Looking forward to another year of walking!

My family got completely jazzed cheering me on. Rachel was the best impromptu pit team captain and cheered us on at every cheer station. She got us special snacks and drinks. Brought us lunch to give us a change of pace. Even got up and went and traced the route on Sunday to figure out where we'd be through out the day. Mom is pretty interested in walking next year. Karyn is considering it, too. Dad wants to know why we didn't get matching shirts (crew and walkers)! Everyone was already talking about next year and I hadn't even finished day 3!

The walk was an AMAZING experience. The comaraderie between all of the walkers was incredible. The people cheering us on were unbelievably kind. The tireless Komen volunteers and pit crews (other walkers friends and family) were the best. Some people came out three, four, five times a day. But by the end of the third day, I was considering taking a year off!

I do plan to walk again in 2009 (though I will NOT camp--that's for another blog!). I've taken it easy the past several weeks. Partly to rest up but partly to just catch up with things and get ready for the holidays. But I've started my walking videos again and plan to get serious about walking again in January. My family was supportive the whole way, but experiencing has made them passionate to join in even more fully next year. Laura and Rae will captain the pit crew! And hopefully Mom and maybe Karyn will walk with me. It isn't official but I do believe that we'll be walking under "Team Jil." Wearing green shirts (with pink lettering) of course!

Done!

We did it! Jenn and I had a tough but wonderful time doing the 3 day. Thank you to everyone for their support and encouragement through this entire process.

Big thanks for our families for coming out to the cheer stations!!!

Laura

Only hours to go...

I too will be spending the night at my folks house so my saintly dad can take me to the Opening Ceremony very very early tomorrow morning. I've got everything packed in a borrowed hockey bag (Thank you Mike!) and am pretty sure I can actually carry it all.

Thank you to my sister for looking after Riley-boo while I am gone.

I am excited and nervous but mostly just ready to get this show on the road!

Laura

This is it!!!

I set the alarm for 4:30 this morning. I wanted to get ready for the day and get my cats to my parent's house before work. (I gave myself some extra time, just in case!) The cats are staying at "Grandma and Grandpa's" for the weekend. My dad pretends he doesn't like them, but he already put out the toys we forgot to take home on our last visit and will over feed Bee the whole time they are there.

The first thing I thought of when the alarm went off was the mornings I got up at 3 AM to walk 10 miles before work. I am proud of myself for doing that! All the hard work and training is going to pay off. Even if things go differently than I plan (i.e. take the van), I know that it won't be for a lack of training! My mom and I are leaving the house at 5:00 tomorrow to get to the Del Mar Racetrack/Fairgrounds. I'll spend the night there, just so I don't have to wake up until 4:00...eek! And, off we'll go. Less than 24 hours from now, I will be apart of Opening Ceremonies for the Susan G Komen 2008 San Diego 3 Day. I can't believe that it's finally here!

Mission Accomplished!

Woohoo! Both Laura and I met our minimum fundraising goals! Four days to go!!!

Closing Ceremonies

Please consider joining us this Sunday for closing ceremonies. Details below:

Petco Park
100 Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101

Sunday, November 23rd Schedule:
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Walkers arrive at Holding Area
3:30 pm: Spectators arrive and should head directly to the stage
4:00 pm: Participants begin lining up for victory walk
4:30 pm: Closing Ceremonies begin

Cheer Stations!!!

The Cheer Stations for the 3 Day are below! If you'd like to cheer us on as part of a big group, drop Laura or I an email. We'll pass the info onto our sisters, who are helping to coordinate the cheer groups. They'll have an idea as to what time we'll make it by each station. (We tend to walk towards the front of the middle of the pack.) Or just come by and surprise us!

Friday, November 21:

11:15 am - 2:30 pm
Coast Blvd. Park
430 Coast Blvd. (south of Cuvier Street)
La Jolla

2:00 pm- 5:30 pm
Fanuel Street Park
4000 Fanuel Street
Mission Bay Park, San Diego

Saturday, November 22:

9:00 am - 1:30 pm
Ocean Beach Surf Spot Park
grass area at Abbott St. and Newport Ave.
1900 Abbott Street
San Diego

10:30 am - 3:30 pm
South Mission
grass area just north of South Mission parking lot
2600 Mission Blvd. (turn west on N. Jetty Road, into parking lot)
San Diego

Sunday, November 23:

7:00 am - 9:00 am
De Anza Cove
2700 North Mission Bay Drive
Mission Bay Park, San Diego

11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center - Lawn
2150 Park Blvd.
San Diego

10 days to go!

We are just 10 days away from the walk. So now the focus has shifted from training to packing! Jenn and I are gathering our gear, figuring out what we may still need to buy and determining how to cover everything in plastic. In case of wet weather and to protect everything from dew and moisture since we will be camping in a coastal area, its recommended that EVERYTHING be packed in plastic bags. I've got 2 gallon Ziploc bags to pack each day's clothing in and big storage bags to put sleeping bags and pillows in. Jenn is getting some painter's tarps to put on the floor of the tent and wrap our luggage in at night.

Then we need to figure out how to moosh everything into one suitcase! Each walker is allowed to bring one piece of luggage that can't weigh more than 30 pounds. Wish us luck!

Laura

Last Training Walk

Last Saturday, Laura and I did our last training walk with Boob Camp Bekki's group. They still plan to fit in a few more big walks, but Laura and I are both done with the bigger miles. We'll fit in a few more 6 milers, but use the time to rest up our feet and get caught up on life. Walking has consumed our lives for the past couple of months! All the training will be worth it on the big 3 day. If we end up on a sweeper van for one reason or another, it won't be because of a lack of training! We've worked very hard and are proud of all that we've accomplished!

--Jenn

3 weeks away from the 3 day!!!

In exactly three weeks, Laura and I will be beginning an amazing, 60 mile journey! We'll meet up with thousands of other walkers at the Del Mar Racetrack for opening ceremonies...and then...we're off! I can't believe that, after all of our preparations, it is almost time. We're meeting up with our training walk for a 12 miler tomorrow. This will most likely be my last big walk with them. I really want to give my body, mostly my feet, a bit of a break for a few weeks. I'll still be walking, just not the big miles. It'll be nice to feel like I have my weekends back. It's been worth it to have trained so much, but I'm ready to get caught up on a few projects around the house. And, sometime in the next week and a half, we'll be posting the cheering stations. Looking forward to seeing you cheer us on from the sidelines!

--Jenn

Update on my feet...

It's hard to be certain, since the variables concerning my feet weren't the same (I walked less miles on Saturday, I only walked Saturday and not Sunday) but I do think that the tape worked overall. Even before the weekend's walking began, I felt like the swelling went down from the previous weekend's walks. It could have just been a time factor, that the swelling would have finally gone down anyway, but my recovery was much better on Saturday than it had been after the past couple of walks. I'm certainly willing to tape up my feet and legs again! I got some attention, mostly people worried about an injury or curious to know if it had to do with my 3 day walk. The tape lasted for five days, showers, ice baths and all! So I might be able to just tape it once before the three day and not have to worry about taping it again during the walk. I'll probably bring some extra tape with me...just in case!

It's less than four weeks away...can you believe it???

