First Full Day of Dave

I am BEAT! The good news is, Dave says I'm doing a lot of stuff right. The bad news is, the one thing I'm not doing, pushing off with my back foot, I have no idea how to do.

What is frustrating is, my friend Deb and I trained to be in shape for this clinic. We were not going to be the people who couldn't walk a quarter mile. We did 6 miles last week in training and felt great!

Well, with new technique, using new muscles, a quarter mile wipes me out! The second lap around the track, and I'm exhausted! It doesn't matter how many times Dave says "Quick, quick," I can't make my legs go any faster.

In today's clinic his wife Loretta taught us some training drills, and man, those were hard! I'll need to do them at least twice a week to benefit.

I know I'm learning a lot of new stuff and new movements, I hope my half-marathon training doesn't screw me up.

A group of us are off to a bar with food for dinner. (We had trouble deciding, plus it is a Saturday night and places get crowded...) I need lots of carbs, and I see at least one Corona in my immediate future.

First Part of Clinic is OK

There are about 30 of us in this weekend's walking clinic. During the weekend, Dave tapes everyone so we can see before and after. Because there are so many, Dave asked for volunteers to arrive early tonight. (So there is more time tomorrow.)

I got there about 4 p.m. and was one of the last people taped. It's always weird seeing yourself on tape, let alone attempting to racewalk. I did better than I thought I would, and boy, am I glad I bought new shorts! Much better than the old pair, especially from the back.

I'm able to walk 6 miles easy without pain. Deb and I have been working hard on our speed. Yet, trying to racewalk wore me out! I walked for just a few minutes, but it was hot, and I was really pushing myself. My shins were killing me! I was a little surprised by that.

OK, I'm really tired. I better get to bed.

Dave McGovern Comes to Columbus

Dave McGovern, racewalking coach extraordinaire, will be in Columbus this weekend for a walking clinic! I've never been to one of Dave's clinics -- I have been to Jonathon Matthews and Bonnie Stein.

I'm very excited. I can't wait to be a real racewalker!

Teleseminar Sidelines Walk

I had a ton of mail to get out tonight, and got most of it to the PO. Great!

Then I called into a teleseminar about how to get on national TV. The seminar started out OK, but covered a lot of stuff I know about why PR is useful, etc. I was a PR major at OU for goodness sake! I just don't know how to get on TV.

So he goes through the benefits of PR, talks about a couple of mistakes people make (good info), gives advice for contacting producers (again good stuf) then he spends 15 min telling the callers why we should sign up for a big conference in NYC in October where you get to meet 100 professionals who book people on TV shows and national magazine editors looking for story ideas.

That's great. It sounds interesting. I've received about 30 e-mails about this opportunity. I really don't want to hear him tell me about it again. If only I had an extra $5,000 I don't need. (And that doesn't include airfare, food and hotel in NYC. I doubt if my daughter's friend who goes to NYU will let me stay on her dorm room floor.)

The point of this story is to tell you why I didn't walk tonight. I was on a teleseminar to learn how to get on Oprah, but ended up hanging up halfway through.

So, if any of you have any pull with Oprah, you would save me a lot of time and $5,000 if you would talk to her about getting me on her show.

I'm a Twitterer

Most of Twitter still seems vague to me. I'm not quite sure how to navigate, how to respond, how to get people to be followers and followees!

Unlike this blog and my website, the Twitter address doesn't seem to show when I'm on my page. From my best guess, I think this is the address: https://twitter.com/WALK_Magazine.

OK, I've been through my e-mail list and invited tons of people. If I didn't invite you and you want to participate, I'm not sure how you do that, but maybe you can figure out how to invite me.

I'm not sure what we will talk about all day, but we'll probably find something.

Hey Larry, I have an idea. Set up a Twitter account and you can have your support people post about your success during the Columbus Marathon this October!

45 min Easy

For my 45 min tonight, my daughter and I went to Antrim Park and walked twice around the lake. I parked in the upper parking lot to give us a little more opportunity to warm up, but because we walked somewhat casually, it probably wasn't necessary.

I don't get much time alone with my daughter now that she is in college. It was nice!

Today's Speed Workout

We did 8 X 400 at our 5K pace today. [8 laps of 400 meters (1/4 mile)with a 2-min rest between]
Lap 1 3:33
Lap 2 3:34
Lap 3 3:33
Lap 4 3:23
Lap 5 3:35
Lap 6 3:33
Lap 7 3:29
Lap 8 3:21

At our fastest, we were on pace for a 13:24 mile! Now if only we could go that fast for more than a 1/4 mile...

Too Many Shoes?

I think I may officially own too many pairs of shoes. Part of the problem is, I don't like to throw the worn pairs away. I keep thinking that if I have to paint or mow the lawn, I need to keep a trashed pair around. That's fine, but do I really need to keep EVERY pair?

Here is the problem. I was convinced I need a new heavier shoe for the half marathons I have scheduled this fall. I've been wearing my really light NB 902s for short fast days, but I like to wear something heavier for distances beyond 6-8 miles.

Earlier this week I went out to Road Runner and bought a pair of Nikes. Today I was trying to figure out if the last pair of ugly teal shoes I returned were the same ugly teal pair I tried on this week. I checked this blog and realized I just bought Nikes is April! Why did I not remember this pair? I like the shoes, and they would be good for a half marathon distance, they were just too light for Big Sur (21 miles).

Granted, I would need new shoes before the first half marathon rolls around anyway. The good news is, I have plenty of time to break them in and make sure they are right for me. And now I have another pair of long-distance shoes to trade off with.

BTW: After 6 miles, so far I like the Nike Vomero3.

Photo of old Nikes on left and new Nikes on right.

Early Saturday -- Great Walk!

The Buckeye Striders had a great turnout at 7:30 a.m. today for our weekly walk! We usually meet to walk at 8, but because several of us are training for the New Albany Half, we needed to get in 6 miles today (at a "not so easy" pace) and met early to get it in.

It was a little bit chilly when we first head out to Franklin Park, but it was comfortable by 7:30. What I like about this park is the loop is about 1.2 miles, so it is easy for anyone who arrives late to go the opposite direction and catch up with us pretty quickly.

Unfortunately, we didn't know there was major construction at the park, and the loop was cut short. Part of the path/road we walk on had huge pot holes and a small section was muddy. (We walked single file through the one dry spot.) So instead of measuring out 5 loops at 6 miles, we walked for 1:30 min. I think we were faster than a 15-min mile, but I'm not confident it was "not so easy." I'll say we walked 6 miles in my training log.

Still it was really nice! I don't see most of these people often enough, and I really like them. We went out to breakfast afterward, and it was a great start to a beautiful Saturday.

Tonight's Speed Workout

3 X 1 miles. I waited until nearly 9:20 to go out to walk. It wasn't an intentional delay, I ended up buying shoes, then eating dinner, checking e-mail... before I knew it, it was late! This is exactly why we are supposed to walk early.

Anyway, I thought the big block in our neighborhood was one mile around. In fact, I could have sworn the last time I walked it as my mile workout, it took 16 min to go around. OK, I'm faster, but I'm not that much faster! Today I walked one lap in 11:26, 11:09 and 11:04. I must have walked longer than one block the last time.

So, even though I need to measure a new route, I was fast!

New Shoes

I am trying out a new pair of "half marathon" shoes. As many of you may know, I tend to get too light of shoes for longer distances. This pair is a little bit heavy and very cushy. They feel great! I'll try them out and see if they work.

They are Nike Zoom Vomero3. Now, I don't think they would work for short fast distances, but I'm hoping they will be good for halves.

What's on Your MP3 Player?

I'm always curious about what people have on their MP3 players. I personally don't like listening to music when I'm walking -- I almost always have a good audio book on mine. (I know, I'm boring.)

So, what is on your MP3 player?
What are your favorite walking songs?
Do you listen to different artists depending on the speed you want to maintain?

Shoe Reviews Requested

Anyone want to review their shoes for the Fall issue of WALK! Magazine?

Due to popular demand, we have added a smaller shoe review section to our Fall issue. If anyone is interested in reviewing their shoes for this issue, please let me know!

30 Min Easy

Got in my easy 30 min tonight. I waited until nearly 9 to head out. It had really cooled off and the humidity had lessened.

Feels good!

This week's schedule for New Albany Walking Classic is:
Monday - 45 "tempo"
Tuesday - 30 min easy
Wednesday - 45 min easy
Thursday - 3 X 1 mile at half marathon pace
Friday - 30-45 min easy
Saturday - 6 miles not so easy

I Wish this City was Pedestrian Friendly

I Hate Road Construction

I hate the fact that the majority of places I want to go I need to drive. What makes this even more irritating is that in Central Ohio there are only a couple of months when road construction can be completed, so every single road I drive on is currently under construction. OK, that is an exaggeration -- only 75% of the roads are under construction.

