June 30

I got up early today to do my miles before I had to work all day. I did 5 miles in 1 hr and 22 min (16.4 min/mile). My toes are still hurting. I emailed Rachel and she suggested tying my shoes in a particular way to see if that helps. I'll do that for tomorrow.

June 27

Had our team run this morning at the Mopac trail. We met early (6:30 AM) and Rachel gave a workshop on nutrition. It was very interesting...there is such a science to it all! So here's what I learned: As far as what to eat before run/walks, especially longer ones, (better known as fueling before walk/runs), it should be mostly carbs, a little protein, and low fat...so I've been having a cup of organic granola with soy milk and that seems to work well for me...so that part is taken care of. Next is fueling during walks/runs. Your body can go for 90 minutes of walking/running and then all carbs are spent and you need to replenish them or else your legs won't move very well. This includes carb replacements such as power bars, Cliff bars, gatorade, electrolyte powders to mix with water (to replace sodium lost in sweat), gu gels or shot blocks. The gels are concentrated mixtures of carbs and you need to chase it down with water so you don't get a "goo gut" (I don't know what that is, but it doesn't sound good!). Once you start to use the gels, you need to avoid a sugar crash by having more every 1/2 hour to 45 min. of your walking/running time. Finally you have your fueling post walk/run and that's where you need to quickly have a blast of protein to repair torn down muscle tissue and also to replace some carbs. You need to replace the protein within a half hour of finishing your walk/run. Each person is different as far as what will work for them...so it's all by trial and error. There's so much to think about instead of just putting your left foot in front of your right foot!

Back to the walk/run today...I did 8 miles in 2 hrs. and 12 min (16.5 min/mile) and by the end, my second toes on both feet really hurt...it felt like I had just stubbed them...so that wasn't so pleasant, but I felt good about going 8 miles today. My total miles for this week is 22!!

June 26

My day off of walking so I did water aerobics. It felt really good...and easy! I signed up fo a 5k race in the Cornhusker State Games here in Lincoln on July 25th. It should be good experience to do a short race. You don't have to run...you can walk...with no freakin' bus following you!...so that's good.

June 25

Leo had his 3rd round of chemo today & did very well. His strength and positive attitude is definitely an inspiration! He dozed quite a bit from the benedryl they gave him. Sara came over on her lunch break and we all had lunch together. That's nice she takes the time to drive over and visit...it helps pass the time which is a good thing. It was really hot again today & I took my walk after dinner. I knew I couldn't eat regular food for dinner & then walk in the heat so I just had a Pemmican protein bar & took off. I had no energy from the get go & that's not good for a 4 mile walk. I got a new sports watch that has an alarm that goes off at 5 min & at 30 seconds to run. My feet really didn't want to run at all today - just no energy. And I couldn't figure out how to quickly reset my watch - so that was a pain. My stomach cramped up so that's a "no" for the Pemmican bar & I drank too much water which further upset my stomach. I was really hot & sweated a bunch & tried to keep the pace, but by the last mile, I just wanted to finish - I didn't care about the time factor. I went 4.3 miles in 74 min...17.2min/mile. I felt so lousy when I got home I took an ice bath. Today was not so good - I felt like my form was terrible & I wasn't able to correct it, my feet wouldn't move much at all, I ran out of energy, and I started to have doubts that I can do this. Hopefully Saturday will be better.

June 24

It was very hot again today. I walked 3 miles in 48 minutes (16 min/mile). Mercifully, I had a reflexology appointment with Deb today and I so enjoyed it! That's my treat to have Deb do her reflexology magic on my feet!! I paid Deb afterwards and she handed me the money back and said she wanted to donate it to our fundraising for LLS (Leukemia Lymphoma Society). That was so nice of her!

June 23

It was so hot out today - must have been in the 90's early with humidity of about 90%. It was miserable walking. I walked 4.3 miles in a terrible time of 81 minutes(18.8min/mile). then I had to work all day at the antique store - so I was pretty tired by evening.

June 21

Walked 3 miles in 49 min. (16.3 min/mile).