Jenn

The Tape

The very nice lady at Dr. Runco's practice had to reschedule me from tomororw night to today for my appointment. I was pretty jazzed about it; the sooner the better, I was thinking. Overall, Dr. Runco wasn't worried about an injury causing the swelling/pain. For whatever reasons (there could be a couple different things) my body is responding to the big miles by my feet swelling up. So he gave me some ideas on what I can do to increase circulation to my feet to bring the swelling down. He's taped me up with Kinseo tape, just to see if that helps. He's given me a new shoe lacing technique which I think will really help keep my feet securely in my shoes without being so tight on the top of my foot (where it hurts the most). And, he's going to find me some compression socks. The knee high tight socks that elderly people (or diabetics) wear to increase their circulation. Triathletes favor them. Oh baby, won't that make me look EVEN hotter than I do now when I'm walking! Well I'll try anything at this point. If even one of the ideas he had works, I'll be pretty happy. In the meantime, I'm taped almost knee to toe in PINK Kinseo tape! I feel like a pink Skeletor for some reason...just in time for Halloween.

Passionate for Pink!
Jenn

It's All About the Feet

I think about my feet all of the time. I talk about them regularly with Laura, especially on our walks. I've even shown them when they get swollen up to my co-workers (they just nod and try to look sympathetic). It's just all about my feet these days! Laura and I get sore in our legs and our hips as we walk long distances, but it's our feet that we seem to need to deal with the most. There's the pain on the bottom of the feet, on the tops, at our ankles. Then, there are the blisters we get, mostly on our toes. I've just now confirmed that I must have a certain kind of insert to prevent the blisters I get on the sides of the balls of my feet. We analyze the various types of blister preventing lubricant--we prefer Tri-Glide but Body Glide is easier to pack in our non-fanny packs. (I tried the powder--messier than the others and didn't prevent blisters.) And we've tried out different varieties of socks. We both bought the same kind of single layered nylon socks, then I tried double layered (more comfy, but they stretch out and then fall down as I'm walking) and Laura checked out toe socks (but they gave her blisters). And of course you have read about my multiple shoe shopping failures. I'm on pair 5 & 6. #5 is a go! The jury is still out on #6. I'm going to give them one more try...

Laura and I both get stiffness and pain in the tops of our ankles. But I've been experiencing lingering swelling, though only only sometimes, and lingering ankle pain. I'd feel silly finding out later that there are things (such as exercises) that I could be doing that would eliminate the worst of the problems. I mean, I'm walking huge distances but even with all of the training, it's still going to be tough on my feet. There is going to be pain and swelling. But, I went ahead and made an appointment with San Diego's own McDreamy (i.e. Dr. Runco, the Ultra Marathon Running Chiropractor who owns San Diego Running Institute). Just to see if there's anything I'm doing wrong or need to do differently. I bought shoes at the store, so my first consultation is discounted and about the price of a treatment from my regular chiropractor. Who is great, by the way, but he's not an endurance athlete. So he just adjusts my feet and says, "Mine would be swollen, too, if I did all of that walking." Well, I'm just going to double check with Dr. Runco and see if he agrees.

We're a month away from the 3 day. It is FOUR weeks from this Friday. Can you believe it???

Slightly Foot Obsessed but Still Hanging in There...Jenn

Saved by Slurpees!

Laura and walked 18 miles on Saturday! By the time we were at 15.5 miles, it was after 11:00 AM and HOT! Around 82-83 degrees and very little shade was to be found. Laura said that she was going to tell her mom to bring us Popsicles on the 3 Day walk. I replied that my family could probably bring us slurpees at a cheering station. Anything cold sounded good at the moment. Then it hit me...there would be a 7-11 coming up at mile 16 (on our side of the street even!). It was time for a slurpee run!!! Oh thank heaven for 7-11! We got our slurpees, and those managed to keep us cool through out the next two miles. Hopefully, it won't get so hot a month from now when we are on the 3 Day. But if it is, we will just find the nearest convenience store and get a treat!

Brrr!

I saw that a friend of mine, who walks marathons and other such endurance walks, gives her feet an ice bath after training walks. I did some research about it on the web and decided to give it a try. BRRRR!! Is it COLD! As soon as I can after I get home from a walk, I fill up a basin with tap water. I put my feet in and add ice. The first few minutes are fine, refreshing even. Then the pain sets in! I make it to about 8 minutes without thinking that I'm crazy, but minutes nine and ten are pretty intense! Ten minutes is my limit for now. I do think that it helps the recovery go more quickly. But I'm changing from a basin to buckets this weekend. I don't feel like I can quite get my ankles covered enough in the basin without the ice water overflowing. The cats are quite excited by this new activity. They seem to think that I'm providing them with the biggest, coldest water bowl ever, and don't seem to mind my feet being in the way! Gross, Mr. Bee!

Takin' a Break...

Laura and I have been training hard! Yesterday, we made it almost 18 miles! I was slightly surprised that I could make it that far even after we finished up and were waiting (very tiredly) for our salads at Mimi's cafe. We've been walking on Sundays even after our big miles on Saturdays, and the Sunday walks have taken so long that I've missed church services for about a month. My pastors and the music director know all about the walk and my reasons for doing it. They understand, but I was ready to take a break from walking back to back, and get back to church this morning. It was nice to actually sleep in until my body was ready to wake up. Even after a two hour nap on Saturday after our miles, I still got over ten hours of sleep last night. I came home from church and rested for a few more hours. My body needed this rest!

The longer and longer walks every weekend are grueling. We need the training and practice, but the occasional break like this will help our bodies rebound from the wear and tear on our feet and legs, and help us push towards the last few weeks before we go for the big "6-0"! I'm ready to get back to walking, but am really glad I took a break today.


--Jenn (with happy, rested feet!)

P.S. Our long walk yesterday took us through Santee Lakes. We took a quick stretch break near the antique tractor show and got some pictures with the stars of the show!

October

As you've probably learned by this point October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Many businesses are running special programs this month where they will donate toward breast cancer research if you purchase certain products. So pay attention when you are at the grocery store or drug store this month! Check for products with the pink ribbon on them!

Yoplait yogurt is once again doing their Save Lids to Save Lives campaign. Mail in the pink tops from their yogurt packaging and they will donate 10 cents per lid to the Komen Foundation.

One of the important goals of having a breast cancer awareness month is of course to get information about detection, care and support out to the public. Most magazines are including articles about breast cancer this month. Many television programs will also have special reports on breast cancer. Take a little time to check some of them out so you are update to date on the info out there!

Laura

A Break at the Lake

Laura and I ended up at the lake this morning. It was a nice break from walking on sidewalks of busy streets with signal lights. We saw several other sets of 3 day in-training walkers doing the lake loop, too. We hope that they are getting out on the streets and doing some inclines! The lake is nice, but it doesn't have any hills or cars to worry about. Last weekend had been discouraging for me. My feet hurt more than usual and I didn't take the time to really rest my feet after my Sunday walk. It took several days to feel like my feet were back to normal. I started dreading the walks this weekend. It got to the point to where I decided if this weekend was just as discouraging, it was time for a break from the long miles. No sense in getting frustrated at this point. But, the walks and recovery time went really well this weekend and I'm back to feeling positive about how far I've come. I don't think that we can ever totally be ready for the experience of the 3 day. But at this point, if we end up on a sweeper van catching a ride to the next pit stop, it won't be from lack of training on our end. :0)

Jenn (writing with my feet propped up!)