For example -- at an office I work in, the actual street the building is on is fine. (It's pretty short, though.) But where main streets meet this road, you can't go in either direction. On one side, the road narrows to one lane and drivers must wait for flaggers to let several cars through at a time.

On the other side, the road narrows to one lane and oncoming traffic is completely blocked. Once you escape from the construction, you can't return. If you go up to the connecting street, there is even more construction!

These main roads lead to everything important: parks where I eat lunch and walk, the bank, restaurants, gas stations... In addition, everything of use is so far away, it is impossible to walk instead of drive.

Though I try to walk as often as possible, it is this time of year that makes me really wish I lived in a small, pedestrian-friendly town.

Tonight's Workout

Deb and I did our 45-min "tempo" walk tonight. Though hot and humid, it was actually cooler at 5 p.m. than it was earlier. There was a great breeze and the clouds helped keep it cooler. Before I got to our walking location, about 10 raindrops hit the windshield and there were dark clouds overhead. Lucky for us that was the extent of the rain.

The good news is, we walked more than 3 miles! The bad news is, I had a Chipotle burrito for lunch (yes, the entire thing!) so I barely made a dent in the calories I consumed today.

Twitter, Typos and Random Thoughts

Twitter
Do any of you use the social networking site Twitter? I've heard several people say it is great, but I just don't get it. Does anyone really want to know what I am doing and thinking throughout the day? I've looked at other people's entries and I think it is just another way to consume my time. (Like blogging for instance?)

A friend suggested it might be fun if I used it during a big race: "I'm at mile 10 and feeling strong!" OK, I can see that. I have friends I would check on during a race if they did it. But, do I think I would stop to text a message from my phone while I'm in an event? I'm not particularly fast but I am competitive. I don't stop for anything other than re-tying my shoes and Port-a-johns. Can I text and walk? I may have to try it just to see. Now if voice recognition were available...

Anyway, if you use Twitter, please let me know how and why. I'm very curious.

Typos
I hate typos. Even in blog entries and e-mails they drive me nuts! The funny thing is, before I used spell check (yes, I'm old enough to have been an editor before there was spell check), I rarely had typos.

When I find typos in this blog, I fix them -- especially after my editor buddies point them out. (Thanks, David!) But there is a glitch in this software I don't understand -- I've fixed typos that don't go away. Anyway, if (make that "when") you find typos, I'm not that bad of an editor -- really -- blame it on the glitch.

Random Thoughts
I have heard a little about del.icio.us, a social bookmarking website. Again, I'm not much into "social stuff" on the web, but I'm trying to learn. It's interesting, and could be useful, but I don't know why anyone would want to see my bookmarks. Regardless, I did a search and discovered that WALK! Magazine was bookmarked by three people! Woo hoo! I'm not sure why, but I'm psyched about it.

No one has bookmarked this blog yet, but I'm sure it will happen any day now.

OK, it is hot and muggy today. I am THRILLED I walked yesterday morning! Thank goodness I have friends who encourage me to get out when the weather is right. Now I can stay inside and blog, Twitter and check out del.icio.us bookmarks.

Change of Plans -- I Walked This Morning!!

What a day! I knew it would be hot, so I decided to walk with the Buckeye Striders this morning at 7:30. I just had a feeling that if I didn't, I wouldn't get my 6 miles in today.

We went to a park I have managed to miss every time our group has walked there -- Tuttle Park. This park is along the Olentangy River, south of other places we walk, and though you need to cut in a few neighborhoods along the way, most of them connect. What is really great about this park is shade (YES!), the trail seems wider than other sections, very little traffic noise and the wetlands are beautiful! I imagine if you are here at the wrong time of day, the mosquitoes would be horrible. It was a very nice morning walk.

Afterward, my friend Deb dropped me off at my son's baseball game about 9:30 and the game started at 10. Perfect timing!

The sun was hot, there was no breeze and very little cloud cover. What could have ended with one game if we had won, turned into a double header! Luckily, we handily won the second game and the Cubs are the NCS Pony League 2008 Champions. Needless to say, I am toasted! (What a terrible day to have forgotten sun screen.)

Now I get to top off this great day of walking and winning baseball by sitting in a laundromat. (My dryer is still not fixed.) I might go wild and even follow that up with a trip to the grocery store. Woo hoo! Life goes on.

Baseball and Good Intentions

Because someone decided to smash the windshield of one of our cars while it was parked in front of our house, we have been playing "musical cars" until it could be fixed. That led to my needing to get to my son's baseball game but not having a vehicle to drive. I needed to get in some walking tonight anyway (per our New Albany training program) so I wasn't worried.

I put on a pair of shorts and walking shoes and enthusiastically head off toward the baseball diamond. About 5 min from home, my daughter called to say she was off work and would I like a ride. I declined thinking traffic was way too bad -- I was confident I would get to the game before her.

About 20 min later I realized I was still more than 20 min from the diamond and the game would start in 10 min. ARGH!

I gave in. I called my daughter again and asked where she was -- 5 min from my location! She stopped to pick me up and we drove to the game. We arrived just in time to see my son at bat!

Our son's team won by one run, and he will be playing for the championship Saturday -- about the time the Buckeye Striders are scheduled to walk!

I'm too tired to come up with a cute conclusion to this. Let's just say, as much as I enjoy baseball, I'm glad the season is nearly over. It is starting to interfere with my training schedule and my son's games do take priority most of the time. But if you are near the NCS baseball championship game Saturday morning -- come over and say Hi. I'll be the loudest mom cheering for the Cubs.

30 min Easy...

... Just as the training schedule said. I walked from my house to around the "big block" in our neighborhood, back home and then one more lap. It was actually about 16:25 per lap, but that was OK. The CD of the book I was listening to ended about 5 min from the finish.

I didn't get out until about 9:30 tonight. It was cooling off, but still a little humid. Regardless it felt great!

Training for New Albany Half

Deb and I continued our speed workouts today. We walked 4 X 1/2 @ 10K pace, but when I got home, I noticed we were really supposed to do 8 X 400 at 5K pace. Oh, well.

Neither of us slept well last night, and it was hot. By the end of the last lap I was feeling too hot and a little queasy. Deb wasn't feeling as well as she normally does after our sprints, either.

The good news is there was a water fountain nearby (I carried water), so we hydrated and cooled off before we went home.

I stopped to buy a bottle of low fat chocolate milk on the way home and felt much better.

Electronic Subscription Link Fixed

If you have ever made edits to a website or blog, you have probably encountered something like this. You create a link to another site or page, you test it, it works great, then days later someone tells you the link doesn't work. ARGH!

The link from our web page discussing the electronic version of the magazine <http://www.walk-magazine.com/Spring07.html> to our online store <store.walk-magazine.com/elve2ye.html> now works.

Thanks for pointing this out to me!

Speed Work Outs

I finished my speed work out about 10 tonight. Sometimes I prefer to walk at night -- it starts to cool down, it's usually a little less humid, the air smells different, there's less distraction, my neighbors don't look at me like I'm strange...

Walking at night also reminds me of my training for my first marathon 8 years ago. Though I got all of my mileage in, I wasn't very good at walking early and sometimes walked at night due to necessity. (Tonight it was by choice.) Tonight I felt a little nostaligic.

My friend Deb loves to walk early in the morning. She has even started getting me to like getting up early to walk. (Who knew?)

Though I'm really enjoying mornings, tonight was a really nice switch!

Racewalkers Don't Get Respect Deserved at Olympic Trials

Check this out: http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/columns/story?columnist=caple_jim&id=3474900.

It's the first story I've found about yesterday's racewalking event. At least the walkers got sympathy if not respect.

Last Speed Workout

I completely forgot to report about our speed workout this past week. We did eight 1/4 mile sprints. For some reason, I'm having diffculty deleting some of the saved workouts from my sport watch, so the memory keeps getting full. Consequently, I can't save complete current workouts. Following are the first five sprints:
3:29
3:30
3:29
3:24
3:23

Though in the 80s, it wasn't overly hot and we felt pretty good. We had not done sprints in a couple of weeks and it felt good.

Electronic Edition Now Available

WALK! Magazine is now offering subscriptions to an electronic edition of the magazine! Check out a sample: www.walk-magazine.com/Spring07.html.

What are the advantages to receiving your subscription electronically?
1) You will receive your copy faster! No more waiting for the Postal Service to deliver each issue via snail mail.
2) You will save trees.
3) International subscribers do not have to pay more to cover the extra postage.

As each issue is available, subscribers will receive an e-mail containing a password to access the magazine. You will have the choice to view the issue online or to print it yourself. Each issue will be available to subscribers for no less than 6 months.

