Bike Duty

Kenny did bike duty today and what a great job he did! Ha ha. Who else will carry the Hershey Bar? And the water? He likes getting his exercise, too. Nice job, Kenny-dude!

Sunday, December 8th, is the Jolly Jaunt Danvers, a fundraiser walk/run event for Special Olympics. Annie's coming up from CT for it. She'll be here Saturday-too bad I have to work:( But, we'll have Saturday night to chew the fat and eat the fat, you know; potato sticks, pinwheels, that kind of stuff. What kind of a hostess would I be if I didn't offer her favorites?

Margo and I are off to get manis & pedis tomorrow. Even though sandal weather is over, getting these things is such a treat. It's like wearing nice underwear - no one sees it, but it feels great.

Time to go make my man some corn muffins. I aim to please!

Latah!

When Walking Is Not Fun

     Walking on a cruise ship is not fun. This particular ship has only one side to walk on, so you have to go back and forth, and back and forth. Boring.
     I was scheduled to walk eight miles on the week-end of our cruise, but three was all I could do without pulling my hair out, or jumping overboard.
     I want to say we walked enough on the islands we visited, but I know better.  I basically got NO exercise on this vacation. I sat in a lounge chair for an entire week and read and wrote. I have no regrets. It was too awful to walk that boring walk and reading was just too delicious! I had a  wonderful, relaxing week.

    

     This was taken at Atlantis, on Paradise Island. It's really beautiful there, but there isn't anywhere to ride a bike. We were glad we visited, but realized it isn't a place we'd enjoy for a whole week. If we're not on a cruise, than we have to be somewhere we can ride a bike. Guess we'll be going back to our old favorite - Key West. During Fantasy Fest, of course!

     In the meantime, I'm gearing up for this week's walk in Danvers, MA. It looks pretty festive and it's a great fundraiser for Special Olympics, so it should be a great event. Annie's coming up for the week-end to do it with me. Saturday night we'll be watching some great Christmas movies and then Sunday morning I'll make crepes and we'll be off!

     Off tomorrow, will clean and sew. In the late afternoon I have my writers group, to be held this week at my friend, Margo's house. Very nice of Margo to offer up her kitchen to us. It's so homey though, we may never leave. I hope she isn't sorry!

Latah!

The Tarzan Brown Mystic River Run

     Sunday afternoon, after weeks of training, my sister and I lined up for the start of the Tarzan Brown Mystic River run in Mystic, CT. What should have been a fun, exciting couple of hours turned out to be not so great. I didn't mind the cold so much as I minded the rude behavior of the volunteers. We were dressed for the cold. What we weren't prepared for was being cussed at because we were in the way, or yelled at because we were too slow.

     Now, I know we're not supposed to take things like that personally, but when you're there to have a good time and people act like that, it kind of takes the wind out of your sails. Lesson learned. I'll never do that event again. In fact, I think I'll stick to MA and RI.

After the event, we got Chinese food to bring home, showered, turned on the TV for the NYC marathon highlights and we feasted and planned our next race, will take place in Danvers, MA on December 8, just one week before my half marathon! It looks like a pretty fun event and it's for a good cause. The money goes toward the Special Olympics. I've looked at videos of past events and it does look like a good time.

Off to do four miles!
   

     I argued with myself yesterday; should I walk? Should I wait until tomorrow (today)? I won, and I walked today. Even though it was windy and cold, it was very enjoyable, because I was at the Lake with Kenny, and walking with him is always a trip!

     He LOVES to pose. He knows he's a geek, so it's okay. He's a terrific geek.  Anyway, we waked 3.2 miles around the Lake and stopped at Honey Dew for a pumpkin donut TO SHARE! They didn't have any, so he got me a cranberry/apple stick and a glazed donut for himself. So good! I should have gone around the lake twice. Instead, we made the sweets our dinner. Good thing we had a great and healthy lunch.

     I thought he'd laugh at the race-walking sprints, but he thought it was pretty cool.

     Lake Quannapowitt is the prettiest place to walk as far as I'm concerned. Even in winter, when the trees are covered with snow and ice, it's full of people walking and running.