We Rock!

Laura and I joined our usual group for a 15 mile jaunt around La Mesa. We got to start an hour later than usual (yes!) so that we would end up at Oktoberfest in downtown historic La Mesa as it was starting up for the day. The walk went really, really well. Our feet were a little sore and I was starting to get stiff in the ankles by mile 15, but we stopped for a quick lunch at a nearby Italian restaurant and felt revived. So we went shopping amongst the booths before taking the trolley back to our cars. We were pretty excited by our chance to shop and browse after our longest walk to date! Tomorrow we'll meet at the lake and get some more miles under our non-fanny pack belts.

--Jenn

Big Miles!

Last weekend I got in some BIG miles! It's been such a crazy and hectic week I haven't been able to blog about it until now. Doing these longer and longer walks really cuts into personal time. The start/end time for "Boob Camp Bekki's" training walk didn't work for Laura's schedule. But the ladies are so warm and friendly that I wasn't worried about joining them solo. We conquered 14.5 miles! We did the first 8.5 in Santee, then took the trolley over to La Mesa and did the rest there. Most of the group only did the first 8.5 Like Laura, they had conflicting events in the later morning.

On Sunday, I went over to my old stomping grounds, Mira Mesa, and walked some hills. Four inclines which meant, of course, accompanying downhills. Ughh! Unlike when you are riding a bike, going downhill is not very much fun or relaxing. My pace was slower than usual, as I was a little stiff from the day before, but I still got in 13.5 miles!

We're less than seven weeks away from the walk! Can you believe it?! Stay tunned, Laura and I have a 15 miler tomorrow morning! We're hoping to avoid the "possibility of drizzle." No one wants to walk 15 miles with wet feet in soggy shoes!

Cheerleaders Wanted!

Laura and I can't tell you HOW encouraging it is for people to cheer us on. Walking with bigger groups of people where everyone is wearing something pink attracts attention. I love how people drive by and honk their horns...some of them just hold it while they pass the entire group. One lady just drove up and down this one street on Saturday, honking and waving, blaring her music. It was great. I don't know what the people in the neighborhood thought about it, but it was just what the walkers needed!

On Sunday, Laura and I went walking with our regular group. I think that the leader had to cut short her walk (she has bad back problems), so she went to the last quarter to half mile of the route and started leaving us funny messages in chalk. It was amazing how much it perked us up!

The 3 Day sets up cheering stations along the route and emails the locations of them about two weeks before the 3 Day. We are recruiting YOU to come out and cheer us on! Not only the two of us, but all of the walkers. Mark November 21-23 on your calendars. We expect to see you out there, cheering us on!

It's 3 Day or Bust!

Laura and I had a GREAT weekend of walking. I made a total of 28 miles and Laura did all 30! Woohoo! The Prep Rally, and the training walk held before it, were good opportunities to see what the 3 Day is really going to be like. We got a lot of good tips from the seminar hosts. The group that led the discussion on how to pack, and not to pack, were hilarious! Laura and I also found out about an "underground" 3 day handbook that gives tips and advice on surviving the 3 day. Between the seminars, the manual and advice from other veteran walkers, we learned a lot.

We also experienced how disorganized the 3 Day might be at times. Yikes! I hope that the people in charge of organizing the registration for the training walk are not in charge of the registration for the official 3 Day on Day 1! We were also surprised by the nature of some of the walkers during the training walk. People have not been training on hills! And I have to admit, I don't understand why walkers with a slower pace insisted on getting in front of everyone at the beginning of the walk. The first few miles with the group were frustrating with the slower walkers in front and the faster walks trying to maneuver their way to get ahead of the slower walkers to get to their faster pace. But after around 2.5 to 3 miles, Laura and I ended up with people that we basically walked near the rest of the time. Some of whom were from our training walk group. I guess we're picking up the same pace!

I do remember a woman from our training group saying that the walking crowd is pretty congested on Day 1 for about the first three miles. Then you get to Torrey Pines Grade! The group really spreads out after that. The stronger, more experienced walkers take the lead and the rest follow at their own pace. On Day 2 and 3, the start time will be spread out over at least a half hour which hopefully helps prevent that congestion of several thousand people starting the walk at the same time. Good! It was a little frustrating some moments to be stuck with such a large group, walking so slow. But, it made for good experience, I guess!

Laura and I were greatly encouraged by the people who drove by honking and cheering the pink walkers on! We are also pretty excited about the pre-packaged peanut butter and graham cracker snacks that are apparently the stable of the 3 Day pit stops. They were pretty good!

In all we are doing a great job. The minimum amount they want first timers to hit is 38 miles in a weekend. We are keeping up with the training schedule pace and are keeping a good pace when we are out walking (our training leader even said so!). With 59 days and counting, it's 3 Day or Bust!

3 Day Expo - Prep Rally!

Jenn and I walked 10 miles this morning and then attended the 3 Day Expo. We met the Expo walking group in La Jolla. There were about 200 of us I would guess. It was tough at first starting out a walk with that many people - its crowded and slow! After a few miles things stretched out a bit though and it was easier. We walked around the UTC area, La Jolla Colony and UCSD. 3 Day crew members and volunteers were stationed along the walk route to cheer us on. They had a nice pit stop set up at mile 6 - complete with graham cracker PB&J sandwiches! Yum!

Once we finished up the walk we changed to clean clothes and headed into the Expo. We went to a talk about the 3 day that went over the daily schedule and what to expect each day. Then we went to a talk about what to pack and how to pack it. Definitely an eye opener! Essentially everything must be entombed in plastic to prevent moisture from ruining your weekend.

Vendors were set up in the gym so we got to poke around and see what type of gear is available. SDRI had a booth there so we both picked up some Triglide to help prevent blisters. We got to watch a tent being set up so hopefully we can do it ourselves when the time comes. Got some suggestions on how to decorate your tent so you can find it amongst the sea of pink tents when you're coming back from the bathroom in the middle of the night.

The Komen organization is very good about sharing information to help you be prepared as possible and as first-time walkers Jenn and I are taking advantage of it!

So far we're 20 miles down for the weekend. 10 more to go!

Laura

Mission: Regroup

My alarm was set for 2:45 this morning. 2:45!!! In time to get up, get dressed, get breakfast, feed the cats, deal with my feet (i.e. put my anti-blister measures on and then my socks and shoes), grab my prepacked gym bag and work clothes, drive to the gym closest to work, walk 10 miles, get ready for work, and grab a breakfast burrito to go...and make it to work on time. But it was not meant to be.

I did get up at 2:45...well, 2:50 or so. Got out the door at 3:35. Got to the gym around 4:00 and got on a treadmill by about 4:05. With a brisk pace and a few breaks for the bathroom and a sock change, I was good to go. But within the first few miles, I started feeling some discomfort in my left foot. In an area that was really sore after the last walk. I was two miles into a 30 mile weekend. Time to slow down and lower the incline to preserve my walking ability for the rest of the weekend. I found it hard to keep going on the treadmill. I've done 10 miles on a treadmill, several times since I started training. But I've adjusted to walking outside, with people. I was getting a little depressed at how slow my heart rate was and how few calories I was burning. I reminded myself that I had the week days to work out. This was a training walk. 