Subscribe to the electronic edition, at our online store: store.walk-magazine.com/elve2ye.html.

Current subscribers can convert their subscription by sending an e-mail to me.

I hope you like this new option!

New Shirts are Here

The new shirts are FINALLY here!

I've had a few issues with vendors, but at least I finally got the shirts I wanted printed the way I wanted. Well, it was worth the wait - I'm very happy with the way the blue logo turned out on the sand-colored shirts. Of course, the back has my favorite quote: Why run slow when you can WALK really fast!

I'm in the process of filling back orders for all shirts, and the order information for these will be on our online store soon.

Shirt Delays

We've all been waiting forever for this last shipment of shirts to be printed. I needed to change screen printers and chose the company I'm using because of a recommendation.

Shortly after I dropped the shirts off for printing, my sales rep changed employment. It took a while to get things back on track - Where was the sample? When was the proof coming? How many colors was the logo? Finally, when was the job scheduled to be completed?

Well, initially they were to be done Friday, then Monday, then Tuesday... Today they arrived, but they aren't quite right. Well, our regular white shirts are fine, it's the long-sleeved shirts that aren't right.

Anyway, the point is the shirts arrived today. I will do my best to get the orders out Friday and Saturday.

Thank you for your patience!

Rain Delay

I was pretty excited to get out walking today because it was just so beautiful. I got home, changed my clothes, was ready to walk out the door and it started pouring down rain! I might have walked anyway, but there was plenty of thunder and lightening.

Finally at about 9:30 I went out and did a quick 30 minutes in the neighborhood. I love this time of year! I love the fact I can postone walking to 9:30 at night, it's still light out and the temps are great!

Strength Training

Last night I started what I'm calling my "knee rehab". I'm tired of my knee swelling, and my last diagnosis was a tracking problem. A trainer recently provided some advice on exercies that can strengthen my knees.

I started with two sets of 10 leg lifts from all four possible directions on each leg. Next I worked on balance and my ankles by standing on one leg for a set period of time, then doing it again with my eyes close. (I cannot stand on my left leg with my eyes closed!)Then switching.

As I was exercising, I decided to do more than just my legs. So I added crunches (two sets of 20), and pushups. Here is where I KNOW I have no upper body strength. I could barely do 5 pushups! And that was on my knees!

I'm going to give myself a chance to rest today, and I'll do the same workout tomorrow. I didn't exhaust my abs, so I may add crunches.

It will take some time, but if I keep it up my knees should get stronger and the tracking problem resolved.
_________________________

Last night's walk: One mile to the library, two laps around the park (1.2 miles each), and back home.

Tonight's walk: 32 min in the neighborhood for about 2 miles.

Welcome to Road Runner

Columbus now has a new Road Runner store. Last night they hosted a pizza party and injury prevention clinic for the members of the Buckeye Striders. About ten of us went and had a great time.

I arrived a little early and was able to discuss my knee issues before the others showed up. Derek was great showing me some new exercises to try! (After my walk tonight, I actually did them.)

We learned a lot about injury prevention and products that can help if we do have injuries. We all took turns walking across a pad which made an infrared image of our feet, which showed the arch. Then we walked on a treadmill, and they took video of our stride. It was VERY informative!

From that they recommended shoes for us to try. Though I tried on three great pairs, I just wasn't ready to buy last night. However, I can't wait to get a new pair of shoes for half marathon distance.

The guys were great and we had a good time. It was a very nice and informative way to be introduced to a new store and their staff!

USATF Junior Racewalk Championships Results

For more information about the other events held today, go to http://www.deltatiming.com/2008_usatf_juniors.aspx.


Event 110 Men 10000 Meter Race Walk
================================================================
World: W 38:46.4h 5/20/2000 Viktor Burayev, RUS
American: A 42:50.20 6/21/2002 Ben Shorey, Wisconsin-Park
Meet: M 42:50.20 6/21/2002 Ben Shorey, Wisconsin-Park
WJC Q: % 44:05.00
Name Year Team Finals
================================================================
Finals
1 Matthew Forgues Maine Racewalkers 49:01.41
2 Tyler Sorensen Pleasanton Heat 49:06.17
3 Roberto Vergara South Tx Walk 50:04.94
4 Ricardo Vergara South Tx Walk 50:32.47
5 Evan Crowdus Kentucky Racers 52:49.17
6 Grant Bacon Cedarville 53:45.31
7 Jake Gunderkline Miami Valley TC 54:35.15
8 Zachary Adams Unattached 55:06.41
9 John Randall Miami Valley TC 55:32.99
-- Alejandro Chavez South Tx Walk DNF


Event 150 Women 10000 Meter Race Walk
================================================================
World: W 43:11.34 7/21/2005 Vera Sokolova, RUS
American: A 49:43.85 7/30/2005 Maria Michta, LIU-CW Post
Meet: M 50:24.54 6/25/2005 Maria Michta, LIU-CW Post
WJC Q: % 50:55.00
Name Year Team Finals
================================================================
Finals
1 Miranda Melville Wisconsin-Parkside 54:04.07
2 Hope Christie Wisconsin-Parkside 55:11.66
3 Jenna Monahan Walk USA 56:35.07
4 Catherine Davis S E Pa AC 56:55.01
5 Christie Bernier Maine Racewalkers 57:47.06
6 Chelsea Conway Mansfield 58:09.12
7 Melissa Moeller Indiana Racewalk 59:37.36
8 Allison Chin Miami Valley TC 1:00:12.10
9 Rebecca Glass Rochester 1:03:07.61
10 Nina Yang Unattached 1:04:02.14
-- Aadrian McCollum Unattached DQ >
-- Silvanna Francescutti Unattached DNS
-- Yangchen Dolma Unattached DNS
-- Jessica Reybal South Tx Walk DNS

My First Racewalk Championships (Yes, I was watching.)

The USATF Junior National T&F Championships were held today in Columbus, OH. On the campus of Ohio State, the events were held at the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

I have never volunteered to help with a racewalk of this calibre before. It was very interesting. Of the four volunteers, two manned the water stop, and two of us were "runners." I was a runner. Basically, I walked around the track, and if any of the racewalk judges had a red card on any of the athletes, I would "run" it to the head judge so that it could be marked on the DQ board.

The junior men started their 10,000 m race at about 7:30 a.m. to the applause of about 10 people. I had no idea what I was doing, so I walked around the track at a brisk pace. After about five laps, the head judge said I didn't have to be that quick. So, I continued around the track at a slower pace, stopping to talk to some of the judges along the way so I could learn what they were doing and what they were looking for. I was given one red card to turn in.

At about 8:30 the junior women started their 10,000 m event. I thought I knew what I was doing, and let the athletes go around twice before I got started. The head judge let us know we had waited too long, and needed to get going. I turned in two red cards for the women, and one was DQ'd near the end of the race.

Though I've had a couple of racewalking lessons, I am by no means a racewalker. Still, I noticed there was a lot more variation in style among the women than the men. And a lot more women bounced as they wallked. (I think bouncing is bad.) Also, I was surprised at how many did not push their arms back very hard, or their arms went out to the side rather than straight back. Several had a pretty strong forward lean.

However, when I blocked all of that out, and just watched their legs, most of them were very smooth, and I had no idea if their knees were straight enough or both feet were off the ground... I couldn't see any infractions!

So, today I got up at about 5:30 to watch people racewalk for two hours, walked around the track at least 10 times, and got a great hat and too-big T-shirt for my efforts. It was fun!

Promax 70

I'm not a big fan a energy bars, meal replacement bars and drinks, etc. I would rather have an apple, a salad or even a small hamburger than some chemical-induced meal replacement bar that is no better than a 50 cent candy bar and will leave me hungry in a hour.

With that in mind, I will tell you that I kind of like the Promax 70 bars. <www.promaxnutrition.net/products/promax-70-calorie-bars/> They are labeled as a "high energy snack bar", and have only 70 calories each. (Hence the name.) They are about two bites and the perfect size for a small snack to hold you over til your next meal. I ate one at about 10 a.m. (I was starving), and I was good until 12:30 p.m.! I normally eat fruit at that time of day, but was in a meeting that prevented that type of snacking. One bar was just enough!

I like the fact these bars are not super sweet like lots of these types of products. The nutrition it provides seems reasonable. (I'm not a dietitian.)

The flavors are cookies n cream, double fudge brownie and nutty butter crisp. The nutty butter crisp was my favorite.

Here is what I DON'T like. The label says it is "all natural." I don't have the legal definition of all natural in front of me, but how can a product that contains hydrolyzed whey protein concentrate, l-glutamine, and calcium caseinate be natural?

There are many knowledgeable people who say that if you cannot understand the ingredient list, you shouldn't eat the food. If you are one of these people, don't buy this product.

