Fighting Temptation (OK, NOT Fighting Temptation)

I knew it was a mistake. I wasn't even hungry. But there is something about seeing chocolate cake looking all delicious under that clear plastic lid that made it irresistible. In my defense, it wasn't just plain old chocolate cake. It was a Buckeye cake with peanut butter frosting in between the chocolate layers and chocolate chips embedded into the frosting on the sides. The top had 8 chocolate-fudge Buckeyes as decoration.

The slice was HUGE -- way too big for one person, but I ate the entire thing anyway.

Immediately after the last bite, I regretted my decision to eat it. It was just so tasty, I couldn't stop.

For the rest of the afternoon I had what can best be described as a sugar hangover! I had the queasy stomach, headache and overall yucky feeling. I definitely need a healthy dinner to counteract the sugar.

OK, I learned my lesson (again). Don't keep tempting foods in plain sight. And just because cake is cut into huge slices doesn't mean you need to eat the entire thing.

I had planned to skip walking tonight, but I may have to take one because of the cake.

Toes

I have my new low-heeled dress shoes that I have been wearing for over a week. (OK, on Halloween I wore high heels all evening, but they went with my costume.) And I've been wearing low-heeled shoes over 50% of the time for several weeks.

Yet today, after walking about 2.5 miles and trying to use proper racewalking form, I'm getting throbbing pain in the big toe of my right foot again.

It hasn't been very long -- I probably just need to keep wearing low-heeled shoes for a few weeks more before deciding if I need to see my doctor.
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NOTE: Just noticed that I sit at my desk with my feet bent at the toes and pushed hard against the floor. Hmmm... Might nullify wearing flat shoes!
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Had a great walk today! My friend Deb and I went to Antrim Park and were able to do two laps around the small lake. It was beautiful and the weather perfect!

Great Walk Tonight

Though I didn't get home until 5 tonight, I was able to get in a 3-mile walk before dark. I just could not walk in the neighborhood today -- I desperately needed a change of venue.

So, I changed as quickly as possible and head out the door. I walked the mile to the library at a quick pace and luckily it was still light enough I felt comfortable doing a loop around the park. Partway around the loop I ran into an old friend, but told her I couldn't slow to chat so I could start home before dark. I picked up the pace. There were enough street lights that I felt safe during the mile home, but it was good to have a headlight so cars could see me better.

The weather was perfect for a walk today! It felt great!

Best Thing About Time Change

OK, The best thing about this time change is I have no trouble getting up in the morning. It's lighter out and I just function better if I can wake later. Even setting my alarm extra early to make it to the polls wasn't a problem.

For my friend Deb, the best part of this time change is that her sports watch finally has the correct time!

Christmas -- Already?

This morning while out walking, enjoying the crisp fall air, the beautiful leaves and the remnants of Friday night's Halloween festivities, I was suprised to come across one neighbor putting up Christmas lights!

I couldn't decide if he was taking advantage of the great weather, or if he was a freak. (I hope he is not a freak!)

I Walked!

The first thing I did this morning was put on walking clothes and get ready to head outside. It was an absolutely beautiful morning! Because I've been lacking motivation lately, I opted to take it easy in the neighborhood.

One of the things I let slide when I'm training for distance is form. I've taken a couple of racewalking clinics, yet I still do not feel as if I racewalk. Today I was not going to worry about speed or distance, just focus on planting my heel and rolling my foot all the way through.

It's been a while since I've worked on form, and my left shin insisted on reminding me for about 20 of the 30 min. I was out. After the shin finally loosened I felt great!

I have had a lot of energy all day and I know it was from the morning walk. I will do my best to keep it up!

Walking Inspires Walking

If you have read WALK! Magazine or this blog for any length of time, you know that I firmly believe that the more you walk, the more you will want to walk.

The past two weeks I have officially proven the opposite premise. The less you walk, the less you will want to walk.

I decided to take a couple of days off after the Detroit Half Marathon for recovery. I wasn't really sore -- in fact, I felt great! But it was so nice not "having" to walk to maintain a training schedule, I decided to take a few more days off. I loved having all of that extra time! And that following weekend, I decided to find out what it was like to sleep in for a change.

