, I again experienced something a little odd. I started noticing a couple of weeks ago that when I dine alone, I rarely get a check in a timely manner. Empty plates are pushed to the side and nothing happens. I even get my cash out and set it on the table, and STILL nothing. Last week, I stood up, put my coat on and stood next to my table. (The waitress said "Have a nice afternoon," and walked past me!) When I'm with someone, this is rarely a problem. In the defense of the wait staff, when I am alone I read, edit, work crosswords... so I am not making regular eye contact. Still, I can't figure out why I can't just get my check. I guess I'll have to start asking for it as soon as I order.

Cutting it Short

The sun was shining and it was beautiful today! I couldn't wait to get out and walk. Because I couldn't get out until late afternoon I had planned to head to the library to return a couple of audio books. (I have to make a confession here. I frequently misplace CDs and tapes from audio books. I usually find them eventually, but it's a royal pain when I can't.) I couldn't find all of the tapes for the book that was due, so decided to go to the post office and check my mail instead - about half as far.

In the 30 minutes I looked for tapes, the sun started to go down and it got a little chillier. Halfway to the post office I was thrilled I was not going all the way to the library. My legs were frozen! I stopped into a grocery store just to thaw before I went back home. I also stopped at a gas station to get some coffee.

Winter sun is a little misleading. It gives you the false impression that it is warmer than it is. I was wearing blue jeans, which is one of the worst things to wear this time of year. Cold denim is COLD! I later discovered it was about 15 degrees again today.

Still it is great to be out walking - even if I was freezing.

Weighty Issues

Why is it that scales at a doctor's office always weigh us heavier than anywhere else? When I go to calculate my BMI, do I use the weight on my doctor's scales or my home scale?

I have had two doctor appointments over the past three months. At one doctor, I was measured at 5 feet 4.5 inches tall. That shocked me because I have always thought I was 5 feet 5 inches. Yesterday, I was measured at 5 feet 5.25 inches! I've never been told I'm that tall.

There is probably no way to know which measurements are most accurate. So, do I just pick and choose the measurements that make me happy?

Walking in Snow

I was so excited Central Ohio got several inches of snow today, I couldn't wait to get out walking. Finally at about 7 p.m. I was ready to head out. The snow was dry and loose and big flakes were still falling. Anticipating that not many sidewalks would be clear, I bundled up in my old, ugly winter coat, my winter boots with thick wool socks, warm suede mittens, and I headed out the door. I also had my CD player with me. I am in the final chapters of a pretty good book.

As I approached my halfway point for a typical 30-minute walk, the snow had drifted in such a way I didn't see the curb. I fell forward and nearly landed on my face. Luckily, fluffy snow makes a sidewalk pretty soft and my landing was uneventful. I even laughed aloud. Unfortunately, my legs were covered with snow and I worried about it melting and becoming wet, so I turned around and went back. About this time my CD player suddenly stopped working. (It was safely in a pocket and never hit the ground.) It had never occurred to me that a CD player would get too cold, but apparently 13 degrees F is too cold. Even putting it inside my coat didn't warm it enough.

By the time I got back to my street, I had been out about 20 minutes, and my footprints were already starting to fill with snow.

I loved every step of my short snowy walk! If it has to be cold, we should at least have fluffy snow to walk in.

Renewing Resolutions

Today is the first day of my new New Year's resolutions. The bad eating is over and excuses for not exercising will no longer be acceptable.

When I originally picked today to get back to normal, it was just because it is the first Monday in February. How ironic that my physical exam ended up being rescheduled to today. The other thing I found humorous, I have just recently trained myself to want to eat breakfast and have only recently been hungry in the morning. Today I was not allowed to eat anything for 12 hours before my 10:45 appointment! I left the Doctor's office around noon and I was starving.

The preliminary results show that my health is good. Now that I am back on track, it should just get better.

Heading to Charleston

We are heading to Charleston, SC for the Cooper River Bridge Run! I've heard a lot of good things about this race over the past couple of years. We are very excited to be going there!