However, if you like the convenience of an occasional energy bar, and want just a few bites of one, the Promax 70 is a good choice. I'm planning to keep a few in my gym bag for an emergency snack.
___________________________

The full-sized Promax bar is 2.64 oz., has 290 calories with 60 from fat.

How Many Calories do you Need?

I just found out about this cool calorie "calculator" from Bonnie Stein's newsletter. It's at http://nutrition.about.com/od/changeyourdiet/a/calguide.htm?nl=1.

With this great little tool, you can find the number of calories you need to maintain your weight, the number of calories you should consume to lose a specific amount of weight, the number of calories burned at rest and at various fitness levels.

It's a great tool for anyone interested in maintaining or losing weight.

Walking in Favorite Park, Again

Though we were supposed to do speed workouts today, we didn't because of my swollen knees. I'm giving myself a couple more days of my own personal rehab, and if it doesn't work I'll see the doctor.

The weather was beautiful! Temps in the low 70s, high 60s, the sun was shining, the breeze felt great. It was the perfect day for a walk! We walked three 1.2 mile loops around the small lake in about 54 min. (Neither of us could work the chronograph on our watches so it's an estimate. My other sports watches are more user friendly.)

I'm trying harder to walk every day, even if it is just around the block. So far this week, I'm doing pretty well! (Yesterday I walked to the grocery store and with the kids in the neighborhood after dinner.)

I need to keep up my base mileage/fitness until we begin training for the New Albany Walking Classic Half Marathon later this month.

More Bikes?

Have you noticed an increase in the number of bikes on multi-use trails? I was walking around a small lake today, and about 1/5 of the trail connects with another trail that is about 10 miles long. The long trail is pretty popular with bikers.

On the weekends there are always tons of families, tons of dog walkers and a LOT of bikers zooming in and out of the crowds. During the week in the early evenings there are usually fewer bikes.

Today there were a ton of bikes! In fact, walking that part of the trail was almost treacherous. I stayed far to the side, but very few of the bikes even indicated they were coming up behind me.

I'm not sure why the traffic has increased. Could it be commuters trying to save gas? The trail connects downtown to other parts of the city.

Has anyone else seen a sudden increase in bike traffic in your area?

Good Walk Today

One of my favorite parks isn't very safe right now. A couple women have been grabbed and a guy was caught walking around with his pants down.

Today was relatively cool - in the 70s - and sunny, so I assumed the park would be crowded -- crowded means safe in my eyes. It was crowded enough that I felt safe without it being too crowded.

I had planned to do two 1.2 mile laps at a moderate speed. The first lap was easy at 18:51 and I picked up the pace a tiny bit for 18:21. I felt so good, I did a third lap in 17:58. That's a 15-min mile -- not fast, but it fit the goal of an easy walk.

I missed walking over the weekend because my knees have been bothering me. I tried out a knee support today and it seemed to help. I'll be icing in a little bit.

New Look Again

OK, I didn't like the look of last week's layout change. Too green! This one is much cleaner and readable. I think I'll keep it a while.

Inspired by Speedo Man

About 7 years ago some friends and I started eating the occasional lunch at a local park near a river. There are tons of picnic tables and it is a popular lunch spot, especially in the Spring.

During one of those early lunches we noticed a tall, slender, white-haired gentleman jogging. What made the gentleman memorable was that he wore just a red, white and blue Speedo and running shoes. He ran one way down the park out of view then turned around and came back. Needless to say, from that day forward we dubbed him the "Speedo man."

Over the years, regardless of the time of year, the Speedo man would appear like clockwork. In the Spring and Fall when the temps are cooler, he wears long pants and jackets, but once it gets warm it is just the Speedo. A couple of years ago he traded in his patriotic attire for a solid green Speedo, and this week he was wearing a yellow one.

When I first saw him 7 years ago, I estimated he was in his 70s. He doesn't appear to have aged a day in that time, and his weight looks the same. This week he did seem to shuffle his feet a little more, and he walked part of the way, but the temps were unusually high that day. I'm assuming he was just being cautious.

Not once have I talked to this man and I have no idea what his name is. I don't know where he starts or how far he runs. Yet, I find him inspiring. There he is -- jogging every day and still looking fit.

Many of us are good at finding excuses to skip a workout: it's too hot, it's too cold, I don't have time, I can't find anyone to walk with... I have to believe Speedo man doesn't do that.

So, the next time you are tempted to skip your scheduled walk because it is too hot, think about that 70-year-old man running in the park every single day around lunch time. Then put on your shoes and head out the door -- the Speedo is optional.

Congratulations New Albany Walking Classic

Last night I presented the New Albany Walking Classic with the Best Event for Walkers Award! Congratulations to Race Director Phil Heit and everyone involved in helping make this event great!

By virtue of being selected the Best Event for Walkers, the New Albany Walking Classic was also selected as a WALK! Magazine Walking Team event. We currently have about 12 members signed up for one of the two events. For more information about the team, check out our web site at: http://www.walk-magazine.com/Team.html.

Registration is now open for the 2008 event. Don't forget that this year's race includes a walking only half marathon in addition to the traditional 10K. Get more information at: http://www.newalbanywalkingclassic.com/

No Longer a Slug

Over the past couple of weeks, I've not wanted to walk. I'm not sure why, other than I've been busy. The thing is, I've been busier than this and still fit it in. Luckily, I've made arrangements to walk with friends, so I haven't been a total slug. I just haven't walked anywhere by myself.

I am happy to say those feelings have finally gone away! Today, I just could not wait to get outside and walk! Because of other commitments, I wasn't able to walk until 8 p.m., but it was perfect. The sun was shining, the temps were very mild -- it was beautiful!

I'm feeling energetic and enthusiastic again!

New Layout

I'm experimenting with a new layout for this blog. I'm limited in how I can adjust the layout, or maybe my skills are limited. Anyway, I like this a little better than the old look, but it is just a little too green for me -- I'll probably make more changes in the next few days.

Exercise with Video Games?

I've heard a lot about Wii Fit, but hadn't seen one until today. (I was offered a chance to try one, but I still haven't received it.)

Today at the Columbus Arts Festival there was a huge display of Wii Fit machines to try. Wearing socks with the Wii emblem, I stood on the Wii and tried downhill skiing. Apparently, this was a balancing exercise, and I failed. There are a lot of different games that offer exercise opportunities, but I tried just the skiing.
Regardless it was fun.

I hope I get the opportunity to try one again.

Rain Delays - Alternate Plans

Today was supposed to be our speed day, but a potential City Championship baseball game and severe thunderstorms caused us to cancel our workout. (The thunderstorms also cancelled the baseball game.)

The storms stopped as I dropped my car off at the garage to be checked out. (Funny noise.) The garage manager kindly offered me a ride home, but I said no and ended up walking a couple of miles to run errands before I went back home. From the garage I crossed the street to the dry cleaner, crossed the street again to get a cold beverage at the gas station, then walked the long way to the Post Office. After gathering my mail, I crossed the parking lot to go the bank. Unfortunately, the bank was already closed, so I used the ATM. (I have several Canadian checks that I'd like to deposit, but I have to deposit them in person. Darn!)

From there I walked back home!

Though it wasn't a speed day as originally planned, I'm glad the rain stopped long enough that I was able to get in a couple of productive miles!

Race Walking in the News

Vince Peters, USATF Racewalk Committee National Chair, included several links to race walking in the news in his last e-mailed newsletter. Thanks, Vince!

Chasing Glory: <http://www.chasingglory08.com/weektwopub.html>
On July 6, 2008, America’s fastest women race walkers will compete in the 2008 United States Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon, to select the U.S. women’s team for the Beijing Olympic Games. As part of an unprecedented promotional buildup to the race, RaceWalk Planet is proud to present “chasingGlory,” a seven-week series of web videos and text-based commentary offering exclusive athlete/coach interviews and insight.

"chasingGlory" is a production of Race Walk Planet Television. Videos produced by Chris Rael. Text by Shirley Reynolds and Dana Lee. New material will be posted weekly, from May 19 through July 6, 2008

"Walking Toward an Olympic Dream":
Check out this feature on Susan Randall on a Dayton, Ohio TV station WDTN Channel 2 <http://www.wdtn.com/>. I searched for "race walk" in the "Search this site" section to locate it.

Minnesota Race Walkers Also in the News:
"Taking a Few Giant Steps With Race Walkers" from Minnesota's WCCO. <http://wcco.com/local/race.walkers.como.2.727373.html> It's a nice feature about the Twin Cities Race Walkers.

Shocking Facts about Pop

I heard a shocking statistic earlier this week on the Oprah show. (I know, I said I'm boycotting Oprah, but Dr. Oz was on, and I like him.)

Dr. Oz stated that if everyone stopped drinking soft drinks (that's "pop" for those of you in the Midwest) childhood obesity and our nation's obesity problem would go away!