Once I passed that first full week after the race, I began losing my desire and drive to walk. I had planned to walk every night this week and today, but something always got in the way. (Last night we went to a great Halloween party. I was not getting up early today for anything!)

Well, the day was beautiful, and I spent the entire day indoors! What is wrong with me!

No more excuses. I have promised myself that tomorrow will be my first official day back walking. I'll get up early and head out the door. I even have an extra hour tomorrow -- no excuses. So, what will you be doing with your extra hour?

Tons of Mail!

I was working on mail for most of the day today! It is one of my least favorite things to do, by the way. That and bookkeeping. It can be so tedious addressing and stuffing envelopes. Then going to the P.O. and standing in front of one of those new postage computers. (I got there after the staff left.)

Don't get me wrong, I love the fact the computers allow me to mail things any time of day. I hate the fact that I can buy only 5 stamps for $1.70 at a time. When you are sending out over 100 envelopes, it seems to take forever. It never fails, I start getting a rhythm going -- buying stamps, sticking them on packages, buying more stamps -- when a person will walk in with one little envelope and wait in line behind me. How can I make that person wait forever behind me?

The good thing is, a lot of people have been buying sample copies! And most of the people who sample WALK tend to subscribe. I'm very fortunate that last two races we attended were VERY good for us!

So, though I don't like how time-consuming and tedious handling mail can be, I love the fact that this many new people want the magazine!

So, if you have been waiting for your copy of the Fall issue, I think they are all officially in the mail! And if you get in line behind me at the PO, let me just apologize in advance.

New Shoes

It's taken a little while, but I finally found a pair of black flats that will look OK with dress slacks. I liked a different pair a little better, but the only color they had left was brown.

After I brought them home I thought they might be a little young for me, but what the heck! They are black, they are cute, they are comfortable and they are flat. What more could I ask for! (A 3-inch heel would be great, but that might defeat the purpose. Repeat after me: flat shoes = healthy feet, flat shoes = healthy feet... )

Online Store Repaired

I discovered the other day that there were problems with our online store: http://store.walk-magazine.com/index.html. Apparently, once customers got to checkout, the order didn't go through noting that a shipping method was not selected.

I have no idea how the store was affected, but it has been corrected.

Thank you for your patience!

I Slept In

True confessions here: I am not a morning person. I am more of a morning person now than I was years ago, but that isn't saying much. The thing I hate most about training for a long-distance race and actually entering races is that they all happen so early in the morning!

The walking club I belong to meets at 8 a.m. every Saturday. When we are doing long-mileage days, we frequently meet at 7 or 7:30! (Ouch!)

At the Detroit Marathon last week, my two roomies were up by 4:30! (OK, the good thing is they were ready by the time I rolled out of bed so we didn't have to fight for the bathroom. Also, because they are alert and happy morning people, I never have to rely on my alarm clock when I travel with them. Did I mention they are pleasant in the morning? How great is that!)

For about 13 weeks now, I have been up bright and early every Saturday morning to walk. The Detroit Half Marathon is over -- today I slept in. (It felt great!)

I'll be back walking with my walking club at 8 a.m. next week.

Columbus Marathon Offers Women's Shirts

In case you don't read the posts by other blog readers, I want everyone to know that the Columbus Marathon does offer women's shirts!

I can be pretty harsh on race directors, so I want to be fair and let people know when they do something right, too.

Thank you Columbus!

Any others out there?

When Will Races Give us Clothes that fit Women?

I've been walking in races for over 8 years. In that time, I've seen the number of women in races grow tremendously! In fact, one race I entered last month had 75% female participants and the Detroit Marathon just had about 55% female participants.

When there are more women than men in these races, when will we get race clothes that fit!

It has been a couple years since I entered any of the Columbus Marathon races. But that year women received women's shirts. I still wear that shirt -- it is one of my favorites.

The funny thing is, when all races gave out cotton T-shirts, they fit! Now that races are giving great technical shirts and fleece jackets, things I really want to wear, they are huge!

For a marathoner, I'm an average-sized woman. I wear either a woman's medium or small. In cotton T-shirts, a man's small fits just fine. In technical fabrics, I'm not even sure a man's XS will fit.

I know from talking to other marathoners that at the other end of the spectrum people end up with shirts that don't fit either -- they are always too small.