I had learned over the weekend that I just wasn't drinking enough. I was starting to get small cramps from dehydration. But the more you drink, the more you have to stop. By mile six, I figured it was time to change socks and get some padding on the back of my heels. I found that my blister preventing bandaging just wasn't going to work and I thought I could feel a pre-blister irritation spot on one of my toes. By the time I got to mile 7.5, the spinning class music was blaring and the instructor was at her screaming. I've walked there during her class. She was extra loud today. There's a reason I didn't join the military. A few, actually, but one of them had to do with the fact that for me, being screamed at does the opposite of motivate me. I made an unusual move. I stopped. I quit at 8 miles. Got off the treadmill, stretched, showered and left.

The rest of the world is cheering me on, awed and amazed that I'd get up at 2:45 AM to work out. And I'm upset that I stopped at mile 8. Go figure! I guess I just really wanted all of the walking to be done before work, so that after work, I could just relax and gear up the weekend. And heck, I'd have slept for another half hour before getting up if I'd known I was only going to do 8 miles!

But when all is said and done, I just have to regroup, refocus, and move on. It could very well be like this on the 3 Day. Unmet expectations, disappointments, weird pain, frustrating setbacks. I might even have to, for some unexplainable reason, have to take the sweeper van for one of the legs of the walks. (I didn't start training back in April just to get on a sweeper van, if you know what I mean!) But I did do eight miles today. I can finish up with a walking video at home tonight or go home, go to bed and get up a half hour early and make up the miles then. I did a pretty good job, and I even went ahead and got the breakfast burrito this morning. Why not?! It was pretty yummy, I must say! Got into work early. Got to blog, and sit and relax. The morning didn't go as planned, but it still went pretty well. I got UP, for goodness, made it to the gym and walked towards finding a cure for breast cancer. Actually, it's not too bad of a start to the day, at all!

Regrouping for a cure...Jenn

Gearing Up for Our Mini Three Day

My gym bag is packed! I think I've got what I need for tomorrow morning. I'll pound out as many miles as I can before work on the treadmill. It makes for a long tiring day, but I need to get to bed early tomorrow night (I don't have the time to walk ten miles after work!), and Saturday night, too. Our training is really starting to eat into our free time, especially on the weekends. Laura and I joked around mile 2 on Sunday...why hadn't I got the bug to do the Avon 2 Day?! It's only 40 miles!

I learned a lot of really good information this weekend. One thing that sticks out in my mind was how our long break went on Saturday's walk. We had to wait for the trolley and then take about a 15 minute trolley ride to get close to our cars. The break came after about 12.5 miles of walking. I hadn't calculated the trolley stop location correctly, and I was really dreading the last segment of our walk back to the cars. We were both pretty pooped out.

I've been afraid that if I stopped, I wouldn't be able to get back up again. But now that we are past 10 miles, the breaks actually come in handy. We'll have to stop for lunch on the 3 day. That is what our walking leader wanted to simulate. Breaking up the walk with a significant stop for "lunch." And in our case, the break was just what we needed! Laura got a bagel, we both did some stretching. We got on the trolley, and even though there was some soreness and stiffness once we got off, the walk back to the cars was not bad at all. I felt renewed, like I could have kept walking if I needed to. I was glad that I didn't have to walk long, though. The stop was much closer to our cars than I thought!

Okay, my beauty rest awaits. We'll let you know how the Expo goes...and how we feel after 30 miles!

Jenn

20 Miles in One Weekend

We did it! On Sunday Jenn and I walked 7 miles after having completed 13.5 on Saturday. We met up with the group at San Diego Running Institute. The shop is owned by a chiropractor that runs ultramarathons. He has worked the Komen 3 day for 10 years. Starting off at the shop's parking lot we walked 7 miles around the college area - including a mega hill! We started off a bit slower than our pace had been the day before since we were still a bit stiff but we made it.

The walk ended back at SDRI where the Doc had bagels and juice waiting for us. He then gave a talk for us about choosing the correct gear and how to prevent blisters. He showed us some different stretches to help with various muscle pain issues and let us test out a variety of products that you can use on your feet to help prevent blisters from happening. Jenn and I were definitely interested in those! The Doc will have a booth at the Breast Cancer Expo that we are attending this weekend so we will likely stop by check out some of the products further.

On Tuesday Jenn and I did a light day with a 4 mile walk....it did include a big hill though. A new accessory made its walking debut on this walk. My mom got me a very cute pink glittery ribbon pin. I put it on my hat so it will be joining me on all our walks. =) After we finished we came back to my house and watched the premiere of The Biggest Loser. If you ever need any inspiration in your efforts to get moving and eat healthy that show is it!

Our goal this weekend is to do a mini-three-day. We're going to try to do 10 miles each day Friday-Sunday. Saturday is also the Komen Breast Cancer Expo! We get to met all sorts of walkers, vendors, coaches and get a lot of great information. So wish us luck on what will be our biggest walking weekend yet - 30 miles!

Laura

13.5 miles down!

We did it! Jenn and I completed a 13.5 mile walk this morning. We met the training group in La Mesa at 5 am (waaaay toooo early). There were about 20 or so ladies in the group. We walked from La Mesa to Santee pretty much. Once we got to the Target shopping center in Santee we got on the trolley back to the Amaya trolley stop in La Mesa. Then we finished off the walk with a bit of a hill back to where the cars were parked.

Lessons learned: 1) For this length of walk at least 2 snacks are definitely needed. 2) The break of getting on the trolley at about mile 12 was a big help. We'll have to plan in a couple of decent length rest stops as our walks get longer. 3) The little sticky cushions for the feet aren't going to cut it for the longer walks. They lose their sticky and start roaming around in your sock - not comfy. So I'm going to have to switch to moleskin or New Skin to protect the tender spots on my feet.

Jenn got her non-fanny pack this week so this was her first big walk with her official pack. She looked ever so suave.

This is our longest walk yet and we are feeling pretty proud that we completed it and managed to do it with very little whining! =)

My feet are pretty tired and the front of my thighs are feeling pretty stiff but overall its really not too bad. We've got a 7 mile walk tomorrow morning so hopefully the stiffness will wear off before then!

Laura

It's going to be another flip flop fall!

Fall is the perfect time to buy flip flops on clearance! I figure that as soon as we get back to camp each day, the walking shoes are coming off and I won't get anything back on my feet for hours, they will be so swollen! Laura found some cute pink flip flops on clearance at Target in Santee. But by the time I got to mine at Grossmont, almost all of their flip flops were gone. I did find a good pair for showering in, both at the gym and for at the three day--with good tread so I won't slip. But I was disappointed. I really wanted a pair in pink! (The ones I found were white and blue.) Yesterday, I stopped at the CVS in Mira Mesa to get moleskin on my way home from work. NO MORE BLISTERS is my goal! CVS was out of moleskin. So I drove down to the Longs right by the 15 and found some. They also had flip flops on sale! And wouldn't you know, but they had pink ones. Pink with a little bling (okay, sequin-like stuff) on the thongs. YES! I'm going to be walking in style in camp!

Aren't you pink with envy?

Jenn

I'm Scared!!!!

Jenn and I are going to attempt to walk 13.5 miles on Saturday. I'm a little scared but I'm sure we'll manage it. We are then going to do 7 miles on Sunday so that will give us good practice at doing long walks back to back. Wish us luck!