He pointed out that reducing our caloric intake by just about 100 calories a day would prevent the gain of about 15 lbs. a year, and the average can of pop has more than 100 calories. He also said it isn't just the pop that is the problem, it is the meals that accompany the pop. Studies show that when people drink pop with a meal, they tend to consume a lot higher calorie foods than when eating meals without pop. I'm leaping to a conclusion here, but it felt as if he was targeting fast food meals.

I thought about that for a minute. The only time I allow my kids to have pop with meals is if we are dining out or we are ordering pizza. In both situations, we all consume more calories than when we eat a home-cooked meal. It all makes sense!

He said he doesn't like diet soft drinks either, but said he would save that discussion for a different day. (Darn!)

I knew pop was bad, but I had no clue that eliminating it could make this big of an impact on our nation's health!
________________

Disclaimer: Though I am trying to be factual here, all of this is from memory. I apologize if I have mis-stated any of Dr. Oz's comments or if I have reported anything incorrectly.

Four Cookies

That is the number of cookies I ate last night for no reason. Truth be told, I ate 5 cookies - the first one was on purpose because I really wanted it. It was the last chocolate mocha carmel cookie in the house, and I really wanted it. (Yum!)

The remaining four cookies were a mistake.

Normally we do not have cookies in our house. I'm the one who eats most of them, so I don't buy cookies, except from Girl Scouts. We had a cookout on Sunday and one of our friends brought some cookies - the previous mentioned mochas and some mint chocolate cookies. The leftovers were in clear plastic containers, sitting on my kitchen table looking all delicious. (The photo is of the remaining two mint cookies.)

One cookie in an evening is not a big deal. However, after that first one, I created reasons to walk into the kitchen just to have an excuse to sneak more cookies. Come on - I'm over 40 and a Mom - do I really need to "sneak" cookies? The sad part is, I didn't really like the chocolate mint cookies! (I liked the mochas.)

OK, this is exactly why it is recommended that you keep a bowl of healthy fruit on your kitchen table - not cookies.

In the meantime, I had a healthy breakfast, healthy lunch, and a big spinach, red onion and mandarin orange salad for dinner. I also did my regular Wednesday speed workout with my friends.

I learned my lesson. No permanent damage done. And, the cookies are safely hidden away.
__________

Today's speed workout: 1/4-mile sprints AFAP. We did 6 sprints averaging 3:30 per quarter mile. Our fastest was 3:26, the slowest was 3:32. We then walked at a little more relaxed pace for an additional mile.

New PR!

Today's UA Memorial Day Race was great! I've never entered this 5-mile event before, but it is well supported by members of the Buckeye Striders and other local walking clubs.

Though slightly hilly, I had a great race! We started out slowly, as planned, with our first mile 14:36. We picked up our pace to do the second mile in 14:08. We wondered if the mile markers might have been a little bit off because we aren't usually that fast. Mile 3 was 14:23, but it was a little hillier and I could feel us slowing. With 2 miles left, we decided to try to pass people. Mile 4 was 13:54! We felt like we were pushing a little harder, but I knew I could push more. Our final mile was in 13:42! Woo Hoo!

I have my unofficial finish time as 1:10 - Deb was about 3 seconds behind me.

I have forgotten how much fun it is to do local races. Yes, the Big Surs and Indy Minis are a lot of fun, but so are local races with your walking friends. We hung around afterward and talked, and it was just fun. Plus it was close to home and very affordable.

So, thanks to Doug Grout for being a great race director and keeping the course open for us walkers. And thanks to the walkers in Central Ohio who make walking fun!
__________

Note about subject line: Since this is the first 5-mile race I've entered, any finish time would have been a PR. And technically, I have walked one mile as fast as 13:26, so I haven't broken an records there. But it was been so long since I have improved my speed, every accomplishment seems like a brand new PR. And walking one mile in 13:42 is so much better than I expected to do today, it feels like the fastest mile I have ever walked.

Happy Memorial Day

Memorial Day is one of those holidays I didn't understand as a kid. It was always May 30, my Grandma's and my sister's birthday. (For a number of years I think my sister thought the parade was for her.) And somehow it signaled the start of summer.

We would always go to visit my Mom's and Dad's families in Port Clinton and Marblehead, OH up along Lake Erie. In my earliest memories, we would go to the parade (standing up each time an American flag went by) then cook out and play all day with our cousins. If we stayed with my Dad's parents for the weekend, we would be fishing the rest of the time.

Later, when Port Clinton added the Walleye Festival, the town had two parades. We only went to one, but I can never remember whether it was the Walleye Parade, or the Memorial Day Parade we watched. As young adults, we would camp out at my parents' old farm house (my grandparents' house) that was on the shore of the Sandusky Bay. We had three acres to hang out on and would invite as many friends as we could to go up for the weekend. We would swim, fish, have camp fires and just have a blast. Dad always had all of the inner tubes inflated before we got there. And he always found a way to get a TV with the Indy 500 close to our personal beach. (I only ever watched the last 5 minutes.) We would all go to the Walleye Festival at least one evening of the weekend.

Things have changed quite a bit now that my grandparents and parents are all gone. We still sometimes go up for the weekend, but we feel more like guests than we used to. The beach is no longer owned by my family, the old farm house is gone and the new house won't be ours much longer either. I haven't been fishing in probably 10 years.

But that is OK. Things change. Now we need to develop our own traditions and figure out our own way to celebrate this holiday here in Central Ohio.

This year we are having a big cookout for family and friends. What started out as just my brother-in-law's family coming over has grown to include about 11 more people. The more the merrier.

Tomorrow I will be entering my first ever Memorial Day race. I don't think I've ever entered a 5-mile race before, but I'm faster than I have been in a long time, and it should be fun.

I don't know what any of this has to do with recognizing the sacrifice that all of those men and women made, and keep making, to keep us safe. We live in a great country, one of the safest in the world, and I'm thankful I have the choice of going fishing, watching a parade or even entering a 5-mile race to celebrate the freedom we have.

So, this Memorial Day weekend, I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy yourself, your family and our country. And don't forget why we have the freedom to make these choices.

Saturday Morning Group Walk

Our group walk (Buckeye Striders) was at one of my favorite parks today - Sharon Woods. The big loop is 3.8 miles, but there is a mark for a full 4-miles.

We walked to the 4-mile mark in 57:28. That averages out to 14:22 per mile! The first mile was in 14:40, so we must have really picked up our pace. The mile markers can be hard to see, so I wasn't able to do splits for every mile.

The small group of us at this pace had all recently done hilly races, so the hills in this park seemed insignificant to all of us! What a nice switch!

So, for Monday's race, my initial goal is to go no slower than a 14:30 mile, and from there I want to see how fast I can do a 5-mile race.

What a great way to start out the summer racing season!

Speed Workouts Pay Off

Today we did three 1-mile laps at race pace. We have a 5-mile race Monday morning. I thought we should shoot for a 14:30 pace, but was out-voted.

Here's the cool thing: We walked at what felt like our normal pace, which has usually been about 15-min per mile. (We had planned to take the first mile easy.) That first mile was 14:23! The second mile we messed around a little and the distance was off. The third mile was even faster at about 14:18!

I'm pretty excited! This is the fastest I've been in years!

OK, my plan for Monday's race is to do the first mile in about 14:30, and to get progessively faster. With luck, I should be able to complete at least one mile in under 14 min.

I'm just another walker who is proof that Dave McGovern is right. In order to walk faster, you need to practice walking faster.

Life Gets in the Way

OK, I had planned to leave the office on time, rush home, walk, fix dinner and finish up some stuff.

I got caught up on some last minute things and left the office 30 min late. Not the end of the world - I still had plenty of time to walk when I got home.

Pulled in the driveway and my son met me at my car. Tonight I had promised to get him a new cell phone. (It's a gift.) So we went to the phone store, and of course they had to change our phone plan and update this and update that before they could add a phone number. We were there over an hour. Argh! And how could I ask my son to fix dinner when he had 300 teens to text.

By the time dinner was prepared and eaten it was late and I'm behind. It's cold and drizzly outside and I'm not in training for anything specific right now, so I don't HAVE to walk in the rain today.

I have an appointment for speed night tomorrow. We are doing a 5-mile race Monday, so we are doing three 1-mile laps at race pace. (I'm not a total slackard.)

Great Training Walk

Saturday morning I met with the walking club I'm a member of, the Buckeye Striders, and we had a great walk. We went to a beautiful park I've never been to before.

The temps were mild, the sun was shining and it was a great way to start out the weekend.

Internet Issues

The other night I suddenly lost my Internet connection. I followed all of the diagnostic instructions -- I was unplugging and rebooting my router like crazy. Very frustrated, I finally quit trying and logged off. OK, everyone would have to wait another day to read my scintillating thoughts.