OK, I don't know what the solution is. There will always be people whose race shirt does not fit. But is it too much to ask that when a race has more women than men that we have the option to order a woman's shirt?

Watch Detroit Race Finishers

How cool is this! I got to watch myself finish the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon at this website: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200881020020.

The clocks were a little off. I finished in 3:21:33, but I found myself on the section from 3:25-3:35.

Typical of me -- my first thought was that this was a very cool thing! When do we ever get to see ourselves in a race?

My second thought was that I don't look like I'm racewalking. My arms are wrong, my feet aren't rolling...

Regardless, it is pretty cool to see myself finishing the race with my friends!

"I am a walker!"

We are starting a new feature in WALK! Magazine called "I am a walker." It will be a one-page "highlights" style story that will feature one walker per issue.

I hope to feature all types of walkers from casual neighborhood walkers and hikers to marathoners and Olympic-style racewalkers.

If you would like to nominate someone to be featured, please send an e-mail to me.

Detroit was ...

fantastic! The weather was beautiful, the people were very friendly, the course was great! The friends I traveled with were so much fun. I am amazed at how beautiful Detroit has become. And the Expo was very good for us!

There were only two minor glitches: 1) I stood so much during the Expo, my feet were killing me and made it difficult to walk any faster during the event. 2) In order to meet as a group before the race, we didn't go to the start line in the most efficient manner, and ended up stuck behind some intense fencing. It was pretty tough to get to the walkers' start corral.

I don't think I could have planned a more perfect weekend. (OK, if there was a way I could work a booth at the Expo without exhausting my feet and legs and still be able to walk fast during the half, and if I had won a million dollars at the casino, then that would have been perfect.)

Thanks to the members of the WALK! Magazine Walking Team for making the weekend so much fun! NOTE: Tom's wife Peggy took several pictures of us before the start, but we were in two groups. I'll post the other photo as soon as I receive it. From left to right: Tom, Chris, Me and Deb.

Good Luck Larry!

Good luck to Larry Smith as he walks the Columbus Marathon this weekend! (And attempts to break the 5-hour barrier.) We've been enjoying following your training exploits this year. I can't believe it is here already.

We'll be thinking about you!

Detroit - Here we Come!

The members of the WALK! Magazine Walking Team will be heading to the Detroit FreePress Half Marathon this Sunday. A group of us are going to meet tomorrow night for dinner.

I'm having a little trouble getting internet access on my laptop right now, but if I can keep you up to date, I will! Maybe I'll even try to figure out how to Twitter from my phone... OK, I'm dreaming with that one.

Procrastination

Yes, I am frequently guilty of procrastination. That is why I was at the post office tonight at 10. I had a couple of things that absolutely had to be postmarked with today's date. Luckily, a friend of mine recently told me about a post office near the airport that is open until 11 p.m. during the week. It is also open on Sundays!

I couldn't figure out why this particular post office smelled like the airport. (How does an airport smell?)

I wasn't alone tonight -- there were A LOT of people in line with me! Hmm. Maybe that is why there is a local post office open until 11 p.m.?

In a situation like this, most people tend to take it in stride. We all know it is our own fault that we are there. I could tell many were on the same deadline I was.

The good news is, I made the deadline and I know I will sleep a little better tonight.

Ike, Obama & McCain

Sometimes the printing/mailing gods are working against you. I feel that way right now.

It all started when Hurricane Ike hit the United States. For the first time ever, a hurricane that hit Texas also took out the power in Central Ohio -- in many places for over a week. The printer I use was fine, I was fine, the mailing house was without power for 4-5 days.

Unfortunately, at this same time, all of the local mailing houses have been inundated with political mailings! It seems that Obama and McCain got in line before me. The mailing house was going to be swamped even if there was power -- then add 5 days of the stuff piling up. Ouch!

My printer is nagging the mailing facility daily on my behalf. It is out of my hands!

So, over the next couple days when you are digging through all of the political postcards filling your mailbox, realize that if it weren't for them you would have your Fall issue! I think I'll write my congressman.
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Any subscriber who would like to receive the electronic version of WALK! Magazine while we are waiting for the mail, please send me an e-mail and I'll give you the access code. (I'm in Detroit this weekend, so I don't know how quick it will be.)