Less than 8 weeks to go until the Susan G. Komen 3-Day!  I started training in March, and since then I’ve logged 510 miles according to the MapMyWalk app that I use. I’m on my second pair of sneakers (and I actually bought two pair so I can alternate), and I’ve had to buy several new pairs of socks. Despite wearing sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses, all the extra time outside is also giving me a bit of a tan. A farmer’s tan, but a tan nonetheless. 🙂

This weekend I had less mileage to do; the training schedule allows brief reprieves so you can rest. Last weekend was a doozy:  25 miles in two days; this weekend was just 14 (though I actually did 15 miles).  It doesn’t hold a candle to what I’ll be doing during the event, and I was plenty tired… Glad there’s still two months of training. The most difficult thing (aside from remembering to eat enough before and during the long walks) is how much time it takes. On level ground I can go about 3.7 MPH, but if there’s hills or stoplights then I go slower, so I generally allot about 3 miles per hour and if I get done ‘early’, it’s bonus time.  In practical terms, on a typical Saturday morning I will head out about 8 or 9am and I get home about 1pm. Yep, half the day spent walking.

I have gotten to experience some really neat things while walking. Just today, we were walking by the airport and planes were landing overhead. One plane caused a couple of sound claps that I can only describe as almost-thunder. Not a sonic boom, but some magical combination of speed, temperature, humidity, and timing. Whatever it was called, it sounded really cool. Easily a dozen planes flew over in the time it took us to pass the airport, but just one caused that.

We also saw a goldfinch today. I know we have them in the area but I rarely see them; they are beautiful little birds. We usually see flickers, robins, starlings, and chickadees (and of course, crows, pigeons, and Canada geese), and twice I’ve seen bald eagles.

Crows bathing in a sprinkler puddle.

In fundraising news, I’m at 74% of my goal – $3,844 out of $5,000 raised so far for the foundation. THANK YOU to everyone who has donated!  If you have meant to do so but haven’t gotten around to it yet, there’s a convenient link in the right-hand widget. hint hint.

I’m also seeing a lot of the area and experiencing a special kind of zen that results from running errands on foot. Since it does take up so much of my weekends now, I try to work in some errands so I can feel productive. Today, for example, we walked to the next city over and picked up a couple of things at the sporting goods store while we were there. It’s hard to describe the peacefulness of walking. You lose all sense of urgency and are able to enjoy the surroundings. I arrive at my destinations relaxed in spirit, appreciate the flora and fauna along the way, and it’s been amazing to have hours of time to chat with my husband without interruptions.