The race starts at 8 a.m. March 31 and is a 10K. Because they anticipate 50,000 entrants in the event, I imagine the elite runners finish before the people in the last corral will even start. What is especially exciting is that walkers will wear chips this year and will be allowed to complete the entire race! (It was different in previous years.)

I'm not sure I will enter the event. The Expo booth is open for 12 hours Thursday and 14 hours Friday. Then we have to pack. I would have to be at the starting line at 6:30 a.m. Boy, that may be tough. I guess I better decide soon, before they sell out.

If you are going to be in Charleston, stop by our booth! We love to meet readers in person!

Therapeutic Eating

I started this posting Jan. 31, and it took me until Feb. 3 to figure out what I really wanted to say.

I am not always mature when it comes to food choices. I know how I should eat and most of the time I make healthy choices. However, sometimes I practice what I call "therapeutic eating." When I just don't feel well, it's usually hot & sour soup with crab rangoon. When overwhelmed by stress, chocolate, fast food hamburgers, French fries, potato chips and dip, and fried pickles may be necessary.

When totally unable to make healthy choices due to stress, I set a time limit for how long the bad behavior will continue. Usually, one meal or even a whole day is all that is needed. I give myself permission to eat anything I want and I don't feel any guilt. Finding something to be fun is the point - fun reduces stress.

Well, I've set my deadlines and I'll be ready to get back to normal soon.

The point is, we don't have to be perfect all of the time. (I've heard rumors that even Bonnie Stein will have French fries once in a while.) Sometimes it is even good for us to get a little off track - have a piece of chocolate cake, take a day off walking... Just so we don't go nuts.

If you have had a fitness or "healthy living" set back - don't give up! Set a deadline and treat that deadline like it's special. Make it your own personal celebration or holiday - like New Year's all over again! Don't let a little bad behavior ruin what could be very positive remainder of the year!

Overcoming Set Backs

My training is a little behind schedule. Once I had the time to resume walking, it was too cold. Now, I walk year-round, so I don't really like to blame a lack of training on the weather. When I'm out regularly, I get acclimated and I like being out in winter. However, it's difficult to jump-start a training program in the middle of a freezing spell. During my last regular walks the temps were very mild and now it's been below freezing and snowy. (I know, it's winter in Ohio.)

I finally decided that if I am going to be ready for the Country Music Half Marathon, I have to get out and walk. I bundled up and went out for 30 minutes today. Because the sidewalks are clear, I didn't have to wear my boots and I missed the crunchy snow I love, but it still felt great.

I feel energized and enthusiastic. And as always, walking helps relieve stress. (I've had a LOT of stress lately.)

I'm ready to get back to walking!

Winners

WALK! Magazine will announce the winners of the Walker Friendly City and Walker Friendly Event next week!

In addition, we will announce a couple of the events we plan to attend at the same time and a few more details about the WALK! Magazine Walking Team.

In the meantime, keep getting in your base mileage. Our first Walking Team half marathon will be in early May!

Getting Back to Normal

The WALK! Magazine offices are open again. The mail is a little backed up, but we expect to be caught up by Wednesday.

Thanks to everyone who sent e-mails of support. They were very much appreciated.

Sad News

Due to a death in the family, the WALK! Magazine offices will be closed until January 22, 2007. Orders and e-mails will be handled after that date.

Thank you for your patience.

Result of Oatmeal

This will sound a little bit odd to those of you who love breakfast. After a little over two weeks of eating oatmeal, I am starting to be hungry in the morning. It is a LOT easier eating when you are actually hungry. I can only assume that my body is getting used to having food in the morning and has decided it likes it.

So far one of my goals for 2007 has been working how I predicted. Now I need to make a trip to Trader Joe's and stock up on oatmeal. That other instant stuff is not as good, and I just tried microwaving quick cooking oats. (Yuck) I do not recommend it.

As Bad as Smoking?

Sometimes I think things I consume can be just as bad as smoking. Let me explain.