Laura

We're getting closer!!

Sunday. It was another early morning of getting up and getting going when I just wanted to putz around. It wasn't light yet. And it was foggy, too. I got ready and planned to just pound out the miles on the treadmill at the gym, but I was in the mood to go to the Lake. Where I realized that I would walk a little slower. Hmmmh. Church starts at 10:30, what do I have time to do?

I have to admit, that most of the time, I just want to pound out the miles. Prove I can do it, and then go on my merry way. But, my body needs the practice of what walking in the 3 day will really be like. We are getting closer every week to the Big 3 Day! I'd like to walk at a 13 minute pace to get my miles done. But in reality, the 3 Day is going to be three, all-day, days. More like a 20 minute mile or close to it. With lots of stops, bathroom breaks, food breaks, sock changing breaks. And I realized that I need to get out on the streets more often. Get used to having to stop at cross walks, having to slow down for slower pedestrians in front of me, dealing with whatever normal walking obstacle comes my way...that don't happen on the treadmill. So I resolved as I drove away from the house that I'd do as much as I can outside of the gym. And while the Lake is nice, it certainly doesn't have any stoplights. I need to make some more walking routes on city streets and walk the routes!

At that moment it was still too dark to go to the lake. I decided I'd walk at the gym for about four miles, then do a loop at the lake. But I'd forgotten my sweat towel. And my iPod had completely died. And there wasn't a good movie playing for me to watch as I walked. Sigh. I think I just wanted to go back to bed! Less than two miles into it and I knew I needed to make a change or it was back to home and to the bed that was calling my name. I drove over to the Lake and got a really good walk going. Made it 10.5 miles in all for the morning. And my feet were feeling pretty decent, even.

I am going to make an effort to walk less at the gym and the lake, and as often as possible, hit the streets and pavement to train. Though if its the gym or nothing, I'll hit the gym and not think twice about it. This Saturday, I'm planning to walk around Mira Mesa. Should be some good training with that awesome hill on Sorrento Valley Parkway. And did I mention that I'm going to be walking right by some restaurants that are reported to have really good breakfast burritos???

Happy streets and trails!
Jenn

11.5 Miles, Baby!

Laura and I walked 11.5 miles this morning! We walked a similar route as to what we did on Monday, only we walked it from Laura's house and added the hill on Carlton Hills. We did a great job and enjoyed breakfast burritos from Estradas around mile 5. I've been subscribing to an online training guide from the 3 day site. The suggested walking for this week advised a 13 mile walk followed by a 7 mile walk the next day. I'm planning walk again tomorrow, somewhere between 8 to 12 miles, depending on how much time I give myself to get up and walk before church. We're definitely in line with what we need to be doing. We both have a little stiffness in our ankles but feel better than we did on Monday. We are getting better with mile and are getting excited that we have 11 more weeks before the big walk! Woohoo! We rock!

A Very Cool Website

If you too are a walker or want to start walking more for exercise this is a great website to help you out: http://www.mapmywalk.com/

You can map out walking routes and it will tell you the exact mileage. You can save routes, email them to others, etc. It also offers lots of tips and information about walking for exercise.

Check it out and find new walking routes in your neighborhood!

Laura

My Glamorous Walking Belt...In Home Use Only!!!

I bought a "walking DVD" about a month ago. It was slightly risky, as I'd never done any workouts by the instructor. But I've actually enjoyed doing it and now use it a couple times a week. You do more than just walk in place during the workout. "She" (Leslie Sansone) has you do aerobic moves intermixed with walking, working all sorts of leg muscles. Side steps. Kicks. Kickbacks (squats). She even lets you walk up and down your living room, if you so desire. It's 45 minutes in length and you walk approximately three miles. The DVD I bought came with the ever so glamorous "walking belt" pictured above. Using it on and off during the workout, it tones your upper body, mostly the arms.
It's fairly effective...but not something I'd wear unless I was in the comfort of my own home!

At first, I wasn't sure if an at-home walking video would be a very good workout. But I found that I actually work up a sweat! Leslie can be perky to the point of being annoying, but she's not that bad. I can handle her. I might even buy another one of her workout DVD's!

Walking for a Cause...Jenn

"I Survived East County's Boob Camp Bekki!"

Laura found a training walk for us to go on with a larger team. They actually had a "mini" 3 day event...they walked 10 miles each day of the three day weekend. We only participated on the last day. Bekki's Boob Camp was a well-planned, highly motivating event! She even fed us on a pit stop! Super yummy breakfast burritos, juice, mini muffins, oranges, bagels, Gatorade. She takes care of her ladies (and her dudes--there were several men there, as well).

We walked, in a round about way, from the Target in Santee, to the Santee Lakes and around, and back. Bekki was awesome. She drove around, her county music blaring, waving and encouraging us on. Other drivers even got into the show and started waving at us. We walked ten great miles. Our pace was definitely slower than normal, at first. You can only walk as fast as the thirty or so people ahead of you! But it confirmed to us that we're training well and that our stamina is good. We were among the first ten or so to finish, as we didn't linger any longer than we needed to at the pit stop.

Laura and I are definitely planning to stop at the Mexican food place Bekki got the burritos from on our next walk around Santee! We're taking long enough walks that a food break is necessary...our theory is not to sit down, though! But to keep stretching and stay standing. I know that I'm afraid if I sit down, I might not get back up! Feet and ankles are a little sore, and we both took a nap when we got home, but we are both feeling pretty good!



Happy Walking!
Jenn

Speaking of Exercise...

Two days before my aunt passed away, I got to go visit her in the hospital. We talked about my boy cat, Busy Bee. He is well...large in girth. Okay, he's fat. 16.5 lbs, to be exact! Aunt Jil told me that I should play ball with Bee, to keep him active and to get his weight down. I had bought a softball the week she passed away as I was planning to be a part of a softball tournament this month and needed some practice. I had put it up on a high shelf to keep it away from the cats, but I kept finding it on the floor. The day of her funeral, I heard a loud thunk. Bee had gotten the ball down again, and was wrestling with it. Smile. Playing with the ball, just like Aunt Jil said. I haven't seen him do it since. So I am trying to find ways to keep him active...he wasn't interested in toys this week, but got very excited about a fly yesterday. I am seriously contemplating getting crickets and releasing a few in the mornings. Let him jump and chase around after them all day. As long as they are dead by bedtime, I don't care!

Speaking of exercise, I finally got some in today! I got sick at the beginning of last week and went from having the cold to getting flu like symptoms. I saw my general physician at the beginning of this week when the nausea and the vomiting didn't go away. He's given me a vague diagnosis for the stomach ailment, but is concerned about the strain this could put on my gall bladder. Half a life time ago, it seems, I had gall bladder problems. I always figured that the gall stones just got absorbed back into my body. According to my GP, the stones are just sitting there in my gall bladder. Any trouble and my gall bladder could try to pass a stone. When that happens it is very painful. And they do get stuck sometimes, which results in emergency gall bladder removal surgery. Clearly, I don't want that! So I've been following his diet instructions and taking it easy. I didn't want to push it, but I was starting to go crazy not working out. So tonight, I did some pilates and walking. I didn't push it and I still feel good. Hopefully, I can incorporate some exercise into my daily schedule but I will take it nice and slow for this next week. I don't want a relapse...or something worse!