About 30 min later I turned on the TV to find out that the cable was out. Duh! Cable modem -- no Internet! And now I even have something new to write about!

First Speed Workout

I tried to get out of our first speed workout since Big Sur (2 weeks ago) because of the rain, but Deb insisted it had stopped in plenty of time. (Nice switch for us.) We lightened the workout a little. After about a 10-min warm up, we walked half-mile sprints, at a fast yet comfortable pace. We walked a total of 3 miles with a 3-min break between sprints.

We were pretty fast! Our first couple laps were at 7:10, the fastest were around 6:56. If we had been walking full miles we would be down to about 14 min per mile! That would be pretty fast for us.

What I liked is, we were still able to have a conversation while we were walking. So, we weren't walking our hardest and still ended up going our fastest.

Oh, I felt OK while walking, but I'm a little bit stiff tonight. I'll have to be sure to add in daily walking so I can maintain my endurance.

Kingsport News Conference on YouTube

If you are interested in watching the Kingsport news conference, it is now on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shd0i4mH6N0

Watch it often - make positive comments!

It's a little weird watching yourself on video for the first time. My voice sounds different from what I expected, my facial expressions (or lack of) make me laugh, and what is up with my hair? (Though it was really humid...)

Regardless, the presentation went well, Kingsport appreciated receiving it, and it is fun for me to see the presentation and to be able to share it with people I know.

Best City for Walkers Presentation

I visited Kingsport, TN today to present the Best City for Walkers Award. The presentation was at 12:30 p.m. at one of the many entrances to the famous Greenbelt multi-purpose trail. (What a beautiful trail!) There were several dignitaries from the area, several local walkers, and some media representatives. I presented the award to Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips. It was very nice!

Earlier in the day, Bobby Baker, a well-known local walker, took my friend Deb and I on a tour of the area. It is such a nice city! We had originally planned to walk on the Greenbelt first thing in the morning, but it was rainy and cold. We opted to stay inside and eat a nice breakfast from the hotel buffet. We made the right choice.


Luckily, the skies cleared up pretty well before the presentation. To see the front-page article from Sunday's paper, go here: http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9006322. There is also a nice little video about the trail that accompanies the print story.

In addition, the paper sent some video reporters to the news conference, and they interviewed me afterward. They said the video will also be posted on YouTube when it is ready. Wow! I've never been on YouTube!

Thank you to everyone who made our stay in Kingsport such a fun trip! Thanks to Deb for going with me so I wouldn't have to drive all that way alone and thanks for taking pictures.

Top Photo: Me in the middle with Heather Jones, left, of the Kingsport Visitors Bureau, and Bobby Baker, right. We were standing around waiting for Mayor Phillips to arrive.

Second Photo: Bobby Baker and me at one of the entry points to the Greenbelt. It's a beautiful trail!

Heading to Kingsport

I'm heading to Kingsport, Tenn. Sunday to present the city with the Best City for Walkers Award on Monday. I'm really looking forward to the presentation. The news conference will be at 12:30 p.m. on the Greenbelt, the newly completed walking trail.

I'm hoping to get a chance to walk on the trail either Sunday evening or early Monday morning.

It sounds like a great city - I can't wait!

Paper Route Walking

My son is out of town, so I had the opportunity to deliver his newspapers. It was a nice change of pace walking in a different neighborhood with a litle bit of extra weight. Still, I'm glad it is just a weekly route.

Postal Headache!

I took about 60 letters and packages to the post office yesterday evening. They were all items I had promised would be mailed yesterday. Well, I learned NOT to depend on those video postage machines. After about 20 items were mailed, the machine totally quit working. ARGH!

So, if you are waiting for something, please give me an extra day or two.

St. Jude Marathon - Is It Walker Friendly?

Some Walking Team members are planning to do the St. Jude Half Marathon in Memphis this December. I looked at the details of the Marathon on their web site, and it seems somewhat walker friendly.

The information is straight forward:

The course is open for six hours after the official start time. However, note that traffic control by the Memphis Police Department, the use of cones and the operation of Aid Stations will cease in stages along the course (some before 2 p.m) as the event progresses. Accordingly, it is important that runners and walkers maintain a minimum 14 minute per mile pace to take advantage of this support. Once normal vehicular traffic resumes, participants should proceed at their own risk and are asked to use sidewalks. Volunteers will continue to monitor participants’ progress along the course.

The Finish Line will operate until 3:30 p.m. Official times will be recorded, and medals will be distributed until this time.

But then I got to this paragraph:

Walkers will be positioned in the last Corral and will start at the same time as runners, following the prescribed course. For safety reasons, they must start behind the runners. Walkers who cannot maintain a pace of 14 minutes per mile may be asked to move to the sidewalk as portions of the course close and course support ceases.

Why on Earth should a walker who does a 12-min mile have to line up behind a runner who does a 14-min mile? So I asked. Here is the race's response:

We suggest you get in the corral that best matches your expected pace.
Thanks for your interest in our event. Hope to see you on 12/6.

Here is why I really like this race! They explain what is expected of participants up front - the pace, when to expect the course to close, what to do if regular traffic resumes, how long the finish line is open. I now have enough information to make an informed decision regarding whether I should enter this event. I also have the responsibility to NOT enter this event if I can't finish in their timeframe.

OK, I'm not fast enough for the full marathon - but I might consider the half ...

Check it out: http://www.stjudemarathon.org/index.htm

Recovery Walk

I'm mostly pain-free and feeling pretty good. I don't feel like doing any serious walking, so I just went to the library, PO and grocery store. It's about 2 miles round trip and I didn't walk overly hard. It's quite a bit different shopping knowing that you have to carry everything home. I thought I did a pretty good job until the cashier took out the fourth gracery bag. I convinced him to try to fit everything in two. The bread got a little squshed, but it should spring back.

My legs feel a little heavy, but I feel good! (I'm glad I'm not entered in the Indy Mini Marathon this weekend like Deb and Laura! Good luck you guys!)

Dispatch Article

I'll try to post it legibly on the WALK! Magazine web site.

I'm in the Dispatch Saturday, April 26

The Columbus Dispatch did a special Healthsource section on walking, and I was included in one of the articles! I'm one of the three people interviewed for the article. The good news/bad news is they did not use the photo I submitted. The photo was not very flattering, but I would have liked to have a photo included.

Regardless, I came off OK. It took me a while to find the article (and I knew it was there), so I hope others can find it.

Things to Think about Before Doing Big Sur

- Get in as much hill training as you can. No, you cannot overdo it!

- Make hotel reservations EARLY!!!

- The shuttles to the starting line and back from the finish line were very good!

- Be prepared for any type of weather. Bring clothes you can pitch if necessary. Keep some layers to put back on! I never took off and put on so many layers in my life. Every five min the temps would change.

- There are plenty of port-a-johns. If the need is not urgent, there will be more in just a couple of miles and you do NOT have to wait in line.

- Bring a camera and expect to stop often, at least in the first half of the race.

- Don't bother entering any event shorter than the 21-miler. You miss the coolest stuff if you do one of the shorter events.

- Carry shot blocks, GU or whatever you use for energy and eat/take them liberally.

- Do ankle-strengthening exercises as part of your training. There are some steep sideways angles throughout the course.

- Hurricane Point is not the toughest hill - the small steep ones are worse.

- There were plenty of apples, bananas, oranges and one stop with strawberries on the course. Practice with these foods. I ate the strawberries even though I had not practiced with them because we were told they are natural anti-inflammatories. Delicious!

- It's not always funny to yell "Go Bucks" to people wearing Michigan hats right after one of their football players left UM to go to Ohio State in his Junior year.

- All long-distance athletes are friendly, walkers are slightly friendlier than runners.

We did Big Sur!

We had a great time completing the most grueling event I have ever entered! It is also the MOST beautiful course I have ever walked! Breathtaking at times - especially with gale force winds blowing in your face.


Deb and I finished in 5:38, Laura in 4:58 and Karen in 5:10. Karen stopped to take more pictures than Laura did. Oh, and according to Karen's GPS, the course is more like 21.2 to 21.5 miles. If you look up the results, I do not show up. I had my chip, wore it on my shoe and even had it activated, but I'm not listed. Karen and Laura were panicked when they saw I wasn't listed as a finisher and started searching the medical tents looking for me! Why didn't we just carry our cell phones! but I walked with Deb the whole way, so I am confident about my finish time.

At the start the wind was brutal! We were down in a little park off of Highway 1 waiting thinking it was so warm we had overdressed, but as soon as we started and went up the hill to the highway, constant gale force winds! I was the only one in shorts, but I figured the wind had to stop eventually. I thought it stopped before Hurricane Point (others had other opinions), but it was very discouraging to walk headlong into that strong of a wind.