June 20

Had the team walk this morning. I did 7 miles in 1 hr. 56 minutes (16.6 min/mile). Rachel walked with me part of the way, then I was on my own. The last 1 1/2 miles Rachel caught up with me & she set her watch & I did 5 minutes of walking & 30 seconds of running for the whole last mile. It seems that 30 seconds is a long time to run! When I got home I took another ice bath - not pleasant, but it does help - I think it shocks your body into not being sore! The walk on the Mopac today was really pretty - being way out in the country. I am enjoying the walks more now. This week my total miles walked is 17 !!

June 19

Leo had blood work done this morning & all looked good, which is great! Luckily today was my day of rest from walking. Had the garage sale again all day. Part of the day it rained so again not many people. I had to haul all the furniture inside the garage when it started to rain...not fun! All in all we made just under $300 so at least that will help.

June 18

Had the garage sale with all proceeds going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The weather was sweltering - in the 90's with high humidity. Not as many people as I'd hoped for at the garage sale- but made some sales. After I closed the garage, we ate & I let my food digest for about an hour & then went walking. I did a 4 mile going from Old Cheney to Sheridan Blvd. I was really tired from sweating all day in the heat & I drank too much water on my walk & got stomach cramps so won't do that again. I did the 4 miles in 70 minutes (16.3 min. per mile). I felt good about pushing outside the comfort zone since I ws so tired. Several times my feet were actually dragging, but I did the 4 miles!

June 17

Did a 3 mile walk with Deb Fountain today. We went on the Mopac and started at the grain elevator at Walton & walked east. Afterwards I want to Deb's & she so generously donated a ton of items for our fundraising garage sale that starts tomorrow. I baked cookies tonight for the garage sale.

June 16

Forgot to mention yesterday before we left for Nebraska City, I stopped in at the Running Co. because my shoes were starting to allow my feet to roll out recently & Ann that works there said I was in the wrong shoes - so she fit me into another type of shoe & exchanged it for no extra cost! I also got some more gel blocks and some electrolyte tablets that you add to water. Some of the gel blocks have caffeine so I need to experiment with those to see how they work out.

June 15

Our 35th wedding anniversary. Leo took the day off work & we retraced our steps back to before we were married ...back 36 years ago. We went to Waubonsie State Park down by Nebraska City...across the border in Iowa. At that time I was trying to impress Leo with my cooking skills & so I made some fried chicken & potato salad & we drove the 60 miles to the park & had a picnic. Well, the chicken was still a bit pink & the potatoes in the salad were crunchy, but Leo never complained - at least not then. Of course years later he kidded repeatedly that it was amazing that he married me in spite of the failed picnic. So today we returned to the same spot in Waubonsie and yes, I made chicken & potato salad that was done perfectly (with many more years of practice!) & I offically redeemed myself. We went back to Nebraska City & hiked around Arbor Lodge & had iced tea on the deck and even though we weren't where we had planned on going to today (to our favorite place in the world - a little island off the coast of BC Canada - where we have been going every anniversary for the last 5 years) - but we still had a very nice day. When we arrived back home, there in the mail was a box from our very special friend on the island, Sharon, and she so kindly sent things from the island to us this year - some of her fabulous homemade granola, some lavender soap(my favorite!), a cute notepad, some lotion, a very nice note and card, and some wonderful seashells that she had found on the beach the day before sending them - along with a beautiful piece of sea glass that she knows I love. So even though we didn't get to go there, the island came to us...and it made our day.

June 14

To prove a point today that I can pick up the pace so a damn bus doesn't chase me - I went 3 miles in 43 minutes...that's a 14.3 min. per mile pace. I was huffin' & puffin' all the way - it did not feel good...but I did it.