--Bee's Mommy (Jenn)

Hiking Cowles Mountain

I've been sick for a week now and unable to work out. But I thought I'd post about my new favorite work out...hiking Cowles Mountain. It took me a little while to figure out what trail to take and how to even get to the trailhead. I did some research on the web and then went to the visitors center at Mission Trails a few miles away to get a decent map.

There are several ways to get to the peak. I chose the north trail head off of Mesa Road, from Big Rock Park. The views on the way to the top are gorgeous! Big Rock Trail intersects the service road that leads to the towers on top of the mountain. The first time I took the trail, I got to the top of the mountain via the service road. Wow! Is it STEEP! I was pretty amazed that a mountain biker passed me on the way up! Goodness gracious, how can you bike up that steep of a road? It was actually a little scary walking down it on my way back, it is so steep and with loose gravel! Taking the service road cut off a little bit of mileage. I figure my hike was about four miles that morning.

I decided that I'd take the trail the second time around, this time on a Saturday morning. It was definitely a longer route. It joins up with the southern trail and I was surprised to find out how many people were hiking the trail. Literally, dozens and dozens. That route is fairly steep, as well, but not as bad as the service road! On this second trip, I kept hiking onto Pyles Peak. It afforded gorgeous views as well, but boy was I exhausted after that! It was close to eight miles of hiking!

--Jenn the Happy Hiker

Hitting the Lake

Jenn and I hit Lake Murray after work today for a 5 mile walk. It was the premiere of my non-fanny pack. It worked pretty well though when it was loaded up with water bottles I definitely felt like I had a lot of 'junk in the trunk.' It was comfortable though and didn't chafe or cause any other issues so I think it will work well for the big walk.

It was a nice walk - not too hot - and it was great to get outside for a while after being in a hectic office all day.

I also found some work out shirts at good ol' Tar-gey for $10 last night! They involve no evil cotton and are very comfy. Slowly but surely my workout gear supply is getting filled out. =)

Lil' Laura

Putting the X in Cross Training

Last month, a friend of mine was encouraging me to do more "cross training" as I train for the three day. I kept thinking, but I've got to keep walking! Got to get my body ready for the mileage. Then, the blisters happened. Problems with the shoes. (Still in pair #3, they are just a little too big, but it's hard getting over to RoadRunner to try them in a small size.) I resigned myself to taking time to let the blisters heal by doing other activities--I've taken the same amount of time as a long walk, and filled it up with biking, hiking, the eliptical, etc. Cross training.

It has really helped my walking. I can walk faster than before and it's exciting to see my performance improve. I actually have a hard time keeping up my heart rate while walking now. I'm adding in more inclines. I'm also jogging a little, just to add a little twist to my time on the treadmill.

I have been trying to get into mountain biking. My first two tries have been sad. The first time, I went on a path at Mission Hills, level 2 (out of 5). Okay, I admit it, I was kind of freaked out going downhill! Loose sand, rocks, gravel--it's just a little more scary than going down hill on a paved path! Then, I went back this past weekend to a level 1 trail. I just had the hardest time. I couldn't seem to adjust to the loose sand, and then when I'd get into a groove, my little purse/keyholder would fall off my handle bars on a good bump. So I'd have to stop, go back and get it, get back on the bike, start up again. Sigh. More frustrating than fun! So I'm not the expert mountain biker. But I'll keep working on it! And in the meantime, I'm having fun cross training. :0)

--Jenn

August 14, 2008

Thursday, August 14th marked "100 days" until the 3 Day walk in San Diego. It is also the day we laid my aunt to rest. A terribly sad, sad day for our family and her friends. Laura and her mom came, as did another friend of mine who had just lost her mom two days before my aunt passed away. Their presence was such a comfort, to me and to my family.

I still can't believe that my aunt is already gone. I know that is a part of how the mind deals with grief and tragedy. Denies it for a while. It doesn't make it an easier knowing that is what my mind is doing. Reality is sinking in, though I'm sure it will take some time to accept what has happened. I read on a blog of a previous walker that cancer survivors line the streets and cheer for us as we walk in the "3 Day", to say "thank you." When I read that, I started crying. I thought, "oh I won't be able to handle that." But maybe by November, I will be able to. I'll probably go hug them all. I am happy, so happy, that we're making some progress in the fight against breast cancer. They are the living proof of that. We just haven't won the war...yet. Someday we will. So, I walk.

Laura and I started this blog with the intent of keeping you informed and entertained. The past couple of blogs have been a big change from the attitude we have striven to maintain. Losing someone to breast cancer is a sad reality of this fight. Smiles and laughter are a little harder to come by these days for me. But thanks for reading and "walking" with us through this journey. And for your love, support and understanding.

--Jenn

Pictures

Top: Auntie Jil and Baby Jenny
Mother's Day 1975

Bottom: Auntie Jil, Jenny, Rachel and Earnie
Christmas Day 1975

In Loving Memory...

Breast cancer runs in my family. That is why I walk. What I haven't shared on this blog is that my aunt's breast cancer came back with a vengeance. Metastasized all over her body. She'd been hospitalized three times in the past month. This last time, things started to go downhill really quickly. My aunt has always been a very private person, and I didn't feel comfortable sharing anything about her health. Though it was hard not to, because more and more, she was the driving force behind my walking, I felt it was the right thing to do.

I still thought we had some time. I knew it was really bad, but she had been fighting so hard and had survived so much already. But I was wrong. This morning, around 9:00 A.M., she suddenly passed away.

I never imagined when I decided to do this in April, that she wouldn't be around for the walk. I thought, I hoped, we had a few more years left. I never thought I'd be walking in her memory. A life cut way too short by breast cancer.

In Loving Memory of: Karen "Jil" Warn. Beloved aunt. Greatly missed already.

--Jenn
June 8, 2008

Socks, Socks, Socks

My "favorite" game to play as a youth group leader in college was "Sock War." It's been a while since I've played, but I believe that the strategy involved two teams: offense and defense. The goal: to find, capture and bring back to your home base a predesignated that had been hidden by the other team. To protect your item, or to attack the defending team, you used socks as weapons. If you got hit with a sock, you had to play dead for a minute. To add to the fun and element of surprise, you played in the dark, or, with a strobe light going. Really, it was a lot of fun! The strategy was to have tons of of socks. The more ammo, the better.

When I was at RoadRunner, another shopper overheard my conversation with Rick the marathon running shoe guy. She and I started talking and she mentioned getting double layered socks. I told her Rick had given me a pair to try. She then told me her secret to being blister free. Keep your feet dry. And change your socks often! I found out that this lady walks/runs races where you do a marathon one day and a half marathon day the next. She told me that the years she changed her socks every couple hours (up to five times in a day), she didn't get any blisters. She also mentioned that if the opening ceremonies or the beginning of the walks take place on grass, make sure to put plastic bags over my socks and tuck the bag ends into my shoes. There'll be dew on the grass and therefore, dew on my socks unless I safeguard against moisture. I was pretty excited to get the tip. Then I started calculating how many pairs it would take at $7.00 a pair. Maybe I need to get a second, part time job or something to afford all of those socks! Well, I do recycle cans...but can I recycle that many by November?? LOL. I'm sure things will work themselves out! But the next time you think about throwing your aluminum can away, would you save it for me?

--Jenn

My Mom Has Always Said...