Many smokers go about their day happily enjoying every puff of their cigarettes. They know there are risks, they know it is harmful to their health, but they live in their own little worlds thinking, “It won’t happen to me. I’ll be OK.”

Well, I love caffeine. I usually drink just one cup of coffee in the morning and tea throughout the day. But my real love is a diet cola soft drink over lots of ice.

Over the years I have heard the health warnings about caffeine and artificial sweeteners. I took them as seriously as I did the report that broccoli and peanut butter cause cancer. For every bad report about caffeine, I would find one about how it improves athletic performance or scores on math tests. I have low blood pressure and I’ve rarely had trouble sleeping, so I ignored it all.

Now there's a report that caffeine can affect calcium absorption. Whoa! My doctor recently told me I have not been consuming enough calcium for years. For the last month I have struggled to get just one of those chocolate chews down every morning (with my coffee) and I'm supposed to take one in the evening, too. Yuck.

I've begun to worry about whether I'll be one of those people who breaks a hip and is never really the same. Or maybe I'll shrink and end up not even 5 feet tall.

Chances are the story I saw has exaggerated the results of a study. I know I can’t blindly eat and drink whatever I feel like and expect there will be no consequences later in life. I try to make healthy choices, I exercise regularly (weight-bearing exercise) and I have never smoked.

In the meantime, I am trying harder to take calcium twice a day and I'm limiting my favorite beverage to no more than one a day. I have even replaced a couple caffeinated beverages with plain old water.

I hope my bones remember this when I get old.

Oatmeal

One of my biggest nutrition issues is that I am not hungry in the morning and do not like to eat breakfast. I know how important it is to eat breakfast, and I try. Usually I'll have a Trader Joe's granola bar in the car, then around 10 eat a piece of fruit. I'm starving by the time lunch rolls around.

I have recently discovered the joys of instant oatmeal! Trader Joe's has some great instant oatmeals including one with dried blueberries. It cooks in about 60 seconds and because of the fruit, it doesn't need sugar. I LOVE it! On chilly mornings it is perfect for me.

I ran out of the blueberry oatmeal this week so tried some plain we had around the house. Not nearly as tasty and it definitely needed sugar, but it still tasted good. The other benefit is I'm not starving when lunch rolls around.

I'll still have to eat fruit mid-morning to be sure I get enough servings in a day, but it sure is nice not feeling so hungry I overeat. I'm also beginning to look forward to eating breakfast!

Ad Rep Needed

Wanted - An Advertising Representative for WALK! Magazine

WALK! Magazine is looking for an energetic, self starter to help this growing magazine keep growing! Work from your home or office and set your own hours.

For more information, contact Cindi Leeman at WALK! Magazine, admin@walk-magazine.com.

The Post Office Did It

I just received an e-mail from a subscriber in Illinois saying he just received his Winter issue of WALK! Magazine today! I can't believe it! The magazine mailed December 7 from Fort Worth, TX. We received our copy at our offices in Ohio around the 13th of December. I did hear from a reader in Michigan that her issue arrived about January 3.

What I have heard from the U.S. Postal Service is that a magazine can sit in any post office between the mailing point and the final destination for up to three days. If your mail goes to three post offices before it reaches you, that means it can take nine days for you to receive it. I cannot see how there can be enough post offices between Ft. Worth and ANYWHERE in the U.S. that would require 26 days to deliver! I suppose it's possible that with all of the extra mail sent in December they may alter the rules for periodicals, I don't know.

Here is my proposed solution. What if we shift the publication dates of the magazine a little so that Winter arrives in January instead of December? That way most of the holiday mail will be gone before WALK even gets mailed. I'll play around with the spacing to see how it will work. Let me know what you think or if you have any better ideas.

Great Things Happening!

We have some great things in the works for subscribers to WALK! Magazine.

Training Program
First, we are finalizing our training program to help you prepare for an event with WALK! Magazine. We have one event chosen and we think you will really like it. Sorry, but I can't tell you which one just yet. We are also finalizing agreements with the other events. We are negotiating discounted entry fees as well as offering great shirts, training schedules and more. In fact, we are even going to offer weekly motivation! (More on that later.)