     I may only have half a day of work tomorrow, so I'll walk again in my new walking pants, which I bought at Athleta, this afternoon. They're fabulous! Next, I'll get a pair of lined Polartec for those twenty degree days.  As you can see, I was prepared for today's weather. See me leaving Kenny in the dust? Ha ha...

     

Latah!

A Beautiful Columbus Day

So, yesterday, after a wasted few hours at the Topsfield Fair, Kenny and I decided to walk around Lake  Quannapowitt and when we got there, we noticed some people walking around with some GREAT lilac & yellow T's. All I could think was,  HOW DID I MISS THIS WALK?? It was the walk for  Down Syndrome and I missed it! The shirts were gorgeous and the crowd was still hanging around, eating their snacks. Never again, I thought. I'll live on-line if I have to.

So, today I went over to the lake to do my seven miles. WHAT?? Another road race?? Yes, indeed. The Harrington Pub road race. The gun went off just as I came around the corner. Oh, man! Lime green T-shirts!

When I got home I shared an apple cider donut with Kenny, and we took off for a bike ride into Salem - the ONLY way to travel to Salem during the month of October. The sights are a feast for the eyes. The only thing we didn't see was a pumpkin costume. Even the pets were dressed up. Actually, it wasn't so much the costumes as it was the make-up; the heavy eyeliner, fake lashes, white lipstick and face tattoos. We just sat in the sun and watched.

Looking forward to whatever next week brings.

Organized Walk Against Domestic Violence

     Team "Sisters," yay us! Annie came up on Saturday to walk with me for this very good cause and we had a great time.  hardly noticed the rain.(Yeah, right), but Kenny made sure we had umbrellas, so we didn't get too soaked. Except for our feet, which were pretty soggy.

     We stopped for a bagel on the way up to Newburyport.  Little did we know there would be tables full of bagels, donuts and coffee, water, and energy bars.

     The walk began under an arch of yellow and orange balloons with an eight cheerleader send-off, and continued along the bike path which had wonderful sculptures along the way. I would have taken pictures of them, but I was afraid to drop my iPhone, since I had to hold onto my umbrella! Once off the trail, we turned onto High St., where motorists leaned on their horns for us. It was great! Halfway through, some band members from the High School were playing for us - no umbrellas! They were awesome! It never felt like work. It only felt wet. When we got to the finish, there were the cheerleaders, cheering us in. That was SO great!

     It's raining even harder today, so I guess things could have been worse. One reason I didn't mind the rain so much was that I knew my daughter and her friends were out in it for a full marathon! Great job Sue and Carrie!

Here we are showing off our new North Face jackets!  We couldn't help ourselves, they called to us. Oh, and we had to have new walking shoes, too. They had a voice all their own! I didn't think to take a picture of those. Damn!

     Ahh... Coffee! Yes, Annie lives for it. She's wearing the cool shirt she got for walking the walk!



     Now, we're looking for a walk in Rhode Island. We'll meet, walk, eat and go home.

                                     NEXT!

Medal "First"

     Looks like my first medal will be at the "Jingle Bell Half," in Atkinson, NH.  Thanks for thinking of me, Meaghan! 

     Unfortunately, I injured my foot on a sixteen mile walk and couldn't finish my training for the Portland Marathon. Bummer! Oh, and I just received my Walkabout magazine with a picture of runners crossing that gorgeous bridge in Portland, ON THE COVER!  Wahh... I need to take a lesson from Sheryl Yvette, a.k.a. Bitchcakes, and suck it up. It could be worse! Anyway, I now have a new goal and am healthy again.

     There are many walking events all over New England, so I shouldn't have any trouble finding something to participate in throughout the winter months. The racewalking technique will keep me as warm as running used to, not to mention adding speed to my workouts.  Also, a lot of running events have a "walkers" start time, which is nice.

     My ultimate goal, of course, is to walk the Boston Marathon with my daughter, Lisa.  The entry qualifications are pretty steep and I'll have to do at least two marathons with a decent time in order to participate. A good thing about me is, I can usually do anything I set my mind to. Yay, me!