...that I have my dad's feet. She claims that the first thing she noticed when the doctor held me up for her to see me when I was born, was that my feet look just like my dad's. Well, I'm on my third pair of walking shoes and they almost are my dad's shoes....

I have continued to get blisters after six to eight miles of walking. I went back to RoadRunner for the third time to get some help and advice. Luckily, I got Rick the retired Navy marathon runner to be my shoe guide. He was very knowledgeable about feet. He said that while some people do get blisters even with good shoes, they should not be bigger than a dime. Mine are definitely bigger than that! He checked my tread wear and confirmed that I am NOT pronating, even though I am getting the blisters on the insides of my feet. He thinks that perhaps my feet are just rubbing on the sides of the shoe down by my heel. He also thinks my feet are a little wider than a normal shoe, though maybe not wide enough for wide width. And, he commented that my big toe is well, big and that's causing some problems. (Yep, sometimes after a walk, my big toes are really hurting.) So, he switched me over to men's shoes. A size 10, at that! That's an 11 1/2 women's! My dad is a 14 wide, so my shoes aren't as big as his, but bigger than I've ever worn! They are wide and have a high "toe well."

Rick suggested an instep, which is helping to give my high arches some extra cushioning without added support that I don't need. My arches don't really have much bend, so the first set of anti-pronating shoes were definitely the wrong diagnosis. He also gave me a pair of nylon socks to try. I'd bought some last month but this pair, while being thin, is double layered inside. So they rub up against each other, not my feet. Socks are expensive. My other pair were about $21 bucks for a set of three. $3.50 a sock! You better believe that I make sure these socks don't get lost in the dryer!

I was really getting discouraged with my constant problems with blisters. It's kept me from trying to go any further than 12 miles. I've decided to make the best of the situation and do a lot of cross training instead of just walking. Biking, short hikes, eliptical, aerobics, even some yoga. I just try to make sure I work out for at least two and half hours several times a week to keep up my stamina (an hour and a half here, another hour there). It's actually helping quite a bit. I did ten miles on the treadmill before work on Friday and did a 14 minute mile for the first six! With intervals of inclines! So I'm definitely seeing some improvement, overall.

I am still on my way to finding the perfect shoe. But unlike these gals in Russia, I'm staying away from working out in high heels. What a CRAZY competition! A dash in stiletto es ...insane! I have enough problems working out in walking shoes! LOL! I will let you know how this week goes!

--Jenn

10 Miles

Jenn and I walked around Santee Lakes today. We got a little lost walking from my house to the lake so our route was a little different than expected but we still got the mileage we wanted done...10 miles! We did pretty well if I do say so myself. I was feeling pretty good until the last mile. That last bit was tough. Now I'm sore and hobbling around the house like a little old lady but hopefully that will pass soon.

I'm feeling pretty proud of us overall! =)

Laura

Whoo-hoo!

My non-fanny pack has arrived!

It's NOT a fanny pack!

I went to REI and looked at the packs they had there but they were really expensive. I was looking at a few other stores when an email came from the Susan G. Komen folks. They must have magically sensed my frustration. It was letting us know about a sale on 3 day-themed gear included...drumroll please.....a waist pack! So I ordered the pack at a great price and its just the size and style I was looking for. Tada! It should be big enough to carry my water, snacks, camera, first aid stuff, sunscreen and chapstick. So I'm going to start wearing it on our training walks so I can get used to the weight of it, etc.

Laura

Tips from the Experienced Walker

I'm lucky to know someone that did the 3 day last year and was able to have dinner with her this week to pick her brain a bit. Kris, long-time Stokes family friend, reiterated the NO COTTON edict given us by the Komen trainers. I'm definitely going to have to get some more workout clothes that are nylon and spandex (Let's all try to avoid the mental picture of what that's going to look like!). She also gave me some tips about making 2 nights in a little hot pink pup tent a little more comfy.

The final day of the walk is concluded with a closing ceremony. The ceremony doesn't begin until all walkers are done with the walk and have arrived at the ceremony location. Kris recommended sleeping in a little on that last day rather than getting an early start so that we don't spend several hours at the ceremony location waiting for the other walkers to finish.

It was great to get some inside info from someone that has been there and done that. Kris helped ease my mind a bit and make me feel better prepared as Jenn and I continue our training.

Thanks Kris!!

On the training front, I'm checking routes and calculating mileage in other areas Jenn and I can walk so that we don't get bored from walking the same route all the time. Plus it will be good to test ourselves on different types of terain.

I'm going to REI later to check out some of the waist packs they have (NOT fanny packs, mind you). We'll have to carry several things with us during the walk - water, sunscreen, snacks, first aid items, camera, etc - so we'll need to have packs that can fit everything but hopefully not be too obtrusive. I want to get one soon so I can wear it on our training walks and get used to the weight and feel of it.

Laura

Vanity Fair

You just aren't going to see many pictures of me right before, during, or right after a walk. I'm generally not a vain person. I can leave the house without make-up on and not worry about it. But I rarely get photographed without it. Something about the glare of the flash does not do any wonders for my appearance! Not to mention, I'll also be in Spandex/polyester mix and my hair slicked back into a ball cap. I'm not so vain as to refuse a picture taken of me training for this. And there will be tons taken during the 3 day... I'm just warning you, there won't be many until then!

Laura and I met up at Lake Murray again this morning . She had tickets to see "Phantom of the Opera" and needed to get downtown later on. The last half mile of the lake has been closed off the past two times we've gone. Making it a 5.5 mile loop instead of a 6.4. Laura went 5.5 before heading home to get ready, I determined that I'd do 12.

Laura mentioned that I'm having problems with my new shoes. Last week, I figured I just hadn't broken them in well enough. They weren't bad when I was working out at the gym. But I still had problems with them today. My body seems to be fairly content with me going 8 miles...so the last 4 miles were killers! I am sporing several new blisters, unfortunately. There are several factors to consider as to why my feet are so "jacked up", but in all, I just didn't have problems like this until I tried these new shoes. So, back to RoadRunner to take advantage of their 60 day return policy. I'll give another pair a try on for size, and hope for the best!

8 Miles

Jenn and I are up to walking 8 miles at a time now. We walked 8 at Lake Murray this morning and did so with a minimum of whining. =) It took us about 2 1/2 hours.

My new shoes are awesome - New Balance rocks! Jenn isn't so sure about hers. She may have to return them to Road Runner - luckily they let you trade in shoes for a new pair for up to 60 days.

I got a knee brace this week and it is helping a lot with my tweaky knee (sorry, to throw such technical medical terms at ya). It just adds a little stability and that seems to be doing the trick.

Laura

The First Days of Summer

The first days of summer in San Diego have been HOT! Upper nineties to triple digits hot! I knew that I wanted to get back to Miramar Lake this weekend, it is so nice to walk outside versus the treadmill. I did eight miles at the gym Friday night, so by the time I got my weekend chores done and my walking shoes on Saturday morning, it was already HOT. I started at 8:45 and thought that I should take the dirt path around the lake instead of the paved route, since there are more trees and bushes that shade the dirt path. I was worried about getting sunburned. I was on serious antibiotics a number of times last year that cause sun sensitivity. And all these months later, I am finding that I still burn quite easily. I slathered on the 45 SPF and it was enough (with the partial shade) to keep me from getting PINK. But SPF couldn't do anything about the heat.


