walksgiving - 160 days to go!

My Thanksgiving plans changed abruptly, and I had a lot of unexpected time this week, so I declared this the Week of Thankful Walking and decided to devote myself to putting one foot in front of the other in various circumstances with gratitude that I am able to move my body.  At the risk of sounding like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, here's the day-by-day story of Walksgiving:

On Sunday, I went for a walk with a 50L backpack filled with a few things to test it out.  The walk was very energizing--a beautiful day to wander around the Mall and the monuments.  It renewed my enthusiasm to walk the Camino.  I had been flagging a bit, feeling as though training was a bit of a chore, but that day's outing made me smile so many times.

I stopped for lunch at Burrito Brothers and met a guy who had just hiked the PCT.  We chatted a bit.  It felt nice to connect with someone about walking.  When we parted, I gave him and his friend a clementine apiece, and he wished me, "Happy Walksgiving!"  Tarzan (his trail name) and I agreed that my pack was too big.  I was also worried that my boots were too small.  So after walking for 7 miles, I took my swollen feet to REI where I tried on a few pair and decided to go up half a size in the same type of boots.  I bought a different backpack, too.  It's much smaller.  It feels so nice and snug.  To be honest, I also like it because it is orange with purple zippers.

On Monday, inspired by a neighbor who does the same thing, I walked the mile to my gym to attend my Body Pump class.  That felt great, too.  It was nice to warm up by walking on the way there and cool down by walking on the way back.  It was a little extra workout.  I'll try to work that into my routine from now on.

On Tuesday, I had a bad day at work and needed to move my feet.  Rather than go to the gym, I grabbed my big rainbow umbrella, a gift to myself during the pandemic when I felt compelled to get out no matter the weather, and wandered around my neighborhood in the rain.  Why do I always have to remind myself how much I like walking no matter the weather?  It felt wonderful.

Then on Wednesday, I went for a stroll at night, which I don't usually do.  Again, it felt fantastic.  Again, I wondered why I have to remind myself to go out no matter the weather, no matter the time.

Thursday was Thanksgiving.  When I considered how I wanted to spend my time alone in the morning, I decided to combine yoga, walking to the gym, and doing a new exercise class.  Funny that whenever I have a spare day to myself, I tend to think of yoga and a walk as the treat I crave.  Why don't I just do those things every day?  Why does it have to be a special day?

Friday I challenged myself to join a local chapter of Camino walkers on an opt-out walk (anti-Black Friday).  We walked from Alexandria over the Wilson Bridge along 495 to National Harbor and back.  I was nervous to go, worried that everyone would be too fast, but I needn't have been concerned.  I certainly was on the slow side, but I ended up chatting with a lovely woman named Ann for the entire 6 miles.  I hope we'll walk together again.

Saturday--today--was dress rehearsal day.  All throughout the week, I've been paying attention to Black Friday sales.  I looked up on this blog to find my packing list from 2007 and started to modify it.  I found deals on all kinds of things that I need.  Lots of things will be arriving in the mail this week!  Yesterday, I did a pretend packing, putting together most of the things I need so that I could figure out if I have the right pack and if I can carry it comfortably.  This morning at dawn, I put on the pack and carried it around the neighborhood.   I had on the new boots with the liner socks and big socks.  It was like a real dress rehearsal.  And you know what?  It went great!  I did 3 miles with the pack with a moderate level of exertion.

Here I am at the end of Walksgiving, feeling truly thankful and way more excited about my upcoming Camino than I started the week.  I declare Walksgiving was a success!

backpack - 213 days to go

I took my new green backpack out for its inaugural walk today. It was sunny and in the 80s in early October, so I was feeling inspired. I tossed some tshirts in for weight, loaded it up with a water bladder, and headed to Old Town waterfront. Most of the other folks who were out and about were strolling idly in the last gasps of summer weather. I’m sure I looked goofy with my hiking boots and walking stick, but I felt quite good. The pack wasn’t very heavy. It still needs adjusting so that it perches on my ample hips just right. But it’s a start…

running - 227 days to go

 I didn't want to go for a walk after work today, but it was a beautiful late summer evening, so I talked myself into lacing up my sneakers.  I made a deal with myself that I only had to walk on the flat sidewalks near my house and then I could go home.  But once I walked that for about 20 minutes or so, I was feeling good and decided to go down a hill and walk on a wooded path to enjoy some of the final glimpses of green this season.

I've been feeling pretty good about my progress.  I've been moving my body frequently.  I'm eating more healthily.  (I have absolutely nothing good to snack on in the house.  In one desperate move, I had to scrounge some 8 year old M&Ms to satisfy a chocolate craving.), but my weight is down since July.  Yesterday morning, I was delighted to step on the scale and find that I have lost a Calliope and a half.  Somehow measuring in cats seems more meaningful than measuring in pounds.  