~ Onward

The Highlight of my week.

Yesterday I walked for ALS,  the Walk of Hope for The Angel Fund. The day was bright and sunny and the atmosphere was very festive, with blue and yellow polka-dot balloons, raffles, food, water, lots of music and a pre-walk Zumba class. That was SO fun!

To begin with, Kenny and I put the bikes on the car, parked at our usual place at Lake Quannapowitt and  rode the mile and a half to the start. Great warm-up. As I suspected, my registration hadn't gone through, so I had to register all over again.  I picked up my shirt and bracelet and did the Zumba class.  Kenny spied the donut and coffee table, so he didn't care how long I was gone!

The releasing of doves, synced with "IZ's" version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," signaled the start of the walk and it couldn't have been more moving. I got all choked up.

After the walk, the volunteers served a lunch of pizza, hot dogs, mac & cheese, salad and water. It was a great event, for a good cause.  I'll do it again next year. I'm so happy to be collecting T-shirts again!

Next!

12 miles & counting!

Yesterday I did my first 12-miler! Yay me! It's the longest distance I've ever done and I could have kept going. Amazing.
I walked to Salem Willows and back and of course, Kenny was with me the whole way. He had water and cereal bars and was the best support person evah!

There are so many beautiful places to walk around here. We have Lake Quannapowitt, the Charles River, my home town of Salem, MA(untold sights to be seen there), and many more spots I have yet to walk.

I was under the weather for two weeks and could barely get off the couch, never mind walk a mile, so my training took a nose dive.  I've not had enough long walks, but I'll be able to catch up to the point that I'll be able to finish the marathon, for sure.

I went on the Portland Marathon site the other night and watched the video. That video generates enough adrenaline to propel even the most undertrained across the finish! Ha ha.

Now I'm scouting around for a local 5k and 10k to fit into my training.  Can't hurt and it might even help.

Walk on!

     I did it! Ten miles! I met my son-in-law, Scott, at his house and we drove to Newburyport to walk ten miles back. It was hot and long, 94 degrees in the shade, but Scott had planted bottles of ice water at the five-mile mark, and boy, did they ever come in handy. I drank and splashed and felt like a bird in a bath! By the time we got back to North St, what was leftover felt like bath water.
     I'm not sure I'd have made it if it hadn't been for Scott. I still can't believe I walked that far. It's one thing to talk about it, but  to actually do it is something else. There were a few hills, too.  I never knew walking up hills could be that tough.  Thank you, Scott!
     Tonight I'll do some speed work, but am waiting for dusk, when it cools off a little bit. Of course, Kenny will be with me on his bike. I love that he does that.
     This Sunday will be a twelve-miler. Scott showed me how to plan it out, so that will be as much fun as finishing a long walk. I'm thinking a bike trail - no exhaust fumes. I'll try it and hope it isn't too boring. It's a great way to listen to books and get exercise. Not sure I'd do a bike trail by myself, but I'll be fine with the Ken-man!

First long walk!

     So, Sunday was the first long walk of my marathon training and I did great. Six miles and one killer hill. Kenny followed me on his bike. He had water with him, which I needed a couple of times. He was cold, but I was really warm. All in all, I was pretty happy with myself.

     Today I walked four miles and it flew by. I wore jeans. Wrong! Those things are getting put away. I'm learning. Or, re-learning. Tomorrow is supposed to be about 90 degrees, so, I thought ahead. My clothes are ready and so am I.

Putzing around.

Had a fun walk with my sissy yesterday. We just kind of goofed off. It was a crisp, clear day in Marblehead yesterday and the harbor was CHOPPY. We were freezing over at Crocker Park. Brrr... Anyway, our walk was so hilly that our little 1.5 miles felt more like 3!

Today, we shopped.  I bought nothing. Annie bought a 2013 Honda Civic. I like the way she thinks.