Wow, did I get hot! The paved path is about a five mile loop, and dirt path goes about three miles of it before just becoming a tangled mess. I had planned to go in four miles, then walk back. But after I got off the dirt path into the direct sun between mile three and four, I realized it was just too hot to do a long walk. At the four mile mark where I had planned to turn around, I opted to just keep going on the five mile loop to get back to the parking lot. The four mile mark has the coolest purple flowers. I tucked my camera in my walking bag and snapped a shot. But I didn't stop to admire them this time. All I could think about was getting to my car!I am a stickler about stretching after exercise, but this time I just didn't care. I got in the car and headed home. Whew! I am going to make sure that I start my weekend walks as early as I can. If I want to get out of the gym (with its blessed air conditioning), I'm going to have to walk with the sunrise to beat the heat this summer!

--Jenn

New shoes!

I went to RoadRunner Sports today and got some new walking shoes for training. They were really helpful there. They do a whole shoe analysis before you pick out your shoes to see how you walk, what type of foot you have, what you'll be using the shoes for, etc. so they can help you pick just the right shoe for you.

I walked on a computerized pressure pad thingy (its all very technical) to see how my foot falls when I step down. Then I walked on a treadmill while they videotaped my feet so they can see how I roll my foot as I take a step. I figured I would be a challenge for them since I have somewhat flat feet and I walk like a duck - seriously, I've had people ask me if I'm a ballet dancer because they noticed I was standing around with my feet pointed straight out to the sides - but they worked it out and recommended shoes that are for stability to keep my foot from rolling so much when I walk.

They are giving 10% off to all breast cancer walk participants so I got a nice little break on the price on my New Balance shoes. I took them out for a spin around the neighborhood when I got home and tested them out. Pretty comfy. This walk was also my first foray into the world of synthetic socks (this is very exciting stuff people!) as all the trainers, experienced walkers say, "NO COTTON!" They felt a little odd but I think I'll get used to them. This was also the premiere walk for my new ipod Shuffle as my previous mp3 player died at the gym last week (R.I.P. my little hot pink Sandisk). It was great.

So now I feel all set to take on training!

Laura

Lessons From Lingerie

For some reason, the thought of walking for 3 days, 20 miles a day, did not intimidate me before I signed up for the 3 Day. I'm probably crazy, I know! I do know it is going to take a lot of time and commitment to get ready for the physical demands of the 3 Day Experience. But I'm not worried. I have some secrets just like Victoria's that I'm going to share with you. Everything I need to be apart of the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk comes from my lingerie drawer.

Support: I knew I needed some support. And Laura's decision to walk with me is a fabulous fit! We've known each other for more than two decades now. We've even vacationed together a few times, so we know what it's like to share space. The pink pup tent they are housing us in is smaller than any hotel room we've shared, that is for sure! But I'm so glad that I have someone to do this with, and hold me up when I'm sagging.

Size: We've measured ourselves...we've determined our current paces and know when we are at the gym what we want to accomplish to improve ourselves. And we've set goals to grow. We've finished our first 10K this weekend and we're going to keep walking, adding more mileage and more hills as we go along.

Fun and Flirty: Unmentionables aren't fun unless they are fun. Come on, please tell me that you have at least one “naughty” bra in your underclothing collection! Even if there isn't anyone seeing it, it's just fun to have it on and know that you are sporting a 'tude underneath your business professional clothes or your best church dress! And that is how we are going to make our 3 Day journey. Fun with a little bit of pizazz! Anytime you get women together, there's bound to be laughter and LOTS of talking. But Laura and I are planning and plotting all sorts of lace and frills to add to our basic “Cross My Heart” experience. Making our team our own team with purpose, meaning and lots of laughs. Plotting team shirts and/or hats. Creating an awesome blog. And having you all share in it with us makes it all the more fun!

So keep posted for the next time we put our jogging bras on and put some more miles under our bra straps!

Your bosom buddy, Jenn!

Haulin' Buns at Our First Together 10K

Laura and I met up at Lake Murray to get our first 10K (walking together) under our belts. 8:00 seems a little early on a Saturday morning to be up and exercising, but the Lake was hustling with other active people's athletic pursuits. Fishing, running, jogging, biking, roller blading--you name it!

While we do have an idea of what we want to accomplish at the gym when we are doing shorter work outs (like how I want to be able to do a consistent 15 minute mile on the Treadmill), our strategy for walking longer distances is about building stamina. Eventually, we're going to be walking 20 miles for three days straight! And, in all reality, when we're walking on city streets on sidewalks with hundreds of other walkers, we're just not going to be going at our top speed anyway! We kept up a good pace and enjoyed views of the surrounding nature. It's so much nicer to walk at the Lake than on a treadmill!

It's June Gloom around San Diego these days, and the sky stayed overcast until after 9:00. Then the sun was out and shining. We realized that as the summer progresses, we're going to want to meet earlier as the walks get longer to get done before it starts getting hot and sunny. We hauled our buns to the turn around point at the Lake and back, and successfully completed our first 10K (6.4 miles!).

Jenn "CinaBun" Kuyper

24 Hour Fitness Training Time

Jenn and I went to the gym today to get a baseline idea of how long it takes us to walk a mile. We each did cardio for an hour. Jenn hauls her hinney at a speedy 16 minute pace. I trot along on the elliptical machine at about a 14 minute pace. Now we know where we are starting from and can work out goals for our training schedules.

Our next outdoor training plan is to do a full trip around Lake Murray...hopefully we can keep up our swift pace like the tough chicks we are!

Laura, one half of a Good Pair

Our First Official Komen Event

Laura and I completed our first official "3 Day" training walk at the Susan G Komen San Diego kick-off event held on Saturday, June 7th! It was a short, 3 mile walk, but a good way to get a sense of the "3 day" spirit. Laura and I wore our pink caps and visors to contribute to that spirit. Established teams already wore their personalized team T-shirts. Ladies get pretty wild in their team names. A list of the registered teams on line include a lot of references to "ta-ta's" and "chi-chi's." We're planning on walking as "A Good Pair."

A employee of RoadRunner Sports held a brief, but very helpful, shoe clinic before the walk. RoadRunner Sports supports the Susan G Komen Foundation by offering a 10% discount to participants. They help you find the best shoe for you, and even video tape you walking on a treadmill to see what habits you have in walking (rolling your foot in as you step down, etc.) to figure out what kind of shoe is going to support you best. And, allow you to return your shoes (within two months of purchase) if you find they give you blisters or just don't fit comfortably. Because athletic shoes tend to run a little small, they also suggest you buy one size larger. They also suggest you own two pairs and alternate the pairs every time you walk.

MMHS c/o 93'er, Mary, had just given me the same tip on FaceBook when she found out I was walking in the 3 Day. She's already walked twice in previous years and has volunteered to help us with fundraising! Laura and I also bumped into another girl from our class at the practice walk. This girl stopped us and asked if we had gone to MMHS and realized we were all from c/o of '93!. Kim is walking with a '92 alum. Even though I work in Mira Mesa, I really don't run into people from our class very often so it's always a good feeling to find an old classmate. We had Kim take our picture to celebrate this first training walk. Many more pictures...and walks...will come. Thanks for joining Laura and I on our journey! We have a lot more miles to go!