Walks and Next Week's Training Schedule (July 24-30)

Sunday, Aimee and I drove over to the American River Bikeway to pound out those 10 miles. Thankfully the weather wasn't too hot (although plenty warm) and we were able to enjoy ourselves. We found several little critters greeting us along the way. Usually they're pretty skiddish, but this little one just hung out and watched us and all the other people on the trail. There were also several baby rabbits, but I couldn't get any pictures of them.

Neva's Schedule:

Saturday: 14/ 14

Sunday: 10/ 10

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 4

Wednesday: Stretch/ 1

Thursday: 4/ 6

Friday: 3

Total: 35/ 38

UPDATE: Training Schedule July 17-23

UPDATE:

Neva's Schedule:

Saturday: 12 miles/ 12
Sunday: 7 miles/ 7
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4 miles/ 4
Wednesday: Stretch
Thursday: 4 miles/ 5
Friday: 3 miles/ 2.96

Total: 30 miles/ 30.96

Fundraising Update:$755 more to go!

Goal: $2,300
Raised as of 7/17: $1,455
Add this week: $92
Total: $1,545




Thank you so much to everyone who donated!!

Aimee's Schedule:

Saturday: 7 miles
Sunday: 6 miles
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: cross train
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: cross train

Total: 20 miles

Training Schedule July 10-16

UPDATE:
Saturday 7/10: 12 miles/ 0

Sunday 7/11:  7 miles/ 0

Monday 7/12: Rest

Tuesday 7/13: 4 miles/ 2.94

Wednesday 7/14: Stretch/ 3.38

Thursday 7/15: 4 miles/ 0

Friday 7/16: 3 miles/ 2.32

Total milage: 30 miles/ 8.64

So that shin thing from last week ended-up being a pulled muscle. I nearly couldn't walk Saturday. So I took Saturday and Sunday off to heal. Tuesday was the first day I could move it without pain so I decided to just take it slow the next few days. I'm happy to say that it's all better now and I'm up and walking again. A week delay in training, but it's better to get better.

Fundraising Update:

Goal: $2,300
Raised as of 7/16: $1,425

Add this week: $20

Total: $1,455

$845 more to go!

UPDATE: Training Schedule July 3-9 & Fundraising Update

UPDATE:


Saturday 7/3: 10 Miles/ Actual: 11.09
Sunday 7/4: 6 Miles/ Actual: 5.43
Monday 7/5: Rest
Tuesday 7/6: 4 Miles/ Actual: 4.54
Wednesday 7/7: Stretching
Thursday 7/8: 4 Miles/ Actual: 4.85
Friday 7/9: 3 Miles/ Actual: 2.17

Total: 27 Miles/ Actual 28.8 Miles
Hard to believe we'll be doing nearly that much in ONE DAY!!!

I participated in a training walk this week on Thursday. It was nice to meet some new people. But they were both taller than me. And while our pace was the same, my little legs had to take almost two steps to their one. I pride myself on the fact that I can walk a 15 minute mile, sometimes under, but man I had a hard time keeping up. Maybe that's something I should write about; how shorties and tall folk can train together.

Fundraising Update:
Goal:                     $2,300
Raised as of 7/3:  $1,425
Add this week:      $10

Total: $1,435
$865 more to go!

My husband and I had the inside of our house painted this week and it ended up being a great time to weed through some of my stuff, especially my books. I donated three bags full of paperbacks to the library, but I have almost eight bags of hardbacks, some signed first editions, that I thought I'd try and sell as a fundraiser. If anyone is interested in some Anne Rice, James Rollins, Daniel Silva, Steven Saylor, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and more, some signed, please use our Contact Us link on the righthand side of the page and I'll provide more details.

Ahhh... Nature

Walking has always been my preferred method of exercise, even before I decided to participate in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. The folks who planned my neighborhood did an excellent job of making it walker, biker, and jogger friendly.

 There are trails,  bike paths, plenty of shaded walkways, and a nice open space preserve that is fantastic to meander through.

This time of year the little creatures are out in full force. Little brown field mice, jack rabbits, birds, snakes, lizards, etc... I couldn't get any pictures, those guys are fast. But through the dried grass you can see and hear movement.

So the reason for my choice of walking as exercise isn't because it's good for you physically, but because in my neighborhood, it's the best destresser imaginable.

I'm taking to this 3-day training rather well. While my previous walks lasted at most 3-miles, now I'm trekking 5-10+ miles and I'm enjoying finding new places to explore right in my own backyard. And I'm not only doing something good for my body and soul, I'm doing something good for other people. That, more than anything the good Lord provides for me to see, is the most therapeutic of all.

13 Down and 13 To Go!

Neva here-

It's just a short 13 weeks until the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure in San Fransisco! I can't believe how the time has flown. I started training and fundraising nearly 26 weeks ago and I can tell you that I had no idea how life consuming it would be, especially now since the big 10+ mile walks on Saturdays and Sundays have begun....EEK!

I have learned a few things these past weeks...about myself and about walking. Try spending a few hours each day with nothing but your thoughts...it's enlightening.