This was funny. The temps fluctuated so much I kept talking layers off and putting them back on! I have never been so fickle about my race attired ever!

Hurricane Point is not as bad as everyone said, but the remaining 300,000 hills were pretty horrible. (Hurricane Point goes up for more than 2 miles.) On some hills we were on a 45-degree angle sideways, (just call me Eileen), others were extremely steep, others were just annoying because the course wasn't flat. The last hill just ticked me off because I thought we deserved a little flat ground for a while.

Deb and I passed about 40 runners, only one was puking. There were a lot of run/walkers which were annoying. They would run til they got just in front of you and then walk slowly. After you pass them, then they do it again. At one point an entire herd of Galloway followers came past us like a herd of buffalo! They were cutting in and around us, not staying to the right at all, and just being rude for about 3 minutes, then they walked for 3 and ran 3 more. Though we saw several walkers in the middle of the street or on the far right, I got stuck behind even more "runners" who came to a complete stop when getting water, Gu or fruit. OK, the rule is, walker or runner, if you need to stop to eat your piece of banana, move to the side. How many times did we have to say "Hey, don't stop! There are people behind you." The "you idiot" at the end of the sentence was implied. (I can be an adult at times.)

I am the most sore of our group. Deb finished feeling strong! Laura is not sore at all and Karen is a little sore. I feel all beat up and struggled a little the last couple of miles. My feet are sore (wrong shoes), my glutes are sore and my calves are sore. But we all agreed, there is no way to train for these types of hills in central Ohio. Regardless, I think my training could have been a little better.

At the end Deb, Karen and I just received water, bananas, oranges, raisins, etc., when Laura went through there were muffins, and she saw plenty of people with bagels!There were plenty of people who finished after us, and as far as I can tell, that was the only glitch the entire event.

After scaring Karen and Laura because they couldn't find us (and I wasn't listed as a finisher), and finally meeting up at the hotel, we had an early, quick and high-calorie dinner. Afterward we bought a bottle of wine and drank it on a patio with some cheeses from the hotel. (It offers cheese and tea at 4.)

Finally we went back to our rooms to crash.

I actually complained a little more in this blog than this course deserved. The hills were tough, and except for the couple rude runners, everyone was VERY nice. This event is extremely well run and we had a fantastic time! I was worried about the shuttles, but they ran great this morning, and we had to wait only a few minutes on the way back.

The area is beautiful and we feel we have accomplished something big. It's been a really fun couple of days! It truly was a once in a lifetime experience!

Legs of the race:
First leg - 20 min (We are pretty sure it was longer than 1 mile.)
Second mile - 15:53
Third - 15:58
Fourth - 16:42
Fifth - 15:06
Sixth - 16:29
Seventh - 16:46 (We think 5, 6 and 7 were heading up Hurricane point.)
Eighth - 14:27
My watch malfunctioned at this point! I went to retrieve my times and it said the memory was full! How aggravating. I'm not even sure how to delete stuff from the memory.

Big Sur Expo Day 2

Much busier today than yesterday! We still did not hand out 400 magazines to meet my goal of 600, but we had a good response. Lots of people confusing us with the defunct Walking Magazine. (No we aren't the same, this new magazine is better and treats walkers like athletes.) We all would have sold more shirts if I had had them in stock.

Though the expo attendees were very nice, I still think those in Appleton, WI were much friendlier. For on the course support Cincinnati Flying Pig, Nashville Country Music and Indy Mini are all pretty comparable. (Cinci might be better because of the super friendly church choirs you pass twice - both up hill and down.)

After an early breakfast at Loulou's on the pier, we watching the children's 5K runners for a little while and cheered on the girls. (Young girls need more encouragement to be athletic.)

Karen and Laura came to the Expo for a couple of hours and relieved Deb and I. It's a treat to be able to leave the premises and eat lunch somewhere nice and relaxing.

Later they drove the course, and seemed a little concerned. Hurricane point sounds pretty rough. (I'm not going to worry about it.)

Overall, a good expo. I certainly will not get rich from this one, but we made great contacts and had a lot of fun. It is a great expo for my first trip this far west.

Wish me luck for tomorrow's race!

Big Sur Expo Day 1

The Expo went from Noon to 6 p.m. today. I like the nice short hours - I don't have to get up too early, don't have to stay too late.

We decided to go for a walk this morning beforehand. After a beautiful continental breakfast at the hotel, we went to the Old Fisherman's Wharf and saw some great restaurants and stores. Then we walked up the beach for quite a while. I gingerly walked through the loose sand until we got to the hardpacked sand. No sand in my shoes! Yea! We walked forever and still never got to the end of the beach. We got back to the hotel, another quick trip through the breakfast and got ready for the expo.

It took about 45 min to set up with the help of Glen who pushed the cart full of our boxes down the street for us, then we all walked around and talked to vendors. It was fun. Karen and Laura went to lunch while Deb and I manned the booth. Then we went to lunch while they manned the booth. It was great!

We met so many people from Ohio I was amazed! At least three from Cinci, a couple from Cleveland, a couple others who have kids going to college in Steubenville, and at OU and OSU.

We also met some great people who are vendors. They were so friendly! And I was surprised at how many of those businesses were owned by entrepreneurs (like me)!

Bart Yasso, one of Runner's Worlds editors had a booth and I met him. He wrote an interesting looking book about his life as a runner. I told him that I hoped to make WALK! Magazine the "Runner's World for Walkers," and he said that was a great goal. I also asked if he had any suggestions for growing the publication and he said he would think about it.

I also finally met Les Smith, race director of the Portland Marathon. It was nice to put a face with the phone voice. I told him we are coming out next year and that the members of the Walking Team have talked me into doing another marathon.

I shipped out just 600 magazines and flyers based on responses from previous Expos and knowing there are about 3,500 walkers entered. I thought today would be light, and we already went through over 200 magazines. I hope we have enough for tomorrow! I can see sending someone out to make copies of flyers before the day is through.

Anyway, it was a VERY productive day with all of us meeting some very nice and interesting people. It makes traveling so much more fun when you are with people who are fun.

I'm lucky to be traveling with Deb, Karen and Laura!

In Monterey

Long flights - little food. My carry on luggage weighed a ton. (Too many plane transfers and I was afraid my luggage would not arrive.) After finally eating, I felt queasy the rest of the evening. Walked to the ocean to watch the sea lions play. Walked around the town to see what there is to see. What a beautiful place!

I'm exhausted! We are getting up early to get in one final walk before Sunday. More tomorrow.

Mailing Issues

I recently learned something new about how magazines mail. Before the pieces are labeled, the list is "approved" by the post office. If a mailing label does not match the address the Post Office has for a subscriber, the address will be marked as invalid and no magazine will be mailed. If you send a change of address to WALK! Magazine, but do not inform the Post Office, you won't receive your magazine.

If you have not received an issue of WALK! Magazine after a move, please be sure to notify the Post Office of your new address.

8 Miles Alone

After all of these months of training with people, it felt really weird walking alone today. Because of schedules it just did not work out.

I went out at 8:30 this morning (I get to sleep in when I'm not walking with Deb!), walked from my house 1 mile to a park, 5 laps around the park (1.2 miles per lap), and walked home. I was a little worried that I didn't leave early enough to miss the rain, but I was OK.

This morning there were hundreds of children playing soccer throughout the park! It was so fun to watch. Some teams were just practicing, others had games, and I think almost all of the kids were under 3 feet tall. I love seeing so many kids playing sports and having fun.

There were also several people walking and running around the park. I was surprised at how many older couples there were walking together. Most of them looked like they did it pretty regularly.

There was even a group playing cricket on one of the ball fields.

So, overall it was a good morning. I was able to walk from my house without driving anywhere, I saw lots of healthy people to keep me entertained, and I didn't get rained on.

I almost didn't notice I was walking alone.
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The times are misleading. Though the first and last "lap" were only one mile, I had to wait for traffic lights.
Lap 1 - 20:08
Lap 2 - 18:18 - 15:25 per mile
Lap 3 - 18:31 - 15:43 per mile
Lap 4 - 17:51 - 14:88 per mile
Lap 5 - 17:46 - 14:80 per mile
Lap 6 - 17:38 - 14:69 per mile
Lap 7 - 17:38

I tend to speed up as I go. I noticed it during pervious half marathons.

Feeling Better

Wearing flats and icing my foot has helped. We did 3 miles today, and I feel fine. My foot is slightly swollen, but feels OK. We effortlessly walked 15-min miles. Amazing how easy it is to walk fast at 5 p.m., compared to 7:30 a.m. on Saturdays.

I was also diagnosed with a sinus infection. Boy, am I glad I didn't let it go any longer. Flying with my sinuses this bad would have been horrible.