During my walk today, I made it to the end of the wooded path and started to turn around, I thought about a conversation I had a few weeks ago with a high school friend named Mike who has taken up running.  When I told him that I ran a 10 mile race in 2007, and that I was really, really slow, and hadn't really run since, he pointed out that my time in 2007 was faster than the race I didn't run in 2008 (and '09, '10, '11 . . .).  Something about that stuck with me.  Why not try--try--to run.  If I didn't like it, I didn't have to do it again.

I had downloaded a Couch to 5K app while chatting with my friend.  Over the past couple of weeks, it kept sending me these nagging messages asking me if I was ready to get started.  Finally, I was.  I opened the app, put on a Spotify "Bridgiefit" playlist I had thrown together a while back, and found myself listening to "Eye of the Tiger" just as the app prompted me to run for 30 seconds.  

That's not very many seconds.  I shuffled along, feeling self conscious about my lumbering body as I nodded to (and avoided eye contact with) the other people on the path, but I soon realized that whatever I was doing was better than what I did yesterday!

I made a strategic error by deciding to try running on the uphill part of my journey, but by the time I arrived home, I had done several run/walk intervals.  Will I do it again?  It felt . . . okay.  Not bad exactly.  But not good either.  We'll have to see . . .

habits - 247 days to go

How can I prepare my body for walking 500 miles?  In some ways it's overwhelming, but it's also thrilling to have a big goal.  Much of the reason for the trip is to establish an incentive to get in better shape.  I want to meet my 50 year old self, and I want to be proud of her.  So the voyage to Spain is the reward.  But taking good care of myself is its own reward.

I need to change my eating habits.  Last time I did it, I had just lost a lot of weight, and this time I need to lose a lot of weight again.  It doesn't feel like I want to do it for vanity's sake or because I need to look a certain way.  It's more straightforward--the less weight I carry on my bones, the easier it will be on my joints to wander along through the flowers and the meadows.  It's akin to packing less in my backpack.  I don't want to be weighed down any more than I have to be.  I'm trying to remember that every time I make a choice of what I put in my mouth, I'm making a choice about what I want to bring with me next May.  So I'm assiduously logging my food and hoping the numbers on the scale go down.  I'll probably need to get a lot more disciplined than just that, but it's a start.

I also need to figure out my physical training schedule.  I do so much better when I have a routine.  It's coming together piece by piece.  A long walk (or two) on weekends.  Body Pump at the gym two days per week.  Yoga and walking during the week.  It will help me to put that on the schedule rather than just going whenever I feel like it.  

Those plans are fine, but I feel like I need some more butt kicking, too.  Last time I finished the Camino, I had just run a 10 mile race.  Is it too crazy to imagine doing that again?  At this point, I couldn't even run a 5K.  I was also doing a boot camp at that time.  I wouldn't mind doing that again.  This morning I went to a personal training session, and although that would be a nice addition, it's just too pricey.  Maybe it's time for me to think about developing a gym routine of my own.  I have a hard time pushing myself with weights, though.  I do so much better in a group, which is funny because I am going to Spain to walk alone.  Something to think about.  How does my fitness relate to other people?

tenderfoot - 263 days to go

 I went for a morning walk today and noticed that the bottoms of my feet are tender from pounding the pavement yesterday.  I'll have to wear boots for the next long walk.  As I recall, pilgrims talk a lot about their feet, and one of the best things you can do is to prepare yours for what they are going to experience.  No more pedicures for me.  I want my hoofs to be tough.  I also want my boots to be well broken in.  I own boots from my walk in N Ireland last year.  I haven't tried them on in awhile.  I'm not sure if they are The Boots.  They don't lace up well around my big ankles, but that could change in time.  

Sunday walk - 264 days to go

I have a countdown app on the lock screen of my phone, which is keeping track of the number of days until I get on a plane for Spain in 2024 to walk the Camino de Santiago in celebration of my 50th birthday.  It's intimidating to think about all that I need to do between now and then to prepare for the trip, but it's also really exciting and energizing.  

I went for a long walk today (or what counts as a long walk when there are 264 days to go).  For 7.6 miles, I wandered along the Mall and around Capitol Hill in the 90 degree heat.  I wore sneakers, though I think that next time I'll wear boots because by the end, the soles of my feet were a little uncomfortable from pounding the pavement.  I carried a tiny backpack with just water and essentials.  By early May of next year, I look forward to doing double that number of miles per day (day after day after day--for a bare minimum of 30 days, probably more) while carrying a much bigger backpack.  Despite the heat, it felt joyful to move my body--up until about the last mile.  

There were lots of people around enjoying the summer Sunday.  As I watched them, I felt as though I had a secret.  To look at me, you wouldn't know that I was starting such a meaningful journey.  Even though I was in high spirits, I wasn't lightfooted.  I was aware of the changes that need to take place with my body before I can undertake another long walk.  I'm committed, though.  I need to lose inches and pounds to get into Camino shape.  I have a lot of tough workouts and training ahead before May 3, 2024.  Part of me doubts that I can do it, but part of me is thrilled by the challenge.

I walked past the Capitol Building, and it was under construction.  We both are.