We had our team walk today at 7:00 AM at the Mopac - it's a really pretty trail that goes way out in the country through corn fields & over bridges. The others did 6 miles & I did 5 & felt very good about that. While Rachel was walking with me today she told me that at some marathons they have buses that go around & if someone is not on pace, they make them get on a bus. She said there were 2 women at one marathon & because they were not on pace, they made them get on the bus after only a mile or so. I told her they couldn't get me on a bus after 1 mile - or after 10 and she said that I might not have a choice. Ah - she doesn't understand me yet. Let's get this clear - if I train for 4 months, if I'm doing this for solidarity for my husband, if I'm doing this as a fundraiser for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, if I don't WANT to get on the bus, I won't get on any freakin' bus. I'm serious about that. They can take down the cones if I haven't finished the race & the policemen can go home - I'll continue on the sidewalks or grass - as long as I'm doing ok - but being forced to get on a bus - no. They can call out the cops & arrest me before I'll get on a bus. Note: reread Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience". I came home from my walk today & at Rachel's suggestion I did something new & quite unpleasant - I got into a bath tub filled with COLD water & ice cubes - yikes! I put on a sweatshirt & hopped in & then let out a scream! That was a shock! I stayed in for 10 minutes..and it felt like 30! It did help, though, as my legs & knees weren't doing too bad the rest of the day. My total miles walked for the week is 16 miles!

Leo had blood work done today & it's all good. Another day of the garage sale and I made $50 for the cause. I sold all but a few cookies. Forgot to mention several days ago I tried one of those gel shots (the extremely thick liquid type) & it was a nasty experience. I won't go into deetails but you know when you have a cold & have sinus drainage?? - well, that's pretty close to taking one of those gel shots! There's no way I'm doing those things, so I went to the Running Company & got the same stuff only in a more solid cube form - so you have to chew it - sort of like ju-jus...they get stuck in your teeth. When I got home I had an email from Rachel saying that the Des Moines marathon had decided NOT to allow the walkers to start an hour early. This is NOT good news. This means I'm going to have to pick up the pace considerably.

Walked 3 miles & the good news is that I did it in 50 minutes (16.6 min per mile)...the bad news is that I ate 1/2 of a banana before starting & it didn't sit well with me..I had bad stomach cramps. I've made a note of that. Baked a bunch of cookies for a garage sale that a friend is having (that I'm in on) All of the proceeds from the bake sale will go to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

Walked 3 miles today in 1 hour so I felt good about that. Had a Team in Training clinic with Rachel about equipment & it was interesting. If anyone thinks that it's simply running/walking - they are mistaken! There's so much to it. Rachel gave me samples of this goo stuff - high carb concentrate in little packages. I guess you deplete all carbs in your body after 45 minutes of running/walking (or maybe that's 90 minutes)...anyway, you need to fuel your body with more carbs every 45 minutes. I learned about running shoes & that you need to pull them off with your hands - no more using the toes of one shoe to pull off the heel of the other. I'm supposed to be trying out different foods before I run (walk!) to see how they do with me since everyone is different. Also I need to drink lots & include electrolytes in the water. I need to get a visor or hat and get used to walking with that. There's this stuff called Body Glide that you put on your feet, arms, legs...wherever there might be chafing...to prevent it. I need to buy a travel roll of toilet paper for race day...oh Lord! Too much information!

2 miles - no ice.

Went to an all day women's retreat & after doing 1/2 hour of zumba dancing at the end, I went for a 3 mile walk. The twisting & stepping of the zumba wasn't great on my knees, but some ice helped. I've been doing my own thing as to the miles I walk. I have a schedule with the miles we are supposed to walk each day, but I have cut my miles back to start with. Today the assigned distance was 6 miles, but I just did 3. The grand total of miles walked for the week was 11 miles!! That's pretty impressive for me...since one year ago...no fooling...I could barely walk around the block because of my knees. They seem to be gaining strength which is great news.

Leo had his second round of chemo today & did really well again - he is staying so positive! Along with the chemo, they gave him some benadryl through his picc line & that made him immediately drowsy. So he was out (napping) for most of the morning while having the chemo drip. I had brought along my walking clothes & shoes & I went into the bathroom in the chemo room & quickly changed into them & then crossed the room to get back to Leo. Iwent to put my keys in my pants pocket & couldn't find the zipper - then realized my running pants were on inside out - how impressive! I quickly went back into the restroom & changed & took off for my walk. I had mapped out the walk the night before on the website. It was just across the street at Holmes Lake. I went 2 miles & it felt good - so no need to ice my knees! Later on in the day while Leo was still getting the chemo, he actually set up his laptop and did some work! He's amazing! Everyone else in the chemo room was wrapped up in blankets and sleeping and here he is doing work with the bags of chemo hanging over his head!

Went 2 miles on June 1 and 2 miles today.