And don't forget, we have FREE half marathon training schedules from Dave McGovern on our web site - www.walk-magazine.com.

Offer WALK! Magazine as a Membership Benefit
We are now offering a discounted subscription program for walking clubs! Check out our web site at www.walk-magazine.com for more information. We have a lot of subscribers who need to renew this time of year so this offer is coming at just the right time. And if you don't yet subscribe, here is your chance to get a great deal. Be sure to talk to the officers of your walking club about offering this membership benefit.

Fleece Tops
This is a little different for us, but WALK! Magazine is offering great fleece tops at a ridiculously low price on our online store. Have you seen those great orange fleece tops from the 2006 New Albany Walking Classic 10K? Now you can buy one. Check it out.

Tech Shirts
Finally, we are working on getting technical shirts back in stock. Please be patient. If you have ordered one and have not heard from us about the back order, please contact us. We hope to have these in stock and out the door very soon.

Base Mileage
In the meantime, let's keep working on our base mileage. Before we can start any distance event training schedule, we need to be walking for at LEAST 30 minutes 3-5 days a week. Get out and walk today!

My Resolutions

Happy New Year!

I didn't used to make New Year's resolutions, but as I "mature" I see the wisdom in setting goals for the upcoming year. And, as many athletes know, if you don't set goals for training, you won't be ready. So, here are my resolutions for 2007:

Personal Fitness Goals
- Walk 3-5 days every single week.
- Set training schedules for the events I will enter, and follow them.
- I won't enter any event I'm not in shape to enter.
- I won't increase my mileage by more than 10% in any week.
- Improve my upper body strength.
- Drink more water.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- Schedule a few massages.
- Reduce stress.
- Wear a pedometer more often and keep track of my walking.

Other Goals
- Have WALK! Magazine recognized as THE national walking publication.
- Dramatically increase the number of subscribers.
- Get some (any) publicity for the magazine.
- Plan a walking event for 2008. (It takes at least a year to plan an event properly.)
- Dramatically increase the number of walkers who enter an event. (Wouldn't it be cool if one of the events we select to go to this year sees a huge increase in the number of walkers?)
- Have each issue filled with exciting and interesting articles.
- This is a biggee, and dependent on increasing subscribers and advertisers, but I would LOVE to publish 6 issues a year.
- Have great content on our web site.
- Increase the types of shirts (and slogans) we offer.
- I will focus less on Ohio weather in my blogs!

The other thing I have realized about New Year's resolutions and goals is that they should be works in progress. We can't all be perfect all of the time, and that is OK. Sometimes we set goals that are too high and need to be modified. Sometimes we have early failure and just quit. (That is unacceptable.) It's OK to readjust or set new goals part way through the year! The important thing is to set the goals to begin with. If we don't set goals, we have no idea where we are going.

(I would love to see what your resolutions are and how you plan to keep them.)

PS: I did already walk today!

New Year's Resolutions

If your New Year's Resolutions include improving your health, walking more, maybe training for a walking event... then WALK! Magazine can help you keep those resolutions!

We are choosing which events we will go to in 2007, and will have training programs posted on our web site soon. We would LOVE to have a large group of people in WALK! Magazine T-shirts show up at one or two of those events. We are in the process of developing a package that includes a training log, T-shirt, training schedule and motivation! The most important part of training is the motivation!

In the meantime, everyone should be walking 3-5 days a week to start building up base mileage.

I will let you know when we are ready!

New Blog Look

So, what do you think about the new look to this blog? Blogger/Google, who host this blog site, have offered new options for revising and updating a blog. The old one was very difficult to change and I couldn't figure out how to post pictures. I'm excited that I can now post magazine covers. Maybe you'll even see a few race photos.

Let me know what you think!

Fifth Straight Day!

For the fifth straight day I was able to get out to walk. It was just a 25-minute tour of the neighborhood lights, but it felt good!