So, icing my swollen knees (don't know why), icing my foot and taking ibuprofen for my headache, and I'm feeling MUCH better.

Actual miles:
1) 15:01
2) 15:03
3) 14:56

Metatarsalgia?

I think I found my problem!

Excerpted from: www.mayoclinic.com/health/metatarsalgia/DS00496

The main symptom of metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of your foot... The pain may be sharp, aching or burning. Other symptoms may include:
- Sharp or shooting pain in your toes,
- Numbness or tingling in your toes,
- Pain that worsens when you flex your feet. [Pushing off with my toes?]

Often, several factors are involved, including:
- Intense training or activity. ... Training intensely or for long periods puts even more stress on the metatarsals, often leading to chronic irritation and inflammation. [Training for Big Sur, maybe?]
- High heels, which cause more weight to be transferred to the front of the foot, are one of the most common causes of metatarsalgia in women. [Every day...]

Treatment includes: rest, ice, ibuprofen, wearing proper shoes and inserts.

So, I'll wear flats for a while, avoid speed workouts, take ibuprofen and ice my foot. [Yuck!] At least it doesn't involve sitting in ice water - that's much worse!

Ah-ha Moment about High Heels

My right foot has felt weird in every pair of walking shoes I've worn in the last 9 months or so. The first pair of shoes didn't seem to bend correctly - but only the right shoe. The next pair of shoes didn't bend correctly either - in the exact same spot of the right shoe. Even the pair I returned because they are too heavy seemed to bother my right foot. Hmmm, is there a pattern, Cindi?

Today I had my "ah-ha" moment. I wore high-heeled boots to the grocery store because my jeans are too long to wear tennis shoes. While walking around the store my right foot started hurting me in the exact spot where it bends for racewalking. The more I walked, the more it ached!

I wear heels nearly every day. And, because my jeans all run long (and I am short) I usually wear heels with jeans, too. Though my feet occasionally hurt at the end of the day, it hasn't been a big deal. I haven't even paid much attention to it until today.

With Big Sur coming up, I'm a little bit worried. Though I don't like the look, and my pants are all hemmed for heels, I will try wearing flats this week and see if it helps.

Anyone else face something similar?

Gotta Love the Taper!

You get such a feeling of accomplishment when you increase the mileage on your long-slow days. The first time you walk 10, 12 or 16 miles is fantastic! But one of my favorite things is the taper before a long-distance event.

Today we walked just 12 miles and it felt great. The hills felt pretty big in that last lap, but that's par for the course. We were slowing down after those last hills, then suddenly picked up the pace in the final two miles.

But the best thing is, after spending all of this time walking week after week, it's nice to be finished so early! We were done before 11 a.m. and I feel as if I have a lot of free time. Maybe next week, since we are doing just 8 miles, Deb will let me sleep in until 7.

First lap - 57:07 - 15:01 per mile
Second lap - 57:35 - 15:09 per mile
Third lap - 58:03 - 15:16 per mile

Average for the entire distance is 15:09.

Location: Sharon Woods Park. Each loop is 3.8 miles. Temps in the mid 40s. Cloudy and breezy in spots.

Walking Clothes

There is something about seeing a photo of yourself in walking clothes that can inspire you to suddenly go shopping. I didn't realize how badly I needed new shorts until I saw some recent pictures. Unfortunately, those photographs were also sent to the local paper for an article about walking. Yuck!

OK, many women will relate to this. It is difficult to find flattering walking clothes when you are over the age of 40. Some shorts are too tiny for "adult" women. Other styles and colors look like they are intended for "old" women. (I don't care what my chronological age is, I will never be old - at least not mentally.) The worst part is, I've been looking for so long, I had given up and just kept wearing what I had.

So, for a few days now I have renewed my search for a pair of shorts that is flattering. Luckily, I came away with one pair of shorts and one skirt that look good with my WALK! Shirts! (Though the skirt is very cute, I have just a couple of tops that look good with it.) Now that I have something that isn't so bad, I think I'll take new pictures this weekend just in case it is not too late.
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Update: As I delivered magazines to running stores yesterday, I saw lots of really cute clothes at each store. They even had shorts long enough that I would have considered wearing them. I have to assume that I was so disillusioned for so long I wasn't even looking when they were right in front of me. I didn't try any on due to lack of time, but it was encouraging.

Healthy Eating

I've been reading the book The Blue Zone. It's about the 4 areas of the world where there are the largest population of people who have lived to be over 100. I'm not quite done yet, but I'm inspired! I don't want to give away too much because I'm planning a book review, but here is how the book has affected me so far.

1) I had no problem saying no to French fries and I ordered a baked fish sandwich with a salad instead of a cheeseburger.
2) I've kept fresh fruit cut up and ready to eat in the fridge ... and I'm eating the fruit! (The cantaloupe is a little tasteless, but the rest of the fruit is fantastic!)
3) I've had several meals without meat but featuring beans and rice.
4) I'm having less of a problem getting my walking in.
5) I'm drinking more water.
6) I'm working hard to get to bed earlier. (Five hours of sleep is not enough!)
7) I'm trying to be a better friend.
8) I'm more consistent getting calcium.
9) I'm projecting a more positive attitude and I'm feeling more positive as a result.
And there are more things that I'll keep to myself.

OK, even if I don't live to be 100, however old I live to be I am confident I will feel healthier and enjoy those last years more.

George was Right!

Because of blisters, I wasn't able to do my 18-mile training walk this past Saturday. Deb and I had planned to make up the mileage on Sunday because Big Sur is coming up soon.

Saturday afternoon while exchanging my shoes, George (one of the smartest runners I know) suggested I not make up the mileage because it could mess up our rest schedule. His recommendation was to continue with our schedule as written.

Well, today we had three 1-mile splits at a fast pace scheduled. We were fast! (OK, fast for us.) We did 14:23, 14:24 and 14:13. I think these are the fastest miles we've done since we started training. Not only were we faster, I felt better after the first mile than I have after the first mile of our last couple long slow distance days. (I was dragging last Saturday.)

So, obviously, George was right! I needed the rest. The real test will be when I'm at mile 18 of the 21-mile race -- will I still think it was the right decision?

Exchanging Shoes

The NB 768s were just not right for me. During both of the longer walks in which I wore them, blisters formed within 6 miles. When I went back to the store to discuss why they don't work, the sales person thought the shoes had too much stability for the amount of pronation I have in my right foot. We tried a bunch of great, lightweight shoes, and I ended up with Nike Air Zoom. Because I'm still waiting for the blister to heal, I haven't tried walking in the shoes yet. (Even though today was beautiful!)

I'll try them out tomorrow morning.

Vertigo

Over the past 24 hours, I've had short bouts with dizziness! I think it is a combination of a stuffy head/ears, riding elevators and flying. Right now it is just funny. While standing still, I'll suddenly feel like I'm in a moving elevator and need to hold onto something. Luckily the episodes pass in just a few short seconds. I'm sure once my head clears it will go away.

Airport Workout

I had a 90-min layover in Phoenix today. While walking around the airport killing time, I tried a new game - "see if you can pass the people who are on the moving sidewalk."

I didn't do bad! As soon as everyone in front of me got on the walkway, I picked up my pace. I was just starting to get a little closer to the guy in front of me when there was a break, and he had to walk on regular carpet for a few feet before he got on the second one. The entire distance of the second stretch, I was just one step behind him. Because he had to stop walking near the end as other were exiting, I passed him and won!

What makes it even more impressive is I was wearing boots with high heels and dragging may laptop in a briefcase on wheels.

I am the queen!

Outside in Anaheim

I had planned to get back on the treadmill sometime yesterday. I really want to try mastering that thing. It was grey and chilly most of the day, and I didn't have the right workout clothes for chilly weather, so it made sense.

About 4 p.m. I was free for the day and felt tired and draggy - but the sun was shining! I threw on my workout clothes and just started walking. It was the perfect walking temp and the sun energized me!

Because I'm in the city of Anaheim, I had to stop at nearly every traffic light. I'm not sure if my 20 min out in one direction was even 15 min of actual walking. Then I started crossing the street based on how the lights turned green to keep from stopping so much. Suddenly I looked up and there was a Mickey Mouse roller coaster! I could see a ferris wheel and other rides. I knew Disney is in Anaheim, but I didn't realize I was within walking distance. It also explains why there is nothing to do near this hotel. Everyone who stays here probably goes straight to Disney.

What I love about cities in warm climates and big attractions is that the landscaping is usually awesome! In Ohio, you don't see a lot of streets with medians down the middle covered with great flowers, trees and art. I also love seeing the palm trees lined up along the side of the road. It gave me plenty to look at and kept me entertained.

So, maybe later today I'll try the treadmill again. Yesterday I really needed to be outside. It was great!