First, music: I thought for certain my ipod would keep me occupied, but after about 4-5 miles I can't stand those things in my ears any more (one side is broken which just makes things worse). And in those 4-5 miles my music needs change, too. I'm good with about 2 and a half miles of AC/DC at the beginning, just to get me moving. Then I switch to some country around mile 3 and by mile 5 the contemporary Hawaiian channel on my Pandora app is just perfect. After that, those earbuds come out and it's the beautiful sound of the birds that keeps me going.

Second, of course that's when the thinking begins and I start concentrating on stupid things. Like my backpack isn't fitting and I really need to go shopping for a new one. Which is so not true. I LOVE my backpack. I got it in Hawaii and it's just one big sack. It's comfortable and holds everything. But during this point in the walk I can find fault with just about everything I own in my walking life, from my brand new shoes to which kleenex I have in my bag to blow my nose. This is really just me looking for an excuse to go shopping.  I try to march through this thought pattern quickly.

But I could go on for ages about what goes through my mind during the long walks, but it's boring really. So I'll just list a few things I've learned:

1. I split up the long walks. Last week on Sunday I did 9 miles...4 in the morning and 5 in the evening. This probably won't work so well when I get to those really long 15+ mile walks, but for the 8-15 miles it's a good strategy for me. And in this heat (it was roughly 100 last Sunday) it's probably the only way to do it. Today I'm walking 10 miles so I'll do 5 this morning and 5 this evening. It keeps me out of the sun and it's easier on my feet.

2. After my little trip to the hospital two months ago, I bring nothing but Propel or Gatorade on my walks. The heat here can be weighing and water just doesn't cut it. I also carry walnuts. For some reason those little guys give me a good amount of energy.

3. Tight clothes, nothing loose. Seriously, loose clothes are crap. They rub in all the wrong spots. I never, in all my life thought I could get chaffing on my calves from my little cropped walking pants. The legs of those things are loose and the bottom brushes-up against my legs when I'm walking. Talk about obnoxious.

4. Ice, even if you don't think you need to. When doing several long walks back-to back, my muscles and especially my tendons ache something awful. I've found that icing my calves and Achilles tendons helps  A LOT! Much more than popping ibuprofen. I even ice my feet, which in the heat and after a long walk feels fantastic!

5. I have had more people ask me if it was me they saw walking while they were driving. I really need to take advantage of this. A flag or a sign to wear during each walk with my fundraising info. I just have to figure a good way to do it.

So these are just a few things I've learned in my 13 weeks of training. With 13 more to go and then the big weekend in October, I'm bound to learn more. This has been honestly a wonderful experience. True, it's just walking, but it's also so much more than that.

Neva

Susan G. Komen -- 3-Day For the Cure

Hey, do you want to visit our 3-day for the cure pages?  Stop by and view our progress:

Neva's Page
http://www.the3day.org/goto/neva

Aimee's Page

http://www.the3day.org/goto/Aimee

Pollen and Pink Ribbon

Oh goodness, my sister has been kicking my behind in the blog posting race!! Gotta catch-up.

Well, as you all know, Aimee and I are participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walk in San Fransisco this October. It's 60 miles in 3 days and, with the exception of a few health issues (colds, etc.), we've been training like crazy people. Yesterday we took a 5 mile walk along the Sacramento River and encountered the mouth of hell for all of us allergy sufferers. Behold Sacramento in the spring:

It's like it snowed pollen. And it was floating in the air, getting in our mouths, sticking to our clothes. There was just no escaping it. And the yellow stuff isn't even falling yet. That stuff's worse. It coats cars in a yellow haze and when you walk down the sidewalk your feet literally leave footprints in it. I love May, but here in Sac it can be brutal for allergy sufferers.

But there is another aspect to this walk that we need to get busy on; our fundraising. And since we both love making things we decided to create some special pieces especially for this purpose. The first of which is a special 3-Day Crusader necklace.

We're selling it on etsy at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/47212692/3-day-crusader-necklace

for $25. All the proceeds from the sale of our 3 Day Crusaders collection will go towards our fundraising goals.

Look for others coming soon. Aimee is making the CUTEST tags and she'll hopefully have some to display soon.

Have a lovely Sunday and a wonderful week.

Neva

3-Day for a Cure

This year I decided to join my cousin in walking 60 miles to raise money for breast cancer research. 60 whole miles! I've been thinking of doing this for a few years now, but the mileage scared me off. But this year I put on my big girl drawers and signed up.

One of the things required of all participants is we have to raise at least $2300. I'm not very good about asking folks for money. But this time, I believe it's a good cause. If you can donate, even just a little, you would be helping fund research that could potentially save the lives of both men and women.

Cancer, any kind of cancer, is awful. I'm not a doctor and I'm not rich so there isn't much for me to do to fight it except this.

To donate please go to my personal page at:
http://www.the3day.org/goto/neva


I've also started a facebook fan page for those interested in my training progress:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/3-Day-Crusader/103992322973463

Thanks so much ahead of time!



Neva