Taking My Own Advice

I'm making more of an effort to get in a walk every day. To make it a little more festive, the family went to the Columbus Zoo tonight to see the holiday lights. It's been a number of years since we've been to see the holiday lights and it was really fun! The zoo has really made an effort to expand the decorations and the lights were fantastic! And because Christmas is over, the crowd was quite a bit smaller than last week's masses. (I don't do well in crowds.)

We walked around mesmerized for about 2 hours. I have no idea how far we walked since I forgot to wear a pedometer, but I can definitely feel it in my legs. Though I just started my everyday walking program on Sunday, I'm already feeling a difference.

What a great way to exercise and maintain a festive mood at the same time!

BMV

I walked to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to get new tags for my car today. (Yes, I just celebrated a birthday.) Looking at the others in line, I assumed I was the only person that day to walk to the BMV. I wonder, am I the ONLY person who walks to the BMV?

People in the U.S. will drive anywhere and everywhere. I've had neighbors ask if my car was out of commission because I walked to the library or the Post Office. But I see others who walk to those types of places, so I'm not alone. But walking to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles seems odd. If I had not had the proper paperwork, it's not like I could have gone out to the parking lot to get it out of my glove compartment.

Luckily, I don't mind people thinking I'm unusual because I walk. Let's all make a resolution! Let's resolve that in 2007 we will let our neighbors think we are a little odd because we walk.

Christmas Eve Calm

Our family has had a very hectic and stressful month. It was extremely difficult to get the regular shopping and holiday preparations completed.

Christmas Eve Day I had free time. I don't know how it happened, but it was really nice. I went down to the walking trail that loops around a little lake, and it was beautiful! The water was smooth as glass and the temps were very mild. As the sun moved down the sky, the oranges and reds reflected off the water beautifully.

What surprised me was there were quite a few people there. Joggers, walkers and fishermen, all enjoying the peace. And they were all friendly.

I even sat on a bench to watch the ducks for a few minutes before heading home.

Two laps and a little over 2 miles is exactly what the doctor ordered!

I hope all of you have a few moments to enjoy some peace and quiet during these hectic days!

Getting Back to Normal - Kinda

Life is starting to get back to normal! The day was beautiful, and I really didn't have anywhere to be for a change, so I went out for a short walk. Today felt just like a spring day and was great for lifting my spirits.

This is a little off topic, but I don't feel that the days have been nearly as short as I have in previous winters. I have not been affected by the early evenings like I usually am. By this late in December, I'm usually going nuts from a lack of daylight. We have not had any snow yet, so that probably makes a big difference.

Let's hope I can start walking more regularly again and not just sneak in stair climbing and quick trips to the post office.

Waiting Rooms

Today I had a couple of hours to kill and instead of sitting in the waiting room I decided to go for a walk. Unfortunately, it was a little too chilly for the way I was dressed to go outside. Being resourceful, I went to the parking garage and climbed the enclosed stairs to the 6th floor a few times. Walking stairs is different from actual walking, so it did not take long for me to exhaust my legs.

Because not many people walk "up" stairs when elevators are available, I did get some strange looks from the few people I saw who were willing to walk down. I could tell from the condition of the steps that the stairs above the third floor were not used much at all. They looked brand new! Regardless, it felt great to be out and moving and really tiring my legs. Not only did it help to release some stress, it inspired me to eat a great healthy lunch.

When you spend a lot of time in a car, as I have done over the past couple of weeks, and don't have time to exercise, you have to be resourceful.

Nominations

I am overwhelmed by the number of nominations we received for our first Walker Friendly City and Walker Friendly Event contests! Though the gifts and souvenirs were a surprise, I think what surprised me more was the letters I received from Chambers of Commerce and other city groups. I even received a letter from a department of leisure & cultural services. I had no idea cities had leisure & cultural services departments.

We are in the process of sorting and organizing the nominations. And we will make the announcement in early 2007!

Thank you to everyone who sent in a nomination!