Tomorrow I'll be walking five miles. I did that a couple of weeks ago and it was fine.  Soon enough I'll be doing the higher mileage. Kenny will accompany me on his bike,  just like old times. I'm going to be SO ready for this marathon. I can't wait!
       Annie Banani

The Deadline Looms

May 22

     The day my serious marathon training begins is just ahead. No more lazy days. For the next five months I'll be out there come rain or shine, whether I'm in Peabody or Bermuda.

     This past week I put a few miles on the bike - thirteen, I think - and a three mile walk that was more like a stroll. Well, those Springtime strolls are ovah!  This picture was taken on the bike trail from Salem to Marblehead - the exact spot my victim is found in my mystery novel, THE TRAILSIDE MURDERS.

     My walk yesterday was pure heaven. I walked the lake and listened to my 50's walking music. OMG, I could have danced around that lake. Thank you, Annie, for the fabulous music! I actually had to force myself to not dance around instead of walking. I'll have to find something where the tempo increases gradually, and then tapers off. I have something like that, but it's a cassette tape. Whaat?????

     Here is a picture of Lake Quannapowitt. I enlarged this photo because I wanted to get the church in. (I'm not very good at this and will need some photography hints from Lisa). This place is absolutely beautiful and I don't mind driving the eight miles down Rt 128 to get there.  It's 3.2 miles around and always packed with people. Cyclists, in-line skaters, runners, walkers, speed walkers and baby carriages (some carrying dogs). They even have a doggie bubbler!  I'll post a picture of that one in another post.

     Today I'll be walking in Marblehead. I'll see what I can do about getting some photos of this quaint, seaside town.

~ Later

Going for it!

     Just finished CPR, but the big story is, I walked four miles today!  Again, in the coooold. Brrr...  There's no stopping me now.  Check out the new cold weather walking clothes.  I fell in love the minute I saw this outfit.  I went to Dick's for a fleece hat (better to walk in the cold with, my dear), and I was actually looking for some cold weather tights and found these three pieces.  Love!  I didn't think twice.  Luckily, they were on sale, which hardly ever happens with Nike.  They must be gearing up for the Spring clothing.  Anyway, I scored!

Till next time.

It's a GO!!

My Lisa is a definite go for the Portland Marathon!  Yippee!  We have our hotel, only two blocks from the start/finish ~ AND ~ the expo is in OUR HOTEL!  Do I know how to set it up, or what?  All that's left to do is book our flight, oh, and train for the race. Ha ha!

It's been about 20 days since I've walked, so I knew I had to get out today or I'll never get in shape.  I can't let a little cold weather stop me.  I'm a New England girl, after all.  So, Kenny and I braved it for a whole hour.  We took a side trip to CVS, otherwise, it only would have taken us forty-five minutes.  I took a picture of us all bundled up.  It was hideous, but I would have posted it if it hadn't come out upside down.

I'll walk again tomorrow.  I have to.  I want to.  I'll love to.

My quest for a medal.

     I've run a number of road races in my time, but because I've always been a back-of-the-pack runner, I've never received a medal.  My daughter, Lisa, and her husband, Scott, have a collection of medals.  SHELVES of medals.  They have a ROOM to hold their medals, pictures and newspaper clippings - a ROOM!  Me?  Nada!

     But, today is a new day, a new year and another chance to get it right.  Who says I have to run?  While working on a blog titled "Walking to San Francisco," I decided on a loftier goal, one with a deadline and a training schedule I won't be able to fluff off in order to reach that brass ring, the Portland Oregon Marathon Finisher's Medal.

     Wanting to start the new year off right, I headed to the health club to put in the first miles toward my new goal.  I walked 3 miles on the treadmill.  I prefer to walk outdoors, but I also prefer not getting frostbitten!  Already, a miserable cold has sidelined my efforts for a few days, but has also given me a chance to put up this blog, which I hope to fill chock-full of my new walking adventures.

     Aside from the medal, there were a few other factors which influenced my choice of a marathon 3,000 miles from home, which I'll elaborate on in my next post.

     For now, I'll be putting in the miles, with updates here.

     January 1
     3 miles
     Check!